October 9, 2025 • 54 mins
The season isn't over yet! Shanghai is bringing the heat and Novak Djokovic is on track for a final showdown with Alex de Minaur. Brie is joined by producer Rhys de Deugd and Australian Billie Jean King Cup acting captain Nicole Pratt to break down the week's biggest moments from the Asian swing. The panel also reacts to Amanda Anisimova's title in Beijing and the rise of Aussie stars Maya Joint and Priscilla Hon, and previews the Billie Jean King Cup tie taking place in Hobart next month. Plus, Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley stops by to talk about everything coming to AO26, including world-class food offerings, the star-studded AO Live lineup, and the only event where amateurs compete against pros for prize money, the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello, Welcome to the tennis.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
We have Lift Off Ao twenty twenty six launches and
spectacular fashion move over, Coco an Asimova topples golf in
Beijing and Novak hangs tough, Ken Djokovic go all the
Way in Shanghai. That's all ahead with me, Brie Stewart
writing Shotgun is my globe trotting friend. Content producer Reesta, Dude,
(00:26):
how are you good?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Bre Good to be back from China, E Beijing in Shanghai,
And yeah, writing Shotgun with you today.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Fields a little bit weird.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A little bit of imposter syndrome sitting on the other
side of the desk from these two, but looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
We find welcome imposta syndrome every week.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Save and it's good to have you the tennis world's
favorite tournament director.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
We've got Craig Tiley.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
Good to be here, good to be having a chat
again in a cool podcast room.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yes, and Ozzie Billy Jean King Cup acting captain.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
We've got Nicole Pratt.
Speaker 6 (00:56):
Great to be back, Great to be back, Reese, I
missed you in Beijing? Were you second week in Beijing?
I was there week one in Beijing.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Mainly media days and qualifying. I was there for a
couple of days.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, I missed, I missed.
Speaker 7 (01:09):
I think you're out shopping recently.
Speaker 8 (01:12):
I think they covered every every city.
Speaker 7 (01:17):
I missed you.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's behind the scenes with the players getting them to
do content for us.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, so some exciting announcements are head breed, but we
keep next week. Now he's going to be playing the
Australian Summer of Tennis and locked in for those events.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
So good and Praddy, You've got a big month coming out,
don't you.
Speaker 7 (01:34):
Yeah, very big month.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
I'm actually off tomorrow morning to Osaka, so we've got
quite a few of our Aussie girls playing there, and
then I'm off to Tokyo, so same thing, primarily working
with Kim Berrell and Storm Hunter. But I'll certainly be
getting around the other Aussies that are there, and we'll
be picking our BJK Cup team next week. We have
(01:59):
to give the the names by Friday, October seventeenth, so
I know there's a few excited players looking forward to
that phone call.
Speaker 8 (02:08):
Tough team to pick you kind of know you know
who you are.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Well, I'm keeping it, yes, yes, tight, keeping a tight,
keeping a tight we've already named Meyer, who again is
just continuing to have a standout year and you know,
collecting scalps as she goes along, very good scalps.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
So they're exciting. Yeah, and Craig, congratulations. We launched on Tuesday.
What's the response been so far?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
It's been magnificent. I mean, the team did a fantastic job.
Every year with the launch, we go bigger, and we
certainly did. If you walked into the into the Docklands studios,
you can.
Speaker 8 (02:43):
See Todd and Yolena.
Speaker 5 (02:46):
But the size of the size of the space was
magnificent and the content we felt was great. We had
lots of different initiatives to announce and it was great
to be able to do it. I mean, the launch
is designed to share with our stakeholders what we're planning
on doing in twenty twenty six and then in the
media as well, and we've certainly with some of the
particularly with some of the keynesses, we've got magnificent amount
(03:07):
of interest, which is great.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, and we're just I see here in ninety five
days until AO twenty twenty.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
Three something like that, yeah, which is around the corner.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, so soon.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
What are your favorite things that you think people should
come to the event for long list.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
First of all, I think you know we've expanded opening week,
so the opening week leading into into the Australia it's
a three week event. But the great thing that we
have in Australia is that before that we have all
the players either in one of the cities, one of
our major cities around around Australia, whether they're playing in
the United Cup, which is a pre eminent mixed event
with men and women playing together on the same team,
(03:44):
and then and then coming down to Melbourne and those
that come early can participate in the opening week. But
the opening with the fans is going to be special
day one January the twelfth. Kids come for free and
right from there we have charity matches all day. We
will have the qualifying two hundred and six players men
and women competing for those elusive spots in the main draw.
(04:04):
We will have open practice. We've got a doubles extravaganza planned.
We've got you know, every single night, there's going to
be something on and all during the day. Chans to
get up close and personal to the players and adults
come in for ten dollars. Kids come in for five
kids on Monday for free Kids Tennis Day, give away
five thousand rackets, and I think that whole week everything's
(04:28):
going to be open, the ballpark, our food and beverage.
It's going to feel like the main event. But the
idea is you give it access to the community and
you're still see some great matches in practice and in
charity and in and qualifying, and then of course we
also announced the one the one point, the one million
one point Slam, so you know we're excited about that
(04:49):
about that event. It's on the fourteenth and Wednesday night
packed Rod Labor the arena. The ideas starting the next
couple of weeks is every australiam have a chance to
compete in it, and somewhere at your club, but somewhere
across Australia be able to play one point in advance
to the next round. And this is gonna be the
biggest draw ever in the history of the game. But
the idea is to get then to our top eight
amateurs and then they'll play against another twenty pro players.
(05:14):
There'll be a couple of wild cards, a couple of qualifiers,
those players that are unable to play all the qualifying
because of other reasons, or the leading can play the
qualifying and those players that finish early in other events
like in adelaide in that can come play the qualifying
And yeah, and I think there's no fee to play
(05:34):
other than the opportunity to make the final. And if
you make the final, you win a million dollars. And
we know it was on social media. It was picked
up fairly significantly, and it's everywhere, and I know it
had an impact because it was on the headline news
in Belgium, the headliners in Spain, the headline news. And
so we washed all of this and then we've got
(05:56):
a call from pro players that are really keen I
need to sign up.
Speaker 8 (06:03):
Yeah, he's committed to playing. He's committed.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Yeah, And it's look, we've got events going on at
that time. We've got the men and women playing in Adelade.
So unfortunately, those that are playing that event, unless they lose,
won't be able to play on Wednesday night. But I
know some that are out on Tuesday or even Wednesday
want to get you as quick as they can to
have a chance. But it's going to be the highest
ranked men and women on the bost of men and
(06:28):
the women's side that they'll get in and thirty two
draw to take about ninety minutes to ninety minute.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
To a two hour show.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
And the whole idea about it is not so much
on the professional side, is to really activate the community
for everyone to feel like they have a chance to
play something at this round open.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, and the finals played on Rod Laver Arena. Right,
it is and the arena will be packed. We trialed
it last year and it was. It was fun to watch,
even though we had so many great comments, like our
actual video to announce it on social was pulled out,
all the great comments about the one point slam and
you forget because it's been so long ago now, but.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
How much the online community actually loved it.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Yeah, no, it is and it was fun watching. In fact,
some of the Aussies pray Aussie players particularly and some
of the pro players, and you know, I saw some
of the pro players top ten in the world struggle
serving because of the pressure.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Ace Alex Bolt, Yes and Prehn taking down.
Speaker 9 (07:33):
It was fun.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Yeah, it's good fun. Look, it's a it's a it's
a community fan driven events, not one necessary design for
the players, but community fans driven event.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
So I think it'd be great. I think we'll have
a lot of interest.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Well, well, we'll be announcing over the course of these
next three four weeks where people can play, what they
can do and and how.
Speaker 8 (07:51):
It's going to work.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
But the whole idea is to drive interest into Opening
week because you know, Opening week is an opportunity for fans.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And I love Opening week because you get to see
the stars of the future playing like someone you watch
playing that week next year could be in the main drawer,
playing on j c A, Margaret Court Arena or rl A.
But in Opening week you get to come in ten
dollars up close and personally.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Always did you played qualifying at this round Open? Never?
Never did? Did you? I did good?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
I did like everyone else.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
So I think that's at some point every top player
has played qualifying. So so to your point, it's a
it's a it's it's actually the it's the second richest
event in Australia outside this round just the qualifying, just
the qualifying.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
Yeah, no, Opening week.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Opening week is my favorite week, you know, just just
for the reason that, Yeah, you do get those new
tennis fans in motion that come in and they have
the ability to obviously watch great tennis because they are
a lot of them are the stars of the future.
And I just feel the passion, the emotion, what it
means to win that last round match is incredible. Like
(09:07):
I feel like the last day of qualifying is the
best day of opening week. But the fact that the tournament,
you know, has such an enhanced on site portfolio of
different options that fans can go to is amazing.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
And and cheap to come in exactly audible everything. Do
you know we started doing it last year. Is when
you now qualify, we give you a leathermon jacket, so
you know, like it's a it's a it's it's a
really cool ao jacket. And I actually saw this year
a couple of times players walking around the castle jacket
walking arounder this letathermon jacket and jacket they got because
(09:43):
they qualified, and.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
So so extra proud.
Speaker 8 (09:46):
Ext Yeah, it's unique for qualifiers. It's great.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Yeah, And we've got some other things happening. Some things
are going on the up, aren't they.
Speaker 10 (09:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (09:55):
So I said this, I said I said this at
the launch. Big We've we've got a greater demand.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
We've got a greater demand from our fans we've seen
it in pre sale. It's twenty percent up in pre sale.
We've seen we broke the first day of sales, which
was Tuesday, and any record that existed before we broke.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
So there's a there's a demand.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
But what we have to do it's not about the
numbers for us, it's about the experience the fans have.
So I don't want to know. I get asked every
year like what's the record going to be. I don't
really care about the record. What I care about is
that the fans have a great time. So to do that,
you keep giving them more space. So instead of going
out because we're out of space, we're going up. So
you can watch tennis in a different way through the
(10:38):
highline structures on the western courts, so there'll be different
levels you can watch the game, and that's going to
be the future of how you watch tennis. On the
Grand Slam over which is our entertainment center. All the
structures we're going up, and we had these massive screens
where you can sit and enjoy it and watch and
have a drink and get some food. We haven't a
(10:59):
now specifically it, but we're adding, uh you know this, well,
we're adding a beauty pillar to the experience for all
our fans and uh and the experience on on the
on in Grand Slam Oval and the high line structure
reimagined court side bar you know that has that has
its people that love it and and people that don't.
(11:20):
The players that don't like if we never schedule them,
then yeah, we find but we find we're finding more
and more players are enjoying that. And now we and
I think we've now arranged the bar. It's much better
for viewing in it, and it'd be you know, so
it'd be better.
Speaker 8 (11:33):
Experience for everyone.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
But but yeah, so we all so those are as
far as going up, so not going out.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
We're going and do you know this is a little
bit off topic here, but one thing I find about
us or with your drive Craig, every year we need
to be bigger and better. Even with the AO launch.
I thought, this year, how are we going to top that?
I thought we couldn't top last year, and then we did,
and then I'm like, how are we going to top?
Speaker 5 (11:57):
We're going to challenge ourselves, Yes, challenge at least half
the precinct, at least half needs to be different from
year on year.
Speaker 8 (12:05):
Experience.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
And now that's hard because what permanent infrastructure. You can't
change that. But that's why you know, we all are
continuing to say, is that we've enjoyed the redevelopment which
finished in twenty twenty five years ago now, but that
we we can't stop there. It's all about momentum and
if you don't as an event or business, it can
be any If you don't invest in momentum and you
(12:26):
lose momentum, the cost of regaining momentum is far greater
than maintaining it. And that's a simple basic business principle.
So you've got to keep investing in momentum and we
ourselves have to do that too. We've enjoyed a great
interest in our sport, you know, Pardy and the other
leaders in performance have done a great job in getting
more Australian players doing well, but that's an ongoing journey
(12:49):
too that also needs momentum and so so we are
the event is the revenue driver for us, so we
can keep continuing to grow the sport. And interesting just
to comment on that is that because you're off and
talk to the players about you know, percentage of prize
money and how much the players should make and we
always advocates they should make as much as we can
possibly pay them, and that should be an absolute priority
(13:10):
first and foremost. But I'm more of an advocate. I
want more than just the top ten to make money,
more than just the top hundred. If you're a professional athlete,
two hundred to fifty at the very least should be
making a living where you can afford it. But for us,
at this round and Open, ninety nine percent of the
people that come to this round Open play tennis. So
we can get more people playing, we get more people
(13:32):
coming to spend money at this round open, So that's
our cycle.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, and Reese, why don't you rattle off some of
the music announcements we made.
Speaker 8 (13:40):
I like the way he went to him because.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Roy get it more natural from someone who knows who
they are.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Well, we've got City's Owned, the kid LaRoy who's doing
exclusive Australian shows, pass Himself in the Nowhere Else, which
is huge, Peggy Goo from g o U yes not
g O Yes. Electronic DJ massive around the world, but
(14:09):
it's a good variety of genres. Spacey Jane loves Spacey
Jane listening to some on the way in this morning
the Veronicas we've got Australia's unofficial national anthem getting played
Australia's biggest event along with Sophie Tucker. So yeah, huge,
huge for the fans for AO life.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
It's amazing. Coat AO Live will have five nights of music.
We've announced four at the.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
End of January. Yeah, one more announcement to come, but
for five nights. We lastly we had three, so to
five nights and then of course music has been also
gone up. It has twenty one days of live bands
over the top court and.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Yeah it doesn't it doesn't end.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
There, music everywhere, everywhere and we haven't announced even the thick.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Of it yet.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
That's upcoming podcast.
Speaker 8 (14:55):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 7 (14:56):
I've got to keep everyone. Yes, don't give it all tonight.
Speaker 8 (15:00):
We don't.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Actually we don't tell anyone that there's so much coming.
We say as we're sending the emails off. Yeah, so
it's really exciting from a music point of view. What's
the one thing for you, Craig that you're most excited
about the fans experiencing.
Speaker 8 (15:16):
Those Well, I think the rivalries that have been formed.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
I mean on the woman's side, you've got it I mean,
I love watching Sablenka play. I like watching Cocoa play too,
and those two playing and she said it was fun.
We've got I mean, it's fund seeing Amanda Animusova has
been through. I remember sitting at the at Roland Garris
when Ash was playing her in the semi finals and
sitting right behind Craig ties Her, Ash's coach, and he
(15:41):
was in the process of packing up his bag because
Ash was down in the third set and she was
playing terribly and she.
Speaker 8 (15:48):
And the weather was horrible.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
It was overcast, a bit of rain and it was
heavy and you could see Ash struggling and anyway, she
pulled it through. I was sitting next to Judy Dalton
and Maureen and we were having a lot of fun
with the umbrella and trying to stay stay it's not
aware and criticizer was on the phone like getting flights
out early and and he wasn't happy. And the reason
I bring up that memory because Ash went on to
(16:10):
win that that Roland Garrison, but she needed lost to
Amanda Animasova and a man, you know, I think she's
had a rough go that.
Speaker 7 (16:18):
Took a break after that.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah, and she's a great, great person, and she's at
her best year for sure, and so she's you got
to put her in there as a Paddy will talk
to all that she's she's the experient.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
I mean, I've been impressed with her level. You know,
she really lifted a US Open.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
So that's what I'm excited about. And the men's side,
you know, you could you get a final. I want
to find it with a Naisey in it. So outside
of that, if you get a final with playing they
have not had and you know, I think I think,
I think, well, well, Klas is going for a career
Slam and ego as well because she hasn't won here.
Speaker 8 (16:59):
So yeah, so I think the That's.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
What I'm as a tennis person, That's what I'm most
excited about is watching those battles and seeing those unfold
and you'll know over the course of the two weeks
you're going to have an epic.
Speaker 8 (17:11):
You're going to have one.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
There's gonna be some epics out there. And I always
the beginning of the year, we always be seeing to
be the Grand Slam that gets a lot of unbelievable matches.
I don't know something off season and what it is,
but court surface whether everyone's happy. I don't know what
it is, but we're going to see that. So that's
probably my number one.
Speaker 8 (17:29):
Yeah, I love for too.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it always goes back to the tennis, doesn't. All
the other stuff is just on the peripheral, isn't it.
But the AO launch is no longer a local event,
is it.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
No, it's global that the reason why it's global is, well,
we're seeing mainstream media have an interest in what we're announcing.
We've built a brand about what are they going to
do now? Now I know I was on with the
Grand Slam chairs and CEOs last night and you know
what came up in conversation was the one point Slam.
And we don't normally talk about things that each of
us do. So you know, the US Open had the
(18:02):
mixed doubles, which I thought was a fantastic event and
good for tennis. And we've kept ours the same as
traditionally we've had and simply because players want to that
opening week play matches. They want to play full matches,
and we'll look at that in the future. But the
one point Slam is a player can just commit a
short period of time and if they.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
Wanted to, So yeah, so I think.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
I think the US opens initiative was a fantastic one
for the game. We'll continue to do ones as well
in that opening week and when we announce all the initiatives.
And it was great to have ad Us from a
food perspective talked to us about all the opportunities and
food because we have the best chefs in the world.
I mean we now we now have the verticals or
the elements that you could argue we're pretty close to
being one of the largest music festivals in Australia.
Speaker 8 (18:47):
Yes, not disimilar with food.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
You know, you're doing twenty one days, certainly with kids
and family on entertainment.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So many kids.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Yeah, yeah, well that's where the future ten is going
to And you want to get your you want to
get your your kids loving the game and if they
have if they had experience and they have that passion
and you know, your kids playing and if they if
they have a passion for something, is so much easier
to be good at it.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Yeah, totally. And sure kids will be loving Shakeshack as well,
won't they.
Speaker 8 (19:20):
Oh yeah, I couldn't resist myself. Leaving New York recently
sort out of Shade Shack found one of the airport.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
And a lot of people enjoying it.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
What's funny. I did a selfie in front of Shade
Shack just to death. The guys know they was trying
shake shack and they're looking for a photo for the
for the launch the other day, and I said, you
could use this one except cut my head out.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Pop up outside of New City, New York City, which
is yeah, and it's very popular.
Speaker 8 (19:45):
It's very popular.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
And we've got a few others which we will announce
which are iconic to global culinary experiences, which have never
left their hometown, their home country that'll be coming in.
So yes, we still at quite a bit to announce
and experiences, and we're encouraging fans to go out and
get tickets and get yourself locked in for a day.
Every single day will be different. And telling our fans
(20:06):
we've got more space for them to move. We'll announce
small practice courts for players and all those kinds of
things coming up. But we've got more space for them
to move, we've got more experiences for them to have.
And you know, and we know every day you can
come here all day and all night and you're going
to have a great time.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Yeah, I agree, I remember coming myself before I worked here.
It's the best day out I think during summer. And
we have some of our team in China at the moment.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Don't we.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
We certainly do.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
In fact, I've just from before this meeting came, I
was meeting with the Australia and Ambassades of China. Amazing
and he's doing some stuff here on Canberra and we
were going through the initiatives that we've had over the
last ten years in China and what we're planning the
next ten years, and it's pretty exciting. It's look, it's
a key market for us and having you know, having
(20:54):
the success of Quinwen, which will make some announcements about
our formal relationship with her moving forward, but you know,
having her as as as a key part of our
events and and the other players is we're seeing a
lot more men come through China, which is now great.
The woman continue to as well. And they love tennis
from the from the from the Prime Minister, from the
(21:15):
premiere all the way down in government and other parts.
They love the game of tennis and and ambassad you know,
he shared with me that I said, what are the
what are the top brands in uh, you know, in China,
and from his perspective and also from you know, from
the perspective of of everyone, and I guess something, but
Australian Open Penfolds is one and thetral Australian Open is
(21:39):
one of probably Australia's strongest brand in China.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Wow, that's amazing, it's amazing. Well, thank you for joining us.
It's been great to have the launches today today in
shan In Shanghai.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Yes, we've got a team out there and having a
good time, but launching the launch and surprise recue went there.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Yeah, I didn't stick around for the launch. Asked by
a lot of people, we need to come back.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
He's popular. He is very popular. Chiny Yeah, yeah, this
is popular.
Speaker 10 (22:11):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Well, they think it's they think it's Guoga quoting. Then
it's coming up.
Speaker 7 (22:20):
There is a resemblance.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
On that note, I know, we've got to let you
go because you've got lots of other busy things to do.
So we're gonna go to a clip of our producer
Vic Rudnikov, who was at the AO launch to get
a word on the ground with some of.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
Our guests, I'm at the launch for the twenty twenty
six Australian Open, where we get a first look at
everything that's coming to the event this January. Come with
me as I chat to some of our guests and
presenters about what they're most excited to see at AO
twenty six.
Speaker 12 (22:52):
Obviously, I'm very excited about the food at AO twenty
twenty six. It is bringing together the best of Melbourne,
of Australia.
Speaker 7 (22:58):
And of the world.
Speaker 12 (22:59):
You've got everybody from Rodney Dunn in Tazzy, You've got
an incredible three Michelin staff from Long Coum in the UK,
and of course you've got people like Bundelung chef Mindy
Woods coming back. You've got locals like Shane Dalia. It
is such an interesting mix of people and most importantly.
Speaker 7 (23:18):
It's a mix of people who love tennis.
Speaker 13 (23:21):
When you're hiding down in the commentary bunker as much
as I do doing the AO, you don't get the
chance to sample some of the very fine.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Food that is on offer.
Speaker 13 (23:31):
That's what I've got to find time during the tournament
is to get out there and go do a bit
of fine dining instead of something quick and on the
run when you're working for twenty one day straight, which
is what the Open is. Remember we've got the opening
week then the two main draw weeks that there's a
lot to fill in, so at least one meal in
one of those magnificent restaurants.
Speaker 9 (23:51):
And just the entertainment as well going out there as well,
even in between TV and commentary, especially at night as well.
Melbourne's so stunning in the precinct, specially with the sunset
going into the night matches and all the different areas
of the Australia Open really in the whole precinct from
Grand slam Ovo to Garden Square. Yeah, it's just everywhere
(24:13):
you go there's something different.
Speaker 14 (24:14):
Something in particular that I'm looking forward to see has
to be the beauty innovations. They spoke very vaguely about it,
but I know that it's going to be highly on
my radar. And the food, of course, I'm a major foody.
The food last year is incredible and it looks like
it's going to be another ten out of ten year
at the AO of for.
Speaker 15 (24:29):
Food, the music, that the Finals festival, all of the
food offerings. There's just like a real energy of like, yeah,
we're expanding, and we're going to continue to expand. It's
become an empire, which has been so so exciting to hear.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
I think they're the million dollar point.
Speaker 16 (24:48):
But it's that one million dollar for one point because
I was just thinking, I better go outside and start
stretching right after this, I'm getting on the practice square
because I think I'd like to check that out. So
Craig is just an incredible job with with the whole
team of looking you know, as incredible as it's run
open is, you know, they're thinking, as soon as it's done,
how can we get it better? How can we grow it?
How can it get bigger? And it's not an easy
(25:11):
thing to do, but the crazy thing is they seem
to do that every year. Just take it a step
above and a step above, and I'm just excited to
see what it is this year.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
We have lost Craig and now we just have the
A team Nicole Pratt, Raith and myself. We're going to
get into what caught your eye. Pratty, let's go with you.
Speaker 6 (25:34):
Well, a couple of things caught my eye this week
and we spoke, well, Craig actually spoke about it a
little bit with Anna Amanda Anna Simova winning in Beijing
again another consistent result from her after making you know,
the two finals of the Grand Slams and you know,
beating Paulini in the quarterfinals, Cocoa Golf in the semi finals,
and then Noscover got through to the final beat her.
(25:56):
So I think, you know, the fact that she's continued on,
she she's happy, she's enjoying herself. I mean, she has
to be a favorite for the WTA finals now in
my opinion, especially the conditions.
Speaker 7 (26:08):
So yeah, to see her win again I think is great.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
And then probably the other thing that caught my eye
was the conditions in yeah, Shanghai with the men. You know,
the fact that you you know, tennis is one of
the what people don't realize is tennis is one of
the most demanding sports in the world and many, many
different physical performance trainers have actually said this after working
(26:33):
with ultra you know, marathon runners and triathletes, et cetera
very hard to plan and the fact that we see
week in week out our top men who were just
so finely tuned be able to back up week after
and to see what happened to Jenick Sinner like his
preparation would have been Schmick, right, And so the one
variable you can't control is the environment and the elements.
(26:57):
And you know what we saw, you know with Djokovic
as well, and the commentary in and around how tough
the conditions are, how slow it is.
Speaker 7 (27:05):
Demona was saying the same thing.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
But at the same time Deemona are saying those things,
and I'm thinking.
Speaker 7 (27:09):
Alex, you love this.
Speaker 10 (27:11):
Yeh.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
He's got a little bit of like I'm okay, yeah,
I mean Australia and Spain has got me ready for this.
Speaker 11 (27:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
He thrives under that adversity.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
So yeah, So for me, there are a couple of
things there on the tennis circuit that I thought was
very interesting.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, we'll touch on Djokovic in a moment, But back
to Amanda. She's really cemented herself in that top bracket
now like two one thousand events that she's taken home
this year with Doha and now Beijing and obviously two
Grand Slam finals. What hasn't been for her this year?
Is it about that mental side of things for her?
She's always had the shots, like you said best, like
(27:48):
last time you're on the po pod best back end
in the world. And I agree like that thing of
both wings that she's got. She can just smack winners left,
right and center. She's had the game and she's had
the groundstrokes. Is do you think it's the mental that's
put her into that top bracket.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
Absolutely, you should be a NIX, but you've nailed it,
You've actually nailed it. I think it's that mental fortitude
and that belief system that she now has, and that
comes through consistency, it comes through winning matches. You just
can't click your fingers and oh it's there. I'm mentally
up and about and ready for every match. But within
each match, players are challenged, and she's been challenged many
(28:26):
times in those matches that she actually won. She you know,
she's getting through some of these matches in three sets,
so when she's being challenged, she's able to come through
that battle and then we're seeing the wins happen. So yeah,
I feel like that's been the biggest change with her.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
And again I.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Spoke about enjoyment, right, She's enjoying, you know, as much
as she can. The lifestyle of traveling, you know, the
pressure on a day to day basis. So again, what
I guess you know the general public don't realize is
that even when the players are not playing a match,
they're still going through that routine, you know, on their
(29:07):
day off. You know, the eating what you need to
eat at breakfast, then the warm up and then the
practice and then the cool down and then maybe a
little bit of extra physically and then the nutritional side
of things to prepare for the next day. And yeah,
having your team people. You know, for me, that's probably
the biggest thing is the amount of people on site
that you run into and you have these constant conversations
(29:31):
and you know, like I feel that, imagine the athletes
like where they're getting pulled in, still getting pulled in
different directions. So that tends to be the energy sapper, yeah,
for everyone involved.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
So you know, she's doing a better job with that
for sure.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
In front of our eyes. And she seems to be
really popular player off court as well. We move on
to Wuhan now on the WTA side, but she's battling
a bit of a calf injury there. What do you
give her chances for the WCA Finals in rehab?
Speaker 6 (30:03):
Oh? High high, she's got to be top top four.
Eager Zabal anka. You know, we'll see GoF is an
interesting one. Is an interesting one. She's I mean she
I saw her in Beijing. She actually hit with storm
Hunter there in a session, and like it's there, but
it's not there. There's something underlying, you know, eating away
(30:25):
at a confidence And we've spoken about the serve a lot,
but even beyond that, there's there's just, yeah, something not
quite right. So but you know she's still young and
she can figure it out and you know it'll be
And a part of the year that I love that
we don't talk about to a certain degree is the preseason,
(30:46):
right where these players actually have some time off, they recalibrate.
Speaker 7 (30:50):
They review the year, and I.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Always love to see where where they come back in January,
like what's changed or what have they added or who
they got in their team, because that has an influence
on what they're going to be doing day in, day
out and out on the court.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
And well, we have the best swing in Australia because
we get to see what these players have put in
over the pre season and we got so much exciting
stuff ahead. But yeah, that WTA Finals, I think it's
a bit of an open race between those four.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Really exciting, and then with the heat because it's been
hot for the women as well. Right, we've seen some
read some stuff on that as well. But watching Sinner
and the impact of the heat on him actually was
breaking my heart a bit because it was just so
hard to watch, and then obviously Djokovic collapsed on court.
The I think the ATP has come out with a
(31:42):
statement now, right because from what I understand, the ATP
and WTA matches, unlike a Grand Slam don't have a
heat or weather policy like we would hear is that correat.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
On the WTA Tour they've got a weather policy.
Speaker 6 (31:54):
Yeah, once it rises above a certain temperature, there's a
ten minute break in between the second set and the
third set.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Match and yeah it looks it looked really hot.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
And the ATP doesn't have one. No, oh wow, they
don't have one.
Speaker 6 (32:12):
But the thing I think the caveat here with Shanghai
is the air quality. So it's it's it's a combination,
it's the it's the heat, it's you know, the pollution
or the air quality, and so they're just in essence
not getting as much oxygen as they normally would, so
(32:33):
you know, there's an effect on the body and that
we're seeing the outcome of that. So yeah, I think
it's something that the ATP probably need to address in
extreme circumstances like we've been seeing this this past week,
but it's not it's not a great spectacle when you're
seeing you know, players literally gasping for air, falling on
(32:54):
the ground, severe cramping.
Speaker 7 (32:57):
When again, I'll come back to this, so finally tuned.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
It's a good link to what called this week because
I was going to talk about less has Novak actually
mentioned this. He was clearly in a lot of physical pain,
but somehow, as he always does, came back againstcham Muna
after losing the second set and one in three for
his eleventh Shanghai quarterfinal, and he's going for his forty
(33:21):
first mass Is one thousand title. He's currently the book.
He's hav him his favorite and you'd have to have
him in that bracket. But he has been physically struggling
with that heat, and obviously at his age and doing
the amount of things that he's still able to do
is amazing. He surpassed Roger feder Now as the oldest
MASS one thousand quarter finals at thirty eight years and
forty four to forty four months of age. Djokovic now
(33:45):
the highest ranked player left in the draw. After we
saw al KaAZ withdraw. Yeah, we saw Fritzan Zverev louse early.
This draw has opened up crazily and the other favorite
in the drawer, the second highest ranked player is.
Speaker 7 (33:59):
Alex the Demon.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
So if you go on ranking, that is the predicted
final at this stage. And he's out here signing the
cameras with not that hot smiley face, so he's in
good form. I was talking to him in Beijing about
how he went from New York to Sydney to San
Francisco to Beijing or within consecutive weeks, just doing laps
of the Pacific Ocean, and he's like, and he was
quite frank with me, saying, look, don't remind me. It's
(34:22):
been tough. It's been a lot of sleeping in different beds,
adjusting on sleep. But he's just the biggest energizer bunny
on tour. If there's anyone that's going to push through
and like bring the results like he did. He won
his Round a sixteen match against Neu no Borges. But yeah,
he moves through to the quarterfinals, which he's third of
the year at MUST one thousand level and takes on
(34:43):
Daniel Medvedev, who's finding some form again now, so that'll
be a very interesting quarterfinals.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
So career high too, right, he's now I think at
the end is regardless.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
He could sneak up into the top five, so obviously
depends on sitting in fifth, but Fritz will drop so
like huge, especially.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
We're talking about Djokovic as well, but like go deem it.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
Well, yeah we're allowed to be by here, are we?
Speaker 5 (35:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (35:12):
Probably not.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
But it's just been an amazing year of perseverance for him.
I think what one of the highlights of the year
that he should take two is his semi final in
Beijing against Sinner. That was by far the best performance
he's had against Gyannik all year.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
He had him on the ropes in that second.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Fell away a little bit in the third set, took
so many took so many positives, He's never won a
set against him, So yeah, fantastic work and he's improving
every day. He's got Felix on his half of the draw,
which would be a rematch from it's open, but he's
certainly in that bracket and he can reach a have
a massive ranking rise after this event and if he
(35:55):
does well, so yeah, we're all behind.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Him, Praddy.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
If we end up with a final in Shanghai of
Demon Djokovic, what would you expect to see from both
of those players?
Speaker 7 (36:06):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (36:07):
I mean it's gonna be a battle. I mean you
see some long rallies out there. Yeah, but geez, I
just like Demon's chances if he gets to that point,
like and yeah, he's played enough matches against you know,
Djokovich now that he'll go in with sort of a clear,
clear game plan what he's going to do against him.
So yeah, it's it's exciting, it's exciting, but geez what
(36:30):
and it still again, he defies age, doesn't he Djocovic?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Oh, he's amazing, defies age.
Speaker 13 (36:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
How he came back so amazing then collapsed on the
court and then the third sety one.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Did you know he's the only player I would know
that could do that, right? He basically like bounces back.
It's almost like he gets an energy.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
From convince himself that he's not cramping. He's got that
level of mental word to do just that he's fine.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
What about you, Briy?
Speaker 2 (36:54):
What caught your eye this well, I am going. We
used to line for this person few weeks back. Maya
on Fire, and whenever I think about it, I hear
it in my head because obviously it.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Helps me ry there for the rest of it.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah, and it's my joint and Priscilla Hon career high ranking,
so Maya joint. She's within reach of seating for AO
twenty twenty six after climbing to world number thirty five.
She defeated number seventeen Diana Schneider in straight sets in
second round of Beijing, her third top twenty win of
the season. We did see her lose yesterday in Wuhant
(37:27):
to Sineakiva, and.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
I thought we were talking about this, didn't me.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
We thought she looked a little bit tired and it
might have been the outcome of performing so well for
the past few weeks and probably needing a little bit
of a break. But we'll talk on Maya first and
then we'll get to Priscilla Hon. You know a lot
about our Aussie women, obviously, Pratty, what are your thoughts?
Speaker 6 (37:49):
What's Yeah, listen, she's one of my favorites. Yeah, yeah,
I've got quite a few favorite she's in fact, you know,
She's definitely one of my favorites in the sense that
I did spend a little bit of time with her
actually last year out on court because she's got family
in Germany and I was in Germany and I was
based there in between some tournaments with my family.
Speaker 7 (38:10):
So yeah, and I just found her so coachable and delightful.
Speaker 4 (38:15):
She's sponges, Yeah, delightful.
Speaker 7 (38:17):
She just you know, whatever you say, she's really listening.
She picks it up. So I really enjoyed that time.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
And you know, her coach Chris Marney and I we
speak a lot, and yeah, just just to see the
growth and how and the rise, how quick it's been.
But you're right, like she's a little tight, she think,
I think the whole the enormity of the whole year
and the amount of matches she's been playing, maybe it's
(38:43):
just started to catch up a little bit.
Speaker 7 (38:45):
I know she's still planning to.
Speaker 6 (38:47):
Play Osaka and Tokyo another two weeks. She did have
Hong Kong scheduled, but I think highly likely Hong Kong
will be off the table, so you know, if she
can squeeze two more weeks out for the year, obviously,
I want a fresh will be.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Cart, which she's excited if she.
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Takes out Hong Kong.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
She'll have a couple of weeks to ease off and
then get ready for that.
Speaker 7 (39:12):
So yeah, she's in a really great.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Position in terms of potentially could be seated inside well
thirty two and inside.
Speaker 7 (39:18):
That at the AO.
Speaker 6 (39:20):
That would you know, really give her a not not
I mean you never know who's going to be in
the drawer, but somewhat of a clear pathway through to
a sort of a third mount round.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Rash first rounders and second rounders and Grand Slam.
Speaker 6 (39:33):
Vel second round at the US Open, she just like
Sampson over first round, So you're right.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Yeah, coming off and then coming off against Sands and over.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
But yeah, I go back to when she was orange girl,
like less than a year ago now in Mala like
her growth since then. But she just was such a
sponge of absorbing information with the team and she just
loved being there. And I think that's why she's the
first name on the least she it in the calendar
to come to Billy Jenkinkuppy Hobart in November.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Yeah, and we'll get onto BJK Cup soon. But Priscilla
Hon we need to talk about her. She is in
the top one hundred for the first time. She has
been gritting and gearing up for this moment for so long.
We know, and you would work quite closely with Prehon
as well, right, Praddy.
Speaker 6 (40:21):
Yeah, I mean throughout the years in my different roles
within Tennis Australia, pres you know someone that you know,
I've worked with the coaches that she's worked with. I've
actually done some weeks on the road with her as
well coaching. So yeah, to see the journey that she's had.
At one stage she had a very significant career threatening
(40:45):
hip injury that she had surgery. So yeah, the fact
that she's broken through for the first time top hundred
is credit to her resilience, her belief to the people
her team around her that has instilled that constant message
of you know, you can do this, you can do this,
You've got talent, you've got potential. We just need to
(41:07):
sort of put it all together. And ogimately it's her
that's put it together, and she can certainly feel very
proud of what she's achieved. I feel like this is
just the beginning for her, if she can stay healthy.
I think in twenty twenty six. She definitely has the ability.
Speaker 7 (41:28):
I don't like putting.
Speaker 6 (41:30):
Numbers on people, but it wouldn't surprise me given the
quality of the wins that she's had, that she could
sort of you know, sneaker nose across that sort of
top fifty range as a next stepping stone, something that
I think is something that's achievable. But for now, let's
celebrate top hundred and the fact that if she can
(41:51):
get I believe she's.
Speaker 7 (41:52):
Got a few points coming off.
Speaker 6 (41:53):
Is she can just get a few more points in
the last couple of tournaments of the year that will
solidify her inside the top one hundred. And it's not
just he strayin Open, she'll get mainjraw entry, but also
you know key being French Open and Wimbledon, because I
do not think she's got many points to defend the
first six months of the year.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
So we're a massive rise.
Speaker 7 (42:13):
Yeah. So it's a great opportunity for her and well deserved.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
She's had so many great wins.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Elene Osta Penko was such a massive moment for her
where it was like official that she was going to
break through the top one hundred. But I spoke to
her after a first round win and she was just like,
she was just getting emotional and like, when I say,
Prehn top one hundred.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
Player, what does that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (42:31):
She said exactly that so many people have told her
throughout her career she has the talent. Now she's there
all these setbacks and yeah, she just had a great
time and carried a smile on her face the whole time.
I watched a bit of the doubles with Caroline and Mukova,
who's one of her closest friends.
Speaker 4 (42:47):
They were just out.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
There winning and laughing their whole way through it, and
it was so good to see. And she loved Beijing.
She had a great time in New York. That's also
one of her favorites.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
She he's really good friends with Anasto.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Her and Anison over played against each other.
Speaker 6 (43:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So pre flew back to watch the
Windmuden final.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
That's right, was playing.
Speaker 7 (43:07):
So no, they've yeah, they've been friends for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
So we're going to slightly change tack, but still in
the same world of our Australian women. Australia is hosting
Brazil and Portugal and around Robin BJK Cup playoff in
Hobart from the fourteenth to sixteenth of November. You are
the captain, filling in for Sam Stoza as she is
a new mum. Now, I know that you've just alluded
(43:33):
to the fact that we will be shortly announcing who
will be in that team building it with Maya, But
how are you.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Feeling about it? I know you can't tell us anything.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
I kind of would love to know, but tell us
what you can tell us what even for a fan,
what they're expected to see. Hoba is one of our
favorite tennis locations. It is absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 6 (43:55):
Yeah, I mean, listen for the fan, it's three days
of fabulous tennis. It's a team competition. You know, Yes,
you have individual players, but it's the rare time in
the year that you come together.
Speaker 7 (44:07):
As a team and every win matters for the team.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
Country, yes, about individual So yeah, we're We're up against
Portugal on day one, and then Portugal play against Brazil
day two, and then we play against Brazil day three,
and I'm hoping that almost in a way, it's the
who goes through will be on day three, which makes
it more exciting. So yeah, I know, I'm excited about
(44:34):
the team. I'm excited about the team the fact that
we've spoken about these inform players that we have maya
pre but equally like doubles has significance because if we
go one to one in the singles, then it comes
down to the doubles. So we have to make sure that,
you know, we have the best players out on court
(44:55):
to win that doubles rubber. You know what makes it
hard for you know, actually shout out to Sam Stow.
So we went and I went out there and had
a breakfast with her and met little new little Emmy.
Speaker 7 (45:07):
It was it was gorgeous.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
So, you know, deciding and selecting the team is myself,
Sam and Rowan Fisher we bring along as coach. So
we had to catch up and we you know, talk
about all the different scenarios and it's always interesting the
doubles because you know, do you put doubles teams in
like who you know strictly played doubles. So those names
are you know, Hunter and Pereres.
Speaker 7 (45:28):
Do you go.
Speaker 6 (45:30):
With singles and a doubles player because the inform singles player,
So they're kind of the dynamics that you discuss, you know,
as captain and coach and select selecting the team to
start with and then there's a second selection when you
get there who you're actually going to pluck into the team.
But we'll be selecting five players for sure. One of
those we already know is Maya, so yeah, wait and see,
(45:53):
wait and see. Ready, they'll be announced by Thursday, actually
both next Thursday, you'll know.
Speaker 7 (46:00):
That the team is. We'll give you a head.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
That would be nice, and get your tickets if you're
in Tazzi or you can even come in.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
It's beautiful holidays.
Speaker 6 (46:09):
Location wise, there's no better view when you're actually at
the courts, the water looking you know, the coastline, the water.
I'm looking forward to the uh.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
Food and wine.
Speaker 1 (46:23):
Foodfood is the best.
Speaker 6 (46:27):
We're trying to get a secret secret trip to Yeah,
so we're trying to we'd love to get the players
there just for a bit of a cultural.
Speaker 7 (46:39):
Experience as well.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
We might have to come on that yeah, by accident.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Well we need our media. He's your guy. But what's
it feel like to be captain?
Speaker 6 (46:51):
It's special, it's special, It's it's you know. I've had
obviously a lot of experience, different experiences within tennis, playing, coaching,
being head of women's tennis, and this is the one
probably thing I haven't done, even though I feel like
as coach it's as good as being captain. Like I know,
when I got the phone call asking me if I,
(47:12):
you know, would want to be captain and accept being captain,
you know, my words were, well, I'll just continue to
do what I do. The only difference is I'm sitting
on the court. But no, I'm super super excited. It's
it's an honor, it's a privilege. Like there's so many
you know, amazing people that have you know, walked in
those shoes before me. So yeah, on a personal level,
(47:35):
I'm super privileged, grateful, excited, but ultimately the competitor in me.
You know, we want to get the job done. You know,
we want to you know, we live, breathe Australian tennis
and we want to win for our country. That's that's
something I've always probably worn on my sleeve through the
(47:55):
last kind of you know, we're getting on long time,
forty years.
Speaker 7 (48:01):
Of being involved in the game, so special. Thank you
for asking.
Speaker 1 (48:03):
No congratulations.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
We will be behind you and with you in Hobart
in November, and please go get your tickets if you can.
If you're based in Australia because it would definitely be amazing.
We are going to wrap up the show with our
favorite element, though, which is Ace of the Week, where
we talk about something that is making us happy in
our lives that doesn't have to be related to tennis.
It can be if you want, proddy. Normally we're very
(48:26):
strict for that rule.
Speaker 7 (48:27):
But I change no, sorry, I'll be good, but.
Speaker 1 (48:32):
We might start with you if you're keen.
Speaker 7 (48:34):
Yeah, no, not tennis related. Actually this one.
Speaker 6 (48:37):
You've got a serve clock, you've got feed okay, thirty
seven My thirty seconds are I can't reinforce enough about
looking after yourself. And when I say that, talking about
recovery and so like demon Ar, I was flying here,
there and everywhere, and so when I got back to Australia,
I was like, right, I want to spend quality time
(48:57):
with the family and equally I want to go look
up after myself. So I am on the search for
saunas oh in Melbourne to go?
Speaker 7 (49:07):
Where to go and relax? So for me?
Speaker 1 (49:10):
So have you found one?
Speaker 7 (49:12):
I want to try all different ones.
Speaker 4 (49:15):
Sauna review.
Speaker 7 (49:16):
Yes, I'll send you a couple of ease please.
Speaker 6 (49:18):
I quite like yeah, yeah, and there's all these wellness
centers for anxiety.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
And stress, and yeah, that's what I for.
Speaker 7 (49:27):
Ace the week with some me time and wellness.
Speaker 10 (49:32):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (49:32):
Pretty that's so good. Well why don't you go reees,
how do we top that though?
Speaker 1 (49:36):
As part of it?
Speaker 3 (49:37):
Well, yeah I can't. I'll get myself to a sauna
as well. I'd love to.
Speaker 2 (49:41):
Well, we look forward to hearing your list and rankings
of saunas because I am Vick Rudnikoff, our producer, is
keen to but rees over to you Ace of the Week.
Speaker 3 (49:50):
Yeah, a bit similar. I haven't been home for a
weekend in about six weeks. I'm looking forward to a
quiet weekend and I've got my housemate and a few
close friends running the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday, so I'm
going to go to the MCG and cheer them on
across the finish line. I think the only thing better
than achieving something yourself, your own personal thing, you're seeing
a close friend to you from you achieve their goals,
(50:12):
some really moving forwards. That it's super I love it.
I love just getting there and like a marathon is
a super super massive achievement. So I'm just looking forward
to seeing across the line and hopefully they're all okay
and they make it.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
Yeah right, what a nice guy.
Speaker 7 (50:26):
My friend and.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
A lot of my friends run and do marathons and
they always like come watch me, and I'm like coming
with it. But I now lived in the Botanic Garden,
so I've started to go and watch them run. And
there was one of I think maybe like two months ago,
three months ago, and I actually went with my dog
to watch them run. I actually had tears, yeah, watching
everyone and I was getting goosebumps and I was like,
I've been such a grinch.
Speaker 12 (50:50):
You run.
Speaker 3 (50:50):
That's your early morning my personal trainer fitness freak. He
finished before I woke up in the morning, so I
was like.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
He's too fast.
Speaker 6 (51:01):
Uick.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
No, that's great to finish with my ace of the week.
It's pretty boring. We've been really busy. I've kind of
got too, so I'm going to go fast. We've been
busy here at Turn Australia getting ready for the launch,
and obviously summer is approaching. So my first one is
how good our team is.
Speaker 1 (51:19):
And how proud I am of them.
Speaker 2 (51:20):
They travel the world and they're amazing and because of
all this business. I'm exhausted, so I'm having a weekend
at home on my own.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (51:28):
Cook, go to the gym, hang out with my animals,
and ideally see no one unless they're making me coffee.
Speaker 1 (51:35):
To be honest, it's kind of what I'm going for.
Speaker 2 (51:38):
I'm tired, not tired like an athlete, but you know
what plugging at a computer all day exhausting as.
Speaker 4 (51:45):
Well wellness and filling out your own cup.
Speaker 6 (51:49):
Well, you know what, Athletes are performers, and we're all
performers in our own.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Right and what we do and I couldn't do what
the athletes do exh pushing on the on the key.
But thank you so much Pratty for being here with
us today. So good to hear about BJK. Hopefully we
can talk to you prior, but if not, definitely during
and after.
Speaker 7 (52:10):
Absolutely thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
Oh my god, we love it.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
And November is around the corner, so we will see
you very soon. Reese, you have done an amazing job
being a co host. We will fire Xave next week.
We'll let him know when he's back tomorrow. But thank you.
Speaker 4 (52:24):
No, I wasn't as mean as.
Speaker 1 (52:27):
It's impossible it's absolutely impossible.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
We won't be joining you next week because we are
taking a break. We'll be back in two weeks where
we will be joined by the Saviles, who we have
spoken about that they're expecting which is very exciting. But
if you do want to steal tune in next week.
We do have the Best of the sit Down, which
is our Partner, which is our sister podcast with Matt
and Viv and you can see episodes like this one
(52:52):
that we're going to end on today, which was where
the guys interviewed Prehn.
Speaker 10 (52:58):
The I played before Winwooden was Berlin and I was
up a set and I don't even know, like quite
a lot in the second and I lost that match
seven to six and the third. I think what I
learned from that match was I need to stop playing
so safe. I think that's one thing that's really changed
in the last couple of weeks is that I'm playing
(53:20):
way more aggressive.
Speaker 8 (53:22):
And I feel like I.
Speaker 10 (53:23):
Did do that a few years ago, where I was
going up and then COVID everything, and then I feel
like I really lost my way and I started playing
so defensive and I wasn't happy with the way I
was playing at all, and I feel like now I
am kind of back to that and better.
Speaker 17 (53:40):
Hey everyone, perhaps and Andy here just want to remind
you that you can watch every episode of the Tennis
on our YouTube channel Astraight Open TV. And you can
also catch us on Tennis Plus by heading to ozopen
dot com forward slash tennis Plus.
Speaker 13 (53:51):
And if you want to flick us an email feedback
thoughts on the show comments, we're at podcast at tennis
dot com.
Speaker 4 (53:58):
You one of us who will read.
Speaker 7 (53:59):
It, but in the meantime we'll catch you in the
next one.
Speaker 17 (54:02):
So yat
Hello, Welcome to the tennis.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
We have Lift Off Ao twenty twenty six launches and
spectacular fashion move over, Coco an Asimova topples golf in
Beijing and Novak hangs tough, Ken Djokovic go all the
Way in Shanghai. That's all ahead with me, Brie Stewart
writing Shotgun is my globe trotting friend. Content producer Reesta, Dude,
(00:26):
how are you good?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Bre Good to be back from China, E Beijing in Shanghai,
And yeah, writing Shotgun with you today.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
Fields a little bit weird.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A little bit of imposter syndrome sitting on the other
side of the desk from these two, but looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
We find welcome imposta syndrome every week.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Save and it's good to have you the tennis world's
favorite tournament director.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
We've got Craig Tiley.
Speaker 5 (00:47):
Good to be here, good to be having a chat
again in a cool podcast room.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yes, and Ozzie Billy Jean King Cup acting captain.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
We've got Nicole Pratt.
Speaker 6 (00:56):
Great to be back, Great to be back, Reese, I
missed you in Beijing? Were you second week in Beijing?
I was there week one in Beijing.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Mainly media days and qualifying. I was there for a
couple of days.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, I missed, I missed.
Speaker 7 (01:09):
I think you're out shopping recently.
Speaker 8 (01:12):
I think they covered every every city.
Speaker 7 (01:17):
I missed you.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's behind the scenes with the players getting them to
do content for us.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, so some exciting announcements are head breed, but we
keep next week. Now he's going to be playing the
Australian Summer of Tennis and locked in for those events.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
So good and Praddy, You've got a big month coming out,
don't you.
Speaker 7 (01:34):
Yeah, very big month.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
I'm actually off tomorrow morning to Osaka, so we've got
quite a few of our Aussie girls playing there, and
then I'm off to Tokyo, so same thing, primarily working
with Kim Berrell and Storm Hunter. But I'll certainly be
getting around the other Aussies that are there, and we'll
be picking our BJK Cup team next week. We have
(01:59):
to give the the names by Friday, October seventeenth, so
I know there's a few excited players looking forward to
that phone call.
Speaker 8 (02:08):
Tough team to pick you kind of know you know
who you are.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Well, I'm keeping it, yes, yes, tight, keeping a tight,
keeping a tight we've already named Meyer, who again is
just continuing to have a standout year and you know,
collecting scalps as she goes along, very good scalps.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
So they're exciting. Yeah, and Craig, congratulations. We launched on Tuesday.
What's the response been so far?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
It's been magnificent. I mean, the team did a fantastic job.
Every year with the launch, we go bigger, and we
certainly did. If you walked into the into the Docklands studios,
you can.
Speaker 8 (02:43):
See Todd and Yolena.
Speaker 5 (02:46):
But the size of the size of the space was
magnificent and the content we felt was great. We had
lots of different initiatives to announce and it was great
to be able to do it. I mean, the launch
is designed to share with our stakeholders what we're planning
on doing in twenty twenty six and then in the
media as well, and we've certainly with some of the
particularly with some of the keynesses, we've got magnificent amount
(03:07):
of interest, which is great.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, and we're just I see here in ninety five
days until AO twenty twenty.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
Three something like that, yeah, which is around the corner.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, so soon.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
What are your favorite things that you think people should
come to the event for long list.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
First of all, I think you know we've expanded opening week,
so the opening week leading into into the Australia it's
a three week event. But the great thing that we
have in Australia is that before that we have all
the players either in one of the cities, one of
our major cities around around Australia, whether they're playing in
the United Cup, which is a pre eminent mixed event
with men and women playing together on the same team,
(03:44):
and then and then coming down to Melbourne and those
that come early can participate in the opening week. But
the opening with the fans is going to be special
day one January the twelfth. Kids come for free and
right from there we have charity matches all day. We
will have the qualifying two hundred and six players men
and women competing for those elusive spots in the main draw.
(04:04):
We will have open practice. We've got a doubles extravaganza planned.
We've got you know, every single night, there's going to
be something on and all during the day. Chans to
get up close and personal to the players and adults
come in for ten dollars. Kids come in for five
kids on Monday for free Kids Tennis Day, give away
five thousand rackets, and I think that whole week everything's
(04:28):
going to be open, the ballpark, our food and beverage.
It's going to feel like the main event. But the
idea is you give it access to the community and
you're still see some great matches in practice and in
charity and in and qualifying, and then of course we
also announced the one the one point, the one million
one point Slam, so you know we're excited about that
(04:49):
about that event. It's on the fourteenth and Wednesday night
packed Rod Labor the arena. The ideas starting the next
couple of weeks is every australiam have a chance to
compete in it, and somewhere at your club, but somewhere
across Australia be able to play one point in advance
to the next round. And this is gonna be the
biggest draw ever in the history of the game. But
the idea is to get then to our top eight
amateurs and then they'll play against another twenty pro players.
(05:14):
There'll be a couple of wild cards, a couple of qualifiers,
those players that are unable to play all the qualifying
because of other reasons, or the leading can play the
qualifying and those players that finish early in other events
like in adelaide in that can come play the qualifying
And yeah, and I think there's no fee to play
(05:34):
other than the opportunity to make the final. And if
you make the final, you win a million dollars. And
we know it was on social media. It was picked
up fairly significantly, and it's everywhere, and I know it
had an impact because it was on the headline news
in Belgium, the headliners in Spain, the headline news. And
so we washed all of this and then we've got
(05:56):
a call from pro players that are really keen I
need to sign up.
Speaker 8 (06:03):
Yeah, he's committed to playing. He's committed.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Yeah, And it's look, we've got events going on at
that time. We've got the men and women playing in Adelade.
So unfortunately, those that are playing that event, unless they lose,
won't be able to play on Wednesday night. But I
know some that are out on Tuesday or even Wednesday
want to get you as quick as they can to
have a chance. But it's going to be the highest
ranked men and women on the bost of men and
(06:28):
the women's side that they'll get in and thirty two
draw to take about ninety minutes to ninety minute.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
To a two hour show.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
And the whole idea about it is not so much
on the professional side, is to really activate the community
for everyone to feel like they have a chance to
play something at this round open.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, and the finals played on Rod Laver Arena. Right,
it is and the arena will be packed. We trialed
it last year and it was. It was fun to watch,
even though we had so many great comments, like our
actual video to announce it on social was pulled out,
all the great comments about the one point slam and
you forget because it's been so long ago now, but.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
How much the online community actually loved it.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Yeah, no, it is and it was fun watching. In fact,
some of the Aussies pray Aussie players particularly and some
of the pro players, and you know, I saw some
of the pro players top ten in the world struggle
serving because of the pressure.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Ace Alex Bolt, Yes and Prehn taking down.
Speaker 9 (07:33):
It was fun.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Yeah, it's good fun. Look, it's a it's a it's
a community fan driven events, not one necessary design for
the players, but community fans driven event.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
So I think it'd be great. I think we'll have
a lot of interest.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Well, well, we'll be announcing over the course of these
next three four weeks where people can play, what they
can do and and how.
Speaker 8 (07:51):
It's going to work.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
But the whole idea is to drive interest into Opening
week because you know, Opening week is an opportunity for fans.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And I love Opening week because you get to see
the stars of the future playing like someone you watch
playing that week next year could be in the main drawer,
playing on j c A, Margaret Court Arena or rl A.
But in Opening week you get to come in ten
dollars up close and personally.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Always did you played qualifying at this round Open? Never?
Never did? Did you? I did good?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
I did like everyone else.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
So I think that's at some point every top player
has played qualifying. So so to your point, it's a
it's a it's it's actually the it's the second richest
event in Australia outside this round just the qualifying, just
the qualifying.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
Yeah, no, Opening week.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Opening week is my favorite week, you know, just just
for the reason that, Yeah, you do get those new
tennis fans in motion that come in and they have
the ability to obviously watch great tennis because they are
a lot of them are the stars of the future.
And I just feel the passion, the emotion, what it
means to win that last round match is incredible. Like
(09:07):
I feel like the last day of qualifying is the
best day of opening week. But the fact that the tournament,
you know, has such an enhanced on site portfolio of
different options that fans can go to is amazing.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
And and cheap to come in exactly audible everything. Do
you know we started doing it last year. Is when
you now qualify, we give you a leathermon jacket, so
you know, like it's a it's a it's it's a
really cool ao jacket. And I actually saw this year
a couple of times players walking around the castle jacket
walking arounder this letathermon jacket and jacket they got because
(09:43):
they qualified, and.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
So so extra proud.
Speaker 8 (09:46):
Ext Yeah, it's unique for qualifiers. It's great.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Yeah, And we've got some other things happening. Some things
are going on the up, aren't they.
Speaker 10 (09:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (09:55):
So I said this, I said I said this at
the launch. Big We've we've got a greater demand.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
We've got a greater demand from our fans we've seen
it in pre sale. It's twenty percent up in pre sale.
We've seen we broke the first day of sales, which
was Tuesday, and any record that existed before we broke.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
So there's a there's a demand.
Speaker 5 (10:17):
But what we have to do it's not about the
numbers for us, it's about the experience the fans have.
So I don't want to know. I get asked every
year like what's the record going to be. I don't
really care about the record. What I care about is
that the fans have a great time. So to do that,
you keep giving them more space. So instead of going
out because we're out of space, we're going up. So
you can watch tennis in a different way through the
(10:38):
highline structures on the western courts, so there'll be different
levels you can watch the game, and that's going to
be the future of how you watch tennis. On the
Grand Slam over which is our entertainment center. All the
structures we're going up, and we had these massive screens
where you can sit and enjoy it and watch and
have a drink and get some food. We haven't a
(10:59):
now specifically it, but we're adding, uh you know this, well,
we're adding a beauty pillar to the experience for all
our fans and uh and the experience on on the
on in Grand Slam Oval and the high line structure
reimagined court side bar you know that has that has
its people that love it and and people that don't.
(11:20):
The players that don't like if we never schedule them,
then yeah, we find but we find we're finding more
and more players are enjoying that. And now we and
I think we've now arranged the bar. It's much better
for viewing in it, and it'd be you know, so
it'd be better.
Speaker 8 (11:33):
Experience for everyone.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
But but yeah, so we all so those are as
far as going up, so not going out.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
We're going and do you know this is a little
bit off topic here, but one thing I find about
us or with your drive Craig, every year we need
to be bigger and better. Even with the AO launch.
I thought, this year, how are we going to top that?
I thought we couldn't top last year, and then we did,
and then I'm like, how are we going to top?
Speaker 5 (11:57):
We're going to challenge ourselves, Yes, challenge at least half
the precinct, at least half needs to be different from
year on year.
Speaker 8 (12:05):
Experience.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
And now that's hard because what permanent infrastructure. You can't
change that. But that's why you know, we all are
continuing to say, is that we've enjoyed the redevelopment which
finished in twenty twenty five years ago now, but that
we we can't stop there. It's all about momentum and
if you don't as an event or business, it can
be any If you don't invest in momentum and you
(12:26):
lose momentum, the cost of regaining momentum is far greater
than maintaining it. And that's a simple basic business principle.
So you've got to keep investing in momentum and we
ourselves have to do that too. We've enjoyed a great
interest in our sport, you know, Pardy and the other
leaders in performance have done a great job in getting
more Australian players doing well, but that's an ongoing journey
(12:49):
too that also needs momentum and so so we are
the event is the revenue driver for us, so we
can keep continuing to grow the sport. And interesting just
to comment on that is that because you're off and
talk to the players about you know, percentage of prize
money and how much the players should make and we
always advocates they should make as much as we can
possibly pay them, and that should be an absolute priority
(13:10):
first and foremost. But I'm more of an advocate. I
want more than just the top ten to make money,
more than just the top hundred. If you're a professional athlete,
two hundred to fifty at the very least should be
making a living where you can afford it. But for us,
at this round and Open, ninety nine percent of the
people that come to this round Open play tennis. So
we can get more people playing, we get more people
(13:32):
coming to spend money at this round open, So that's
our cycle.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, and Reese, why don't you rattle off some of
the music announcements we made.
Speaker 8 (13:40):
I like the way he went to him because.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Roy get it more natural from someone who knows who
they are.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Well, we've got City's Owned, the kid LaRoy who's doing
exclusive Australian shows, pass Himself in the Nowhere Else, which
is huge, Peggy Goo from g o U yes not
g O Yes. Electronic DJ massive around the world, but
(14:09):
it's a good variety of genres. Spacey Jane loves Spacey
Jane listening to some on the way in this morning
the Veronicas we've got Australia's unofficial national anthem getting played
Australia's biggest event along with Sophie Tucker. So yeah, huge,
huge for the fans for AO life.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
It's amazing. Coat AO Live will have five nights of music.
We've announced four at the.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
End of January. Yeah, one more announcement to come, but
for five nights. We lastly we had three, so to
five nights and then of course music has been also
gone up. It has twenty one days of live bands
over the top court and.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Yeah it doesn't it doesn't end.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
There, music everywhere, everywhere and we haven't announced even the thick.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Of it yet.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
That's upcoming podcast.
Speaker 8 (14:55):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 7 (14:56):
I've got to keep everyone. Yes, don't give it all tonight.
Speaker 8 (15:00):
We don't.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Actually we don't tell anyone that there's so much coming.
We say as we're sending the emails off. Yeah, so
it's really exciting from a music point of view. What's
the one thing for you, Craig that you're most excited
about the fans experiencing.
Speaker 8 (15:16):
Those Well, I think the rivalries that have been formed.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
I mean on the woman's side, you've got it I mean,
I love watching Sablenka play. I like watching Cocoa play too,
and those two playing and she said it was fun.
We've got I mean, it's fund seeing Amanda Animusova has
been through. I remember sitting at the at Roland Garris
when Ash was playing her in the semi finals and
sitting right behind Craig ties Her, Ash's coach, and he
(15:41):
was in the process of packing up his bag because
Ash was down in the third set and she was
playing terribly and she.
Speaker 8 (15:48):
And the weather was horrible.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
It was overcast, a bit of rain and it was
heavy and you could see Ash struggling and anyway, she
pulled it through. I was sitting next to Judy Dalton
and Maureen and we were having a lot of fun
with the umbrella and trying to stay stay it's not
aware and criticizer was on the phone like getting flights
out early and and he wasn't happy. And the reason
I bring up that memory because Ash went on to
(16:10):
win that that Roland Garrison, but she needed lost to
Amanda Animasova and a man, you know, I think she's
had a rough go that.
Speaker 7 (16:18):
Took a break after that.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah, and she's a great, great person, and she's at
her best year for sure, and so she's you got
to put her in there as a Paddy will talk
to all that she's she's the experient.
Speaker 7 (16:35):
I mean, I've been impressed with her level. You know,
she really lifted a US Open.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
So that's what I'm excited about. And the men's side,
you know, you could you get a final. I want
to find it with a Naisey in it. So outside
of that, if you get a final with playing they
have not had and you know, I think I think,
I think, well, well, Klas is going for a career
Slam and ego as well because she hasn't won here.
Speaker 8 (16:59):
So yeah, so I think the That's.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
What I'm as a tennis person, That's what I'm most
excited about is watching those battles and seeing those unfold
and you'll know over the course of the two weeks
you're going to have an epic.
Speaker 8 (17:11):
You're going to have one.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
There's gonna be some epics out there. And I always
the beginning of the year, we always be seeing to
be the Grand Slam that gets a lot of unbelievable matches.
I don't know something off season and what it is,
but court surface whether everyone's happy. I don't know what
it is, but we're going to see that. So that's
probably my number one.
Speaker 8 (17:29):
Yeah, I love for too.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it always goes back to the tennis, doesn't. All
the other stuff is just on the peripheral, isn't it.
But the AO launch is no longer a local event,
is it.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
No, it's global that the reason why it's global is, well,
we're seeing mainstream media have an interest in what we're announcing.
We've built a brand about what are they going to
do now? Now I know I was on with the
Grand Slam chairs and CEOs last night and you know
what came up in conversation was the one point Slam.
And we don't normally talk about things that each of
us do. So you know, the US Open had the
(18:02):
mixed doubles, which I thought was a fantastic event and
good for tennis. And we've kept ours the same as
traditionally we've had and simply because players want to that
opening week play matches. They want to play full matches,
and we'll look at that in the future. But the
one point Slam is a player can just commit a
short period of time and if they.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
Wanted to, So yeah, so I think.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
I think the US opens initiative was a fantastic one
for the game. We'll continue to do ones as well
in that opening week and when we announce all the initiatives.
And it was great to have ad Us from a
food perspective talked to us about all the opportunities and
food because we have the best chefs in the world.
I mean we now we now have the verticals or
the elements that you could argue we're pretty close to
being one of the largest music festivals in Australia.
Speaker 8 (18:47):
Yes, not disimilar with food.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
You know, you're doing twenty one days, certainly with kids
and family on entertainment.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So many kids.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Yeah, yeah, well that's where the future ten is going
to And you want to get your you want to
get your your kids loving the game and if they
have if they had experience and they have that passion
and you know, your kids playing and if they if
they have a passion for something, is so much easier
to be good at it.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Yeah, totally. And sure kids will be loving Shakeshack as well,
won't they.
Speaker 8 (19:20):
Oh yeah, I couldn't resist myself. Leaving New York recently
sort out of Shade Shack found one of the airport.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
And a lot of people enjoying it.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
What's funny. I did a selfie in front of Shade
Shack just to death. The guys know they was trying
shake shack and they're looking for a photo for the
for the launch the other day, and I said, you
could use this one except cut my head out.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Pop up outside of New City, New York City, which
is yeah, and it's very popular.
Speaker 8 (19:45):
It's very popular.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
And we've got a few others which we will announce
which are iconic to global culinary experiences, which have never
left their hometown, their home country that'll be coming in.
So yes, we still at quite a bit to announce
and experiences, and we're encouraging fans to go out and
get tickets and get yourself locked in for a day.
Every single day will be different. And telling our fans
(20:06):
we've got more space for them to move. We'll announce
small practice courts for players and all those kinds of
things coming up. But we've got more space for them
to move, we've got more experiences for them to have.
And you know, and we know every day you can
come here all day and all night and you're going
to have a great time.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Yeah, I agree, I remember coming myself before I worked here.
It's the best day out I think during summer. And
we have some of our team in China at the moment.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Don't we.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
We certainly do.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
In fact, I've just from before this meeting came, I
was meeting with the Australia and Ambassades of China. Amazing
and he's doing some stuff here on Canberra and we
were going through the initiatives that we've had over the
last ten years in China and what we're planning the
next ten years, and it's pretty exciting. It's look, it's
a key market for us and having you know, having
(20:54):
the success of Quinwen, which will make some announcements about
our formal relationship with her moving forward, but you know,
having her as as as a key part of our
events and and the other players is we're seeing a
lot more men come through China, which is now great.
The woman continue to as well. And they love tennis
from the from the from the Prime Minister, from the
(21:15):
premiere all the way down in government and other parts.
They love the game of tennis and and ambassad you know,
he shared with me that I said, what are the
what are the top brands in uh, you know, in China,
and from his perspective and also from you know, from
the perspective of of everyone, and I guess something, but
Australian Open Penfolds is one and thetral Australian Open is
(21:39):
one of probably Australia's strongest brand in China.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Wow, that's amazing, it's amazing. Well, thank you for joining us.
It's been great to have the launches today today in
shan In Shanghai.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Yes, we've got a team out there and having a
good time, but launching the launch and surprise recue went there.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Yeah, I didn't stick around for the launch. Asked by
a lot of people, we need to come back.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
He's popular. He is very popular. Chiny Yeah, yeah, this
is popular.
Speaker 10 (22:11):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Well, they think it's they think it's Guoga quoting. Then
it's coming up.
Speaker 7 (22:20):
There is a resemblance.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
On that note, I know, we've got to let you
go because you've got lots of other busy things to do.
So we're gonna go to a clip of our producer
Vic Rudnikov, who was at the AO launch to get
a word on the ground with some of.
Speaker 11 (22:37):
Our guests, I'm at the launch for the twenty twenty
six Australian Open, where we get a first look at
everything that's coming to the event this January. Come with
me as I chat to some of our guests and
presenters about what they're most excited to see at AO
twenty six.
Speaker 12 (22:52):
Obviously, I'm very excited about the food at AO twenty
twenty six. It is bringing together the best of Melbourne,
of Australia.
Speaker 7 (22:58):
And of the world.
Speaker 12 (22:59):
You've got everybody from Rodney Dunn in Tazzy, You've got
an incredible three Michelin staff from Long Coum in the UK,
and of course you've got people like Bundelung chef Mindy
Woods coming back. You've got locals like Shane Dalia. It
is such an interesting mix of people and most importantly.
Speaker 7 (23:18):
It's a mix of people who love tennis.
Speaker 13 (23:21):
When you're hiding down in the commentary bunker as much
as I do doing the AO, you don't get the
chance to sample some of the very fine.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Food that is on offer.
Speaker 13 (23:31):
That's what I've got to find time during the tournament
is to get out there and go do a bit
of fine dining instead of something quick and on the
run when you're working for twenty one day straight, which
is what the Open is. Remember we've got the opening
week then the two main draw weeks that there's a
lot to fill in, so at least one meal in
one of those magnificent restaurants.
Speaker 9 (23:51):
And just the entertainment as well going out there as well,
even in between TV and commentary, especially at night as well.
Melbourne's so stunning in the precinct, specially with the sunset
going into the night matches and all the different areas
of the Australia Open really in the whole precinct from
Grand slam Ovo to Garden Square. Yeah, it's just everywhere
(24:13):
you go there's something different.
Speaker 14 (24:14):
Something in particular that I'm looking forward to see has
to be the beauty innovations. They spoke very vaguely about it,
but I know that it's going to be highly on
my radar. And the food, of course, I'm a major foody.
The food last year is incredible and it looks like
it's going to be another ten out of ten year
at the AO of for.
Speaker 15 (24:29):
Food, the music, that the Finals festival, all of the
food offerings. There's just like a real energy of like, yeah,
we're expanding, and we're going to continue to expand. It's
become an empire, which has been so so exciting to hear.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
I think they're the million dollar point.
Speaker 16 (24:48):
But it's that one million dollar for one point because
I was just thinking, I better go outside and start
stretching right after this, I'm getting on the practice square
because I think I'd like to check that out. So
Craig is just an incredible job with with the whole
team of looking you know, as incredible as it's run
open is, you know, they're thinking, as soon as it's done,
how can we get it better? How can we grow it?
How can it get bigger? And it's not an easy
(25:11):
thing to do, but the crazy thing is they seem
to do that every year. Just take it a step
above and a step above, and I'm just excited to
see what it is this year.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
We have lost Craig and now we just have the
A team Nicole Pratt, Raith and myself. We're going to
get into what caught your eye. Pratty, let's go with you.
Speaker 6 (25:34):
Well, a couple of things caught my eye this week
and we spoke, well, Craig actually spoke about it a
little bit with Anna Amanda Anna Simova winning in Beijing
again another consistent result from her after making you know,
the two finals of the Grand Slams and you know,
beating Paulini in the quarterfinals, Cocoa Golf in the semi finals,
and then Noscover got through to the final beat her.
(25:56):
So I think, you know, the fact that she's continued on,
she she's happy, she's enjoying herself. I mean, she has
to be a favorite for the WTA finals now in
my opinion, especially the conditions.
Speaker 7 (26:08):
So yeah, to see her win again I think is great.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
And then probably the other thing that caught my eye
was the conditions in yeah, Shanghai with the men. You know,
the fact that you you know, tennis is one of
the what people don't realize is tennis is one of
the most demanding sports in the world and many, many
different physical performance trainers have actually said this after working
(26:33):
with ultra you know, marathon runners and triathletes, et cetera
very hard to plan and the fact that we see
week in week out our top men who were just
so finely tuned be able to back up week after
and to see what happened to Jenick Sinner like his
preparation would have been Schmick, right, And so the one
variable you can't control is the environment and the elements.
(26:57):
And you know what we saw, you know with Djokovic
as well, and the commentary in and around how tough
the conditions are, how slow it is.
Speaker 7 (27:05):
Demona was saying the same thing.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
But at the same time Deemona are saying those things,
and I'm thinking.
Speaker 7 (27:09):
Alex, you love this.
Speaker 10 (27:11):
Yeh.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
He's got a little bit of like I'm okay, yeah,
I mean Australia and Spain has got me ready for this.
Speaker 11 (27:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
He thrives under that adversity.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
So yeah, So for me, there are a couple of
things there on the tennis circuit that I thought was
very interesting.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, we'll touch on Djokovic in a moment, But back
to Amanda. She's really cemented herself in that top bracket
now like two one thousand events that she's taken home
this year with Doha and now Beijing and obviously two
Grand Slam finals. What hasn't been for her this year?
Is it about that mental side of things for her?
She's always had the shots, like you said best, like
(27:48):
last time you're on the po pod best back end
in the world. And I agree like that thing of
both wings that she's got. She can just smack winners left,
right and center. She's had the game and she's had
the groundstrokes. Is do you think it's the mental that's
put her into that top bracket.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
Absolutely, you should be a NIX, but you've nailed it,
You've actually nailed it. I think it's that mental fortitude
and that belief system that she now has, and that
comes through consistency, it comes through winning matches. You just
can't click your fingers and oh it's there. I'm mentally
up and about and ready for every match. But within
each match, players are challenged, and she's been challenged many
(28:26):
times in those matches that she actually won. She you know,
she's getting through some of these matches in three sets,
so when she's being challenged, she's able to come through
that battle and then we're seeing the wins happen. So yeah,
I feel like that's been the biggest change with her.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
And again I.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Spoke about enjoyment, right, She's enjoying, you know, as much
as she can. The lifestyle of traveling, you know, the
pressure on a day to day basis. So again, what
I guess you know the general public don't realize is
that even when the players are not playing a match,
they're still going through that routine, you know, on their
(29:07):
day off. You know, the eating what you need to
eat at breakfast, then the warm up and then the
practice and then the cool down and then maybe a
little bit of extra physically and then the nutritional side
of things to prepare for the next day. And yeah,
having your team people. You know, for me, that's probably
the biggest thing is the amount of people on site
that you run into and you have these constant conversations
(29:31):
and you know, like I feel that, imagine the athletes
like where they're getting pulled in, still getting pulled in
different directions. So that tends to be the energy sapper, yeah,
for everyone involved.
Speaker 7 (29:45):
So you know, she's doing a better job with that
for sure.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
In front of our eyes. And she seems to be
really popular player off court as well. We move on
to Wuhan now on the WTA side, but she's battling
a bit of a calf injury there. What do you
give her chances for the WCA Finals in rehab?
Speaker 6 (30:03):
Oh? High high, she's got to be top top four.
Eager Zabal anka. You know, we'll see GoF is an
interesting one. Is an interesting one. She's I mean she
I saw her in Beijing. She actually hit with storm
Hunter there in a session, and like it's there, but
it's not there. There's something underlying, you know, eating away
(30:25):
at a confidence And we've spoken about the serve a lot,
but even beyond that, there's there's just, yeah, something not
quite right. So but you know she's still young and
she can figure it out and you know it'll be
And a part of the year that I love that
we don't talk about to a certain degree is the preseason,
(30:46):
right where these players actually have some time off, they recalibrate.
Speaker 7 (30:50):
They review the year, and I.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Always love to see where where they come back in January,
like what's changed or what have they added or who
they got in their team, because that has an influence
on what they're going to be doing day in, day
out and out on the court.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
And well, we have the best swing in Australia because
we get to see what these players have put in
over the pre season and we got so much exciting
stuff ahead. But yeah, that WTA Finals, I think it's
a bit of an open race between those four.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Really exciting, and then with the heat because it's been
hot for the women as well. Right, we've seen some
read some stuff on that as well. But watching Sinner
and the impact of the heat on him actually was
breaking my heart a bit because it was just so
hard to watch, and then obviously Djokovic collapsed on court.
The I think the ATP has come out with a
(31:42):
statement now, right because from what I understand, the ATP
and WTA matches, unlike a Grand Slam don't have a
heat or weather policy like we would hear is that correat.
Speaker 7 (31:51):
On the WTA Tour they've got a weather policy.
Speaker 6 (31:54):
Yeah, once it rises above a certain temperature, there's a
ten minute break in between the second set and the
third set.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Match and yeah it looks it looked really hot.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
And the ATP doesn't have one. No, oh wow, they
don't have one.
Speaker 6 (32:12):
But the thing I think the caveat here with Shanghai
is the air quality. So it's it's it's a combination,
it's the it's the heat, it's you know, the pollution
or the air quality, and so they're just in essence
not getting as much oxygen as they normally would, so
(32:33):
you know, there's an effect on the body and that
we're seeing the outcome of that. So yeah, I think
it's something that the ATP probably need to address in
extreme circumstances like we've been seeing this this past week,
but it's not it's not a great spectacle when you're
seeing you know, players literally gasping for air, falling on
(32:54):
the ground, severe cramping.
Speaker 7 (32:57):
When again, I'll come back to this, so finally tuned.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
It's a good link to what called this week because
I was going to talk about less has Novak actually
mentioned this. He was clearly in a lot of physical pain,
but somehow, as he always does, came back againstcham Muna
after losing the second set and one in three for
his eleventh Shanghai quarterfinal, and he's going for his forty
(33:21):
first mass Is one thousand title. He's currently the book.
He's hav him his favorite and you'd have to have
him in that bracket. But he has been physically struggling
with that heat, and obviously at his age and doing
the amount of things that he's still able to do
is amazing. He surpassed Roger feder Now as the oldest
MASS one thousand quarter finals at thirty eight years and
forty four to forty four months of age. Djokovic now
(33:45):
the highest ranked player left in the draw. After we
saw al KaAZ withdraw. Yeah, we saw Fritzan Zverev louse early.
This draw has opened up crazily and the other favorite
in the drawer, the second highest ranked player is.
Speaker 7 (33:59):
Alex the Demon.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
So if you go on ranking, that is the predicted
final at this stage. And he's out here signing the
cameras with not that hot smiley face, so he's in
good form. I was talking to him in Beijing about
how he went from New York to Sydney to San
Francisco to Beijing or within consecutive weeks, just doing laps
of the Pacific Ocean, and he's like, and he was
quite frank with me, saying, look, don't remind me. It's
(34:22):
been tough. It's been a lot of sleeping in different beds,
adjusting on sleep. But he's just the biggest energizer bunny
on tour. If there's anyone that's going to push through
and like bring the results like he did. He won
his Round a sixteen match against Neu no Borges. But yeah,
he moves through to the quarterfinals, which he's third of
the year at MUST one thousand level and takes on
(34:43):
Daniel Medvedev, who's finding some form again now, so that'll
be a very interesting quarterfinals.
Speaker 6 (34:47):
So career high too, right, he's now I think at
the end is regardless.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
He could sneak up into the top five, so obviously
depends on sitting in fifth, but Fritz will drop so
like huge, especially.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
We're talking about Djokovic as well, but like go deem it.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
Well, yeah we're allowed to be by here, are we?
Speaker 5 (35:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (35:12):
Probably not.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
But it's just been an amazing year of perseverance for him.
I think what one of the highlights of the year
that he should take two is his semi final in
Beijing against Sinner. That was by far the best performance
he's had against Gyannik all year.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
He had him on the ropes in that second.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Fell away a little bit in the third set, took
so many took so many positives, He's never won a
set against him, So yeah, fantastic work and he's improving
every day. He's got Felix on his half of the draw,
which would be a rematch from it's open, but he's
certainly in that bracket and he can reach a have
a massive ranking rise after this event and if he
(35:55):
does well, so yeah, we're all behind.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
Him, Praddy.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
If we end up with a final in Shanghai of
Demon Djokovic, what would you expect to see from both
of those players?
Speaker 7 (36:06):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (36:07):
I mean it's gonna be a battle. I mean you
see some long rallies out there. Yeah, but geez, I
just like Demon's chances if he gets to that point,
like and yeah, he's played enough matches against you know,
Djokovich now that he'll go in with sort of a clear,
clear game plan what he's going to do against him.
So yeah, it's it's exciting, it's exciting, but geez what
(36:30):
and it still again, he defies age, doesn't he Djocovic?
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Oh, he's amazing, defies age.
Speaker 13 (36:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
How he came back so amazing then collapsed on the
court and then the third sety one.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
Did you know he's the only player I would know
that could do that, right? He basically like bounces back.
It's almost like he gets an energy.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
From convince himself that he's not cramping. He's got that
level of mental word to do just that he's fine.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
What about you, Briy?
Speaker 2 (36:54):
What caught your eye this well, I am going. We
used to line for this person few weeks back. Maya
on Fire, and whenever I think about it, I hear
it in my head because obviously it.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Helps me ry there for the rest of it.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah, and it's my joint and Priscilla Hon career high ranking,
so Maya joint. She's within reach of seating for AO
twenty twenty six after climbing to world number thirty five.
She defeated number seventeen Diana Schneider in straight sets in
second round of Beijing, her third top twenty win of
the season. We did see her lose yesterday in Wuhant
(37:27):
to Sineakiva, and.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
I thought we were talking about this, didn't me.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
We thought she looked a little bit tired and it
might have been the outcome of performing so well for
the past few weeks and probably needing a little bit
of a break. But we'll talk on Maya first and
then we'll get to Priscilla Hon. You know a lot
about our Aussie women, obviously, Pratty, what are your thoughts?
Speaker 6 (37:49):
What's Yeah, listen, she's one of my favorites. Yeah, yeah,
I've got quite a few favorite she's in fact, you know,
She's definitely one of my favorites in the sense that
I did spend a little bit of time with her
actually last year out on court because she's got family
in Germany and I was in Germany and I was
based there in between some tournaments with my family.
Speaker 7 (38:10):
So yeah, and I just found her so coachable and delightful.
Speaker 4 (38:15):
She's sponges, Yeah, delightful.
Speaker 7 (38:17):
She just you know, whatever you say, she's really listening.
She picks it up. So I really enjoyed that time.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
And you know, her coach Chris Marney and I we
speak a lot, and yeah, just just to see the
growth and how and the rise, how quick it's been.
But you're right, like she's a little tight, she think,
I think the whole the enormity of the whole year
and the amount of matches she's been playing, maybe it's
(38:43):
just started to catch up a little bit.
Speaker 7 (38:45):
I know she's still planning to.
Speaker 6 (38:47):
Play Osaka and Tokyo another two weeks. She did have
Hong Kong scheduled, but I think highly likely Hong Kong
will be off the table, so you know, if she
can squeeze two more weeks out for the year, obviously,
I want a fresh will be.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Cart, which she's excited if she.
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Takes out Hong Kong.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
She'll have a couple of weeks to ease off and
then get ready for that.
Speaker 7 (39:12):
So yeah, she's in a really great.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Position in terms of potentially could be seated inside well
thirty two and inside.
Speaker 7 (39:18):
That at the AO.
Speaker 6 (39:20):
That would you know, really give her a not not
I mean you never know who's going to be in
the drawer, but somewhat of a clear pathway through to
a sort of a third mount round.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Rash first rounders and second rounders and Grand Slam.
Speaker 6 (39:33):
Vel second round at the US Open, she just like
Sampson over first round, So you're right.
Speaker 4 (39:41):
Yeah, coming off and then coming off against Sands and over.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
But yeah, I go back to when she was orange girl,
like less than a year ago now in Mala like
her growth since then. But she just was such a
sponge of absorbing information with the team and she just
loved being there. And I think that's why she's the
first name on the least she it in the calendar
to come to Billy Jenkinkuppy Hobart in November.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Yeah, and we'll get onto BJK Cup soon. But Priscilla
Hon we need to talk about her. She is in
the top one hundred for the first time. She has
been gritting and gearing up for this moment for so long.
We know, and you would work quite closely with Prehon
as well, right, Praddy.
Speaker 6 (40:21):
Yeah, I mean throughout the years in my different roles
within Tennis Australia, pres you know someone that you know,
I've worked with the coaches that she's worked with. I've
actually done some weeks on the road with her as
well coaching. So yeah, to see the journey that she's had.
At one stage she had a very significant career threatening
(40:45):
hip injury that she had surgery. So yeah, the fact
that she's broken through for the first time top hundred
is credit to her resilience, her belief to the people
her team around her that has instilled that constant message
of you know, you can do this, you can do this,
You've got talent, you've got potential. We just need to
(41:07):
sort of put it all together. And ogimately it's her
that's put it together, and she can certainly feel very
proud of what she's achieved. I feel like this is
just the beginning for her, if she can stay healthy.
I think in twenty twenty six. She definitely has the ability.
Speaker 7 (41:28):
I don't like putting.
Speaker 6 (41:30):
Numbers on people, but it wouldn't surprise me given the
quality of the wins that she's had, that she could
sort of you know, sneaker nose across that sort of
top fifty range as a next stepping stone, something that
I think is something that's achievable. But for now, let's
celebrate top hundred and the fact that if she can
(41:51):
get I believe she's.
Speaker 7 (41:52):
Got a few points coming off.
Speaker 6 (41:53):
Is she can just get a few more points in
the last couple of tournaments of the year that will
solidify her inside the top one hundred. And it's not
just he strayin Open, she'll get mainjraw entry, but also
you know key being French Open and Wimbledon, because I
do not think she's got many points to defend the
first six months of the year.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
So we're a massive rise.
Speaker 7 (42:13):
Yeah. So it's a great opportunity for her and well deserved.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
She's had so many great wins.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Elene Osta Penko was such a massive moment for her
where it was like official that she was going to
break through the top one hundred. But I spoke to
her after a first round win and she was just like,
she was just getting emotional and like, when I say,
Prehn top one hundred.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
Player, what does that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (42:31):
She said exactly that so many people have told her
throughout her career she has the talent. Now she's there
all these setbacks and yeah, she just had a great
time and carried a smile on her face the whole time.
I watched a bit of the doubles with Caroline and Mukova,
who's one of her closest friends.
Speaker 4 (42:47):
They were just out.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
There winning and laughing their whole way through it, and
it was so good to see. And she loved Beijing.
She had a great time in New York. That's also
one of her favorites.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
She he's really good friends with Anasto.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Her and Anison over played against each other.
Speaker 6 (43:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So pre flew back to watch the
Windmuden final.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
That's right, was playing.
Speaker 7 (43:07):
So no, they've yeah, they've been friends for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
So we're going to slightly change tack, but still in
the same world of our Australian women. Australia is hosting
Brazil and Portugal and around Robin BJK Cup playoff in
Hobart from the fourteenth to sixteenth of November. You are
the captain, filling in for Sam Stoza as she is
a new mum. Now, I know that you've just alluded
(43:33):
to the fact that we will be shortly announcing who
will be in that team building it with Maya, But
how are you.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Feeling about it? I know you can't tell us anything.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
I kind of would love to know, but tell us
what you can tell us what even for a fan,
what they're expected to see. Hoba is one of our
favorite tennis locations. It is absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 6 (43:55):
Yeah, I mean, listen for the fan, it's three days
of fabulous tennis. It's a team competition. You know, Yes,
you have individual players, but it's the rare time in
the year that you come together.
Speaker 7 (44:07):
As a team and every win matters for the team.
Speaker 6 (44:10):
Country, yes, about individual So yeah, we're We're up against
Portugal on day one, and then Portugal play against Brazil
day two, and then we play against Brazil day three,
and I'm hoping that almost in a way, it's the
who goes through will be on day three, which makes
it more exciting. So yeah, I know, I'm excited about
(44:34):
the team. I'm excited about the team the fact that
we've spoken about these inform players that we have maya
pre but equally like doubles has significance because if we
go one to one in the singles, then it comes
down to the doubles. So we have to make sure that,
you know, we have the best players out on court
(44:55):
to win that doubles rubber. You know what makes it
hard for you know, actually shout out to Sam Stow.
So we went and I went out there and had
a breakfast with her and met little new little Emmy.
Speaker 7 (45:07):
It was it was gorgeous.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
So, you know, deciding and selecting the team is myself,
Sam and Rowan Fisher we bring along as coach. So
we had to catch up and we you know, talk
about all the different scenarios and it's always interesting the
doubles because you know, do you put doubles teams in
like who you know strictly played doubles. So those names
are you know, Hunter and Pereres.
Speaker 7 (45:28):
Do you go.
Speaker 6 (45:30):
With singles and a doubles player because the inform singles player,
So they're kind of the dynamics that you discuss, you know,
as captain and coach and select selecting the team to
start with and then there's a second selection when you
get there who you're actually going to pluck into the team.
But we'll be selecting five players for sure. One of
those we already know is Maya, so yeah, wait and see,
(45:53):
wait and see. Ready, they'll be announced by Thursday, actually
both next Thursday, you'll know.
Speaker 7 (46:00):
That the team is. We'll give you a head.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
That would be nice, and get your tickets if you're
in Tazzi or you can even come in.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
It's beautiful holidays.
Speaker 6 (46:09):
Location wise, there's no better view when you're actually at
the courts, the water looking you know, the coastline, the water.
I'm looking forward to the uh.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
Food and wine.
Speaker 1 (46:23):
Foodfood is the best.
Speaker 6 (46:27):
We're trying to get a secret secret trip to Yeah,
so we're trying to we'd love to get the players
there just for a bit of a cultural.
Speaker 7 (46:39):
Experience as well.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
We might have to come on that yeah, by accident.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Well we need our media. He's your guy. But what's
it feel like to be captain?
Speaker 6 (46:51):
It's special, it's special, It's it's you know. I've had
obviously a lot of experience, different experiences within tennis, playing, coaching,
being head of women's tennis, and this is the one
probably thing I haven't done, even though I feel like
as coach it's as good as being captain. Like I know,
when I got the phone call asking me if I,
(47:12):
you know, would want to be captain and accept being captain,
you know, my words were, well, I'll just continue to
do what I do. The only difference is I'm sitting
on the court. But no, I'm super super excited. It's
it's an honor, it's a privilege. Like there's so many
you know, amazing people that have you know, walked in
those shoes before me. So yeah, on a personal level,
(47:35):
I'm super privileged, grateful, excited, but ultimately the competitor in me.
You know, we want to get the job done. You know,
we want to you know, we live, breathe Australian tennis
and we want to win for our country. That's that's
something I've always probably worn on my sleeve through the
(47:55):
last kind of you know, we're getting on long time,
forty years.
Speaker 7 (48:01):
Of being involved in the game, so special. Thank you
for asking.
Speaker 1 (48:03):
No congratulations.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
We will be behind you and with you in Hobart
in November, and please go get your tickets if you can.
If you're based in Australia because it would definitely be amazing.
We are going to wrap up the show with our
favorite element, though, which is Ace of the Week, where
we talk about something that is making us happy in
our lives that doesn't have to be related to tennis.
It can be if you want, proddy. Normally we're very
(48:26):
strict for that rule.
Speaker 7 (48:27):
But I change no, sorry, I'll be good, but.
Speaker 1 (48:32):
We might start with you if you're keen.
Speaker 7 (48:34):
Yeah, no, not tennis related. Actually this one.
Speaker 6 (48:37):
You've got a serve clock, you've got feed okay, thirty
seven My thirty seconds are I can't reinforce enough about
looking after yourself. And when I say that, talking about
recovery and so like demon Ar, I was flying here,
there and everywhere, and so when I got back to Australia,
I was like, right, I want to spend quality time
(48:57):
with the family and equally I want to go look
up after myself. So I am on the search for
saunas oh in Melbourne to go?
Speaker 7 (49:07):
Where to go and relax? So for me?
Speaker 1 (49:10):
So have you found one?
Speaker 7 (49:12):
I want to try all different ones.
Speaker 4 (49:15):
Sauna review.
Speaker 7 (49:16):
Yes, I'll send you a couple of ease please.
Speaker 6 (49:18):
I quite like yeah, yeah, and there's all these wellness
centers for anxiety.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
And stress, and yeah, that's what I for.
Speaker 7 (49:27):
Ace the week with some me time and wellness.
Speaker 10 (49:32):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (49:32):
Pretty that's so good. Well why don't you go reees,
how do we top that though?
Speaker 1 (49:36):
As part of it?
Speaker 3 (49:37):
Well, yeah I can't. I'll get myself to a sauna
as well. I'd love to.
Speaker 2 (49:41):
Well, we look forward to hearing your list and rankings
of saunas because I am Vick Rudnikoff, our producer, is
keen to but rees over to you Ace of the Week.
Speaker 3 (49:50):
Yeah, a bit similar. I haven't been home for a
weekend in about six weeks. I'm looking forward to a
quiet weekend and I've got my housemate and a few
close friends running the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday, so I'm
going to go to the MCG and cheer them on
across the finish line. I think the only thing better
than achieving something yourself, your own personal thing, you're seeing
a close friend to you from you achieve their goals,
(50:12):
some really moving forwards. That it's super I love it.
I love just getting there and like a marathon is
a super super massive achievement. So I'm just looking forward
to seeing across the line and hopefully they're all okay
and they make it.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
Yeah right, what a nice guy.
Speaker 7 (50:26):
My friend and.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
A lot of my friends run and do marathons and
they always like come watch me, and I'm like coming
with it. But I now lived in the Botanic Garden,
so I've started to go and watch them run. And
there was one of I think maybe like two months ago,
three months ago, and I actually went with my dog
to watch them run. I actually had tears, yeah, watching
everyone and I was getting goosebumps and I was like,
I've been such a grinch.
Speaker 12 (50:50):
You run.
Speaker 3 (50:50):
That's your early morning my personal trainer fitness freak. He
finished before I woke up in the morning, so I
was like.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
He's too fast.
Speaker 6 (51:01):
Uick.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
No, that's great to finish with my ace of the week.
It's pretty boring. We've been really busy. I've kind of
got too, so I'm going to go fast. We've been
busy here at Turn Australia getting ready for the launch,
and obviously summer is approaching. So my first one is
how good our team is.
Speaker 1 (51:19):
And how proud I am of them.
Speaker 2 (51:20):
They travel the world and they're amazing and because of
all this business. I'm exhausted, so I'm having a weekend
at home on my own.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (51:28):
Cook, go to the gym, hang out with my animals,
and ideally see no one unless they're making me coffee.
Speaker 1 (51:35):
To be honest, it's kind of what I'm going for.
Speaker 2 (51:38):
I'm tired, not tired like an athlete, but you know
what plugging at a computer all day exhausting as.
Speaker 4 (51:45):
Well wellness and filling out your own cup.
Speaker 6 (51:49):
Well, you know what, Athletes are performers, and we're all
performers in our own.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Right and what we do and I couldn't do what
the athletes do exh pushing on the on the key.
But thank you so much Pratty for being here with
us today. So good to hear about BJK. Hopefully we
can talk to you prior, but if not, definitely during
and after.
Speaker 7 (52:10):
Absolutely thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
Oh my god, we love it.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
And November is around the corner, so we will see
you very soon. Reese, you have done an amazing job
being a co host. We will fire Xave next week.
We'll let him know when he's back tomorrow. But thank you.
Speaker 4 (52:24):
No, I wasn't as mean as.
Speaker 1 (52:27):
It's impossible it's absolutely impossible.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
We won't be joining you next week because we are
taking a break. We'll be back in two weeks where
we will be joined by the Saviles, who we have
spoken about that they're expecting which is very exciting. But
if you do want to steal tune in next week.
We do have the Best of the sit Down, which
is our Partner, which is our sister podcast with Matt
and Viv and you can see episodes like this one
(52:52):
that we're going to end on today, which was where
the guys interviewed Prehn.
Speaker 10 (52:58):
The I played before Winwooden was Berlin and I was
up a set and I don't even know, like quite
a lot in the second and I lost that match
seven to six and the third. I think what I
learned from that match was I need to stop playing
so safe. I think that's one thing that's really changed
in the last couple of weeks is that I'm playing
(53:20):
way more aggressive.
Speaker 8 (53:22):
And I feel like I.
Speaker 10 (53:23):
Did do that a few years ago, where I was
going up and then COVID everything, and then I feel
like I really lost my way and I started playing
so defensive and I wasn't happy with the way I
was playing at all, and I feel like now I
am kind of back to that and better.
Speaker 17 (53:40):
Hey everyone, perhaps and Andy here just want to remind
you that you can watch every episode of the Tennis
on our YouTube channel Astraight Open TV. And you can
also catch us on Tennis Plus by heading to ozopen
dot com forward slash tennis Plus.
Speaker 13 (53:51):
And if you want to flick us an email feedback
thoughts on the show comments, we're at podcast at tennis
dot com.
Speaker 4 (53:58):
You one of us who will read.
Speaker 7 (53:59):
It, but in the meantime we'll catch you in the
next one.
Speaker 17 (54:02):
So yat
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