November 29, 2024 • 8 mins
The Wellington Tennis Open begins this week at the Renouf Centre, showcasing the sport to local fans.
Among the overseas-based Kiwi players returning for the event are 2020 men's singles champion Isaac Becroft, who's currently at Oklahoma State University.
He joined Adam Cooper to reflect on some pleasing results in 2024, and what lies ahead as his time studying draws to a close.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
News talks, he'd be here on the All Sport Breakfast
eleven to nine. Will The annual Wellington Tennis Open starts
during the week, always a great celebration of the game
and the big fun finals day at the Renof Center
is set down for next Saturday. Now. Isaac Beecroft is
a born and bred Wellingtonian, ranked just inside the world's
top one thousand in the ATP rankings. He's currently in
the US college system reading himself for a tennis career.
(00:22):
Actually won the singles at the Wellington Open a few
years ago. In twenty twenty, Isaac's back home again for
the Open and the other pro events in New Zealand
over the next month. He joins US now morning to you, Isaaca.
Nice to be home, first of all.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, it's awesome to be awesome to be home right now.
It's always a time of year that I really look
forward to with the weather and just so much going on,
whether it's tennis or cricket or just a real good
buzz around the whole sports scene really, so yeah, it's
nice to get out of the middle of the States
and spend some time in the New Zealand summer because
it's one of the best best times.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
A year really, and Oklahoma as where you're based, I
guess for a lot of keywis that was put on
the that by Steven Adams tell us a little bit
about kind of where your base, how busy you are
with your tennis through your average year in between doing
your NBA.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so yeah, studying at Oklahoma State University. It's to
say it's probably not a lot going around in Oklahoma,
but in saying that, it's it is a pretty big
sports a sports state obviously got the Thunder and Stephen
Adams obviously, Yeah, and a couple of really big colleges
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. So no, it's definitely busy. It's
(01:31):
an amazing experience, so really grateful to be able to
live that out in the In the college scene, tennis
is obviously extremely busy. It probably takes up yeah, ninety
five percent of my time, whether it's practicing, traveling, competing,
and everything in between. Also, yeah, while trying to trying
(01:52):
to get my MBAs. So it's been an amazing experience really,
and yeah, I mean it's all coming to an end
reasonably soon, so just making the making the most of
the last few months, and yeah, just trying to charge on.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
And how pleased are you with the past year that
the calendar year that's been. I see you've had a
win in singles in Taiwan at are UTR events and
then doubles at one of the if Pro events in Arkansas,
so you must be pretty happy with some of your
moments from the end.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, definitely, there's been some There's been some ups for sure,
and some downs may Yes, that's as every sport, but
tennis as well. You know, it's it's rare that you
go through many weeks without losing. It's just the nature
of the sports. So yeah, trying to capitalize on those
on those good weeks and take take the good from
it is always always important. But yeah, just really looking
(02:41):
forward obviously to playing back in New Zealand. It's always
a real tough time a year because the American semester
finishes often mid to late December, which doesn't allow me
to play an awful amount in New Zealand. And I
feel like I always played my best in New Zealand,
So really excited for these next couple of weeks and
seeing what I can do back home. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and I mentioned singles and doubles. Do you do
you have a specialist or do you try and sort
of make sure you have your bases covered in both.
What's your sort of priority there?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Oh? Nah, definitely Yeah, probably singles. I know that if
I lose, it's one hundred percent of me at least.
But in saying that, doubles is really good for serve, return, transition,
which are some pretty important aspects in the singles game.
But now, honestly, doubles is just good to get out
there with people that you like playing with, have a
(03:30):
bit of fun and then and yeah, it's a little
bit maybe less intense than singles. So I mean there's
positives to draw on for both for sure, but na,
deep down probably a singles bad to be honest. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Nice. What what's the one thing you feel when you
look back on your time in college in the college
system in the US, So you think was the biggest
benefit you've got out of being able to spend some
time over there?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I mean, the level of the level of tennis over
there is really strong, It's really deep. There's just so
many good guys, no matter what school they're at, if
it's a big school or small school, the overall level
is just so good, especially coming from a place like
New Zealand. You know, we're so small and there's don't
get me wrong with some really really good players, but
just because how how smaller is it's not it's not
(04:12):
so deep. And then I would also just say the resources,
it's it's it's really hard to put into words. I
guess un as you've experienced that that sort of university
set up over there, it's especially from New Zealand, you know,
it's mind blowing how much money and resources and time
and just the overall sort of inputs that they're able
(04:32):
to put in to the college experiences is insane really.
So that's probably been the biggest thing, and I think
it set me up well for a potential career after tennis,
which is a potential career after college, which is obviously
the main thing in terms of my tennis career.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, and I was going to ask about that next.
What is the plan How do you make that adjustment
going from you know, being you know, in the college
system to I guess going out on your own and
and you know, traveling, traveling the world and just trying
to put the ranking up.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, exactly. I assume it will be a little bit
play it by you to be honest, see what works
and what doesn't, or where you play well where you don't.
But yeah, when I finish up in May, I'll go
out and play full time, so every week or at
least blocks of sort of five to six weeks. Yeah,
you're playing tournaments and somewhat of a similar location, trying
(05:23):
to get your ranking up and really compete with the
best guys out on tour, So it'll be a little bit, yeah,
play it by a little bit. There's obviously not a
huge amount of New Zealand outside of the sort of
small summer blocks, so you have to get creative about
where you sort of go and base yourself and play
decent amount of Asia additional amount of America. So those
(05:45):
will probably be the two spots and I'll look to
base my time out of. But then again, I'm also
open to getting over to Europe, but obviously that's a
bit more clay and haven't spent too much time on that.
So yeah, just trail there and hopefully be able to
get the ranking up and see where it takes me.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Yeah, awesome, willing to open next weekend. You of course
have been successful in that and singles in the past.
Just to tell us what you're expecting, I believe a
few of those top names, the likes of the KP
part who's still just waiting to hear if he will
definitely be involved next weekend. So yeah, what is sort
of your focus for something like this where I guess
you're reconnecting with a lot of familiar faces as well,
but also wanting to get a few important months in
(06:22):
New Zealand's off to a positive night.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah exactly. I mean it's always a super big highlight
for me. I obviously grew up and well into my
whole life and know those courts extremely well, so it's
definitely draw in a little bit of confidence there. But
no flow and bell Do is such a good job
of running that tournament often throughout the year. They are
pretty small tournaments that we play with not many people watching,
so it's a really neat sort of vibe at the
(06:48):
Wellington Open and it's just such a good opportunity to
start the summer off getting some matches obviously, Yeah, playing
a lot of familiar faces. It gives people that you've
sort of played your whole life in New Zealand, so
that's always a slightly different experience, but just just important
for me to look at sort of a bigger picture
and set it up for the summer ahead. Obviously we've
(07:09):
got some pro tournaments and potentially the ASP Classic, HB
Classic Playoff, So yeah, just using it sort of to
get things going, get a few get a few matches
under my belt, and yeah, enjoy being back on Wellington
because that's home. And yeah, I love that place exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
And I imagine the temperature is a bit different to
what you had in Oklahoma recently.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, it's much different. Come from sort of sub zero
last week. Yeah, I mean you never quite know on Wellington,
but somewhere around the twenties or so, so now it'll
be good good. It might be indoors potentially down there.
I think they normally that most years, but I'm saying that, Yeah,
it will just be great to get out and some
warmer some warmer air and and get going.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Awesome. Isaac Hey, Well, great to have you back in
town then, your hometown, and congratulations on everything you've achieved
this year, and yeah, all the best over the next
few weeks here in New Zealand, and a lot of
people be excited to see what happens with your career
next year, so I appreciate you chatting mate.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, thanks for the time. Wait, can't wait to get cracking.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Isaac biakrof Wellington tennis player currently based in the US,
but back for this coming weeks Wellington Open. If you
want tickets or more info on the drawers and things,
head to Tennis Central on social media and their website.
Still tickets available for the fun Big Final State at
the rend of Center next week. For more from News
Talks ed B listen live on air or online, and
keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
(08:27):
podcasts on iHeartRadio
News talks, he'd be here on the All Sport Breakfast
eleven to nine. Will The annual Wellington Tennis Open starts
during the week, always a great celebration of the game
and the big fun finals day at the Renof Center
is set down for next Saturday. Now. Isaac Beecroft is
a born and bred Wellingtonian, ranked just inside the world's
top one thousand in the ATP rankings. He's currently in
the US college system reading himself for a tennis career.
(00:22):
Actually won the singles at the Wellington Open a few
years ago. In twenty twenty, Isaac's back home again for
the Open and the other pro events in New Zealand
over the next month. He joins US now morning to you, Isaaca.
Nice to be home, first of all.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, it's awesome to be awesome to be home right now.
It's always a time of year that I really look
forward to with the weather and just so much going on,
whether it's tennis or cricket or just a real good
buzz around the whole sports scene really, so yeah, it's
nice to get out of the middle of the States
and spend some time in the New Zealand summer because
it's one of the best best times.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
A year really, and Oklahoma as where you're based, I
guess for a lot of keywis that was put on
the that by Steven Adams tell us a little bit
about kind of where your base, how busy you are
with your tennis through your average year in between doing
your NBA.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so yeah, studying at Oklahoma State University. It's to
say it's probably not a lot going around in Oklahoma,
but in saying that, it's it is a pretty big
sports a sports state obviously got the Thunder and Stephen
Adams obviously, Yeah, and a couple of really big colleges
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. So no, it's definitely busy. It's
(01:31):
an amazing experience, so really grateful to be able to
live that out in the In the college scene, tennis
is obviously extremely busy. It probably takes up yeah, ninety
five percent of my time, whether it's practicing, traveling, competing,
and everything in between. Also, yeah, while trying to trying
(01:52):
to get my MBAs. So it's been an amazing experience really,
and yeah, I mean it's all coming to an end
reasonably soon, so just making the making the most of
the last few months, and yeah, just trying to charge on.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
And how pleased are you with the past year that
the calendar year that's been. I see you've had a
win in singles in Taiwan at are UTR events and
then doubles at one of the if Pro events in Arkansas,
so you must be pretty happy with some of your
moments from the end.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, definitely, there's been some There's been some ups for sure,
and some downs may Yes, that's as every sport, but
tennis as well. You know, it's it's rare that you
go through many weeks without losing. It's just the nature
of the sports. So yeah, trying to capitalize on those
on those good weeks and take take the good from
it is always always important. But yeah, just really looking
(02:41):
forward obviously to playing back in New Zealand. It's always
a real tough time a year because the American semester
finishes often mid to late December, which doesn't allow me
to play an awful amount in New Zealand. And I
feel like I always played my best in New Zealand,
So really excited for these next couple of weeks and
seeing what I can do back home. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah, and I mentioned singles and doubles. Do you do
you have a specialist or do you try and sort
of make sure you have your bases covered in both.
What's your sort of priority there?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Oh? Nah, definitely Yeah, probably singles. I know that if
I lose, it's one hundred percent of me at least.
But in saying that, doubles is really good for serve, return, transition,
which are some pretty important aspects in the singles game.
But now, honestly, doubles is just good to get out
there with people that you like playing with, have a
(03:30):
bit of fun and then and yeah, it's a little
bit maybe less intense than singles. So I mean there's
positives to draw on for both for sure, but na,
deep down probably a singles bad to be honest. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Nice. What what's the one thing you feel when you
look back on your time in college in the college
system in the US, So you think was the biggest
benefit you've got out of being able to spend some
time over there?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I mean, the level of the level of tennis over
there is really strong, It's really deep. There's just so
many good guys, no matter what school they're at, if
it's a big school or small school, the overall level
is just so good, especially coming from a place like
New Zealand. You know, we're so small and there's don't
get me wrong with some really really good players, but
just because how how smaller is it's not it's not
(04:12):
so deep. And then I would also just say the resources,
it's it's it's really hard to put into words. I
guess un as you've experienced that that sort of university
set up over there, it's especially from New Zealand, you know,
it's mind blowing how much money and resources and time
and just the overall sort of inputs that they're able
(04:32):
to put in to the college experiences is insane really.
So that's probably been the biggest thing, and I think
it set me up well for a potential career after tennis,
which is a potential career after college, which is obviously
the main thing in terms of my tennis career.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, and I was going to ask about that next.
What is the plan How do you make that adjustment
going from you know, being you know, in the college
system to I guess going out on your own and
and you know, traveling, traveling the world and just trying
to put the ranking up.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, exactly. I assume it will be a little bit
play it by you to be honest, see what works
and what doesn't, or where you play well where you don't.
But yeah, when I finish up in May, I'll go
out and play full time, so every week or at
least blocks of sort of five to six weeks. Yeah,
you're playing tournaments and somewhat of a similar location, trying
(05:23):
to get your ranking up and really compete with the
best guys out on tour, So it'll be a little bit, yeah,
play it by a little bit. There's obviously not a
huge amount of New Zealand outside of the sort of
small summer blocks, so you have to get creative about
where you sort of go and base yourself and play
decent amount of Asia additional amount of America. So those
(05:45):
will probably be the two spots and I'll look to
base my time out of. But then again, I'm also
open to getting over to Europe, but obviously that's a
bit more clay and haven't spent too much time on that.
So yeah, just trail there and hopefully be able to
get the ranking up and see where it takes me.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Yeah, awesome, willing to open next weekend. You of course
have been successful in that and singles in the past.
Just to tell us what you're expecting, I believe a
few of those top names, the likes of the KP
part who's still just waiting to hear if he will
definitely be involved next weekend. So yeah, what is sort
of your focus for something like this where I guess
you're reconnecting with a lot of familiar faces as well,
but also wanting to get a few important months in
(06:22):
New Zealand's off to a positive night.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah exactly. I mean it's always a super big highlight
for me. I obviously grew up and well into my
whole life and know those courts extremely well, so it's
definitely draw in a little bit of confidence there. But
no flow and bell Do is such a good job
of running that tournament often throughout the year. They are
pretty small tournaments that we play with not many people watching,
so it's a really neat sort of vibe at the
(06:48):
Wellington Open and it's just such a good opportunity to
start the summer off getting some matches obviously, Yeah, playing
a lot of familiar faces. It gives people that you've
sort of played your whole life in New Zealand, so
that's always a slightly different experience, but just just important
for me to look at sort of a bigger picture
and set it up for the summer ahead. Obviously we've
(07:09):
got some pro tournaments and potentially the ASP Classic, HB
Classic Playoff, So yeah, just using it sort of to
get things going, get a few get a few matches
under my belt, and yeah, enjoy being back on Wellington
because that's home. And yeah, I love that place exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
And I imagine the temperature is a bit different to
what you had in Oklahoma recently.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, it's much different. Come from sort of sub zero
last week. Yeah, I mean you never quite know on Wellington,
but somewhere around the twenties or so, so now it'll
be good good. It might be indoors potentially down there.
I think they normally that most years, but I'm saying that, Yeah,
it will just be great to get out and some
warmer some warmer air and and get going.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Awesome. Isaac Hey, Well, great to have you back in
town then, your hometown, and congratulations on everything you've achieved
this year, and yeah, all the best over the next
few weeks here in New Zealand, and a lot of
people be excited to see what happens with your career
next year, so I appreciate you chatting mate.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, thanks for the time. Wait, can't wait to get cracking.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Isaac biakrof Wellington tennis player currently based in the US,
but back for this coming weeks Wellington Open. If you
want tickets or more info on the drawers and things,
head to Tennis Central on social media and their website.
Still tickets available for the fun Big Final State at
the rend of Center next week. For more from News
Talks ed B listen live on air or online, and
keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
(08:27):
podcasts on iHeartRadio
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