1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,880
Speaker 1: The biggest decision in my life it's been to switch

2
00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,240
Speaker 1: to Australia.

3
00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,080
Speaker 2: Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down.

4
00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,200
Speaker 2: I'm Matrolope, a writer and editor for oz open dot com.

5
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,600
Speaker 3: And I'm viv Christie, managing editor for Australian Tennis magazine.

6
00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:17,160
Speaker 4: And Matt.

7
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,640
Speaker 3: Why are we sitting down this week with Daria Kasakina.

8
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,600
Speaker 2: Well, Viv Dash has been someone we've been very keen

9
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,680
Speaker 2: to chat two pretty much ever since she made the

10
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,960
Speaker 2: decision to start representing Australia back in March. So she

11
00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,320
Speaker 2: joined us from her base in Spain as she was

12
00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,479
Speaker 2: preparing for the new season. And yeah, we had a

13
00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,680
Speaker 2: really candid chat with her about a year that's been

14
00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,040
Speaker 2: full of like personal milestones and happiness, but also quite

15
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:39,520
Speaker 2: a lot of challenges that she's faced.

16
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,040
Speaker 3: Yes, as you say, she was so expansive and I

17
00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,200
Speaker 3: loved hearing how much she loves Australia. She loves our nature,

18
00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,440
Speaker 3: she loves our coffee, she loves our people. She was

19
00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,320
Speaker 3: also really she very open about her thoughts on tennis.

20
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,040
Speaker 3: She had some kind of bold and interesting views. Yeah,

21
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,320
Speaker 3: in this wide ranging chat that I think, thank you

22
00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,960
Speaker 3: all up. Darik Caseicina, thank you so much for joining

23
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:06,959
Speaker 3: us on the sit down.

24
00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,840
Speaker 1: Well, guys, very nice to meet you. Thanks for having me.

25
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,160
Speaker 3: We have missing you on courte every day this past

26
00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:19,200
Speaker 3: few months. What's been keeping you busy in that time? O, Yeah,

27
00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,199
Speaker 3: you know, it seems like a long time, but we're

28
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,520
Speaker 3: pretty much soon, you know, back on court in the

29
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,120
Speaker 3: just in about two weeks.

30
00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,800
Speaker 1: Let's keep me busy. Let's let's find out. So the

31
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:38,160
Speaker 1: first six weeks after China Open, I took a break,

32
00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,839
Speaker 1: very well needed break because you know, I was destroyed mentally,

33
00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 1: so I really needed this break. Yeah, I was. I mean,

34
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,400
Speaker 1: I was basically recovering the first three weeks of the break,

35
00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,680
Speaker 1: where I don't even remember them because I was just

36
00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:02,000
Speaker 1: somewhere in the in the space. Honestly, it was very weird, son,

37
00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,920
Speaker 1: because I was strying to figure out how how I

38
00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 1: have to operate, you know, and stuff. And then like

39
00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,360
Speaker 1: three weeks after that was already better. I felt like

40
00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,880
Speaker 1: I'm recharging and stuff. So, you know, spending time with

41
00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,840
Speaker 1: the family, with the friends. You know, we had to

42
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,040
Speaker 1: visit all of them because unfortunately they can all come

43
00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,240
Speaker 1: to us all the time, so we had to you know,

44
00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,799
Speaker 1: fly all over the globe. Yeah, and now I'm finishing

45
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,840
Speaker 1: my fifth week of pre season now and you know,

46
00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:37,560
Speaker 1: getting getting there, you know, already working hard and yeah,

47
00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,960
Speaker 1: almost done with the preseason and really looking forward to,

48
00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,080
Speaker 1: you know, to start in Australia.

49
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,720
Speaker 3: And right now it's I guess it's such a fun

50
00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,000
Speaker 3: and infestive time of the year with Christmas and New

51
00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:50,840
Speaker 3: Year approaching.

52
00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,040
Speaker 4: Do you enjoy this later up to this holiday season?

53
00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,160
Speaker 1: I mean, I love holidays, so yeah, for me, it's

54
00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,320
Speaker 1: a lot of joy, you know. I mean, unfortunately on tour,

55
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,360
Speaker 1: we don't get you know, many opportunities to celebrate things.

56
00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:05,640
Speaker 4: You know.

57
00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,160
Speaker 1: One of the things why I got might like burnout

58
00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,360
Speaker 1: is because I realized that I basically missed on everything,

59
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,240
Speaker 1: you know, on the all important dates of of mine

60
00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,400
Speaker 1: or of my of the people I love. So for me,

61
00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,240
Speaker 1: when I I've got a chance, you know, to decorate

62
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:28,760
Speaker 1: a Christmas tree, it's yeah, really important thing to me.

63
00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,720
Speaker 1: And I mean I'm enjoying you know, the atmosphere, no,

64
00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,720
Speaker 1: this Christmas vibe and everything, because it's I mean it's special.

65
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:35,160
Speaker 2: You know.

66
00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 1: I think every city you know also you know, decorating

67
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,120
Speaker 1: and you know, getting there to celebrate and I think

68
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,520
Speaker 1: it's very nice and very uniting.

69
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,400
Speaker 3: Well, we know that when you do travel from your

70
00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,400
Speaker 3: vlog that you make the most of your destinations. What

71
00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,880
Speaker 3: would have been some of the favorite places you've visited

72
00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:55,480
Speaker 3: this year.

73
00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,920
Speaker 1: As it's been a tough year and for me, like

74
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:05,880
Speaker 1: this year travel wasn't as joyful as has to be probably,

75
00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:13,120
Speaker 1: but honestly, you know, starting the year in Australia it's

76
00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:18,120
Speaker 1: always great. I really love it, you know, completely, like

77
00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,479
Speaker 1: to start the new year somewhere where it's like thirty

78
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,120
Speaker 1: five degrees, it's always an experience.

79
00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,560
Speaker 2: I guess if we get you going right back to

80
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,800
Speaker 2: the start of all of your travel and journeys with tennis,

81
00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,600
Speaker 2: I mean you have had an incredible like pro career,

82
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,720
Speaker 2: and I mean even before you turn pro, you were

83
00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,440
Speaker 2: a Roland Garross Girls singles winner in twenty fourteen and

84
00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,440
Speaker 2: then years later you got into the top ten and

85
00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,320
Speaker 2: you made the Roland Garross semi finals. So so many

86
00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,839
Speaker 2: career highlights for you over quite a long time now,

87
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,240
Speaker 2: and we wondered what was your proudest moment if you

88
00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:50,000
Speaker 2: think back to them.

89
00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,480
Speaker 1: Of course, winning Roland Gaross as a junior was a highlight.

90
00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,640
Speaker 1: At that moment, I really felt that, I mean, I

91
00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,440
Speaker 1: achieved everything. I mean, it's done with only to go

92
00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:04,800
Speaker 1: you know any further. That's okay, But that was I mean,

93
00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:11,080
Speaker 1: this feeling last for maybe two days. Yeah, but I

94
00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,159
Speaker 1: was the happiest person at that moment because it was like,

95
00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,360
Speaker 1: you know, it was my childhood dream to winter Langa

96
00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,960
Speaker 1: Ross and I did it even as a junior. You

97
00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:22,800
Speaker 1: I mean, you don't care if it was junior so

98
00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:27,360
Speaker 1: pro I mean you water alonga ross and then I

99
00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:32,240
Speaker 1: would probably name I mean, semi final of Rolanga Ros

100
00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,960
Speaker 1: pro ro Longa Ross was also a highlight, was very

101
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,640
Speaker 1: very special, and I think winning a Kreveling Cup in

102
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,480
Speaker 1: Moscow two thousand eight it was also one of the

103
00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:48,360
Speaker 1: best moments because it was a huge relief, you know,

104
00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:54,279
Speaker 1: because I played a final previous year, lost pretty badly

105
00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,320
Speaker 1: in the final, felt really bad, you know, and then

106
00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,840
Speaker 1: playing five next year, losing badly in the final again.

107
00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,240
Speaker 1: I was sat down and four zero down in the

108
00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,120
Speaker 1: second set, and I was like, okay, yeah, history repeats itself.

109
00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,719
Speaker 1: Good job dashed. But somehow I turned the much around

110
00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,480
Speaker 1: and one it was like, yeah, one of the I mean,

111
00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:20,960
Speaker 1: I think it was best comeback in my career. And yeah,

112
00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:27,440
Speaker 1: sometimes I'm rewatching the the highlights and the pictures from

113
00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,520
Speaker 1: that day and it feels very special.

114
00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,200
Speaker 5: That's nice to hear you watch the highlights.

115
00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,200
Speaker 2: I think that's really cool when players get to because

116
00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,080
Speaker 2: YouTube now makes it so much more accessible. One thing

117
00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,000
Speaker 2: we forgot to mention in twenty eighteen was when you

118
00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,479
Speaker 2: made the Indian Wells final and beating Venus and Caroline

119
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,760
Speaker 2: Wosniaki to reach the final, and that was like like

120
00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,400
Speaker 2: a very big obviously it's like a thousand level tournament,

121
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,240
Speaker 2: the fifth Grand Slam. Did that feel like a turning

122
00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:52,200
Speaker 2: point in your career?

123
00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,320
Speaker 1: Honestly? I think like this couple of weeks of Dubai

124
00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:01,520
Speaker 1: and India and Wells really felt like something correcked there.

125
00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:07,600
Speaker 1: You know that, Yeah, I break through because for me

126
00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,800
Speaker 1: that was the moment where I craracked top twenty, and

127
00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,480
Speaker 1: like before Dubai, I was outside of top twenty and

128
00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:19,000
Speaker 1: I felt like this like the bar, I cannot touch

129
00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,320
Speaker 1: this bar for some reason. But then you know, I

130
00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,280
Speaker 1: played the final in Dubai. I had amazing run there.

131
00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,520
Speaker 1: I think I have a bit like very good players there.

132
00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,480
Speaker 1: And the next tournament in Indian Wales. I think that

133
00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:36,640
Speaker 1: was my I think this draw was like the toughest

134
00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,840
Speaker 1: I ever had in my career, Like it was super difficult,

135
00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,600
Speaker 1: and yeah, I was like super proud and honestly and

136
00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,960
Speaker 1: after Indian wells, I I think the next week I

137
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,560
Speaker 1: was eleven in the ranking. So this was really the

138
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,160
Speaker 1: moment where I, you know, finally understood that, yeah, I've

139
00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,360
Speaker 1: got a level to be like, you know, in the top. Yeah.

140
00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,080
Speaker 1: I think two thousand and beginning of twenty eighteen was

141
00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,280
Speaker 1: like the turning point of my career. That's for sure.

142
00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,560
Speaker 3: One of the things that defines you as a player

143
00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,520
Speaker 3: is your craftiness on the tennis court. Where where does

144
00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:12,320
Speaker 3: that come from?

145
00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,560
Speaker 1: Oh? For the good question, you know probably you know

146
00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,720
Speaker 1: when I was younger, when I was a kid, my

147
00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:26,000
Speaker 1: practice sessions were not very demanding, let's say to say,

148
00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,120
Speaker 1: at least, you know, until I think fourteen thirteen years old,

149
00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,480
Speaker 1: Like okay, we're not like relaxed. But you know, my

150
00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,520
Speaker 1: tennis coach in my city, my hometown were not like

151
00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,800
Speaker 1: super pushy, So our trainings would be like he would

152
00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,800
Speaker 1: do a busket you know, like trying some balls to

153
00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,839
Speaker 1: my backhand without telling me what to do, and I

154
00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,880
Speaker 1: was just you know, kidding, two back and cross, one

155
00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,559
Speaker 1: back and down the line one drops or two slices.

156
00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:56,880
Speaker 1: So that's something else.

157
00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:57,079
Speaker 2: You know.

158
00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,520
Speaker 1: I was just deciding myself what I'm gonna do with

159
00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:05,520
Speaker 1: these basket drills, and that's I think how it. I

160
00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,800
Speaker 1: think this is the reason why. You know, of course

161
00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:13,360
Speaker 1: then because honestly I want Rowlanda as juniors. And also

162
00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:19,520
Speaker 1: for example the europe Championship in twenty sixteen, not knowing

163
00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,199
Speaker 1: how to hit the backhand. I didn't have a back

164
00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:24,840
Speaker 1: at all. I was only lastic from the back end,

165
00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,880
Speaker 1: running around forehand and myself was just a kick and

166
00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,079
Speaker 1: somehow I was saying, well, you know, to to win

167
00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:38,120
Speaker 1: very good matches. Then, of course, you know, the the

168
00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,200
Speaker 1: physical aspect get into the game. You know, growing up,

169
00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,599
Speaker 1: you know, the game became more and more physical, you know,

170
00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,360
Speaker 1: strong the girls, they become stronger, so I had to

171
00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:52,959
Speaker 1: adapt as well. But yeah, my junior's career was not chill,

172
00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:57,000
Speaker 1: but not as demanding as you know, like many girls

173
00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,240
Speaker 1: who went to you know, practicing academies having this you know,

174
00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,679
Speaker 1: tough schedules and stuff. I didn't have that because you know,

175
00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,720
Speaker 1: my parents they're there. They used to be professional athletes,

176
00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,720
Speaker 1: so then they stand sports. And when my first first

177
00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,480
Speaker 1: coach came to him when I was like eleven years old,

178
00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,120
Speaker 1: and he said, look, sir, yeah, I think that we

179
00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,800
Speaker 1: need to add additional practice for Dasha, you know, to

180
00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,439
Speaker 1: maybe hit twice a day. He was like, no chance,

181
00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,760
Speaker 1: no chance, they're gonna do that. Now she's gonna hit

182
00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,160
Speaker 1: like one practice to day and basta we finished.

183
00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:30,360
Speaker 2: There.

184
00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,280
Speaker 4: It sounds it sounds like he had a lot of fun.

185
00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,439
Speaker 1: Well I think that, yeah. I mean, honestly, in my opinion,

186
00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,480
Speaker 1: like when you're a kip tennis, like sport and general

187
00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,360
Speaker 1: has to be fun to you. I mean, it become

188
00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,800
Speaker 1: your job like later on. But when you're a kid,

189
00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,000
Speaker 1: you have to enjoy it. Because I saw many many

190
00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,839
Speaker 1: examples where the kids, you know, they were being like

191
00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,040
Speaker 1: overworked and then they just hated what they what they do.

192
00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,080
Speaker 1: At the age of fifteen, they were exo and burnout

193
00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,960
Speaker 1: and they just and they hate sport. I mean depends

194
00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,600
Speaker 1: which sport they do they had. They hate what they're doing.

195
00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,599
Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's wrong. You cannot keep pushing like

196
00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,959
Speaker 1: still the I don't know twenty five thirty and or

197
00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,240
Speaker 1: later because it's impossible to handle this amount of pressure.

198
00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,000
Speaker 1: So I think, I mean thanks to my parents that

199
00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:26,319
Speaker 1: they were smart in this way, because I don't know

200
00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,800
Speaker 1: if I would make it, if if I would make

201
00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,719
Speaker 1: it if I start to practice very hard in the

202
00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:32,439
Speaker 1: earlier age.

203
00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,880
Speaker 3: And we know the Rafaela Dau was your longtime idol,

204
00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:37,800
Speaker 3: your childhood idol.

205
00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:39,760
Speaker 4: What did you learn from him, to.

206
00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,400
Speaker 1: Be honest, everything, because he was the only one I

207
00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:48,600
Speaker 1: was watching, you know, I think here I mean still,

208
00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,719
Speaker 1: but when he was player, he was playing, he was,

209
00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,360
Speaker 1: like I think, a really good role model for the

210
00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:59,679
Speaker 1: for the kids. I mean, tennis was his meaning of

211
00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,480
Speaker 1: life at that point. You know, the hard working, fair play,

212
00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,240
Speaker 1: you know, like attitude on court, everything was there. Plus

213
00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,680
Speaker 1: the style of game I really liked. I know many

214
00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:16,120
Speaker 1: people who hated it the way he played, but me personally,

215
00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,240
Speaker 1: I loved it. Plus the energy he was bringing to

216
00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:24,040
Speaker 1: the court. It's for me that was something like some

217
00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,199
Speaker 1: spices in there, so I really Plus you know, their

218
00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,880
Speaker 1: competition with Roger at that moment, no, it didn't appear yet,

219
00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,400
Speaker 1: so they had like their competition between each other. And

220
00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,079
Speaker 1: I remember watching the final of we biled on two

221
00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:45,679
Speaker 1: thousand and eight, this historical final Oh my god. But

222
00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,880
Speaker 1: the moment where I really like, I still feel bad

223
00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:55,880
Speaker 1: because my parents they sent me to sleep in the

224
00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:02,800
Speaker 1: fifth cent Oh. I was like, you, you're serious, Like

225
00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,719
Speaker 1: I've been here for four hours watching all this and

226
00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,400
Speaker 1: now I will not find out who's gonna win it.

227
00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,680
Speaker 1: So I was sleeping. They came to my room. They

228
00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,760
Speaker 1: say he won't and I was like, now I because

229
00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:16,720
Speaker 1: I couldn't fall asleep.

230
00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,240
Speaker 3: Yeah, that was to be very memorable for you. And

231
00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,400
Speaker 3: who else would you say has been influential in your career?

232
00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:33,240
Speaker 1: That's a good question. I mean, of course, of course

233
00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,599
Speaker 1: my family. If we talk not about the you know,

234
00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,839
Speaker 1: idols and stuff's of course my family because at the

235
00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,719
Speaker 1: beginning of my career my parents were you know. They

236
00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,480
Speaker 1: they're funny because they're like involved but not involved. They're

237
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:53,040
Speaker 1: like somewhere between, which I think it's also good because

238
00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,760
Speaker 1: parents they have to take care of the kids, they

239
00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,240
Speaker 1: have to support the kids, they have to you know,

240
00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,439
Speaker 1: be involved, but they can not be the hungred percent.

241
00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:07,000
Speaker 1: They cannot. For me, like the story where the parent

242
00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,480
Speaker 1: it's also trying to interfere between coach and player relationship

243
00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:17,120
Speaker 1: too much. It could be maybe not not super healthy.

244
00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,680
Speaker 1: You know, of course depends on every particular case and

245
00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,240
Speaker 1: on every particular person. But for me, there should be

246
00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:33,040
Speaker 1: like very good balance because this is very sensible topic.

247
00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,120
Speaker 1: There's like this line is I mean, it's very important

248
00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,560
Speaker 1: to understand where you cannot cross the line anymore. And

249
00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:45,920
Speaker 1: my parents they were pretty pretty good at that. And then,

250
00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,400
Speaker 1: you know, I start to travel a lot with my

251
00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,240
Speaker 1: brother who used to be my my fitness coach for like,

252
00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:56,040
Speaker 1: I don't know, ten twelve years, So I mean, family

253
00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,240
Speaker 1: played very important role in my career. But at the

254
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,520
Speaker 1: same time, I also had my coaches, you know, so

255
00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,000
Speaker 1: I was, you know, getting the knowledges and stuff from

256
00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:09,800
Speaker 1: the side as well. But honestly without mine, without my family,

257
00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,680
Speaker 1: there's no chance I would be where I am. So

258
00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,440
Speaker 1: I think they're like the main figures why why I'm

259
00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,320
Speaker 1: here sitting now talking to you guys.

260
00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,920
Speaker 2: And it sounds like they provided good balance, as you said,

261
00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,720
Speaker 2: involved enough, but allowed you to kind of create your

262
00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,720
Speaker 2: own path too, which is kind of the perfect the

263
00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:29,440
Speaker 2: perfect balance, which is great.

264
00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Also I think what helps that

265
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,000
Speaker 1: they were professional athletes. So my father, he was a

266
00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:42,000
Speaker 1: professional hockey player. My mother was doing athletics, so they

267
00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,080
Speaker 1: understand sports. They understand you know, the base and you know,

268
00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:49,800
Speaker 1: of course they care a lot. Of course, they were like,

269
00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,960
Speaker 1: you know, when I had a bad moments, they were,

270
00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,680
Speaker 1: you know, very disappointed and like trying to be very supportive,

271
00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,480
Speaker 1: and they're super happy when I'm doing good. But yeah,

272
00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:04,120
Speaker 1: they of course, when you're a kid, parent has to protect.

273
00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:04,840
Speaker 1: That's normal.

274
00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,600
Speaker 2: If we cast your mind to like the current day,

275
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,440
Speaker 2: and I guess we're seeing a new generation of champions

276
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,840
Speaker 2: in women's tennis the same There was a really cool

277
00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,280
Speaker 2: stat that came out the other day that sable Anka,

278
00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,520
Speaker 2: sh Fion Tech and Golf have been the top three

279
00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,280
Speaker 2: players in the world for the last three years, which

280
00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,720
Speaker 2: is like quite a long period of consistency now, So

281
00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,120
Speaker 2: I wanted what it's like for you to compete in

282
00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,000
Speaker 2: this era compared to earlier eras like ten years ago

283
00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:32,400
Speaker 2: when you started playing Grand Slams.

284
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,160
Speaker 5: What's women's tantus like now? Very difficult.

285
00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,320
Speaker 1: Honestly, I have to tell you that I've been on

286
00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:47,160
Speaker 1: tour for a little bit, so honestly I must sell

287
00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:52,400
Speaker 1: that women's tents improved a lot. I remember when I

288
00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,680
Speaker 1: just appeared on two in twenty fifteen. Sometimes some girls

289
00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,680
Speaker 1: there were struggling with you you're slicing the ball. Some

290
00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:06,119
Speaker 1: girls were really struggling with the slice and kickserf right now,

291
00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,920
Speaker 1: there's no chance that all girls they know how to

292
00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,080
Speaker 1: return to kickserve, they know how to return two hundred

293
00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,480
Speaker 1: kilometers an hour, serve, they know how to go back

294
00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,199
Speaker 1: and you know how to go inside when to attack.

295
00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,840
Speaker 1: Because so for me, the main difference now and back then,

296
00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:27,720
Speaker 1: it's that before it was styles of playing, Like if

297
00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,399
Speaker 1: the girl would be like super aggressive, most probably she

298
00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,240
Speaker 1: would struggle in defence, and opposite like the girls who

299
00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,280
Speaker 1: would defend very good, they would struggle in the offense.

300
00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:44,800
Speaker 1: Now it's all combined. So the girls they really improved

301
00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:50,440
Speaker 1: their weaknesses. The tennis became more physical. Where I mean,

302
00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:56,560
Speaker 1: I think girls become more stronger. The ten has become also,

303
00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,600
Speaker 1: I mean, everyone is hitting so hard. Honestly, I feel

304
00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,040
Speaker 1: that I feel so much like I don't have a

305
00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:07,359
Speaker 1: margin for a bad shot in the rally. Of course,

306
00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,840
Speaker 1: sometimes they are good days, bad days. You know, some

307
00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,000
Speaker 1: player can lose them much playing very bad. I mean

308
00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,440
Speaker 1: that's normal. That's a game we're playing almost every week.

309
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:22,880
Speaker 1: But in general, I think the level grew up a lot.

310
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:29,159
Speaker 1: And also I think in terms that girls, they improve

311
00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,520
Speaker 1: their weaknesses, and now you cannot just win a much,

312
00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:38,080
Speaker 1: you know, doing just playing defensive, so you have to

313
00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:43,520
Speaker 1: know how to I can win. So I think, in

314
00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,240
Speaker 1: my opinion, girls they improved so much in the last decade,

315
00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,160
Speaker 1: And what's that meant for you in terms of your game?

316
00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,720
Speaker 1: That I have to improve more as well. Honestly, I

317
00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,879
Speaker 1: feel that I have to work more and more. Also,

318
00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,280
Speaker 1: what's been ten years ago. Memory vanished a little bit,

319
00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,920
Speaker 1: so I don't remember that it's been a long time already,

320
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,040
Speaker 1: but I just remember that sometimes there were matches where

321
00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:13,240
Speaker 1: I could win doing pretty simple things. Now it's just

322
00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,560
Speaker 1: not gonna work. You have to every match is like

323
00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:21,880
Speaker 1: Super tolth Battle. And also watching the girls matches now,

324
00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:28,440
Speaker 1: I mean it's I feel, of course, it's difficult to

325
00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,160
Speaker 1: watch your opponents. That's another thing. You know why it's

326
00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,000
Speaker 1: difficult for me to watch woman's tains because I see

327
00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,160
Speaker 1: that opponents are playing. I still I feel this rage

328
00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,840
Speaker 1: inside because you wanted to not compare yourself, you know,

329
00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,520
Speaker 1: So there is this moment. But in general, I mean,

330
00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:51,120
Speaker 1: the level is so high, honestly in my I mean,

331
00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,040
Speaker 1: I'll get a lot of cretures in for this probably,

332
00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:59,160
Speaker 1: but I don't care because I think in the last

333
00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,879
Speaker 1: few Grand Slams, women's matches were more interesting than men's,

334
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:11,160
Speaker 1: but because men's play best of five in the finals,

335
00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,359
Speaker 1: only because of the last match they remember that. For example,

336
00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,560
Speaker 1: ciner Radkaraz, the final of Fro Langos was unbelievable. I

337
00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,359
Speaker 1: mean it was unbelievable. It was a great match. They

338
00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:26,520
Speaker 1: played best of five, I mean, great match, But the

339
00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,800
Speaker 1: tournament the two weeks before were not as entertaining as

340
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,480
Speaker 1: the final match, and where the girls Unfortunately, the whole

341
00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,760
Speaker 1: two weeks they don't remember the matches the girls played

342
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,560
Speaker 1: there because the final was not as entertaining. And the

343
00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:48,160
Speaker 1: point here is that, so the final is a very

344
00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,120
Speaker 1: specific tennis match where if you lose the first set

345
00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,159
Speaker 1: and you play best of three most probably, and you

346
00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,920
Speaker 1: start losing in the second the most probably, the match

347
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,960
Speaker 1: is over. Where on the men's if you play best

348
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,800
Speaker 1: of five, you lost, you're losing. You lost two sets

349
00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,880
Speaker 1: in a row. You still got a chance, you want

350
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,399
Speaker 1: a third set. It's already it's already completely different story.

351
00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:16,280
Speaker 1: We saw so many comebacks like that. So in my opinion,

352
00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:22,600
Speaker 1: I mean it's it's we can we cannot judge a

353
00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,680
Speaker 1: woman's tour based on the just the final of the

354
00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:27,720
Speaker 1: Grand Slam they played.

355
00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:32,280
Speaker 4: So would you like to see anything different in terms

356
00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:32,720
Speaker 4: of you.

357
00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:34,920
Speaker 1: Want to ask me if you want me two girls

358
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:41,120
Speaker 1: to play five best five, Well, it's it's a very

359
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:46,800
Speaker 1: tough question because we already, like the tournament's already two

360
00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,760
Speaker 1: weeks long. I mean, if we had the best of

361
00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,920
Speaker 1: five for the girls, what what what we have to like?

362
00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,399
Speaker 1: The tournaments are going to be one month. Girls can

363
00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:02,600
Speaker 1: play best of five. But the thing is audience ADI

364
00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,320
Speaker 1: wants to watch matches best of five sets. I mean

365
00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:10,000
Speaker 1: it's difficult except for the final of a Slam. How

366
00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,119
Speaker 1: many best of five matches did you watch from the

367
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:17,480
Speaker 1: first point until the last one? Not many? Not many?

368
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,399
Speaker 1: So I mean it's a great format in terms of

369
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,639
Speaker 1: I mean there have been a history, you know, like

370
00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,720
Speaker 1: unbelievable match has been played best of five. But in

371
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,520
Speaker 1: terms I mean it's been a discussion forever. You know,

372
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,520
Speaker 1: that's what we do in this format because it's great,

373
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:40,560
Speaker 1: But people getting tired watching this, and I mean I'm

374
00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,159
Speaker 1: not the right person to answer this question. Honestly, I

375
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,520
Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know. I know the girls can

376
00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,159
Speaker 1: play best of five, and I mean that would be

377
00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,879
Speaker 1: I mean, we would see great, great outcomes of these

378
00:22:55,000 --> 00:23:00,680
Speaker 1: matches for sure, But is it worth it? I don't know.

379
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,159
Speaker 1: I mean, what's the calendar going to look like if

380
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,320
Speaker 1: you have four tournaments a year where the match is

381
00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,240
Speaker 1: I don't know. Tell me that what the schedule should

382
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:11,320
Speaker 1: look like with this.

383
00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,760
Speaker 5: That's a whole other interview that we could do.

384
00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:16,720
Speaker 1: I might have to serve.

385
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:20,520
Speaker 2: At the time we started this chat asking you about

386
00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,200
Speaker 2: you know, how you're feeling, and we hadn't seen you

387
00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,160
Speaker 2: since September, and you said the first couple of weeks

388
00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,520
Speaker 2: were tough, your first three weeks. So how are you

389
00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,159
Speaker 2: feeling now that you've had had some time off and

390
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:32,600
Speaker 2: you're approaching twenty twenty six.

391
00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:39,800
Speaker 1: Honestly, I feel pretty good, you know, quite recharge ready

392
00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,320
Speaker 1: because the one thing that I had to break, I

393
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,320
Speaker 1: feel very good. But then when I started practicing, I

394
00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,800
Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, I feel so bad because

395
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,160
Speaker 1: I was out of shape, you know, not to get

396
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,439
Speaker 1: back you know, to work. It's not only physically, but mentally,

397
00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,960
Speaker 1: it's very difficult because you kind of get used to

398
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,480
Speaker 1: the routine of not doing anything. You start to enjoy it.

399
00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,040
Speaker 1: You start to manage your time quite good. And here

400
00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,600
Speaker 1: you have to get back to you know, tough routines

401
00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,560
Speaker 1: of your job, which I get back pretty fast. And

402
00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,120
Speaker 1: you know, I feel good because you know, I'm back

403
00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,080
Speaker 1: to my like good shape. You know, I'm on court playing,

404
00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:27,520
Speaker 1: you know, feels good, honestly feels good and yeah, ready

405
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:33,000
Speaker 1: to go. I hope I recharged for the for the

406
00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:40,840
Speaker 1: long long time, let's see. But yeah, honestly, where I'm

407
00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:46,000
Speaker 1: now this, I would keep this one if I can,

408
00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,800
Speaker 1: I would keep this one for long because this is

409
00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:52,560
Speaker 1: something I missed like almost the whole year in twenty

410
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,760
Speaker 1: twenty five. There was a tough year. And finally I feel,

411
00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,320
Speaker 1: you know, pretty stable and good.

412
00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,360
Speaker 5: That's that's wonderful here.

413
00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:01,879
Speaker 1: Thank you.

414
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,080
Speaker 2: The you had twenty twenty five was so big for

415
00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,280
Speaker 2: you because of your decision to represent Australia in March,

416
00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,160
Speaker 2: and then we also heard that you you got engaged

417
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,159
Speaker 2: in Italia as well, So like some incredible milestones for you.

418
00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:16,960
Speaker 5: How do you reflect on those and what happened in

419
00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:17,480
Speaker 5: twenty five?

420
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:24,080
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it's the year has been very intense. Let's say,

421
00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:28,440
Speaker 1: you know, end core, it wasn't I mean, also I

422
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,520
Speaker 1: cannot complain it could be way way it worse, but

423
00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,440
Speaker 1: you know it could be better as well. You know,

424
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:38,680
Speaker 1: didn't match my expectations, let's say. But outside of the court,

425
00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,360
Speaker 1: it means been a wonderful year. You know, you're getting engaged.

426
00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:48,320
Speaker 1: You know, a big I think one of not getting engaged,

427
00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,159
Speaker 1: which is also I think second my big decision in

428
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,120
Speaker 1: my life. But I think for the moment, the biggest

429
00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:58,639
Speaker 1: decision in my life, it's been to switch to Australia,

430
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,200
Speaker 1: one of the most you know, difficult, not in terms

431
00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:08,119
Speaker 1: that I wasn't sure to do that, but you know,

432
00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:14,120
Speaker 1: difficult to accept that I have to go something through

433
00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,920
Speaker 1: something like this to to live a happy life. That

434
00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,399
Speaker 1: was I mean it's still difficult to accept that. You know,

435
00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:28,440
Speaker 1: I couldn't just be born somewhere where I can be

436
00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,320
Speaker 1: myself and not to worry about all those things. But

437
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,440
Speaker 1: I mean, that's my that's my road route. This is

438
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:41,560
Speaker 1: the challenges I had to face. And finally, yeah, in

439
00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,840
Speaker 1: uh in March, I knows that I'm going to represent

440
00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:50,240
Speaker 1: Australia and I'm i mean, I'm super proud to represent

441
00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:56,600
Speaker 1: the country which accepted me quite if I can say

442
00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:03,159
Speaker 1: quite easily, because it's something I'm not used to because

443
00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:07,440
Speaker 1: during my you know, years career in life, it's been

444
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:11,760
Speaker 1: you know, it's tough. It's been a tough and difficult way,

445
00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,040
Speaker 1: and I mean I have to get used to a

446
00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:18,080
Speaker 1: little bit that.

447
00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:18,639
Speaker 2: I have to.

448
00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,720
Speaker 1: I mean, I can relax on in this way. So yeah,

449
00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:29,000
Speaker 1: it's been a tough year where I had to change

450
00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,080
Speaker 1: my way of thinking as well, you know, and let

451
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:39,320
Speaker 1: myself relax a little bit because now I can. And sometimes,

452
00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,680
Speaker 1: you know, you don't know which way it's going to

453
00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,600
Speaker 1: bring you. Sometimes these changes, you know, brings you up

454
00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:48,720
Speaker 1: straight away, sometimes brings you down, I mean in terms

455
00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,080
Speaker 1: of performance, because you never know how it's gonna affect

456
00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:58,639
Speaker 1: your performance. In my in my case, it was not

457
00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,600
Speaker 1: not the way I expected it because I thought that

458
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,240
Speaker 1: maybe it will lift me up so much, where actually

459
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,560
Speaker 1: I little bit settled down, which is also maybe good

460
00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,920
Speaker 1: for me because my nurse system was over stimulated for

461
00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:19,040
Speaker 1: the past four years, where probably my brain said, finally

462
00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,679
Speaker 1: we can breathe, finally we can relax a little bit,

463
00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:26,120
Speaker 1: so maybe which I also needed because honestly, the last

464
00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,960
Speaker 1: four years been too intense and too demanding. So yeah,

465
00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,040
Speaker 1: I mean, finally I can say that it's a it's

466
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:41,840
Speaker 1: a fresh start and ready to go, you know completely. Yeah.

467
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:46,920
Speaker 1: I've been working a lot, you know, with the therapist,

468
00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,000
Speaker 1: with the psychologist, you know, and I mean it's been

469
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:54,400
Speaker 1: a full year trying to understand myself and you know,

470
00:28:54,560 --> 00:29:00,600
Speaker 1: get back on the right track and realize like what

471
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,520
Speaker 1: I have to do now because before it was about

472
00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:15,560
Speaker 1: about sacrifices and basically suffering, and now I have to

473
00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,960
Speaker 1: change it to you know, joy and you know, do

474
00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:24,040
Speaker 1: what I love and just you know, being free, wild

475
00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:28,120
Speaker 1: and free. And it sounds like it should be easy,

476
00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,520
Speaker 1: but it's not. It's very difficult to switch this too,

477
00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:35,280
Speaker 1: because the previous one was very very strong.

478
00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,720
Speaker 3: It does seem that you have had an incredible level

479
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,640
Speaker 3: of support, you know, throughout the year as well.

480
00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:46,320
Speaker 4: How have you felt about the reaction to all your decisions.

481
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,840
Speaker 1: I had to filter those ones because I knew that

482
00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:59,960
Speaker 1: it's gonna be not positive fraction from Russia for sure,

483
00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,800
Speaker 1: so I kind of blocked the information coming from there.

484
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,040
Speaker 1: I had so completely ignored it because nothing good would

485
00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,680
Speaker 1: come from there, and I was trying to observe as

486
00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,400
Speaker 1: much as I could do good information coming from elsewhere,

487
00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:21,560
Speaker 1: and I really appreciate all this like support and acceptance

488
00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,200
Speaker 1: I got from the Australia, you know, also the support

489
00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:31,240
Speaker 1: with the process of you know, of the switch and

490
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,000
Speaker 1: you know, I can't wait to you know, get back

491
00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,120
Speaker 1: on the tennis court to experience this support from the

492
00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:43,280
Speaker 1: crowd because I never did in my life. I mean,

493
00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,000
Speaker 1: we had a couple of tournaments in Russia, but it's

494
00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,560
Speaker 1: you know, comparing the level of support. I mean, we

495
00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:56,480
Speaker 1: cannot compare this, and I just I'm very curious how

496
00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,960
Speaker 1: I'm gonna feel, you know, out there, and how it's

497
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,080
Speaker 1: going to be. So I am a little nervous about it,

498
00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:07,600
Speaker 1: but really excited. And yeah, you know I have I'm

499
00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,640
Speaker 1: going through a roller coursters here, like especially for the

500
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,960
Speaker 1: past year. Ah, but it's nice, you know, this is

501
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,840
Speaker 1: what life is about. And yeah, I'm at the moment

502
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,240
Speaker 1: where my early coaster goes really like you know, a

503
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:26,960
Speaker 1: lot up and down and I'm just hoping to survive

504
00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:28,160
Speaker 1: at the end of the right.

505
00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,560
Speaker 2: You will it will be I'm sure it will be

506
00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,080
Speaker 2: very positive for you when you come down here, which

507
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:38,240
Speaker 2: is very soon. We wanted to ask about your close

508
00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,000
Speaker 2: relationships with lots of other players. We know that Darius

509
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,640
Speaker 2: Saville and Arena, Ronny and over two of them, and

510
00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:47,640
Speaker 2: wondered if they were, you know, part of the factor

511
00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,400
Speaker 2: for you to switch to Australia, knowing that they've taken

512
00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:51,080
Speaker 2: that journey too.

513
00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:56,520
Speaker 1: Uh well, yeah, for some reason. Yeah, it's I don't

514
00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,880
Speaker 1: know if it's a coincidence or sign from the up there,

515
00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,280
Speaker 1: but yeah, we're like one of my best friends and

516
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:08,480
Speaker 1: tour Dasha and Arena and there Australians who became Australians,

517
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:13,120
Speaker 1: you know, like many years ago. Yeah, I mean Dasha,

518
00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:15,720
Speaker 1: I know her for such a long time and we've

519
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:21,680
Speaker 1: had so many memories together. Just yeah, I always visited

520
00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,160
Speaker 1: like her house in Melbourne, you know, playing with tofu,

521
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,239
Speaker 1: you know, back cake which her mom cooks for us.

522
00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:31,640
Speaker 1: And yeah, I mean it's honestly, every time we meet

523
00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:35,880
Speaker 1: with Dasha is just like you know this. We have

524
00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,480
Speaker 1: a very warm relationship honestly. Also, I know her family

525
00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,720
Speaker 1: for like ages honestly, since we're like first time we

526
00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,240
Speaker 1: saw each other when I was nine, she was it

527
00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:52,440
Speaker 1: was twelve. Yes, some competition like back there, Yeah, and

528
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,600
Speaker 1: it's beautiful. I mean that we're still friends. You know,

529
00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,840
Speaker 1: it's been a it's been a long way, and you know,

530
00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,760
Speaker 1: going through you know, life challenges, good and many bad

531
00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:10,320
Speaker 1: moments kind of you know, still being you know, looking

532
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,080
Speaker 1: after each other in some ways. So it's very nice.

533
00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,440
Speaker 1: And so when I because I write I've wrote her

534
00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:20,080
Speaker 1: that before the announcement, like look, this is what's happening,

535
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:23,720
Speaker 1: she was like, I knew it and I told you.

536
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:26,320
Speaker 5: So.

537
00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, she was very very happy for me because she

538
00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,080
Speaker 1: I mean she she knew everything I've been through, and

539
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,360
Speaker 1: she was like super happy and supportive. And yeah, I

540
00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:40,680
Speaker 1: mean I know Irena, not for such a long time,

541
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,640
Speaker 1: like I know Dasha, but I mean we became like

542
00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:48,000
Speaker 1: friends like a couple of years ago, and like we're

543
00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,840
Speaker 1: heading out together on the tournaments and stuff. Was like Natasha,

544
00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,240
Speaker 1: she loves Dasha in Arena, both of them, and like

545
00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,920
Speaker 1: she got along with both of them like pretty easily.

546
00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:01,880
Speaker 1: And I mean honestly, I am like super happy and

547
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,440
Speaker 1: like blessed to have this kind of people on tour

548
00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:08,080
Speaker 1: because I think this is I mean, this is very important.

549
00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,200
Speaker 1: Everyone is saying that tennis it's a lonely sport and

550
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,520
Speaker 1: I'm happy to you know, have this support and these

551
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:20,200
Speaker 1: people around, because I mean sometimes it can be really rough,

552
00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:22,359
Speaker 1: you know, being on tour for such a long time

553
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,359
Speaker 1: and be and to have these kind of people next

554
00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:26,239
Speaker 1: to you helps a lot.

555
00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:30,720
Speaker 4: You will return to Australia having with some happy memories.

556
00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:31,320
Speaker 4: I imagine.

557
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,319
Speaker 3: You know, you made the fourth round of this Join

558
00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:36,600
Speaker 3: Open this year. You want to career one of your

559
00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:39,600
Speaker 3: titles here, you a runner up in Adelaide. Does it

560
00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,560
Speaker 3: feel good to be coming back every time?

561
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:46,680
Speaker 1: Honestly? You know, also Australia he has such a good

562
00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:49,200
Speaker 1: spot in the calendar, is the first wing of the year.

563
00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:55,879
Speaker 1: Everyone's fresh, happy, you know, an unbelievable place. And I mean,

564
00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:59,640
Speaker 1: of course, of course I am super happy. As I said,

565
00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,200
Speaker 1: this year it's going to be different. I will have

566
00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:07,440
Speaker 1: different feelings coming coming there because it's it is going

567
00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:09,960
Speaker 1: to be very different. But I'm really looking forward to it.

568
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:14,000
Speaker 1: And yeah, let's see how this like next month is

569
00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:18,080
Speaker 1: going to be. I'm sure it's going to be great. Yeah.

570
00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:21,879
Speaker 1: I had great memories last year. First time I reached

571
00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:24,640
Speaker 1: the second week of Australia and Open. That was something

572
00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,239
Speaker 1: I couldn't I couldn't make it for a for a

573
00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,160
Speaker 1: long time, and I was really happy to achieve it

574
00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:34,239
Speaker 1: last year. And yeah, let's see what this I mean

575
00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,680
Speaker 1: next twenty twenty six, will we'll bring on the term.

576
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,439
Speaker 2: And aside from tennis, what are you most looking forward

577
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,080
Speaker 2: to when you're in Australia and when you come to

578
00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:45,240
Speaker 2: Lifia coffee?

579
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,600
Speaker 1: Me and Natasha were like we were on a mission

580
00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:58,399
Speaker 1: sometimes to find the bad coffee. We're still struggle. Yeah, yeah,

581
00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,920
Speaker 1: that's the thing where like we should have gone on

582
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:07,120
Speaker 1: the guys station. Yeah, let's see it. I don't know

583
00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:14,120
Speaker 1: honestly what people are, you know, because now recently many

584
00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:18,840
Speaker 1: people are asking me what's special about Australia. I'm like, guys,

585
00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:22,759
Speaker 1: make a vision and just go. I mean I can,

586
00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,759
Speaker 1: I can explain you everything, but you have to see it.

587
00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:30,040
Speaker 1: I mean the first of all, like the nature, you know,

588
00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:36,040
Speaker 1: it's the nature is incredible. And how like Australians are

589
00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,239
Speaker 1: taking care of the nature, how they're trying to you know,

590
00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:44,840
Speaker 1: interfere as less as possible, you know, to save it

591
00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:47,000
Speaker 1: and you know, to take care. I mean it's I

592
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:53,800
Speaker 1: didn't see this kind of awareness anywhere else. So for me,

593
00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:58,520
Speaker 1: this is this says a lot about the people of

594
00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:06,279
Speaker 1: the country. H and of course coffee, I think, I mean, uh,

595
00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:10,239
Speaker 1: and the cities. Cities are beautiful and you you know,

596
00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,640
Speaker 1: I love new cities, but also there's always a touch

597
00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:17,359
Speaker 1: of a history in the cities. So this mix it's

598
00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,800
Speaker 1: I think it's beautiful and everything is new. You know,

599
00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,200
Speaker 1: people are friendly koalas, kangaroos.

600
00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:24,400
Speaker 2: You know.

601
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,480
Speaker 1: I was shocked the first time I went to Australia

602
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:31,080
Speaker 1: and we went to this how we call this one

603
00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,000
Speaker 1: like where you can pet the kangaroos, where you can

604
00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:38,000
Speaker 1: just hang out with them on the grass. I was like,

605
00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:43,600
Speaker 1: it's so possible, Like what is this, Like they're not

606
00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:48,359
Speaker 1: real or something, and I was just like hanging out

607
00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:49,880
Speaker 1: with the coal on the grass.

608
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:53,000
Speaker 5: Wow, Yeah, it's nice.

609
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,799
Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean it's like when I'm telling these two

610
00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,319
Speaker 1: people who ask me what's special, They're like, no way,

611
00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,040
Speaker 1: you can touch you kanguru just like them, Like you

612
00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:04,080
Speaker 1: can meet them on the streets sometimes somewhere. I didn't,

613
00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:05,000
Speaker 1: but I know you can.

614
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:10,200
Speaker 3: And speaking of animals, we understand that you love animals

615
00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,320
Speaker 3: and dogs in particular, tell us tell us about the

616
00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:14,200
Speaker 3: French bulldogs.

617
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:22,160
Speaker 1: I mean anything fluffy from here, Yeah, mean, I mean

618
00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:25,439
Speaker 1: me and Natasha will love animals so much. It's like, yeah,

619
00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:32,680
Speaker 1: and our French bulldogs obsession, it's something else. We're a bit.

620
00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:36,560
Speaker 1: I think we're very close to you know, across the

621
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:41,160
Speaker 1: line here because sometimes we're searching online if there are

622
00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:45,319
Speaker 1: any French bulldogs meetups in the city where we are,

623
00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:49,680
Speaker 1: and if there are one, we go there and we

624
00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:54,920
Speaker 1: just watch like this, like you know, feeling the dogs

625
00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,160
Speaker 1: and everything, petting them and then we're like the happiest

626
00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:03,480
Speaker 1: like people people on earth. It can look a bit weird,

627
00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:05,319
Speaker 1: but but this is.

628
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:05,800
Speaker 2: What we do.

629
00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:08,960
Speaker 1: And every time we see like a French bullock on

630
00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:15,120
Speaker 1: the street, we're just like you just yeah. And if

631
00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,799
Speaker 1: like our friends are already like they're tired of us,

632
00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:22,560
Speaker 1: they're likes, but like we can talk, we have any discussion.

633
00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,880
Speaker 1: But then the dog crossed the street and they're like,

634
00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:32,239
Speaker 1: that's a dog. This is how how, this is how

635
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,080
Speaker 1: we do. I don't know. We Yeah, at some point

636
00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:37,320
Speaker 1: we will obviously get a get a dog, but for

637
00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:40,040
Speaker 1: now it's just impossible not to travel and stuff. It's

638
00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:41,359
Speaker 1: going to be very bad for the dog.

639
00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:44,799
Speaker 5: But that's that sounds really adorable.

640
00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:46,279
Speaker 1: Dash it.

641
00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:48,640
Speaker 2: You've been so generous with your time. It's been really

642
00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:50,799
Speaker 2: great to meet you and to have you as our

643
00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:53,839
Speaker 2: last guest for this season. On the sit down we had,

644
00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:57,120
Speaker 2: yes milestone, we had one last question.

645
00:39:57,040 --> 00:39:58,400
Speaker 5: And wanted to know what.

646
00:40:00,239 --> 00:40:03,120
Speaker 2: What a great or a dream twenty twenty six would

647
00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:05,640
Speaker 2: look like for you? What would make it a great

648
00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:06,800
Speaker 2: or a satisfying season.

649
00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:13,680
Speaker 1: I mean to say that to lift a Grand Slam

650
00:40:13,719 --> 00:40:16,640
Speaker 1: trophy would be too basic, because I mean, this is

651
00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:20,960
Speaker 1: what everyone wants to It's there's no question about it.

652
00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:27,400
Speaker 1: But I think my goal will be to finish twenty

653
00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:31,239
Speaker 1: twenty six season with a smile on my face and

654
00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:34,239
Speaker 1: not like I finished the twenty twenty five season. So

655
00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:36,720
Speaker 1: I think for me it will be good to finish

656
00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:39,120
Speaker 1: the season being happy.

657
00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:45,680
Speaker 3: Well, that was a revelation, just such a wide ranging interview,

658
00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,560
Speaker 3: and thank you so much Dasha for your time and generosity.

659
00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:51,800
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and I loved how pump she was to be

660
00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:53,960
Speaker 2: told that she was our last guest to finish off

661
00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:55,840
Speaker 2: the year with a bang. It was great to connect

662
00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:57,520
Speaker 2: with her and yeah, in a couple of weeks we'll

663
00:40:57,560 --> 00:40:59,640
Speaker 2: get to see her compete as an Australian for the

664
00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:02,920
Speaker 2: summer tennis, which will be so exciting. We'll be back

665
00:41:02,920 --> 00:41:05,359
Speaker 2: again next year with another season of the sit Down,

666
00:41:05,600 --> 00:41:07,520
Speaker 2: but in the meantime you can listen to breeze Ave

667
00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:09,560
Speaker 2: and the team this Thursday on the tennis.

668
00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,480
Speaker 3: Please subscribe to The Sitdown so all our interviews land

669
00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:14,320
Speaker 3: in your podcast feed, and we'd love it if you

670
00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:15,920
Speaker 3: could leave us a rating and a review.

671
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,320
Speaker 4: See you next year, Man, see you, enviv