October 21, 2024 • 28 mins
Jaslyn Hewitt-Shehadie has worn many hats in tennis, from professional player to high-performance coach, tournament director, and her current position as WTA Director of Player Relations. Jaslyn sits down with Matt and Viv to share insights from her extensive journey in the sport and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Hewitt-Shehadie also explains her passion for giving back to the sport that she considers a family of sorts.
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@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello and welcome to the sit down.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Viv Christy, managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine, and.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
I'm Brief Stewart.
Speaker 4 (00:08):
I'm from the AO Show.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
So Viv, tell me you're sitting down with Jaslyin Shewitt
Shahadi this week.
Speaker 4 (00:15):
Tell me why and a little bit about her.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Jacelin has worn so many hats in tennis, from professional
playing Korea to a high performance coach, tournament director and
many roles in between, and now she is the director
of player Relations at the WTA Tour.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, she's very passionate about giving back to the sport
and has some great insights for us.
Speaker 5 (00:39):
Jacelyin Hewitt Shahiti, thank you very much for joining us
on the sit Down in studio today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm great. Thanks.
Speaker 6 (00:46):
No, it's been a nice trip down to Melbourne. Got
some sunshine out here finally, so now it's always nice
to come down to Melbourne and to the Tennis center here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I thought it'd be great if you could start from
the very beginning, Relly and talk to us about how
you first got connected into tennis.
Speaker 6 (01:02):
Yes, that was a very long time ago, so mum
and dad after their sporting careers had finished. I'd played
s ANFL in South Australia in Adelaide and came over
here to Victoria and was in the VFL for a
couple of years with Richmond. They took up playing tennis
socially back in Adelaide at Seaside Tennis Club. So yeah,
(01:26):
having an older brother having a court in the backyard,
Mum and dad played socially, so basically started with a
racket in the hand from a very young age, was
always around the courts. Had some really great family memories
about being at the Seaside Tennis Club every Saturday for
basically morning camp and then afternoon comp. So that's pretty
(01:49):
much where it all started. And then yeah, was blessed
to go as far as I did playing so top
three hundred, had some really good experiences traveling the world.
Love that part of it. It's always positive when you
get to take get some extra time off school and
get to travel the world as well.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
So, yeah, we had had.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
A good career playing, got to three hundred, but then yeah,
unfortunately broke my hand and then yeah, life takes different pathways.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
I don't know your dad have played for Richmond. Actually
I have Varick for Richmond. So love that.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You obviously do come from a very sporting family, as
you say, Were there ever any other sports that competed
for your attention?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What did you most love about tennis?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Growing up, I still remember there was a night after
basketball training that was just done to get too much.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
So I used to play basketball. Really enjoyed that.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
We used to do athletics as well on a Friday night.
But then, yeah, tennis started to take over by the
age of twelve thirteen, started going on some international trips
with Tennis Australia back in the day. So yeah, basically
had to make a choice, and this is where trying
to get the right amount of hours and training in.
(03:05):
If you're going to pick one sport to make your
profession or that's your goal, we kind of got to
go one hundred percent in. So yeah, it was a
tough decision back in the day, and I loved playing basketball,
but yeah, it was probably a little bit better at tennis.
Had a great coach in Peter Smith back in Adelaide,
had a really great support team there. Mum and Dad
(03:27):
were always behind us, Slayton and myself even still now,
they're so supportive in our careers. So it's yeah, it's
been a fantastic journey.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
You say it was a tough choice, but it must
have felt like the right choice in the end. As
you say you had a pro career, I think that
went from say nineteen ninety nine to about two thousand
and five.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
What are your favorite memories from that time.
Speaker 6 (03:51):
I'm not sure that the pro career was probably some
of the highlights. I think it's the juniors growing up
and a lot of the world junior teams that we
went on on the tours that we went on. I
was in the Australian Institute a sport with Craig Morris
as a coach and we had a fantastic team. Then
Melissa Dow, Sam Stoza, Alisha Mullik or all some of
(04:14):
the players coming through.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
So I think it's the friendships.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
And the journeys that you go on, especially traveling back
then we went away for eight, nine, ten weeks in
a row with your mates, so we never came home
during that block, and I think that built our resilience.
Up to when I was older, I'd spend six months
of the year away basically leave as soon as the
Aussie summer was done, they have a couple of pro
(04:39):
tours then in going into April, similar schedule to what's
here in Australia now, and then you're in Europe until
maybe October November, and then you come back. So I
think those longer tours when we were juniors actually assisted
us build our resilience and passion for the game, and
then yeah, was able to build the career off that.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
In preparing for this interview, I looked at your Instagram
account and there was this really nice photo of you
with Elka Cleisters, and I just I have always I
was wondering what that experience is like because you reference
late and obviously two time major champion, world number one,
as a sibling of a very famous tennis player. What
is that experience like? Because there are so many tennis
players like that. I've just finished reading Naomi Osaka's biography
(05:24):
and there's a chapter dedicated to Mari Osaka, and there's
Marko Jokovic and so many like what was that like
for you? Because your careers overlapped.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Yeah, I always find that question interesting because I actually
don't know anything else. So I've always grown up. Layton
was always doing well, when he was fourteen fifteen, sixteen
on international tours, So when I started doing the same tours,
that was exciting. When he was fifteen, he then qualified
for the Yusie Open when he was sixteen, he one Adelaide,
(05:54):
So coming from being thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, when he's doing
all these things, it's yeah, I really don't know much else,
but the opportunities that did provide me were fantastic. So yeah,
traveling with Elka who was in a similar position with me,
with her sister Kim, understanding the pressures and traveling, and.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
More of the spotlight.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
Probably being on us as we're trying to make our
way through the pro tour events, so not necessarily being
on the top tour there, but still working our own
pathways out. But looking back at it, it is again
going back to those relationships in tennis, having lateon been
(06:40):
a strong part of the Davis Cup team, working with
Nukin Roachi and that.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Whole family environment.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
When I started working for Tennis Australia, I had one
of the toughest years as the AIS Pro Tour coach
on the road for about forty six weeks of the
year and just yeah, but I had sand and Stolly,
also Milo Bradley there, but Sandon I was always around
from Davis Cup days and he was a great mentor
(07:10):
for me on the road on during that period of time.
So it's definitely a second family there within the tennis.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Community, yeah, for sure. And you also alluded as well
to your playing career ending with a broken hand. That's
like a pretty horrific injury. And I don't actually think
I knew that part of your story very well and like, yeah,
what was that like to conf like how did that happen?
What was that like to confront and then making that decision, Yeah,
I can't play pro anymore because this is this is
really tough to overcome.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
So I was middle Sunday of Ozzie Open. Layton was
still in I was going out with my ex boyfriend
Jokim Johansson, Peter Luchak, and I had just lost mixed
doubles to the Black Brother and Sisters there Pimpim lost
to Agacy after serving a massive amount of aces and
then yeah, next minute, I've broken my hand and ended
(07:58):
up in hospital booked for surgery the couple days later.
So all bands didged up. I still remember being on
center court watching Layton's matches for a couple of the
second week of the AO there. But yeah, a Playton
five screws in. I got told within six weeks I
should be back out on the court. Unfortunately that didn't happen,
(08:19):
and just kept playing through pain. It was kind of
like this vibration sensation when I was making impact with
the ball. So six months later I had the Playton
screws taken out and then tried it a little bit
again after that, but it just was never the same.
It was affected by heat and cool and just the
nerves and things were a bit a bit out of whax.
(08:40):
So but yeah, I believe everything happens for a reason,
and it was at that point that, yeah, my next
career pathway in tennis began.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
But you have worn a lot of hats in tennis.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
You've been pro player, high performance coach, personal trainer, massage therapists.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Tournament.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Player welfare, broadcasting, You've worked in the women and girls space,
and now player relations. Is there any one area that
stands out for you the.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Mist No, I think it's all.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
It's all played a massive component into where I am today.
So it's all contributed to probably each area in each
stage of my own development building myself up to be
a business woman, was what was the next thing or
what was the next area that I could then evolve
(09:36):
or improve my current place of work.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
So within my initial role.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
In Adelaide, I got the role as the high performance
strength conditioning coach, then having to upskill myself as a
tennis coach with Rowan Fisher down there, so that then
built in the and was able to get the manager
role in Sydney with Sandon.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Was that two thousand and nine.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
So it's everything seems to evolve and keep building, and
it was probably my passion to actually give back and continue.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
To improve.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
What services or offerings were out for me then as
a player and then also as a coach, And that's
one thing I'm really excited about the role that I'm
in now with the WTA and also the coach Inclusion
program that we've launched and partnered with Tennis Australia for.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Did you ever imagine that tennis would open so many
doors for you?
Speaker 6 (10:42):
No, to be honest, when I stopped playing, I didn't
pick up a racket for twelve months, so I didn't
really want much to do with the sport. I wanted
to create my own pathway within that. But yeah, after
twelve months, I felt I had some really good people
that gave back to me in being really good hitters
for me, Louise Stacey and Luke Smith, Brett Smith back
(11:05):
in the day in Adelaide and that's where I just
walked into tennis to SA and I said, if you
need a hitter, I'm more than happy to jump on court.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
They go, what have you done?
Speaker 6 (11:13):
And then my strength and conditioning background was able to
open up a door there and the rest is pretty
much history.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So fantastic.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Yeah, that is fantastic and the progression that you've gone
into now which I find interesting. So working for the WTA,
your previous roles have all been with like TA or
SA in New South Wales. So what's it like shifting
to more of an international tennis lens than just an
Aussie tennis lens.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:36):
Probably working with the National Academy in New South Wales,
we did have a strong focus on being an international
level of player and what we wanted that to look like,
and we've been able to reap the rewards of that
with all the New South Wales guys in the top
of the top one hundred now, which has been fantastic.
So we always had an international focus or best of
(12:00):
practice focus for what we wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
It's nice for me.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
It's probably more so the international travel and that level
of tournament versus necessarily what that focus of the international
level was.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
And so yeah, speaking of that, you were telling us
before we started that it's mainly based. You're based in Sydney,
mainly in Australia, but there is a big travel component,
so yeah, what is the what will you be doing
in play relations at the WTA, Yes.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
So traveling about three months of the year to various tournaments.
Player relations has a large broad scope from making sure
that the players are well looked after. The WTA was
actually created by the players for the players, So we
have a lot of player Council meetings and feedback that
(12:50):
we receive from the players that we then look to
execute to continue to improve what the tour looks like
for them.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
So that varies.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Every day is different, depends on what the demands is,
depends on the amount of staff that we can have
there on site. Kind of got to be a jack
of all trades.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You might be.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Working with marketing and media one day, you might be
then working with the coaches another day. So part of
my role is also the working with the coaches program,
so other than the accredited coaches, Yeah, trying to really
build on our female coaching network out there on the tour,
just because there are so many challenges and barriers for
(13:32):
females to get on the tour in the first place.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
So yeah, well that follows into the next question perfectly.
So this WTA Coach Inclusion program you referred to before,
something obviously that is very important to you and you're
passionate about. So why is this and maybe you could
talk a little bit about what that program will bring.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
Yeah, so it probably for me I'm passionate about is
having a good role model, a mentor. When I was
coming up and having more females coaching and on the
tour as a high performance coach myself, it has been
a challenge raising two boys and being a player development coach,
(14:11):
so that is always a challenge. But this role, we
are providing great mentorship for the players sorry for the coaches,
where we will then partner the coaches up with pro
tour coaches that are already out there it's a great
opportunity for them to build their network, and that's one thing.
(14:34):
The main barrier that we find is a lot of
players will have a hitting partner that will organically grow
into that relationship and then have that next step. Unfortunately,
we don't necessarily see enough hitting partners out there being females.
So it's how do we then create that network and
environment for our female coaches to be in and around
(14:56):
and get their knowledge analytical skills. How they then relate
to the player, which is one thing we're finding is
very strong with a lot of the female players is
they're finding that female coaches are actually relating to them
a lot stronger.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Do you think that tennis is becoming somewhere that more
female coaches can thrive.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
Definitely, But I think it also depends on the stage
of the coach's life and journey, and that was definitely
one challenge for myself, even staying in working for Tennis
Australia and being on court until late in the evenings
and trying to come home and put your family and kids.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
To sleep at nine o'clock at night. So I do
understand that the role.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Does have the demands on it, but it is a
very inclusive place to work. We do have This year,
we've got five female coaches are coaching top fifty players
in the world, whereas you look back a couple of
years we only had five female coaching coaches coaching top
one hundred and fifty players in the world. So that
top end and where we're wanting to see it. This
(16:04):
program has had some really great success. I've had about
twenty applicants come through the North American program. We've had
two seasons of that. They're just about to start their
third third round of the North American Swing. We've got
the Tennis Australia program that we'll launch in Hong Kong
at the two fifty, which will be fantastic, so working
(16:24):
with Nicole Pratt and Belinda Culinari there that will be
delivering this as part as the Women's and Girls Initiative
from Tennis Australia. So it's great to have that collaboration
and support with Tennis Australia and the WTA both coming together.
We've also got one kicking off early December in London
with the LTA as well, so looking to try to
(16:46):
cover the globe with this initiative. And yeah, we've got
a few coaches that have come through the program and
our Billy Jinkin Cup captains, so we've got some really
good success stories out there from it.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You mentioned earlier that women players respond really well to
having a women's coach. What are the differences between sort
of coaching a female player and a male player do
you think?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
I don't think there's much differences for coaching a female
or a male. I probably think it's the way that
the coach handles the situation with the female player. I
think the emotions of what a female player and how
they handle their emotions there, and how that coach is
(17:32):
then reacting to that.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
I think that can probably be.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Misunderstood in some relationships that it's just always put down, oh,
she's emotional or she's this, whereas some days the player
may just prefer to have a training day, may have
a day off, may have other areas. And I think
it's that understanding of the whole player themselves that probably
(17:59):
the female co which is more willing to dive deeper
into and yeah, emotions are scary and having those deep conversations,
especially for tennis coaches when you're not necessarily taught a
psych degree on how to handle those. I think it's
probably the empathy or the maternal instinct that females and
(18:20):
female coaches have that they can really connect better. Who
are some of the coaches that you look back on
with great fondness or really motivated you or inspired you?
For me, I was always surrounded by male coaches. So
the one hitter that I did have and she was fantastic,
it was Louise Stacy. So she played OSIO Open Juniors,
(18:44):
tried on the tour for a little bit as well,
so as a female mentor, I did have her around.
But for me, probably my main two coaches that I
really clicked with were Peter Smith from a very young
age as well as Craig Morris during my years with AIS.
So I think both the way that those two went
(19:05):
about their coaching was actually understanding you and giving you
that full holistic development with how they're handling you and
how they're how.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
You're learning as a person.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
So yeah, I don't think it's it's black and white
that males can't can't do a really good job, but
I think that that connection between the player and the
coach really has to be strong, of.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Course, and I think we've seen that. Actually it was
Costchuk that's been talking about since she moved to working
with Sandra Zanievska. Yes, exactly what you said about just
having those conversations and relating. Just Sandra gets her in
a way that maybe a male coach didn't, and not
that the male coaches were bad, it's just a different relationship.
But she's also having her career best year, so you know,
(19:49):
maybe that works for her so.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Exactly, And that's that's one thing that Marta. Marta and
Sandra have been fantastic within this program. So when we've
had the coaches in the fine stages of the program,
they will partner up with a touring coach and we've
had some of our coaches partner with Sandra and then
been privileged to have some insights from Martyr as well.
And that's definitely one thing that was spoken very openly about,
(20:14):
is that relationship and understanding of the athlete.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
Now, if you've asked you about which coaches you enjoyed
working with, we also know that you worked with players,
and you alluded to before a lot of the players
coming through New South Wales have gone on to great things.
Who were some of your favorite players to guide and
coach and some of those great relationships you've had.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
Yeah, probably my main strongest relationship would have been with
Gabby DESILVERFK. So she's around four hundred now in the
world WTA had some injuries up and down the last
couple of years, but yeah, the last six months really
starting to step it up. So working with her day in,
day out, the commitment from the family, it is that
(20:50):
whole holistic relationship that you build with the family because
there's they're trusting so much of you as a coach,
the amount of our that you're with their son or daughter.
But yeah, working with Gabby has been very rewarding for
me and to see where she's still continuing to go.
(21:12):
Also had some great trips with Olivia Gadeki and Annlie
Paulus and Tina Smith. So yeah, it's been fantastic to
see how it lives done in the last.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
Time the woman of the hour, isn't she exactly.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
So no, so proud of her to see where she
is now, so taking some time off to reset herself
and now watching her sore is just fantastic to see.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Now. I guess you stayed so connected with the game
even since you stopped playing yourself, which was two thousand
and five, and in that time since then, how do
you see women's tennis having kind of progressed? I guess
we're in this we're in an ear and now A
lot of people we talk to say like, it's never
been more It's never been more physical and powerful. There
is an incredible depth in the sp that maybe we've
(22:00):
never seen before. We've got some players emerging that like
Eager and Arena, they've won like five slams and three slams. Like,
what do you when you watch women's centers now and
you're actually involved with the tool, what do you think
of the current state of women's tennis.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
It's very impressive where it's at the moment watching as
you touched on the physicality of the players is Yeah,
it's just improved in light years over the last a
decade or so, and I think it continues to the
amount of data and information that the coaches are getting
to continue to improve and tweak. I think the sports
science part of the coach and the whole team within
(22:37):
that environment, Yeah, it just continues to help getting that
player fitter, stronger. It's they're impressive athletes out there and
walking around at the tournaments. I actually in Australia, I
feel like at the shops I'm decent height. I actually
(22:58):
feel very short I'm walking around the tour, so these
women are like, yeah, another foot taller than me.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
It's just ridiculous.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
So no, definitely the physicality, but I think technology also
plays a massive part in that as well.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Sure you alluded to it earlier, but the current state
of Australian tennis, what do you make of it, and
especially the promising crop of young women.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Yes, I'm always proud to look at a program when
we had the National Academy in New South Wales and
what we were able to achieve there. We had a
great bunch of coaches there that were dedicated the culture
blue wool tennis culture that we have installed, that was
led by Demon back in the day when he was around.
(23:43):
And yeah, watching all of those guys, I love giving
Layton a little bit of a nudge that most of
his Davis Cup team did come from New South Wales
and also that Cruz is a New South Wales boy
as well. So no, it's fantastic to see them do
so well. But it's not just the ones that are
out on the tour that were able to make that transition.
We've had so many great athletes and also people that
(24:09):
have come through the program. So the ones that have
gone to US College, unfortunately a handful or a lot
of those have actually stayed over in the college and coaching,
So we're missing out on that talent that was homegrown
and they've had a great opportunity. No hex fees go
to college, and then we've got some that have stayed there.
We've got others that are lawyers in Sydney. So it's
(24:32):
really impressive to see where where tennis can take you
and the opportunities that it can provide. And yes, we
definitely celebrate the guys that are up there on the top,
but there's a lot of different pathways and I think
probably my journey speaks to that.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Absolutely, I just have to throw in one last question.
I'm sorry listening to you talk. The thing that strikes
me the mist as much as tennis is an individual sport,
it's been all about the team for you and everything
that comes back to So is that one of the
great fallacies of tennis that it's such an individual sport?
I think it definitely it is an individual sport. I
(25:08):
would say until you're about fourteen and under, and then
you start to really work out who your good mates
are on the court. You're able to travel the world,
you're all in the same position together.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
You might be slumming it in hotel rooms.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
I think you have a lot of story about the
Challenger guys and sleeping in cars and those sorts of things,
but they're the memories that also make it as well.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
YEA, so it is. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
I always refer to it as a tennis family, and
I do strongly believe that that was probably instilled in
in myself through Leyton and through the Davis Cup team,
because the way that Nuke and Roach were always looking
after those boys, and the way that Layton looks after
that next generation with the Orange Boys, how he had
(25:56):
Hayden Jones and Charlie Camu the last few years Ringe
boys really building what that environment is and what that
culture is. And I think if that's led from the
top with the Davis Cup team and that always filtered
down with us.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Well, it's been great hearing about your experiences. Thank you
so much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Worries, good luck with the next part of your career.
This new move into the WT and the women's coaching space.
It's awesome and look forward to seeing what happens there.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Thank you. Yes, it's very exciting.
Speaker 6 (26:27):
I'm looking forward to Hong Kong and kicking it off
there before we get to wrap it up during the
Aussie Open.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
So viv Jaslyn just finished on talking about how tennis
becomes such a family, such a community, and I think
that's one of the things I get out of the
most when I talk to tennis players, how much of
a community feel this sport can be. It's obvious that
her and Laden grew up in a very very sports
centric family, so I guess that that family aspect is
(26:57):
just ingrained in everything they do.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, it's interesting that she said that she has never
known anything else other than growing up as Leyton's sister,
which obviously created some pressure for her, but she used
it in a really positive way. And yeah, I love
the fact that she talks about how relationships are everything
to her in tennis.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, and you'd need it to be. And Jaslyn said
that some of her main inspirations in terms of females
in Australia were Alisha Moley Can, Sam Stoza, We obviously
know that they're amazingly phenomenal athletes and players. So for Jaslyn,
what do you think the main kind of element of
their personalities is why she was so inspired by them?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
I think it was what we were actually just talking about,
that they are real team players and she got to
spend time with them in a team environment.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
You know, she's passionate about giving opportunity opportunities to women
in tennis, so yeah, really positive person to have around.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Is this actually kind of like just the next step
for her and her career going into the WTA.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Absolutely, And she talks a lot about how every role
she's taken something, She's learned something in every role and
taken it into the next role. One of her past
roles at Tennis Australia is in the women and girls' space,
and now she has such a great opportunity to further
influence that in a really positive way.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
That's really exciting.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, it's definitely exciting. And we'll be back next week
with another episode of the sit Down. In the meantime,
you can tune into John and the Team on The
AO Show weekly on Thursday. Details for how to contact
us are in the show notes. Remember to subscribe, rate, and.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Review, and Matt will be back with you next week.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
How exciting is exciting, But thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Brice, You're welcome anytime.
Hello and welcome to the sit down.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Viv Christy, managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine, and.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
I'm Brief Stewart.
Speaker 4 (00:08):
I'm from the AO Show.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
So Viv, tell me you're sitting down with Jaslyin Shewitt
Shahadi this week.
Speaker 4 (00:15):
Tell me why and a little bit about her.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Jacelin has worn so many hats in tennis, from professional
playing Korea to a high performance coach, tournament director and
many roles in between, and now she is the director
of player Relations at the WTA Tour.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, she's very passionate about giving back to the sport
and has some great insights for us.
Speaker 5 (00:39):
Jacelyin Hewitt Shahiti, thank you very much for joining us
on the sit Down in studio today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm great. Thanks.
Speaker 6 (00:46):
No, it's been a nice trip down to Melbourne. Got
some sunshine out here finally, so now it's always nice
to come down to Melbourne and to the Tennis center here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I thought it'd be great if you could start from
the very beginning, Relly and talk to us about how
you first got connected into tennis.
Speaker 6 (01:02):
Yes, that was a very long time ago, so mum
and dad after their sporting careers had finished. I'd played
s ANFL in South Australia in Adelaide and came over
here to Victoria and was in the VFL for a
couple of years with Richmond. They took up playing tennis
socially back in Adelaide at Seaside Tennis Club. So yeah,
(01:26):
having an older brother having a court in the backyard,
Mum and dad played socially, so basically started with a
racket in the hand from a very young age, was
always around the courts. Had some really great family memories
about being at the Seaside Tennis Club every Saturday for
basically morning camp and then afternoon comp. So that's pretty
(01:49):
much where it all started. And then yeah, was blessed
to go as far as I did playing so top
three hundred, had some really good experiences traveling the world.
Love that part of it. It's always positive when you
get to take get some extra time off school and
get to travel the world as well.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
So, yeah, we had had.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
A good career playing, got to three hundred, but then yeah,
unfortunately broke my hand and then yeah, life takes different pathways.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
I don't know your dad have played for Richmond. Actually
I have Varick for Richmond. So love that.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You obviously do come from a very sporting family, as
you say, Were there ever any other sports that competed
for your attention?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What did you most love about tennis?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (02:33):
Growing up, I still remember there was a night after
basketball training that was just done to get too much.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
So I used to play basketball. Really enjoyed that.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
We used to do athletics as well on a Friday night.
But then, yeah, tennis started to take over by the
age of twelve thirteen, started going on some international trips
with Tennis Australia back in the day. So yeah, basically
had to make a choice, and this is where trying
to get the right amount of hours and training in.
(03:05):
If you're going to pick one sport to make your
profession or that's your goal, we kind of got to
go one hundred percent in. So yeah, it was a
tough decision back in the day, and I loved playing basketball,
but yeah, it was probably a little bit better at tennis.
Had a great coach in Peter Smith back in Adelaide,
had a really great support team there. Mum and Dad
(03:27):
were always behind us, Slayton and myself even still now,
they're so supportive in our careers. So it's yeah, it's
been a fantastic journey.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
You say it was a tough choice, but it must
have felt like the right choice in the end. As
you say you had a pro career, I think that
went from say nineteen ninety nine to about two thousand
and five.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
What are your favorite memories from that time.
Speaker 6 (03:51):
I'm not sure that the pro career was probably some
of the highlights. I think it's the juniors growing up
and a lot of the world junior teams that we
went on on the tours that we went on. I
was in the Australian Institute a sport with Craig Morris
as a coach and we had a fantastic team. Then
Melissa Dow, Sam Stoza, Alisha Mullik or all some of
(04:14):
the players coming through.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
So I think it's the friendships.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
And the journeys that you go on, especially traveling back
then we went away for eight, nine, ten weeks in
a row with your mates, so we never came home
during that block, and I think that built our resilience.
Up to when I was older, I'd spend six months
of the year away basically leave as soon as the
Aussie summer was done, they have a couple of pro
(04:39):
tours then in going into April, similar schedule to what's
here in Australia now, and then you're in Europe until
maybe October November, and then you come back. So I
think those longer tours when we were juniors actually assisted
us build our resilience and passion for the game, and
then yeah, was able to build the career off that.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
In preparing for this interview, I looked at your Instagram
account and there was this really nice photo of you
with Elka Cleisters, and I just I have always I
was wondering what that experience is like because you reference
late and obviously two time major champion, world number one,
as a sibling of a very famous tennis player. What
is that experience like? Because there are so many tennis
players like that. I've just finished reading Naomi Osaka's biography
(05:24):
and there's a chapter dedicated to Mari Osaka, and there's
Marko Jokovic and so many like what was that like
for you? Because your careers overlapped.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Yeah, I always find that question interesting because I actually
don't know anything else. So I've always grown up. Layton
was always doing well, when he was fourteen fifteen, sixteen
on international tours, So when I started doing the same tours,
that was exciting. When he was fifteen, he then qualified
for the Yusie Open when he was sixteen, he one Adelaide,
(05:54):
So coming from being thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, when he's doing
all these things, it's yeah, I really don't know much else,
but the opportunities that did provide me were fantastic. So yeah,
traveling with Elka who was in a similar position with me,
with her sister Kim, understanding the pressures and traveling, and.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
More of the spotlight.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
Probably being on us as we're trying to make our
way through the pro tour events, so not necessarily being
on the top tour there, but still working our own
pathways out. But looking back at it, it is again
going back to those relationships in tennis, having lateon been
(06:40):
a strong part of the Davis Cup team, working with
Nukin Roachi and that.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
Whole family environment.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
When I started working for Tennis Australia, I had one
of the toughest years as the AIS Pro Tour coach
on the road for about forty six weeks of the
year and just yeah, but I had sand and Stolly,
also Milo Bradley there, but Sandon I was always around
from Davis Cup days and he was a great mentor
(07:10):
for me on the road on during that period of time.
So it's definitely a second family there within the tennis.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Community, yeah, for sure. And you also alluded as well
to your playing career ending with a broken hand. That's
like a pretty horrific injury. And I don't actually think
I knew that part of your story very well and like, yeah,
what was that like to conf like how did that happen?
What was that like to confront and then making that decision, Yeah,
I can't play pro anymore because this is this is
really tough to overcome.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
So I was middle Sunday of Ozzie Open. Layton was
still in I was going out with my ex boyfriend
Jokim Johansson, Peter Luchak, and I had just lost mixed
doubles to the Black Brother and Sisters there Pimpim lost
to Agacy after serving a massive amount of aces and
then yeah, next minute, I've broken my hand and ended
(07:58):
up in hospital booked for surgery the couple days later.
So all bands didged up. I still remember being on
center court watching Layton's matches for a couple of the
second week of the AO there. But yeah, a Playton
five screws in. I got told within six weeks I
should be back out on the court. Unfortunately that didn't happen,
(08:19):
and just kept playing through pain. It was kind of
like this vibration sensation when I was making impact with
the ball. So six months later I had the Playton
screws taken out and then tried it a little bit
again after that, but it just was never the same.
It was affected by heat and cool and just the
nerves and things were a bit a bit out of whax.
(08:40):
So but yeah, I believe everything happens for a reason,
and it was at that point that, yeah, my next
career pathway in tennis began.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
But you have worn a lot of hats in tennis.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
You've been pro player, high performance coach, personal trainer, massage therapists.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Tournament.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Player welfare, broadcasting, You've worked in the women and girls space,
and now player relations. Is there any one area that
stands out for you the.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Mist No, I think it's all.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
It's all played a massive component into where I am today.
So it's all contributed to probably each area in each
stage of my own development building myself up to be
a business woman, was what was the next thing or
what was the next area that I could then evolve
(09:36):
or improve my current place of work.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
So within my initial role.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
In Adelaide, I got the role as the high performance
strength conditioning coach, then having to upskill myself as a
tennis coach with Rowan Fisher down there, so that then
built in the and was able to get the manager
role in Sydney with Sandon.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Was that two thousand and nine.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
So it's everything seems to evolve and keep building, and
it was probably my passion to actually give back and continue.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
To improve.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
What services or offerings were out for me then as
a player and then also as a coach, And that's
one thing I'm really excited about the role that I'm
in now with the WTA and also the coach Inclusion
program that we've launched and partnered with Tennis Australia for.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Did you ever imagine that tennis would open so many
doors for you?
Speaker 6 (10:42):
No, to be honest, when I stopped playing, I didn't
pick up a racket for twelve months, so I didn't
really want much to do with the sport. I wanted
to create my own pathway within that. But yeah, after
twelve months, I felt I had some really good people
that gave back to me in being really good hitters
for me, Louise Stacey and Luke Smith, Brett Smith back
(11:05):
in the day in Adelaide and that's where I just
walked into tennis to SA and I said, if you
need a hitter, I'm more than happy to jump on court.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
They go, what have you done?
Speaker 6 (11:13):
And then my strength and conditioning background was able to
open up a door there and the rest is pretty
much history.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So fantastic.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Yeah, that is fantastic and the progression that you've gone
into now which I find interesting. So working for the WTA,
your previous roles have all been with like TA or
SA in New South Wales. So what's it like shifting
to more of an international tennis lens than just an
Aussie tennis lens.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:36):
Probably working with the National Academy in New South Wales,
we did have a strong focus on being an international
level of player and what we wanted that to look like,
and we've been able to reap the rewards of that
with all the New South Wales guys in the top
of the top one hundred now, which has been fantastic.
So we always had an international focus or best of
(12:00):
practice focus for what we wanted to do.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
It's nice for me.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
It's probably more so the international travel and that level
of tournament versus necessarily what that focus of the international
level was.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
And so yeah, speaking of that, you were telling us
before we started that it's mainly based. You're based in Sydney,
mainly in Australia, but there is a big travel component,
so yeah, what is the what will you be doing
in play relations at the WTA, Yes.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
So traveling about three months of the year to various tournaments.
Player relations has a large broad scope from making sure
that the players are well looked after. The WTA was
actually created by the players for the players, So we
have a lot of player Council meetings and feedback that
(12:50):
we receive from the players that we then look to
execute to continue to improve what the tour looks like
for them.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
So that varies.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Every day is different, depends on what the demands is,
depends on the amount of staff that we can have
there on site. Kind of got to be a jack
of all trades.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You might be.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Working with marketing and media one day, you might be
then working with the coaches another day. So part of
my role is also the working with the coaches program,
so other than the accredited coaches, Yeah, trying to really
build on our female coaching network out there on the tour,
just because there are so many challenges and barriers for
(13:32):
females to get on the tour in the first place.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
So yeah, well that follows into the next question perfectly.
So this WTA Coach Inclusion program you referred to before,
something obviously that is very important to you and you're
passionate about. So why is this and maybe you could
talk a little bit about what that program will bring.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
Yeah, so it probably for me I'm passionate about is
having a good role model, a mentor. When I was
coming up and having more females coaching and on the
tour as a high performance coach myself, it has been
a challenge raising two boys and being a player development coach,
(14:11):
so that is always a challenge. But this role, we
are providing great mentorship for the players sorry for the coaches,
where we will then partner the coaches up with pro
tour coaches that are already out there it's a great
opportunity for them to build their network, and that's one thing.
(14:34):
The main barrier that we find is a lot of
players will have a hitting partner that will organically grow
into that relationship and then have that next step. Unfortunately,
we don't necessarily see enough hitting partners out there being females.
So it's how do we then create that network and
environment for our female coaches to be in and around
(14:56):
and get their knowledge analytical skills. How they then relate
to the player, which is one thing we're finding is
very strong with a lot of the female players is
they're finding that female coaches are actually relating to them
a lot stronger.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Do you think that tennis is becoming somewhere that more
female coaches can thrive.
Speaker 6 (15:20):
Definitely, But I think it also depends on the stage
of the coach's life and journey, and that was definitely
one challenge for myself, even staying in working for Tennis
Australia and being on court until late in the evenings
and trying to come home and put your family and kids.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
To sleep at nine o'clock at night. So I do
understand that the role.
Speaker 6 (15:42):
Does have the demands on it, but it is a
very inclusive place to work. We do have This year,
we've got five female coaches are coaching top fifty players
in the world, whereas you look back a couple of
years we only had five female coaching coaches coaching top
one hundred and fifty players in the world. So that
top end and where we're wanting to see it. This
(16:04):
program has had some really great success. I've had about
twenty applicants come through the North American program. We've had
two seasons of that. They're just about to start their
third third round of the North American Swing. We've got
the Tennis Australia program that we'll launch in Hong Kong
at the two fifty, which will be fantastic, so working
(16:24):
with Nicole Pratt and Belinda Culinari there that will be
delivering this as part as the Women's and Girls Initiative
from Tennis Australia. So it's great to have that collaboration
and support with Tennis Australia and the WTA both coming together.
We've also got one kicking off early December in London
with the LTA as well, so looking to try to
(16:46):
cover the globe with this initiative. And yeah, we've got
a few coaches that have come through the program and
our Billy Jinkin Cup captains, so we've got some really
good success stories out there from it.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You mentioned earlier that women players respond really well to
having a women's coach. What are the differences between sort
of coaching a female player and a male player do
you think?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
I don't think there's much differences for coaching a female
or a male. I probably think it's the way that
the coach handles the situation with the female player. I
think the emotions of what a female player and how
they handle their emotions there, and how that coach is
(17:32):
then reacting to that.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
I think that can probably be.
Speaker 6 (17:37):
Misunderstood in some relationships that it's just always put down, oh,
she's emotional or she's this, whereas some days the player
may just prefer to have a training day, may have
a day off, may have other areas. And I think
it's that understanding of the whole player themselves that probably
(17:59):
the female co which is more willing to dive deeper
into and yeah, emotions are scary and having those deep conversations,
especially for tennis coaches when you're not necessarily taught a
psych degree on how to handle those. I think it's
probably the empathy or the maternal instinct that females and
(18:20):
female coaches have that they can really connect better. Who
are some of the coaches that you look back on
with great fondness or really motivated you or inspired you?
For me, I was always surrounded by male coaches. So
the one hitter that I did have and she was fantastic,
it was Louise Stacy. So she played OSIO Open Juniors,
(18:44):
tried on the tour for a little bit as well,
so as a female mentor, I did have her around.
But for me, probably my main two coaches that I
really clicked with were Peter Smith from a very young
age as well as Craig Morris during my years with AIS.
So I think both the way that those two went
(19:05):
about their coaching was actually understanding you and giving you
that full holistic development with how they're handling you and
how they're how.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
You're learning as a person.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
So yeah, I don't think it's it's black and white
that males can't can't do a really good job, but
I think that that connection between the player and the
coach really has to be strong, of.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Course, and I think we've seen that. Actually it was
Costchuk that's been talking about since she moved to working
with Sandra Zanievska. Yes, exactly what you said about just
having those conversations and relating. Just Sandra gets her in
a way that maybe a male coach didn't, and not
that the male coaches were bad, it's just a different relationship.
But she's also having her career best year, so you know,
(19:49):
maybe that works for her so.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Exactly, And that's that's one thing that Marta. Marta and
Sandra have been fantastic within this program. So when we've
had the coaches in the fine stages of the program,
they will partner up with a touring coach and we've
had some of our coaches partner with Sandra and then
been privileged to have some insights from Martyr as well.
And that's definitely one thing that was spoken very openly about,
(20:14):
is that relationship and understanding of the athlete.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
Now, if you've asked you about which coaches you enjoyed
working with, we also know that you worked with players,
and you alluded to before a lot of the players
coming through New South Wales have gone on to great things.
Who were some of your favorite players to guide and
coach and some of those great relationships you've had.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
Yeah, probably my main strongest relationship would have been with
Gabby DESILVERFK. So she's around four hundred now in the
world WTA had some injuries up and down the last
couple of years, but yeah, the last six months really
starting to step it up. So working with her day in,
day out, the commitment from the family, it is that
(20:50):
whole holistic relationship that you build with the family because
there's they're trusting so much of you as a coach,
the amount of our that you're with their son or daughter.
But yeah, working with Gabby has been very rewarding for
me and to see where she's still continuing to go.
(21:12):
Also had some great trips with Olivia Gadeki and Annlie
Paulus and Tina Smith. So yeah, it's been fantastic to
see how it lives done in the last.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
Time the woman of the hour, isn't she exactly.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
So no, so proud of her to see where she
is now, so taking some time off to reset herself
and now watching her sore is just fantastic to see.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Now. I guess you stayed so connected with the game
even since you stopped playing yourself, which was two thousand
and five, and in that time since then, how do
you see women's tennis having kind of progressed? I guess
we're in this we're in an ear and now A
lot of people we talk to say like, it's never
been more It's never been more physical and powerful. There
is an incredible depth in the sp that maybe we've
(22:00):
never seen before. We've got some players emerging that like
Eager and Arena, they've won like five slams and three slams. Like,
what do you when you watch women's centers now and
you're actually involved with the tool, what do you think
of the current state of women's tennis.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
It's very impressive where it's at the moment watching as
you touched on the physicality of the players is Yeah,
it's just improved in light years over the last a
decade or so, and I think it continues to the
amount of data and information that the coaches are getting
to continue to improve and tweak. I think the sports
science part of the coach and the whole team within
(22:37):
that environment, Yeah, it just continues to help getting that
player fitter, stronger. It's they're impressive athletes out there and
walking around at the tournaments. I actually in Australia, I
feel like at the shops I'm decent height. I actually
(22:58):
feel very short I'm walking around the tour, so these
women are like, yeah, another foot taller than me.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
It's just ridiculous.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
So no, definitely the physicality, but I think technology also
plays a massive part in that as well.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Sure you alluded to it earlier, but the current state
of Australian tennis, what do you make of it, and
especially the promising crop of young women.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Yes, I'm always proud to look at a program when
we had the National Academy in New South Wales and
what we were able to achieve there. We had a
great bunch of coaches there that were dedicated the culture
blue wool tennis culture that we have installed, that was
led by Demon back in the day when he was around.
(23:43):
And yeah, watching all of those guys, I love giving
Layton a little bit of a nudge that most of
his Davis Cup team did come from New South Wales
and also that Cruz is a New South Wales boy
as well. So no, it's fantastic to see them do
so well. But it's not just the ones that are
out on the tour that were able to make that transition.
We've had so many great athletes and also people that
(24:09):
have come through the program. So the ones that have
gone to US College, unfortunately a handful or a lot
of those have actually stayed over in the college and coaching,
So we're missing out on that talent that was homegrown
and they've had a great opportunity. No hex fees go
to college, and then we've got some that have stayed there.
We've got others that are lawyers in Sydney. So it's
(24:32):
really impressive to see where where tennis can take you
and the opportunities that it can provide. And yes, we
definitely celebrate the guys that are up there on the top,
but there's a lot of different pathways and I think
probably my journey speaks to that.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Absolutely, I just have to throw in one last question.
I'm sorry listening to you talk. The thing that strikes
me the mist as much as tennis is an individual sport,
it's been all about the team for you and everything
that comes back to So is that one of the
great fallacies of tennis that it's such an individual sport?
I think it definitely it is an individual sport. I
(25:08):
would say until you're about fourteen and under, and then
you start to really work out who your good mates
are on the court. You're able to travel the world,
you're all in the same position together.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
You might be slumming it in hotel rooms.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
I think you have a lot of story about the
Challenger guys and sleeping in cars and those sorts of things,
but they're the memories that also make it as well.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
YEA, so it is. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:33):
I always refer to it as a tennis family, and
I do strongly believe that that was probably instilled in
in myself through Leyton and through the Davis Cup team,
because the way that Nuke and Roach were always looking
after those boys, and the way that Layton looks after
that next generation with the Orange Boys, how he had
(25:56):
Hayden Jones and Charlie Camu the last few years Ringe
boys really building what that environment is and what that
culture is. And I think if that's led from the
top with the Davis Cup team and that always filtered
down with us.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Well, it's been great hearing about your experiences. Thank you
so much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
Worries, good luck with the next part of your career.
This new move into the WT and the women's coaching space.
It's awesome and look forward to seeing what happens there.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Thank you. Yes, it's very exciting.
Speaker 6 (26:27):
I'm looking forward to Hong Kong and kicking it off
there before we get to wrap it up during the
Aussie Open.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
So viv Jaslyn just finished on talking about how tennis
becomes such a family, such a community, and I think
that's one of the things I get out of the
most when I talk to tennis players, how much of
a community feel this sport can be. It's obvious that
her and Laden grew up in a very very sports
centric family, so I guess that that family aspect is
(26:57):
just ingrained in everything they do.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, it's interesting that she said that she has never
known anything else other than growing up as Leyton's sister,
which obviously created some pressure for her, but she used
it in a really positive way. And yeah, I love
the fact that she talks about how relationships are everything
to her in tennis.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, and you'd need it to be. And Jaslyn said
that some of her main inspirations in terms of females
in Australia were Alisha Moley Can, Sam Stoza, We obviously
know that they're amazingly phenomenal athletes and players. So for Jaslyn,
what do you think the main kind of element of
their personalities is why she was so inspired by them?
Speaker 2 (27:36):
I think it was what we were actually just talking about,
that they are real team players and she got to
spend time with them in a team environment.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
You know, she's passionate about giving opportunity opportunities to women
in tennis, so yeah, really positive person to have around.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Is this actually kind of like just the next step
for her and her career going into the WTA.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Absolutely, And she talks a lot about how every role
she's taken something, She's learned something in every role and
taken it into the next role. One of her past
roles at Tennis Australia is in the women and girls' space,
and now she has such a great opportunity to further
influence that in a really positive way.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
That's really exciting.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah, it's definitely exciting. And we'll be back next week
with another episode of the sit Down. In the meantime,
you can tune into John and the Team on The
AO Show weekly on Thursday. Details for how to contact
us are in the show notes. Remember to subscribe, rate, and.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Review, and Matt will be back with you next week.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
How exciting is exciting, But thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Brice, You're welcome anytime.
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