00:00:02
Speaker 1: Today and welcome to the AO Show presented by MasterCard. Pop puts the brakes on Medvedev in Paris, the Race to Turin, can Demon sneak into the ATP finals and the women converge on Reard for the WTA Tour Finals. That's all coming up on the AO Show with me John Huvenas next to me. It's the Moonboot Maverick herself, Brice Stewart, Welcome, Brie.
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Speaker 2: Thanks, good to be here, Good to have the moon Boot back.
00:00:27
Speaker 1: Approval on the new nickname.
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Speaker 2: Ah, well, look it's fitting.
00:00:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, what's happening? What's happened to you again?
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Speaker 3: I've done the exact same thing I did five months ago. I tripped down the stairs at home en route to walk the dog at six thirty am and have done something to my ligaments. Haven't figured out yet what.
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Speaker 1: I'm very sorry to hear that after your rehab.
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Speaker 3: Actually this time I'm less sad about it because I feel like I can do it because.
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Speaker 2: I've done it before.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, And I just obviously need to spend longer in rehab because storms looking at me. But I probably didn't do my exercises for long enough and then I just started running.
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Speaker 1: I'm hoping it's not an and from what happened earlier in the year for this young lady Storm, welcome back.
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Speaker 4: Hello, happy to be back, and I'm sorry to Bree to see you in the moonbreat.
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Speaker 2: But look like you had the moon boot still.
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Speaker 5: I mean, you're rocking it though, I quite like it.
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Speaker 2: I'm fine.
00:01:14
Speaker 1: And the latest addition to our AO show family, bre Luke Saville, joined us.
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Speaker 6: Welcome Luke, Thanks Johnny, good to be here.
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Speaker 1: It's great to have you making away in media Street.
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Speaker 7: Yeah, dipping the towe in a little bit. Yeah, I mean I enjoyed and I think just filling my time and you know, who knows what happens past playing. Obviously that's there's a shelf life on that. So yeah, just experimenting a little bit and enjoying it.
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Speaker 1: So where is you thinking aut regarding your playing career at the moment. Is that something that you can share with the listeners?
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Speaker 6: Yeah, I can.
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Speaker 7: I haven't been too public with it, but yeah, probably around January. I'm looking to possibly finish up and then you know, sort of look at what's next, what sort of avenue I can go down, And it's sort of scary at first, but I've come to terms with it and got gotten a lot more comfortable and sort of looking forward to it nice.
00:02:03
Speaker 1: We look forward to hearing more about that throughout your time on the AO Show. But also Brie, Luke, and Dasha have appeared together on an upcoming episode of the sit Down.
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Speaker 3: I did hear whispers about that. I can't wait to listen. Yep, stay Tue, you really can't wait.
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Speaker 1: That'll be out probably sometime in November, possibly early December and early Christmas. Present for your Stormy.
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Speaker 5: Oh, I can't wait to listen.
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Speaker 4: You you might not know, but we actually were housemates Me, Saven Dasher when we were eighteen nineteen. We lived together for a few years. So yeah, we're kind of we're kind of like family.
00:02:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was.
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Speaker 6: It was good fun storm story Stormy.
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Speaker 7: Yep, saw close and personal what happens, but that it was a great dynamic, very enjoyable.
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Speaker 1: We took on the parental role in the three of you.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, I would say Dash and I with very different personalities, and Luke was the calming person that you know, just kept us both, Yeah, not fighting too much. I guess joff social media a bit, Yeah, a little bit.
00:03:02
Speaker 1: There's a lot happening in the world of tennis as we ramp up to the season ending finals. The women start this coming weekend and the men not too far behind. That'll frame some of our discussion today, but I might start with you Storm, what's caught your eye in the tennis world this week?
00:03:18
Speaker 4: Yeah, So for me, you know, it's actually it's a big week on the WTA Tour. And I'm not talking about you know, the top eight singles and doubles teams getting ready for finals, but actually there's three two fifties WTA two fifty is going on this week, and it's such a big opportunity for those players on the cusp of the top hundred. That's what caught my eye. I was like, wow, this is a huge opportunity. There's players, you know who've actually been Grand Slam champions, such as Sofia Kennon. She's you know, just out just inside the top hundred, and it's a huge chance for them to kind of break through get ready for the Australian Open and been in this position many times.
00:03:53
Speaker 5: At the end of the year, you're already kind of starting to.
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Speaker 4: Look towards twenty twenty five, and I think you kind of forget.
00:03:58
Speaker 5: That it's such an important moment.
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Speaker 4: I looked there's about eleven players just outside the top hundred who've never cracked the top hundred before, and they're all in the round of sixteen this week, and if they have a few more wins, we could be seeing them here at the Australian Open.
00:04:11
Speaker 5: And I think it's really really exciting.
00:04:13
Speaker 4: And I just remember being in that moment thinking it's very hard, it's a blessing in the curse, it's an amazing opportunity. But you've also got to remember that we get the opportunity to play every week, so putting it all out there, going for it, but also it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen then, But yeah, I'm super super excited to see the rest of the results. We also have Kim Birele, she's playing Leila Fernandez in She's kind of on that cusp of the hundred at the moment as well. So I don't know what you think, sav but that for me is kind of a big moment in time where there's a lot of points on offer and you are kind of starting to look towards the summer.
00:04:48
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think it's.
00:04:48
Speaker 7: Been widely spoken about the length of the season, and obviously it's a ten and a half eleven month season, and definitely towards the Taiwan We're almost in November, and there's definitely some strange results, absolutely on the.
00:05:01
Speaker 6: WTA Tour, but also on the ATP as well. There.
00:05:04
Speaker 7: I think last week in Basil, the big booming serving Mapesche Pericard won the tournament there and I saw overnight in Paris he won the first set fourteen twelve in a tiebreak and won two returning points, so against hutch against Hatchano, so his serve is absolutely incredible.
00:05:26
Speaker 6: He's pretty pretty dirty.
00:05:28
Speaker 7: On the indoors in Europe there, but I think so many opportunities deep in the season, if you're there mentally ready to compete from first to last point, there can definitely be a lot of upsets and just sort of a great opportunity for a lot of the Aussies to finish the year very strong as well.
00:05:44
Speaker 1: Just on Impeschi PERICRD, that is a name very few of us knew at the start of this year. He's risen from i think outside the top two hundred up to the top thirty and is in contention for seeding at the Australian Open.
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Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:05:56
Speaker 7: I first saw him probably two years ago in Mexico and Altitude and he was ranked I think four hundred, and I just remember seeing this serve with the pure drive, which is historically one of the most powerful rackets there is, and just serving gigantic.
00:06:12
Speaker 6: But he was so fresh. He was spraying a lot of balls and.
00:06:15
Speaker 7: Not putting a whole heap balls in, but he was very impressive. And then I saw James Darkworth also played him in India as well, and he said the same thing. He was just a little bit raw and just had to put a few pieces together with his game. But he's got one of the greatest French coaches with him and it seems like they've just really reined it in. He's brought the margins in and he's just so incredibly difficult to play when you've got that serve. And then he's putting pressure on returning games as well, and you're just so sort of scared to lose your serve because you basically know the sets over wins.
00:06:47
Speaker 1: Last week in Bars all over Hole god Runa in straight sets, and then Ben Shelton, who's a no slouch himself in the serving department, and secure his second title of the season. He won Leon earlier in the year as well. So one to keep our eye. A bit of a mouthful to pronounce, I'm going to have.
00:07:03
Speaker 2: To really practice that one, an't I is there.
00:07:05
Speaker 1: A nickname that we can I think it's just Geo GA Great.
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Speaker 2: I can I can do that with that?
00:07:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, six foot eight, I believe, and it absolutely that.
00:07:14
Speaker 2: Is Tan no wonder. He's slamming down the serves.
00:07:17
Speaker 1: Even his second serves.
00:07:19
Speaker 2: Wingspan would be massive on him.
00:07:21
Speaker 1: Right, I imagine, So he's definitely not one dimensional.
00:07:23
Speaker 7: The serve is the feature, but the forehand he likes dominating rallies with that. He's got a one handed back in and he's just he's just incredibly dangerous to play. And I think, you know, he is obviously pushing for a seed in Grand Slams and he's one that you just I feel like the top eight guys in the world wouldn't want to see him in a third round.
00:07:45
Speaker 6: Let's go back to.
00:07:46
Speaker 1: The women for just a sect. Titles last week for Jing Chin when another one for her after she won Palermo earlier this year. Storm. As we approach the WTA finals, Jing Chin Win will be among the action for the first time, making her debut. She's coming into that as the seventh ranked player.
00:08:06
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think she's going to be dangerous heading in. I don't think if you know, if I was Sablenka, Palini and Rabukina, that's someone that you probably don't want to play.
00:08:14
Speaker 5: But that's going to be very difficult.
00:08:15
Speaker 4: That group, the Purple group, you know, I think sable Anka is looking very very well. She's super comfortable, confident. She's been in Dubai training getting ready. But Quinn when with her, you know, match play, She's just one Tokyo last week and you know, making her debut, and I think she's actually going to be one to watch. Rabakina, we don't quite know what her level is at. She's obviously hasn't been playing, but we know that her game there in Riard is going to be, you know, quite dangerous. If you know she's serving well, taking the ball early, she can take the game off of anyone's racket. And you know, I don't think we can count out Paulini in that group as well.
00:08:50
Speaker 5: She's had an incredible year.
00:08:52
Speaker 4: Her game style obviously matches up a little bit differently. She needs a little bit more time, which is maybe going to be a bit tricky against those hard hitting plays. But she's you know, had a lot of confidence, had a huge breakthrough this year, and I think at finals you kind of have nothing to lose. I think my mentality last year playing there in doubles, it's you've got nothing to lose.
00:09:12
Speaker 5: You're against you're playing the best players in the world. You're just going for it.
00:09:15
Speaker 4: So last week of the year you can kind of celebrate your season as well, obviously trying your best to go as far as you can, but almost the pressures off, there's no pressure.
00:09:23
Speaker 5: It's not, you know, a kind of tournament. It's not it's the end of the season.
00:09:28
Speaker 4: So you know what, she could just go out there flying and who knows what can happen.
00:09:32
Speaker 7: I mean, I think in the orange group there that is absolutely star started. You've got swire Tech and Golf the Gola Kretchikova all as Stormy said, fantastic years and obviously sabal Ancha swire Tech have been the two best players throughout the year. If I'm guessing it's a fast surface. I'm probably taking sabal Anca as favorite, but all eight ladies there have a great chance to hold the trophy.
00:09:55
Speaker 1: So round robin in the first stage, they each play each other in their group, and then the top two from each group go through to the semifinals. Interestingly, Fiontek, as you mentioned, Luke and Pagoula are the two finalists from twenty twenty three have fallen into the same group, so they'll they'll be up against it. Are they either too likely ones to go through or would there be I know Goff's been a little bit down on form storm and Kratchikova has been here before, always a dark horse. Who do you see going through to the semis?
00:10:25
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that's actually quite tough to call.
00:10:27
Speaker 4: In the Orange group, I'm definitely picking Svirtek to get through, but between Coco, Jesse and Barbora, I think it's anyone's game and I think they'll be looking to try and yeah, latch onto that second spot to go through to the semifinals. But tough to call, and like Luke said, every single player there deserves to be there. It's kind of that moment where you're like, wow, I get to celebrate that achievement and why not go for it?
00:10:50
Speaker 5: So yeah, it will be interesting.
00:10:52
Speaker 4: I'm super excited to watch because even during the year sometimes you don't get to see these matchups happen, you know, if they lose first round early or early Iness Slams, you actually don't get to see the top eight all playing against each other. So for me, I'm super super pumped tour to watch next week.
00:11:08
Speaker 3: Do you know what could be interesting is what we see from Quinnwin or Paulini because obviously they've had interesting years.
00:11:15
Speaker 1: Paulini absolute bolted through twenty.
00:11:18
Speaker 3: Because I remember seeing her, you know, to carp in December and thinking, oh, who's she like?
00:11:22
Speaker 2: She's fun, and.
00:11:23
Speaker 3: Then next minute she became, you know, on everyone's minds because she just kept turning up places that we didn't necessarily expect except for Simon Ray who did expect it from analyzing her data.
00:11:35
Speaker 1: But back to back Grand Slam finals this year.
00:11:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, so it'd be interesting to see what we get from them as well.
00:11:41
Speaker 1: The indoor factor, though, how much does it change the dynamic after was it Cancun last year?
00:11:46
Speaker 2: Wasn't it changed with the tornado? Right?
00:11:49
Speaker 4: Yes, a lot of rain, a lot of wind. It was very difficult but an amazing experience. They did everything possible there, But yeah, definitely different conditions.
00:12:01
Speaker 7: It helps the likes of your sable Anchor and ryber Keina such big games. They like the ball in the slot around the hip, and I think they will be very difficult to beat there. And I think swire Tek and Goff they probably play with the elements a little bit more, especially swy Text. She plays so well on the clay, so Kretchakova. I think she plays quite well indoors as well, so I think that'll favor her there. But yeah, very clean ball striking conditions. If it's a fast court, it's gonna be a lot of one to two strike tennis and could be very entertaining to watch.
00:12:32
Speaker 6: Gets underway.
00:12:32
Speaker 1: The WTA Tour Finals this weekend November two to nine, so next week on the show will be approaching the latter stages of that event, and the ATP Finals not too far away.
00:12:44
Speaker 7: The look week after. I believe in that race is definitely heading up. If I think Alex demon Ar beats Jack Draper, he goes to eighth spot.
00:12:54
Speaker 1: He's seventy five points behind r Lev at the moment in eighth spot now we know was eliminated early in this week by Francisco Sarundelo in two tiebreak sets. So rube Lev is currently on three seven, two zero and Demonor on three six four five points.
00:13:12
Speaker 7: Yeah, there's another tournament the week after as well, a two point fifty that I believe Alex and rub Lev are both playing, so there they're both hunting that eight spot as you would. There's obviously the question marks over Djokovic if he's playing the end of year finals as well, a bit of a cloud there. So yeah, it's definitely heating up and Alex he's working his way back from that hip injury. He's starting to move a lot better. I think he made the Semis last week in Vienna, one of the five hundreds. He's starting to work his way back, and I'm sure goes without saying he'd love to finish the year strong and carry that momentum into next year, into January.
00:13:50
Speaker 4: And one hundred percent he deserves to be there. I think that's the main thing, is that he's had an incredible year. And we spoke on the pot about his injury a few weeks ago when he was returning to play and I kind of mentioned that, you know, potentially his goals have changed and maybe not aiming for the finals with how his injury is, but looks like he's in great form, and yeah, he one hundred percent deserves to be there and really really hope that he can get there and play for the first time since Layton Hewitt, yes.
00:14:18
Speaker 1: Twenty years ago. First we've become the first Australian man to reach the season ending finals.
00:14:24
Speaker 3: So amazing, and he does storms right, he does deserve it, like he's just had a stellar year and it's been I'm sure it's been hard for him too with that hip injury.
00:14:32
Speaker 2: Like, yeah, I kin't even imagine.
00:14:34
Speaker 1: It's amazing the amount of times we've brought up Layton and Alex in the same sentence this year. And it was almost written in the stars, wasn't it from the start of Alex's career that he was to become the heir apparent to lighton.
00:14:47
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think he was strongly mentored by late in early days and even here at the Australia and Wildcard playoff when he won it. When I don't know, he's probably sixteen or seventeen, and you could just tell that he was on a trajectory of greatness really, and it's just how Alex goes about it. He'll never admit that, you know, he's the player that he is. He's just so humble. I think he's just starting to realize how good he is. And I think he told me when he just made the quarters of the US Open and he came in severely underdone.
00:15:17
Speaker 6: He wasn't quite fit.
00:15:18
Speaker 7: But he feels like he's going out to a lot of these matches and he's already won.
00:15:22
Speaker 6: He feels like his opponents. He's sort of got that sort.
00:15:25
Speaker 7: Of aura about him now and he sort of feels like he goes out there and if he can play tough, he's he's really just got a leg up on a lot of these guys. So that's I told him. That must be a good feeling. I've never felt like that in my life.
00:15:38
Speaker 1: So what about his junior world number one?
00:15:41
Speaker 6: Yeah, possibly that was a few years ago. I can't really remember those. But it's just so impressive how he's going about it.
00:15:47
Speaker 7: And as Stormy said, to see him playing Turin after the setbacks he's had this year would just be absolutely incredible.
00:15:54
Speaker 2: Fingers crossed.
00:15:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely Alex's still alive. In the round of sixteen, as Luke mentioned, he played Jack Raper next after defeating Miamir Kasmdovich overnight, Jack Draper taking down Taylor Fritz and is on an absolute tear. Jack Draper taking on the Andy Murray mantle as the new number one, isn't he of Great Britain?
00:16:13
Speaker 4: And I'm actually really excited for the matchup of Jack draprin Demon at the United Cup. It's in Sydney, so I think that's going to be really exciting and a good matchup and a.
00:16:23
Speaker 3: Rematch from the US Open where we will definitely seeld. I'm supposed to remain impartial, aren't I? But the Australian patriotism runs runs wild and me and we.
00:16:34
Speaker 5: All know how Demon plays when he was in Australia.
00:16:37
Speaker 2: So Ken Rothwell Arena.
00:16:39
Speaker 1: Everything's lining up other Ossie's kicking goals. In Paris this week, Alexi Popprin defeated Daniel Medvedev, the fourth seed overnight in three sets, Luke, And here's another one. This put his hand up for probably NUCA metal contention.
00:16:52
Speaker 7: What are you Pop's had? And again great to see. I'm going to say this a lot about the boys and the girls, but just such great people and it's just awesome to see them achieving their dreams. And yeah, Poppy, I'll claim the win on him last year in serbadon on the grass, I got him.
00:17:07
Speaker 6: Six to the third.
00:17:08
Speaker 7: It's fair to say he's sort of taken off a little bit from there, but yeah, sort of around twenty in the world now and beating Novak at the US Open, and just such a dangerous game that serve and forehand, and he's just built his game around those two strengths and just gone from strength to strength as well. And also just I feel like he lifts on the big stage as well, so when he plays those bigger players, he truly believes, which I think is you can't really teach that.
00:17:34
Speaker 6: So awesome to see.
00:17:35
Speaker 1: Big heart indeed, Yeah, I love him and your boy. Do you want to give a shout out to your boy?
00:17:40
Speaker 3: Jordan Trumpson is doing really well. He turned things around, didn't he defeating Caspar Rude seven six three sixty six four at the Paris Masters. He's up next against Mannerino, which I think beat definitely.
00:17:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, So if he advances there, he'd play the winner of Umber and Alcarez, who you've been keeping an eye on this week, I have.
00:18:00
Speaker 2: And keeping an our crest.
00:18:01
Speaker 3: He recently played the six Kings event, and I'm sure lots of our listeners saw what happened at that event and how it went. It was hard to actually look away from it because I had a lot of media around it. However, he in a press conference was asked about his motivations behind playing it, and I really loved his answer.
00:18:19
Speaker 8: If I say I went there just for for fun or to play and forget the money, I'm gonna lie.
00:18:27
Speaker 6: That's that's obviously.
00:18:28
Speaker 8: I mean every every person work for that as well. You know. That's that's how our lives is about. You know. I I love playing tennis most of the time. I don't think about the money. I just played for love, for for fun. But you have to be realistic.
00:18:49
Speaker 3: So why I liked this and I say this often about our presence, you know, And I say about them more so than some of the women players, because I think the guys are currently a little bit more vulnerable than what we hear from some of our top seeded women.
00:19:02
Speaker 2: Is that they continue the.
00:19:04
Speaker 3: Two of them to be as difficult conversations and answer them. I think, really well, I think we forget as a watcher of tennis, like you and I John, versus the guys who are players, that their tennis is also a job and they need pay bills just as much as we do. And if you get to go play tennis in a place so you get to do what you love and there's a good price tag on it, why wouldn't you do it?
00:19:31
Speaker 1: Did it resonate with you guys on any level?
00:19:34
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean one hundred percent. I actually really appreciate his honesty. He didn't just kind of say no, no, it's not about the money, It's about the competition. He was completely honest and like you said, brief for us, like as a kid, we dream of being a professional tennis player. I didn't dream about making all this money. It was about playing on the biggest courts in the world, competing on the tour for the love of tennis.
00:19:55
Speaker 5: And as you.
00:19:56
Speaker 4: Develop, and I got super lucky that I did become a professional tennis player.
00:20:00
Speaker 5: You know, it is our work. It's our job.
00:20:02
Speaker 4: You know, even when we're making decisions, it's business decisions. We're making investments in our coach, our team, where we're training where we live, and that's all income that you know, well, your expenses that you're having and you're getting this income. So it is a business, and that's kind of what our chas was saying was at the end of the day, it's his job and an amazing opportunity as well to play in that event. And I just absolutely loved his honesty and related to it. Not in that sense, I've never been offered that much money to play tennis, but yeah, on a small scale for sure.
00:20:36
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:20:36
Speaker 7: I love the transparency from Carlos there. And if he wanted to play a torament that week, he could have. He could have played one of the five hundreds and got some points and much less money, but he went and played first six million dollars.
00:20:47
Speaker 6: I think I was the winners. So I love the honesty. I've always liked how.
00:20:51
Speaker 7: He goes about answering his questions, very authentic and as Stormy said, we started off playing this sport because we loved it has turned into a job and it's turned into our work and it has a shelf life. So I think everyone wants to accumulate as much money as we can because when we're done, we're done a long.
00:21:11
Speaker 2: Time, so expensive. It's an expensive job.
00:21:13
Speaker 7: It's very expensive, especially if you're bringing a team with you and a coach and a trainer and physio whatever you might bring. So you know, I love it, and I'm sure he loves tennis as well. But when there's decisions like that and it's for me, it's a bit of a no brainer. And I liked the honesty. He got asked pretty straight up and he gave a straight up answer, so it was good.
00:21:33
Speaker 1: I think the tennis world needs more of those sort of players who are prepared to just speak from the heart with all sincerity, respect.
00:21:41
Speaker 2: As well for the game, respect for himself.
00:21:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, in immediate conference, did you ever feel the pressure to self preserve and not give the answer that you actually thought within.
00:21:53
Speaker 5: One hundred percent to be honest? More times than not.
00:21:56
Speaker 4: I think if you're still competing in a certain event and they're asking questions about your match, it's almost a bit of a protective mechanism that you don't want to Sometimes you don't even want to be honest with yourself because you're thinking a certain way that if you're playing if I'm playing s R Tech first round in the Australian Open.
00:22:11
Speaker 5: If I'm telling you that, I'm.
00:22:12
Speaker 4: Very scared and nervous and I'm going to feel that, so I'm going to be like no, like I'm okay, I've got this good opportunity, you know, Smasher. Yeah, and you have to. It's basically what we're taught is to compete. You've got to give yourself that self talk. And there's also for me personally. I can't speak on behalf of other tennis players, but I've also felt I'm not sure what's going to get written about me based on what I say. So I'm very nervous sometimes about how it's going to be perceived by the journalists and also by the public, and because we are sometimes on this public scale, and I don't want people to judge me for what I say, so I'd rather say something safe than be honest.
00:22:51
Speaker 5: And that's that's just my feeling. I don't know what you thinks of.
00:22:55
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:22:55
Speaker 7: I've always played a straight back probably my whole career with a lot of questions, and that's why I appreciate that, because that's probably what I've tried to go more towards. He's been a bit more honest and just being a bit more authentic. I feel like, you know, I'm honest and to an extent, but yeah, I just really liked how everything he does, he's doing it for a reason. He's doing it for the love of the game, and it's just really good to see that he's been challenged but he takes his stand but gives reasons why.
00:23:26
Speaker 6: He thinks, you know, A, B and C, so it's good.
00:23:29
Speaker 1: Carlos Alcarez will go in as the second ranked player at the moment in the race to Turin. He sits quite substantially behind Janik Sinner in top spot and then Zverev, Medvedev, Fritz Djokovic with a question mark over him Kaspar Rude Andre Rubelev, as we mentioned, holding onto eighth spot as it stands. But a watch on Alex demonor plenty more of the AO show coming up after the break, And don't forget. Every time you spend five dollars or more on your MasterCard credit card between now and the end of December, you could win double pass to Australian Open twenty twenty five, a dining voucher at Bennelong, Sydney, or a MasterCard gift card, all valued at fifteen hundred dollars. Every transaction of five dollars or more on your MasterCard credit card gives you a chance to win. Turn your every day spend into a winning moment with MasterCard exclusions. T's and c's apply NSW authority number TP slash zero three eight one five. Back on the AO Show with Me today Brice Stewart as always, storm Hunter and Luke Saville for the first time, enjoying your first shift on the AO Show.
00:24:33
Speaker 6: Look, I am, I am. I've got to step up.
00:24:35
Speaker 7: You guys are nice and savvy veterans of this, so yeah, be on the pressure a little bit, but I really enjoying it.
00:24:42
Speaker 1: There's still a bit of fun to come on the Showy Every week we invite Bree, our resident Queen of the Smallest Screen, to kind of come up with a top five plots and come up with the top five things. And it's always a bit of fun because she puts it to you. Put it to your team to get a few.
00:24:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, they have to help.
00:25:00
Speaker 6: What have they come up with?
00:25:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, I put it out to the team because I hate to admit it, sometimes I leave things to the last minute, but I always get things done but the team often has to help me, and we came up with this week so you know how like there's Branjelina, so Angelina and Brad. You know there's like a couple of names kind of thing. Well, I saw a meme or on Instagram which gave me this idea that was to put together some of the top rivals in tennis into one name.
00:25:30
Speaker 6: Okay, mashed, that's quite good.
00:25:32
Speaker 3: Can I start with some special mentions and then we'll get into it because we're just so many so special mentions first, so Saba, Quina and Kinnaras.
00:25:43
Speaker 6: But what's the what's the other one?
00:25:44
Speaker 2: Quin Wen and Navarro.
00:25:47
Speaker 3: Which is kind of like a rival, and then Jocodal.
00:25:53
Speaker 1: And Fedalal is very recognized, so that they're my special mentions, the honorable.
00:26:00
Speaker 6: Let's crack into the real stuff. Five.
00:26:05
Speaker 1: Oh yes, wait, so is that very Medvedev?
00:26:09
Speaker 6: Nice? Yeah, it's it's got a nice ring to it.
00:26:13
Speaker 2: It does, does it?
00:26:14
Speaker 1: I think Medvedev gets weighted slightly too much in that nickname, but it's got such a good it really does.
00:26:21
Speaker 6: Okay.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Four?
00:26:21
Speaker 2: Four Pegolf?
00:26:24
Speaker 1: Who is.
00:26:27
Speaker 6: Golf?
00:26:28
Speaker 2: Have mind it?
00:26:29
Speaker 6: Have they already got one? No?
00:26:31
Speaker 5: I don't know. I don't think so.
00:26:33
Speaker 1: All right, it needs work that one, okay, yeah, okay.
00:26:38
Speaker 3: Okay, this is an equal one. We've got Fritz to pass and Poppy Covid.
00:26:43
Speaker 1: Poppy Covid is taking me into is that Alexi and Novak?
00:26:47
Speaker 6: Yeah, Poppy Covid, Poppy Covid. I'm not sure about that one.
00:26:51
Speaker 1: It's got to be Popokovitch, doesn't it Popkovic?
00:26:55
Speaker 2: Or it could be jocopyrin.
00:27:00
Speaker 6: Jocker and yeah, is probably better.
00:27:05
Speaker 1: I like the previous one though. Okay, that's got charm. I think where you've got the common common vowel sound works really well. Take the feedback on what was what number was that?
00:27:18
Speaker 2: That was three up to two sinkers.
00:27:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, now now we're in the top.
00:27:26
Speaker 2: Someone else obviously came up with that. That's why it's good.
00:27:31
Speaker 1: Are they the most watchable pair do you think in men's tennis at the moment?
00:27:36
Speaker 6: Absolutely?
00:27:36
Speaker 7: Yeah, it looks like, well Novak's in that conversation as well, but they're clearly above the rest right now. They're in the league of their own and watching those two play it, they I mean, they say it all the time. They're getting the best out of each other and just pushing each other to limit, and the points are just like, okay, it should end there, they get to the ball should end there.
00:27:56
Speaker 6: They're getting to that one.
00:27:57
Speaker 7: So it's just incredible movement, great shots, action, and two great kids as well.
00:28:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, and they are the two youngest in the top ten in the world Storm sitting one and two.
00:28:05
Speaker 5: Wow, that's amazing.
00:28:06
Speaker 4: But how exciting is it when they have a match up and you get to watch them. It's like Luke said, it's incredible Tenner.
00:28:11
Speaker 3: It hasn't always happened because they're often on the same side of the draw, which is really sad.
00:28:16
Speaker 1: You need them one and two, which they very well, maybe three for too long? Okay, well, if Sincerez isn't number one, it's going to take quite a formidable rival Portmanteau to take top spots.
00:28:30
Speaker 2: So why I just think this is cute? Saber Tech.
00:28:34
Speaker 1: Saber Tech sounds like a technology company startup.
00:28:37
Speaker 2: I was going to say that, don't you think it's cute though? Or swear linka LINKA? Did I say that right from your linka?
00:28:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, sphear LINKA. I think the first one is better.
00:28:48
Speaker 5: Saber tech techcot legs.
00:28:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think from now on you're going to have to run with some of these on the show. Whenever you're mentioning these two player rivals, I want to hear it.
00:28:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, Saber Tech, that's a good task.
00:29:01
Speaker 1: All right, Well done today. That's generated a bit of interest, hasn't it. Top five play arrival nicknames and Sabatet taking top spot. I also wanted to give U Storm the chance to give a shout out to what happened in Baseil last week in the doubles with one of Australia's best servants.
00:29:20
Speaker 5: Yeah, so shout out to.
00:29:21
Speaker 4: Peersy winning the Basil five hundred with his partner Jimmy Murray. It was his second title after the Olympic gold, which was obviously an unbelievable achievement, but what an achievement to win there. They actually had to go through qualifying. The ATP have qualifying for doubles at certain events, and I saw their first round of qualities. They won sixteen fourteen in the third set tiebreak. So to get out of that one and then to win the tournament, incredible effort and yeah, good job Piersy.
00:29:49
Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean they would have probably saved match points if I'm guessing in that first round. And that's I mean, as Stormy can say as well, that's doubles in a nutshell. You can just sort of get through the drawer and build a little bit momentum and yeah, I mean next next minute of the holding the trophy. But yeah, Peers, I got the had the privilege of playing with him a couple of Davis Cup ties and atp Cup and just his dedication to his game and just to work on what he knows he needs to fine tune to be at his best and he's been absolutely fantastic. And he would have thought the two veterans are teaming back up ten years down where they first split up and.
00:30:26
Speaker 1: First title since Hamburg twenty fifteen I think is right.
00:30:29
Speaker 7: Okay, so yeah, I would to pick that one. But they're back together, and as Stormy can say, there's a lot of mixing and matching in doubles and it's great to see that pairing back and finding.
00:30:39
Speaker 1: Some form and to go with Olympic gold. That's actually a fair season from John Piers as well. And we were talking about new can Metal contenders. Suddenly it's like anyone's guess.
00:30:48
Speaker 7: How good for the well not to be a selector for that new can Metal to be Johnny Yuke. But yeah, so many great achievements this year, and obviously Alex will be up there as well, and Olivia having a great year as well, so there's so many contenders.
00:31:03
Speaker 6: Great decease. It should be a great evening building up to.
00:31:05
Speaker 1: What promises to be a spectacular summer of tennis here.
00:31:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm pretty excited.
00:31:10
Speaker 3: I know this show is about a lot more than our Aussies, but it's a really exciting time for Australian tennis with however it's going, and yeah, just everything else that's happening, I feel like tennis is more on the radar and I can't wait for the Australian Open. Wish I wasn't working, I do. I wish I could go out there and watch it.
00:31:30
Speaker 1: Fifty seven days till the United Cup gets underway.
00:31:33
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's ten Fridays until Christmas.
00:31:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, and then only like sixty five days till the Australian Opening week. Petrified, it's that time of the show where we take a break from talking tennis and we take stock of some of the highlights from our own lives. In ace of the week so we might open up with you, Bree today.
00:31:54
Speaker 3: It's probably pretty basic because I don't have any weekend plans because of the moon Boot. So anything that I would have done, like go for a run or whatever, I can't do. But I am having dinner with two friends tonight, which is nice, right.
00:32:09
Speaker 2: It gets get this week. I've made them come to Richmond and I'm going to hobble. I'm pretty good on the moon boot.
00:32:16
Speaker 3: I actually think I'm safer in the moonboot, but I am outside of the moonboot.
00:32:21
Speaker 1: Okay, let's make it a fixture of the storm, your Highlight, your Ace of the week, storm.
00:32:27
Speaker 5: Mie the Week.
00:32:28
Speaker 4: It's sort of on the tennis theme, but I've done a couple of q and as this week with some thirteen and under, you know, aspiring tennis players, and it's just been really fun because it gives me a moment in time to reflect on my own journey and also, you know, to give some words of wisdom and sometimes you forget the impact that you can have as you know, a current player or even a past player. And you know, they were so excited to meet me. I went out and watched some of them play, and this poor girl was so nervous that I was watching hit three double faults in a horror horrible but you know, you just sometimes forget that you can have a massive impact even when you're not playing and you're not on the court and just you know, just being there and saying hi.
00:33:08
Speaker 5: I brought in my Wimbledon finalist.
00:33:10
Speaker 4: Trophy yesterday and the kids just loved it and it just made me so happy. And you know, even though going through a tough time with injury, I'm still very grateful for what I get to do for a living. And yeah, trying to hopefully, yeah, share some words of wisdom, all.
00:33:25
Speaker 6: Right, sav your ace of the week, I got a couple. Yeah.
00:33:30
Speaker 7: So I've put the tennis rackets down for a couple of weeks and picked up.
00:33:33
Speaker 6: The golf clubs.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: Very good to do, isn't it.
00:33:37
Speaker 7: And played a really good round of golf yesterday. I had thirty five points, so park pinincually Kingsworth. Remember they're down in Frankston. So basically for everyone that doesn't know golf, pretty much shot to my handicap, so.
00:33:49
Speaker 6: I'll take it very good.
00:33:51
Speaker 7: There was a while there where I wasn't playing too much competition because my handicap was nine. I didn't want it to blow out back to double digits, so I just I wanted to keep it in the single digits.
00:33:59
Speaker 1: There for a lot of UTR players know the feeling.
00:34:03
Speaker 7: Exactly, so it's a little bit sneaky of me, but I thought, nah, I got to I gotta play.
00:34:07
Speaker 6: And back to Stormy his point a little bit.
00:34:08
Speaker 7: I did a I did a bit of a clinic the other day for a couple of friends who are coaches here in Melbourne, and it was for a bit of a charity, and I went out there and I was just mixing in with him.
00:34:18
Speaker 6: I was trying to go into the radar a little bit.
00:34:20
Speaker 7: And I teamed up with one boy and he looked at me and he just his face dropped.
00:34:24
Speaker 6: He goes Luke Savill, and I go, yeah, hey.
00:34:27
Speaker 7: I went and shook his hand, and I was just in my peripheral vision the whole time.
00:34:32
Speaker 6: I could see him staring at me, and.
00:34:33
Speaker 7: Then and then I got Then i'd go and glance at him and he'd look away and he'd say stuff like, I just can't believe I'm playing with Luke Savill right now. And how was this young fellow he was honestly, probably late twenties. He loved his loved his tennis. He asked me what my my best result of this train open was. I said, I made the final. He was so nervous and I just kept on patting him on the back and said, mate, just just relaxed, just out here having some fun. So I don't want to part my tires too much. But back to Stormy's point, just great to see when you strip it all back, the impact you can have on people. And that's yeah, that's it's really good to see.
00:35:11
Speaker 2: That's amazing for me.
00:35:12
Speaker 1: Last night I went to see three quarters of the band Coldplay play at Marble Stadium. I don't know if you've caught up with the news today, but for the first time in Coldplay history.
00:35:24
Speaker 2: Christ Harden didn't come.
00:35:25
Speaker 1: No, they had a member not turn up to the gig for the first time ever.
00:35:31
Speaker 2: Right there, like late thirties, forties, their.
00:35:34
Speaker 1: Late forties, and Guy Berryman, the bass player, fell sick to a stomach bug just hours before the show. They made the call at eight pm that he was not well enough to take the stage, and so he didn't and he did. They ring us so Bill Raco, who is a sound engineer for the band and co producer of some of their studio albums, stepped up on the base and wore a helmet like a space astronauts helmet for the entire show. I don't know why, but that's what happened, and it was a very weird experience for the band. Chris Martin came out before the show had started, before the Welcome to Country and said, this isn't part of the show, but I just need to let you know that guys sick and won't be playing, and they proceeded to do the whole show. At various points, the drummer jumped on the base and played a song he probably would never have rehearsed that now. Maybe he had five minutes before the show to try, but he did it. He played it flawlessly, played the song Sparks in an acoustic setting. It was phenomenal. So it was just so interesting to see how arguably one of the biggest bands in the world is still subject to injury and illness and the show must go on.
00:36:44
Speaker 3: And this is what these amazing creative people, plus people like though he's on our panel with us, able to do when you're that good Yeah, you can just get through.
00:36:56
Speaker 4: That's incredible, But I still don't understand why did you leave three quarters through?
00:37:00
Speaker 6: No?
00:37:00
Speaker 1: Sorry, I saw three quarters of the band cold.
00:37:04
Speaker 2: Okay and at one point being too smart? Yeah, that went over my head.
00:37:08
Speaker 8: Yeah.
00:37:08
Speaker 1: At one point Chris Martin actually offered he said, you're all entitled to a twenty five percent refund. So I'm just wondering if I should bring up Ticketmaster.
00:37:16
Speaker 2: Now or sounds like something you would do.
00:37:20
Speaker 1: Absolutely anyway, it was took the la thing though. I took along my wife Elmi, who's twenty weeks pregnant. So that's going fast is it'll be out. It'll be sort of the last last hurrah in terms of an event where she has to stand on her feet.
00:37:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, totally.
00:37:34
Speaker 1: Fortunately I hired her a little a walking frame.
00:37:38
Speaker 2: Did you actually if you ever did that to me, I would actually kill you.
00:37:43
Speaker 6: It's perfect?
00:37:45
Speaker 2: Was she fine with that?
00:37:47
Speaker 1: It was a fantastic move.
00:37:48
Speaker 2: You have found your match.
00:37:49
Speaker 3: Well done this someone for everyone.
00:37:54
Speaker 6: That was a great show. Well.
00:37:55
Speaker 1: Good luck to coll Play for the last three shows in Melbourne and a fast recovery to Buryman from his bug sav Thanks for joining us today. It's been fun.
00:38:04
Speaker 6: Thanks Johnny, thanks having me you guys.
00:38:06
Speaker 1: I hope it wasn't too much of a baptism of fire.
00:38:09
Speaker 4: No.
00:38:09
Speaker 7: As we said at the start, I'm trying to try to experiment. Did the toe in a little bit with stuff like this and just learning from Stormy, learning the rope.
00:38:18
Speaker 1: Storm's part of the furniture. Now she is eights in. Storm. I think you're back next week as well.
00:38:24
Speaker 2: I am.
00:38:24
Speaker 5: You'll see me next week. Thanks sav for joining. It was a lot of fun.
00:38:28
Speaker 1: Have a great week in tennis, Spree. You'll also be back next week and yeah, look forward to the WTA finals. So much to look forward to as we count down sixty five days to the Australian Open. Have a great week everyone, see Yu bye bye.
Speaker 1: Today and welcome to the AO Show presented by MasterCard. Pop puts the brakes on Medvedev in Paris, the Race to Turin, can Demon sneak into the ATP finals and the women converge on Reard for the WTA Tour Finals. That's all coming up on the AO Show with me John Huvenas next to me. It's the Moonboot Maverick herself, Brice Stewart, Welcome, Brie.
00:00:24
Speaker 2: Thanks, good to be here, Good to have the moon Boot back.
00:00:27
Speaker 1: Approval on the new nickname.
00:00:29
Speaker 2: Ah, well, look it's fitting.
00:00:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, what's happening? What's happened to you again?
00:00:32
Speaker 3: I've done the exact same thing I did five months ago. I tripped down the stairs at home en route to walk the dog at six thirty am and have done something to my ligaments. Haven't figured out yet what.
00:00:42
Speaker 1: I'm very sorry to hear that after your rehab.
00:00:45
Speaker 3: Actually this time I'm less sad about it because I feel like I can do it because.
00:00:49
Speaker 2: I've done it before.
00:00:50
Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, And I just obviously need to spend longer in rehab because storms looking at me. But I probably didn't do my exercises for long enough and then I just started running.
00:00:58
Speaker 1: I'm hoping it's not an and from what happened earlier in the year for this young lady Storm, welcome back.
00:01:04
Speaker 4: Hello, happy to be back, and I'm sorry to Bree to see you in the moonbreat.
00:01:08
Speaker 2: But look like you had the moon boot still.
00:01:10
Speaker 5: I mean, you're rocking it though, I quite like it.
00:01:12
Speaker 2: I'm fine.
00:01:14
Speaker 1: And the latest addition to our AO show family, bre Luke Saville, joined us.
00:01:18
Speaker 6: Welcome Luke, Thanks Johnny, good to be here.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: It's great to have you making away in media Street.
00:01:23
Speaker 7: Yeah, dipping the towe in a little bit. Yeah, I mean I enjoyed and I think just filling my time and you know, who knows what happens past playing. Obviously that's there's a shelf life on that. So yeah, just experimenting a little bit and enjoying it.
00:01:38
Speaker 1: So where is you thinking aut regarding your playing career at the moment. Is that something that you can share with the listeners?
00:01:43
Speaker 6: Yeah, I can.
00:01:44
Speaker 7: I haven't been too public with it, but yeah, probably around January. I'm looking to possibly finish up and then you know, sort of look at what's next, what sort of avenue I can go down, And it's sort of scary at first, but I've come to terms with it and got gotten a lot more comfortable and sort of looking forward to it nice.
00:02:03
Speaker 1: We look forward to hearing more about that throughout your time on the AO Show. But also Brie, Luke, and Dasha have appeared together on an upcoming episode of the sit Down.
00:02:11
Speaker 3: I did hear whispers about that. I can't wait to listen. Yep, stay Tue, you really can't wait.
00:02:15
Speaker 1: That'll be out probably sometime in November, possibly early December and early Christmas. Present for your Stormy.
00:02:21
Speaker 5: Oh, I can't wait to listen.
00:02:22
Speaker 4: You you might not know, but we actually were housemates Me, Saven Dasher when we were eighteen nineteen. We lived together for a few years. So yeah, we're kind of we're kind of like family.
00:02:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was.
00:02:33
Speaker 6: It was good fun storm story Stormy.
00:02:37
Speaker 7: Yep, saw close and personal what happens, but that it was a great dynamic, very enjoyable.
00:02:43
Speaker 1: We took on the parental role in the three of you.
00:02:47
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would say Dash and I with very different personalities, and Luke was the calming person that you know, just kept us both, Yeah, not fighting too much. I guess joff social media a bit, Yeah, a little bit.
00:03:02
Speaker 1: There's a lot happening in the world of tennis as we ramp up to the season ending finals. The women start this coming weekend and the men not too far behind. That'll frame some of our discussion today, but I might start with you Storm, what's caught your eye in the tennis world this week?
00:03:18
Speaker 4: Yeah, So for me, you know, it's actually it's a big week on the WTA Tour. And I'm not talking about you know, the top eight singles and doubles teams getting ready for finals, but actually there's three two fifties WTA two fifty is going on this week, and it's such a big opportunity for those players on the cusp of the top hundred. That's what caught my eye. I was like, wow, this is a huge opportunity. There's players, you know who've actually been Grand Slam champions, such as Sofia Kennon. She's you know, just out just inside the top hundred, and it's a huge chance for them to kind of break through get ready for the Australian Open and been in this position many times.
00:03:53
Speaker 5: At the end of the year, you're already kind of starting to.
00:03:55
Speaker 4: Look towards twenty twenty five, and I think you kind of forget.
00:03:58
Speaker 5: That it's such an important moment.
00:04:00
Speaker 4: I looked there's about eleven players just outside the top hundred who've never cracked the top hundred before, and they're all in the round of sixteen this week, and if they have a few more wins, we could be seeing them here at the Australian Open.
00:04:11
Speaker 5: And I think it's really really exciting.
00:04:13
Speaker 4: And I just remember being in that moment thinking it's very hard, it's a blessing in the curse, it's an amazing opportunity. But you've also got to remember that we get the opportunity to play every week, so putting it all out there, going for it, but also it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen then, But yeah, I'm super super excited to see the rest of the results. We also have Kim Birele, she's playing Leila Fernandez in She's kind of on that cusp of the hundred at the moment as well. So I don't know what you think, sav but that for me is kind of a big moment in time where there's a lot of points on offer and you are kind of starting to look towards the summer.
00:04:48
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think it's.
00:04:48
Speaker 7: Been widely spoken about the length of the season, and obviously it's a ten and a half eleven month season, and definitely towards the Taiwan We're almost in November, and there's definitely some strange results, absolutely on the.
00:05:01
Speaker 6: WTA Tour, but also on the ATP as well. There.
00:05:04
Speaker 7: I think last week in Basil, the big booming serving Mapesche Pericard won the tournament there and I saw overnight in Paris he won the first set fourteen twelve in a tiebreak and won two returning points, so against hutch against Hatchano, so his serve is absolutely incredible.
00:05:26
Speaker 6: He's pretty pretty dirty.
00:05:28
Speaker 7: On the indoors in Europe there, but I think so many opportunities deep in the season, if you're there mentally ready to compete from first to last point, there can definitely be a lot of upsets and just sort of a great opportunity for a lot of the Aussies to finish the year very strong as well.
00:05:44
Speaker 1: Just on Impeschi PERICRD, that is a name very few of us knew at the start of this year. He's risen from i think outside the top two hundred up to the top thirty and is in contention for seeding at the Australian Open.
00:05:56
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:05:56
Speaker 7: I first saw him probably two years ago in Mexico and Altitude and he was ranked I think four hundred, and I just remember seeing this serve with the pure drive, which is historically one of the most powerful rackets there is, and just serving gigantic.
00:06:12
Speaker 6: But he was so fresh. He was spraying a lot of balls and.
00:06:15
Speaker 7: Not putting a whole heap balls in, but he was very impressive. And then I saw James Darkworth also played him in India as well, and he said the same thing. He was just a little bit raw and just had to put a few pieces together with his game. But he's got one of the greatest French coaches with him and it seems like they've just really reined it in. He's brought the margins in and he's just so incredibly difficult to play when you've got that serve. And then he's putting pressure on returning games as well, and you're just so sort of scared to lose your serve because you basically know the sets over wins.
00:06:47
Speaker 1: Last week in Bars all over Hole god Runa in straight sets, and then Ben Shelton, who's a no slouch himself in the serving department, and secure his second title of the season. He won Leon earlier in the year as well. So one to keep our eye. A bit of a mouthful to pronounce, I'm going to have.
00:07:03
Speaker 2: To really practice that one, an't I is there.
00:07:05
Speaker 1: A nickname that we can I think it's just Geo GA Great.
00:07:09
Speaker 2: I can I can do that with that?
00:07:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, six foot eight, I believe, and it absolutely that.
00:07:14
Speaker 2: Is Tan no wonder. He's slamming down the serves.
00:07:17
Speaker 1: Even his second serves.
00:07:19
Speaker 2: Wingspan would be massive on him.
00:07:21
Speaker 1: Right, I imagine, So he's definitely not one dimensional.
00:07:23
Speaker 7: The serve is the feature, but the forehand he likes dominating rallies with that. He's got a one handed back in and he's just he's just incredibly dangerous to play. And I think, you know, he is obviously pushing for a seed in Grand Slams and he's one that you just I feel like the top eight guys in the world wouldn't want to see him in a third round.
00:07:45
Speaker 6: Let's go back to.
00:07:46
Speaker 1: The women for just a sect. Titles last week for Jing Chin when another one for her after she won Palermo earlier this year. Storm. As we approach the WTA finals, Jing Chin Win will be among the action for the first time, making her debut. She's coming into that as the seventh ranked player.
00:08:06
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think she's going to be dangerous heading in. I don't think if you know, if I was Sablenka, Palini and Rabukina, that's someone that you probably don't want to play.
00:08:14
Speaker 5: But that's going to be very difficult.
00:08:15
Speaker 4: That group, the Purple group, you know, I think sable Anka is looking very very well. She's super comfortable, confident. She's been in Dubai training getting ready. But Quinn when with her, you know, match play, She's just one Tokyo last week and you know, making her debut, and I think she's actually going to be one to watch. Rabakina, we don't quite know what her level is at. She's obviously hasn't been playing, but we know that her game there in Riard is going to be, you know, quite dangerous. If you know she's serving well, taking the ball early, she can take the game off of anyone's racket. And you know, I don't think we can count out Paulini in that group as well.
00:08:50
Speaker 5: She's had an incredible year.
00:08:52
Speaker 4: Her game style obviously matches up a little bit differently. She needs a little bit more time, which is maybe going to be a bit tricky against those hard hitting plays. But she's you know, had a lot of confidence, had a huge breakthrough this year, and I think at finals you kind of have nothing to lose. I think my mentality last year playing there in doubles, it's you've got nothing to lose.
00:09:12
Speaker 5: You're against you're playing the best players in the world. You're just going for it.
00:09:15
Speaker 4: So last week of the year you can kind of celebrate your season as well, obviously trying your best to go as far as you can, but almost the pressures off, there's no pressure.
00:09:23
Speaker 5: It's not, you know, a kind of tournament. It's not it's the end of the season.
00:09:28
Speaker 4: So you know what, she could just go out there flying and who knows what can happen.
00:09:32
Speaker 7: I mean, I think in the orange group there that is absolutely star started. You've got swire Tech and Golf the Gola Kretchikova all as Stormy said, fantastic years and obviously sabal Ancha swire Tech have been the two best players throughout the year. If I'm guessing it's a fast surface. I'm probably taking sabal Anca as favorite, but all eight ladies there have a great chance to hold the trophy.
00:09:55
Speaker 1: So round robin in the first stage, they each play each other in their group, and then the top two from each group go through to the semifinals. Interestingly, Fiontek, as you mentioned, Luke and Pagoula are the two finalists from twenty twenty three have fallen into the same group, so they'll they'll be up against it. Are they either too likely ones to go through or would there be I know Goff's been a little bit down on form storm and Kratchikova has been here before, always a dark horse. Who do you see going through to the semis?
00:10:25
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that's actually quite tough to call.
00:10:27
Speaker 4: In the Orange group, I'm definitely picking Svirtek to get through, but between Coco, Jesse and Barbora, I think it's anyone's game and I think they'll be looking to try and yeah, latch onto that second spot to go through to the semifinals. But tough to call, and like Luke said, every single player there deserves to be there. It's kind of that moment where you're like, wow, I get to celebrate that achievement and why not go for it?
00:10:50
Speaker 5: So yeah, it will be interesting.
00:10:52
Speaker 4: I'm super excited to watch because even during the year sometimes you don't get to see these matchups happen, you know, if they lose first round early or early Iness Slams, you actually don't get to see the top eight all playing against each other. So for me, I'm super super pumped tour to watch next week.
00:11:08
Speaker 3: Do you know what could be interesting is what we see from Quinnwin or Paulini because obviously they've had interesting years.
00:11:15
Speaker 1: Paulini absolute bolted through twenty.
00:11:18
Speaker 3: Because I remember seeing her, you know, to carp in December and thinking, oh, who's she like?
00:11:22
Speaker 2: She's fun, and.
00:11:23
Speaker 3: Then next minute she became, you know, on everyone's minds because she just kept turning up places that we didn't necessarily expect except for Simon Ray who did expect it from analyzing her data.
00:11:35
Speaker 1: But back to back Grand Slam finals this year.
00:11:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, so it'd be interesting to see what we get from them as well.
00:11:41
Speaker 1: The indoor factor, though, how much does it change the dynamic after was it Cancun last year?
00:11:46
Speaker 2: Wasn't it changed with the tornado? Right?
00:11:49
Speaker 4: Yes, a lot of rain, a lot of wind. It was very difficult but an amazing experience. They did everything possible there, But yeah, definitely different conditions.
00:12:01
Speaker 7: It helps the likes of your sable Anchor and ryber Keina such big games. They like the ball in the slot around the hip, and I think they will be very difficult to beat there. And I think swire Tek and Goff they probably play with the elements a little bit more, especially swy Text. She plays so well on the clay, so Kretchakova. I think she plays quite well indoors as well, so I think that'll favor her there. But yeah, very clean ball striking conditions. If it's a fast court, it's gonna be a lot of one to two strike tennis and could be very entertaining to watch.
00:12:32
Speaker 6: Gets underway.
00:12:32
Speaker 1: The WTA Tour Finals this weekend November two to nine, so next week on the show will be approaching the latter stages of that event, and the ATP Finals not too far away.
00:12:44
Speaker 7: The look week after. I believe in that race is definitely heading up. If I think Alex demon Ar beats Jack Draper, he goes to eighth spot.
00:12:54
Speaker 1: He's seventy five points behind r Lev at the moment in eighth spot now we know was eliminated early in this week by Francisco Sarundelo in two tiebreak sets. So rube Lev is currently on three seven, two zero and Demonor on three six four five points.
00:13:12
Speaker 7: Yeah, there's another tournament the week after as well, a two point fifty that I believe Alex and rub Lev are both playing, so there they're both hunting that eight spot as you would. There's obviously the question marks over Djokovic if he's playing the end of year finals as well, a bit of a cloud there. So yeah, it's definitely heating up and Alex he's working his way back from that hip injury. He's starting to move a lot better. I think he made the Semis last week in Vienna, one of the five hundreds. He's starting to work his way back, and I'm sure goes without saying he'd love to finish the year strong and carry that momentum into next year, into January.
00:13:50
Speaker 4: And one hundred percent he deserves to be there. I think that's the main thing, is that he's had an incredible year. And we spoke on the pot about his injury a few weeks ago when he was returning to play and I kind of mentioned that, you know, potentially his goals have changed and maybe not aiming for the finals with how his injury is, but looks like he's in great form, and yeah, he one hundred percent deserves to be there and really really hope that he can get there and play for the first time since Layton Hewitt, yes.
00:14:18
Speaker 1: Twenty years ago. First we've become the first Australian man to reach the season ending finals.
00:14:24
Speaker 3: So amazing, and he does storms right, he does deserve it, like he's just had a stellar year and it's been I'm sure it's been hard for him too with that hip injury.
00:14:32
Speaker 2: Like, yeah, I kin't even imagine.
00:14:34
Speaker 1: It's amazing the amount of times we've brought up Layton and Alex in the same sentence this year. And it was almost written in the stars, wasn't it from the start of Alex's career that he was to become the heir apparent to lighton.
00:14:47
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think he was strongly mentored by late in early days and even here at the Australia and Wildcard playoff when he won it. When I don't know, he's probably sixteen or seventeen, and you could just tell that he was on a trajectory of greatness really, and it's just how Alex goes about it. He'll never admit that, you know, he's the player that he is. He's just so humble. I think he's just starting to realize how good he is. And I think he told me when he just made the quarters of the US Open and he came in severely underdone.
00:15:17
Speaker 6: He wasn't quite fit.
00:15:18
Speaker 7: But he feels like he's going out to a lot of these matches and he's already won.
00:15:22
Speaker 6: He feels like his opponents. He's sort of got that sort.
00:15:25
Speaker 7: Of aura about him now and he sort of feels like he goes out there and if he can play tough, he's he's really just got a leg up on a lot of these guys. So that's I told him. That must be a good feeling. I've never felt like that in my life.
00:15:38
Speaker 1: So what about his junior world number one?
00:15:41
Speaker 6: Yeah, possibly that was a few years ago. I can't really remember those. But it's just so impressive how he's going about it.
00:15:47
Speaker 7: And as Stormy said, to see him playing Turin after the setbacks he's had this year would just be absolutely incredible.
00:15:54
Speaker 2: Fingers crossed.
00:15:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely Alex's still alive. In the round of sixteen, as Luke mentioned, he played Jack Raper next after defeating Miamir Kasmdovich overnight, Jack Draper taking down Taylor Fritz and is on an absolute tear. Jack Draper taking on the Andy Murray mantle as the new number one, isn't he of Great Britain?
00:16:13
Speaker 4: And I'm actually really excited for the matchup of Jack draprin Demon at the United Cup. It's in Sydney, so I think that's going to be really exciting and a good matchup and a.
00:16:23
Speaker 3: Rematch from the US Open where we will definitely seeld. I'm supposed to remain impartial, aren't I? But the Australian patriotism runs runs wild and me and we.
00:16:34
Speaker 5: All know how Demon plays when he was in Australia.
00:16:37
Speaker 2: So Ken Rothwell Arena.
00:16:39
Speaker 1: Everything's lining up other Ossie's kicking goals. In Paris this week, Alexi Popprin defeated Daniel Medvedev, the fourth seed overnight in three sets, Luke, And here's another one. This put his hand up for probably NUCA metal contention.
00:16:52
Speaker 7: What are you Pop's had? And again great to see. I'm going to say this a lot about the boys and the girls, but just such great people and it's just awesome to see them achieving their dreams. And yeah, Poppy, I'll claim the win on him last year in serbadon on the grass, I got him.
00:17:07
Speaker 6: Six to the third.
00:17:08
Speaker 7: It's fair to say he's sort of taken off a little bit from there, but yeah, sort of around twenty in the world now and beating Novak at the US Open, and just such a dangerous game that serve and forehand, and he's just built his game around those two strengths and just gone from strength to strength as well. And also just I feel like he lifts on the big stage as well, so when he plays those bigger players, he truly believes, which I think is you can't really teach that.
00:17:34
Speaker 6: So awesome to see.
00:17:35
Speaker 1: Big heart indeed, Yeah, I love him and your boy. Do you want to give a shout out to your boy?
00:17:40
Speaker 3: Jordan Trumpson is doing really well. He turned things around, didn't he defeating Caspar Rude seven six three sixty six four at the Paris Masters. He's up next against Mannerino, which I think beat definitely.
00:17:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, So if he advances there, he'd play the winner of Umber and Alcarez, who you've been keeping an eye on this week, I have.
00:18:00
Speaker 2: And keeping an our crest.
00:18:01
Speaker 3: He recently played the six Kings event, and I'm sure lots of our listeners saw what happened at that event and how it went. It was hard to actually look away from it because I had a lot of media around it. However, he in a press conference was asked about his motivations behind playing it, and I really loved his answer.
00:18:19
Speaker 8: If I say I went there just for for fun or to play and forget the money, I'm gonna lie.
00:18:27
Speaker 6: That's that's obviously.
00:18:28
Speaker 8: I mean every every person work for that as well. You know. That's that's how our lives is about. You know. I I love playing tennis most of the time. I don't think about the money. I just played for love, for for fun. But you have to be realistic.
00:18:49
Speaker 3: So why I liked this and I say this often about our presence, you know, And I say about them more so than some of the women players, because I think the guys are currently a little bit more vulnerable than what we hear from some of our top seeded women.
00:19:02
Speaker 2: Is that they continue the.
00:19:04
Speaker 3: Two of them to be as difficult conversations and answer them. I think, really well, I think we forget as a watcher of tennis, like you and I John, versus the guys who are players, that their tennis is also a job and they need pay bills just as much as we do. And if you get to go play tennis in a place so you get to do what you love and there's a good price tag on it, why wouldn't you do it?
00:19:31
Speaker 1: Did it resonate with you guys on any level?
00:19:34
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean one hundred percent. I actually really appreciate his honesty. He didn't just kind of say no, no, it's not about the money, It's about the competition. He was completely honest and like you said, brief for us, like as a kid, we dream of being a professional tennis player. I didn't dream about making all this money. It was about playing on the biggest courts in the world, competing on the tour for the love of tennis.
00:19:55
Speaker 5: And as you.
00:19:56
Speaker 4: Develop, and I got super lucky that I did become a professional tennis player.
00:20:00
Speaker 5: You know, it is our work. It's our job.
00:20:02
Speaker 4: You know, even when we're making decisions, it's business decisions. We're making investments in our coach, our team, where we're training where we live, and that's all income that you know, well, your expenses that you're having and you're getting this income. So it is a business, and that's kind of what our chas was saying was at the end of the day, it's his job and an amazing opportunity as well to play in that event. And I just absolutely loved his honesty and related to it. Not in that sense, I've never been offered that much money to play tennis, but yeah, on a small scale for sure.
00:20:36
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:20:36
Speaker 7: I love the transparency from Carlos there. And if he wanted to play a torament that week, he could have. He could have played one of the five hundreds and got some points and much less money, but he went and played first six million dollars.
00:20:47
Speaker 6: I think I was the winners. So I love the honesty. I've always liked how.
00:20:51
Speaker 7: He goes about answering his questions, very authentic and as Stormy said, we started off playing this sport because we loved it has turned into a job and it's turned into our work and it has a shelf life. So I think everyone wants to accumulate as much money as we can because when we're done, we're done a long.
00:21:11
Speaker 2: Time, so expensive. It's an expensive job.
00:21:13
Speaker 7: It's very expensive, especially if you're bringing a team with you and a coach and a trainer and physio whatever you might bring. So you know, I love it, and I'm sure he loves tennis as well. But when there's decisions like that and it's for me, it's a bit of a no brainer. And I liked the honesty. He got asked pretty straight up and he gave a straight up answer, so it was good.
00:21:33
Speaker 1: I think the tennis world needs more of those sort of players who are prepared to just speak from the heart with all sincerity, respect.
00:21:41
Speaker 2: As well for the game, respect for himself.
00:21:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, in immediate conference, did you ever feel the pressure to self preserve and not give the answer that you actually thought within.
00:21:53
Speaker 5: One hundred percent to be honest? More times than not.
00:21:56
Speaker 4: I think if you're still competing in a certain event and they're asking questions about your match, it's almost a bit of a protective mechanism that you don't want to Sometimes you don't even want to be honest with yourself because you're thinking a certain way that if you're playing if I'm playing s R Tech first round in the Australian Open.
00:22:11
Speaker 5: If I'm telling you that, I'm.
00:22:12
Speaker 4: Very scared and nervous and I'm going to feel that, so I'm going to be like no, like I'm okay, I've got this good opportunity, you know, Smasher. Yeah, and you have to. It's basically what we're taught is to compete. You've got to give yourself that self talk. And there's also for me personally. I can't speak on behalf of other tennis players, but I've also felt I'm not sure what's going to get written about me based on what I say. So I'm very nervous sometimes about how it's going to be perceived by the journalists and also by the public, and because we are sometimes on this public scale, and I don't want people to judge me for what I say, so I'd rather say something safe than be honest.
00:22:51
Speaker 5: And that's that's just my feeling. I don't know what you thinks of.
00:22:55
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:22:55
Speaker 7: I've always played a straight back probably my whole career with a lot of questions, and that's why I appreciate that, because that's probably what I've tried to go more towards. He's been a bit more honest and just being a bit more authentic. I feel like, you know, I'm honest and to an extent, but yeah, I just really liked how everything he does, he's doing it for a reason. He's doing it for the love of the game, and it's just really good to see that he's been challenged but he takes his stand but gives reasons why.
00:23:26
Speaker 6: He thinks, you know, A, B and C, so it's good.
00:23:29
Speaker 1: Carlos Alcarez will go in as the second ranked player at the moment in the race to Turin. He sits quite substantially behind Janik Sinner in top spot and then Zverev, Medvedev, Fritz Djokovic with a question mark over him Kaspar Rude Andre Rubelev, as we mentioned, holding onto eighth spot as it stands. But a watch on Alex demonor plenty more of the AO show coming up after the break, And don't forget. Every time you spend five dollars or more on your MasterCard credit card between now and the end of December, you could win double pass to Australian Open twenty twenty five, a dining voucher at Bennelong, Sydney, or a MasterCard gift card, all valued at fifteen hundred dollars. Every transaction of five dollars or more on your MasterCard credit card gives you a chance to win. Turn your every day spend into a winning moment with MasterCard exclusions. T's and c's apply NSW authority number TP slash zero three eight one five. Back on the AO Show with Me today Brice Stewart as always, storm Hunter and Luke Saville for the first time, enjoying your first shift on the AO Show.
00:24:33
Speaker 6: Look, I am, I am. I've got to step up.
00:24:35
Speaker 7: You guys are nice and savvy veterans of this, so yeah, be on the pressure a little bit, but I really enjoying it.
00:24:42
Speaker 1: There's still a bit of fun to come on the Showy Every week we invite Bree, our resident Queen of the Smallest Screen, to kind of come up with a top five plots and come up with the top five things. And it's always a bit of fun because she puts it to you. Put it to your team to get a few.
00:24:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, they have to help.
00:25:00
Speaker 6: What have they come up with?
00:25:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, I put it out to the team because I hate to admit it, sometimes I leave things to the last minute, but I always get things done but the team often has to help me, and we came up with this week so you know how like there's Branjelina, so Angelina and Brad. You know there's like a couple of names kind of thing. Well, I saw a meme or on Instagram which gave me this idea that was to put together some of the top rivals in tennis into one name.
00:25:30
Speaker 6: Okay, mashed, that's quite good.
00:25:32
Speaker 3: Can I start with some special mentions and then we'll get into it because we're just so many so special mentions first, so Saba, Quina and Kinnaras.
00:25:43
Speaker 6: But what's the what's the other one?
00:25:44
Speaker 2: Quin Wen and Navarro.
00:25:47
Speaker 3: Which is kind of like a rival, and then Jocodal.
00:25:53
Speaker 1: And Fedalal is very recognized, so that they're my special mentions, the honorable.
00:26:00
Speaker 6: Let's crack into the real stuff. Five.
00:26:05
Speaker 1: Oh yes, wait, so is that very Medvedev?
00:26:09
Speaker 6: Nice? Yeah, it's it's got a nice ring to it.
00:26:13
Speaker 2: It does, does it?
00:26:14
Speaker 1: I think Medvedev gets weighted slightly too much in that nickname, but it's got such a good it really does.
00:26:21
Speaker 6: Okay.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Four?
00:26:21
Speaker 2: Four Pegolf?
00:26:24
Speaker 1: Who is.
00:26:27
Speaker 6: Golf?
00:26:28
Speaker 2: Have mind it?
00:26:29
Speaker 6: Have they already got one? No?
00:26:31
Speaker 5: I don't know. I don't think so.
00:26:33
Speaker 1: All right, it needs work that one, okay, yeah, okay.
00:26:38
Speaker 3: Okay, this is an equal one. We've got Fritz to pass and Poppy Covid.
00:26:43
Speaker 1: Poppy Covid is taking me into is that Alexi and Novak?
00:26:47
Speaker 6: Yeah, Poppy Covid, Poppy Covid. I'm not sure about that one.
00:26:51
Speaker 1: It's got to be Popokovitch, doesn't it Popkovic?
00:26:55
Speaker 2: Or it could be jocopyrin.
00:27:00
Speaker 6: Jocker and yeah, is probably better.
00:27:05
Speaker 1: I like the previous one though. Okay, that's got charm. I think where you've got the common common vowel sound works really well. Take the feedback on what was what number was that?
00:27:18
Speaker 2: That was three up to two sinkers.
00:27:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, now now we're in the top.
00:27:26
Speaker 2: Someone else obviously came up with that. That's why it's good.
00:27:31
Speaker 1: Are they the most watchable pair do you think in men's tennis at the moment?
00:27:36
Speaker 6: Absolutely?
00:27:36
Speaker 7: Yeah, it looks like, well Novak's in that conversation as well, but they're clearly above the rest right now. They're in the league of their own and watching those two play it, they I mean, they say it all the time. They're getting the best out of each other and just pushing each other to limit, and the points are just like, okay, it should end there, they get to the ball should end there.
00:27:56
Speaker 6: They're getting to that one.
00:27:57
Speaker 7: So it's just incredible movement, great shots, action, and two great kids as well.
00:28:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, and they are the two youngest in the top ten in the world Storm sitting one and two.
00:28:05
Speaker 5: Wow, that's amazing.
00:28:06
Speaker 4: But how exciting is it when they have a match up and you get to watch them. It's like Luke said, it's incredible Tenner.
00:28:11
Speaker 3: It hasn't always happened because they're often on the same side of the draw, which is really sad.
00:28:16
Speaker 1: You need them one and two, which they very well, maybe three for too long? Okay, well, if Sincerez isn't number one, it's going to take quite a formidable rival Portmanteau to take top spots.
00:28:30
Speaker 2: So why I just think this is cute? Saber Tech.
00:28:34
Speaker 1: Saber Tech sounds like a technology company startup.
00:28:37
Speaker 2: I was going to say that, don't you think it's cute though? Or swear linka LINKA? Did I say that right from your linka?
00:28:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, sphear LINKA. I think the first one is better.
00:28:48
Speaker 5: Saber tech techcot legs.
00:28:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think from now on you're going to have to run with some of these on the show. Whenever you're mentioning these two player rivals, I want to hear it.
00:28:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, Saber Tech, that's a good task.
00:29:01
Speaker 1: All right, Well done today. That's generated a bit of interest, hasn't it. Top five play arrival nicknames and Sabatet taking top spot. I also wanted to give U Storm the chance to give a shout out to what happened in Baseil last week in the doubles with one of Australia's best servants.
00:29:20
Speaker 5: Yeah, so shout out to.
00:29:21
Speaker 4: Peersy winning the Basil five hundred with his partner Jimmy Murray. It was his second title after the Olympic gold, which was obviously an unbelievable achievement, but what an achievement to win there. They actually had to go through qualifying. The ATP have qualifying for doubles at certain events, and I saw their first round of qualities. They won sixteen fourteen in the third set tiebreak. So to get out of that one and then to win the tournament, incredible effort and yeah, good job Piersy.
00:29:49
Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean they would have probably saved match points if I'm guessing in that first round. And that's I mean, as Stormy can say as well, that's doubles in a nutshell. You can just sort of get through the drawer and build a little bit momentum and yeah, I mean next next minute of the holding the trophy. But yeah, Peers, I got the had the privilege of playing with him a couple of Davis Cup ties and atp Cup and just his dedication to his game and just to work on what he knows he needs to fine tune to be at his best and he's been absolutely fantastic. And he would have thought the two veterans are teaming back up ten years down where they first split up and.
00:30:26
Speaker 1: First title since Hamburg twenty fifteen I think is right.
00:30:29
Speaker 7: Okay, so yeah, I would to pick that one. But they're back together, and as Stormy can say, there's a lot of mixing and matching in doubles and it's great to see that pairing back and finding.
00:30:39
Speaker 1: Some form and to go with Olympic gold. That's actually a fair season from John Piers as well. And we were talking about new can Metal contenders. Suddenly it's like anyone's guess.
00:30:48
Speaker 7: How good for the well not to be a selector for that new can Metal to be Johnny Yuke. But yeah, so many great achievements this year, and obviously Alex will be up there as well, and Olivia having a great year as well, so there's so many contenders.
00:31:03
Speaker 6: Great decease. It should be a great evening building up to.
00:31:05
Speaker 1: What promises to be a spectacular summer of tennis here.
00:31:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm pretty excited.
00:31:10
Speaker 3: I know this show is about a lot more than our Aussies, but it's a really exciting time for Australian tennis with however it's going, and yeah, just everything else that's happening, I feel like tennis is more on the radar and I can't wait for the Australian Open. Wish I wasn't working, I do. I wish I could go out there and watch it.
00:31:30
Speaker 1: Fifty seven days till the United Cup gets underway.
00:31:33
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's ten Fridays until Christmas.
00:31:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, and then only like sixty five days till the Australian Opening week. Petrified, it's that time of the show where we take a break from talking tennis and we take stock of some of the highlights from our own lives. In ace of the week so we might open up with you, Bree today.
00:31:54
Speaker 3: It's probably pretty basic because I don't have any weekend plans because of the moon Boot. So anything that I would have done, like go for a run or whatever, I can't do. But I am having dinner with two friends tonight, which is nice, right.
00:32:09
Speaker 2: It gets get this week. I've made them come to Richmond and I'm going to hobble. I'm pretty good on the moon boot.
00:32:16
Speaker 3: I actually think I'm safer in the moonboot, but I am outside of the moonboot.
00:32:21
Speaker 1: Okay, let's make it a fixture of the storm, your Highlight, your Ace of the week, storm.
00:32:27
Speaker 5: Mie the Week.
00:32:28
Speaker 4: It's sort of on the tennis theme, but I've done a couple of q and as this week with some thirteen and under, you know, aspiring tennis players, and it's just been really fun because it gives me a moment in time to reflect on my own journey and also, you know, to give some words of wisdom and sometimes you forget the impact that you can have as you know, a current player or even a past player. And you know, they were so excited to meet me. I went out and watched some of them play, and this poor girl was so nervous that I was watching hit three double faults in a horror horrible but you know, you just sometimes forget that you can have a massive impact even when you're not playing and you're not on the court and just you know, just being there and saying hi.
00:33:08
Speaker 5: I brought in my Wimbledon finalist.
00:33:10
Speaker 4: Trophy yesterday and the kids just loved it and it just made me so happy. And you know, even though going through a tough time with injury, I'm still very grateful for what I get to do for a living. And yeah, trying to hopefully, yeah, share some words of wisdom, all.
00:33:25
Speaker 6: Right, sav your ace of the week, I got a couple. Yeah.
00:33:30
Speaker 7: So I've put the tennis rackets down for a couple of weeks and picked up.
00:33:33
Speaker 6: The golf clubs.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: Very good to do, isn't it.
00:33:37
Speaker 7: And played a really good round of golf yesterday. I had thirty five points, so park pinincually Kingsworth. Remember they're down in Frankston. So basically for everyone that doesn't know golf, pretty much shot to my handicap, so.
00:33:49
Speaker 6: I'll take it very good.
00:33:51
Speaker 7: There was a while there where I wasn't playing too much competition because my handicap was nine. I didn't want it to blow out back to double digits, so I just I wanted to keep it in the single digits.
00:33:59
Speaker 1: There for a lot of UTR players know the feeling.
00:34:03
Speaker 7: Exactly, so it's a little bit sneaky of me, but I thought, nah, I got to I gotta play.
00:34:07
Speaker 6: And back to Stormy his point a little bit.
00:34:08
Speaker 7: I did a I did a bit of a clinic the other day for a couple of friends who are coaches here in Melbourne, and it was for a bit of a charity, and I went out there and I was just mixing in with him.
00:34:18
Speaker 6: I was trying to go into the radar a little bit.
00:34:20
Speaker 7: And I teamed up with one boy and he looked at me and he just his face dropped.
00:34:24
Speaker 6: He goes Luke Savill, and I go, yeah, hey.
00:34:27
Speaker 7: I went and shook his hand, and I was just in my peripheral vision the whole time.
00:34:32
Speaker 6: I could see him staring at me, and.
00:34:33
Speaker 7: Then and then I got Then i'd go and glance at him and he'd look away and he'd say stuff like, I just can't believe I'm playing with Luke Savill right now. And how was this young fellow he was honestly, probably late twenties. He loved his loved his tennis. He asked me what my my best result of this train open was. I said, I made the final. He was so nervous and I just kept on patting him on the back and said, mate, just just relaxed, just out here having some fun. So I don't want to part my tires too much. But back to Stormy's point, just great to see when you strip it all back, the impact you can have on people. And that's yeah, that's it's really good to see.
00:35:11
Speaker 2: That's amazing for me.
00:35:12
Speaker 1: Last night I went to see three quarters of the band Coldplay play at Marble Stadium. I don't know if you've caught up with the news today, but for the first time in Coldplay history.
00:35:24
Speaker 2: Christ Harden didn't come.
00:35:25
Speaker 1: No, they had a member not turn up to the gig for the first time ever.
00:35:31
Speaker 2: Right there, like late thirties, forties, their.
00:35:34
Speaker 1: Late forties, and Guy Berryman, the bass player, fell sick to a stomach bug just hours before the show. They made the call at eight pm that he was not well enough to take the stage, and so he didn't and he did. They ring us so Bill Raco, who is a sound engineer for the band and co producer of some of their studio albums, stepped up on the base and wore a helmet like a space astronauts helmet for the entire show. I don't know why, but that's what happened, and it was a very weird experience for the band. Chris Martin came out before the show had started, before the Welcome to Country and said, this isn't part of the show, but I just need to let you know that guys sick and won't be playing, and they proceeded to do the whole show. At various points, the drummer jumped on the base and played a song he probably would never have rehearsed that now. Maybe he had five minutes before the show to try, but he did it. He played it flawlessly, played the song Sparks in an acoustic setting. It was phenomenal. So it was just so interesting to see how arguably one of the biggest bands in the world is still subject to injury and illness and the show must go on.
00:36:44
Speaker 3: And this is what these amazing creative people, plus people like though he's on our panel with us, able to do when you're that good Yeah, you can just get through.
00:36:56
Speaker 4: That's incredible, But I still don't understand why did you leave three quarters through?
00:37:00
Speaker 6: No?
00:37:00
Speaker 1: Sorry, I saw three quarters of the band cold.
00:37:04
Speaker 2: Okay and at one point being too smart? Yeah, that went over my head.
00:37:08
Speaker 8: Yeah.
00:37:08
Speaker 1: At one point Chris Martin actually offered he said, you're all entitled to a twenty five percent refund. So I'm just wondering if I should bring up Ticketmaster.
00:37:16
Speaker 2: Now or sounds like something you would do.
00:37:20
Speaker 1: Absolutely anyway, it was took the la thing though. I took along my wife Elmi, who's twenty weeks pregnant. So that's going fast is it'll be out. It'll be sort of the last last hurrah in terms of an event where she has to stand on her feet.
00:37:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, totally.
00:37:34
Speaker 1: Fortunately I hired her a little a walking frame.
00:37:38
Speaker 2: Did you actually if you ever did that to me, I would actually kill you.
00:37:43
Speaker 6: It's perfect?
00:37:45
Speaker 2: Was she fine with that?
00:37:47
Speaker 1: It was a fantastic move.
00:37:48
Speaker 2: You have found your match.
00:37:49
Speaker 3: Well done this someone for everyone.
00:37:54
Speaker 6: That was a great show. Well.
00:37:55
Speaker 1: Good luck to coll Play for the last three shows in Melbourne and a fast recovery to Buryman from his bug sav Thanks for joining us today. It's been fun.
00:38:04
Speaker 6: Thanks Johnny, thanks having me you guys.
00:38:06
Speaker 1: I hope it wasn't too much of a baptism of fire.
00:38:09
Speaker 4: No.
00:38:09
Speaker 7: As we said at the start, I'm trying to try to experiment. Did the toe in a little bit with stuff like this and just learning from Stormy, learning the rope.
00:38:18
Speaker 1: Storm's part of the furniture. Now she is eights in. Storm. I think you're back next week as well.
00:38:24
Speaker 2: I am.
00:38:24
Speaker 5: You'll see me next week. Thanks sav for joining. It was a lot of fun.
00:38:28
Speaker 1: Have a great week in tennis, Spree. You'll also be back next week and yeah, look forward to the WTA finals. So much to look forward to as we count down sixty five days to the Australian Open. Have a great week everyone, see Yu bye bye.
