Martina Navratilova | Live from The Tennis Hall of Fame

Summary

Served with Andy Roddick

Episode: Martina Navratilova | Live from The Tennis Hall of Fame

Date: August 23, 2025
Host: Andy Roddick
Guests: Jon Wertheim, Martina Navratilova
Location: Live at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, RI

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Episode Overview

This special live episode of Served with Andy Roddick transports listeners to the International Tennis Hall of Fame weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. The episode’s focal point is an in-depth, honest, and celebratory conversation with tennis legend Martina Navratilova. Andy, Jon Wertheim, and the crew reflect on the magic of the Hall, tennis innovation, and the significance of honoring icons. The episode explores Martina’s legacy, her unique connections to this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, the evolution of doubles and scheduling in tennis, and insights into athlete mentality and aging in sport.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Magic of the Hall of Fame Experience

(00:01–05:13)

• Venue Vibes: The team shares impressions of Newport and its historic tennis legacy, emphasizing the Hall's museum and the tangible sense of history.
  • Jon Wertheim notes: "No one goes to Wimbledon and leaves and says, ah, didn’t live up to the hype. Same here."
• Tennis Innovation: Recent schedule changes—like moving the induction ceremony closer to the US Open—are praised as fresh ways to invigorate the sport and audience engagement.

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2. Welcoming Martina Navratilova

Highlight: Introduction at [05:52]

• Martina’s Staggering Career: “She’s won 18 singles majors... 59 majors overall... nine singles titles at Wimbledon alone. You could only let 10 people into the Hall of Fame, and she would be one.” (Roddick, 06:02)
• Martina joins the panel, immediately embracing the focus on the Hall, her accomplishments, and the sport’s evolution.

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3. Influence on Maria Sharapova & Tennis Talent

[09:39–10:55]

• Martina’s Early Guidance: Andy revisits stories about a young Maria Sharapova attending Navratilova’s clinic. Martina recounts meeting Maria and her father:
  • “You could just see it… the way the kids walk, the way they carry themselves, and her focus was—I mean, you can just see it. She wanted it.” (Martina, 10:26)
• Takeaway: Recognizing champion mentality in youth—visible in focus, hunger, and competitive spirit.

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4. Winning Majors in Her Late 40s

[11:18–12:40]

• Record-Breaking Longevity: Martina describes winning the US Open mixed doubles at age 49:
  • "I wanted to be the youngest to win something, and ended up being the oldest…” (Martina, 11:57)
  • Received her AARP letter a month later, highlighting her humor.
• Secrets to Success: Attributes longevity to picking the right partner (Bob Bryan), sustained fun, and relentless work ethic.

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5. Mixed Doubles Innovation & Debate

[13:19–17:43]

• Discussion around new formats in mixed doubles, praising tennis’s efforts to bring in new fans but raising concerns about shorter formats leveling the playing field and disadvantaging specialists.
  • “Whenever you shorten a format, it becomes much more chancey. And mixed doubles is already tough to play with no AD and the tie break in the final set.” (Martina, 14:03)
• Martina advocates for improvement, suggesting a longer mixed event to better balance fan engagement and specialist opportunities.

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6. Scheduling, Rest, and the Tennis Calendar

[18:07–20:18]

• Calendar Critique:
  • Roddick: “A rest day when you’re not in your own home, in your own bed, it’s not a rest.”
  • Martina strongly agrees, recalling her long-standing advocacy for a shorter schedule: “I've been railing about a shorter schedule for decades now, and look where it got us. It's longer." (19:15)
• Emphasize quality over quantity, and how a packed schedule impacts both players and fan experience.

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7. The Shot Clock & Serving Rituals

[20:18–22:28]

• Martina’s pet peeve: players pushing the shot clock with excessive serve routines.
  • “I counted 15 bounces for the second serve, and then they hit a double fault. I'm like, really?" (Martina, 19:40)
• Martina’s proposal: If a player doesn’t start the service motion before the shot clock expires, it should be a fault—no more “do-overs” by catching tossed balls after the clock.

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8. Reflecting on Defection and Legacy

[22:28–24:11]

• 2025 marks 50 years since Martina’s defection from Czechoslovakia.
• She vividly recounts not having seen her Hall of Fame exhibit in years and expresses gratitude for the Hall’s blend of tradition and modernization.
  • “It’s overwhelming, really, when you think about it... But it still kept the feel of history and the past and... modernized at the same time.” (Martina, 23:04)

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9. The Bryan Brothers Greatness

[25:24–26:13]

• Why the Bryans are Special:
  • “Their technique, their commitment to doubles... I watched them practice, astonished at the intensity… They took it to a whole new level because they committed to it.” (Martina, 25:24)
• Attributes their dominance to singular dedication, rigor in practice, talent, and their pioneering doubles-first approach.

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10. Commitment and the “Champion’s Mindset”

[27:13–28:23]

• Martina on what separates champions:
  • “When you lose, it hurts less [if you don’t give everything]. When you really commit and you put everything into it... it hurts like hell.”
  • “The champion’s mindset... you can improve it, you can support it, but you can’t create it. That needs to come from within. And Maria definitely had that from day one.” (Martina, 27:13)

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11. Athlete Aging: The Paradox of Pressure

[28:24–29:33]

• Martina busts myths about pressure:
  • “All performers... get more nervous as they get older, and that’s because it means more. My last Wimbledon final... I was so nervous, I couldn’t take the racket out of the bag.” (28:53)

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12. The Evert-Navratilova Relationship

[30:54–32:59]

• Andy’s “dream show” revealed: a discussion with Martina and Chris Evert.
• Martina reflects on their legendary rivalry-turned-friendship:
  • “It had all those aspects... respect, like, hate, the rivalry. But most of all, respect... And empathy. Many times after matches, you don’t know who won, because we’re both smiling.”
  • A documentary on their relationship is in the works (“hopefully early next year,” 31:44).

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13. New Ventures and Personal Stories

[33:10–34:30]

• Martina has purchased an ownership stake in the Carolina Ascent FC women’s soccer team, inspired by supporting women’s sports and sharing her competitive insights.
  • She shares a story about her first ever sports injury—“jam’s toe” from soccer, and the old-school therapies she underwent in Czechoslovakia (hot wax and electric shock).

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14. Reflection & Community

[40:54–46:41]

• The hosts share their awe for Martina’s insatiable curiosity, impact beyond tennis, and contributions to the sport’s growth.
• Jon and Andy spotlight Maria Sharapova and the Bryan Brothers’ significance on the game—how their trajectories, commitment, and accessibility substantiate their legendary status.

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15. The Meaning of Hall of Fame Induction

[49:29–54:37]

• Andy (as a former first-ballot inductee) on what it feels like to be inducted:
  • “This place makes you feel small in the best possible way... No matter who you are, Roger Federer is going to come here next year, maybe the most beloved player that’s ever played tennis. This place, this group of people, this game will forever be bigger than him.” (A, 52:13)
• Hall of Fame has become a “huge deal” for players, with legacy and recognition on their minds even at age 22.

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16. Final Reflections on Tennis Responsibility & Gratitude

[54:37–end]

• Andy reflects on the sport’s uniquely “responsible” champions—Martina’s courage, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, Agassi, Venus, Serena, Federer, and more—who have shaped tennis and culture.
• “Tennis is just the most responsible sport on earth. We feel lucky to have the hall of Fame here in Newport. We feel lucky to have you watch our dumb little podcast.” (A, 54:37)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Spotting Greatness:

  “You can just see it... the way the kids walk, the way they carry themselves, and her focus was—I mean, you can just see it.”
  — Martina Navratilova, re: young Maria Sharapova ([10:26])

• On Age and Pressure:

  “All performers... get more nervous as they get older, and that’s because it means more.”
  — Martina Navratilova ([28:54])

• On Bryan Brothers:

  “The work they put in, it’s no accident. They’re the greatest team that ever played.”
  — Martina Navratilova ([26:13])

• On Shorter Tennis Schedules:

  “I’ve been railing about a shorter schedule for decades now, and look where it got us. It’s longer.”
  — Martina Navratilova ([19:15])

• On Empathy in Rivalry:

  “Many times when you see our handshake, you don’t know who won the match because we’re both smiling.”
  — Martina Navratilova, about Chris Evert ([32:59])

• On the Meaning of the Hall:

  “This place makes you feel small in the best possible way... this group of people, this game will forever be bigger than him [Federer].”
  — Andy Roddick ([52:13])

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Segment Timestamps (Highlights)

• 00:01 – Opening at the Hall of Fame, Newport magic, intro banter
• 05:52 – Martina Navratilova introduced
• 10:19 – Martina on meeting Maria Sharapova
• 11:42 – Martina on winning a Mixed Doubles major at 49
• 13:19 – Mixed Doubles innovation debate
• 18:03 – The tennis calendar and “rest”
• 20:18 – Shot clock and serve rituals
• 22:28 – 50th anniversary of Martina’s defection, legacy reflections
• 25:24 – On why the Bryan Brothers are so special
• 27:13 – Champion’s mindset—true commitment
• 28:54 – Getting more nervous with age
• 30:54 – On friendship and rivalry with Chris Evert
• 33:10 – Soccer team ownership and personal stories
• 41:09 – Martina’s insatiable curiosity outside tennis
• 43:31 – Maria Sharapova’s determination vs. marketing
• 49:29 – Hall of Fame induction reflections
• 54:37 – Tennis as the most responsible sport; gratitude
• 56:37 – Close

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Tone and Style

• Warm, reverent, insightful—but also playful and teasing (especially between Andy and his guests)
• Full of mutual respect, genuine curiosity, and behind-the-scenes candor
• Conversational but deeply reflective, offering an accessible insider’s view for tennis fans and newcomers alike

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is the essential listen for anyone who cherishes tennis history, admires relentless excellence, or is simply curious about what makes legends tick. Martina Navratilova and her interviewers dissect the emotional and practical realities of greatness, highlight the sport’s unsung heroes, and challenge the game’s future—all with warmth, honesty, and deep appreciation for the tennis family. The conversation is rich with captivating stories, surprising humor, and the authenticity only true insiders deliver. If you want to understand tennis’s past, present, and what it means to enter its hallowed hall, start here.

Transcript

[A]

Support for the show comes from Amazon Prime. You might think of prime as only a way to get fast free delivery or maybe as the place to stream movies, shows and sports, but it's actually way more than that. Maybe you've got a passion or a hobby, prime can help you get the most out of it. Whether you're streaming documentaries on marine animals, ordering action figure stands with free one day delivery, or finding the perfect playlist to impress that special someone, prime makes it easier and faster to do what you love. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com, to get more out of whatever you're into. Support for served comes from Fanduel. Will this be the year an American man breaks through? Could a teenage sensation shock the world? Or will a champion defend their crown? The U.S. open has given us all of that and more. If you think you know what's coming next, FanDuel is where you make your call. New customers get $300 in bonus bets with any $5 bet. Visit FanDuel.com to download America's number one sportsbook and bet on one of the biggest events in tennis. Welcome to Serve Live, presented by our friends at Amazon Prime. From shopping to streaming, it's on Prime. I'll just tell you, it is such a pleasure to always be able to come back to the hall of Fame. It's like a little piece of home. You feel like it's a warm hug whenever you're walking in. If you've listened to our show before. Has anyone listened to our show before? You have. Good.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

And it's not just my mother. Producer Mike 1 producer Mike down on the end, say hello.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

John Wertheim, longtime tennis journalist. You may have seen him on such shows. It's 60 Minutes, but he also does our dumb little podcast. So here we are. But producer Mike's background is not in tennis at all. It's completely irresponsible for us to have someone producing our show who knows nothing about tennis. But it is fun sometimes because we get a first timer perspective on things. So, Mike, you arrived to the hall of Fame. You've been here for a couple days. Give us your thoughts on walking through this piece of magic.

[B]

First of all, the weather's absolutely stunning.

[A]

So this place is just painting a.

[B]

Perfect picture of tennis and what life should be like. But the fact that this building's from the 1880s, you know, the fact that.

[A]

The museum that is up here, if you walk around there, they have tennis rackets, you know, from the late 1800s is incredible. Bob Dylan performed here once in like 1965, which gives me insane imposter syndrome from actually being here besides being up here with a Hall of Famer. Like, yeah, but Mike, you're on YouTube. Yeah, we're content creators. That matters. JW, how do you feel being back?

[B]

No, this is, this is great. And you really, you were a first timer at Wimbledon too. It's a hell of a.

[A]

What?

[B]

Louder. All right.

[A]

Oh, that sounds.

[B]

I like the people here who have decided to camp out in the shade.

[A]

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

[B]

Yeah, there's room up here, guys.

[A]

We're in the sun too. You're in like the five feet of shade that's far away from our stage. And then you're yelling at us to yell louder.

[B]

There we go.

[A]

Get your asses up here.

[B]

Do you guys. You guys turn up the speakers so.

[C]

We don't have to yell?

[A]

You gotta hear us now, Mike.

[B]

I think people forget too. You know, the Yankees did not play games at Cooperstown. This was a living, breathing, you know, this was home to the US Open for many years. I don't know of too many people. Remember what we said about Wimbledon? No one goes to Wimbledon and they leave and they say, ah, didn't live up to the hype. Same thing about this play, about this. You have a great tennis summer, buddy. Yeah, I know. I feel pretty lucky.

[A]

I will say also, just, it's great when you have the museum and you have the history and you kind of have the ownership over that history in a place, what's better is when you also continually try to make improvements like the hall of Fame has. Moving this to the Saturday induction. Let's give a round of applause for our inductees for the first time, but certainly not the last time. My dear friends. Bottom Ibrahim, five time major winner Maria Sharapova. But I think moving this to the Saturday before the start of the US Open, which is now on a Sunday, kind of being in that hype mechanism, having the other hall of Famers here. Like, I understand that my living was, was made playing tennis and had some success, had some failures. I still can't be less than starstruck when I'm around Arantha Sanchez Vicario. When I see Chrissy ever, when I see even my good friend Jim Currier and all the hall of Famers out here busting their butts, Stan Smith doing clinics, really committing to this process. One out of respect for the hall of Fame and two out of respect for the inductees. Right that's why you show up. The common ground is to respect and appreciate a lifetime of working at one's craft. And I think that's why we're here to celebrate the Bryans and Maria Sharapova. I mean, what a class.

[B]

And I love what you said as well. This has been a really good week for tennis innovation. We think of the sport sometimes as tradition bound and stodgy. And Tuesday and Wednesday we had this new mixed doubles event which, which Andy and I talked about the other day, which Mike was there. Smashing success. And now we have another innovation. We've moved this ceremony. You know, at 11:00am tomorrow, the U.S. open starts. So we go right from this afternoon and the induction to less than 24 hours later, we're going to kick off our fourth major. Great decision. Seems to be working really well. This has been a very good week for tennis innovation. And we haven't even hit our first ball of the main draw yet.

[A]

Yeah. And we have a special guest today. We have a surprise guest. It's not just producer Mike. It's not like it normally. Yeah, I mean, I don't know, like we normally do the podcast and we're in like my garage. You don't exactly have just hall of Famers floating around. And I think I just. So I'm just telling you our. Yet she is so successful. Have you guys ever had to turn a Wikipedia page because of accomplishments? I think I see her over there. I hope so. Otherwise this is going to be a bit of an awkward introduction. She's won 18 singles majors. She's won 59 majors overall. She's won nine singles titles at Wimbledon alone. You could only let 10 people into the hall of Fame and she would be one of those 10 people. There is no doubt. Let's put our hands together and show our appreciation for Martina Navratilova. Support for the show comes from Amazon Prime. You might know prime for fast free delivery or maybe as your favorite place to stream shows movies. But it's also a great way to dive deeper into your hobbies and passions. Into cooking. You can buy new cutlery at the same time you watch your favorite cooking show on prime video. Into crafting. Prime can be your gateway to a kingdom of yarn and felt. Is it finally time to fix those broken drawers? Yes, it was a year ago. You can find the tools on Prime. If you're thinking about picking up a new hobby. Prime makes it easy to dive in. From getting how to books to making playlists on Amazon music that keep you pumped while you organize Your new model trains. Prime helps you go from maybe I'll try it to I'm now obsessed with this in no time. I've used prime this week to buy a finger splint for a kid's finger that got stuck in a door. I got an Earth, Wind and fire album cover, a little league chest protector. Techie. Sean, what's the last thing that you bought on prime to look quickly? I got some trail mix for the office. Great story. Super exciting. The point is, whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime to get more out of what whatever you're into. Support for Serb comes from fanduel. The US Open is here. The excitement is building and the pressure is on. The best players in the world will be going head to head in a test of skill, endurance, and willpower. Being there is a feeling that's honestly hard to describe. Even if you can't be in Queens for the matches, you can get in on the thrills with fuel. FanDuel lets you bet on all the matches from the first serve to the final point. Any moment can flip the story and you can ride it with FanDuel. Plus, FanDuel lets you bet on same game parlays in all the matches, which means you can bet on things like total aces in a match set. Winners plus new customers get $300 in bonus bets with any $5 bet. What are you waiting for? Visit FanDuel.com to download America's number one sportsbook and bet on one of the biggest events in tennis. It's an intimidating thing because I wanted to read more of your accomplishments, but we're only here for an hour.

[B]

You'd have. Not the show.

[A]

Yeah. No.

[B]

Could you imagine an easier. Imagine getting the hall of Fame ballot with Martinez name on it and being like, ah, I don't know, you know, 59 majors. Let me think about that.

[A]

Yeah, well, we're gonna. We're gonna have a comp. As close as you can get to a comp next year because I think a guy named Federer might be on the ballot. So I will personally vote against him because screw him, but, you know, but I won't vote against him.

[C]

And he did throw that racket that one time.

[A]

Yeah, he's.

[B]

He's just.

[C]

He broke it.

[A]

Yeah. What a pain to be around. Not classy at all. Martina, thank you for joining. Served in a. In a year of kind of humbling things that have happened to our show. I don't know that any matches this moment, having you here to discuss Things.

[C]

It's not about me. It's about this.

[A]

I understand that, but who better to speak to it than Martina Navratila? I want to get your thoughts on a couple of things, because we had Maria Sharapova on our show a couple of weeks ago, and I had always heard this story, and I kind of pressed her to ask if it was true or if a story had gotten better over time. In the face of truth. She was at a clinic when she was six or seven years old in Moscow. The clinic was being run by you, and you told her to. That you saw something in here, you saw talent, and you told her to move to the States to try to become a professional tennis player.

[C]

What I remember is her father coming to me saying, what should we do? And I could see that she was special.

[A]

What made it. What.

[B]

What did you see?

[C]

The way. The way the kids walk, the way they carry themselves, and. And her focus was. I mean, you can just see it. You know, they pay attention, they love it, they're competitive, and you could tell she wanted it. So the father asked me what I thought, and I thought Bolletieri at that time was the best place to go. So she ended up going there. So, I mean, if you really want to pursue that, then the sooner you get there, the better.

[A]

I mean, do you often just tell kids to move across the world?

[C]

Well, I did. Not really, but, I mean, if you have the opportunity to do that. I mean, I think they lived in. I don't know where they lived in Moscow at the time, but you're very limited when you can play and all that stuff. So if you really want to take it to the next level and you think that you got. You got the goods, why not? And you do have to commit kind of earlier than in my day anyway.

[A]

You do have one of the cooler connections to one of the other inductees with Bob Ryan as well. It's not often that someone gets inducted to the hall of Fame and then six years later wins another major, which is what happened. Can you walk us through? You were 47 years old when you won the US Open mixed doubles with Brian. Wait, you were older than that? How old were you?

[C]

49 and 11 months, roughly. To be precise, one month later, I got the letter in the mail from aarp.

[A]

So I gotta be honest, I thought it was a pretty good story. At 47?

[C]

Yeah, 49, maybe.

[A]

Walk us through how that even happened.

[C]

Well, I, you know, I wanted to be the youngest to win something, and ended up being the oldest to win Something, but I picked the right partner. I mean, I was playing for six years. I started playing again doubles after the year I got inducted. And I had so much fun playing that I'm like, I'm going to keep playing. And finally I thought, now that year 2006, I can only get worse. So it's time to hang it up for good this time. But, you know, you always want to end up on a winning note. And I was lucky enough that I did that with Bob. And he that last game of the match, I don't have to be on the court, he was serving it out, and we were up 6, 2, 5, 3. And I could have just sat right there. And because I didn't touch it ball, I had to play well, and it did. But Bob took over, so it was nice.

[B]

You're very modest. We have so much to talk about this also, I feel like we tick off statistics and 59 majors, and the tennis is just really a sliver of what Martina is all about. And I can lucky enough to work with her. And I can tell you firsthand, the whoever said, never meet your heroes, she blows that up. Because you realize that the tennis is just a small part of the breadth and the heft of this woman. Let's stick with McDoubles, though, before we talk other topics. We had a change to the mixed doubles. A significant one a few days ago. Seemed to work, but as someone who's won a few of these, including four weeks shy of turning 50, what'd you make of what we saw in New York a few nights ago?

[C]

Well, I've been asked before, and my answer is still the same. I love the idea and I love the fact that it brought people to the game and players that would normally not play played, but then the players that normally do play didn't get to play. And the women and men that played doubles and mixed doubles exclusively, they didn't get a chance to play most of them, but the tennis was great because the quality of the tennis players is better. But at the end of the day, the real double specialists ended up winning. So I was happy about that. And they got a great paycheck. So I think it's a great concept. I don't like the fact that it still counts as a regular title because it's like whenever you shorten account, shorten the format. Format. Thank you. I was going to say concept. That's not it. Whenever you shorten a format, it levels the playing field and it becomes much more chancey. And mixed doubles is already pretty tough to play with the no AD and just the tie break in the final set.

[A]

So did you feel that way because they shifted to a third set tiebreaker at a certain point in the doubles and they messed with that and that's a shortened version of scoring as well. Did we feel the same when they did that or is it specific to the two day event?

[C]

Well, you play, it's more specific to the two day event. And also they played just to four games, right. So the first couple matches was really short and just you can be the better team and lose easily. And I've played that format when they changed it to the final set tiebreak and I lost a couple of those, so. And again, again it just levels the playing field. You know, I remember one match, we won the first set, 61 against Alicia Molek and Todd Woodbridge. I played with Leanne Pace. They won the first set 6 4, 6 1. They had one break point. They get it when the second set, 64 and then they had two winners of the return of serve. We're down 5 11, the tiebreak match over. And it's like, ah, we were, we wouldn't want so many more points. We were the better team but we lost the match. So whenever you shorten the format, it just really levels the playing field. So most of the top players don't like that. But again, mix doubles, it's kind of a bit of kind of a throw, throwaway thing. So they made it bigger than it actually is when it's during the tournament. At the same time, at the end of the second week, they don't have enough matches. So now they have even fewer matches because the mix is not being played anymore.

[A]

Tell me, tell me why I'm wrong on this. Because my take is basically, I've been hearing for 20 years, we have to find a way to promote doubles. We have to find a way to get more eyeballs on doubles. Feels like we check both of those boxes, right? And I don't think you can adjust off of something that is largely being ignored. I think you can adjust off of something that is being watched, that is being reported on, that is being talked about.

[C]

I agree.

[A]

So if we move into this concept, let's, let's take the win and say, okay, this experiment went pretty well as far as not people that are here that love the hall of Fame, that are tennis centric people, right? But people that, oh my gosh, we filled 24,000 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch doubles and kids got to go to Louis Armstrong and see iga And Ben and like all these superstars, a lot of good free. Free. We have to be able to adjust on this. Is that, does that mean the four winners of the mixed events get automatic entry? Is it eight wild cards? Do we make it a purely singles versus doubles to kind of like make it a showdown or do you simply not like it if it's a shortened format?

[C]

No, that's not, it's. It's not that I don't like it. I just think it could be better. Maybe make 32 teams, make it a three, four day event.

[A]

And you're going to, then they're going.

[C]

To want to play. Right. So it's like, yeah, you can't have it all always, but. And whenever you can fill the seats. That's great. I would also like to see more free seats for the kids during the tournament, not just the week before. There's that. I mean, it's become so prohibitively expensive for families to come. So it's great that it's free and then you put people in the seats and maybe make more fans. So it's got the pros and cons. Overall, I think it's great. But we keep going to these longer events now, so many are two weeks instead of one week. And I think it just makes, overall the players get more tired at the end of the year because it's a longer year with the. Maybe not as. Not that many more matches, but longer weeks on the road and all of that. So now it's a three week event instead of a two week event. I mean, I used to get, I used to play the tournament before, the week before. On exhibition.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And I would literally play on a Sunday and come, you know, Sunday night and play my first match on Tuesday. So now it's just full spread out. But so you, you make more fans and more media and more attention and more money, which is great. But at the same time we're kind of concentrating the whole calendar into fewer tournaments, into fewer places.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Making, making it less accessible to, to the fans around the world.

[A]

Yeah. And I, I generally think it's pros and cons. I generally think it's short sighted too because, I mean, we've talked about this on the show ad nauseam, but a rest day when you're not in your own home, in your own bed, it's not a rest. Traveling and you're in, you know, a place where you don't speak and you're, you can't really train and do, you know, track work or something.

[C]

You.

[A]

It's not a rest day when you're not in your own bed. Are you a fan? And I know this is overly simplistic. I know there are million moving parts, and we're going to get calls from the people that are responsible for those moving parts after this show. But is it simply. Would you feel better about playing a very, very heavy schedule as a player if you could say, you know what, by November 1st, we're done and we can actually plan three weeks of rest, five weeks of training? I think it would prevent injuries. I think that it would have a better product. And one thing that never gets talked about, I think it gives fans a chance to miss the game a little bit. Right. Like, you see preseason NFL and people. I mean, they're running shows a month before the season starts. Is that crazy to say?

[C]

Not at all. I agree with you 100%. I've been railing about a shorter schedule for decades now, and look where it got us. It's longer. So I also was saying, you know, we should have a shot clock that's really more severe, which it is now. Fewer bounces before the serve drives me nuts sometimes. Like 15, 20 bounces. Are you kidding me? I counted 15 bounces for the second serve, and then they hit a double fall. I'm like, really? Anyhow, so I'm all for shortening it. I would like. I'm over quality, over quantity for sure. And the top players. And then there's. You throw in the Olympics every fourth year, then you got Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Beijing Kick cup, and it just gets crazy and you don't have an off season. When I was in my late 30s, I didn't go to Australia because I created that off season for myself. Because you start first of the year, so at least when you finish in November, then you can take December off. And then I had the extra weeks to get ready and just went to Japan. I didn't play Auburn because it was just. There was no off season and it's gotten shorter.

[A]

So my version of your annoyance with 15 bounces before second serves is, okay, so there's one second left on the shot clock. You know the hack that the players have figured out. Right.

[B]

You know what it is?

[C]

Yeah. Bad talk.

[A]

You literally toss it as high as I almost tossed that pen and then the shot clock stops. I would have probably done it if I needed to while I was playing. So I'm not blaming them. I'm not blaming them. But I had a conversation and I started. Every time I lost someone, I said, okay, is. Is the Toss part of a serve.

[C]

What do you think?

[A]

Right. Of course it is. Yes, Skill.

[C]

So it. You should play the ball.

[A]

If you toss it, you should not be able to catch it or.

[B]

No. Tell them your idea.

[C]

If you get the set, if you get the servant before the shot clock expires, you can catch it, but you can't. If you wait one, you know, one second to go. Too bad it's a fault.

[A]

I'm one step down like that.

[C]

I don't live ball.

[A]

I couldn't. I couldn't like, someone hit to my back and I couldn't, like, stop. And like, that sucks. I don't want to, you know, I didn't like that. Serving like the toss is literally part of the game. The most underrated part. Skill of the game. And it's like we just get do overs.

[C]

Yep. I agree with you 100%.

[B]

Like, what else can you. I love your idea, though. Did everyone follow what she said, though? So basically, the clock's running. So if you catch your toss, you could then hurry up and rush it.

[C]

As long as we hit the ball before the shot clock runs out, then you're okay. But nobody would be doing that. They're running the clock too far down anyway.

[A]

It would be fantastic to have someone miss one, catch it and then look over and see one second, just hammer toss. That'd be great television.

[C]

I mean, the shotgun's there for a reason, and they stop it too soon and they're still not consistent enough with it. They still get people. I was counting like 35 seconds within points.

[B]

This is our half commission.

[C]

I'm a bit of a. Bit of a.

[B]

Should we.

[C]

So I do my shot clock.

[A]

Wait, you wait.

[C]

Wait, wait, wait.

[A]

Tell me. Let's just level set here. So Martina Navratilova is sitting in her living room with a shot clock. Timing.

[C]

I'm timing it. I'm timing. You know, I timed how long it takes for the place to. For the blend to get off the ground. So, you know, I'm a geek. What can I say?

[B]

I love that idea. Let's ask a sweeping question in keeping with today. By the way, you mentioned the Maria Sharapova story, which is really poignant if my math is right. 50 years. 50 year anniversary of your defection, I think.

[C]

Oh, yeah, 75. That's right, 1975.

[B]

So 50 years ago.

[C]

Martina feels open here.

[B]

But let me ask you, you come here and it's hard not to take the sweep of your career in the arc when you come here, what stands out? I mean, you've got a lot of choices. You figure very prominently in the exhibits. When you look back at your career, what's very top line?

[C]

I need to go look at the exhibit. I haven't seen it since.

[B]

Different hairstyles.

[C]

I haven't gone back there.

[A]

You haven't been. You haven't been in there since you got inducted.

[C]

Not, I think, once, but long time ago. So, yeah, I'm gonna go now. I'm gonna go look at it. In fact, my wife Julia, she's going through some boxes that hadn't been open for a while, and she found tattooing dresses, and she was, like, gonna throw it away. I'm like, no, I'm gonna give it to the museum. I'm sure they can put it somewhere. Those are classics. So it's just. It's overwhelming, really, when you think about it. And I love the way this evolved, but it still kept the feel of history and the past and, you know, the feel of it and then. And then modernized it at the same time. It's kind of like Wimbledon when they expand Wimbledon. It's like the building's been there forever. You know, they put the IB on the wall already so it doesn't grow later. So they've expanded it so nicely, but it still feels like it was 100 years ago. So give us.

[A]

Let's spend just a moment on. On the inductees, right? We. We told the story with. In your personal connection and. And your influence, frankly, on. On Maria and then Bob and therefore Mike. Did you hear what they. Did you hear what they said? Last night was the funniest thing I've ever heard.

[B]

Did you.

[A]

I didn't tell you guys this. Okay, so apparently Bob and Mike found out, like, not too long ago that Mike always thought he was the older one. And then they looked at the birth certificate, and they found out. They found out that Bob's the older one. So Mike was like, I think I'm actually born. So which. Which.

[B]

Which.

[A]

Which broke me.

[C]

We should just call it Mike Bar.

[A]

Yeah, I think. I think. I think the other. The other winner from last night of the. The cocktail party was. Mike had this suit on that I thought he looked like Don Johnson from Miami Vice, but Bob looked at him and said he looked like Billy Elliott. It was fantastic. But talk through your, you know, like, the doubles landscape better than anyone. Can you talk through, you know, the nuances of what made. Made Bob and Mike so special, so effective and so good for so long?

[C]

Well, it's everything. It's their technique, their commitment to Doubles, first of all, because I think Bob could have had a singles career, but he committed to the doubles with Mike. And they. I've watched them practice, and I was astonished at the level of intensity they had in practices. And they would do the same drills over and over. It was no accident that they could reflex these balls and poach and time the ball so well because they did it so well in practice and their commitment to the game. And they really were the first team that really specialized in just playing doubles at that level. And they took it to a whole new level because of that, because they really committed to it. And of course, they have the ability, the size and all of that, and then the lefty, righty combination. But the work they put in, it's no accident. They're the greatest team that ever played.

[A]

Yeah, I think there's no doubt. I mean, I got to see front row. They were my Davis cup teammates. And the commitment to their craft is something that I don't care if you're a tennis player. I don't care if you have any other job. Their commitment to their craft is borderline the most that I've ever seen up close with what you're saying, with the drills and whatever else. And I also imagine, as we shift gears to Maria Sharapova, as someone who took risks in their life to become a player and then build that foundation for the rest of us yahoos to come through and benefit from. It has to be nice to do what you did in your career to create that foundation for professional tennis and then have someone come in who you never, ever had to question if they were going to be 100% committed and give effort to a match that has to feel good. As someone who kind of paved the way for a lot of these champions.

[C]

Yeah. And I mean, that's what makes champions champions. They give their best no matter what, and they're willing to lay it out on the line. And that's what hurts. I think that's why people sometimes don't get all they have, because when you lose, it hurts less. So you can say, oh, I didn't really care, or whatever, but when you really commit and you put everything into it and then you lose, still, it hurts like hell. But then you try to learn from it. And that commitment, you never question it. With all the champions, really, they have it. They'd rather not be anywhere else. This is exactly where they want to be. And they will do whatever it takes fairly to win the match. But they've done the preparation, I think the Commitment is when the practice sessions. Right. If you put in the work on practice, then when you're playing the match, of course you're going to give it everything you got because you worked your ass off to get here. So you're not going to just say, ah, I don't feel like playing today. But it's still. You still see it from some players, and that's why they're not. They may have the ability, but they don't have the mindset. So that. The champion's mindset, I think you can improve it, you can support it, but you can't create it. That needs to come from within. And Maria definitely had that from the. From day one.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Say more of that because you've. We've spoken. You have a lot of interesting things to say about aging gracefully. But one point I think you make that people don't necessarily get, maybe you can expound upon that is in some ways, the longer you get on in your career, the more pressure you feel, the more prone you are in tennis terms to choking. And I think that's something that's completely lost on a lot of people. Not just in tennis. Say more about that.

[C]

No, I always laugh when they say, oh, that rookie. How do they handle the pressure so well? I'm like, are you kidding me? You're clueless.

[B]

I fully agree with you.

[C]

It's. And all the, all the performers, whether actors, actresses, singers, athletes, they all get more nervous as they get older, and that's because it means more. And you also, I think what all.

[A]

Could go wrong, you understand?

[C]

But you love it and you appreciate it. My first Wimbledon, I was like, yeah, I'm here. My first Wimbledon final, I was, oh, my God, this is so great. I'm actually where I wanted to be all my life. My last Wimbledon final, and I played well. I ended up winning. But last, I was scared that I couldn't take the racket out of the bag.

[A]

Was that against Conchita?

[C]

Against Conchita. I was. I was like, so nervous. So nervous.

[A]

Really?

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

You had nine single cycles.

[C]

Exactly. So. But I knew that was my last one. But even if I didn't know it was my last one, it was like you just stress so much more. I mean, you know, you got more nervous when you get older.

[A]

Totally.

[C]

So why are you surprised about me getting.

[A]

Just because I didn't win Wimbledon nine times, martina, like, that's why, obviously, because I thought I might not win one. And. Tragic, tragic, tragic story.

[B]

But.

[A]

But it is weird because you, you actually Know, like I always say, I think expectation is one of the hardest things in sports. Right. And even if you don't, and then it creeps into your mind, even if, like, against Conchita, you weren't certain that that was your last Wimbledon final, but you were probably certain during your first couple that that wasn't going to be your last Wimbledon fighter and that that matters, right?

[C]

Yeah, but I think that's what takes the pressure off. You have your whole career ahead of you, so you got 10, 15 Wimbledons to play. So you're not. You're not feeling stressed about it. And again, you're just excited about being there. You've dreamt about it, and now you're here and you want to show everybody how well you can play. And at the end of your career, like, terrified that people say, oh, she should have quit five years ago.

[A]

One thing that I was asked three weeks ago, as this show grows a little bit, and someone said, what is your. Who's your. Who's your dream guest? Like, what's your dream show? And you're part of it, but you're not all of it.

[C]

I hope not.

[A]

I am. So you. You would be more than enough. No, I. It would be you and Chrissy. I. I think so much of. And I'm so fascinated by your friendship. Come from different places, different backgrounds. You play completely different. And yet you all. I was the progression. Respect. And then maybe, like. And then, you know, you're in my way. And then I'm so obsessed with how your friendship has grown. And now it feels from the outside looking in that it's almost like a sisterhood. I could ask you questions about that for an hour.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But, like, comment on Chrissy's impact and. And, like, do you all talk weekly? Bi weekly. Do you not need to talk because you're so close? Is it unspoken?

[C]

We call here and there and we text. Usually we're sending each other tips on what shows to watch on Netflix. She tipped me, so there's that. But, yeah, no, we connect. And then we're doing a documentary, actually, that'll be out hopefully early next year on our relationship and rivalry. But it had all those aspects of it. The respect, the, like, the hate, the rivalry. But most of all, respect that never went away. And empathy. I think we were always very empathetic to the other. So many times when you see our handshake, you don't know who won the match because we're both smiling. Actually, I think I smiled more than Chris did when I lost. And when she lost, which she said, when I won my first wonder. And you would know, Chris was. Chris was so sweet. It was just overwhelming. She was so happy. She was happy for me, even though she lost. And at the end, you know, if I had to lose to anybody, I'd rather lose to Chris than anybody else. But, of course, you still want to win. But we had some ups and downs, and the press was trying to bid us against each other big time, as they do with women often. But we learned how to handle that, and just now, we just have nothing but love for each other.

[A]

Well, thank you for joining us today. And if I may, if you all are promoting that documentary, I would fly across the world to sit down with the two of you, and I would absolutely love to.

[C]

Are you still in Austin?

[A]

I'm in Charlotte. I'll be wherever you are. I know. Well, actually, I want to ask you one thing. You just came from Charlotte. You just bought an ownership stake in the female soccer team, the pro soccer team there. Tell us about that.

[C]

But it just came out of nowhere. But, yeah, the Carolina Ascent Football Club and met some of the athletes yesterday. A very small owner, but an owner. And I think I can add something to the. To the. To the athletes. What's up? But it sucked. Well, you know, my first injury. Actually, it's quick. My first injury ever was jam's toe from kicking the soccer ball with my this way instead of this way. So I had therapy on that when I was about 10 years old in Czechoslovakia and then Czechoslovakia. So the therapy consisted of electric shocks to my toe and then put the foot in a bowl of hot wax.

[A]

You did what?

[C]

Hot wax.

[A]

Is that a real thing?

[C]

That was hot.

[A]

Yeah, I know. I figured hot wax is hot, but did it work?

[C]

Well, I just learned not to kick the ball that way. I think I got better.

[A]

I thought you were gonna say, I.

[C]

Learned my first injury.

[A]

I learned to play tennis.

[C]

Instead, they sent me to therapy, and.

[A]

What a major.

[B]

Four weeks before you were 50, so.

[A]

Oh, God, this is unbelievable.

[C]

Anyhow, yeah, this is a fun endeavor for me, and hopefully I can again add something to the.

[A]

Well, I. I can't wait to watch it. Please let us know when the time comes. I would love to sit down with the two of you.

[B]

We'll do that.

[C]

Well, Chris is in bulk of town.

[A]

I don't care.

[C]

You'll need to come to my.

[A]

Wherever we want to go, we're there. Producer Michael booked the flights. Martina Navratilova, everybody.

[C]

Thank you.

[A]

What up, chuckers? I hope you're enjoying our live special from the hall of Fame. I am currently in the hotel room in Newport. We did the draw show yesterday. Odds start rolling out post draw shows when all of us idiots are making predictions. So before we get back to the show in Newport, let's take a look at some of the betting odds brought to us by our friends at FanDuel. Of the men's players I picked to make it through to the finals, they are also the odds makers favorites. It's a tough call. I'm normally wrong, they're normally right. But Sinner is the clear favorite at plus 110. Guy named Carlos Alcaraz. He's pretty good too at plus 195. Rybakina, who I picked to go a long way plus 1400 to win, otherwise known as value, has played great in Washington, played well in Canada, played well in Cincinnati, beat 1 Arena Sabalenka in Cincinnati pretty handily Iga Svantek, the hottest player on tour right now is at plus 240 of the fan favorites. A guy named Novak Djokovic is plus 1500. Not a number you've seen next to Novak Djokovic in the last 20 years. Aryna Sabalenka at +290 is a second favorite. Coco Gauff, a solid pick. There's some value there too at plus 1100. Does that mean that the odds makers aren't fully buying in on a biomechanics coach? Not sure. She's won the US Open. She's won Roland Garros this year. That feels like value as well. Let's say you're all about the American players. Big Ben Shelton leads the field at plus 2,500 while last year's finalist Taylor Fritz is at plus 3,300. Kind of discounting a Wimbledon semifinal sandwich in between there. But I digress. A hopefully healthy Tommy Paul plus 12,500. Two long shots would be big foe Francis Tiafo and rising star lerner Tien at blue plus 17,500 each. So the guy who always makes the semis in New York and plays really well in his ranked hire and made the quarters last year has the same odds. I like learner Tien. I I'm a big fan. Lefty, knows how to play tennis, plays up in the court, plays back in the court. So this isn't like because I'm saying this, I don't like I like. I really like Learner Tien. Also the same odds as someone who always plays well in New York makes the semifinals was a set away from making the final last year. Same odds. Oh no. Don't often say they're wrong, but they're wrong. Oh yeah, sorry. The biggest part of that argument. Lerner Tien plays Novak Djokovic first round. What are we doing? There is a youth movement in tennis and this year on the women's side you have the potential of some shocking results. Recent Canadian Open winner and friend of served Vicki Umboko is plus 2700. They're not fully buying the recency, are they? While powerhouse Mira Andreeva is plus 1500. I personally took Mira to make it to the semis losing to Rybakina. On the men's side, Joao Fonseca is a long shot at plus 12,500. Get those odds while you can. They will not exist in two years with Fonseca. He is legit in American Alex Mickelson is plus 20,000. I played Thursday night, a charity night at the US Open with Alex Mickelson and I don't know how this affects odds, but he is one of the nicest, coolest dudes that I have ever met. I hope, I hope he shocks the world. I hope that is the ultimate value at plus 20,000. Let me know what you think on the odds from the team at Fanduel. Leave it in the comments. Argue with me. Tell me what I'm getting wrong. Tell me that Lerner TN is going to win the tournament. I don't know. We had some Yahoo Chukara at the live show yesterday. Just your learner. Anyways, this is part of the fun attendance. Make your bets at FanDuel. You can outcompete us at Served. Also we do the draw show. Why don't you tell us? Why don't you show us that you can beat us in our bracket challenge? It's all good. We're going to get back to the show in Newport. Thanks for checking in on the odds provided by FanDuel. Support for this show comes from Pure leaf iced tea.

[C]

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[A]

You don't have time for self care rituals or getting some fresh air. So maybe you grab a beverage to bring you back, but somehow it doesn't do the trick or it leaves you feeling even worse. What you need is a quality break, a tea break.

[C]

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[A]

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[C]

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[A]

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[C]

The next time you need to hit.

[A]

The reset button, grab a pure leaf iced tea.

[C]

Time for a tea break.

[A]

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[C]

Let's be honest. Are you happy with your job? Like, really happy? The unfortunate fact is that a huge number of people can't say yes to that. Far too many of us are stuck in a job we've outgrown or one we never wanted in the first place. But still, we stick it out and we give reasons. Like, what if the next move is even worse? I've already put years into this place, and maybe the most common one. Isn't everyone kind of miserable at work? But there's a difference between reasons for staying and excuses for not leaving. It's time to get unstuck. It's time for Strawberry Me. They match you with a certified career coach who helps you go from where you are to where you actually want to be. Your coach helps you get clear on your goals, create a plan, build your confidence, and keeps you accountable along the way. So don't leave your career to chance. Take action and own your future with a professional coach in your corner. Go to Strawberry Me unstuck to claim a special offer. That's Strawberry Me Unstuck.

[B]

All right.

[A]

I was nervous.

[B]

I could tell.

[A]

I was very nervous.

[B]

It's all downhill from here, folks.

[A]

That is downhill. No, I don't know. I don't know how you recover from. From that. Like, you started just putting the math together. It's like, I don't know how there was enough time on earth to accomplish that much.

[B]

But I got to say, too, now that she's off stage, we can really talk about her. Did you guys see the bee that was flying around? If you asked her about the bee, I guarantee she would know the species and F10 facts. If you're out there about these flowers, this is someone with such. Cheerios. We're busy. No, go away.

[A]

We're talking about you.

[B]

This is someone with such curiosity in life. She's lived in Africa. She's now a mother. But there's so many facets that have nothing to do with tennis. I don't know if she ever sleeps, but that's just an extraordinary. Just an absolute treasure. We just interviewed.

[A]

Yeah, I want the meme of her putting the shot clock on people.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Before that happens, jw, you probably have an interesting perspective on our inductees. Right. You see behind the scenes, you see what is not front facing. Talk to us. A little bit about your experience as a journalist with, with. With these players and these inductees.

[B]

Oh, wow. Yeah. I mean, one thing about Maria, and I don't know if it will come out today, but one thing that always struck me was, you know, she has this breakthrough as a teenager. She wins Wimbledon, beats Serena Williams at center court, and immediately the brands get ahold of her and she becomes marketed as this graceful el. Remember the, the. I feel pretty. Remember that sort of the Holly Golightly Nike ad? And I think that was so inconsistent with her tennis because here was a player who was sort of a gym rat and she would practice and sweat and grind and try and get every last ounce over her bill. I think you talked about getting just 4% faster. The fact that the one major she won multiple times was the French, not her choice. Surface, but the surface that requires you to be really gritty. I think there was always this irony with her, which the way she was marketed was completely at odds with her tennis. But it was really such an admirable career, such a max out of talent, and it's just extraordinary. Not unlike Maria. I mean, think about where her life started. Not just globally, not just the GPS coordinates, but you think about the arc of her life and it's just, it's extraordinary. And it's also, I think, a real testament to the transforming powers of tennis that enables you to do this.

[A]

Yeah. And I'll comment on Bob and Mike. A lot of us grandstand on. Frankly, we grandstand on growing the game and we do something here, it sounds good and we can talk about it, and we basically say we're good. So there's an impact that's growing the game. Like, we get a little loose with, with. With how we define it. I'll tell you, the two people that never were loose with how they defined it. Every clinic, every autograph, every picture from the time they were 16 years old and doing it. Because that's what happened when you got a wild card to the last two days and the nine hours of clinics they've done, even during their own induction weekend with their. Their father, Wayne is like the ringmaster of clinics. Like every single week when these guys were young. Outside of adding value to themselves every single week. And I'm not saying that that's not hyperbole. Every single week of their playing lives, they added value to the game of tenets outside of their results. Yeah. Talk to us a little bit about covering them. They come onto the scene, they're carrying the tour of doubles. I don't think enough is made of that responsibility in that they were the meal ticket for doubles for a long time. Right? I mean, a lot of responsibility for Bob and Mike Bryant.

[B]

One of the secrets of media people. Oh, you know, it's so obvious. You love Federer, you hate Federer, you love Roddick. The truth is you, you, you don't root for individual players as fans, you root for stories. And here come these two nice looking guys. They go to Stanford. One's a lefty, one's a righty, they have this dad that plays guitar. And you're sort of hoping, man, I hope this care. This is going to be a really easy story to write. And as it turned out, they were probably the two greatest doubles players of all time. They were as accessible and as we.

[A]

Do need to mention Mac and the lady who was just on this stage with in that conversation.

[B]

But look at the titles they won on all different surfaces. But you look. And they never changed their level of accessibility. Exactly what you said. You need someone to go do the clinic. All the stuff you see behind the scenes, who's going to make the hospital visit, who's going to do the clinic. Bob and Mike would be the first to sign their names up when they were 19 and they were the first to sign their name up deep into their 30s. And oh yeah, they also won 30 titles, 30 majors between them. I can't think of too many athletes that just have never fundamentally changed over a 20 year career the way they have. And the fact that if you listen to the interview Andy did with the two of them, they had their, you know, there was an element of sibling rivalry and sometimes right on the changeover, they would have the fights that most of us have with our siblings in closed rooms, but no absolute credit to the sport. And it's lovely that they're being recognized. It's lovely they're being recognized together.

[A]

Andy, I want to ask you about.

[B]

The 2007 Davis Cup. They went 40 in doubles and they.

[A]

Clinched it against Russia. How, how special was that experience? Goosebumps asking about it. And one, it was like a blast. We played an exhibition here on this hallowed ground yesterday and it was our, our winning team with James Blake. And as it normally happened, the Bryans beat the crap out of us. And, and that was that. It, it was special for a lot of reasons. One, there's a brotherhood that will never be broken, ever. I will do anything for, for those guys for the rest of our lives. Selfishly, as it comes to the, the tennis piece of it, I Play singles on Friday, singles on Sunday. A lot of other top players have that. Like, should I play doubles? Can I play doubles? Physically, mentally. I'm preparing for potentially three days, which would have potentially been my life had I not had the Brian brothers, the best doubles team of all time, to own the real estate of Saturday. And I didn't have a worry in the world. James and I knew we put two points on the board. It was over. Close shop. I can have a beer on Friday night, no problem. And it didn't come easy. The Davis cup title didn't come easily to us. Right? We had number one. I was number one in singles for a cup of coffee. They were number one forever, for two decades. And we had tough losses on clay away. We needed the draw to break. We needed to tough out a tough away tie on clay. We play the Czech Republic and Burdich, and we somehow got through that one. It's like the rest of the draw, it's like. So you kind of home tie, and then the next time you play that team, it's an away tie, and you just trade off. So you kind of need things to stack. And if you're a home tie, you get to choose the surface. So our team at that time, we would play it like an ice skating rink as fast as it could possibly be. And anytime we were aware we were playing on, like, red mud, you know, somewhere. But just. I never, ever once took for granted the amount of mental rest I was provided because I knew that they had Saturday covered. I didn't even need to touch it. So it took us five or six years where we knew we were one of the best teams, and we knew that we were close, and it broke our way. So the scent, the emotions were amazing in Portland. Not for yourself. Right. It's for the guys that you went to battle with. And there was a process to it. It didn't happen overnight. You know, these shared moments of disappointment make the joys bigger and stronger. And so I think there was a little bit of relief. And also, you wanted your forever connective tissue to have a win, right? It's been fun for us to. To have that win together for. For the rest of our lives.

[B]

So let me. Let me ask you. We got about, you know, maybe a bit more than an hour before the ceremony.

[A]

You.

[B]

You've done this drill. I mean, it was. It was eight summers ago. You were here.

[A]

You were.

[B]

You tell me, I mean, what is. If you're. If you're about to be inducted to take us back to the. The weekend where you got the call.

[A]

Well, the. The. There's. There's a. There's a. A bit of a difference because Bob and Mike were getting in. There's no doubt. Maria's getting in. There's no doubt. I was a little bit different. I was so overwhelmed by the fact that I was voted in the first ballot. I don't think I. I don't think my resume should be. And that's not false modesty. Like, I honestly think there should be tears. Like I shouldn't enter at the same time that Roger Federer enters. And walking through the museum that you've walked through before and seeing the fact that you get to rub shoulders for the rest of your tennis life with Martina Navratilova, with your idol, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, Jim Currier, you know, it's so weird. And I talked about it in my speech. The process from being a fan, being as old as some of these kids here, and being a fan of the game, and then all of a sudden, your reality is you can call these people and your friends and it never will ever make sense to me for the rest of my life. And it's such a challenge with the speech to try to encapsulate what everyone else meant to you, why it happened, why you're appreciative, and then basically sum up a lifetime of love for this game in, like, 20 minutes. One of the most challenging things ever. I don't envy anyone having to do it. I also am not worried about any of the inductees and what they're going to say tonight.

[B]

It sounds like you're going out to play.

[A]

The. The nerves.

[B]

Coming out here to try and take the measure of your career versus the nerves of playing a major final. Were you nervous the night before?

[A]

I was ner. I mean, it's. It's different because the cons, the consequence, you end up in the same place. So it is a little different. It's not like a Grand Slam final where it's like your life changes or it's devastation. There's no part of this weekend, no part of this celebration that will be devastating. Right. You just want to hit the mark. My biggest point of. Of nerves was just making sure that my team and my trainer and I had become a father. So I appreciated more my trainer, Doug Spreen, Larry Stefanki, leaving their families to come help me. Right. That that meant more in 2017 than it did in 2012. Right.

[B]

But you.

[A]

This place makes you feel small in the best possible way. Right. You know that no matter who you are, Roger Federer is going to come here next year, maybe the most beloved player that's ever played tennis. And this place, this group of people, this game will forever be bigger than him. Right? And he will tell you that. And that's. That's the beauty of. Of being here at the Tennis hall of Fame.

[B]

When did this. I mean, I'm. I was. I don't think I can say the name.

[A]

I.

[B]

A player said, if. If I win this major, I'll have two major. Do you think I'll be in the hall of Fame? Clearly, to players today, it really matters, and they're keenly aware of whether their resume stacks up. And, you know, not every country has a Hall of Fame. And Kim Kleisner talks about this. It's like she didn't know what a Hall of Fame was. And then her husband, who's an American, said, oh, it's a huge deal. They have it for every sport. And now look where she is. What did the hall of Fame, where did it register during your playing career? And when do you think we made this turn to where players today are still 22 years old and they're deeply concerned about whether their resume is hall of Fame worthy.

[A]

You get more of a precedent. Right? I. I think, you know, okay. I mean, I was conscious of it. It's like, okay, I know who's in. I know their career statistics. I'm always appreciative when they turn on music in the middle of a podcast. It's in the tantrums, you know, So I think. I think. I think you are conscious of the resumes that have existed before you. You're always worried about the next tournament. But, yeah, I mean, it's not even something you think to imagine as a kid. Right. Because it seems. It seems too big.

[B]

I feel like we're getting played off. Yeah.

[C]

Somebody tell us something.

[A]

I will. I will say one thing real quick and. And then we'll. We'll. We'll call it. But I had come out and, you know, spoken about an issue with the hall of Fame three weeks ago and a decision that I still don't regret anything I said. And also to encapsulate our. My disagreement with this place almost encapsulates how big it is and how much more important that is than any one decision. Right. I know that I come back here. Who can you fight with? And then also know that, you know, you're both going to, you know, want to hug each other in a week from now. Right.

[B]

Your family.

[A]

Right. I Feel so lucky to be a part of this family, of this great place. I will do whatever I can forever to encourage tennis fans to come make this journey that you all have made. And I know there's probably zero of you that are disappointed by this experience. I can't wait to hear from our inductees this year. Couldn't be prouder, couldn't be happier for Maria Sharapova. Bob and Mike, Bryan. I saw Yuri, Yuri, Maria's dad, yesterday. And he, he went and just gave Kim Kleister's the biggest bear hug ever to where at the end they're both crying. And like, those are the moments where you realize this game is so much bigger than the hall of Fame. It is such a great thing for the world of tennis to have this place to celebrate and appreciate, show gratitude for the championship that have have played this game. And I will say one more thing about just the world of tennis. We have the most responsible champions in any sport ever. If you look at the people who have been given this platform, who have worked their asses off to become great champions, and then what they have done with that responsibility, it is something that I take a lot of pride in as a tennis fan. You have Martina nabertolobo who's dealing with defecting, who's dealing with coming out in the early 80s. And then she makes those. I mean, how much progress is made? Because Martina is in our world. Billie Jean, King Arthur Ash, Andre Agassi and what he does. Venus and Serena and what they do for literacy and what they have done for literacy. Roger Federer, building schools for unicef. Tennis is just the most responsible sport on earth. We feel lucky to have the hall of Fame here in Newport. We feel lucky to have you watch our dumb little podcast show. We appreciate you being here. Can't wait to watch the induction ceremony right along with you. Props, Maria, Pops, Props Bob and Mike. And thank you for having us here at the hall of Fame.

[B]

Thanks everyone. Thanks for coming out.

[A]

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