1 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the sit Down. 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: I'm Matrolope, a writer for oz open dot com, and. 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 2: I'm viv Christy, Australian tennis magazine managing editor, and Matt. 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 2: As attention turns from clay to grass, we caught up 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: with Stephen Farrow. Tell us more about that interview. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 3: Yeah. 7 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: So, Stephen is a former tournament director of the Queen's 8 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: Club Championships and is now tournament director of the United Cup. 9 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: So it was really interesting hearing his experiences going from 10 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: such a traditional, historic event like Queen's to a new 11 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: innovative event on the calendar in the United Cup, and 12 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: as well we got to talk to him about tennis 13 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: in the UK, tennis on grass and some of his 14 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: highlights working in that space. 15 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 3: Perhaps you could. 16 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: Start by taking us back to your very first start 17 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 2: in tennis. 18 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, so, I qualified as a lawyer many many years 19 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 4: ago and went to work for the Lawn Tennis Association 20 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 4: in the UK, so obviously the governing body of tennis 21 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 4: over there, and became very heavily involved in the event's 22 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 4: side of the business. The LTA runs primarily in terms 23 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 4: of professional events, all the pre Wimbledon tournaments we have 24 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 4: some well they have some sort of role on Wimbledon 25 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 4: as well. It's primarily about those events and just over 26 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 4: time ended up getting more and more involved and was 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 4: very close with Chris Kermod who was the tournament director 28 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:18,639 Speaker 4: of Queens for many years went on to run the ATP. 29 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 4: When he moved on to run the ATP, I was 30 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 4: asked to take over at Queens and then over time 31 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 4: that expanded to the rest of the LTA's tournaments as well. 32 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 2: The grass court season is a very unique time of 33 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 2: the year. What, in your opinion, sets grass court tennis apart. 34 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 4: For me, it's the sense of heritage and history and 35 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 4: the romance and visually it looks so different and if 36 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 4: you look at the places where it's played back in 37 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 4: the UK, and also there's some great events now in 38 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 4: Germany and Holland and Spain as well. Often they take 39 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 4: place in clubs, Wimbledon obviously being the biggest one of all, 40 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 4: Queens being another one, and there is just that that 41 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 4: sort of that sense of history which I think grass 42 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 4: court tennis really brings. And it's where tennis started as well. 43 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 4: You look at the I mean the tennis Australia was 44 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 4: previously Lawn Tenni Association of Australia i TF was the 45 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 4: International Lawn Tennis Federation, and so there is that sense 46 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 4: of connection with the roots of tennis which sort of 47 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 4: sets it apart. And also in terms of what it's 48 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 4: like to experience and watch as well, it's it's quick, 49 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 4: it's a bit more unpredictable, and it's a very short 50 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 4: and intense season as well, which I think means that 51 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 4: it's there's probably even more of a focus on it 52 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 4: as a result, and with Wimbledon as the pinnacle as well, 53 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 4: it's a it's an amazing time with the tennis calendar. 54 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: And I'm assuming that you've had a chance to actually 55 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: play on grass yourself. 56 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 3: I have. 57 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 4: I mean, what I found since I've been in Australia, 58 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 4: which is really interesting, is that there are so many 59 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 4: grass courts here. And I've spent quite a lot of 60 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 4: time in Perth through the United Cup, and I'm blown 61 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 4: away by the number of grass courts that you have 62 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 4: in Western Australia. It's like everywhere you go you've got 63 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 4: clubs for fifteen, sixteen, eighteen grass courts. I was at 64 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,799 Speaker 4: King's Park quite recently in Perth and it's unbelievable venue 65 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 4: there and there's so many so grasscourt tennis, if anything, 66 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,679 Speaker 4: in Australia is stronger than it is back home. I 67 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 4: think on a recreational level there are less and less 68 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 4: clubs who are able to sustain grass courts. Obviously, the 69 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 4: weather's not as good as it is here, so that 70 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 4: grass court season is so much shorter. But in terms 71 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 4: of me personally, I mean growing up, yeah, we had 72 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 4: grass courts at my university which used to play on. 73 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 4: I mean the problem there was that we had a 74 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 4: lot of molehills and foxes and things like that to 75 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: deal with, so it wasn't quite the manicured lawns that 76 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 4: we enjoy at Queen's Club or Wimbledon. 77 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: Amazing who have been some of your favorite players to 78 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 2: watch competing on grass? 79 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 4: I think growing up, I mean you grow up in 80 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 4: the UK and it's all about Wimbledon. So I think 81 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 4: when I was really getting into watching and enjoying tennis, 82 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 4: Queens and Wimbledon would be on the BBC and sometimes 83 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 4: Eastbourne and so you'd watch those events and it was 84 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 4: such an annual ritual to enjoy to enjoy those events 85 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 4: when they came round. 86 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 3: So I so I suppose for me, I mean, it was. 87 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 4: A period of relative lack of success for British players, 88 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 4: and I remember when Jeremy Bates got to the fourth 89 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 4: round of Wimbledon twice I think ninety two and ninety four. 90 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 4: It was an absolutely massive deal, which in retrospect with 91 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 4: what came next with Tim Herman, with Andy and obviously 92 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 4: Emma Radacane with the US Open, but talking about the 93 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 4: grass court events with what came next to it sort 94 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 4: of somehow feels slightly ridiculous now, but at the time 95 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 4: that was such a big deal. But I always loved 96 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 4: stephie Graff as well. I used to love watching her 97 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 4: at Wimbledon. Obviously she had a lot of success Martina 98 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: and Alvarattelova and then and then obviously as I got older. 99 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 4: I mean, Tim Herman was obviously such a superstar back 100 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 4: home and is a is a player who again because 101 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 4: of the success that Andy then had in terms of 102 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 4: Grand Slam success, people often don't really reflect on what 103 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 4: a great player he was as well and how important 104 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 4: he was for British tennis, and those semi finals that 105 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 4: he lost at Wimbledon were were huge occasions and crushingly 106 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 4: disappointing obviously two thousand and one when Ivanisovitch beat him 107 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 4: on his way to beating Pat Rafter as well, which 108 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 4: I'm sure was disappointing here in Australia as well, but 109 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 4: that was crushingly disappointing for us back home. 110 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: Yeah we remember that year. 111 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,559 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, that was the Monday Final, the People's Final. 112 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 3: Yes. 113 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: So Stephen Hearing, how you got into tennis as like 114 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: on the legal side with the LTA. Were you a 115 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: tennis fan and you saw an opportunity to get into 116 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: tennis and work in an industry you loved or kind 117 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: of how what was that entry point? 118 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 4: I wanted to work in sport and the opportunity came 119 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 4: up to go and work at the LTA. But what 120 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 4: I would say is that I was always a tennis fan, 121 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 4: but I wouldn't say I was a tennis super fan. 122 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 4: So I would watch Wimbledon and i'd watch Queens on 123 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 4: the TV. I would watch the Grand Slams if they 124 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 4: were on free to air television, and you'd vaguely know 125 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 4: who'd won. But really it was primarily about those summer, 126 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 4: those UK summer events, and that was really my entry 127 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 4: through into tennis. But you know, the more you get 128 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 4: immerse in the world, the more to of your passion 129 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 4: and your interest grows. And you know, I think that's 130 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 4: definitely been the case. I've become more and more of 131 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 4: a tennis fan as I've got more and more involved 132 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 4: in it. 133 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: And that sounds like they're coincided with your time as 134 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 1: tournament director at Queens, which, if we've got the dates right, 135 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: we're twenty fourteen to twenty twenty. What was some of 136 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: the best memories you have of that time? 137 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 4: All right, it's huge privilege to be involved in that tournament. 138 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 4: That club that I talked before about the sense of 139 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 4: history of the grasscourt season. I mean that club was 140 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 4: built in eighteen eighty six, open in eighteen eighty seven. 141 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 3: It's named after Queen Victoria. 142 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 4: You go to the grounds of the Queen's Club and 143 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 4: that sense of history is everywhere you look. I mean, 144 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 4: not least the pictures of the former members that are 145 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 4: up on the wall, which are some incredibly illustrious figures 146 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 4: throughout history, and then the tennis itself. So many great 147 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 4: players have won that title and it has such a 148 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 4: special place in the hearts of tennis fans. So to 149 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 4: have any sort of association with that event is a 150 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 4: real privilege and to have had the opportunity to lead 151 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 4: that event for a reasonable period of time was a 152 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 4: real honor and it was it was a real family 153 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 4: feel to that event as well, so there are lots 154 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,239 Speaker 4: and lots of people who'd worked on it for years. 155 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 4: Our referee Jimmy Moore is Australian. He's passed now but 156 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 4: he was the referee a Queens for forty two years. 157 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 4: You know, we have with the guys who build the site. 158 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 4: When there's a guy called John Hester who's from the 159 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 4: north of Scotland who has come down for the last 160 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 4: thirty years in a caravan. He lives in this caravan 161 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 4: in the car park at Queen's Club while the site's 162 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 4: being built for six weeks every summer. We had the 163 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 4: same ball teachers doing the ball girls. The same people 164 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 4: have done it for sort of thirty or forty years 165 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 4: as well. So that sort of that family feel and 166 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 4: that sense of history is sort of everywhere you look 167 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 4: at that tournament and it really is a beautiful site, 168 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 4: the center court at Queens it's so iconic and we 169 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 4: were so proud of the experience that we could offer 170 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 4: everyone who came and most of all the players were 171 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 4: very much player focused and I think that's one of 172 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 4: the things which I find here at Tennis Australia as well. 173 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 4: And Craig will say about everything to do with the 174 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 4: Australian Open and all the events we do about putting 175 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 4: players first, and that was definitely our approach as well. 176 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 4: And I think as a result of that, the players 177 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 4: also pick up on that family feel and they're seeing 178 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 4: the same faces every year, and the bonds that you 179 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 4: then build with the players and their teams which keeps 180 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 4: them coming back year after year. It just means that 181 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 4: that event really matters and probably matters even more as 182 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 4: a result, which is really special to be a part of. 183 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely, here's so many stories like that in tennis, 184 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: of like the person that's been returning into the same 185 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 1: role for like thirty years, forty years. That happens a 186 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: lot here too. Last question about your time as tournament director. 187 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 1: What is a day in the life of a tournament 188 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: director or when it's tournament time during Queens just. 189 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 3: A bit of everything really. I mean same here as well. 190 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 4: You are dealing with players, you're dealing with broadcast, you've 191 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 4: got media commitments, you're dealing with sponsors. What I always 192 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 4: found at Queen's, which I've tried to sort of take 193 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 4: into the work I've done here around United Cup and 194 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 4: some of the other events, is Chris kerm had always 195 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 4: said to me that when you're the tournament director of Queens, 196 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 4: you're basically the host of the party. So you really 197 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 4: just need to go around and keep people's spirits up, 198 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 4: and you know, you find yourself clicking into this mode 199 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 4: where you know you're just going around and smiling and 200 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 4: chatting and shaking hands with people, and it can be 201 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 4: quite challenging at a tennis event, particularly when it comes 202 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 4: on a grass court tennis event, when you get the 203 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 4: rain and you know you've got a lot of impatient. 204 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 3: Players who are desperate to get out on court. You've 205 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 3: got a lot of. 206 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 4: Players who are nervous about the surface because the perception 207 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 4: is always that it's slippy. We don't have the floodlights, 208 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 4: so we can't play late, and so there's always some 209 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 4: issues like that you're sort of managing. But really, for me, 210 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 4: I always felt like I sort of enjoyed the challenges 211 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 4: that were then presented by that sort of situation. 212 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 3: But from a tournament. 213 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 4: Director perspective, it's a bit of everything, and it's you know, 214 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 4: it's twenty four seven throughout that period where you're delivering 215 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 4: the event, but it's extremely rewarding and for me it 216 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 4: gave an opportunity really to be to have us a 217 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 4: very close few on some seeing these amazing athletes going 218 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 4: out there and delivering high quality tennis. 219 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 3: And certainly in my time at Queen's. 220 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 4: We obviously had Andy Murray at the peak of his game, 221 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 4: which was just such a gift. I mean, to have 222 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 4: the most popular sports person in the UK play your sport. 223 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 4: He won it twice while I was tournament directe was 224 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 4: twenty sixteen. 225 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 3: He wont it for a record fifth time. 226 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 4: I mean, it just elevates everything, like the interest, the awareness. 227 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 4: We would have four million people watching it live on BBC. 228 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 4: If Andy didn't play, the audience would be lucky to 229 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 4: be a quarter of that. So really he really took 230 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 4: it to the next level. 231 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 3: But we also it also, I. 232 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 4: Mean there were also some other amazing moments, and for 233 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 4: me it was always some of the less high profile 234 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 4: moments were the ones which I always found quite inspirational. 235 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 3: I remember Jeremy Shardy for years. 236 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 4: Used to say that Queens was his favorite tournament and 237 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 4: he'd never want to match there, and there were and 238 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 4: then he finally did and to see what that meant 239 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 4: to him. I remember back in twenty fifteen, we funnily enough, 240 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 4: through I built quite a lot of connections with a 241 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 4: lot of the Australian players. Obviously got such a massive 242 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 4: history at Queen's Club, and we gave Tinaski cocken Archis 243 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 4: a wildcard, gave him a wild card in twenty fifteen 244 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,719 Speaker 4: and his grandmother was seriously ill, so he'd come back 245 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 4: to Australia and then he flew out and I think 246 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 4: he arrived at Queens on maybe it was the Saturday, 247 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 4: and he was playing on the Monday. 248 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 3: And then he went out and won. 249 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 4: That match and it was actually it was incredibly moving 250 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 4: to see that and what it meant to him. He 251 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 4: then lost in the second round. Then he went through 252 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 4: injury hell for the next two years. Gave him another 253 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 4: wild card two years later and he came back and 254 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 4: beat Millos Ryanich in the first round and that was 255 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 4: amazing because so you know, you sort of feel there 256 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 4: as a tournament director, you've given someone the opportunity, and 257 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 4: you see what it means to them, so privileged to 258 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 4: have that opportunity to do that and to engage with 259 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 4: these players. And then the best example of all was 260 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 4: twenty nineteen, which ended up being my final year because 261 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 4: of COVID, when Felly Lopez had a wild card in 262 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 4: both singles and doubles and won both. And you know, 263 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 4: like the hair stands up when I talk about it, 264 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,719 Speaker 4: because I feel like I know it's I know it's 265 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 4: only Queen's. I know it's an eight P five hundred. 266 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 4: I know it's not a Grand Slam, but as a 267 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 4: sporting achievement for him, aged thirty seven to win both titles, 268 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 4: and he was playing with Andy, I mean, which was 269 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,599 Speaker 4: amazing enough that Andy won, but the fact that he 270 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: think I think the last twenty four hours of the tournament, 271 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 4: he was on court for eight of those twenty four hours. 272 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 4: At one point he was scheduled for four consecutive matches 273 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 4: on center court because he had because we had rain delays, 274 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 4: we were playing late. I mean, there were so many 275 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 4: opportunities there where you thought, oh, he's going to pull out, 276 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,119 Speaker 4: or he's going to lose this one. This is ridiculous 277 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 4: and he just kept going and he was so tired 278 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 4: on that final day. He wasn't sitting down at the 279 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 4: change of ends and at the age of thirty seven. 280 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 4: And the wild cud that we gave Felly was because 281 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 4: you know, it's his last year and he's been people 282 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,319 Speaker 4: love him here. He's a former champion. You know it's 283 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 4: going to lose first round, but it's a nice thing 284 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 4: to do, and for him to go through and win 285 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 4: was just extraordinary. 286 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 2: Absolutely. So you know, you have these great experiences with 287 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: players as the tournament director. Are those relationships that you 288 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 2: have sustained with some of those players? 289 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, with some of them, I mean it's I still 290 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 4: find here. I mean I've been here for like, what 291 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 4: is it like nearly three years or two and a 292 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 4: half three years now. I still think some of the 293 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 4: players do a bit of a double take as to 294 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 4: what's the guy from Queen's doing here? But yeah, absolutely, 295 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 4: and I think some of those guys who were very 296 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 4: closely associated with Queen's, the likes of Grigor, I mean 297 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 4: Stanva Ringk used to come every year as well. I 298 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 4: mean he'd only got to the semi final once. Marion 299 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 4: Chilich as well, one of our champions has great history 300 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 4: with the event, and Felly as well. 301 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 3: I'm still in. 302 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 4: Touch with as long as as well as a lot 303 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 4: of the British players, and I think it's nice to 304 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 4: see how much those guys appreciate what we were trying 305 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 4: to do for them, and again like how special winning 306 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 4: that title was for them, that you still have that 307 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 4: type of relationship many years later. 308 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 2: Are there any moments or situations that stand out as 309 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 2: particularly challenging when you look back? 310 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I think I'd go back to what 311 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 4: I said before, when it's when the weather turns bad 312 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 4: and you know, you are going around trying to keep 313 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 4: people's spirits up, and you know, I've been in a 314 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 4: situation with some very high profile players who I won't name, 315 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 4: telling me that I'm just going to go, I just 316 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 4: fell up with this and we're not going to play today, 317 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 4: but I'm going to go it's going to rain all day, 318 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 4: and you're there thinking, well, actually, it particlarly known the 319 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 4: British summer weather. It could turn nice in an instant 320 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 4: and if you go and we restart play, you're going 321 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 4: to be defaulted, and what's that going to look like? 322 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 4: So I mean I've literally sat in the car with 323 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 4: a player begging them not to leave the site. And 324 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 4: I won't say who it was, but I mean it 325 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 4: was anyway, it was fine, It will worked out. But 326 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 4: those moments are quite challenging, and win the ups and 327 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 4: downs of the ornament as well. When you get players 328 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 4: who blame their defeat on the surface, it can get 329 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 4: quite challenging. You know, I've dealt with that a few times. 330 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 4: You just have to hear people out and be honest 331 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 4: and straight with them. Yeah, and we also, you know, 332 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 4: we've also had we've had some real characters play the 333 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 4: tournament as well, where where you have the ups under 334 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 4: downs with them. You know, some of them Australian but 335 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 4: you know we we again, you know we For me, 336 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 4: it's always about putting on the best show you possibly can. 337 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 4: So you want to see that personality. And you know, 338 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 4: Nick Kiros is one of my favorite favorite tennis players. 339 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 4: He was when he was at his best at Queen's 340 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 4: it was magnificent. You know, we had our ups and 341 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 4: downs a little bit sometimes, but I think for him 342 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 4: he was I mean, he's a massive asset to the 343 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 4: sport and he's a massive asset to our event, and 344 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 4: people wanted to watch him play, and he produced some 345 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 4: sensational tennis. 346 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 3: But yeah, we had our moments. 347 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 2: You said earlier, you described it as like being the 348 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 2: host of the party. So Nick would be a great 349 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 2: person to have at any party. 350 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 4: I meant absolutely right, absolutely right, and always for me, 351 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 4: always so great to deal with, honestly throughout the event, 352 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 4: incredibly professional and when he actually when he actually delivered 353 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 4: his best tennis on court, I think it was the year. 354 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 4: Was it the year I think when Chilich beat Jokovic 355 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 4: in the final and Nick was playing outstanding tennis and 356 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 4: he lost narrowly in the semi final. I think it 357 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 4: was that year and he was his tennis was really 358 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 4: at such a high level, and it's it's well, hopefully 359 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 4: he can come back and get somewhere near that level. 360 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 3: Again. 361 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 2: You mentioned Felly Lopez before, who won obviously two titles 362 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 2: at Queens. Why is it that some players do you 363 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: think have such great results on grass? 364 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 4: I think historically you would say, if you've got a 365 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 4: good serve, if you've got a fast serve, and you 366 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 4: can nail that serve and volley style, which Felly certainly does, 367 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 4: and grig Or does as well, then that's going to help, 368 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 4: and I think Lly has and he's also left hander 369 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 4: as well, which I guess gives him another advantage. It's 370 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 4: it's managing that transition from clay to grass is also critical, 371 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 4: and you know you do get those players less so 372 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 4: recent more more recent years because the grass courts have 373 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 4: slowed over the years, but you know historically that that 374 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 4: switch from play to grass is so hard, and I 375 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 4: think you do get some players who often those players 376 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 4: who have gone further at ronand Graris then do struggle 377 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 4: a bit more with the transition. Someone like Felly would 378 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 4: get on the grass a lot, probably a bit sooner, 379 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 4: which would help him. But primarily, primarily it's if you 380 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 4: can get that serve volley game going, which which Felly 381 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 4: did even in the game it is today with the 382 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 4: courts at the speed they are today, then you've got 383 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 4: a You've got a great chance. And that was really 384 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 4: what Felly was able to do at Queens both times 385 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 4: he won, same with Grigor Millos Ryanich when he got 386 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 4: to the final of Queens and then Wimbledon in the 387 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 4: same year, which again was really special when you get 388 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 4: a player winning both in the same year as Alcaraz did. 389 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 4: More recently, you know, with the year that Ryanich got 390 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 4: to the final of Wimbledon, got to the final of Queens, 391 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 4: he was playing unbelievable sir volley tennis. I mean, he 392 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,479 Speaker 4: was super fit. He had mce and Roe in his 393 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 4: box and that was thrilling to watch as well. So 394 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,880 Speaker 4: I think it's it's that that's that's critical. Funnily enough, 395 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 4: actually we had during my time there, we had a 396 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 4: celebration of our four time champions, because that was the 397 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 4: record at the time. Layton was another one. Leyton was there, 398 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 4: We flew Roy Emerson over, we had mace and Roe there, 399 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 4: we had Becker there and Andy won his fifth that year, 400 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 4: so he became the record holder. And I was talking 401 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 4: to Roy Emerson about what it was like playing at 402 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 4: Queen's back in the day, and and all the Australian 403 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 4: players used to come play at Queens. But one of 404 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 4: the main reasons they used to spend so much time 405 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 4: there was because they would play indoor on the on 406 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 4: the on the wood indoors at Queens, which isn't there anymore. 407 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 4: Because it was so quick that it meant that by 408 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 4: the time they got to Wimbledon. Their sort of reactions 409 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 4: were at such a stage that it gave them an advantage. 410 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 3: And he was talking to. 411 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 4: Me about he'd be there with Labor and all the 412 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 4: greats of that time. And that's primarily what so even 413 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 4: though they were out there playing on the grass at Queens, 414 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 4: they actually saw the best preparation for Wimbledon being played 415 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 4: on the on the indoor surface. 416 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 3: In order to get ready for Wimbledon. We need to 417 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 3: do that. Bring Wood back about this, I think that 418 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 3: would be good. 419 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 2: I love hearing these stories about the Aussie legends. 420 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean Roy Emerson what a legend. It was. 421 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 4: Really it was a privilege to have him at our event. 422 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 4: And like I said at the time, he was the 423 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 4: record champion. Of course, I'm sure Rod Labor would have 424 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 4: won more. He won two titles at Queens. I think 425 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 4: he would have won a lot more if he hadn't 426 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 4: turned professional, as did with his grands. 427 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 3: Titles as well. But Roy was a real legend of 428 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 3: Queen's Club. 429 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 4: I mean I used to talk to Jimmy Moore and 430 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 4: as well as with Roy when he was over a 431 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 4: lot about those legendary figures and what they used to 432 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 4: do when they used to come over. You know, they'd 433 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 4: spend months driving around the south of France playing in 434 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 4: all the clay court tournaments, and then they'd go over. 435 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 3: To the UK. 436 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 4: And of course back then when they were playing, when 437 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 4: there was no tour or anything formal tour, there were 438 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 4: big grass court events all over the country. You know, 439 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 4: they'd go over to Ireland and they play in Dublin, 440 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 4: they'd go to Sheffield, there were all these tournaments in 441 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,159 Speaker 4: London and there was a there was a big history 442 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 4: of tournaments which now there's obviously very few in comparison. 443 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 4: But yeah, I mean that history and that association of 444 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 4: the Australian players with the tournaments in the UK so 445 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 4: is so strong and you can tell that it means 446 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 4: a lot. It means a lot to those players, and 447 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 4: you know it was it was also I mean later 448 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 4: here it's obviously another one I mentioned before who I 449 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 4: got to know initially through Queens and again is someone 450 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 4: who was a fantastic champion and was obviously hugely successful 451 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 4: on the grass. 452 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: I guess moving on then to your role now, which 453 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: is almost like the opposite as a tournament director. You've 454 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: gone from being TD of a very traditional historic event 455 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: to the United Cup, which is a new event on 456 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: the calendar and has a lot of innovation about it. 457 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 1: So what's that adjustment been like for you. 458 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 4: It's been very exciting to be involved in an event 459 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 4: like the United Cup from the from the beginning as well. 460 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 4: So I think to be able to be involved with 461 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 4: the launch of this amazing new World Cup of Tennis, 462 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 4: bringing together the women and the men, it's it's an amazing 463 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 4: thing to be a part of. I mean, I would 464 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 4: actually say though, is that whilst and I think what 465 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 4: Tennis Australia has in its DNA through the Australian Open 466 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 4: and through the United Cup is this sense of innovation 467 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 4: and moving the sport forward. And one of the reasons 468 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 4: why when I was not working for this organization, you 469 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 4: always looked at Tennis Australian for what must be amazing 470 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 4: to go and work there, because look at what these 471 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 4: guys are doing. I used to watch the Australian Open 472 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 4: on television and you'd see the broadcast angles and go. 473 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 4: It just makes the sport look so really cool and 474 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 4: you can really see the difference there. So I think 475 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 4: great to be come and be part of an organization 476 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 4: which of which innovation is so important, and obviously through 477 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 4: the United Cup, both in terms of bringing the women 478 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 4: and the men together for points and prize money and 479 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:29,360 Speaker 4: for the first time is. 480 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 3: Great and yeah. 481 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 4: What I would say though, is that so much of 482 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 4: the role is very very similar. Is that whilst there 483 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 4: is a difference in terms of what the product visually 484 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 4: looks like, obviously it's on hard court, it's not grass Scott. 485 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 4: I've argued with Craig about returning the Australian Open to grass. 486 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 4: He's not buying it. But the actually you are still 487 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 4: the host of the party though, so the role is 488 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 4: still about engaging with players. And what I find with 489 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 4: United Cup though, is that whilst players love being part 490 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 4: of it, it's a new event, so you're having to 491 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 4: sell it in It's not like our Queen's Oh no, 492 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 4: I know, Queen's cool. Yeah no, I do do that. 493 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 4: So you know, there's been an element of using our 494 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 4: roles and with andre Sis and the others on the 495 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 4: player side who I work with here, of really going 496 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 4: and saying what this really means and what it's like. 497 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 4: And I think the player experience we've managed to deliver 498 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 4: has been a really positive one in the first couple 499 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 4: of years. I think the event has got a fantastic future. 500 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 4: I think it's a really exciting format. I think it's 501 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 4: great for tennis to see the best male and female 502 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 4: players playing on the same team. And I'm really excited 503 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 4: about the future of it. 504 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: So I'm assuming there are ways that when you're talking 505 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: about having to sell it into the players, those things 506 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: that you said, is that kind of the selling point? 507 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: How you pictured to them, Hey, you should be part 508 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: of this event because a basic yeah. 509 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 3: Absolutely absolutely. 510 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 4: I mean, this is an opportunity to show a different 511 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 4: side of tennis. But I think that obviously we do 512 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 4: exist before a Grand Slam. So your fundamental question that 513 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 4: you need to answer is how is this going to 514 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 4: help me do my best in Melbourne's And we can't 515 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 4: ignore that. And so the fact that we guarantee at 516 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 4: least two matches where they were during that week, I 517 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 4: think is important from a player preparation perspective. But I 518 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 4: think more and more, particularly this year, I felt that 519 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 4: we really made a significant jump from the first year. 520 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 4: Change in format helped. I think the players can see 521 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 4: that what Australia brings an event like that is big 522 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 4: crowds and passionate crowds. 523 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 3: You know. 524 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 4: You see, we have the Chileans in Sydney and I mean, 525 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 4: whilst there weren't loads of them, the noise that they 526 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 4: made was unbelievable. And there's all those different pockets of 527 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 4: different people from different countries that exist here, which means 528 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 4: that a tournament like that's got a great chance of succeeding. 529 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 4: And again, I feel like the level of the play 530 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 4: and the level of engagement both from the players and 531 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 4: the fans that we saw this year showed that very 532 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 4: quickly we've got an event that clearly really matters, and 533 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 4: so the reputation then just builds from there. 534 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. 535 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: And obviously one of the great things about United Cup 536 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: is that mixed gender element to it, so we're seeing 537 00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: that now next year with Queens, they're bringing tournament to Queens. 538 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: Now the women used to play in Queens, I believe, 539 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 1: and didn't for a while and now that's come back. 540 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: It's going to be a wto event followed by the 541 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: ATP event in twenty twenty five back to back week. 542 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: So are you kind of across how that all kind 543 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: of came to be and what does that mean for 544 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: the tournament when you're doubling it basically. 545 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 4: Funnily enough, I mean, as you said yourself, I mean 546 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 4: the women have a long history at Queen's as well, 547 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 4: so for many years it was a combined event back 548 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 4: in the day, and on the walls of the Queen's 549 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 4: Club where you've got your pictures of Labor and whoever else, 550 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 4: you've also got Margaret Court, and you've got Billy jan 551 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 4: King and you've got Chris Evert. I remember a few 552 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 4: years ago seeing a documentary about the Battle of the 553 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 4: Sexes and they interviewed Billy jan King and she's standing 554 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 4: at Queen's And so these players were used to going 555 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 4: to play at that venue. And the only reason that 556 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 4: the women moved away from Queens was because they went 557 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 4: and set up their own tournament in Eastbourne, which has 558 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:50,880 Speaker 4: been a massively successful tournament for. 559 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 3: Over forty years, the week before the week before Wimbledon. 560 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 3: I think it's really exciting. 561 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 4: The site at Queen's is too small to a ominate 562 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 4: a combined event, which would be the ideal. Really, we 563 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 4: looked at it during my time there as well, and 564 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 4: you just couldn't really make it work, and so look 565 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 4: to get two weeks of out of the out of 566 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 4: that venue and to give the women the platform to 567 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 4: come and play there is great. So I mean, I'm 568 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 4: all for it, and I think it's good. I think 569 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 4: I think it will be a great success and I 570 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 4: think it also you've still got Eastbourne there as well, 571 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 4: which is a very special event in its own right 572 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 4: and has its own place on the tennis calendar in 573 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 4: the UK as well, which I think is great. 574 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 1: It's also good to peak your brain about this stuff 575 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: because you're a cross at all being a member of 576 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 1: the ADP Tournament Advisory Council. 577 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 3: So we were That's correct, isn't it. Yes? 578 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, what does that entail because I don't think you've 579 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: on the sit down with you talk to somebody on 580 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: that council. Yeah, So what happens there and how does 581 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: that fold into your current role? Yeah? 582 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 4: So on the A t P and the WA side, 583 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 4: you have a player council and you have a tournament 584 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 4: Council who really are meant to represent both represent the 585 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 4: views of the other tournaments or the other players and 586 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 4: the player council side, but also so really to be 587 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 4: a sounding board for the board and the management of 588 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 4: those tours. In terms of what they might want to 589 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 4: be do, the changes they might want to be making, 590 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 4: all the issues that come up. So you know, we 591 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 4: meet four or five times a year, and there's been 592 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 4: some really interesting things that have been going on. I mean, 593 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 4: there's obviously been some changes to the tour with the 594 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 4: increasing size of the masses, events, with all sorts of 595 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 4: other things that have been looked at as part of 596 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 4: the widest strategic plan on the ATP side. So it's 597 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 4: an interesting group to be part of, and it's obviously 598 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 4: an interesting time in tennis right now as well. 599 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, well definitely, I think that's where we're going to 600 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 1: conclude this conversation. 601 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 3: It is an interesting time. 602 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,920 Speaker 1: As you said, what are you encourage about with the 603 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: future direction of tennis. 604 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,239 Speaker 4: I think fundamentally, it's about the talent that you've got 605 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 4: playing the sport, and then it's about how you show 606 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 4: off that talent in the best possible way. So from 607 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 4: a talent perspective, I think it's a really exciting time. 608 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 4: I know that we're moving on from this period where 609 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 4: you've had these absolute legends of sport, let alone tennis. 610 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 4: You know, if you've got Roger Federer coming to your 611 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 4: tournament you're going to sell out from the week, So 612 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 4: we've moved on from that. But the talent that's coming 613 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 4: through on both the men's side and the women's side 614 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 4: of the game, I think is really exciting. I think 615 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,640 Speaker 4: it's a responsibility for all of us in tennis, though, 616 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 4: is to tell the story of those players, and I 617 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 4: still don't think we do good enough job all collectively 618 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,120 Speaker 4: in order to be able to do that. Because some 619 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 4: of the ability and the level of tennis that we're 620 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 4: seeing on the court now, I think is at the 621 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 4: highest level I've ever seen, and I think we we 622 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 4: we've got a duty to be able to take that 623 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 4: to the maximum possible audience. I think tennis as a 624 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 4: whole can still go some way though, when it comes 625 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 4: to innovation. 626 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 3: I think the. 627 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 4: Tennis Australia's amazing job through the Australian Open, United Cup, 628 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 4: all the events Tennis Australia does in trying to make 629 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 4: tennis look different and engage better with audiences, and I 630 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 4: think I think there's more to come. I think we've 631 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 4: got to do something about the length of matches. I 632 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 4: know that's a really obvious boring point, but ways that 633 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 4: we can speed speed the sport up. I think it's 634 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 4: really important. These matches are getting longer and longer and longer, 635 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 4: and I don't think that's great. I think that there's 636 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 4: a there's ways of being a lot more coordinated in 637 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 4: terms of how tennis as a hole is being promoted. 638 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 4: But I think fundamentally, when you look at the talent 639 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:17,120 Speaker 4: coming through, We've seen al KaAZ embodiment of charisma. We've 640 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 4: had Yanick Sinner here is such a beautiful player to watch, 641 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 4: IGAs Fiontek who just wins and wins and wins. I 642 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 4: mean she's obviously just smashing her way through the Roland 643 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 4: Garras right now. It's been brilliant for us at the 644 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 4: United Cup. I mean, these are great, These are great 645 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 4: talented athletes, great role role models. 646 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 3: So I'm really excited about that. 647 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,159 Speaker 4: I've also been involved the last two years as the 648 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 4: tournament director of the AO Juniors event, which has been 649 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 4: really interesting for me because you sort of see that 650 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 4: the conveyor belt coming through as well, and you know 651 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 4: there are some you know Jiao Fonseca, the young Brazilian kid, 652 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 4: I mean he's incredible. I mean he's going to be 653 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 4: really really special who played the juniors a couple of 654 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 4: years ago. There's something There's an amazing crop of British 655 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 4: girls as well coming through as well. Hannah Klugman's one 656 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 4: we mus use another who we saw this year at 657 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 4: the juniors, and obviously Edmondson Jones getting to the final 658 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 4: of the juniors here as well. So I think there's 659 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,239 Speaker 4: lots and lots of things to be excited about. But 660 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 4: I think we need to collectively work together to show 661 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 4: the sport in the best line. 662 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 3: I think we need to continue to do that. 663 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 4: We need to look at the example of other sports 664 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 4: as well, and those that innovate tend to be the 665 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 4: ones that succeed. And I don't think we should rest 666 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 4: on our laurels. There's a lot of tennis out there 667 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 4: and I think, you know, how we can work together 668 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 4: to make that the most engaging product possible is something 669 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 4: that we need to continue to do and Tennis Australia 670 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 4: really leads the way in doing that. 671 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 2: Well. I loved hearing Steven's reflections on some of the 672 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 2: Ousie legends and hearing about the parallels between Australia and 673 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 2: the UK in terms of grass court tennis. Great interview. 674 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I really enjoyed hearing all of his thoughts on 675 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: that and speaking of Australian tennis players. We're excited to 676 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 1: bring you new episodes of the sit Down in the 677 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: coming weeks with Australian tennis players who have thrived on grass, 678 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: which is perfect in the run up to Wimbledon. In 679 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: the meantime, you can listen to John and the team 680 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: on the Aoshow Weekly this Thursday, and as always, remember 681 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: to subscribe, rate and review. We'll see you next week, Viv, see. 682 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 2: You next week. 683 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 4: Map