Yesterday afternoon, Clinton and I got the chance to catch up with our next guest.
He's an intriguing character, Jace, and he's on the comeback trail as well, which I'm really excited about, and I think you will discover he's really pumped about as well.
He will be the person everyone is talking about come January for the AO.
It is Nick Curios.
Our next guest is one of the few people in the world who has beaten the big three of tennis Djokovic, Federer and Nada.
Oh what a shot.
So he's at Australian legend, known.
For his fast serve and his fast mouth.
Please welcome to the show. Nick.
Carry out the famous words of Dan Andrews. Let's get on the beers.
Hello, mate, that's I'm good mate. That's very relevant.
Although I haven't been on the beer as much because I'm preparing for the OS Open. But afterwards I can all assure you that we'll be getting on the strider, that's for sure.
We'll get to the beer in But we've missed you, Nick, Have you missed us? Have you have you missed the game?
Yeah?
I mean, look, it's been a very eventful last couple of years. And look, I think earlier in my career, if I was injured like this, I'd probably be a bit shattered. But you know, it's part of I guess, being an athlete, and every athlete goes through and we see, you know, it's just another part of the journey. But I'm just really glad to be back. And you know, obviously playing the Brisbane International first is going to be
a lot of fun. And just been playing in front of the home crowd again and hopefully being able to, you know, bring the crowds to entertainment and a couple of wins as well.
So I'm really happy to be back.
God, it'd be bloody good to have you back in Melbourne come January. And you're right, you know, a bit of entertainment because you know, I know sometimes it's odd Nick, You're loud, you're outspoken stuff, you bring a bit.
Of life to the sport.
I say, yeah, yeah, definitely.
I think it's a very interesting time at the moment in the tennis world. Obviously we see you know, Djokovic. You know, I think we could all say he's at the tail end of his career. He's still a phenomenal player, but Nadul literally today officially last ever time.
We're going to see him on the court. Federer gone.
So look, there's some there's some amazing players still out there, but I think the game is a bit bland at the moment. And you know, everyone's like liking each other and everyone's friends with each other.
And I just I hate that ship, to be honest.
Everyone's like everyone's best mate, and I'm just like, that's that's not I mean as.
OSSI's as well.
Like you look at our sports, they're rough as they're rough as anything AFL, NRL.
Like that's why we watch. We watch for entertainment.
We watch for bad blood, we watch for you know, something maybe happening, and we want, you know, I'm all for being friends off the court, and I just think there's a bit too much respect inside the lines at the moment.
It's the same in radio. I'll give you a hot tip. We're not going for lat anytime soon.
Nick, You're happy, mate, You're happy?
Oh yeah, I look, I think I guess I'm not sad. I guess that's how I do it. I mean, like my life at the moments are whirlwind. Obviously, been doing a lot of things on and off the court. But look, I just yeah, I mean I'm doing great. I'm always staying busy, and you know, I've been I think I've been doing a lot more I guess charity work and spending a lot of more time with kids and stuff.
So I guess that's that's something that I generally enjoy, I love doing, and I think that's almost probably been the most humbling and definitely the most powerful experience that I've been really tried to.
Put an effort towards the last couple of years. So I think it's helping me.
You know, not take anything for granted, but yeah, look, I feel I feel amazing, and I'm just really excited for the next couple of months.
Go with me here. You got me in trouble. The other day, my wife was walking past the bedroom door and the door was shut. She heard like some strange sounds coming out of the bedroom. It was a video Nick I was watching, but hang on. She opened the door and you had me in bloody tears. It was Adrian Portelli put this little sick kid on a play and flew him to meet Nick, and Nick was signed a tennis racket gave it over so what a little legend he was.
Yeah, Harrison was. He was. He was a character.
And you know, obviously when you see someone like that who has rare yeah, I mean he has, he has. He's the only person in Australia with with that condition. And I mean, look, he had a lot of life about him. To be honest, I mean, if he's going to be listening to this new family, he was still cheeky, so that a lot attitude and still enjoyed every every little moment. And look that's what I mean. I mean, really could you could.
Tell you made his year mate. It was just such a nice moment. It was really really cool, well done, Yeah it was.
It was awesome.
So yeah, I'm doing more of that and hopefully, you know, I could bring some of these people down to a if they're able to come and give him a you know, cool experience.
You need. You need poor Telly's private jet, that's what you mean.
I don't fly private often. To be honest, he's he's an older you're.
A man of the people.
You're gonna buy next year's block.
Man, He's he's hustling all respect there. Man, He's he's he's he's building the Empire, that's for sure.
Yeah, you're doing pretty well. All right, let's talk. He's got his own bit. Where where did this come about?
So it's actually it's a crazy story because you know, I've got a really good personal relationship with one of the other owners. I met him he actually owns a nightclub in Sydney and I was going out so often.
We became good friends.
And then I know what happens, and then we.
Were like, you know what, let's let's do this, like let's you know, I mean it's all about I mean, it all comes down to just being you know, proud to be Australian. And look, I'm not going to deny like I love having a drink, you know, I'm at my local publicle times. So I was like, look, I really want to do this and I feel like it's not slowing down here in Australia, you know, everyone loves to have a good time, and especially with the Ausie summer coming around, I felt it was so fitting to
try and do something. And one of the breweries is literally in Golden forty five minutes from my house. I was there with my mum, showing her how everything kind of runs and how it's how it's all made. So yeah, I was just an idea and we put it together and now it's in full flow and and also tastes amazing, by the way, Like I'll personally deliver it to your houses. Both of you stryder at four point fours.
They're dangerous.
Did your mum get on it when she was at the brewery.
She did taste it, My mom, she did taste it. I'm not gonna lie. She did in hospital at the moment. The poor nah, she she she'll be okay, she'll be okay. But yeah, she did have a little sip.
She doesn't mind a little red wine, but she did have a bit of the beer and she loved it.
And look, I just love the people.
Like obviously, you know, I had a lot of you know, getting to this point in my career, you have a lot of options of who you want to work with. But the thing that stood out for me with this was it's all aussy.
You know.
I've got a great relationship with the people in the in the business as well, and I think we can really you know, do some amazing things in Australia with it.
First of all, like all these other Australian beers at the moment, they're not even Australian owned, and I really want, I really wanted to be like all about you know, in your backyard, you know, always being there when there's a good thing happening in celebration and then obviously getting it to the global stage one day would be would be amazing.
We are on the.
Air with tennis superstar Nick Kurios this morning.
Coming up next, our chat with Nick continues and I'm going to tell you where I saw him, and it.
Wasn't on the tennis court.
It was very late at night. I don't know if he was happy about sharing the story, but we'll do it next.
Yesterday Clint and I got the chance to catch up with the tennis superstar himself and the man that will be returning to Melbourne for the AO in January, Nick Curios jays.
The last time I saw Nick, it wasn't doing an on court interview for Channel nine. It was actually at Electric with the NASI. So I'm hoping those stairs will get you when you lean. I'm hoping it's I don't know about that place. I'm hoping it's on tap when we next go back there.
I'll give you inside the clint here Nick. You sit there going, you've got nightclub, You've got friends at own clubs.
I was out with Clint one night.
He left public House in the back of a taxi holding the DJ decks for the DJ going to the next venue.
Oh that's right, but no, that's life goals, bottom off life goal.
This summer is approaching, Nick, and you've already told us how pumped you are. But just take us through the trials and tribulation. The risk has been the big issue. But looks at your cherry right now. But you must have hit a few lows though there.
Oh yeah, one hundred percent, man. I mean, look, had the best year of my career.
Arguably the best year of my career was I set away from Wimbledon basically, and yeah, I had had a bit of a risk niggle and then ended up being quite significant.
I needed a risk reconstruction.
And obviously, when you get told that playing a racket sport in your right wrists, you're staring down the barrel of maybe not ever playing again. And the surgeon was pretty transparent me. He was like, look like I've done this surgery. We've done It's only been performed about fifty times worldwide, and it's more like a contact injury, so it was very rare that a tennis player got it. And he was like, look, a couple plumbers have come
back and got back into their profession. I was like, Okay, that is not really relevant for tennis player, but but.
I appreciate that.
I appreciate the positive, positive look.
He did an amazing job.
Everything went well, and it was six months post surgery. I didn't feel any honestly, didn't feel any improvement. I was like, I don't think I'm ever going to play again. I spoke to my team and obviously let my family know that it wasn't going great. And then nine months out got some improvement and then just never really gave in.
It was always, you know, trying to stay in shape, trying to do the right thing, stay patient, and here we are, you know, about fourteen months post surgery with the wrist reconstruction and back back playing.
That was this summer. So it's all a bonus.
Honestly, now, I didn't really ever think I was going to be back to play at this level, and it's it's really a miracle.
So and you can you can see the excitement in your face. How'd you go post surgery? Every I'd have to batter your toast for you. Do we ever get as rock bottom wiping?
Honestly, my fingers were like there were like sausages, Like my hand was.
Yah, sasage fingers.
Oh no, they're all right now. But like you can see the sky now, like to see that sky there?
Yeah, and then it's both sides as well.
It's pretty disgusting.
But the re just back to it. Would you say? Strength?
Oh yeah, no, like strength wise, it's right there. Like I just came off the court after three.
I mean, I.
Feel it feels obviously doesn't feel how it once was, but it's it's good enough to get out there and compete.
I mean, as an athlete, you're never going to fee one hundred percent anyway. But I was in a cast for twelve weeks. I mean it was it was rough footing. Man.
When when you're miture grown up, do people still sign your cast or is that just a school thing?
No one signed my cast?
Hey did you watch the fight the other day? Tyson?
I did watch the fight?
Thoughts you met Tyson before, haven't you?
Yeah? I've really close with logan.
But I've had Mike Tyson on my podcast and I've invested in Jake Paul's W brand as well, so I've got But look, let's let's not let's not sit here and say it wasn't like. I mean, they both made an incredible amount of money, and I'm not taking away anything from Jake Paul. Yeah, but let's let's be real, Like Jake Paul's is a hell of an athlete.
He's put the work in.
He's you can't deny that he's a legit boxer at the moment, Like, he's one of the biggest names in entertainment. So he's at that point where he can literally put anyone in front of him. People are going to I mean, we're the idiots, to be honest, sitting down streaming it.
But like, look, props to both of them.
I mean, look, Tyson to even get in the ring at sixty is incredible. I mean, I don't like he looked like he was struggling, But those guys are.
Some smart businessmen. That's all I'm going to say.
Just off the back of Tyson, you always wear pants in the dressing room, don't you, Just in case the camera.
Grabs fun you guys, I freeball when I play tennis. So when I'm playing the Grand Slams, you can just picture me now freeball.
I'm good.
I'm good, disguising a bit wow, yep, fun facts. We've got the exclusive here on no. But you forget how he's feeling in the lead up to the.
No No No.
I need I need to feel it nice and free down there when I'm not break points.
Nick.
It's been absolutely pleasure having your make congratulations on the beer and yah you guys, we we are genuinely excited here in Melbourne for the a I'm so promped to have you back.
We want to see John Kyner in a humming Yeah.
It'll be humming, that's for sure. But if you guys actually want the beer, just let me know and I'll get it to you. I'll get it to you and I'll get you a couple of cases. There's there's two options. Obviously is a lighter one as well, but it tastes really good. But I'll give you guys, I know, I knew as soon as I said the lighter, you guys are like, yeah, I'll deliver it to you.
To you personally, you're a good man. Hey, I hope your mum's doing okay.
Mate, I appreciate it. Guys, have a good, good weekend En wake up feeling good.
I know one hundred Jason Lauren only go on socials
Mhm