Mirra cool in Cali, rained-out courts deserted and an honour for Emerson Jones

Hello, Welcome to the tennis I am Zavian Mulebark. I'm not John Whovenars, filling in for our favorite little host.

But it is exciting.

So I've got some stats here. Leanni Hoovenars, which I did some research. It is a Hawaiian name. Oh means sky.

Oh that's quite nice.

Yes, yeah, yeah, Little sky Blue courts Boo Sky is keeping it very much in the tennis family. Yeah. She was born on the eleventh of March and he's put in here her favorite surface cotton.

Oh, I see she's a good size too.

Yeah, so three point six eighty five kilos healthy beat what's that in the old measure?

I reckon that'd be close to eight pounds seven maybe seven and a half. Right, yeah, somewhere there.

Well, all I love to missus. Hoovenurs. Yes, hopefully she recovers well and we get to see the bub in here in studio pretty soon. Anyway, enough about babies, let's talk about the table here. I am Xavier, but enough about me. Next up and Queen of the Smaller Screen. Stole that from Johnny Huvenars. Bree Stewart.

Welcome back, thanks here every week.

Yeah, it is weird that I'm welcoming you.

Welcome to you.

Thanks.

Yeah, it's good to have you here.

I'm looking forward to spending the next few weeks on the pod with you.

Yeah, I am good.

Yeah, okay. And across the table back from his annual wine and fishing trip, it's Fitzy.

Well, thank you, Zeve. I didn't really want to advertise the wine part of it. It is a fishing club. We go to Cocole. I've got a US friend here with me, Bob Radcliffe, and we join a group of Ossie sportsmen and others, few farmers, few local farmers. We have a great time. Eat a lot of oysters at Coffin Bay.

Sounds amazing, especially Coffin Bay oyster. Did you get in the waiters and shuck a few?

No, I don't shuck them, but some of the guys do. I tend to eat them.

Yeah, i'd be with you.

I have been named a pop a cork or two.

Very good.

We have a great time. It's a great relief to get especially after the Aussie Open. It's intense, we all know that, and great exciting, but it's a nice relaxed way to recover.

Sounds great. I do find that whenever a group of men age forty five and up have a club, it usually involves booze.

Yeah.

I don't hide it.

There's a little bit of red wine and a touch of white. But that it's We're not overly, you know, overly silly about it.

That's good. You look bright eyed Bush. Great to see you again. And of course it nearly appointed w t A Tour coach Luke Saville mister Dasher himself.

That's still yeah, no, that's still sinking in a little bit the coaching side of it. But great to be here. Thanks having me again, guys.

Well, if you're here, who's taken care of Tofu?

We have Dash's mum living with us here in Melbourne and he's probably gone for his ten minute walk this morning, probably having his sort of mid morning nap right now and he'll just keep sleeping to about seven pm to his next walk.

The dog is white total.

That was Dash's favorite idea, No, she's her favorite food is agadashi.

Tofu my heart rate going the near mention of a dog caused Brie's heart rates. Sorry for those who are sure which poach we're talking about, jump on Dash's Instagram to features relatively for sure.

Yeah yea. And the odd video of me just shaking my head and discuss.

That's right. That's your lot in life now. Well, great to have you back, Luke, thank you, And on to some sad news now. Fred Stolly, bit of a legend of Australian tennis Global Tennis, we lost him late last week. Fitzi yeah, very much.

The legend. You know, one of the great players in our greatest era. He'll be a huge loss. Is a huge loss, and what a character and personality Fred was. He We all looked up to him if you were in a generation following that sixties generation, he was one of the players that you looked up to number one in the world and the amateur days. He won two major singles titles, he won ten major doubles titles, I think seven mixed doubles titles, and he played in three

Yeah, that global outpouring for Fred has been quite noticeable. Not everyone in the tennis community might have been familiar with Fred, especially the young, younger fans, but he really is mentioned in the same breath as other recent names that we've lost in sums that as some that are still.

Around, absolutely in the same breath at the same top echelon at the sport, and had an amazing broadcasting career too. Let's not forget that he was memorable in the broadcasting booth and for decades worked with John Yukom, Tony treeb and Mark Woodford did a lot with him in recent years and he was a mentor to so many. He's a big loss and never heard one person in my tennis life speak badly Fred Stolly.

Not one, and that's a rare thing to find these days.

He had a wicked sense of humor as well.

Right, wicked, a little bit naughty, which I sort of liked a lot.

You know.

Yeah, there was a tiny bit of boarding us there. But he was clever and he delivered a line well so well. He was funny guy, and he encompassed when he walked into a room. He brought the level of camaraderie up every time.

Oh yeah, well, it sounds like on the court, off the court, behind the mic. He will be greatly missed, if only remembered, you will, alrighty, well, onto Indian Wells. We're into week two now, day eight of the Sunshine Slam as I like to call it, and just made it up on the fly. Then the Coachell, Oh is it?

Yeah?

I thought I just coined it Coachella of Tennis. That's you, that's you. Yeah, there you go. It's a festival without the music. A little bit. You're going to eat no boo court side. That's not bad. But as we know from last week, our good friends Daniello Handtakover and Duncan Mackenzie Vick Caag have been loving their time in tennis Paradise. Let's hear what's been happening around the courts and on the golf course.

Thanks.

Team, We're back in tennis Paradise with two time Indian El's champion Daniella Hantikova.

Danielle is so great to see you once again.

Hey, let's first talk about the women's side, because the big guns they're looking really good so far, aren't they. Well?

Number one to run a sable linka.

She's through, as is the defending champion eagas fiancee co Co Gough and Madison Keys.

Who do you like out of the best of them so far?

I thought you were going to say, let's talk first about the golf. I mean, that's what I was ready for. I mean, all right now, let's stick with the tennis for now. I'm still loving my big sabal Anka playing incredible tennis, being so relaxed. She's going for a big time. That's what you need to do. Here in desert. But let's not forget Mira Andreva.

Yeah.

I was gonna ask for that later, but yeah, let's talk about Mira.

Yeah we have talked about her.

Yeah yeah, and she seems like she's in her own bubble, and I kind of can relate to that feeling, you know, when you start to play good in this tournament and you start to feel like, hold on a second, I'm playing very good tennis, and why shouldn't I win this tournament, especially given how well she played in Dubai similar conditions. So I'm starting to be a little bit nervous about my pig about Arena Sablenka, so Mira would be the one right behind her for me, absolutely.

And Mira did actually paid her at Roland Garros.

I told you about mirror because she seems to be getting better and better with every single match.

That she plants.

I think Concita Martinez has so much to do with it, And you know what, I think the turning point for them was that match in Melbourne where she kind of didn't really show up in her magic in Saballenka. Her attitude was not that great and I saw country right away after that match in the locker room, and she was not happy. And sometimes you need to have the tough talk with your player and it comes from someone

When we spoke last, you said you're about to head out on court to sort of test out the new conditions here at Indian Wells.

What do you make at the speed of the courts?

I have to say that pretty similar to previous years. I did not feel I mean, at my little slow speed, I did not feel much of a difference. The bar bounds is still very high, but let's not forget the conditions. They've been changing so much, and kudos to the players because they had to deal with a lot of things, even the rain first time ever I opened my umbrella in the desert in twenty five years. Not as much wind, I feel like the last couple of days, but it's

On the men's side, some big name casualties in week one, top seed Alexander zaverev, Novak Djokovic, Kaspar Rude, Andrey Rublev all out of the tournament, but Alex seemen Or is making his way quietly through the drawer.

Yes, I'm so happy for alex and again we go to his fighting spirits. That's what you need here because the conditions change so much, and as you said, so many favorites early out of the tournament. You have to be really strong mentally to accept that most of the time you are not going to fill the ball grade because it bounces high, it's very lively it's hard to control, you know, the wind, the cold during the night sessions.

And I think for.

This Alex has got the best mentality. He always goes the same about his business. That's why I admire him so much. He never complains about anything and just focuses on what he has to do out there on the court, and that's why.

He's still in the drum.

So many interesting talking points from the first seven days proper of the tournament. Carlos Alkaraz we had some fans if he's dressed up as be he's got in tribute to the b invasion last year. Obviously yos Ke Watanuki drank a Pepsi. Completely different players since then, and of course we've got hold Garuna, who was watched on by a couple of celebrities in Timothy Chalomey and Kylie Jenna over here on Stadium one. What's caught your eye in the first seven days of this tournament, I would.

Say the fans what we always appreciate as players, because they love the game so much, so you want to show up there and play your best tennis. And I think that's why Carlos is enjoying his B support corner. He might be probably thinking, well, the cowdboys are not around, so I might as well use some momentum here. And it's been always so much fun to kind of get a little bit more connected with the crowd here.

I think the players really enjoyed it.

Maybe other tournaments you try to be more focused on your game, but here you can really draw from the energy from the crowds. Having some celebrities around that that always helps. I always remember before my first final, I was just about to go out to the court and I caught my eye on the on the screen and Matthew Perry was there, and I was such a huge fan and of friends, so I almost like I was

Yeah, just hours down the highway from Los Angeles. So who are you picking on the men's side now? With Sasha out of the tournament. Do you think Carlos is kind of in the box seat to do a three page?

I think so.

I mean, he's one, what twelve matches in a row here, so obviously he's feeling confidence. Spoke to him the other day's playing a lot of golf, so I think that also helps to kind of keep him relaxed. And yeah, it seems like he's doing all the right things, not playing necessarily his best tennis yet, but as we've seen in the last two years, you know, he always gets better at the end of the tournament, so I wouldn't be worried about it.

I am worried about my woman's peak just because I want to change it now.

I know I'm sticking to whatever whatever I go for before the tournament, but I'm just loving the level of tennis.

Let's not forgets Spittolina as well. Yeah, she's playing great. Belly and Dave, who I'm super super happy for.

So yeah, amazing stories on both sides, but I'm still sticking to.

My picks for that now.

I was going to say the golf questions the end, because you are a former tennis pro, but you do have one of the greatest golf swings I've seen of a non professional golf player. For those Australians or anyone watching or listening all around the world, if they were to come to Tennis Paradise and Greater Palm Springs, where's your favorite place to play golf?

That's a tough one because there are just so many.

You look left and right.

I believe there are like one hundred and fifty golf courses at least.

I have to say, I've been very, very spoiled.

I've been staying with my incredible friends at Bighorn Golf, which is probably one of the most special golf courses you find in America. Overall, there is obviously Medicine Porcupine. Yeah, there are some very very special ones. So this is the time of the year when, yeah, we get really spoiled and look forward to it. I wouldn't say my swing is that great, just in case ash Barti is watching. But I'm getting there, you know, training hard so that one day I can have that match against her, which

Okay, let's set a match play between Daniela Hantakova and ashbuddy, Danny always great chatting with you, and we'll chat you after the.

Men's final on Sunday.

Sounds great back to you in the tennis studio.

So it's great to kind of hear from those guys. And interesting that Danny wants to play against Ashbardi at golf because I'm not sure she's someone I'd be wanting to compete with on.

No happy walk around a golf course with Ash, but she would absolutely fuck anyone else.

I feel like she's just good at anything anyway.

Just further to that, in terms of Alex Demonol playing in Indian Wells, he sadly went down to Sarundlo this morning Australia our time seven five six three. We did have Craig Gabriel on the ground for us there who had a bit of a chat with Demon afterwards, and Demon just basically said it wasn't a good match on his side. He felt like the match slipped away and it really wasn't his best day on a tennis court.

You know.

Maybe he has a little bit of trouble with Srondilou because at the Australian Open he played him and I just forget which round, maybe the third round, I think it was the third round and he struggled at the beginning of that match too, and it was windy a little bit and look, Sirundolo, what a forehand that is. Yeah, I know you know a lot about it, but goodness me,

Sticking with demon off for a bit, Fitzy, we're about to jump into what's caught your eye? Hit us off?

Well, I think Alex always catches my eye because I'm such a fan, you know, and I appreciate the way he competes and just love everything about the way he

Well, it really is so challenging. It's such a global sport. I mean, last week you were telling us Sloke about Dashes trouble with fight cancelations going to Mexico driving from Tijuana, Like that's just one of many instances where people would be caught out with traveling and needing to not just cross country but across oceans, cross continents. It's just crazy that these sportsmen and women can really back it up in the face of that travel adversity with not much off season.

Yeah.

Yeah, in these two week events I think are quite long as well, and it can sort of get a little stale if you're in the same hotel for multiple weeks on end. And I think back to your point, FITZI, the Australian summer probably takes quite a big mental toll and pressure toe on Alex as well, and you know, being the number one Australian and having all that pressure

Ye, definitely. Well, Luke, let's stick with you. What's caught your eye?

My court, my eye was the teenage sensation mirror Andreva. Just I think she was my court my eye last week as well.

But you're allowed to have regain. Yes, it's great, she's so good.

Yeah.

When I saw the drawer at Indian Wells and the potential fourth round against Rebakner, I thought that was a bit of a popcorn match and six one six two Mira Andreva wins that one, and I think that's a statement absolutely, and winning the last Masters one thousand in Dubai as well. The youngest player in the top ten of the WTA rankings in eighteen years Nicole, Yeah, Nicole itis Ober was a last in two thousand and seven,

Yeah, I think a star of the future for a long period of time. It's hard to believe that a young player, I reckon can be that good that young For most most players, they take time to mature and get there. But Wow, she's good and she looks good on the court. She's going to be a big I think, advertisement for our sport for a long time to come.

And so you think she will stay lit. It's not going to be a one hit wonder.

And then I can't see why. I can't see why it would be. I mean, she's been coming for a while from a young age. I just I always have this older person's thought process in this type of arrival of a young player, though, I worry that they handle it. If she can handle it, if she's got the right people around her and her family is strong with her, I think she's going to be a star for a long time. I just hope she hands it well.

Solid trajectory, right, she hasn't just gone up out of nowhere. She's kind of been building and building, right.

Yeah, it's sort of funny to say that she's been building and she's seventeen.

Yeah.

Yeah, but for me, I feel like she's got the mentality for sure. She's nice and composed and very level headed. And for me it's the game as well. It's such an all court game, great surf moves well, and for me, that game is suited to all surfaces. So I think that's very important for being consistent. You know, being able to play on all four surfaces is super super important in all four slams, I should say. And I think she's going to be a star in the making and exactly what the game needs.

That's where he's going to be a good coach. Yeah, he knows the nuances and you have to be able to read that too with young players and to help them guide them in the right direction.

So how do you think she'll go against Bielina, who she has up now at Indian Wells.

Yeah. I think it's again another challenge, and she's facing all these challenges, you know, very early in her career. I think Elena Swerdelena is such a seasoned professional player, great player and been through her ups and downs as well, and I think they played quite similar. There's gonna be some long rallies there. But again I think Mira's game matches up very well against a lot of players. She can rally, she can be patient if she needs to, and then she can sort of absorb some of the

Yeah, brilliant one to watch, Continue to watch. So some would say, well, sticking with the WTA, Bree, what's caught your eye this week in the women's game?

Look.

Last week the WTA launched their WTA Maternity Fund program, which has been a long time coming for women in the sport.

So it's really great news.

There is a lot of chatter around this, both negative, positive and indifferent, but I wanted to lay out the key points of what it entails because I think it's amazing, but obviously there's with everything, there's some elements behind it that probably are questionable. But the PIFF WTA Maternity Fund program and powers women tennis players by providing the support and flexibility to pursue professional careers and build their family.

So that's kind of like their call line.

It's a first of its kind and it's fully funded and supported by an external partner. Provides up to twelve months of paid maternity leave, so there are kind of caps on it. It also gains access to grants for fertill treatments to build families as well as other benefits that's great, so like egg freezing IVF is included as well.

Now.

The eligibility criteria for participation in the fund includes completing in a certain number of WTA tournaments in a window of time, and one of the existing benefits available through this will make it easier to return to competition after starting a family, so that's a bit of a rundown on the key stats and facts. I think it's great

But yeah, it's a big move because on.

Its face, that is one of the best parental leave maternity lead policies I've ever heard in any industry, not just in sports. Twelve months months, you know everyone's eligible. There is obviously the kind of elephant in the room of where the funding is coming from.

Yes, which is what a lot of the press is.

What's the online chatter been like around that? And tell us a bit more about the PIF and what that is.

Yeah, So the PIF is the Public Investment Fund Fund, and the public Investment fund for this particular fund program is coming from Saudi Arabia.

Now there's two stories, right.

The fact is that the juicier one.

The fact that the women are getting this, which is much needed for the sport, is amazing. However, the country that is giving it is known for not treating women in the best light, very against LGBTQI kind of practices and stuff like that, so there is a little bit of comment around the Bunny is great to be able to support this and potentially without that they wouldn't have

I know my wife Daria has been quite vocal and sort of on the decisions. I guess she's on the player councils, a player council, and she was very happy with the result of it all. I think it's a fantastic initiative. I've always thought when the women go away have a baby and then come back and played a high level, it's amazing.

Yeah.

And then as you said about Belinda bencicch playing so well right now in the quarterfinals have been near wells one Abu Dhabi probably about a month ago, the five hundred, and it's just astonishing that they can come back and play so well. So an amazing initiative and great to see.

Yeah, couldn't agreement well onto my own court my eye. Yes, Madison Keys the champion. I've been watching Maddie for many years. She's got an amazing game and at the moment over in Indian Wells, she's the three set queen and she's absolutely smashing it over there. She's still undefeated in twenty twenty five. She's had fifteen match win streak and she

Yeah.

She was great at the AO two when she did her press conference right and talked about all the work she'd done mentally.

It's great to see her starting to actually fulfill that potential that's been there for a long and.

I think if you go back and watch the women's final of the Australian Open this year, it's one of the truest examples of partnership betweeneen player and coach I think I've seen in a long time, because they're married.

It does help me married, there's a few years go and coach that wife of yours exactly. But you watch with a bit of danger, by the way, every little.

Bit of strategy that he would give to her, you could see her taking it in, digesting it and then putting it in action. So jump on the air YouTube channel, Luke, you can watch that final back tis for you.

It's just put a whole lot of pressure on me. I'll be a good cook too, so going quite well. And I message him after that said, damn it, why did you do that? But yeah, great to see a combination work like that, And as you said, gives me hope. You saw a lot of the positive stuff her listening to Bjorn. You didn't see the negative stuff or the don't tell me there was some of that. I'm probably

Pressure was on.

So it was just great to see that she was able to do that.

The other one I wanted to call out was ben chicch defeating golf, which I think is probably worthy and I know you touched on it before, but defeating her three six six three six four.

Like pretty because Coco has kind of got quite a bit.

Of history something. Guys on this side of the table will never know how difficult that is to have a baby. Yeah, and come back like that, it's impressive and take my hat off.

To it, like amazing. I didn't expect that when I saw it.

Good for her, Yeah, it's great. Sad for golf, that's.

Right, good for the baby, something something to talking about it.

There's also a shout out to Cocoa Goff. His birthday is today, twenty one. Yeah, twenty one, that's all. Yeah, Yeah, how scary is that?

I don't want to look at myself in the mirror again. Twenty first was last century.

I can tell you that we assumed.

Thank you, Thanks for that.

A little bit of moving on up and moving on across. It's part two of the Sunshine Double, the Miami one thousand at P and W t A events kicking off next week, and a number of Ossie women have been arriving early in Miami for a training block ahead of their respective qualities and main drawers.

Welcome to Miami. Time may hear Miami? I hear that song?

Continue, let's carry on with this.

There's a bit of Don Johnson in. He doesn't know who Don Johnson is. Probably think.

Roll up the sleeves of the suit jacket. Yeah, getting your greg in a mirror.

You were last centry to were you generation?

It's a.

It's at the hard Rock Stadium there in Miami. So the NFL where the Miami Dolphins play. A bit of an NFL fantasy tragic myself, to be honest, when I played there a few years ago, I was throwing some arrible spirals trying to be the quarterbacks there. But it's a it's a great.

Tournament you're in. You've got to be a kicker.

I was kicking it actually mostly, but yeah again it's the two week events, longer this time around, and fantastic time of the year to be there in the in the summer. And I think you know, I've spoken about this quite a bit, but especially start of the year, we saw the men, Australian men doing so well. I think we had eight or nine in the top hundred. But I was really looking at the women and I felt like we might have had two or even one

Brilliant. So more women's tennis news. We've got up a BJK Cup tie in Brisbane. Lot's happening up there. It's a three way tie, just a little bit different Australia, Kazakhstan and Colombia, taking place April ten to twelve. But Pat rafter Arena in Brisbane bre your thoughts on the Bjkking Cup.

I'm excited for it.

We were lucky enough to have the BJK Cup in Brisbane last year as well, so it's great to have it here in Australian shores.

Again. Very excited to hear who the teams are.

The entry for teams were due today and so we can announce who those are for each of the countries tomorrow, so stay tuned. We do know that Kim Birell is in the Aussie team, which is exciting. In terms of Kazakhstan and Columbia, I don't have any insights on that, but I'll look to you guys to see who you think might be in those teams.

Luke, you'd have an insight, wouldn't you.

I might know who our team is, but I'm definitely not allowed to share that. Sorry, we might know too, okayink, sorry of yours. So Kazakhstan, I believe they'll be led by Yulia put In Savor, who's a great player, very strong in singles and doubles. I think she's around thirty

Great should be a damn good tie. I love pat Raft Arena, the whole Queensland Tennis Center. There really fun environment facility. It's like a little baby Ao the whole precinct. So jump online Ticketmaster, get your tickets, head up there to Queensland. It's going to be a really good tie.

Great atmosphere in that little story. Yeah, it's a perfect size in so many ways, not too big, you don't lose any contact.

You know, absolutely feel.

Like you're really really a beautiful, beautifully structured stadium that provides atmosphere.

It's great, definitely, and just that little gap at the top for a bit of cool breeze in the afternoon. Perfect.

It's got a good name on the roof too.

Yeah, good Patty for me. There's a little gray patch in the middle of the court that's where a bird flu pass.

Yeah.

Well, before we go to a break, here's a chat with vic Rudnikov she had with Emerson Jones ahead of her upcoming role as Orange Girl at next month's tie.

Emson Jones, Welcome to the show.

Thank you.

Is this your first time on a podcast today?

No, I did one in Canberra International and I did that awesome.

So you're a bit of a pro.

Now we will make you feel like one by the end of this. Do you listen to any podcasts? Are you more of a music person.

I don't really listen to any podcasts. I'm definitely more of a music person.

Yeah, And do you have like a hype song or something you listened to before a match, or a genre an artist that kind of gets you on the zone?

I like NF but that's yeah, probably if I were about to go on court, just to make sure songs.

Yeah, I'll have to say.

You've got a pretty exciting life for a sixteen year old, and you had your first win at WTA level in Adelaide earlier this year.

Can you tell me a bit about that experience.

Yeah, firstly, it was great to get a wild card into my first five hundred and WTA. It was really exciting. I wasn't expecting to win a first round, so I was pretty happy with how I played and how I performed for both of the matches. So yeah, I'm pretty proud of.

That and an AO wild card as well. What have you learned from that experience of playing your first Grand Slam main draw.

I think it was a pretty tough draw.

To get the first round of a Grand Slam. But it's all about the experience, and I think I had a pretty great one playing against the one of the top women in the world, so I really enjoyed my experience.

Yeah, and obviously you are the junior world number one, You're in the top three hundred on the WTA Tour and we just hit four women in the top one hundred from Australia.

How does that motivate you.

I think it's exciting for everyone who plays Australian tennis knowing that that level is possible, and I know most of both all for the girls, so I think it's pretty exciting for them and exciting that I know it's possible.

Yeah.

Yeah, and it doesn't really just kind of make you believe all the hard work everything's going to pay off.

Yeah, I do, because I also see how they train, I've hit with them, and I just think it's it's really exciting to know that that's right there.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And your brother Hayden, is also a tennis player, and your parents have a bit of a sporting background as well. What's it like to be in a family of elite athletes.

I think it's good that my brother plays tennis, because you know, we used to travel a lot together when Hayden was.

Still in juniors.

Now it's a bit different because you know, he's playing men's in another country and I'm still doing some junior and women's.

So it was really good.

But my mom, my mom was a really good triathlete, so I think that inspires me because she worked really hard.

Yeah, and other than tennis, what do you and Hayden kind of have in common or what do you do for fine when you are together?

We do board games. He always asked Dad to do board games, and Dad always gets quite annoyed at him because you know, he's always asking when Dad's busy. So I sometimes step in and do amuse him with some board games?

And yeah, and what's the go to board game? And who usually wins?

So Hayden and Dad like playing Katan and I don't really know how to play it, and I don't like it. I've tried once and I just didn't like it. So I found a board game that both of us would like called Cludo. Yeah, I enjoyed that. That's probably the only one.

And who wins normally?

Uh, I can't tell if he's cheating or not most of the time, but I normally Haynes's really good at board games, so I'd say probably him.

Yeah.

And coming up is the Billie Jean Kin Cup Qualifier in April, and it's been announced you have a very special role there.

Can you tell us a bit about what you'll be doing in Brisbane?

Well, I got picked for Orange Girl, so that's really exciting. I guess I get to hit with the top women, the girls who are playing on the team, So that's really exciting for me, getting to hit with them and getting to stay with them going out to dinner.

Yeah, And obviously we don't know the full team yet, but we've got Kim who's been announced.

You have much of a relationship with her.

Yeah, Kim.

Kim actually went to my school. Obviously she was way higher grade than me. But yeah, I know Kim because she lives on the Gold Coast too. We sometimes have hits when I'm there and she's there. Yeah, and in Brisbane too we hit.

Yeah.

And have you been able to form any other friendships with some of the other Ouzsie girls as well?

Yeah, I know for a while a bit now, a couple of years since she came here, so I think that's gonna be pretty good if she's, you know, in the team. And I don't really I don't really know Eiler too much. I've seen her around. Seems really nice.

So yeah, exciting. And Sam Stoza is captain. How much of an influence has she had on you and your tennis career?

Yeah?

I know Sam because my old coach, Dave Taylor coached her, So I have a bit of a relationship with Sam. She hit with me two years ago ao, that was my first hit with her, and I think she gives me really good advice. Yeah.

Yeah, and not just Aussie's.

But are there any other players on the tour that you kind of model your game off or anyone else that kind of influences how you play.

I really like Saberlenka. I think her game style and just her you know, how she really wants to win. I think I really look up to that. Yeah.

And my last question, obviously we're getting to know you a bit better today, Emerson. What's one thing that our listeners should know about you?

One thing you should know about me?

Yeah, you could take a second to have a think. I know I've kind of put you on the spot here.

I used to be a very good swimmer when I was younger. I used to my mom made me do swimming. I didn't really enjoy it, but I used to go to like the regionals and all that for it.

So yeah, so you're pretty good.

Yeah, well I don't know about now. I mean, I still have it, I think, but you know, I used to be pretty good at it.

Well, luckily you still have tennis. Thank you so much for joining me today and can't wait to see what you do next this year.

Thanks, thank you.

All right, welcome back. We've had a fun little lad break. We had some fun chats. What did you get up to that last ab break?

I flipped my hair?

Oh that was good.

Yeah, I actually did.

That's nice. Well, Brae will stick with you. It's time for Breeze Top five. Yeah, hang on, send it all up the buttons and you to me. I just need to so that's I want to say. That's three. Okay, cool, I'm ready.

Okay cool.

So this week's top five, I'm focusing on the top five tennis player tattoos.

I don't have a button for that, but no, no, it's.

Exciting, right, and we'll figure out why I've leant into this, but we'll start with five. Five British Dan Evans forum says every saint has a past, every sinner has a future, which I think is quite funny coming from Dan Evans.

True, is it is it to do with Yannick at all?

Or oh yeah, because you hadic sinner, you got it?

What I thought?

Yeah?

It just like I'm pretty sure he does have a future. He'll be fine.

I think you will if you want about cool.

Four Vandreusiva Wimbledon champ twenty twenty three, so very well known for having tattoos. She got her first tattoo when she was sixteen. But my favorite hers, which is above her right elbow, is no rain, no flowers.

What a great little It's great.

Yeah.

Yeah, although yesterday there was no rain, no tennis at Indian Wells.

But it's quite good.

But yeah, in twenty twenty three, I could find that she had reported she had ten tattoos, but I reckon she's had more since because she really finds it an art form beautiful.

Yeah, I thought it was a good one.

Three.

Okay, we can't chat tats without curios, can we. Yeah, love is a bit of ink, But I had to pull this one out as my favor and something he told GQ a couple of years ago. And I'm going to get how I say this wrong, but Blastois is smack bang in the middle of his chest, I believe, which is his favorite Pokemon. And then obviously Charizad Girida Doors can't really get go past those. I feel like worldwhide If people don't Pokemon, they know who those Pokemon are.

But that's fine. He's not seven though.

No, but he loves Pokemon.

That's cool. Buy a Donner cover.

Anyway, the fact that he's got Pokemon. I thought it was interesting.

Yeah cool. He'll definitely not regret that on his ay fourth birthday.

He probably won't, to be fair.

Sure the man lives with no regrets.

He doesn't. Yeah.

Good.

Trouble number two.

It look good with flabby skin, you know that's true.

But it's the Pokemon evolving.

Okay. The whole reason of why we did this.

Carlos Akrez he has a tattoo I already like, and we talked to him about it during AO. It's got it, says Cabetha Corathon, which translates to head, heart and balls, and he says it can be attributed to his grandfather who always encouraged him to focus on the three season life, which I quite like. I don't know what I expect. Anyway, he has a new tattoo. So he walked out on court Indian Wells with the new tattoo of the date twenty three oh four, twenty.

Five, and everyone was looking at it.

It turns out it's a fake tattoo and it's all about the promotion of his new Netflix documentary that launches on the twenty third of April during Miami Open, which is called Carlos Arcrez My Way.

So not a bad little promotion.

Do, but he was truly committed it'd be a real tat well he.

Probably he might make it real once he sees how many people.

Yeah, yeah, well that's true. But again once the check clearse, you really want to permit tat last button?

Okay, number one?

What has to go?

To Massetti Italian He has a tattoo of a heartbeat intertwined with a tennis racket. Now it's not just that his uncle is a cardiologist and his uncle took a set of Marsetti's frequency of his heartbeat, and that is the heartbeat that's in his tattoo.

Which I thought was quite nice.

Yeah, it's a bit much.

I thought it was sweet grow a heart.

Well, well, I don't want to get a tattoo one, but is there a button to finish us up? No more buttons?

That was really good. I did it better than the loved one?

Right?

Have you got any tats? I do great round the table tattoos. No tats, I don't believe it. Okay, I've got one, But do you actually.

Dolphin?

Long story short, It does resemble a tramp stamp in the sense of where it is. It's on my left hip and I don't remember getting it, but it was in Thailand.

What is it?

It's a shamrock?

Oh are you Irish?

Nope.

There'll be a time when that doesn't look like a shamrock exactly.

It'll be like, what's what rooted vase of flowers on your back?

I can't wait to tell everyone.

Yeah, cool, cool, crea great Well speaking, that's my low point. But talking about Ace of the week, let's do it. Who wants to start us off with the Ace of the week. Doesn't have to be chance related.

I prefer if it wasn't, I can start Look, I have a friend down here, and I'm going to embarras him by saying this in the studio. He denies being a friend occasionally. Yeah, he's American, he's about He's from Chicago. I met him in Kansas when we were seventeen years old, and he found out in recent years that I am an R. M. Williams boot.

A pair on right now, So do I.

And I've got a fetish of not many things in life, but i love Armon Williams boots. So he's got onto this fad over the last few years. He was down here a couple of years ago. He had a couple of pairs in his closet. He has purchased four pairs of arm Williams boots. In the last two weeks, He's got two feet. He now has seven pairs of arm Williams boots. He bought a new chocolate pair, chocolate leather. They're unbelievably look they're good looking.

I'm on board.

He bought a pair of blue suede boots in honor of Elvis President, and he bought two burnished pairs of Aaron Winning's boots. Useful that a very dressy, very classy he's just worried about how he's going to get them back to the US. Sure, you're going to hit that, import would I would tell him to leave them at my place, except he's the wrong size, so he needs to get him out of my house. But yeah, that made my day. It made my week. That's my age of the week.

What about which heel did you get? Did you get the flat, the block or the cuban?

Not the cuban, not the kids.

That's a bit extreme. He got the flat, Okay, the flat?

Yeah, so that'll that will help the Achilles heel.

Yeah, you've got to keep it that.

Yeah, I bet you had Aaron Williams at Cobb Dogglar, didn't you look? I bet you did.

I'm very embarrassed you don't have it. I'm just looking at yours underneath the table. I might be heading there right off this podcast. Also, they look good.

And they were a limited season, but they've just come back in. They've got them.

This is not paid content, is big Baron Williams chat to us.

I don't know our email, but we.

Also love the last season Bloodstones.

Yeah.

But last thing I want to say is when I saw the advertisement of Hugh Jackman. Did you see that? I did? I rushed out and bought two piers huge you do you? That was the funniest I love a bit of boarding us and yeah, that was perfect. It was a perfect advertisement.

Well, great to having the studio special arm we sponsored guest. Look what's your ace of the week.

So here in Melbourne it's known as the sporting capital of the world for sure. So we've got the Aussie Rules starting tonight. Opening round was last week but there were two games on and I'm a Culton supporter. We own the opening round against the Tigers. Fitz He's looking at me.

Because I don't we Why did that change? Is Richmond and no longer? Good?

Well you are sitting in Tigerland.

I am a Tiger fan. Yeah, I'm about to move to Carlton to be fair.

The Blues are heavy favorite, so that's why I'm going.

It wouldn't be hard.

And then just walking around here at Melton Park prior to this podcast, hearing the f ones yes firing up. So the opening race of the New F one season here in Melbourne on Sunday supposed to be raining, so typical Melbourne. Think Saturday qualifying is thirty five and then Sunday races raining and twenty so nice little child forum.

But I get you with the tires out.

Great time of year and looking forward to the weekend.

Absolutely, I mean it is absolutely an incredible global event, almost as good as the Australian Open. But yeah, Melbourne, it's brand. Yeah it is great, but tow the company line break.

Yeah, doesn't touch at all on how good the AO is.

Well played. I'm going to sit here quietly because that was going to be mine, So I'm going to think of another one while you go your.

Yeah cool on the spot.

My ace of the week is pretty boring at the moment because I'm back at work and life has got a bit more boring. But I do have a great week ahead in terms of I have a friend's who had a birthday this week, Ellie gosber All, shout out to you. She used to work here. I used to be our chief content officer's executive assistant.

She sets left us, so she should be dead to me.

But she's not knocking around during this Year's kept her accreditation.

No, she did not keep it.

She bought a ticket.

She bought a ticket.

Anyway, it's her birthday, so I'm going out for dinner with her tomorrow night and a couple of her friends which will work at Tennis Australia as well, so that will be nice. And then I'm back to playing tennis next week as well. So cool Wednesday Saturday.

I'm back on court. I will play with playing at Forkner Park again. I'm not playing here yet.

It's very hard for a lowly publican person to get onto the NTC indoor courts.

Just to let you know, but you've got got the hook up. Yeah, I'm a hitting partner with Luke's.

When I watched that, that would be it'd be great content.

Once I've played a little bit more. When you come back after you go away with the Alex Demonor Foundation, then we'll play after that.

Yeah great. Well, I suppose I was going to do for my as of the week the Melbourne g Prix.

Are you going?

I'm not going, but I suppose I'm technically actually on rest and recovery leave right now, so just annual leave for a night. Who works the Australian Open. But I came back in to do the podcast. But on my leave, I've been doing practically nothing and Jesus been good. Yeah, it's been really, really nice. I was telling fifty before that I was actually I hit the driving range at my local golf course earlier this week and I lost track of how many buckets of balls I went through

Yeah, beautiful.

I do love a driving range.

Good fun, so much fun.

That was.

Yeah, the last ball was a bit wanting there on your own. Yeah, drinking day, drinking alone while on lead.

That is a worry.

That's a worry a mid strength anyway. Well, that's the end of the show.

It's been.

He wants me to say something, No, I want to say one thing. I just want to pay tribute to Luke Saville. Yes, he's retired. It's the first time I've seen him since he's been retired. This is a kid that can mentor a lot of our young players. He's left a legacy that is something special. He's from South Australia, so I'm naturally a little biased towards Luke, but I want to give you tribute, mate, for what you did for us, what you've done for our sport and how

I'm yeah, as you said, those achievements, but very happy how I conducted myself and left a good legacy for juniors to follow. And Mate, I've looked up to you my whole career as well, and can't.

A mutual obsession. I didn't know.

I can't say I ever saw you play. Sorry, but just yeah, big fan of yourself. So thank you.

This is about you, Luke.

Now I'm going to put it on the back on you.

I don't like this even now.

Yeah that's what that's you know, there's not enough personalities like like Luke's in our sports, so I wanted to say that that's great.

Good on you, And for anyone who wants to read more about Luke, we have a story, multiple stories on him on Tennis Dot com toda are you? And also if you're an Australian Tennis mag subscriber, there was a big write up on Luke.

I don't know whether you've even read it.

He's looking this magazine which I actually read on Tuesday. Wasn't next No, the calendar comes out later. No, but I'll give you a copy of the magazine so you can have a readers.

A few on our table here.

So four we need to update that LD of these.

No, they're not that old. But the latest one isn't there it does?

It have cobb dogglar at the top of it.

What a place?

So what a name?

Population of three hundred people on the Murray River in South Australia. Shout out to everyone back home.

Sounds picture perfect. Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us for another edition of the Tennis. I'ms ab Muhlebark. Stick around and come back next week. We'll be jumping into Miami for the second half of the Sunshine Double. Don't forget. You can watch this episode and every other episode of The Tennis on the Australian Open YouTube channel. Jump on there like and subscribe. Hit

More, go Leanni. Yes, yeah, Little Yanni, go Leanni.

Aloha Leanni, Yeah, beautiful heart. We'll have a great week in tennis. We'll see you next week. And that's it.

Oh,