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January 22, 2025 9 mins

Kiwi tennis doubles specialist Erin Routliffe is confident she's at peak fitness for this evening's mixed doubles semi-final at the Australian Open, despite a demanding schedule.

The 29-year-old says it's been physically fine making the final four in both the mixed and women's doubles - with fellow Kiwi Michael Venus and Canadian partner Gabby Dabrowski - she just has to remember which side of the court she's supposed to be on!

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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be and it's one of our favorites. Aaron Rautlif
at the Aussie Open, hi eron how are you hi?

Speaker 3 (00:18):
I'm good?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
How are you well? Probably not as tired as you are.
You really been quite a lot off, didn't you mixed
doubles women's doubles all on the same day. Is that sensible?
Do you think?

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Erin, Yeah, it's all good. It's normal at slams. I
think a lot of people when you play doubles in
mixed you get doubled up. So it's just something new.
I mean, it's a good, good problem to have.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
What do you how do you go about preparing for
something like that? You've done it before playing, As you said,
it's something that happens. Is there a particular method to
go about putting your best foot forward in both fixtures?

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Just focusing on like the first one match at a time.
I think, just preparing with the heat. I hidraded a lot,
proper nutrition, all that stuff, getting enough sleep. Yeah, just
the basic thing.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
So nothing's changed, just a matter of following process. It's
that symbol, Yeah, exactly, when it comes to the disciplines
and how you play with each partner. With Michael Wall
with Gabby, how does that adjust in your preparation? What's
the difference in exchanges with the female or male?

Speaker 3 (01:25):
They're both pretty positive and they bring a good energy,
so it's not too different. Honestly. The only main thing
is with Gabby I play on the duce side and
with Mike I play on the ID, so that's pretty different.
That's why I have to adjust my game a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Wait, so is that a personal preference or just the
way the cookie crumbles?

Speaker 3 (01:45):
Gabby likes to play on the odd and Mike likes
to play on the deuce, So I just played the
other one.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yesterday after what happened, you were very complimentary of Gabby,
and I think you got a bit Caussie on it.
She saved your ass and a few other nice expletives too,
So you got to love that. We've got a lot
of love for Gabby, haven't you.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah? Yeah, she was amazing yesterday at the Nut. I
was struggling a little bit with my serve and she was, Yeah,
a star up there.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
So what happens in between you're playing today with Michael,
then you're playing your women's doubles matches. As far as now,
it's getting to the point at end. What happens with training,
what happens with setting yourself up? What's the process?

Speaker 3 (02:29):
It's just a hit for thirty minutes before every match.
There's not really any training. It's just warm ups. Now, Yeah,
that's it, and so you're just like in the gym
for like forty five minutes before that and then you
warm up and then play your match.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
So when you're playing, so you're ranked second seed, so
you've obviously got favoritism. I don't know what your history's
like at Margaret Court specifically, what difference does that make.
You're taking on Gadecki and Peers. Where do they sit
in the widest scheme of things and what do they
bring to the court?

Speaker 3 (02:58):
Do you think erin, Yeah, they're a great team. They've
had three really good wins and we haven't played us
yet and so we've actually had the crowd on our
side with all the Kiwis coming here to sport, it's
been awesome. So maybe today they'll might they might have
more of the crowd, but I'm sure the cues will

(03:20):
still come and support. But yeah, I mean, they're both
really good players. Mike knows Peers pretty well, I know Gadeki. Yeah,
we're just excited to get the opportunity to play.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Does that make for a more entertaining match for the
players themselves? That you know the people over the net,
and I presume this is quite common. Does that just
add an extra but a spark to the fixture, maybe
lessen the aggression? Possibly?

Speaker 3 (03:44):
No, we all know each other by this point. We're
playing the same people every week. Basically. The only one
that is different is like when we play mixed. Obviously
we don't know the men that well and the men
don't know the women that well. But yeah, now at
this point we know everybody, so everybody knows everybody.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
You've mentioned the hate before, Aaron and dealing with that.
I don't know what we're looking like today because I'm
hiding an air conditioning. But again, something you just have
to get used. There's any specific method you use there.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
No, the last few days were really hot, but it's cool,
doubt a lot. It's like only twenty degrees today and
I think it'll be like that for the rest of
the tournament. You just use ice packs on changeovers. Hydra yeah,
just the basic stuff. But yeah, it's not gonna be
too hot for the rest of the tournament, so that's nice.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
I think I know what you're going to say here,
Aaron Rautler. But the energy from victory in one discipline,
does that transfer to the next discipline? Light you get
it going today? Does that mean in your semi final
in the women's doubles. It adds a little extra You
have to kind of separate it all out.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
I don't even think about the anything except for the
match that I'm playing in the moment, Like, I'll focus
on the one today. I'm not even thinking about my
semi my woman's semi to be honest, I just am
going one match at a time.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
So when I bring it up, you get a bit like,
I'll come on, mate, really, oh you're mind You're focusing
on the one, you know. But we can't help ourselves.
We're interested in what happens wait Thursday or Friday. So
you're not.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
Angry, No, no, god, no, I understand people. People always
are like, oh, what's happening in the future. You think
about winning, winning the tournament, blah blah blah. But nah,
thats not something we think about because you got to
focus on what you need to.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
Do at the hear the man now. The phrase be
present very very important. But I'm not going to be
prison I'm going to look forward. It's number two seeds
playing number three seats. What's your history like with the oppositions?
Off the pinko and say, I think it's how you
pronounce your name.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
They're new teams, so we've played them separately quite a
few times, but never together. So yeah, it'll be a
great match. There are two amazing doubles players, Grand Slam
winners like multiple times. So yeah, we're we're excited and
we're ready and yeah, we'll do our We'll watch them
play a little bit and uh yeah, figure out how

(06:03):
we're how we're going to try and win.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
I've gotta be impressed with how fay you've come considering
gabD Rowski with that breast cancer scare and she took
a bit of time off, which hold the proceedings somewhat
and understandably so, so her return to the court and
the success you're having it says a lot about her
mental strength and about your support as well. Hearin.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
Yeah, that was a heavy thing to deal with last
year and all credit to her. She's been absolutely incredible.
It's it just makes everything you know, she achieved and
we achieved together even better. Obviously, very happy to be
on the other side of it, and she'll have to,
you know, keep up with her health and her checks
and all that stuff. But yeah, it was definitely really scary.

(06:47):
I've never known anyone near me to have a cancer scare,
so yeah, it was. It was a lot. But honestly,
it's incredible to be besides somebody that you know has
such an inspiring story.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
I suppose it puts into perspective what you're doing for
a living. It's just a net and a couple of bulls, right.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, exactly actly what it did. It really brings perspective
to everything, for sure.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
And you're not going to go any further forward because
I'm annoying enough as it is talking about that next game,
but you must be. You must have a general good
feeling about the future. Over the next year, considering what
you've achieved over the last couple you'll be in a
happy place. Is it a fair thing to say here?

Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (07:27):
Absolutely, I you know, I love my job, getting to
travel around the world playing tennis for a living. And
have a great team around me, great partners.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
No, I'm really happy and really excited for the next year. Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (07:42):
On a personal note, I was at the ASB Classic
just gone in Auckland and I sat around and I've
got to say, I watched some doubles games and I
watched them live, and I find the doubles experience when
you're live on court really engaging, more so than on
the TV. There's something about being right there and watching

(08:02):
the exchanges that just brings another aspect to the games.
Have you noticed that other people watching it that they
believe that doubles live is actually quite a different game.

Speaker 1 (08:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
Absolutely. I always have people that come and watch us live.
They are always like, oh wow, this is awesome, and
everyone loves it. So we're trying to get people to
watch more doubles, put it on TV more even and
get more fans. But this week has been amazing. We've
had huge crowds at all of our matches. So yeah,
I'm glad that you noticed that. That's awesome. I love that.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
I was quite surprised. I've got to say one last
thing for you, Aaron, and I don't know how much
you watched last night it's probably way past your bedtime
or so me. I eventually turned into about two in
the morning. But how good Novak Djokovic and his game.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
Was.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
It was extraordinary watching him and ol Chaaze. What a
display of tennis.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, it was crazy they had to play in the quarters.
I'm sure it was an amazing match. I watched like
one set and a half and then I had to
fall asleep. But yeah, no, he's incredible.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, what I'll tell you, what you need to do
is go and w what's the third set? It is
quite extraordinary. And on that note, I hate to tell
you what to do, but you know what it's like.
Aaron Rautler, thanks so much for your time watching you
the best, not only for today but of course for
the doubles matches as well. And send ou regards to
Gabby and we'll talk again soon, I know. Thanks for
your time.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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