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Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to the sit down. I'm Viv Christy, Australian tennis magazine managing editor, and.
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Speaker 2: I'm Mattrolok, a writer for oz open dot com.
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Speaker 3: And Viv.
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Speaker 2: Why are we sitting down with Storm Hunter this week?
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Speaker 4: Well?
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Speaker 1: Storm is a much love figure in Australian tennis and as most of us know, she suffered a terrible injury a couple of months ago, so we wanted to check in on Storm's rehab. But also this is a really special time of year for Storm. She won her first doubles Tour level title on grass and has had some incredible results at Wimbledon.
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Speaker 4: Thanks so much for joining us on the sit down today, Storm. It's great to see you.
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Speaker 5: No worries, Matt, thank you for having me. I'm really excited to be here.
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Speaker 4: So it's been two months since you did the injury in Brisbane.
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Speaker 2: How are you? How are you feeling?
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Speaker 3: I'm quing good. Thank you, thank you for asking.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, it's actually, to be honest, gone really really fast, which I didn't think I would say that. Obviously, it can tend to feel really slow, and especially in those early stages when you can't do much, you're limited with what you can do. But every single week I feel like I've progressed a little bit. This week, I'm starting to walk a little bit out of the moonboot, which is very very exciting. I'm getting my independence back a little bit more, which is good. My husband was having to do literally everything for me and for him, so it was nice now that I can start to do some things for myself and I'm going okay.
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Speaker 3: Obviously.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, with French Open, it was a little bit hard watching, I guess, like just kind of think, you know, you're always wanting to be there and you're like, oh, that's where I should be and whatnot.
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Speaker 3: But it was also really fun to watch my friends.
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Speaker 5: Play, watch the Australian team, like the players do well, and support them from afar and just stay connected to tennis.
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Speaker 3: So yeah, at the moment, I'm good. I think it will change.
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Speaker 5: I know there'll be some tougher moments, but I've got really good people around me who every day they're kind of motivating me and keeping me kind of on track. And yeah, rehab is going to progress every week, so it kind of feels like we're going in the right direction.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, you got a lot of praise for staying after what had happened, and no one would have blamed you if you were like, I'm in heaps of pain, this situation sucks, I'm out of here.
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Speaker 2: But you did stay and you.
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Speaker 4: Supported, and I just wanted to like, yeah, what made you want to stay?
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Speaker 5: Yeah, It's interesting because when I rupture my achilles like we had, it was kind of later in the day.
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Speaker 3: It was at four pm.
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Speaker 5: I'd already been selected to play the singles, and the next day it was the last ten minutes of our session, and actually Dasher and Taylor were coming on to hit after us, after Arena and I had finished, and they obviously everyone kind of knew what happened, like everyone was there and saw it. So obviously when I had went off the court after it had happened, basically they had said to Dasher like, okay, you're we don't know what's happened with Storm, but like she's not playing tomorrow, so now you have to play. You've got to get like mentally ready to play. And obviously Dash is my best friend and she's gone through two als, also had surgery on her aculles, so she was also distressed for me, because you know, we're such close friends, and I was kind of like, dude, you need to focus on tomorrow because like it's upsetting, but like I'm all Team Australia, like at this point, it's not about me. It's about the team and we need to like we need to win this qualifying tie. So yeah, basically, like that night at dinner, I hadn't had scans yet. I was getting scans later in the night, and you know, everyone was like, you don't have to come for dinner, like you just go stay in your room, like everyone had come visited me in my room. We'd all cried, all hugged and cried and said how you know, bad this situation is.
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Speaker 3: But you know, they're like you can just hang.
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Speaker 5: I'm like, no, I'll come for dinner, like it's kind of nice to be around and at.
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Speaker 3: Dinner distraction as well. Yeah, definitely And yeah, and.
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Speaker 5: Basically the team kind of said to me at that time, they said, we don't know like if you want to stay or if you've thought about tomorrow, but basically they asked me to stay and they said that we would love to see you there, like if you're up for it. And for me, it wasn't even a choice, like I didn't even I was like, why do you think I'm leaving, Like I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here.
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Speaker 3: And yeah, I was kind of like, no, of course I'm gonna stay.
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Speaker 4: Like, well, I guess maybe you might have had to go for like hospital or quick surgery, like I don't know, who knows what the scans would have revealed or something.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly, we were kind of a little bit like depending on the scans because we didn't really know the severity of like what had happened. But I was kind of like, no, like, you know, even if I'm not playing, like our mentality with the teams that everyone has a role and their role is just important as like the person who's actually playing the match, like if you're not selected to play, but like your role was cheering and supporting on the sidelines is just as important as actually playing. So like for me, that's always been my mentality with the team. And I was like, well, I've got to live that, Like I've got to live. I can't just say like it's all about me, like I'm done, I'm out of here. I'm like I want to what and support and like I said, like the team's kind of my family. Like half of the team went to my wedding, so like they're all basically my family. So I'm like, I'm in good hands, like you know, everyone, you know, they obviously feel for me, but I kind of want to be surrounded by that like support as well, because it definitely made me feel better because I was like, if I go home or whatever, like I'm just going to be upset and sad. So at least I'm kind of around And yeah, and like I said, seeing Taylor play and even Dasha, she was so good, like just was on a mission, and Arena did really well to kind of get through a tough match, and yeah, watching Taylor was like my highlight for sure.
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Speaker 4: And when you said that about you know, you're seeing progress, you're getting your independence back and things like that. Seeing that progress and you getting more and more strength and being able to do more, is that it's a kind of like good for your state of mind when you have that progress continuing.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, one hundred percent, I think that's probably the main most important thing. And even to be honest, like even if it's something so little that you have to kind of celebrate that and that's what I've been really trying to do. So I've been journaling a lot actually, and each week I write down what I did this week that I couldn't do last week. So for example, last week, I couldn't put my shoe on because my foot was still too swollen.
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Speaker 3: So this week, I can actually put my shoe on.
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Speaker 5: So I'm like, wow, like Storm, You've improved because now you can put your shoe on and it's comfortable.
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Speaker 3: Even my sock. For example, I was wearing.
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Speaker 5: High socks because it was same, like it was cutting into kind of my achilles and it was sore. So now I can wear like ankle socks and it's like, oh, good.
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Speaker 3: Job, Like you're actually improving.
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Speaker 5: So yeah, just trying to find like little things that I couldn't do that now I can do, and just not being like, oh, finally I can do that, but I actually seeing that as a positive and not being like just not disregarding it. I think that's the most important thing. And for me and my mentality is like, no, that's great, Like you're on the right track. And even if it's something so small, I think it's really important to yeah, celebrate and remember like where you've come from. If even just last week or two weeks.
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Speaker 4: Ago, that's actually probably a good life approach anyway, even if you weren't coming from an injury, any kind of progress journaling you know what you could do this week or this month or this year that you couldn't do previously, or a new skill you've learned. It's just a nice kind of approach to life generally. So maybe it's been a good reminder of like good mental approaches.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so.
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Speaker 5: And I actually study psychology at university, so trying to use some of those I guess tools that I learn and like put them kind of into practice. But yeah, I think like even with my career on the road, I've usually been someone who kind of reflects a lot and tries to celebrate like not just wins or losses, but certain things you know in my matches that if I did well that I wasn't doing the week before, that we kind of focused on. So I guess it's kind of the same kind of mentality, And I think that's the thing. It could be not just tennis or sport, or it can relate to anyone with work and life and what goals they have, and that's something that I think, yeah, it has helped me with my tennis success. I guess on on the road and the last few years is my mentality of just yeah, celebrating those small little wins even if there no one else knows about them, and they're just like for you personally, but just kind of keeping you, I guess, yeah, on the right track. And you know, not every week you're going to have you know, that's the other thing. It's not like you're being super positive and like blowing over everything you know you can.
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Speaker 2: Sometimes progress isn't linear too exactly.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's the reality.
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Speaker 5: But I think I tend to try and look at things yeah, gluff past full, yes, then empty and yeah, or even just see like okay, that's where I was at, Like reading back. I also will look back and read general entries from like when I had my cast on and I couldn't get out of the bed, or and be like, okay, like you look how far you've already come?
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Speaker 3: You know, so you're yeah, you're doing good.
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Speaker 4: That's good, and I've seen obviously you're You've posted a bit on Insta since in the last two months about like, you know, milestones and what you've been doing in the gym and stuff like that.
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Speaker 2: It's been the response to that.
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Speaker 3: Ah, to be honest, it's been it's blown me away.
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Speaker 5: How supportive and how I guess everyone's kind of gotten around me.
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Speaker 3: And that's why I kind of keep.
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Speaker 5: Posting because I get I get a lot of love and support and people, you know, they're cheering me on, like you know, fans who watch me play and they just obviously feel for me going through this and other players. The amount of people that have actually ruptured their achilles and then going through the same thing, and that you know, they're liking to see my progress as well because they can kind of relate or give it gives them a little bit of inspiration too, So it's yeah, it's been kind of overwhelming in a good way, to be honest. I didn't expect to get so much support and love from everyone online, but it's been. It's been lovely, and I like kind of keeping everyone up date. I think people were interested and they want to know how you're going, like even just ticking off those milestones, and it's kind of fun to stay engaged as well, and.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a way to stay connected, yeah.
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Speaker 5: Exactly, So you know, even just some will reply and I'll have a chat with them online and then yeah, it's just a way of, yeah, staying connected, and yeah, I enjoy it's kind of fun to.
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Speaker 3: Make some reels and post some videos and stuff.
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Speaker 4: Yeah for sure. Well as social media manager roll quickly in your future too. You never know you're working on another skill set.
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Speaker 5: I think darry Sable, to be honest, has we comment on that.
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Speaker 3: I will let her have that one.
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Speaker 4: She is almost tennis leading. There's not many players on tour that do social media like Dasher. I guess speaking of tennis, we're chatting to you when the grass court season has begun, and I think in terms of your tennis journey and what you've achieved in your career, so much of it has connected.
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Speaker 2: You with grass.
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Speaker 4: Your first tour level title in doubles was in Nottingham, I think on grass. Yes, that's a big milestone in a players career at to a level title, Like what did that mean in terms of your tennis journey and kind of the confidence it might have given you.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, that's crazy because I remember that that's so clearly, like it was yesterday with Minnie Cadam Zach. We like to this day, we were like shocked that we won that event.
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Speaker 3: Even to in our first round.
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Speaker 5: We were like, huh, this is like crazy, how are we winning our first round of this WTA, Like I remember it so clearly with her and gosh, it was so special because we've beat some really good teams, some good players, I think on the grass, like as an Australian and as a West Australian, like I grew up playing on grass.
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Speaker 3: In like easter tournaments.
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Speaker 5: We had fourteen's Nationals in mill Duro as well, and I won Fourteen's Nationals on grass there, and I think you just kind of have this like confidence because we've played on it as juniors growing up, and you know, it's only a few weeks of the year, which I wish it was a little bit longer, to be honest, and I think every Australian player probably does. But yeah, you kind of just get this sense of like maybe belief that you don't get necessarily on clay or even hard court when you're overseas. It's kind of, yeah, the sense of peace and relax and you've done this before. You've been on this court, like on this grass court many times, and there's a lot of players overseas that have never played on a grass court. You get to those events and they like have no idea what they're doing, and you're kind of like, oh, I've got.
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Speaker 4: This, you know, so, which is crazy because they're all so much closer to like the UK and things like that normally, like we have so far to go, but I think people forget how much grass we have here in Australia.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, especially in regional towns is like grass courts, you know everywhere, like in Wa there's probably more grass courts than hard courts. I would say, yeah, especially like kind of country towns and we would always go kind of Christmas and Easter. We'd go to like Bustleton or Geraldton and play those those tournaments and like it was always the best time ever. Like you'd play so many matches and just everyone would just stay at the club and have sosiuses all or whatever, and yeah, I.
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Speaker 3: Have really fun memories.
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Speaker 5: I think going to grass, like going to the UK, and having those memories as a kid like kind of helps when you go over there because like, yeah, I've had these experiences and amaze, you know, fun happy experiences on the court and kind of using that when you.
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Speaker 3: Get over there.
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Speaker 5: So, yeah, that was a very big moment in my career because I actually started to believe for the first time that I kind of belonged to that level and that like it wasn't just a fluke, that I could do it again. And I think we broke into the top one hundred for doubles for the first time after winning Nottingham. So it was definitely a big stepping stone for modern and I to win that title. And since then, I've had, yeah, a lot of success on grass, making the final of Wimbledon last year the doubles, which was another amazing experience, and also qualifying for Wimbledon last year that was also something, yeah, a dream come true.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you've pre empted my next question.
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Speaker 4: I was going to say, fast forward to twenty twenty three, and you had great success in singles by qualifying for the major at Wimbledon and then made the doubles final at Wimbledon. So, like, tell us who have never played on a Wimbledon grass court, what's that like and what was that experience like, you know, doing well in singles and going so deep in doubles. You had the full three week Wimbledon experience. You were there right at the beginning and right at the end.
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Speaker 3: Yeah.
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Speaker 5: So firstly, the one thing about Wimbledon is that the qualifying it's the only slam that the qualities isn't at Wimbledon, it's in Roehampton. And I think that makes the elusive Wimboeden dream that much more I guess special and achievable slash unachievable in.
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Speaker 3: A way because you're so close but you're so far.
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Speaker 5: And I the two years before that, I made the final round of qualities and I had played in fun around qualities before, but this is the first time that I had lost and like felt completely heartbroken because you don't even get to step through the gates Wimwooden, Like you don't even get to go there and walk around and like hit on the courts or anything.
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Speaker 4: Like.
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Speaker 5: It's basically this dream that's crushed, you know, and you could be ranked one ten in the world and.
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Speaker 2: Not get side.
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Speaker 3: Yeah.
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Speaker 5: So I think the Roehampton is in a way that's like what's so special about it? You know, you have this row of courts basically built on an oval, and that fine around of qualities, like there's no pressure like it. I think It's one of those, yeah, that you can just feel the tension in the air, and you know, the courts have gotten a lot better, but in the last few years they you know, depending on the rain and whatnot, like they could be yeah, tough to play on too, a lot of of awkward bounces and in those moments you're kind of, yeah, getting a little bit of luck as well with the bounces and whatnot. But to qualify at Roe Hampton is I think one of the hardest things to do in tennis.
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Speaker 3: And I felt very, very lucky.
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Speaker 5: To be able to have that experience last year, had been able to qualify and have my husband there, Scotti, who was working with me at the time, and just having those people there to be able to witness that it was very very special. And obviously I was already going there for doubles, but I think to achieve that in singles and say that I got through three tough matches Roe Hampton, you've kind of really earned your way to Wimbledon, kind of just makes it, yeah, that much more special, I guess. And you know that's already a week a week done, and you haven't even got there, and you've already gone through all these emotions and then you get to Wimbleden for the first time, and I think I've played there maybe four times now in doubles, and every single time you get goosebumps walking through through those gates, and the courts are just so beautiful, fully manicured, and you know, you just feel this sense of just goosebumps.
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Speaker 3: It's just it's a dream come true. And I just don't take that for granted.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, it is a beautiful place. It's amazing with eager I guess like there is this consistency in women's tennis. We saw co Co go deep again and Sablenka and Rebaiken are in the quarter finals. There's been so much like openness in women's tennis, but in the last year or two it seems to have kind of really.
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Speaker 2: Stabilized at the top.
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Speaker 4: Like what have you made of that change, because it seems to be quite different to what it was so maybe four or five years ago.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely, I think those especially riber keen as vr Tech and Sabolenka have kind of established themselves as the top three, not just at Slams but at all the kind of masters throughout the year. And now Coco as well has kind of found that consistency too, and I think I like it.
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Speaker 3: I think it's great to see you kind of want to.
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Speaker 5: See those top players kind of being consistent and having those matchups that we you know, you sometimes see on the men's tour with you know, obviously Federer and Djokovic, Nadal. When you have those matchups, it's kind of you can go either way, and it's generally very high quality tennis, and I think Asaka will also kind of get back up there.
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Speaker 3: I think she's playing at such a high level.
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Speaker 5: Obviously clay isn't her favorite surface, and her quality of tennis was unbelievable, and coming onto the grass, I think she's actually going to be a threat depending on draw. Obviously she's not seated, so I think she, Yeah, she's going to be very dangerous. And you've got also on Jabour, who I would say has hasn't had the greatest start to the season, but did well at rolling Garras and obviously making the final of Wimbledon twice. She's going to be out to try and try and go a third time. And I think there's some dangerous players as well. But I like to see the consistency of the Yeah, the top top few players as well. It's been it's been good. Sabalanka is always dangerous, Ribakina very dangerous on grass. You know.
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Speaker 3: I think eger is obviously.
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Speaker 5: Going to want to come out and prove something as well on grass courts, so you know, she's obviously very confident. Played a lot of my back to back, So yeah, it's kind of it's very exciting, it's very it's hard to pick, to be honest.
00:18:06
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's the it's the kind of ideal state. It's not one person completely dominating. He was obviously number one and winning most on clay, but it's the matchups. It's getting them always their meeting in those big matches, and yeah, that's what you want, that's what you want to see. I remember you told me once that because obviously you were one of the top doubles pairs at the same time that Goff and Pagoula were, that you practiced a lot with them and their top five singles players. Have you practiced as well with like Eager, Sabolenka, any of those ons. I'm not sure how many people you do practice with like or if it's mainly doubles players. But yeah, what have you and if so, what's that? What's that been like?
00:18:44
Speaker 5: No, I haven't, to be honest, I haven't really practiced with them, just because I think scheduling it's a little bit crazy. But I've watched them practice a lot, and I've played against Sablenka at the Australian Open, I think two years ago. And yeah, I mean it's more like their intensity, like even if you're on the practice court next to them, like Eager's intensity and Sabling is intensity. It's like kind of intimidating you're kind of next to them, and you know, obviously Sabling is quite loud, like she's a bit more vocal, but Eager it's more her. I guess you can see her mannerisms and her focus, her eye she's not watching anything else other than what's going on. And also her team around them, they're very intense and focused. And yeah, it's interesting because then I've practiced with co Co and Jesse and co Co. I would say probably now is getting more that intensity and focused and I think that's probably coming with the confidence that she belongs as the now she's number two in the world, which is amazing and Jesse, she's probably a bit of a different cats.
00:19:44
Speaker 3: She's a cool, cool cat.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: So relaxed.
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Speaker 4: I'd love to she seems outwardly anyway, so relaxed. I'd love to be like that.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, she even to me. She seems so relaxed.
00:19:53
Speaker 5: And I enjoy practicing with her because obviously she's a amazing player in singles and doubles and such a quality ball strip, but also just such a down to earth character and always, you know, talking, saying hi and having a chat. And I think also because she's older too, she's thirty, we're the same age, and I think she's spent a lot of time at that challenger level, so she kind of understands the road. She didn't just get this success overnight or got to the top ten or top five overnight. She kind of really worked, had to work hard for it. So it's kind of a different, I guess, different journey. But I think that's the cool thing about tennis. Everyone has a different journey. There's no one way. And you see some players like Cocro kind of be amazing from a young age, and then you've got the other ones who are kind of the journey women who you know take their time to get there as well.
00:20:42
Speaker 4: I guess one thing, when you watch tennis, you've also done coaching as well, and I think you did a coaching course, right I did. Yeah, So when you watch tennis, you're watching Taylor at the Billy jinking Cowboy, you're watching on TV or whatever. Do you watch tennis differently now or maybe through like a different lens potentially more analytically or is it the same experience.
00:21:03
Speaker 5: I would say when I'm watching people I'm close with, I'm just watching as like a fan and not I just want them to win, like you know, if it's Taylor or any of the Australian girls. But when I'm watching kind of like you know, the top girls playing like Egar Sublink, like, I'm actually kind of thinking that I'm playing them, So I'm like, oh, Because when you're on the road, like playing Tolenments, you don't get that much time to actually like sit and watch because you're kind of just focused on.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: Yourself who you're playing next.
00:21:31
Speaker 5: You might watch a little bit of them just to get you know, workout strategy and whatnot.
00:21:35
Speaker 3: Then you're focus on like recovery.
00:21:36
Speaker 4: It's actually so many components to you to your actual day just getting yourself ready to play, right, Yeah.
00:21:42
Speaker 5: And yeah exactly, and like that can take up all day and then you kind of when you have a few free hours, like you.
00:21:48
Speaker 3: Kind of just want to switch off.
00:21:49
Speaker 5: Yeah, you might go do something explore or watch Netflix, like you kind of want to get out of tennis because as soon as you like get to a site, like you're kind of in that tennis mindset like all day. Actually, Like to be honest, now I'm watching more tennis than I would when I'm kind of away, So it's like kind of good because I'm watching it from like also not an emotional perspective because I'm kind of like sitting back and I can use kind of that more things that I've learned in my coaching. I've also done coding as well. During the Australian Open, I was getting about yeah, about six years ago, I was working like in the office just coding match after match, and same thing like that was just being able to watch tennis from like a bit of a different perspective, taking like the emotion out of it and not feeling like intimidated or like around.
00:22:32
Speaker 3: It, just kind of being a little bit separated and being able to.
00:22:35
Speaker 5: Watch and just see things for how they are, like and looking at the stats and kind of like, oh, it's like more simple than you know I'm thinking. Sometimes I'm like overthinking it and you're kind of in it and it seems either way better or way worse than it actually is. So yeah, I think this year, like, I'll definitely watch a lot more tennis singles and doubles. So I think it's a good thing.
00:22:56
Speaker 4: In terms of your timeline for coming back, what are the next few months like for you?
00:23:02
Speaker 5: Yeah, so at the moment, the rough timeline is twelve months, which is like return to play, which obviously would kind of be the clay season twenty twenty five. Obviously, as an athlete, like you're trying to push yourself to be ready earlier. But at the same time, with my achilles, it's very much kind of whenever you chip away and whenever you reach certain milestones, like you can tick it off and go to the next thing, and there's kind of no timeline on that. It's kind of everyone's different with their body and how they recover, so already with me kind of transitioning out of the moon boot, I'm.
00:23:38
Speaker 3: Like two weeks ahead of schedule. So yeah, so it's like really really positive.
00:23:42
Speaker 5: So I'm trying to at the moment not put like too much of a timeline on it. Like, obviously I would love to be ready for the Australian summer. That would be that's kind of like in the back of my mind something that I'm working towards. But at the same time, I'm trying I don't want to be disappointed if that doesn't happen. And I'm kind of listening to my body because obviously it's gone through something quite yeah, quite extreme and quite a lot that I need to make sure that I'm ready when I do come back. And in terms of coming back to singles or doubles or both, I'm actually not at the moment.
00:24:14
Speaker 3: I'm not sure.
00:24:15
Speaker 5: I would love to come back and be ready for both, but we just I don't know how my body is going to be and that's.
00:24:21
Speaker 3: Just yeah, realistically the way it is.
00:24:23
Speaker 5: And I also have like my underlying autoimmune stuff, so with my anchializing spondylitis, Yeah, we just don't really know how. Yeah, my body will kind of handle the recovery and the training, but I have my protected ranking for singles and doubles. So once we're kind of back on the court, moving and training, will.
00:24:44
Speaker 3: Kind of make a plan. But yeah, I'll be pushing.
00:24:47
Speaker 5: I'll be pushing to yeah, be coming back as soon as I can. And yeah, like I said, like I said before, billygin King Cup like a goal. I felt this year that I was going to be top one hundred for sure. Like I was feeling great, playing really really well. I played Emminavarro in Miami. I qualified and played her second round, and even though I lost, it was like one of like I was feeling really good. Like I lost the match in strad but I came off the court and like was smiling and like me and my coach Nicole Pratt, and we were just like wow, like if this is my level, like I'm gonna be.
00:25:24
Speaker 3: Like top fifty this year. Like I just felt really good.
00:25:27
Speaker 2: And because emmen of R's top twenty now, yeah.
00:25:30
Speaker 5: She's an unbelievable player, and like I think I was up for one in the first set, like completely like not even giving her a chance, and I was like, wow, like that's my level, like obviously being able to maintain that for like I dropped obviously and couldn't maintain that level, and being able to do that for like one match, let alone week in week out is obviously not easy. But I was like, wow, like if I can handle like do this, then yeah, you just got to keep doing it, stay healthy and I think I'll progress.
00:25:57
Speaker 3: So obviously like having.
00:25:59
Speaker 5: That and then been now stuck here at home rehabing, but in a way, it kind of gives me that like confidence that I can do and that's my level, Like it gives me that motivation to be like I can achieve that and get to that level.
00:26:12
Speaker 3: I just want to. I just need to give myself a chance again.
00:26:14
Speaker 5: And you know, I was really I was injured six years ago with my shoulder. I was out for twelve months and didn't think I was going to come back to tennis at all. Like I was like, yeah, working as a coach, had like no money, nothing. I was just like, Okay, I don't know if I will get another chance. And I'm so glad that I did try again because then everything that's happened in the last six years has been incredible. Like we have our house with my trophies in it, and every day I'm looking at them and I'm like, Wow, like you achieved all that in the last six years because you just kind of stuck with it and you know, you just kept showing up. And that's kind of my thing now, is like, Okay, you've done it before, you can do it again, and yeah, who knows what you'll achieve if you kind of just keep showing up and giving yourself chance.
00:27:00
Speaker 3: So yeah, trying to use that as my inspiration.
00:27:04
Speaker 4: That's definitely stuff to jop down in the journal if you haven't already the visual of the trophy cabinet in the house and knowing it, yeah, I need to add there's more to add to it.
00:27:13
Speaker 5: Yes, definitely, and in the trophy cabinet, it's quite crazy. Like for me, it's crazy because like I have some beautiful trophies that I've been lucky enough to win, but my favorite one is this one from Aubrey at one of the amts there. It was the first moment that I came back and played after my shoulder injury. I played doubles with yeah, one of the local girls and we won it. And it's sitting there just right next to my wind Wooden Finals trophy. Because it's like for me, it means so much because I was the start of kind of yeah the last six years, and for me it's just as important as the wind Woulden Trophy, the finalist trophy, and everything else in between.
00:27:52
Speaker 3: So yeah, it definitely kind of serves as that.
00:27:55
Speaker 4: Inspiration, incredibly of Storm to give us her time and to reflect on all of those things. I found it really inspiring how she's got such a great perspective when she's been dealing with such a challenge in her career, to be able to find those kind of small positives and silver linings and appreciate her progress.
00:28:14
Speaker 2: I thought that was wonderful, absolutely.
00:28:16
Speaker 1: And I think anyone looking for a tennis role model look no further than Storm Hunter.
00:28:21
Speaker 4: She's amazing and we'll be back again next Monday, talking to you at Wimbledon, Viv. I'm looking forward to seeing who you sit down with their.
00:28:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, exciting times ahead, and in the meantime, you can listen to John and the team this Thursday on the Aoshow Weekly. Details for how to contact us are in the show notes, and please subscribe, rate and review. I'll talk to you next week, Matt.
00:28:39
Speaker 2: Look forward to a Viv
Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to the sit down. I'm Viv Christy, Australian tennis magazine managing editor, and.
00:00:07
Speaker 2: I'm Mattrolok, a writer for oz open dot com.
00:00:09
Speaker 3: And Viv.
00:00:10
Speaker 2: Why are we sitting down with Storm Hunter this week?
00:00:12
Speaker 4: Well?
00:00:13
Speaker 1: Storm is a much love figure in Australian tennis and as most of us know, she suffered a terrible injury a couple of months ago, so we wanted to check in on Storm's rehab. But also this is a really special time of year for Storm. She won her first doubles Tour level title on grass and has had some incredible results at Wimbledon.
00:00:35
Speaker 4: Thanks so much for joining us on the sit down today, Storm. It's great to see you.
00:00:38
Speaker 5: No worries, Matt, thank you for having me. I'm really excited to be here.
00:00:42
Speaker 4: So it's been two months since you did the injury in Brisbane.
00:00:45
Speaker 2: How are you? How are you feeling?
00:00:47
Speaker 3: I'm quing good. Thank you, thank you for asking.
00:00:50
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's actually, to be honest, gone really really fast, which I didn't think I would say that. Obviously, it can tend to feel really slow, and especially in those early stages when you can't do much, you're limited with what you can do. But every single week I feel like I've progressed a little bit. This week, I'm starting to walk a little bit out of the moonboot, which is very very exciting. I'm getting my independence back a little bit more, which is good. My husband was having to do literally everything for me and for him, so it was nice now that I can start to do some things for myself and I'm going okay.
00:01:23
Speaker 3: Obviously.
00:01:23
Speaker 5: Yeah, with French Open, it was a little bit hard watching, I guess, like just kind of think, you know, you're always wanting to be there and you're like, oh, that's where I should be and whatnot.
00:01:34
Speaker 3: But it was also really fun to watch my friends.
00:01:36
Speaker 5: Play, watch the Australian team, like the players do well, and support them from afar and just stay connected to tennis.
00:01:44
Speaker 3: So yeah, at the moment, I'm good. I think it will change.
00:01:48
Speaker 5: I know there'll be some tougher moments, but I've got really good people around me who every day they're kind of motivating me and keeping me kind of on track. And yeah, rehab is going to progress every week, so it kind of feels like we're going in the right direction.
00:02:03
Speaker 4: Yeah, you got a lot of praise for staying after what had happened, and no one would have blamed you if you were like, I'm in heaps of pain, this situation sucks, I'm out of here.
00:02:13
Speaker 2: But you did stay and you.
00:02:14
Speaker 4: Supported, and I just wanted to like, yeah, what made you want to stay?
00:02:19
Speaker 5: Yeah, It's interesting because when I rupture my achilles like we had, it was kind of later in the day.
00:02:24
Speaker 3: It was at four pm.
00:02:26
Speaker 5: I'd already been selected to play the singles, and the next day it was the last ten minutes of our session, and actually Dasher and Taylor were coming on to hit after us, after Arena and I had finished, and they obviously everyone kind of knew what happened, like everyone was there and saw it. So obviously when I had went off the court after it had happened, basically they had said to Dasher like, okay, you're we don't know what's happened with Storm, but like she's not playing tomorrow, so now you have to play. You've got to get like mentally ready to play. And obviously Dash is my best friend and she's gone through two als, also had surgery on her aculles, so she was also distressed for me, because you know, we're such close friends, and I was kind of like, dude, you need to focus on tomorrow because like it's upsetting, but like I'm all Team Australia, like at this point, it's not about me. It's about the team and we need to like we need to win this qualifying tie. So yeah, basically, like that night at dinner, I hadn't had scans yet. I was getting scans later in the night, and you know, everyone was like, you don't have to come for dinner, like you just go stay in your room, like everyone had come visited me in my room. We'd all cried, all hugged and cried and said how you know, bad this situation is.
00:03:42
Speaker 3: But you know, they're like you can just hang.
00:03:44
Speaker 5: I'm like, no, I'll come for dinner, like it's kind of nice to be around and at.
00:03:48
Speaker 3: Dinner distraction as well. Yeah, definitely And yeah, and.
00:03:53
Speaker 5: Basically the team kind of said to me at that time, they said, we don't know like if you want to stay or if you've thought about tomorrow, but basically they asked me to stay and they said that we would love to see you there, like if you're up for it. And for me, it wasn't even a choice, like I didn't even I was like, why do you think I'm leaving, Like I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying here.
00:04:13
Speaker 3: And yeah, I was kind of like, no, of course I'm gonna stay.
00:04:17
Speaker 4: Like, well, I guess maybe you might have had to go for like hospital or quick surgery, like I don't know, who knows what the scans would have revealed or something.
00:04:24
Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly, we were kind of a little bit like depending on the scans because we didn't really know the severity of like what had happened. But I was kind of like, no, like, you know, even if I'm not playing, like our mentality with the teams that everyone has a role and their role is just important as like the person who's actually playing the match, like if you're not selected to play, but like your role was cheering and supporting on the sidelines is just as important as actually playing. So like for me, that's always been my mentality with the team. And I was like, well, I've got to live that, Like I've got to live. I can't just say like it's all about me, like I'm done, I'm out of here. I'm like I want to what and support and like I said, like the team's kind of my family. Like half of the team went to my wedding, so like they're all basically my family. So I'm like, I'm in good hands, like you know, everyone, you know, they obviously feel for me, but I kind of want to be surrounded by that like support as well, because it definitely made me feel better because I was like, if I go home or whatever, like I'm just going to be upset and sad. So at least I'm kind of around And yeah, and like I said, seeing Taylor play and even Dasha, she was so good, like just was on a mission, and Arena did really well to kind of get through a tough match, and yeah, watching Taylor was like my highlight for sure.
00:05:40
Speaker 4: And when you said that about you know, you're seeing progress, you're getting your independence back and things like that. Seeing that progress and you getting more and more strength and being able to do more, is that it's a kind of like good for your state of mind when you have that progress continuing.
00:05:52
Speaker 5: Yeah, one hundred percent, I think that's probably the main most important thing. And even to be honest, like even if it's something so little that you have to kind of celebrate that and that's what I've been really trying to do. So I've been journaling a lot actually, and each week I write down what I did this week that I couldn't do last week. So for example, last week, I couldn't put my shoe on because my foot was still too swollen.
00:06:16
Speaker 3: So this week, I can actually put my shoe on.
00:06:18
Speaker 5: So I'm like, wow, like Storm, You've improved because now you can put your shoe on and it's comfortable.
00:06:23
Speaker 3: Even my sock. For example, I was wearing.
00:06:26
Speaker 5: High socks because it was same, like it was cutting into kind of my achilles and it was sore. So now I can wear like ankle socks and it's like, oh, good.
00:06:33
Speaker 3: Job, Like you're actually improving.
00:06:35
Speaker 5: So yeah, just trying to find like little things that I couldn't do that now I can do, and just not being like, oh, finally I can do that, but I actually seeing that as a positive and not being like just not disregarding it. I think that's the most important thing. And for me and my mentality is like, no, that's great, Like you're on the right track. And even if it's something so small, I think it's really important to yeah, celebrate and remember like where you've come from. If even just last week or two weeks.
00:07:04
Speaker 4: Ago, that's actually probably a good life approach anyway, even if you weren't coming from an injury, any kind of progress journaling you know what you could do this week or this month or this year that you couldn't do previously, or a new skill you've learned. It's just a nice kind of approach to life generally. So maybe it's been a good reminder of like good mental approaches.
00:07:22
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so.
00:07:23
Speaker 5: And I actually study psychology at university, so trying to use some of those I guess tools that I learn and like put them kind of into practice. But yeah, I think like even with my career on the road, I've usually been someone who kind of reflects a lot and tries to celebrate like not just wins or losses, but certain things you know in my matches that if I did well that I wasn't doing the week before, that we kind of focused on. So I guess it's kind of the same kind of mentality, And I think that's the thing. It could be not just tennis or sport, or it can relate to anyone with work and life and what goals they have, and that's something that I think, yeah, it has helped me with my tennis success. I guess on on the road and the last few years is my mentality of just yeah, celebrating those small little wins even if there no one else knows about them, and they're just like for you personally, but just kind of keeping you, I guess, yeah, on the right track. And you know, not every week you're going to have you know, that's the other thing. It's not like you're being super positive and like blowing over everything you know you can.
00:08:24
Speaker 2: Sometimes progress isn't linear too exactly.
00:08:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's the reality.
00:08:28
Speaker 5: But I think I tend to try and look at things yeah, gluff past full, yes, then empty and yeah, or even just see like okay, that's where I was at, Like reading back. I also will look back and read general entries from like when I had my cast on and I couldn't get out of the bed, or and be like, okay, like you look how far you've already come?
00:08:47
Speaker 3: You know, so you're yeah, you're doing good.
00:08:50
Speaker 4: That's good, and I've seen obviously you're You've posted a bit on Insta since in the last two months about like, you know, milestones and what you've been doing in the gym and stuff like that.
00:09:00
Speaker 2: It's been the response to that.
00:09:02
Speaker 3: Ah, to be honest, it's been it's blown me away.
00:09:05
Speaker 5: How supportive and how I guess everyone's kind of gotten around me.
00:09:09
Speaker 3: And that's why I kind of keep.
00:09:11
Speaker 5: Posting because I get I get a lot of love and support and people, you know, they're cheering me on, like you know, fans who watch me play and they just obviously feel for me going through this and other players. The amount of people that have actually ruptured their achilles and then going through the same thing, and that you know, they're liking to see my progress as well because they can kind of relate or give it gives them a little bit of inspiration too, So it's yeah, it's been kind of overwhelming in a good way, to be honest. I didn't expect to get so much support and love from everyone online, but it's been. It's been lovely, and I like kind of keeping everyone up date. I think people were interested and they want to know how you're going, like even just ticking off those milestones, and it's kind of fun to stay engaged as well, and.
00:09:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a way to stay connected, yeah.
00:09:58
Speaker 5: Exactly, So you know, even just some will reply and I'll have a chat with them online and then yeah, it's just a way of, yeah, staying connected, and yeah, I enjoy it's kind of fun to.
00:10:07
Speaker 3: Make some reels and post some videos and stuff.
00:10:09
Speaker 4: Yeah for sure. Well as social media manager roll quickly in your future too. You never know you're working on another skill set.
00:10:14
Speaker 5: I think darry Sable, to be honest, has we comment on that.
00:10:18
Speaker 3: I will let her have that one.
00:10:19
Speaker 4: She is almost tennis leading. There's not many players on tour that do social media like Dasher. I guess speaking of tennis, we're chatting to you when the grass court season has begun, and I think in terms of your tennis journey and what you've achieved in your career, so much of it has connected.
00:10:34
Speaker 2: You with grass.
00:10:35
Speaker 4: Your first tour level title in doubles was in Nottingham, I think on grass. Yes, that's a big milestone in a players career at to a level title, Like what did that mean in terms of your tennis journey and kind of the confidence it might have given you.
00:10:47
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's crazy because I remember that that's so clearly, like it was yesterday with Minnie Cadam Zach. We like to this day, we were like shocked that we won that event.
00:10:57
Speaker 3: Even to in our first round.
00:10:58
Speaker 5: We were like, huh, this is like crazy, how are we winning our first round of this WTA, Like I remember it so clearly with her and gosh, it was so special because we've beat some really good teams, some good players, I think on the grass, like as an Australian and as a West Australian, like I grew up playing on grass.
00:11:17
Speaker 3: In like easter tournaments.
00:11:20
Speaker 5: We had fourteen's Nationals in mill Duro as well, and I won Fourteen's Nationals on grass there, and I think you just kind of have this like confidence because we've played on it as juniors growing up, and you know, it's only a few weeks of the year, which I wish it was a little bit longer, to be honest, and I think every Australian player probably does. But yeah, you kind of just get this sense of like maybe belief that you don't get necessarily on clay or even hard court when you're overseas. It's kind of, yeah, the sense of peace and relax and you've done this before. You've been on this court, like on this grass court many times, and there's a lot of players overseas that have never played on a grass court. You get to those events and they like have no idea what they're doing, and you're kind of like, oh, I've got.
00:12:02
Speaker 4: This, you know, so, which is crazy because they're all so much closer to like the UK and things like that normally, like we have so far to go, but I think people forget how much grass we have here in Australia.
00:12:12
Speaker 5: Yeah, especially in regional towns is like grass courts, you know everywhere, like in Wa there's probably more grass courts than hard courts. I would say, yeah, especially like kind of country towns and we would always go kind of Christmas and Easter. We'd go to like Bustleton or Geraldton and play those those tournaments and like it was always the best time ever. Like you'd play so many matches and just everyone would just stay at the club and have sosiuses all or whatever, and yeah, I.
00:12:37
Speaker 3: Have really fun memories.
00:12:38
Speaker 5: I think going to grass, like going to the UK, and having those memories as a kid like kind of helps when you go over there because like, yeah, I've had these experiences and amaze, you know, fun happy experiences on the court and kind of using that when you.
00:12:53
Speaker 3: Get over there.
00:12:53
Speaker 5: So, yeah, that was a very big moment in my career because I actually started to believe for the first time that I kind of belonged to that level and that like it wasn't just a fluke, that I could do it again. And I think we broke into the top one hundred for doubles for the first time after winning Nottingham. So it was definitely a big stepping stone for modern and I to win that title. And since then, I've had, yeah, a lot of success on grass, making the final of Wimbledon last year the doubles, which was another amazing experience, and also qualifying for Wimbledon last year that was also something, yeah, a dream come true.
00:13:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you've pre empted my next question.
00:13:28
Speaker 4: I was going to say, fast forward to twenty twenty three, and you had great success in singles by qualifying for the major at Wimbledon and then made the doubles final at Wimbledon. So, like, tell us who have never played on a Wimbledon grass court, what's that like and what was that experience like, you know, doing well in singles and going so deep in doubles. You had the full three week Wimbledon experience. You were there right at the beginning and right at the end.
00:13:49
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:13:49
Speaker 5: So firstly, the one thing about Wimbledon is that the qualifying it's the only slam that the qualities isn't at Wimbledon, it's in Roehampton. And I think that makes the elusive Wimboeden dream that much more I guess special and achievable slash unachievable in.
00:14:05
Speaker 3: A way because you're so close but you're so far.
00:14:08
Speaker 5: And I the two years before that, I made the final round of qualities and I had played in fun around qualities before, but this is the first time that I had lost and like felt completely heartbroken because you don't even get to step through the gates Wimwooden, Like you don't even get to go there and walk around and like hit on the courts or anything.
00:14:26
Speaker 4: Like.
00:14:26
Speaker 5: It's basically this dream that's crushed, you know, and you could be ranked one ten in the world and.
00:14:32
Speaker 2: Not get side.
00:14:34
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:14:34
Speaker 5: So I think the Roehampton is in a way that's like what's so special about it? You know, you have this row of courts basically built on an oval, and that fine around of qualities, like there's no pressure like it. I think It's one of those, yeah, that you can just feel the tension in the air, and you know, the courts have gotten a lot better, but in the last few years they you know, depending on the rain and whatnot, like they could be yeah, tough to play on too, a lot of of awkward bounces and in those moments you're kind of, yeah, getting a little bit of luck as well with the bounces and whatnot. But to qualify at Roe Hampton is I think one of the hardest things to do in tennis.
00:15:10
Speaker 3: And I felt very, very lucky.
00:15:13
Speaker 5: To be able to have that experience last year, had been able to qualify and have my husband there, Scotti, who was working with me at the time, and just having those people there to be able to witness that it was very very special. And obviously I was already going there for doubles, but I think to achieve that in singles and say that I got through three tough matches Roe Hampton, you've kind of really earned your way to Wimbledon, kind of just makes it, yeah, that much more special, I guess. And you know that's already a week a week done, and you haven't even got there, and you've already gone through all these emotions and then you get to Wimbleden for the first time, and I think I've played there maybe four times now in doubles, and every single time you get goosebumps walking through through those gates, and the courts are just so beautiful, fully manicured, and you know, you just feel this sense of just goosebumps.
00:16:06
Speaker 3: It's just it's a dream come true. And I just don't take that for granted.
00:16:10
Speaker 4: Yeah, it is a beautiful place. It's amazing with eager I guess like there is this consistency in women's tennis. We saw co Co go deep again and Sablenka and Rebaiken are in the quarter finals. There's been so much like openness in women's tennis, but in the last year or two it seems to have kind of really.
00:16:27
Speaker 2: Stabilized at the top.
00:16:28
Speaker 4: Like what have you made of that change, because it seems to be quite different to what it was so maybe four or five years ago.
00:16:34
Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely, I think those especially riber keen as vr Tech and Sabolenka have kind of established themselves as the top three, not just at Slams but at all the kind of masters throughout the year. And now Coco as well has kind of found that consistency too, and I think I like it.
00:16:51
Speaker 3: I think it's great to see you kind of want to.
00:16:52
Speaker 5: See those top players kind of being consistent and having those matchups that we you know, you sometimes see on the men's tour with you know, obviously Federer and Djokovic, Nadal. When you have those matchups, it's kind of you can go either way, and it's generally very high quality tennis, and I think Asaka will also kind of get back up there.
00:17:10
Speaker 3: I think she's playing at such a high level.
00:17:12
Speaker 5: Obviously clay isn't her favorite surface, and her quality of tennis was unbelievable, and coming onto the grass, I think she's actually going to be a threat depending on draw. Obviously she's not seated, so I think she, Yeah, she's going to be very dangerous. And you've got also on Jabour, who I would say has hasn't had the greatest start to the season, but did well at rolling Garras and obviously making the final of Wimbledon twice. She's going to be out to try and try and go a third time. And I think there's some dangerous players as well. But I like to see the consistency of the Yeah, the top top few players as well. It's been it's been good. Sabalanka is always dangerous, Ribakina very dangerous on grass. You know.
00:17:51
Speaker 3: I think eger is obviously.
00:17:53
Speaker 5: Going to want to come out and prove something as well on grass courts, so you know, she's obviously very confident. Played a lot of my back to back, So yeah, it's kind of it's very exciting, it's very it's hard to pick, to be honest.
00:18:06
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's the it's the kind of ideal state. It's not one person completely dominating. He was obviously number one and winning most on clay, but it's the matchups. It's getting them always their meeting in those big matches, and yeah, that's what you want, that's what you want to see. I remember you told me once that because obviously you were one of the top doubles pairs at the same time that Goff and Pagoula were, that you practiced a lot with them and their top five singles players. Have you practiced as well with like Eager, Sabolenka, any of those ons. I'm not sure how many people you do practice with like or if it's mainly doubles players. But yeah, what have you and if so, what's that? What's that been like?
00:18:44
Speaker 5: No, I haven't, to be honest, I haven't really practiced with them, just because I think scheduling it's a little bit crazy. But I've watched them practice a lot, and I've played against Sablenka at the Australian Open, I think two years ago. And yeah, I mean it's more like their intensity, like even if you're on the practice court next to them, like Eager's intensity and Sabling is intensity. It's like kind of intimidating you're kind of next to them, and you know, obviously Sabling is quite loud, like she's a bit more vocal, but Eager it's more her. I guess you can see her mannerisms and her focus, her eye she's not watching anything else other than what's going on. And also her team around them, they're very intense and focused. And yeah, it's interesting because then I've practiced with co Co and Jesse and co Co. I would say probably now is getting more that intensity and focused and I think that's probably coming with the confidence that she belongs as the now she's number two in the world, which is amazing and Jesse, she's probably a bit of a different cats.
00:19:44
Speaker 3: She's a cool, cool cat.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: So relaxed.
00:19:47
Speaker 4: I'd love to she seems outwardly anyway, so relaxed. I'd love to be like that.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, she even to me. She seems so relaxed.
00:19:53
Speaker 5: And I enjoy practicing with her because obviously she's a amazing player in singles and doubles and such a quality ball strip, but also just such a down to earth character and always, you know, talking, saying hi and having a chat. And I think also because she's older too, she's thirty, we're the same age, and I think she's spent a lot of time at that challenger level, so she kind of understands the road. She didn't just get this success overnight or got to the top ten or top five overnight. She kind of really worked, had to work hard for it. So it's kind of a different, I guess, different journey. But I think that's the cool thing about tennis. Everyone has a different journey. There's no one way. And you see some players like Cocro kind of be amazing from a young age, and then you've got the other ones who are kind of the journey women who you know take their time to get there as well.
00:20:42
Speaker 4: I guess one thing, when you watch tennis, you've also done coaching as well, and I think you did a coaching course, right I did. Yeah, So when you watch tennis, you're watching Taylor at the Billy jinking Cowboy, you're watching on TV or whatever. Do you watch tennis differently now or maybe through like a different lens potentially more analytically or is it the same experience.
00:21:03
Speaker 5: I would say when I'm watching people I'm close with, I'm just watching as like a fan and not I just want them to win, like you know, if it's Taylor or any of the Australian girls. But when I'm watching kind of like you know, the top girls playing like Egar Sublink, like, I'm actually kind of thinking that I'm playing them, So I'm like, oh, Because when you're on the road, like playing Tolenments, you don't get that much time to actually like sit and watch because you're kind of just focused on.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: Yourself who you're playing next.
00:21:31
Speaker 5: You might watch a little bit of them just to get you know, workout strategy and whatnot.
00:21:35
Speaker 3: Then you're focus on like recovery.
00:21:36
Speaker 4: It's actually so many components to you to your actual day just getting yourself ready to play, right, Yeah.
00:21:42
Speaker 5: And yeah exactly, and like that can take up all day and then you kind of when you have a few free hours, like you.
00:21:48
Speaker 3: Kind of just want to switch off.
00:21:49
Speaker 5: Yeah, you might go do something explore or watch Netflix, like you kind of want to get out of tennis because as soon as you like get to a site, like you're kind of in that tennis mindset like all day. Actually, Like to be honest, now I'm watching more tennis than I would when I'm kind of away, So it's like kind of good because I'm watching it from like also not an emotional perspective because I'm kind of like sitting back and I can use kind of that more things that I've learned in my coaching. I've also done coding as well. During the Australian Open, I was getting about yeah, about six years ago, I was working like in the office just coding match after match, and same thing like that was just being able to watch tennis from like a bit of a different perspective, taking like the emotion out of it and not feeling like intimidated or like around.
00:22:32
Speaker 3: It, just kind of being a little bit separated and being able to.
00:22:35
Speaker 5: Watch and just see things for how they are, like and looking at the stats and kind of like, oh, it's like more simple than you know I'm thinking. Sometimes I'm like overthinking it and you're kind of in it and it seems either way better or way worse than it actually is. So yeah, I think this year, like, I'll definitely watch a lot more tennis singles and doubles. So I think it's a good thing.
00:22:56
Speaker 4: In terms of your timeline for coming back, what are the next few months like for you?
00:23:02
Speaker 5: Yeah, so at the moment, the rough timeline is twelve months, which is like return to play, which obviously would kind of be the clay season twenty twenty five. Obviously, as an athlete, like you're trying to push yourself to be ready earlier. But at the same time, with my achilles, it's very much kind of whenever you chip away and whenever you reach certain milestones, like you can tick it off and go to the next thing, and there's kind of no timeline on that. It's kind of everyone's different with their body and how they recover, so already with me kind of transitioning out of the moon boot, I'm.
00:23:38
Speaker 3: Like two weeks ahead of schedule. So yeah, so it's like really really positive.
00:23:42
Speaker 5: So I'm trying to at the moment not put like too much of a timeline on it. Like, obviously I would love to be ready for the Australian summer. That would be that's kind of like in the back of my mind something that I'm working towards. But at the same time, I'm trying I don't want to be disappointed if that doesn't happen. And I'm kind of listening to my body because obviously it's gone through something quite yeah, quite extreme and quite a lot that I need to make sure that I'm ready when I do come back. And in terms of coming back to singles or doubles or both, I'm actually not at the moment.
00:24:14
Speaker 3: I'm not sure.
00:24:15
Speaker 5: I would love to come back and be ready for both, but we just I don't know how my body is going to be and that's.
00:24:21
Speaker 3: Just yeah, realistically the way it is.
00:24:23
Speaker 5: And I also have like my underlying autoimmune stuff, so with my anchializing spondylitis, Yeah, we just don't really know how. Yeah, my body will kind of handle the recovery and the training, but I have my protected ranking for singles and doubles. So once we're kind of back on the court, moving and training, will.
00:24:44
Speaker 3: Kind of make a plan. But yeah, I'll be pushing.
00:24:47
Speaker 5: I'll be pushing to yeah, be coming back as soon as I can. And yeah, like I said, like I said before, billygin King Cup like a goal. I felt this year that I was going to be top one hundred for sure. Like I was feeling great, playing really really well. I played Emminavarro in Miami. I qualified and played her second round, and even though I lost, it was like one of like I was feeling really good. Like I lost the match in strad but I came off the court and like was smiling and like me and my coach Nicole Pratt, and we were just like wow, like if this is my level, like I'm gonna be.
00:25:24
Speaker 3: Like top fifty this year. Like I just felt really good.
00:25:27
Speaker 2: And because emmen of R's top twenty now, yeah.
00:25:30
Speaker 5: She's an unbelievable player, and like I think I was up for one in the first set, like completely like not even giving her a chance, and I was like, wow, like that's my level, like obviously being able to maintain that for like I dropped obviously and couldn't maintain that level, and being able to do that for like one match, let alone week in week out is obviously not easy. But I was like, wow, like if I can handle like do this, then yeah, you just got to keep doing it, stay healthy and I think I'll progress.
00:25:57
Speaker 3: So obviously like having.
00:25:59
Speaker 5: That and then been now stuck here at home rehabing, but in a way, it kind of gives me that like confidence that I can do and that's my level, Like it gives me that motivation to be like I can achieve that and get to that level.
00:26:12
Speaker 3: I just want to. I just need to give myself a chance again.
00:26:14
Speaker 5: And you know, I was really I was injured six years ago with my shoulder. I was out for twelve months and didn't think I was going to come back to tennis at all. Like I was like, yeah, working as a coach, had like no money, nothing. I was just like, Okay, I don't know if I will get another chance. And I'm so glad that I did try again because then everything that's happened in the last six years has been incredible. Like we have our house with my trophies in it, and every day I'm looking at them and I'm like, Wow, like you achieved all that in the last six years because you just kind of stuck with it and you know, you just kept showing up. And that's kind of my thing now, is like, Okay, you've done it before, you can do it again, and yeah, who knows what you'll achieve if you kind of just keep showing up and giving yourself chance.
00:27:00
Speaker 3: So yeah, trying to use that as my inspiration.
00:27:04
Speaker 4: That's definitely stuff to jop down in the journal if you haven't already the visual of the trophy cabinet in the house and knowing it, yeah, I need to add there's more to add to it.
00:27:13
Speaker 5: Yes, definitely, and in the trophy cabinet, it's quite crazy. Like for me, it's crazy because like I have some beautiful trophies that I've been lucky enough to win, but my favorite one is this one from Aubrey at one of the amts there. It was the first moment that I came back and played after my shoulder injury. I played doubles with yeah, one of the local girls and we won it. And it's sitting there just right next to my wind Wooden Finals trophy. Because it's like for me, it means so much because I was the start of kind of yeah the last six years, and for me it's just as important as the wind Woulden Trophy, the finalist trophy, and everything else in between.
00:27:52
Speaker 3: So yeah, it definitely kind of serves as that.
00:27:55
Speaker 4: Inspiration, incredibly of Storm to give us her time and to reflect on all of those things. I found it really inspiring how she's got such a great perspective when she's been dealing with such a challenge in her career, to be able to find those kind of small positives and silver linings and appreciate her progress.
00:28:14
Speaker 2: I thought that was wonderful, absolutely.
00:28:16
Speaker 1: And I think anyone looking for a tennis role model look no further than Storm Hunter.
00:28:21
Speaker 4: She's amazing and we'll be back again next Monday, talking to you at Wimbledon, Viv. I'm looking forward to seeing who you sit down with their.
00:28:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, exciting times ahead, and in the meantime, you can listen to John and the team this Thursday on the Aoshow Weekly. Details for how to contact us are in the show notes, and please subscribe, rate and review. I'll talk to you next week, Matt.
00:28:39
Speaker 2: Look forward to a Viv
