February 13, 2025 • 43 mins
The USTA has announced big changes to the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship, including moving to a two-day format during Fan Week — John Fitzgerald and Storm Hunter react to the news, while Storm reveals her comeback plans. Belinda Bencic has secured her first title since becoming a mother, winning the crown in Abu Dhabi. Iga Swiatek is gunning for a fourth straight title in Doha, with three of the top five seeds out before the quarterfinals. Alex de Minaur has ascended to an equal career-high world No.6 after finishing runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz in Rotterdam. Jannik Sinner is set to return to the match court for the first time since his AO25 triumph among a star-studded men’s field in Doha. Plus Brie reveals her top 5 social media comments from Tennis lovers.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Good ay, and welcome to the tennis for episode twenty
one of season seven. While the US Open is shaking
things up with the mixed doubles. In twenty twenty five,
Demon has fallen to Alcaraz in Rotterdam, but back up
to a career high world number six, and we're down
to the business end in Goha, but some surprise upsets
as we round into the quarter finals. That's all ahead
on the tennis with me. John Huvenis, Briece Stewart is
(00:25):
with me.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome back, bri Thank you, good to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Australian legend John Fitzgerald joins us. Welcome Fitzie, Thank.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You, Jonathan Ge you put me on the back foot already,
thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Soon to make another big splash in the world of tennis,
with some exciting news to come today, Storm Hunter, Welcome Storm.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Hi.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
It's been a while.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Have you been keeping up with Storm's Instagram account.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Of all like a creeper, some very inspirational content. Yeah,
it's been so good.
Speaker 6 (00:52):
We're actually talking about it before and I was quizzing
here on what's been happening and from what we've seen,
so yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We do look forward to hearing your announcement, but we're
going to do what's caught your eyes. We like to
start every regulation episode with and over to you, Fitz,
see what's caught your eye in the tennis world this week.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, I think the biggest news for me is the
quite dramatic changes that the USTA are making, or the
US Open is making to mixed doubles. And there's been
a big announcement in the last twenty four hours or
so on the US Open putting the mixed doubles in
a reduced format and a different type of format into
the first week, the week of qualifying for their event,
(01:29):
and it's really causing some discussion. I think there'll be
opinions everywhere about it and something that we probably really
need to touch.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
On this statement from the USTA overnight. The USTA has
reimagined and elevated the focus of the mixed doubles by
moving it to the first week of the US Open,
So that'll be Tuesday the nineteenth to Wednesday the twentieth
of August, a two day format played on Arthur ash
Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. The USTA Executive Director and
(01:59):
CEO Lou Sure says we'll be scheduling mixed doubles on
the center stage and enabling more fans worldwide to enjoy
the thrill of watching their favorite stars compete for this
coveted Grand Slam championship title. So it seems as if
the intention here is to get bigger names playing on
their own stage earlier in the week to attract more fans, Right, yeah.
Speaker 7 (02:21):
I think so, And I understand what they're trying to do.
They're trying to get more interest into the US Open.
Mixed doubles is so much fun to watch, even when
it's the best singles players in the world. We love
kind of seeing them interact on court, how they go
about it. But for me, I'm a really big traditionalist
and I think, to I guess, put a Grand Slam
title on that mixed doubles I'm not a fan of
(02:43):
at all. I think it should be in the two
weeks of a Grand Slam. It should be you know,
the mixed doubles right now. It's best of your singles
or doubles rankings. So singles players can already enter it
during a Grand Slam. It's not like they don't have access.
It's not just for doubles players. It's for the best
players in the world singles or doubles, and singles players
aren't playing that at the moment, and I think it's
(03:04):
a great idea to have an exhibition like that in
the week leading into the US Open. But I'm definitely
not a fan of the fact that it's going to
be a grand slime title. It's taking jobs away from
doubles players and pretty.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Rogue decision FITSI.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's certainly going to raise a lot of eyebrows. It's
changing the format into something that we haven't sort of
seen before. But look, I wonder whether the discussion should
be a little deeper than just the fact that they've
changed this. I've been a bit of a critic, sort
of in my own little area here in Australia for
a while about how doubles has evolved a little bit
(03:40):
and the dimensions of the court are still the same,
but the equipment has changed so dramatically in the last
twenty odd years that it's changed the game of doubles.
And there have been coaches, and to their credit, who
have worked out and taught their players how to win
a doubles match playing a different way, and that is
crowding the so much when their partner serves a big
(04:03):
serve that they can just like pick a cherriot at
the net. And to me, what has worried me about
that is that it's taken some of the nuances away,
the skill the skill sets away that are traditional. And
I'm also a huge lover of doubles Silma, and it
was a big part of my life and I used
to love playing it as well as singles. But I
(04:26):
just wonder whether that has had a or whether that
has caused some of these thought processes to come to
the fore because of how the game of doubles has evolved.
That's what my in the minds of the tournaments possibly
And you know, I heard one of our very prominent commentators,
jingustrain Open I agreed with him say that. Look in Pickaball,
(04:47):
for instance, you have a zone where the player can't
get too close to the net. And I just wonder,
maybe it's too late for any of that to change.
Speaker 8 (04:56):
But the game of.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Doubles, I think has lost some of its skill set,
in fact, a lot of its skill set.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
And I don't necessarily.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Think that's been a great thing, but it's been a
natural evolution because the dimensions of the court are still
the same. They can hit the ball harder now with
the modern equipment which has allowed them to win points
in an easier fashion closer to the net. So whether
that's influenced this decision, probably not, but it might be
part of a very small part of the evolution of
(05:25):
how the game of doubles is perceived.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Just a question for both of you.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
But if we are if some of the art of
doubles has been lost, something like this probably doesn't really
help bring it back, though, does it. Because I know
they're saying using words like reimagined and elevated, right, I'm not.
Speaker 9 (05:42):
Sure that they are necessarily elevating, yeah, just making it
more entertaining and exhibition, which again, when that is played,
it's been played at Indian Worlds in the last few years.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Like I really enjoy watching it.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
It's actually quite fun to watch, and there's definitely a
place for that. But when I think you're putting a
Grand Slam top idol on the line over two days,
even shortening the format first of four in the sets
instead of you know, a standard format, I just think
it doesn't quite Grand Slam title to be a Grandslime
champion in the mixed doubles. It doesn't have the same yeah,
(06:15):
the meaning, and.
Speaker 8 (06:16):
Yeah it's lightened the value, hasn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, I think that's what it feels like, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
And you're a former champion of the US Open Mixed doubles,
So what was your reaction and what does this mean
for you? Possibly in August of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (06:29):
Yeah, it was pretty shocking and a little bit disappointing, because, yeah,
I have amazing memories. That's where I became a Grand
Slam champion for the first time at the US Open,
playing with John Piers and you know, we played a
full ten days of the tournament. There beat a lot
of really good teams singles players as well, not just
doubles players who signed up and played and got the
(06:50):
opportunity to play on Arthur ash Stadium and to become
Grandslim champions was amazing.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
And the first thing that I thought.
Speaker 7 (06:55):
Was like, oh, wow, I'm probably not going to get
that opportunity again if this happened. Obviously at the US
Open it's happening, but even further with other Slams, and yeah,
I'm probably not going to get the opportunity because they're
deciding who can play.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Really see, there would be a crying shaman for former
number one doubles player in the world doesn't get that opportunity. Look, look,
one question I have, Stormy, and you're at the cold
face of the sport at the moment, you're still there
and you're you know, you b number one, so you're
a prominent player. Do you think length of matches is
(07:31):
contributing to this as well? Because I get a little annoyed,
you know.
Speaker 8 (07:37):
Commentating this Ruin Open.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
When players go off after a six to one first set,
they'll come out, it'll be a quick set, it'll be
twenty minutes, twenty five minutes, they go off the court.
Sometimes they go off for seven or eight minutes. And
our matches, now, I mean we had two day matches
starting at eleven this year at this round Open, and
even then it's dangerous about whether it's going to go
(07:58):
into the night session or not. So are extraordinarily extraordinarily long?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Now?
Speaker 7 (08:04):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And I don't think that's a great thing. I think
that we have to do what we can to make
those matches a little shorter.
Speaker 8 (08:11):
Is that part of this decision? Do you think or not.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I don't necessarily think so.
Speaker 7 (08:16):
But with the longer matches, then doubles matches and mixed
doubles matches getting played so late that even if they
want to market those matches and try and get crowds
in and watch, there's actually no audience because of they're
always kind of been put kind of after the singles,
and even in singles when players are going off the
court or taking medical timeouts or going to the bathroom.
It just extends over a day's time. Like a match
(08:38):
that should be an hour, it's almost two hours because
of the waiting time in between. I think it just
disengages the crowd first of all, and you want the
crowd to be involved and to be seated and watching,
staying for those doubles matches as well as the mix.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So maybe length of matches is in a way inevently
in a way affecting it because I think they're taking
too long and the attention span of people isn't eight
hours necessarily for.
Speaker 8 (09:05):
Two matches, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Let's you know, the shot clock I think is worth
discussing at some stage.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Reducing the time.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yeah, I think the shot clock has actually hurt the
sport because players now reverse engineer at back so that
they can take all the take all the time, and
matches are so long, I think we need to shorten
it a little bit somehow.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Some big conversations to be had. I'm sure this is
not the last WEIG going to speak of it here
on the Tennis Tennis Australia put out a statement today
Mixed doubles is a fantastic showcase of tennis and one
of the only opportunities in world sport where men and
women can compete alongside and against each other. A key
pillar of success of the United Cup, where the mixed
doubles is often determined the result and it's a big
(09:47):
hit with both the players and the fans. Our whole
summer is about creating more opportunities for the players, providing
more competition on the bigger stage and more prize money.
So it would appear that at the moment, Tennis Australias
position is to still enshrine the Mixed Doubles Championship in
its current position in the schedule.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
To be honest, sometimes when one slam makes a change,
is like with the Sunday starts right, it's as soon
as one slam makes a change and it's.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Like okay, yeah, yeah, we'll see what happens. Yeah, I
had a question and sorry, I know we're wrapping up.
But the prize money of one million, is that higher
or less?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
If that's for the winner, that is significantly higher?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Yeah, like ten Well it says a winners prize, so it's.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
The champions Oh really yep, that'll be the champions prize.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
So yeah, that would be significantly more.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Halving the draw less time it takes two days. You know,
there's a lot of money saved there on the logistics
to put on this tournament, so it makes sense.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And more marketable commas.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, I know this heaps more to discuss, but we'll
put it on ice for now and perhaps come back
to it at a later date. Well over to your storm.
What's caught your eye in the tennis world this week?
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Well, I'm super excited about one.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
So what's caught my I is Belinda ben Chicch winning
the WTA five hundred title in Abu Dhabi after yeah,
becoming a mum. It's her first title since having her daughter,
Bella in late April last year. So I mean her
daughter's not even one years old yet. And she's been traveling.
She started playing again in October, playing some itfs kind
(11:21):
of around Europe, and then made the last minute decision
to come to Australia because of United cops. She actually
wasn't going to come and play in Australia. It was
a bit too far to have her daughter travel with her.
And she was saying that the logistics of managing you know,
her little baba and then trying to get physically ready
and being able to play, trusting her body. And she
(11:42):
ended up making the fourth round here at the Australian Open,
which was amazing, amazing, and she.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Played so well, you know at a carp as well. Yeah,
she did.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
And for her to win the title, you know, beating
ashlen Kruger in the in the final and rebarkking her
in the semi final, I think was amazing.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
And like she's just such a great person.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
You know, she troubles with her husband and now her daughter,
and I just was so happy for her to see
her win the title last week.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Let's hear Belinda Benchic in her post match championship speech.
Speaker 10 (12:11):
And yeah, also to win the title in front of
my family, it's really special. And yeah, I can't thank
them enough for the support all the week, and also
to my coach Ian I think we did such a
hard work to play here again, to my family at
home yet to all my team, to people that are
helping me, and of course to my husband and to
(12:32):
my daughter Bella. I love you so much and this.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Is like.
Speaker 10 (12:44):
It was a big dream for me, you know, to
come back and play in front of her and to
win the tournament.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
So a second title for Belinda Benchic in Abu Dhabi
and her first as a mother. Congratulations to Belinda and
is it Bella the young daughter Bella Bencicic hope to
see is.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Great the results?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah to come and.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, amazing, that's a winner's name, Brie.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
What's caught your eye this week?
Speaker 6 (13:08):
We'll caught my eye was Alex Deminor runner up in Rotterdam.
He went down to just a nobody in our kraaz
so but what really caught my eye was what he
spoke about afterwards.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Carlos, congratulations man, I mean too good again to you,
to your whole team. You're you're incredible person. We've known
each other for a very long time and we always
have some fan fun battles and I enjoyed my time
very much on the court today, So thank you. And yeah,
as I said, it's been a lot of improvements in
(13:45):
my game over the last couple of years, and I'm
going to keep on pushing for more. And you know,
it's been two years now with this runner up trophy.
I'm hoping I'll get my hand on the winners one day.
So thank you guys.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
You know, he was like, oh, two years with this
runner up trophy, can't wait to get my hands on
the winners one day and kind of said to it
was very, very complimentary to archives, which Alex is always
such a good sport, right, but he was also like,
I kind of hate there's a few people I hate
on this tour and he's kind of one of them.
Kind of thing because poor Alex is you know some
(14:22):
of these times that he's lost it's him or Center
or but yeah, just I really liked the speech and
how Alex approaches a lot of this stuff and he's
not He's still so driven and committed and he knows
he's going to get it one day against them, and
it just wasn't his day.
Speaker 8 (14:38):
Look, he's great for the sport.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I'm so happy Australia's got him, you know, and he
deserves every bit of success. I think that he gets
it's a long journey to try and knock those big,
heavy hitters off, you know, and he's trying to improve
his game in so many different ways and that's really
all he can do. So anyone that does that, I
take my hat off to.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What can you do as a player to start to
innovate and find a way.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
In gosh, it's so hard.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
It's so hard, I think even for him mentally to
just be keep going at it like and not. And
I think one thing that he has one of his
strengths is that he's not putting a limit on himself.
He's really trying to after every tournament when he has
a loss like this to Outcras or Sinner at the AO,
he's really kind of coming back to the drawing board.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Like, Okay, how can I keep getting better? What do
I need to work on?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
And like Fitz he said, he's literally getting everything out
of himself and no matter what, like he can only
be proud of himself for what he's achieved. And I think, yeah,
he's still got a lot to go as long as
he can stay healthy and fit and just keep just
keep pushing, keep going.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
I think, you know, you never know when you're going
to get.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
An opportunity, and he's just got to keep kind of
putting himself out there and then you never know.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
But it's incredibly trd hard, and.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
He's doing an amazing job to just keep showing up
and keep chipping away.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Look he's doing I think he's doing everything he can.
He's going against heavyweights, guys that are bigger, they're stronger,
and they hit the ball harder, and they hit the
ball heavy, which is a term we use a lot
in tennis storm the ball feels heavier off Centner's racket
and our Gaazer's racket than it does off a lot
of others. That is hard to combat, and he probably, yeah,
(16:13):
I mean they're great players. They're truly great players. So
he's in an era now where we've gone past the
big three in the men's game plus Andy, you know,
those four players, and now the good, the great players
or the top end players have to face these two
new incredible, you know, sort of evolutionary players, really guys
(16:38):
that will transcend the next generation.
Speaker 8 (16:40):
Tough to combat that, Yeah, Well, there did.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Take a set off Alcraz though, which I thought.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Was the score line there in the end six four
three six, that middle set to Damn and six two
in the end, and Carlos Alkraz had prieviously knocked off
Huby her Cutch in the semi final, also in three
sets to get through. So yeah, there are challenge. Let's
hope that our Ossie Alex can make further in roads
the big dogs. They're all going to be back in
(17:06):
action next week in Doha, and we're going to get
to the women shortly, but the men Doha from February seventeen.
Next week, Janick Sinner to play his first tournament since
AO twenty twenty five. Al Kraz will be there, to
Djokovic will be there, and Daniel Medvedev who's in action
in Marseille this week, so that's a pretty star studded
field in Doha. I wanted to speak about Janick Sinner.
(17:29):
We haven't seen him for about three weeks and during
the tournament we had the opportunity with Daniella Huntakova the
Real DNA podcast to collaborate and she brought in Janick
Sinner's fitness trainer, fitness coach by the name of Marco
Panniccci to kind of pick his brain about the process
of keeping a player like Janick Sinner fine tuned and
(17:51):
ready to go, remembering of course that he played the
year end atp Finals, then he had to play Davis
Cup where Italy went all the way. I think by
the time I got into his pre season, I only
had about three weeks two or three weeks preparation.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
What is one of the biggest challenge from the physical.
Speaker 11 (18:08):
Side, Well, you know, I would change a little bit
of the schedule and planning of the tour. Let's say
we arrive actually now here in Australia and my player,
for example, he played the Devis Cup finals, so which
means we had a really short short time considering also
he needs to he needed to rest a little bit
(18:30):
occurse and so before, for example, we had almost between
six eight weeks of precision. Do you remember this, and
now basically we have three weeks. You know, before we
had a little bit more time to schedule a normal work.
Now it's more reactive everything. So you have to be
(18:51):
very you know, you have to know very very well
your player and how we react on some input that
you give to him.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
So basically now, the reason why the players are traveling
with let's say with bigger teams is that you actually
do most of the work on the road.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Absolutely, absolutely so, Storm, I'm interested to get your insights here.
As someone who's at a long rehabit understands all the
ins and outs of getting your body right. Onix Sinner,
we saw him struggling big time during the mid stages
of the Australian Open. Some of that was to do
with heat as well, but the decision to pull out
(19:28):
of Rotterdam and give himself three weeks effectively to have
another mini pre season. How important is it to have
breaks in the calendar where you can actually work on
those aspects.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Yeah, it's super important.
Speaker 7 (19:41):
And I think for him, like to come off, like
Marco said, he only had three weeks off season and
pre season to get ready for a Grand Slam. So
for him, I think that's pretty smart scheduling, to be honest,
to just say, you know what, if I go push
too hard, you can have a really big crash and
have you know, an injury might pop up. So just
to take the time away and and I really like
what Marco said, the work gets done now on the road.
(20:03):
I think maybe five ten years ago, you had more
time to go home do your like training, and then
when you got on the road, it was like, Okay,
I'm recovering and I'm getting ready to perform. Whereas now,
like you said, a lot of players are traveling with
their teams because you're actually continually working on the road,
you don't really get many times to have a break,
so you're constantly when you have a day off or
you have a down day, you're actually working and you
(20:24):
keep getting better. And yeah, I think it's again credit
to Yannick and his team just knowing, you know, how
his body responds, what he might need to perform at
his best. So if he's playing Doha next week, then
he's ready to go. He's not going to go there
if he's not feeling ready enough to compete and to win.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
So I think it's smart.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think the other thing that all of us mortal
tennis players forget to think about is how many matches
the great players win and what they physically go through
compared to what you know, the lesser players went through.
So you know, if you two singles matches a week,
it means you won your first round at a big
tournament and you lost second round, and you know you're
(21:06):
physically feeling pretty drained. After all that, these guys win,
they get to the final consistently, so they're playing an
unbelievable number of matches physically, and therefore they have less
time off. Now we know that the tennis season has
less time off than most sporting organized most sports. So
(21:26):
what Marco says is they have to train while they're
on the road because there's not enough downtime when they're
off the road to get enough work into their legs.
Speaker 8 (21:34):
So, and especially it.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Must be difficult. I'm imagining this because I didn't experience
it where they're in the final all.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
Of those weeks.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
How you get the work into them while they're playing matches,
So you've got to get a lot of it.
Speaker 8 (21:46):
You've got to derive a lot.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Of that, you know, those miles in the legs, so
to speak, during your matches. That's helpful, but gee, it's
physical what they go through. We shouldn't underestimate.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Man. I watch your videos and I just see that
the load you put in just to get back. It
might be a good time now just to give us
an insight, wearre're up to and tell us what your
plans are.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Yeah, so I'm pretty much at the ten month mark
since I ruptured my achilles, and I'm very excited to
announce that I'm back.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
I'm ready to y I'm ready to compete.
Speaker 7 (22:20):
So yeah, we're leaving next week to head to Austin,
Texas for a WTA two fifty and then Indian Roles
in Miami. So I'm going to be playing doubles at
those three events. I'm not quite ready for singles yet,
but it doesn't matter. I'm ready for doubles. I'm excited
to get back on the road, get back into being, yeah,
a professional tennis player and kind of to close this
(22:41):
chapter of being you know, a injured athlete and being
in rehab and I haven't felt like that for a while.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
I've been training the last few months, like pretty much
full time.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
But to be yeah, back on tour, focused on more performance,
you know, being out there and problem solving, competing, I'm
really excited. So yeah, it's been it's been kind of weird.
It's like feels like it's just come up really really fast.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
But yeah, I've been working extremely hard, so I'm very
very excited.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Looknis is better off having steel handed, so it is
better off.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
It really good luck mate, Thank you, that's so exciting.
And it's Lachlan, your husband going with you as well.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, Lachlan, he's coming with me and it's job.
Speaker 7 (23:23):
I wanted to check and pratty Nicole she's coming to
so she's been yeah, there every stem of the way
for a very long time, so it's kind of, yeah,
we're excited. You know, the first few weeks when you
get back from injury, you're not really focused on the result,
like you want to go out and compete and obviously win,
but it's like you have a little bit more perspective
of it's just great to be out here. I just
want to compete, enjoy playing tennis again, and yeah, just
(23:46):
been reflecting a little.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Bit on the last ten months.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
It's been been a crazy journey and yeah, from learning
to you know, re walk again to jumping my first
time that I started running, getting on the caught again
and be like, oh can I do this? Like it
really felt at times like it was a very big
mountain to climb to get back.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
So now I'm kind of.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
Not quite back at the top of the mountain, but yeah,
definitely feels a lot closer, which is nice.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
I think you forgetting some of the other things you
achieved too well being off, like coming and being on
the podcast with us and you were commentating over the
Ustralian Open. Yeah, I think it's going to be for us.
It's really sad that you're back on back on the
circuit because we won't get.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
To talk to you as much.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
But videos from.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, that'd be so good. Yeah to be playing.
Speaker 7 (24:38):
With I'm playing with Caroline doll Hyde Okay, yeah, from
the US, so we played together a few years ago
and she's one of my closest friends. So yeah, she's
super pumped and yeah, be really fun.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Praddy will be on the podcast next week as well,
so she'll be able to give us the other side,
like the insight from the coach's angle, and her other protege,
kim Berrell, has jumped to a career high singles ranking
as well.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
Yeah, Kimbo's doing amazing and again it's so good to
see her doing so well. And she had a lot
of injuries as well in the past and again didn't
think that she was going to be playing tennis and
for her to just I think have the belief in
herself and now that she's cracked a hundred, it's almost
like sky's the limit.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
She can literally keep going.
Speaker 7 (25:16):
She's sitting at seventy five now and you can just
see in the way that she plays that she's backing
herself in, which is super exciting. So yeah, she's playing
also in Austin and inniwell's Miami, so it'll be a
fun trip for all of us.
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Yeah, I can't wait to watch all of it. That's
one of my favorite tournaments Torch.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Also the Desert.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Coming up next week for them for the men Doha
as I mentioned, and Rio de Janeiro, so Alex Zverev
will be there alongside hold god Runa, Lorenzo Mazzetti and
a couple of exciting Brazilian talent and duo Fonseeca and
also Tiago Sebushvild, So keep your eye on that one.
But I want to talk about Doha and the WTA
this week. We're down to the quarter finals as we
(25:55):
record this episode, so it'll be Ekaterina Alexandrova against Jess
Bergo and now Alexandrova caused probably the upset of the
tournament so far taking down are in a sable Anka
in the round of thirty two. She's not a name
that comes up a lot sort of on the podcast
in terms of reaching semis and finals, but she's always
thereabouts as a contender in these five hundred and sometimes
(26:19):
one thousands as well.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Yeah, she is.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
And she's a type of player that the ball speed
of a sable Anka or a Rebakner or even Coco
Goth at times doesn't bother her. She's a big striker,
she likes to take things, take control on the court,
and she hits a really heavy ball. So it's an amazing win.
To beat the world number one at any point is incredible,
But at the same time, I'm not surprised because she
does have that level in her I've played against her
(26:42):
and have felt very uncomfortable on court. She definitely takes
the racket out of your hand. But to win seven
to six and the third, that's, yeah, incredible win. And
you know, I feel like at these events sometimes you
do see these upsets because it's not a huge, huge
tournament in the sense of it's not an Innuel's a
Grand Slam. It's still obviously a big tournament, but for
(27:03):
these players who are kind of sitting, yeah, kind of
outside that top ten, top twenty, and it's a really
good opportunity for them to make a breakthrough. And I
think all it takes is one player to kind of
be a very high quality player, and then everyone else
kind of gets that, oh, if she can do it,
I can do it.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
So it does create some interesting results.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
And then Vizi Marta Kostyuk is through to a quarter
final against Amanda Nisimova and she spilled Coco Goff in
the round of thirty two. The young Ukrainian plus Os
Jabur who will now take on Jolena Ostapenko, who defeated
Jasmine Palini. So three of the top four seeds are
out of the competition and you've got only Igosh Fiontek
(27:44):
and Elena ra Bikner of the top five remaining.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Well.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
I always think there's some health in that, you know,
because you see new names, you want new names, you
want more stars, and I think if you have the
same win as week after week, it becomes a little
monotonous at times. Forgive me for saying that, but I
quite like it when there's some upsets and some good
young players, new faces, new fresh faces come through.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
It's it's good for the sport.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Nice you're going for four titles in a row here
in Doha.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, I know, phenomenal, Yeah, it is phenomenal.
Speaker 6 (28:15):
I'm actually just I've really been enjoying the cat that
keeps going out on court.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Seen it.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
It's so cute. And you know, what's the same cat
that was on court last year?
Speaker 7 (28:25):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
They figured it out? It's the same cat.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
So this cat comes out on court like throughout this
tournament every year, well for the past two.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Years, a bit of a Garfield look alike in better Nick.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Well, it's not. It wasn't a what do you call
it a ginger cat. Wasn't it a tabby?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Well, it definitely had ginger in it. Yeah, and then
you should.
Speaker 6 (28:43):
Know it's a tabby. I do know it's a tabby.
Speaker 8 (28:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Okay, We'll keep on cat watch throughout.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
So cute.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
We will have the results from Doha and also the
men's a few two fifties happening. As I mentioned, Daniel Medvedev,
the top seed in Marseille at the moment. Ugo Umbert
is also in the quarterfinals. Delray Beach and Buenos Aris
is currently underway. A Spanish producer will probably give me
a little pronunciation lesson later on, but it's probably time
(29:15):
for your top five. I would have thought, well.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
I thought it'd never come.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
What are we what's our top five this week?
Speaker 6 (29:21):
Look, it's a bit convoluted, but obviously tomorrow is Valentine's Day.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So a big shout out to everyone in love out there.
That's not me, but.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Five it's my time to be said.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Our top five Social comments between couples.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Okay, so in the theme of Valentine's.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Day, well, yeah, I know, it's just kind of funny
comments between couples from the tennis world on social media.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
All right, Well let's start with number five.
Speaker 8 (29:50):
Five.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
So Alex Demonol put up a post during this Join
Open about being at an Airbnb. Obviously it was a
partner post, and he had a book in the photo,
and Katie Bilter wrote, you read question mark.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
That banter has been a long running thing, hasn't it
even before their dating days?
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I really love their stuff. So that's number five, love it.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Number four four.
Speaker 6 (30:16):
This is a tennis player and his partner, so Brazilian
duel Reese da Silva. He came out recently indicating his
gay and his partner went to one of the first
Slams not Slam's first tournaments where he actually won, and
his partner wrote this really nice post about it. His
partner is a Brazilian actor, so not from the tennis world,
(30:38):
and he wrote the first final I get to watch
and the trophy is here. So proud of your journey,
your success and this achievement. Thank you for bringing me
into this world. Time to celebrate you deserve it, and
twenty twenty five is going to be amazing because we
are a team.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
That's really cute.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
That also works for a Mother's Day post. When you
say thanks for bringing me into.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
This way, I know obviously he means the tennis.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
All right, keep going.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
So Emerson Jones, our Australian tennis junior, is dating a
Dutch junior as well. They're both world number ones and
the juniors she is dating me's I'm going to say
this wrong, Rot Gearing.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Give me a look at the spelling and we'll go
for it. Oh yeah, Rought Gearing, it's more like.
Speaker 6 (31:27):
This, and he posted, well they both won in Chengu
and he posted being like absolutely so proud of you,
and she wrote back, I'm even more proud of you.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
She's going to be something Emerson is already.
Speaker 11 (31:51):
You love love.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Don't you think that's really cute? They're seventeen. It's quite
nice that is that is cute?
Speaker 1 (32:00):
So is there much love on the on the tour
in the junior junior ranks in terms of relationships and whatnot.
I love lost a lot, No love lost. Sure, you
don't hear much. You don't hear much about junior couples.
So I'm just wondering if you've you've ever.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
Heard of any Yeah, well, the first thing that comes
to mind is Luke and Dasher. Yeah, they met when
they were I think fifteen sixteen.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
Them though, is that they don't post mushy stuff that's
fun for the for the pod.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
But I'll give them that feedback.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Okay, sounds good.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah. By the way, I want I want storm to
link up with the Saviles and do Stormy Savile blog
when she's away, because that would be really good to
get all our friends back together, the former housemates. All right,
two to go.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
So we can't do this without having a Bedoza and
Sissypas moment. Yep, obviously, so Bidoza end of January put
up a really great post about the journey she's been
on and coming back from injury and all that kind
of stuff, and then Sissypas commented on it and said,
you don't just play tennis, you play life, and you're
(33:03):
winning it both love heart.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I feel like you don't love love.
Speaker 11 (33:09):
I do.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
I'm just I'm just listening, just sitting over here listening.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
So I find it very interesting.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah, I'm not sure I'm qualified to comment as much
as you are.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Well, like, I've had years of experience of watching other
people in love. I'm using the humor. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
I like, I can just imagine Stephanos sitting there devising
that because he has always going to keep up his
philosophical very philosophical. He can't just feel loves you realize this.
He has to understand love he does, which is what
philosophy is all about.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Right, Yeah, you understanding?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
That's he needs to listen to Robbie Williams song you
know which one?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
You Ah? That is a phenomenal the backstory to it
so much.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
He's so good. Let me entertain you.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
And our number one.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
Number one has to go and I know they've already
been in the top five that has to go to
Katie Bulltrow and Alex. Recently, so Katie put up a
tweet about bench I always get that wrong. Get married
equals win Slam. Have a baby equals win five hundred,
just talking about how great it was what she had achieved,
(34:23):
and Alex wrote, you've got any ideas you want to
share with me? Question mark question mark question mark laughing emoji.
Speaker 8 (34:31):
Like I would just question it. It's the other way round.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Having a baby is the bigger deal, don't you think?
I think that's my Grand Slam title.
Speaker 8 (34:40):
Mane, that's you. We need to talk about you. Well.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
In four weeks time, I will have, hopefully a little
bundle of joy, a little daughter join.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Us, the biggest deal of your life.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Have you got names?
Speaker 6 (34:53):
Ready?
Speaker 1 (34:55):
We actually do have a name, and I'll be rebelliant
on the the podcast shortly, not today.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
Is it true that great men have daughters? I don't know.
Have you got any? Well, I'm telling you how many
of you.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Got FITZI too quite possibly then and father fathers of
Storm and Bree were to test.
Speaker 8 (35:12):
This will be the biggest moment of your life so far.
I'm very confident.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
To say that I'm looking forward to it, and that
might be a nice transition to Ace of the Week,
where we each share something non tennis related. But yeah,
we are now squarely in the zone of expecting our
little daughter in early to mid March, so this will
be my third last episode as host for a little
while before before I go away. But the nursery is ready.
(35:39):
We got We've got the pram. Elmy has done a
phenomenal job at decorating as well. She's a painter in
her spare time, and he's done some great artwork as well.
Has created a mobile to hang above the well. You're
not supposed to put it above the baslot, but somewhere,
maybe above the change table. So it's it's all, it's
all coming home, and this weekend we're having a picnic.
It's not a baby shower. In fact, the title of
(36:01):
the event is definitely not a baby shower, but just
to see our friends for one last time, perhaps before
we go into a lengthy hibernation.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
So yeah, but you're never again, Brie.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
What's your ace of the week.
Speaker 6 (36:13):
My ace of the week is that Tomorrow's Valentine's Day
and I'm spending it with one of my really good friends,
her and I cooking dinner at my house, having some
cheese and wine, and then we're going to see Dear Evan.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Yeah, have you seen it yet?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I haven't anyone seen it.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
I've seen it.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Yeah, how good is it? Apparently?
Speaker 8 (36:33):
How good is he is?
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Unbelievable?
Speaker 6 (36:36):
Yeah, well, I was saying to Todd, I really want
to see it, because Todd was in here on Monday
and he was like, bre it closes on the weekend.
So instantly, while he was standing there, I purchased tickets.
So I'm spending Valentine's Day with my good friend and
some cheese and wine and a great fitter production.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
Yeah, you know, Todd's chasing his own record of twenty
two majors. Here is up to He's up to twenty.
He shows scene of his own son India twenty times.
I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I said to him, I'm going to go Friday, and
he's like, I'm going to see you there. And I
messaged him last night being like, oh, so you're there
on Friday.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
The day that I the one time I've seen it,
Todd was there. He looked like that cat in Dohard
had all the cream he was very happy about it,
and so he should be. But bo, Yeah, he's amazing,
isn't He's a star in his own right. Yeah, it
is no longer son of Todd Woodbridge. It is father of.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Bowoodbridge totally actually, which.
Speaker 8 (37:38):
Really brings a small to their faces.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
I love it the new Tipping the Lower third title
on Tipping Point when he comes on his father of
bow Woodbridge, Stormy, what's your ace of the week?
Speaker 7 (37:50):
So my ace of the week is actually Last Friday,
Luckie and I went to see Luke Holmbs Marvel Stadium
and he was amazing stadium.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
That's a big venue.
Speaker 7 (38:01):
Yeah, and it was packed, like it was completely full,
and he was just like incredible, And yeah, Lucky loves
country music.
Speaker 5 (38:07):
I'm not as big on country music, but yeah, Luke.
Speaker 7 (38:10):
Holmbs was absolutely incredible and even his acts leading into
Jordan Davis.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
And Mitchell Tenpenny, Yeah, they were amazing. It was just
such a good.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Vibe love country.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
Yeah, everyone was.
Speaker 7 (38:20):
Just having a good time and it was just it
was so much fun. We haven't been to a concert
in forever.
Speaker 8 (38:25):
Did he sing a Kenny Rogers song or two?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
No?
Speaker 1 (38:27):
No, Mitchell Tenpenny probably could have sung the gambler with
a name like that.
Speaker 8 (38:31):
Well, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
Wasn't there a post with the crowd packed leaving the
stadium singing Kenny Rodgers song. I thought maybe Kenny and
Dolly putns on.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
The islands in the street.
Speaker 8 (38:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (38:46):
Kind have done that on the next night, because even
when we were walking out, everyone was just like singing.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
It was crazy.
Speaker 8 (38:51):
It was so fun.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yeah, three tickets to it.
Speaker 6 (38:55):
But then I had seen everyone the night before having
trouble getting home from my and because I've got like
bunnged up feet at the moment, with like broken toes.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
And stuff, I was like, I'm not doing that. Yes,
I didn't go.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
I once got caught at Marvel Stadium on Valentine's Day.
I wasn't attending, Just to make that clear, a one
direction concert. Didn't realize it was on, and I chose
to drive through Docklands. No, it took me an hour
to get from one side of the stadium to the other.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
It's actually such a hard place to get out of.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Ye nightmarish, give me rod lavor any day, give me
pod lavor. Yeah, what's your ace of the week?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Sir?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Well, at the risk of carrying on with the same theme.
By the way, I just want to it's the first
time I've been on this podcast since the AO. What
an extraordinary event that we all have an opportunity to
be involved in. Holy smoking, it is bigger and better
every year.
Speaker 8 (39:49):
Where does it end?
Speaker 6 (39:52):
It?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Almost like I've said this before, but when I used
to play Last Century, I could never imagined how the
Australian Open would evolve into what it's evolved into. It
is an extraordinary event. Now we should be We're all
a small small part of it. We all should be
proud of it. And I think the leaders who have
made it what it is. And yeah, it boggles my
(40:14):
mind each year.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
It takes a lot of imagination, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
But at the risk I'll be quick. Yep, I'm having
a third grandson. My son is having a son with
his beautiful wife Lily, And yeah, that's a big deal
with they're breeding fast, I can't believe it. From a
bit of a late start, now they're accelerating. It's pretty mate.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
It's Gerald name lives on.
Speaker 8 (40:37):
I'll be thinking of you in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
Mate, I'm really really pleased and proud of you.
Speaker 8 (40:41):
It's a great thing.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Well, there's some great names here at this table. But
will do you think the new child will be able
to compete with Walter James, Huckleberry Harrison, which is your
most loved?
Speaker 6 (40:51):
That?
Speaker 8 (40:52):
What a great name.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
Yeah, he's and Theodore is his older brother we called
Teddy and he's just snuggled in nicely with the with
the new addition, I don't know if you can compete
with that name.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
It's it's impressive, it's really strong.
Speaker 8 (41:06):
Sure you will.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Storm is number one on the names.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
Actually do you love being a grandfather, Well, it's it's
it's brought some joy.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Yeah, you know after COVID in this state of as Victoria,
which which I struggled with a lot, you know, and
started you know, well, I won't go down that path.
It will make us all depressed. But but you know,
I struggled with that whole period, and I think the
grandsons have really helped me develop more joy in my life. Again,
(41:39):
it's very different to having a child of your own.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Very different, get to give it back, but.
Speaker 8 (41:45):
Really a great experience.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Yeah, I created it.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Yeah, very good. Well, I'm very happy for you. Congratulations Storm,
wonderful to have you back on to it. We're going
to be waiting with Beata Breath to watch you in Austin.
All the best for your last couple of weeks preparation.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
Thank you. So I'm really sad to not be here though.
Speaker 8 (42:08):
Barracking from a farmer.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Bring back with me next week.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
I actually am not.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
You're away next week.
Speaker 6 (42:14):
I'm on rest and recovery next week finally, so yeah,
I'm I'll be laying in the botanic gardens reading a book.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Novak's Tree.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Yeah, yeah, lovely.
Speaker 6 (42:23):
I've actually been thinking about that when I walk through it.
Which one's his tree?
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Well, Praddy and Simon ray to join us next week,
and we're trying to get Kim Birell on the show
as well to join us before she heads off also
to Austin. That's all for today's episode, but make sure
you join us again next week for more of the
Tennis as we dissect all the latest in the world
of this great game. You can watch this episode and
all other episodes of The Tennis on our YouTube channel,
(42:48):
Australian Open TV, and don't forget to hit the bell
below so you never miss an episode and stay across
the tennis all year long. Have a great week in
tennis guys, and we'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Thank you, thank you John Hey he
Good ay, and welcome to the tennis for episode twenty
one of season seven. While the US Open is shaking
things up with the mixed doubles. In twenty twenty five,
Demon has fallen to Alcaraz in Rotterdam, but back up
to a career high world number six, and we're down
to the business end in Goha, but some surprise upsets
as we round into the quarter finals. That's all ahead
on the tennis with me. John Huvenis, Briece Stewart is
(00:25):
with me.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome back, bri Thank you, good to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Australian legend John Fitzgerald joins us. Welcome Fitzie, Thank.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You, Jonathan Ge you put me on the back foot already,
thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Soon to make another big splash in the world of tennis,
with some exciting news to come today, Storm Hunter, Welcome Storm.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Hi.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
It's been a while.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Have you been keeping up with Storm's Instagram account.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Of all like a creeper, some very inspirational content. Yeah,
it's been so good.
Speaker 6 (00:52):
We're actually talking about it before and I was quizzing
here on what's been happening and from what we've seen,
so yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We do look forward to hearing your announcement, but we're
going to do what's caught your eyes. We like to
start every regulation episode with and over to you, Fitz,
see what's caught your eye in the tennis world this week.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Well, I think the biggest news for me is the
quite dramatic changes that the USTA are making, or the
US Open is making to mixed doubles. And there's been
a big announcement in the last twenty four hours or
so on the US Open putting the mixed doubles in
a reduced format and a different type of format into
the first week, the week of qualifying for their event,
(01:29):
and it's really causing some discussion. I think there'll be
opinions everywhere about it and something that we probably really
need to touch.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
On this statement from the USTA overnight. The USTA has
reimagined and elevated the focus of the mixed doubles by
moving it to the first week of the US Open,
So that'll be Tuesday the nineteenth to Wednesday the twentieth
of August, a two day format played on Arthur ash
Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. The USTA Executive Director and
(01:59):
CEO Lou Sure says we'll be scheduling mixed doubles on
the center stage and enabling more fans worldwide to enjoy
the thrill of watching their favorite stars compete for this
coveted Grand Slam championship title. So it seems as if
the intention here is to get bigger names playing on
their own stage earlier in the week to attract more fans, Right, yeah.
Speaker 7 (02:21):
I think so, And I understand what they're trying to do.
They're trying to get more interest into the US Open.
Mixed doubles is so much fun to watch, even when
it's the best singles players in the world. We love
kind of seeing them interact on court, how they go
about it. But for me, I'm a really big traditionalist
and I think, to I guess, put a Grand Slam
title on that mixed doubles I'm not a fan of
(02:43):
at all. I think it should be in the two
weeks of a Grand Slam. It should be you know,
the mixed doubles right now. It's best of your singles
or doubles rankings. So singles players can already enter it
during a Grand Slam. It's not like they don't have access.
It's not just for doubles players. It's for the best
players in the world singles or doubles, and singles players
aren't playing that at the moment, and I think it's
(03:04):
a great idea to have an exhibition like that in
the week leading into the US Open. But I'm definitely
not a fan of the fact that it's going to
be a grand slime title. It's taking jobs away from
doubles players and pretty.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Rogue decision FITSI.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's certainly going to raise a lot of eyebrows. It's
changing the format into something that we haven't sort of
seen before. But look, I wonder whether the discussion should
be a little deeper than just the fact that they've
changed this. I've been a bit of a critic, sort
of in my own little area here in Australia for
a while about how doubles has evolved a little bit
(03:40):
and the dimensions of the court are still the same,
but the equipment has changed so dramatically in the last
twenty odd years that it's changed the game of doubles.
And there have been coaches, and to their credit, who
have worked out and taught their players how to win
a doubles match playing a different way, and that is
crowding the so much when their partner serves a big
(04:03):
serve that they can just like pick a cherriot at
the net. And to me, what has worried me about
that is that it's taken some of the nuances away,
the skill the skill sets away that are traditional. And
I'm also a huge lover of doubles Silma, and it
was a big part of my life and I used
to love playing it as well as singles. But I
(04:26):
just wonder whether that has had a or whether that
has caused some of these thought processes to come to
the fore because of how the game of doubles has evolved.
That's what my in the minds of the tournaments possibly
And you know, I heard one of our very prominent commentators,
jingustrain Open I agreed with him say that. Look in Pickaball,
(04:47):
for instance, you have a zone where the player can't
get too close to the net. And I just wonder,
maybe it's too late for any of that to change.
Speaker 8 (04:56):
But the game of.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Doubles, I think has lost some of its skill set,
in fact, a lot of its skill set.
Speaker 8 (05:02):
And I don't necessarily.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Think that's been a great thing, but it's been a
natural evolution because the dimensions of the court are still
the same. They can hit the ball harder now with
the modern equipment which has allowed them to win points
in an easier fashion closer to the net. So whether
that's influenced this decision, probably not, but it might be
part of a very small part of the evolution of
(05:25):
how the game of doubles is perceived.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Just a question for both of you.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
But if we are if some of the art of
doubles has been lost, something like this probably doesn't really
help bring it back, though, does it. Because I know
they're saying using words like reimagined and elevated, right, I'm not.
Speaker 9 (05:42):
Sure that they are necessarily elevating, yeah, just making it
more entertaining and exhibition, which again, when that is played,
it's been played at Indian Worlds in the last few years.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Like I really enjoy watching it.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
It's actually quite fun to watch, and there's definitely a
place for that. But when I think you're putting a
Grand Slam top idol on the line over two days,
even shortening the format first of four in the sets
instead of you know, a standard format, I just think
it doesn't quite Grand Slam title to be a Grandslime
champion in the mixed doubles. It doesn't have the same yeah,
(06:15):
the meaning, and.
Speaker 8 (06:16):
Yeah it's lightened the value, hasn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, I think that's what it feels like, doesn't it.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
And you're a former champion of the US Open Mixed doubles,
So what was your reaction and what does this mean
for you? Possibly in August of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (06:29):
Yeah, it was pretty shocking and a little bit disappointing, because, yeah,
I have amazing memories. That's where I became a Grand
Slam champion for the first time at the US Open,
playing with John Piers and you know, we played a
full ten days of the tournament. There beat a lot
of really good teams singles players as well, not just
doubles players who signed up and played and got the
(06:50):
opportunity to play on Arthur ash Stadium and to become
Grandslim champions was amazing.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
And the first thing that I thought.
Speaker 7 (06:55):
Was like, oh, wow, I'm probably not going to get
that opportunity again if this happened. Obviously at the US
Open it's happening, but even further with other Slams, and yeah,
I'm probably not going to get the opportunity because they're
deciding who can play.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Really see, there would be a crying shaman for former
number one doubles player in the world doesn't get that opportunity. Look, look,
one question I have, Stormy, and you're at the cold
face of the sport at the moment, you're still there
and you're you know, you b number one, so you're
a prominent player. Do you think length of matches is
(07:31):
contributing to this as well? Because I get a little annoyed,
you know.
Speaker 8 (07:37):
Commentating this Ruin Open.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
When players go off after a six to one first set,
they'll come out, it'll be a quick set, it'll be
twenty minutes, twenty five minutes, they go off the court.
Sometimes they go off for seven or eight minutes. And
our matches, now, I mean we had two day matches
starting at eleven this year at this round Open, and
even then it's dangerous about whether it's going to go
(07:58):
into the night session or not. So are extraordinarily extraordinarily long?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Now?
Speaker 7 (08:04):
Is that?
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And I don't think that's a great thing. I think
that we have to do what we can to make
those matches a little shorter.
Speaker 8 (08:11):
Is that part of this decision? Do you think or not.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I don't necessarily think so.
Speaker 7 (08:16):
But with the longer matches, then doubles matches and mixed
doubles matches getting played so late that even if they
want to market those matches and try and get crowds
in and watch, there's actually no audience because of they're
always kind of been put kind of after the singles,
and even in singles when players are going off the
court or taking medical timeouts or going to the bathroom.
It just extends over a day's time. Like a match
(08:38):
that should be an hour, it's almost two hours because
of the waiting time in between. I think it just
disengages the crowd first of all, and you want the
crowd to be involved and to be seated and watching,
staying for those doubles matches as well as the mix.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So maybe length of matches is in a way inevently
in a way affecting it because I think they're taking
too long and the attention span of people isn't eight
hours necessarily for.
Speaker 8 (09:05):
Two matches, you know.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Let's you know, the shot clock I think is worth
discussing at some stage.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Reducing the time.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yeah, I think the shot clock has actually hurt the
sport because players now reverse engineer at back so that
they can take all the take all the time, and
matches are so long, I think we need to shorten
it a little bit somehow.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Some big conversations to be had. I'm sure this is
not the last WEIG going to speak of it here
on the Tennis Tennis Australia put out a statement today
Mixed doubles is a fantastic showcase of tennis and one
of the only opportunities in world sport where men and
women can compete alongside and against each other. A key
pillar of success of the United Cup, where the mixed
doubles is often determined the result and it's a big
(09:47):
hit with both the players and the fans. Our whole
summer is about creating more opportunities for the players, providing
more competition on the bigger stage and more prize money.
So it would appear that at the moment, Tennis Australias
position is to still enshrine the Mixed Doubles Championship in
its current position in the schedule.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
To be honest, sometimes when one slam makes a change,
is like with the Sunday starts right, it's as soon
as one slam makes a change and it's.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Like okay, yeah, yeah, we'll see what happens. Yeah, I
had a question and sorry, I know we're wrapping up.
But the prize money of one million, is that higher
or less?
Speaker 5 (10:23):
If that's for the winner, that is significantly higher?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Yeah, like ten Well it says a winners prize, so it's.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
The champions Oh really yep, that'll be the champions prize.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
So yeah, that would be significantly more.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Halving the draw less time it takes two days. You know,
there's a lot of money saved there on the logistics
to put on this tournament, so it makes sense.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And more marketable commas.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, I know this heaps more to discuss, but we'll
put it on ice for now and perhaps come back
to it at a later date. Well over to your storm.
What's caught your eye in the tennis world this week?
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Well, I'm super excited about one.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
So what's caught my I is Belinda ben Chicch winning
the WTA five hundred title in Abu Dhabi after yeah,
becoming a mum. It's her first title since having her daughter,
Bella in late April last year. So I mean her
daughter's not even one years old yet. And she's been traveling.
She started playing again in October, playing some itfs kind
(11:21):
of around Europe, and then made the last minute decision
to come to Australia because of United cops. She actually
wasn't going to come and play in Australia. It was
a bit too far to have her daughter travel with her.
And she was saying that the logistics of managing you know,
her little baba and then trying to get physically ready
and being able to play, trusting her body. And she
(11:42):
ended up making the fourth round here at the Australian Open,
which was amazing, amazing, and she.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Played so well, you know at a carp as well. Yeah,
she did.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
And for her to win the title, you know, beating
ashlen Kruger in the in the final and rebarkking her
in the semi final, I think was amazing.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
And like she's just such a great person.
Speaker 7 (11:58):
You know, she troubles with her husband and now her daughter,
and I just was so happy for her to see
her win the title last week.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Let's hear Belinda Benchic in her post match championship speech.
Speaker 10 (12:11):
And yeah, also to win the title in front of
my family, it's really special. And yeah, I can't thank
them enough for the support all the week, and also
to my coach Ian I think we did such a
hard work to play here again, to my family at
home yet to all my team, to people that are
helping me, and of course to my husband and to
(12:32):
my daughter Bella. I love you so much and this.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Is like.
Speaker 10 (12:44):
It was a big dream for me, you know, to
come back and play in front of her and to
win the tournament.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
So a second title for Belinda Benchic in Abu Dhabi
and her first as a mother. Congratulations to Belinda and
is it Bella the young daughter Bella Bencicic hope to
see is.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Great the results?
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah to come and.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, amazing, that's a winner's name, Brie.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
What's caught your eye this week?
Speaker 6 (13:08):
We'll caught my eye was Alex Deminor runner up in Rotterdam.
He went down to just a nobody in our kraaz
so but what really caught my eye was what he
spoke about afterwards.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Carlos, congratulations man, I mean too good again to you,
to your whole team. You're you're incredible person. We've known
each other for a very long time and we always
have some fan fun battles and I enjoyed my time
very much on the court today, So thank you. And yeah,
as I said, it's been a lot of improvements in
(13:45):
my game over the last couple of years, and I'm
going to keep on pushing for more. And you know,
it's been two years now with this runner up trophy.
I'm hoping I'll get my hand on the winners one day.
So thank you guys.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
You know, he was like, oh, two years with this
runner up trophy, can't wait to get my hands on
the winners one day and kind of said to it
was very, very complimentary to archives, which Alex is always
such a good sport, right, but he was also like,
I kind of hate there's a few people I hate
on this tour and he's kind of one of them.
Kind of thing because poor Alex is you know some
(14:22):
of these times that he's lost it's him or Center
or but yeah, just I really liked the speech and
how Alex approaches a lot of this stuff and he's
not He's still so driven and committed and he knows
he's going to get it one day against them, and
it just wasn't his day.
Speaker 8 (14:38):
Look, he's great for the sport.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I'm so happy Australia's got him, you know, and he
deserves every bit of success. I think that he gets
it's a long journey to try and knock those big,
heavy hitters off, you know, and he's trying to improve
his game in so many different ways and that's really
all he can do. So anyone that does that, I
take my hat off to.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What can you do as a player to start to
innovate and find a way.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
In gosh, it's so hard.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
It's so hard, I think even for him mentally to
just be keep going at it like and not. And
I think one thing that he has one of his
strengths is that he's not putting a limit on himself.
He's really trying to after every tournament when he has
a loss like this to Outcras or Sinner at the AO,
he's really kind of coming back to the drawing board.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Like, Okay, how can I keep getting better? What do
I need to work on?
Speaker 7 (15:22):
And like Fitz he said, he's literally getting everything out
of himself and no matter what, like he can only
be proud of himself for what he's achieved. And I think, yeah,
he's still got a lot to go as long as
he can stay healthy and fit and just keep just
keep pushing, keep going.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
I think, you know, you never know when you're going
to get.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
An opportunity, and he's just got to keep kind of
putting himself out there and then you never know.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
But it's incredibly trd hard, and.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
He's doing an amazing job to just keep showing up
and keep chipping away.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Look he's doing I think he's doing everything he can.
He's going against heavyweights, guys that are bigger, they're stronger,
and they hit the ball harder, and they hit the
ball heavy, which is a term we use a lot
in tennis storm the ball feels heavier off Centner's racket
and our Gaazer's racket than it does off a lot
of others. That is hard to combat, and he probably, yeah,
(16:13):
I mean they're great players. They're truly great players. So
he's in an era now where we've gone past the
big three in the men's game plus Andy, you know,
those four players, and now the good, the great players
or the top end players have to face these two
new incredible, you know, sort of evolutionary players, really guys
(16:38):
that will transcend the next generation.
Speaker 8 (16:40):
Tough to combat that, Yeah, Well, there did.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Take a set off Alcraz though, which I thought.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Was the score line there in the end six four
three six, that middle set to Damn and six two
in the end, and Carlos Alkraz had prieviously knocked off
Huby her Cutch in the semi final, also in three
sets to get through. So yeah, there are challenge. Let's
hope that our Ossie Alex can make further in roads
the big dogs. They're all going to be back in
(17:06):
action next week in Doha, and we're going to get
to the women shortly, but the men Doha from February seventeen.
Next week, Janick Sinner to play his first tournament since
AO twenty twenty five. Al Kraz will be there, to
Djokovic will be there, and Daniel Medvedev who's in action
in Marseille this week, so that's a pretty star studded
field in Doha. I wanted to speak about Janick Sinner.
(17:29):
We haven't seen him for about three weeks and during
the tournament we had the opportunity with Daniella Huntakova the
Real DNA podcast to collaborate and she brought in Janick
Sinner's fitness trainer, fitness coach by the name of Marco
Panniccci to kind of pick his brain about the process
of keeping a player like Janick Sinner fine tuned and
(17:51):
ready to go, remembering of course that he played the
year end atp Finals, then he had to play Davis
Cup where Italy went all the way. I think by
the time I got into his pre season, I only
had about three weeks two or three weeks preparation.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
What is one of the biggest challenge from the physical.
Speaker 11 (18:08):
Side, Well, you know, I would change a little bit
of the schedule and planning of the tour. Let's say
we arrive actually now here in Australia and my player,
for example, he played the Devis Cup finals, so which
means we had a really short short time considering also
he needs to he needed to rest a little bit
(18:30):
occurse and so before, for example, we had almost between
six eight weeks of precision. Do you remember this, and
now basically we have three weeks. You know, before we
had a little bit more time to schedule a normal work.
Now it's more reactive everything. So you have to be
(18:51):
very you know, you have to know very very well
your player and how we react on some input that
you give to him.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
So basically now, the reason why the players are traveling
with let's say with bigger teams is that you actually
do most of the work on the road.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Absolutely, absolutely so, Storm, I'm interested to get your insights here.
As someone who's at a long rehabit understands all the
ins and outs of getting your body right. Onix Sinner,
we saw him struggling big time during the mid stages
of the Australian Open. Some of that was to do
with heat as well, but the decision to pull out
(19:28):
of Rotterdam and give himself three weeks effectively to have
another mini pre season. How important is it to have
breaks in the calendar where you can actually work on
those aspects.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Yeah, it's super important.
Speaker 7 (19:41):
And I think for him, like to come off, like
Marco said, he only had three weeks off season and
pre season to get ready for a Grand Slam. So
for him, I think that's pretty smart scheduling, to be honest,
to just say, you know what, if I go push
too hard, you can have a really big crash and
have you know, an injury might pop up. So just
to take the time away and and I really like
what Marco said, the work gets done now on the road.
(20:03):
I think maybe five ten years ago, you had more
time to go home do your like training, and then
when you got on the road, it was like, Okay,
I'm recovering and I'm getting ready to perform. Whereas now,
like you said, a lot of players are traveling with
their teams because you're actually continually working on the road,
you don't really get many times to have a break,
so you're constantly when you have a day off or
you have a down day, you're actually working and you
(20:24):
keep getting better. And yeah, I think it's again credit
to Yannick and his team just knowing, you know, how
his body responds, what he might need to perform at
his best. So if he's playing Doha next week, then
he's ready to go. He's not going to go there
if he's not feeling ready enough to compete and to win.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
So I think it's smart.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think the other thing that all of us mortal
tennis players forget to think about is how many matches
the great players win and what they physically go through
compared to what you know, the lesser players went through.
So you know, if you two singles matches a week,
it means you won your first round at a big
tournament and you lost second round, and you know you're
(21:06):
physically feeling pretty drained. After all that, these guys win,
they get to the final consistently, so they're playing an
unbelievable number of matches physically, and therefore they have less
time off. Now we know that the tennis season has
less time off than most sporting organized most sports. So
(21:26):
what Marco says is they have to train while they're
on the road because there's not enough downtime when they're
off the road to get enough work into their legs.
Speaker 8 (21:34):
So, and especially it.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Must be difficult. I'm imagining this because I didn't experience
it where they're in the final all.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
Of those weeks.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
How you get the work into them while they're playing matches,
So you've got to get a lot of it.
Speaker 8 (21:46):
You've got to derive a lot.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Of that, you know, those miles in the legs, so
to speak, during your matches. That's helpful, but gee, it's
physical what they go through. We shouldn't underestimate.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Man. I watch your videos and I just see that
the load you put in just to get back. It
might be a good time now just to give us
an insight, wearre're up to and tell us what your
plans are.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Yeah, so I'm pretty much at the ten month mark
since I ruptured my achilles, and I'm very excited to
announce that I'm back.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
I'm ready to y I'm ready to compete.
Speaker 7 (22:20):
So yeah, we're leaving next week to head to Austin,
Texas for a WTA two fifty and then Indian Roles
in Miami. So I'm going to be playing doubles at
those three events. I'm not quite ready for singles yet,
but it doesn't matter. I'm ready for doubles. I'm excited
to get back on the road, get back into being, yeah,
a professional tennis player and kind of to close this
(22:41):
chapter of being you know, a injured athlete and being
in rehab and I haven't felt like that for a while.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
I've been training the last few months, like pretty much
full time.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
But to be yeah, back on tour, focused on more performance,
you know, being out there and problem solving, competing, I'm
really excited. So yeah, it's been it's been kind of weird.
It's like feels like it's just come up really really fast.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
But yeah, I've been working extremely hard, so I'm very
very excited.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Looknis is better off having steel handed, so it is
better off.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
It really good luck mate, Thank you, that's so exciting.
And it's Lachlan, your husband going with you as well.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Yeah, Lachlan, he's coming with me and it's job.
Speaker 7 (23:23):
I wanted to check and pratty Nicole she's coming to
so she's been yeah, there every stem of the way
for a very long time, so it's kind of, yeah,
we're excited. You know, the first few weeks when you
get back from injury, you're not really focused on the result,
like you want to go out and compete and obviously win,
but it's like you have a little bit more perspective
of it's just great to be out here. I just
want to compete, enjoy playing tennis again, and yeah, just
(23:46):
been reflecting a little.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Bit on the last ten months.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
It's been been a crazy journey and yeah, from learning
to you know, re walk again to jumping my first
time that I started running, getting on the caught again
and be like, oh can I do this? Like it
really felt at times like it was a very big
mountain to climb to get back.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
So now I'm kind of.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
Not quite back at the top of the mountain, but yeah,
definitely feels a lot closer, which is nice.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
I think you forgetting some of the other things you
achieved too well being off, like coming and being on
the podcast with us and you were commentating over the
Ustralian Open. Yeah, I think it's going to be for us.
It's really sad that you're back on back on the
circuit because we won't get.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
To talk to you as much.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
But videos from.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, that'd be so good. Yeah to be playing.
Speaker 7 (24:38):
With I'm playing with Caroline doll Hyde Okay, yeah, from
the US, so we played together a few years ago
and she's one of my closest friends. So yeah, she's
super pumped and yeah, be really fun.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Praddy will be on the podcast next week as well,
so she'll be able to give us the other side,
like the insight from the coach's angle, and her other protege,
kim Berrell, has jumped to a career high singles ranking
as well.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
Yeah, Kimbo's doing amazing and again it's so good to
see her doing so well. And she had a lot
of injuries as well in the past and again didn't
think that she was going to be playing tennis and
for her to just I think have the belief in
herself and now that she's cracked a hundred, it's almost
like sky's the limit.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
She can literally keep going.
Speaker 7 (25:16):
She's sitting at seventy five now and you can just
see in the way that she plays that she's backing
herself in, which is super exciting. So yeah, she's playing
also in Austin and inniwell's Miami, so it'll be a
fun trip for all of us.
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Yeah, I can't wait to watch all of it. That's
one of my favorite tournaments Torch.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Also the Desert.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Coming up next week for them for the men Doha
as I mentioned, and Rio de Janeiro, so Alex Zverev
will be there alongside hold god Runa, Lorenzo Mazzetti and
a couple of exciting Brazilian talent and duo Fonseeca and
also Tiago Sebushvild, So keep your eye on that one.
But I want to talk about Doha and the WTA
this week. We're down to the quarter finals as we
(25:55):
record this episode, so it'll be Ekaterina Alexandrova against Jess
Bergo and now Alexandrova caused probably the upset of the
tournament so far taking down are in a sable Anka
in the round of thirty two. She's not a name
that comes up a lot sort of on the podcast
in terms of reaching semis and finals, but she's always
thereabouts as a contender in these five hundred and sometimes
(26:19):
one thousands as well.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Yeah, she is.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
And she's a type of player that the ball speed
of a sable Anka or a Rebakner or even Coco
Goth at times doesn't bother her. She's a big striker,
she likes to take things, take control on the court,
and she hits a really heavy ball. So it's an amazing win.
To beat the world number one at any point is incredible,
But at the same time, I'm not surprised because she
does have that level in her I've played against her
(26:42):
and have felt very uncomfortable on court. She definitely takes
the racket out of your hand. But to win seven
to six and the third, that's, yeah, incredible win. And
you know, I feel like at these events sometimes you
do see these upsets because it's not a huge, huge
tournament in the sense of it's not an Innuel's a
Grand Slam. It's still obviously a big tournament, but for
(27:03):
these players who are kind of sitting, yeah, kind of
outside that top ten, top twenty, and it's a really
good opportunity for them to make a breakthrough. And I
think all it takes is one player to kind of
be a very high quality player, and then everyone else
kind of gets that, oh, if she can do it,
I can do it.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
So it does create some interesting results.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
And then Vizi Marta Kostyuk is through to a quarter
final against Amanda Nisimova and she spilled Coco Goff in
the round of thirty two. The young Ukrainian plus Os
Jabur who will now take on Jolena Ostapenko, who defeated
Jasmine Palini. So three of the top four seeds are
out of the competition and you've got only Igosh Fiontek
(27:44):
and Elena ra Bikner of the top five remaining.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Well.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
I always think there's some health in that, you know,
because you see new names, you want new names, you
want more stars, and I think if you have the
same win as week after week, it becomes a little
monotonous at times. Forgive me for saying that, but I
quite like it when there's some upsets and some good
young players, new faces, new fresh faces come through.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
It's it's good for the sport.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Nice you're going for four titles in a row here
in Doha.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, I know, phenomenal, Yeah, it is phenomenal.
Speaker 6 (28:15):
I'm actually just I've really been enjoying the cat that
keeps going out on court.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Seen it.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
It's so cute. And you know, what's the same cat
that was on court last year?
Speaker 7 (28:25):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
They figured it out? It's the same cat.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
So this cat comes out on court like throughout this
tournament every year, well for the past two.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Years, a bit of a Garfield look alike in better Nick.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Well, it's not. It wasn't a what do you call
it a ginger cat. Wasn't it a tabby?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Well, it definitely had ginger in it. Yeah, and then
you should.
Speaker 6 (28:43):
Know it's a tabby. I do know it's a tabby.
Speaker 8 (28:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Okay, We'll keep on cat watch throughout.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
So cute.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
We will have the results from Doha and also the
men's a few two fifties happening. As I mentioned, Daniel Medvedev,
the top seed in Marseille at the moment. Ugo Umbert
is also in the quarterfinals. Delray Beach and Buenos Aris
is currently underway. A Spanish producer will probably give me
a little pronunciation lesson later on, but it's probably time
(29:15):
for your top five. I would have thought, well.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
I thought it'd never come.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
What are we what's our top five this week?
Speaker 6 (29:21):
Look, it's a bit convoluted, but obviously tomorrow is Valentine's Day.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So a big shout out to everyone in love out there.
That's not me, but.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Five it's my time to be said.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Our top five Social comments between couples.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Okay, so in the theme of Valentine's.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
Day, well, yeah, I know, it's just kind of funny
comments between couples from the tennis world on social media.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
All right, Well let's start with number five.
Speaker 8 (29:50):
Five.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
So Alex Demonol put up a post during this Join
Open about being at an Airbnb. Obviously it was a
partner post, and he had a book in the photo,
and Katie Bilter wrote, you read question mark.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
That banter has been a long running thing, hasn't it
even before their dating days?
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (30:10):
I really love their stuff. So that's number five, love it.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Number four four.
Speaker 6 (30:16):
This is a tennis player and his partner, so Brazilian
duel Reese da Silva. He came out recently indicating his
gay and his partner went to one of the first
Slams not Slam's first tournaments where he actually won, and
his partner wrote this really nice post about it. His
partner is a Brazilian actor, so not from the tennis world,
(30:38):
and he wrote the first final I get to watch
and the trophy is here. So proud of your journey,
your success and this achievement. Thank you for bringing me
into this world. Time to celebrate you deserve it, and
twenty twenty five is going to be amazing because we
are a team.
Speaker 8 (30:52):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
That's really cute.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
That also works for a Mother's Day post. When you
say thanks for bringing me into.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
This way, I know obviously he means the tennis.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
All right, keep going.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
So Emerson Jones, our Australian tennis junior, is dating a
Dutch junior as well. They're both world number ones and
the juniors she is dating me's I'm going to say
this wrong, Rot Gearing.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Give me a look at the spelling and we'll go
for it. Oh yeah, Rought Gearing, it's more like.
Speaker 6 (31:27):
This, and he posted, well they both won in Chengu
and he posted being like absolutely so proud of you,
and she wrote back, I'm even more proud of you.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
She's going to be something Emerson is already.
Speaker 11 (31:51):
You love love.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Don't you think that's really cute? They're seventeen. It's quite
nice that is that is cute?
Speaker 1 (32:00):
So is there much love on the on the tour
in the junior junior ranks in terms of relationships and whatnot.
I love lost a lot, No love lost. Sure, you
don't hear much. You don't hear much about junior couples.
So I'm just wondering if you've you've ever.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
Heard of any Yeah, well, the first thing that comes
to mind is Luke and Dasher. Yeah, they met when
they were I think fifteen sixteen.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
Them though, is that they don't post mushy stuff that's
fun for the for the pod.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
But I'll give them that feedback.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Okay, sounds good.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah. By the way, I want I want storm to
link up with the Saviles and do Stormy Savile blog
when she's away, because that would be really good to
get all our friends back together, the former housemates. All right,
two to go.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
So we can't do this without having a Bedoza and
Sissypas moment. Yep, obviously, so Bidoza end of January put
up a really great post about the journey she's been
on and coming back from injury and all that kind
of stuff, and then Sissypas commented on it and said,
you don't just play tennis, you play life, and you're
(33:03):
winning it both love heart.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I feel like you don't love love.
Speaker 11 (33:09):
I do.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
I'm just I'm just listening, just sitting over here listening.
Speaker 8 (33:14):
So I find it very interesting.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah, I'm not sure I'm qualified to comment as much
as you are.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Well, like, I've had years of experience of watching other
people in love. I'm using the humor. It's fine.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
I like, I can just imagine Stephanos sitting there devising
that because he has always going to keep up his
philosophical very philosophical. He can't just feel loves you realize this.
He has to understand love he does, which is what
philosophy is all about.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Right, Yeah, you understanding?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
That's he needs to listen to Robbie Williams song you
know which one?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
You Ah? That is a phenomenal the backstory to it
so much.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
He's so good. Let me entertain you.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
And our number one.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
Number one has to go and I know they've already
been in the top five that has to go to
Katie Bulltrow and Alex. Recently, so Katie put up a
tweet about bench I always get that wrong. Get married
equals win Slam. Have a baby equals win five hundred,
just talking about how great it was what she had achieved,
(34:23):
and Alex wrote, you've got any ideas you want to
share with me? Question mark question mark question mark laughing emoji.
Speaker 8 (34:31):
Like I would just question it. It's the other way round.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Having a baby is the bigger deal, don't you think?
I think that's my Grand Slam title.
Speaker 8 (34:40):
Mane, that's you. We need to talk about you. Well.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
In four weeks time, I will have, hopefully a little
bundle of joy, a little daughter join.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Us, the biggest deal of your life.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Have you got names?
Speaker 6 (34:53):
Ready?
Speaker 1 (34:55):
We actually do have a name, and I'll be rebelliant
on the the podcast shortly, not today.
Speaker 8 (34:59):
Is it true that great men have daughters? I don't know.
Have you got any? Well, I'm telling you how many
of you.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Got FITZI too quite possibly then and father fathers of
Storm and Bree were to test.
Speaker 8 (35:12):
This will be the biggest moment of your life so far.
I'm very confident.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
To say that I'm looking forward to it, and that
might be a nice transition to Ace of the Week,
where we each share something non tennis related. But yeah,
we are now squarely in the zone of expecting our
little daughter in early to mid March, so this will
be my third last episode as host for a little
while before before I go away. But the nursery is ready.
(35:39):
We got We've got the pram. Elmy has done a
phenomenal job at decorating as well. She's a painter in
her spare time, and he's done some great artwork as well.
Has created a mobile to hang above the well. You're
not supposed to put it above the baslot, but somewhere,
maybe above the change table. So it's it's all, it's
all coming home, and this weekend we're having a picnic.
It's not a baby shower. In fact, the title of
(36:01):
the event is definitely not a baby shower, but just
to see our friends for one last time, perhaps before
we go into a lengthy hibernation.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
So yeah, but you're never again, Brie.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
What's your ace of the week.
Speaker 6 (36:13):
My ace of the week is that Tomorrow's Valentine's Day
and I'm spending it with one of my really good friends,
her and I cooking dinner at my house, having some
cheese and wine, and then we're going to see Dear Evan.
Speaker 8 (36:26):
Yeah, have you seen it yet?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I haven't anyone seen it.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
I've seen it.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Yeah, how good is it? Apparently?
Speaker 8 (36:33):
How good is he is?
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Unbelievable?
Speaker 6 (36:36):
Yeah, well, I was saying to Todd, I really want
to see it, because Todd was in here on Monday
and he was like, bre it closes on the weekend.
So instantly, while he was standing there, I purchased tickets.
So I'm spending Valentine's Day with my good friend and
some cheese and wine and a great fitter production.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
Yeah, you know, Todd's chasing his own record of twenty
two majors. Here is up to He's up to twenty.
He shows scene of his own son India twenty times.
I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I said to him, I'm going to go Friday, and
he's like, I'm going to see you there. And I
messaged him last night being like, oh, so you're there
on Friday.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
The day that I the one time I've seen it,
Todd was there. He looked like that cat in Dohard
had all the cream he was very happy about it,
and so he should be. But bo, Yeah, he's amazing,
isn't He's a star in his own right. Yeah, it
is no longer son of Todd Woodbridge. It is father of.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Bowoodbridge totally actually, which.
Speaker 8 (37:38):
Really brings a small to their faces.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
I love it the new Tipping the Lower third title
on Tipping Point when he comes on his father of
bow Woodbridge, Stormy, what's your ace of the week?
Speaker 7 (37:50):
So my ace of the week is actually Last Friday,
Luckie and I went to see Luke Holmbs Marvel Stadium
and he was amazing stadium.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
That's a big venue.
Speaker 7 (38:01):
Yeah, and it was packed, like it was completely full,
and he was just like incredible, And yeah, Lucky loves
country music.
Speaker 5 (38:07):
I'm not as big on country music, but yeah, Luke.
Speaker 7 (38:10):
Holmbs was absolutely incredible and even his acts leading into
Jordan Davis.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
And Mitchell Tenpenny, Yeah, they were amazing. It was just
such a good.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Vibe love country.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
Yeah, everyone was.
Speaker 7 (38:20):
Just having a good time and it was just it
was so much fun. We haven't been to a concert
in forever.
Speaker 8 (38:25):
Did he sing a Kenny Rogers song or two?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
No?
Speaker 1 (38:27):
No, Mitchell Tenpenny probably could have sung the gambler with
a name like that.
Speaker 8 (38:31):
Well, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
Wasn't there a post with the crowd packed leaving the
stadium singing Kenny Rodgers song. I thought maybe Kenny and
Dolly putns on.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
The islands in the street.
Speaker 8 (38:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (38:46):
Kind have done that on the next night, because even
when we were walking out, everyone was just like singing.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
It was crazy.
Speaker 8 (38:51):
It was so fun.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yeah, three tickets to it.
Speaker 6 (38:55):
But then I had seen everyone the night before having
trouble getting home from my and because I've got like
bunnged up feet at the moment, with like broken toes.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
And stuff, I was like, I'm not doing that. Yes,
I didn't go.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
I once got caught at Marvel Stadium on Valentine's Day.
I wasn't attending, Just to make that clear, a one
direction concert. Didn't realize it was on, and I chose
to drive through Docklands. No, it took me an hour
to get from one side of the stadium to the other.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
It's actually such a hard place to get out of.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Ye nightmarish, give me rod lavor any day, give me
pod lavor. Yeah, what's your ace of the week?
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Sir?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Well, at the risk of carrying on with the same theme.
By the way, I just want to it's the first
time I've been on this podcast since the AO. What
an extraordinary event that we all have an opportunity to
be involved in. Holy smoking, it is bigger and better
every year.
Speaker 8 (39:49):
Where does it end?
Speaker 6 (39:52):
It?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Almost like I've said this before, but when I used
to play Last Century, I could never imagined how the
Australian Open would evolve into what it's evolved into. It
is an extraordinary event. Now we should be We're all
a small small part of it. We all should be
proud of it. And I think the leaders who have
made it what it is. And yeah, it boggles my
(40:14):
mind each year.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
It takes a lot of imagination, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
But at the risk I'll be quick. Yep, I'm having
a third grandson. My son is having a son with
his beautiful wife Lily, And yeah, that's a big deal
with they're breeding fast, I can't believe it. From a
bit of a late start, now they're accelerating. It's pretty mate.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
It's Gerald name lives on.
Speaker 8 (40:37):
I'll be thinking of you in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
Mate, I'm really really pleased and proud of you.
Speaker 8 (40:41):
It's a great thing.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Well, there's some great names here at this table. But
will do you think the new child will be able
to compete with Walter James, Huckleberry Harrison, which is your
most loved?
Speaker 6 (40:51):
That?
Speaker 8 (40:52):
What a great name.
Speaker 3 (40:53):
Yeah, he's and Theodore is his older brother we called
Teddy and he's just snuggled in nicely with the with
the new addition, I don't know if you can compete
with that name.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
It's it's impressive, it's really strong.
Speaker 8 (41:06):
Sure you will.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Storm is number one on the names.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
Actually do you love being a grandfather, Well, it's it's
it's brought some joy.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Yeah, you know after COVID in this state of as Victoria,
which which I struggled with a lot, you know, and
started you know, well, I won't go down that path.
It will make us all depressed. But but you know,
I struggled with that whole period, and I think the
grandsons have really helped me develop more joy in my life. Again,
(41:39):
it's very different to having a child of your own.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Very different, get to give it back, but.
Speaker 8 (41:45):
Really a great experience.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Yeah, I created it.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Yeah, very good. Well, I'm very happy for you. Congratulations Storm,
wonderful to have you back on to it. We're going
to be waiting with Beata Breath to watch you in Austin.
All the best for your last couple of weeks preparation.
Speaker 5 (42:01):
Thank you. So I'm really sad to not be here though.
Speaker 8 (42:08):
Barracking from a farmer.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Bring back with me next week.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
I actually am not.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
You're away next week.
Speaker 6 (42:14):
I'm on rest and recovery next week finally, so yeah,
I'm I'll be laying in the botanic gardens reading a book.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Novak's Tree.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Yeah, yeah, lovely.
Speaker 6 (42:23):
I've actually been thinking about that when I walk through it.
Which one's his tree?
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Well, Praddy and Simon ray to join us next week,
and we're trying to get Kim Birell on the show
as well to join us before she heads off also
to Austin. That's all for today's episode, but make sure
you join us again next week for more of the
Tennis as we dissect all the latest in the world
of this great game. You can watch this episode and
all other episodes of The Tennis on our YouTube channel,
(42:48):
Australian Open TV, and don't forget to hit the bell
below so you never miss an episode and stay across
the tennis all year long. Have a great week in
tennis guys, and we'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Thank you, thank you John Hey he
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com