00:00:00 Speaker 1: Okay, So if you were Australian, what name would you peak for yourself? 00:00:06 Speaker 2: Fair dinkom meet Djokovic. 00:00:12 Speaker 3: No one's going I know, but I don't know. I don't know what else. 00:00:17 Speaker 4: Hi everyone, and welcome to the AO Show with me John Huvenas. What a sizzling entree to the Ossie Summer. Team Germany clinched the United Cup and Elena Rebaiken and Grigordomitrov at Champions in Brisbane. Now it's time for the main course. Here's what's coming up. The Wizard of Oz. Craig Tiley pulls back the curtain on the first Slam of the year. 00:00:35 Speaker 5: I think we've got the best quality we ever had. We're in for a bumper start. 00:00:38 Speaker 4: Todd Woodbridge in Casey the like were join me to dissect the drawers. 00:00:42 Speaker 6: Tired you put your foot in that. I thought we were going to get away with no predictions. 00:00:45 Speaker 4: And Er Sinkiderra sitch As a ride with the world number one Novak Djokovic. 00:00:50 Speaker 2: If it's your first time at rod Lever, you might as well make an entrance that people will remember. 00:00:55 Speaker 7: That's all ahead on the AO Show. 00:01:00 Speaker 4: Well, we're just days away from the start. Of the main drawer of the Australian Open, and I'm deep inside the bowels of rod Laver Arena catching up with the tournament director, Craig Tiley. 00:01:10 Speaker 7: Happy New Year, first of. 00:01:11 Speaker 5: All, Happy new year. Good to be here. 00:01:12 Speaker 8: It feels like I said, we really had a year since January one, twenty twenty. 00:01:15 Speaker 4: Five, and what a summer it's been so far though, with some fantastic results across the first. 00:01:19 Speaker 5: Two weeks being brilliant. 00:01:20 Speaker 8: The United Cup was highly successful both in Perth and Sydney. We've had great events going in Adelaide and Hoby it as we speak there. 00:01:29 Speaker 5: Cambridge Nashal was great, Brisbane is national. 00:01:31 Speaker 8: So leading into this week which is opening week, and you know last night was any indication having Kyls Alcarez versus own Alex demonon on the court and Pax Stadium and everyone really enjoying the match. 00:01:43 Speaker 5: So we've started really strong. 00:01:45 Speaker 4: What about the season of Alex Demon also wins over Fritz Djokovic Zverev and now in an exhibition Alcarez. 00:01:53 Speaker 8: Well, he's beating the best, but he is the best, and he's top ten. Very very proud of his effort and he should feel incredibly proud of himself of what he's achieved, and I know this is one of his milestones, reaching top ten, and I'm sure he's got another milestone. So we love his game, we love to see him do well, and love nothing more than for him to be competing the second week of the aar. 00:02:12 Speaker 7: And today is the day of the draw. 00:02:14 Speaker 4: As we record this, it hasn't happened yet, but today we will see an Australian man in the top ten seeds of an Australian Open for the first time since six I believe. 00:02:22 Speaker 5: It's great, great to have that. 00:02:25 Speaker 8: Obviously we've enjoyed that on the woman's side a fair bit with then was having a winner on the woman's side in ash in twenty twenty two. But no, we're incredibly proud of what Alex has achieved, and really the draw on the men's side, the number of Australians is the highest number we've had for a long long time, and you know we'd love to see them continue to go deep into the event and provide excitement for our patrons and our fans. 00:02:47 Speaker 4: So talk a little bit more about the quality of the field, and unfortunately sorry to see that the withdrawal of Raff and Nadal last week. Talk us through how all that went down. 00:02:56 Speaker 8: Well, Raff is not going to come into an event, and this is one hundred percent foot. I've spent some time with him yesterday. He left, went home last night, so he's still on his way. And you know, we love Rafa. I've been a long journey with him personally, and he's been ups and downs as the race to his injuries. 00:03:11 Speaker 5: But he's the kind of guy. 00:03:12 Speaker 8: They took months and months to get himself ready and he was really disappointed. Played two good matches in Brisbane, played three good matches, the third one of course, when he injured himself. He's pleased with the fact that it's not not the same injury he had back in January, which is really bad. This is when he can get out of the next two to three weeks. But you know he wouldn't be able to play this drown under those conditions. 00:03:32 Speaker 5: But he'll be ready hopefully in February. And wish him well. 00:03:34 Speaker 8: And I did say to him just before he left, as we look forward to seeing you in January twenty twenty five, and he didn't say no. 00:03:40 Speaker 7: All right, What was the reaction His reaction is. 00:03:42 Speaker 8: Look, if I can, I if I'm playing and I'm feeling good and I'm not injured, I'll be. 00:03:46 Speaker 4: Back okay, So it'll be a different feeling, I guess an Australian Open without Nadal. But what is the quality like across both the men's and women's Well, I. 00:03:54 Speaker 8: Think we've got the best quality we've ever had. We've got much more parody on both the men's and women's side. And on the woman's side, you've got eager coming in playing the best tennis. You got Coca Golf winning Auckland. You know arabik you know Lena Rabikina still in Adelaide, and then she went and winning Brisbane and then Arena Sablenka with her brilliant performance there as well. So on the woman's side, it's a it's a great lineup. On the men's side coming in, you know, it was fantastic to see the final rune and hop between Holger and Grigor. It's crazy Demetrov when he's first HB titles Tour titles since twenty seventeen. 00:04:31 Speaker 7: How about the emotion emotion, you know, I mean. 00:04:34 Speaker 8: We love Gregor's He's a beautiful person. And and you know, and and then of course the Nita Cup. I think Sasha z Verev is coming in playing the best you've got her cash uber Cash, just playing fantastic tennis. And then of course you know Carlos Alcarez. He's the match he played against Alex Demonol last night, the way Alex Playderan the Nita Cup, I think, I think we're in for a really exciting, exciting rye. Then forget some of the Americans Tommy, Paul, Taylor, Fritz that have always been playing good tennis, and then you know the fifteen plus. 00:05:06 Speaker 5: Aussies that are going to be in that main draw. 00:05:08 Speaker 8: Is that you know, we're in for a bumper start of which is going to be a day earlier, starting Sunday. 00:05:14 Speaker 4: And even though al KaAZ is an established superstar on the world stage, Australia really getting its first taste in a way of this wunderkind. 00:05:22 Speaker 8: Yeah, well we did miss him last year, but we have all the best coming back. And you know, I was watching Kasparut hit the other days in the ball brilliantly as well, So you know there's this. 00:05:33 Speaker 5: I can go through a long list. 00:05:34 Speaker 8: I think we're in for you know, all those young players, young Nick Cinner, the you know the Tennessee played towards the end of last year coming in is incredible. So so I think we are going to see a lot of wunder kids, as you say, playing this these next two weeks, and there's going to be new rivalries developed and and I think we can be looking on the horizon for an Alcarez Center rivalry. 00:05:55 Speaker 4: Now, I know you've got heaps to get on with. I could see how busy it was when I came into the tournament. Control what exactly happens with a few days before the main draw starts. 00:06:04 Speaker 5: Draw today, make a decision during the rest of the day. 00:06:07 Speaker 8: We'll probably ponder on for about six or eight hours on what half of the draw players on Sunday and Monday Tuesday, and then and then of course we'll do a lot of media later on about the draw and about the expectations of certain players. It's a very tense time for who plays who and what it looks like. And then of course we have the great Novak and Friends nights tonight on rod Lava. 00:06:29 Speaker 5: Tomorrow will be another day of practice. 00:06:31 Speaker 8: The final days of qualities is a very tense day for those players having an opportunity to win choice of either winning fifty grand in losing the first round of qualities or one hundred and twenty in losing the first first round of the main draw. So it's a big lot of pressure for these players at the qualifying of this round. Open is the second largest professional event in Australia behind the Israil Open, of which has eighty six point five million dollars in prize money. So I think, you know, I think that we'll get to that. We're for Kids Tennis Day. I was just actually before walking and here talking to Coca Golf to get her to be part of Kids Tennis Stay. 00:07:07 Speaker 9: Wonderful. 00:07:08 Speaker 8: Yeah, So we get to Saturday and Saturday's Kids Tennis Stay and then the final preparation Saturday night before we open the gates for full play on Sunday. 00:07:14 Speaker 4: And just because you mentioned qualifying, Johnny Millman still alive. 00:07:17 Speaker 5: And qualified, we'd love to see him qualify. 00:07:18 Speaker 7: Yeah, but we know this. 00:07:19 Speaker 4: Is going to be his last Australian summer. What is the legacy that he'll leave. 00:07:24 Speaker 8: Behind, Well, I mean a great legacy and an example for young kids. Just every single day putting in the hard work, having the right attitude and he's done that and he should feel very proud of his career. 00:07:34 Speaker 5: He's left a good legacies. 00:07:35 Speaker 8: You know. I think, you know, we will under the impression that twenty twenty three was the last year and he played a few matches during the year, and I think he wants to give one last go the Australian summer and we'll see him doing next week. We'll qualify or not. We'll see him next week and hope he has a fitting farewell. Now. 00:07:52 Speaker 4: I want you to get a really good night's sleep tonight and tomorrow night. 00:07:55 Speaker 7: Can you promise me that. 00:07:56 Speaker 8: I know we'll work on it, but you know, it's one of those things he's just got to hanging then until the end. 00:08:00 Speaker 4: You're doing a great job, Craig. Thank you so much for joining us. We'll see you on the other side. 00:08:03 Speaker 5: Thanks John. 00:08:07 Speaker 9: Well. 00:08:07 Speaker 4: Earlier this week I put in a request for two commentators to join me in analyzing the official draw, which has just happened. I've just walked out of the main auditorium and they've only gone and thrown up the original team from the AO show Casey de Laqura, welcome to you. 00:08:21 Speaker 10: Thank you I'm thrilled to be here. 00:08:23 Speaker 9: Mate to Veggas can't be choosers, shouldn't believe it. Happy with us. 00:08:27 Speaker 4: I couldn't believe it, and I think it's the first time we've been physically together in person for a long long time. 00:08:32 Speaker 7: It was meant to be. 00:08:33 Speaker 4: It was and happy thirty sixth anniversary, Todd wood Bridge. I'm fifty two, though I know about thirty six years to this day since you became the first winner on a Melbourne Park. 00:08:43 Speaker 7: It was actually today eleventh of January. 00:08:46 Speaker 10: That when they knew like it moved to Melbourne Park. 00:08:48 Speaker 7: Yeah, ninety eight. 00:08:49 Speaker 10: Who'd you beat? 00:08:50 Speaker 9: I beat an American by the name of John Lets in straight sets, very quickly, because I think there were women's matches on court too that day and I won three straight in a best of five. So it's a long time ago I saw there was a record that I played on. 00:09:05 Speaker 7: No longer sits there anymore. Towards the mcg side, it's more more like john Can Arena in that vicinity. 00:09:11 Speaker 4: Okay, well, a long way off Broadway in the day, Well, I was a wild card on the outside. Anyway, enough, about thirty six years ago, you guys did a fantastic job inside the auditorium for the draw, and boy, oh boy, are there some interesting matchups even as early as the first round. Casey, even in the first four names and the earliest bracket for the women, Oh. 00:09:32 Speaker 6: My goodness, as soon as it popped up on the screen, former champions, former finalists, So Siontek up against Sophia Kennon first round, Collins versus Kerber as well in the first round and the winners to meet. So you know, I think for Angie Kerber, I think that is not a bad first round. I think obviously playing a bit big hitter in Daniel Collins, she'll try and retrieve as many balls as she can. She's obviously had a heap of tennis through the United Cup. Sophia Kennon, I wouldn't say is in her best form in Fiontech well, she didn't lose a match at the United Cup as well, So I kind of see Angie Kerber versus Eagish Fionteco in the second round. But a really exciting part of the draw. 00:10:12 Speaker 9: Just as we moved down, we don't have to go very far at all from the Australian perspective. I mean, you've got Elena Fitzalina, who's had an incredible comeback onto the circuit after having her first child. She takes on an eighteen year old Taylor Preston of Australia and for us, that's a really exciting match. Taylor, obviously still junior making her way out onto the women's tour, took a set off Caroline Garcia in Adelaide and look it's really being thrown in the d pen, but it'll be great to see how she handles that is she expected to end, no, but you can get a lot out of watching that match for where she may be able to take her career as she moves and her career and the year, I suppose you could say. But also another one there, oster Penko number eleventh seed takes on another Aussie wild card in kim Berrel. So we haven't even got to number twenty, which is you know, incredible. 00:11:02 Speaker 4: Right, Yeah, So that first quarter, Von Drusia the other big seed in Siontech's quarter along with Ostapenko, as you mentioned, going down to quarter two and I'm sort of forecasting a possible well rebike and a Pagola would be the obvious quarter final, but in case some other matchups that you're seeing in that quarter. 00:11:19 Speaker 6: Yeah, it would be the obvious one, wouldn't it. Obviously Rebeccna in first round place, Polishkov so two big servers, Plishkov not seeded here and you know, falling off those kind of higher echelon of players just recently. The one player for me is the Chinese Plajing who we saw at the United Cup, seeded twelve and is so amazing and exciting to watch and got such a great personality, which yes, we love in tennis as well. So I wouldn't you know, put it far past if she gets through, and you know, in this quarter as well, like when you think about it with there's Katie Bolt, Emma Radakanu, there's a bunch of players there as well that if they just get on a bit of a run, you never know. 00:12:01 Speaker 7: Well, I mean, I believe it or not. 00:12:04 Speaker 9: Have got to this point of a major or the lead into mation, haven't been asked who's going to win it? 00:12:09 Speaker 7: Well, that may come. 00:12:11 Speaker 9: It was always coming, was coming before the drawer and they've done well. And Elena rebarkaner watch out, she's yours, she's mine. And I've had the hind benefit of very close hindsight of watching the ball striking over the last week or so. 00:12:29 Speaker 7: And that's the feeling out there. 00:12:31 Speaker 10: Do you reckon she's played too much tennis? 00:12:32 Speaker 9: Though you can never play too much when you're winning it as easy as what she's easy, winning as easy as she is. So yeah, I mean, interesting matchup with Pleshkiva, But I just wanted to put that out there that. 00:12:42 Speaker 4: She's my pick over the page to quarter three. Casey Coco Goff is in the fourth seed from USA, as is Maria Sakari. But there's a dangerous Brazilian also in the mix in that third quarter. 00:12:55 Speaker 6: Yeah, look the lefty and how did my I think Todd and I we've spoken about her before. She plays for Ad of our first round. Let's talk about that because for verdiv is a very quality player. But I do suspect had Admaya getting through there. Look, in terms of this quarter, I think Sachary and Goth that's a really tough quarter, especially if they all get through. Leila Fernandez is also in their Garcia plays Osaka in the first We need to dig deeper there, we will, Okay, so let's get to that. But I think this quarter is probably that one of the toughest quarters of the whole entire draw, purely because of the names in there in the form so Sachari in amazing form, as is Cocoa Golf. So I think it's probably the toughest quarter of the draw. 00:13:36 Speaker 9: Yeah, surely that number eighty one versus eighty two Caroline Garcia and Naomasaka is the one that came out with flashlights on it. 00:13:44 Speaker 4: You heard the breath, the gasps from the gallery down in the auditoria, and. 00:13:48 Speaker 9: That's because you've got Caroline who's been playing pretty well here in Australia. Have a lot of tennis, Yeah, a lot of tennis. But we know at times can be a little erratic. Yeah, I was gonna say, Flake, he's not flaky. She gets tight, gets up tight. When she's got momentum and playing great, she can just about wipe the floor with anybody. And then when she gets too much in her own head it can be difficult. And this is one of those matches that you think is going to get into her head a little bit by taking on Naomi. It's about actually not playing the opponent. It's about playing the ball, is what she's going to have to do and for Naomi, she'll know all that it's kind of a one. Okay, if I win that, I actually open up my section and away I go think about the momentum, and given what we've seen with Naomi, you know, I think that's a possibility that she gets you know, an upset sixteenth seed might be goinge the opening round. 00:14:35 Speaker 6: And as I think, you want to play the seeds in the early round, right, So I think for Naomi Asaka, that's when you want to take them out early. And I think the other thing is if Dasha gets through Aussie there, she will play the winner of that match. 00:14:48 Speaker 7: So I'm looking forward to going to go a couple of rounds in. 00:14:51 Speaker 9: But Fernandez versus Gough, Yeah, Fernande's had a really great end of year. They're representing Canada and the Billy Jane King cup handle that pressure well. Obviously one in Auckland off the back of a US Open, and she's you know, she's going to be one of the ones to beat in the women's side. But that's a nice matchup because they're young, and it's one that you hope is going to bring some real quality to it that you'll go Okay, I'd like to see that build into a bit more of a rivalry over the next five to ten years. 00:15:18 Speaker 7: O case. 00:15:18 Speaker 4: Arguably, of the top seeds are in a Sabolenka has the nicest run with not too many dangerous players in her quarter. 00:15:25 Speaker 10: Yeah, I'd tend to agree with that. 00:15:28 Speaker 6: I think, you know, obviously, Barbora Kujikova is a Grand Slam winner, so she's in there. Taylor Townsend is always a dangerous floater being a left hander with Paula Medosa and Anastasia Pavlachenkova is in that bit as well. But yeah, if you're looking at C's obviously in the third round it would be Lisa Sarenko for Sabolenka. I would suspect that Sabolenka comes through that part of the draw pretty comfortably, and it will actually be interesting from my perspective who kind of comes through, because I feel like there's a lot of opportunities there for certain for different players. 00:16:03 Speaker 9: I like the potential match up in round two of mire Andreva. Oh, yes, this is a season about adjusting to being out on tour. What's it going to be like? Can I handle it? People know my game? What's the temperament going to be like because she's a little fiery, so she could take on on your birth takes on the qualify. That match could be one where you see a young gun take out potentially number six six. So let's let's keep eye on that. That's around two junior finalists here last year and as well. 00:16:35 Speaker 4: Yeah, drew plenty of attention throughout the past twelve months, so keep your eye that potential second round matchup. All right, let's flick over to the men's as Todd who's been on his sick bed the last few days. 00:16:45 Speaker 7: It just takes a little bit of hydration. 00:16:47 Speaker 4: Had the man going Djokovic sitting up there in the top seed position, him almost certainly will have to play an ossie in the second round. 00:16:56 Speaker 7: Poproin v. Polman's in a first round battle, yeah, which is tough. A couple of all ossie matchups. 00:17:01 Speaker 9: So when you get your people in the countrymen into the drawer, you want them to all go through, but not by taking each other out. But for Alexi, that'd be a match that he'd look at and go, okay, that's a good draw for me. He would go into that with confidence and expect to get through that, So yeah, we might have one of our sort of ossie kids. They're not kids anymore, are they. They're early twenties, they're young men. Potentially have a big night match against the world number one. That would be something for our local broadcasts. They'd love that. 00:17:29 Speaker 4: Sits of buses in that quarter too, along with Fritz and Shelton, so a lot of high quality in quarter one. 00:17:36 Speaker 6: Case, yeah, I think so. Obviously the standout there is sits a Pass versus Barrettini. That's an epic first round match up with both players having amazing support, particularly here in Melbourne. Barattini's been a little bit injured, but six Pass has also been a little bit injured, so we'll see he comes through there. But yeah, I mean Taylor, Fritz, Ben Sheldon. I think Novak will be reasonably happy with a you know, up until the third or fourth round, and then it'll start to get a bit harder for him. 00:18:03 Speaker 7: Well, it could be fourth round. Ben Shelton. 00:18:05 Speaker 9: I mean, Ben Shelton's got a quarterfinal to defend, so it's the first time he's had to come in with a bit of like pressure on ranking. But he's a gun player, but he also is still trying to build that consistency week in week out, and you know, you watch him play and you think he shouldn't be losing in smaller tournaments like Brisbane. But he's still young, and he's just he's just so raw. But put him up against Novak like he did the US Open, you know he can push in trouble. It'll be an interesting test. You know, there's a lot of tests for Ben throughout this tournament. 00:18:38 Speaker 7: Talk about experience though. 00:18:39 Speaker 4: Also in that quarter mom Feast, Murray and Vvrinka, I reckon the average age of quarter one must be about three or four years higher than the rest. 00:18:48 Speaker 9: It's probably a couple of names that we may be seeing for the last time, you know. And is it Forvirinka one of the I'm not so sure. He might get a couple more years, but Andy suspect the last year, and probably mon Feasts as well. And then they're in They're in five places of each other in that draw. 00:19:05 Speaker 7: They used to be nowhere near each other, and now they're so close. 00:19:08 Speaker 4: ANIX Center the fourth seed. Casey headlines the second quarter of the men's draw. 00:19:13 Speaker 6: Yeah, so obviously, I think a lot of us have been talking about the Big three In terms of contenders for this Australia and Open, that would be Novak, Sinner and el Koraz. So I was kind of interested to see who of those two players or who would get pulled out, if Sinner or Medvedev would get pulled out in the half of Novak Jokvic. But is Sinner Sinners been in great form. I think we're all excited to watch him play if we're looking at that quarter. For me, there's a few stand up matches obviously. I'd like to mention Alex dimenor our Ossie Hope plays Milos Raunich first round, who's been out for a couple of years, has played a little bit in twenty twenty three formal world number three. I don't know if Rawnich will be too excited about that first round, but I think a good draw for Alex. 00:19:55 Speaker 7: Well the round. 00:19:56 Speaker 9: Each one's an interesting one for me because years back that's bad obviously, now I'm not sure that Rounich is It's consistent in all the other parts, just massive serve. 00:20:11 Speaker 7: Alex is a good returner. 00:20:12 Speaker 9: He gets a lot of balls back into play and once we get into a neutral in the point, then he dominates and He's able to do that a lot against the big servers, but it's not a match that Alex can be comfortable with because it's not going to have rhythm. He's great with rhythm. If he can get into it, he can't get it past him. So we'll see, we'll see how it plays out. But obviously his form and confidence, he's got that chance to be able to take it through. 00:20:35 Speaker 7: But it's an awkward match. 00:20:37 Speaker 4: It's awkward, yeah, and potentially looking at Jarry in the third round and maybe a rub leven fourth. 00:20:43 Speaker 10: Yeah, it's not too bad. 00:20:44 Speaker 9: I mean Jarry he demolished in US Open and that's a round its game style as well. And again as soon as the ball goes back into court, they just don't know where to play him because they can't get it past him. 00:20:56 Speaker 3: See. 00:20:56 Speaker 6: It's probably the first year though, correct me if I'm wrong top, where Alex has probably had more expectation on him though. 00:21:01 Speaker 9: More pressure, true, true, but I don't think demon Or struggles with that, particularly here in Australia. 00:21:07 Speaker 7: A lot of players too. 00:21:09 Speaker 9: He's played really well in front of it and one of the things that help you play well is putting the green and gold on the country's colors, and that's when you have the most pressure, when people expect you to win for your country. He likes it like that, and I think he'll really enjoy the atmosphere and use that. So he's just got to stay up and you know, yeah, hit me. He is the tenth best player in the world at the moment, so you know, not a bad quarter. I reckon the Rublev things hard for him though. That's the type of player that can can really out hit him on the court, and that's the least comfortable opponent for him. 00:21:42 Speaker 7: Within that section. 00:21:43 Speaker 4: I reckon quarter three is pretty stacked with talent as well. Casey, that's the one headed by Daniel Medvedev. 00:21:49 Speaker 6: Well, it is, and you're right, he's the number three seed Medvedev. But if you look through that quarter, let's start with Holgaruna, who is just a joy to watch, and obviously one coming through Hube hurt Katz obviously played some great tennis at the United Cup. I think the standout for me is well, Felix is in there as well, obviously. Yeah, but I just want to mention Gregor Dimitrov because it was a pretty massive whim for him in Brisbane. 00:22:14 Speaker 10: Wasn't it. 00:22:15 Speaker 6: And I've been you know, we've all followed Gregor's and probably at times thought maybe he hasn't quite reached his potential in different ways. But I think for Gregor coming in off that title, look, I wouldn't be surprised if he gives it a bit of a nudge in that quarter. 00:22:30 Speaker 9: Yeah, I think he's actually, yeah, the one that sits in there. And I thought Vidvishakina played really well in Perth though, that's a tough matchup for Demntrov. That's that's the kind of matchup where two good players wear each other out and then it makes it tougher when they get through to the next round. So you know, if you look into that section, they wear each other out to play Medvedev, and that's one of those things where Medvedev's looking. 00:22:55 Speaker 7: That going Okay, I don't mind that. 00:22:56 Speaker 9: They can do all of their work, play hard, and I can just keep on cruising my way through and then you know, for me, it's about Holger and his temperament and how he keeps all that together and his expectations, how he deals with those as as a top seed, you know in a major. 00:23:12 Speaker 4: Also in that quarter, another sort of hard luck story for dommy team who's drawn Augier Alias seems. 00:23:18 Speaker 9: That's not a hard lork. Actually, I reckon that's a good draw, Okay. I mean Felix is battling to win matches up, yeah, and he lost early in Auckland, and he has he's a confidence player, and he just does not have the confidence. And if you're going to pick a seed, teams pick the best one. 00:23:35 Speaker 7: All right, he's won the lottery. I'll take that back. 00:23:38 Speaker 9: But then no, I truly think that at the moment, given where Felix's form is. And finally our fourth quarter Carlos Alcaaz potential quarter final. 00:23:46 Speaker 7: Match up with the inform Alex Ozverev. 00:23:48 Speaker 6: Yeah, that's that's going to be, you know, if they get to that stage. Obviously, I think this is a really tough corner, to be honest. Caspar Rude is also in there. He'll play Ramos Vanoles first round, but Casper was pretty impressive at the United Cup as well. Cam Norrie is also in there and would play Casper if they get through in the third round. Zverev's in that little section as well, so I would suspect if Zverev plays the type of tennis he did at United Cup. I would suspect him to get through. We know how much Verev thrives in that team environment. But I'm interested to see how he gets through his first couple of matches at AO. 00:24:25 Speaker 9: Yeah, he gets through, but watch out for Casper. Yeah, Casper here last year was I think maybe number two three in the world, and he'd played poorly. 00:24:35 Speaker 7: He hadn't really, he wasn't really handling that space. 00:24:37 Speaker 9: Second round EXCEP think yeah, and didn't play well and didn't play well really up until the French and all of a sudden I got a good draw and then found some conference, got through the final and has been playing well since. What he produced in Sydney in the United Cup was big. 00:24:51 Speaker 10: And he's made big changes to his game as well. 00:24:54 Speaker 9: And I he's sitting at the eleventh seed. He's just down the rankings a little bit, just in a come that position. Keep your eye out for him. He's my outsider. Well Demon nudged him outside the top top ten. Really, he's my outsider as a pick to kind of rattle a few cages and do a little bit of damage. Can he beat an al Karaz in a quarter final? 00:25:14 Speaker 3: Well? 00:25:14 Speaker 6: He some of those big changes in terms of return position where Caspa's chosen to now return up in the court. He's definitely put some time on the off the court in the off season, on the court in the off season, got there, But I think that would I'm with Todd on that one. 00:25:31 Speaker 9: And one last little piece the bottom of it. Callous Alcaraz hasn't been back to the Strain and Open for a couple of years. He was a different player. He lost to Bertini and he wasn't here last year. And then he comes back with two Grand Slam titles under his belt. He takes on Gasca, He'll get through that, Gasca being a wonderful player for many a year, but it's the twilight. But then he could take on Evans or Snago, both could players. If Evans wins that he troubles our craz in a different way, probably struggle over five sets to beat him. But that would be an interesting encounter. But I know that the fans in Australia, the ones that are coming to the AO and the ones that haven't been watching him on our screens down here, they're going to be in for a treat. 00:26:14 Speaker 4: Also, Tommy Paul in that quarter two. Let's not forget the wonderful campaign he had last year. Here, Well, Rebikeen as your women's pick, are you going with Rude for the men? 00:26:21 Speaker 7: Todd? 00:26:22 Speaker 9: You know what, I'm not going for Rude to win. It's so hard to go past Novak. I mean, he's the favorite. Okay, he's the favorite, but so I've got him his favorite. But I think Sinner might win his first major. You've been singing his praises for two years now, singing Sinner's praise. 00:26:40 Speaker 7: Casey, your predictions, please. 00:26:43 Speaker 6: I am going with I'm going with Eager Siontek. I think her form at the back end of twenty twenty three and at United Cup she's got real momentum. I am going with Eager, And then I'm going to go with Novak as well. I just don't think you can go past novad. 00:26:57 Speaker 7: Oh, come God for something different. 00:26:58 Speaker 10: Well, I like Sinner too. 00:27:00 Speaker 7: I like Sinner and you can't have him. 00:27:01 Speaker 9: I got him. 00:27:02 Speaker 7: No, you've got to pick one. H do you who wants Cinner more? I've got Sin. 00:27:05 Speaker 9: You're taking with Novak? Yeah, the odds are that you've got the better chance. 00:27:10 Speaker 6: You picks the two number one to pick someone different. But I think you're right. I think the Aussie crowd I'm excited for them to see Alcarez as well. It's got to be one of those big three. 00:27:19 Speaker 7: I think. 00:27:19 Speaker 9: I think the tournaments really were so. I think to draw on the men's and women's has come out really balanced. And you know, some days at Grand Sam's you'll see the draw and you go, this is the good day. This is the not so good day when they alternate. I think we've got great balance. 00:27:32 Speaker 7: Stay with us. 00:27:33 Speaker 4: We're going to hear from Novak Djokovic just after this Casey Todd, go save your voices and we'll see at some stage during the tournament. 00:27:39 Speaker 7: Thank you, Johnny. 00:27:43 Speaker 4: Not many players get to spend twenty five thirty minutes in a. 00:27:46 Speaker 7: Car with a player, he said, not many players. 00:27:51 Speaker 4: Not many people, oh ok get to spend half an hour in a car with a top tennis player. But er Sin Kaderos, welcome, Erson, thank you, nice to be here this week. You've had an incredible opportunity. You tell me what came about, and hell yeah, that was so unexpected. We spent about half an hour in a car with Novak Djokovic. The idea was for us to go down to the house that he rents during the during the tournament down by the beach to film an intro for his charity match on Thursday night before the Australian Open starts, and we went down did the filming, which was great and it looked. 00:28:29 Speaker 3: Like a rock star. 00:28:30 Speaker 1: Came out of the house, got into the car, we got all the shots and then he was off to training on Rod Laver Arena and he was like, do you guys want to come with me? Really, We got in the car and we just had a chat and we recorded it all and it was everything was off the cauf. 00:28:49 Speaker 7: It was. 00:28:50 Speaker 1: It was a lot of fun. 00:28:51 Speaker 4: Oh okay, so you're there, are you in the passenger said, or backseat or what's Novak's in the back seat? 00:28:56 Speaker 1: I'm next to him and our cameraman, Bruce's in the in the passenger seat filming the back seats. So we have a chat and we start to get going and it's just all nothing was planned and there were questions in there and answers in there that I just never expected to happen. 00:29:14 Speaker 7: Yeah, because when you. 00:29:15 Speaker 4: Usually speak to tennis players, it's in a very structured, strict environment. You've usually got what three minutes or four minutes to get it done, but this is very different atmosphere. 00:29:25 Speaker 1: Yeah, usually it's in a studio, it's very contained. There's lots of agents and communications people in the room and so it's all quite serious. But this was just very relaxed because there was no one else there. It was just us in the car and we just got chatting and we chat it for about twenty five minutes. 00:29:45 Speaker 4: All right, well we're going to listen in I guess on your conversation. We won't play the whole twenty five minutes because that would take an episode in itself, but we've just picked out a few highlights and do you want to take us into the interview. 00:29:55 Speaker 1: Look, every time Nova gets here, and especially this week, he's relaxed because he knows this is basically his home turf. He's one of this tournament ten times. He feels so relaxed here. And he spoke about this as well, how much he enjoys being in Australia. 00:30:13 Speaker 3: But I mean, I do love to come here. 00:30:16 Speaker 2: I think you know, they call it a happy Slam for a reason, and Australian tennis summer is so so exciting to be part of because the weather is great. Australian people love sports and love tennis. Of course, a Grand Slam in Melbourne that is one of the four historically biggest tennis events we have in our sport, and you know so many people that follow it worldwide, but here in Australia you can feel the buzz and you can feel that Melbourne particularly breeds. 00:30:48 Speaker 3: Tennis and it's so nice. It's really lovely. 00:30:53 Speaker 2: You know, people come up to you and on the street and compliment you and your tennis and you know, come with it. They say that they watch your matches and they follow and it's it's great to see that. It's great to see that to feel that kind of environment and that kind of happens here. So yeah, I'm excited for another year. You know, I've played so many, so many years in Australia. In the last twenty years i've played here. I think the first time I was in the main role of twousand and five, I actually qualified and played Mariduffing that later on was it was a champion of that tournament and I remember I called my hair. 00:31:34 Speaker 3: That day. 00:31:34 Speaker 2: I was like playing seven pm first round road later Arena I was. 00:31:39 Speaker 3: Eighteen, seventeen, seventeen years old or something. 00:31:43 Speaker 9: And. 00:31:46 Speaker 2: I remember I had a haircut and then the lady, the hairdresser, was like, do you want to you want to do something special? 00:31:53 Speaker 3: And I said, what do you mean. It's like, you know, I don't know. 00:31:57 Speaker 2: If it's your first time, you know, uh it road labor, you might as well make make an appearance, you know, make an entrance that people remember. 00:32:09 Speaker 3: I said, I don't know what you mean, and she's like, maybe, uh, maybe we'll color your hair. 00:32:14 Speaker 2: And I instantly thought about my mother and you know the amount of criticism I'll get from her, which I did later on, but I said, you know what, let's let's do it. That was the only time in my life and I'll probably ever color my hair unless my daughter wants me to one day. 00:32:33 Speaker 3: And so it was. 00:32:35 Speaker 2: It was funny here that back back in the day, that was the first memory I had of road labor arena. I was actually smashed and swept out the court from Marat very quickly. But I don't remember well the tennis experience, but remember that that was, you know, obviously a first, very special time to be playing in one of the. 00:32:58 Speaker 3: Most unique courts that we have in tennis. 00:33:00 Speaker 2: So going back to Road Labor every single year, with of course the amount of success I had in the previous years, always, you know, awakens these kind of wonderful feelings and emotions of being on that court and playing, and you know, I try to remind myself and kind of pinch myself saying, okay, look, you know, you know, don't take things for granted. You know, these are very special occasions and I don't know how many more times I'll be able to do that, I'll be able to play in one of the most significant tennis courts in the world. So a Road Labor arena is definitely the most successful in my favorite tennis court in the world, because, you know, off the amount of success I had, I've never lost in the Semis or never lost in the finals of Australia. 00:33:51 Speaker 3: And Open, and you know, I just, I don't know, I kind of go to a different. 00:33:56 Speaker 2: Level when I play in the latter stages of straight and Open. I just play my best tennis always, and I just love the environment. I love the surface, the conditions, everything is very suitable to my game, to who I am as. 00:34:11 Speaker 3: A player and as a person. 00:34:12 Speaker 2: So so, yeah, it's exciting to go back. 00:34:16 Speaker 3: All right, we're nearly here. Oh yeah, we're here. 00:34:19 Speaker 11: What's it like to die of the far in a serious question? Just talk us through that drive the day of the finals. I mean, I normally have my team members in the car, and yeah, it really depends in which kind of mood I am. 00:34:35 Speaker 2: Sometimes I like to be just with my own thoughts and I don't know, listen to something music or whatever and just you know, kind of prepare myself for what's coming up. 00:34:50 Speaker 3: Or you know, sometimes we just talk about the. 00:34:53 Speaker 2: Random subject or topic just to kind of cheat chats so that I can get my thoughts away from what's coming up, you know. 00:35:07 Speaker 3: So it really depends of the mood. 00:35:10 Speaker 2: But the build up, what's happening inside regardless of whether I'm talking or not talking whatever, but the build up and the energy and feelings that I have inside are it's just like it's like something. 00:35:23 Speaker 3: Is brewing, you know. 00:35:25 Speaker 2: And the anticipation and all the possible scenarios that you're running. 00:35:35 Speaker 3: Through in your head. 00:35:38 Speaker 2: It's tiring, I must say, it's tiring to be you know, you're excited, obviously, it's a last match of the tournament. It's the one that you know you want to be part of, and I've been really lucky to be part of you know, ten of those in Australia. But it is it is very demanding, I think, mentally to stay stay in the present moment because there's so many It's like it's constantly you're you're so close to the finish line, you're right there, and then it's like, okay, what if this? 00:36:20 Speaker 3: What if that? 00:36:21 Speaker 2: You start to imagine and visualize yourself with a trophy, and then of course then there's the other side of you. 00:36:27 Speaker 3: Then what happens if I lose? 00:36:29 Speaker 2: And then you start to have those images and then you start trying to block them so they don't. 00:36:33 Speaker 3: Become overwhelming reality in your head, in your mind. 00:36:37 Speaker 2: So it's it's a it's a constant inner, I guess, battle of trying to you know, bring yourself to the present moment and not really get carried away with all the scenarios and you know, things that might happen or not are not going to happen, so well, it's again it's it's all in your mind, right, So. 00:37:00 Speaker 3: I guess you know, when the more you're in a present moment, the more. 00:37:03 Speaker 2: You're able to enjoy, you know, and the whole thing, like the preparation before the warm up. 00:37:08 Speaker 3: So the more you're able to be in. 00:37:10 Speaker 2: A present moment, the more you're able to enjoy, you know, everything that you do on a day of the finals, right, you kind of go through the entire journey of getting to the finals and all the preparation you had in the off season, everything you've you've done, you've been through with your team to come to that point that you know, dreamed of being in, and and and then you know you're able to enjoy the warm up, the pre match talk, the little social game we play and all these things. Right, but it's much much harder than any other day because you're just you know, consumed in a way, and you know, it's so overwhelmingly present, all these thoughts of the scenarios of what might happen. 00:38:02 Speaker 4: That's all for this Australian Open Preview episode at the aoshow, but strap yourself in. We'll be bringing you daily episodes from Melbourne Park every day of the main draw, beginning Sunday. In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest news on ozopen dot com. If you'd like to get in touch, you can contact us via ozopen dot com, slash listen, or email the aoshow at tennis dot com dot au. And now's the perfect opportunity to hit that subscribe button and the notification bell so you never miss an episode throughout the tournament. If you're eas are enjoy the experience, please leave a rating or review so more fans can enjoy the AO Show.