← Served with Andy Roddick
Served with Andy Roddick
Ons Jabeur Reveals Hardest Opponents, Pregnancy Journey, & More | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters
01:06:42
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- [00:00]
A
Here we go. Hi, everyone. Welcome to Love All. I am so excited that the season, the tennis season of 2026 has officially started. And I'm really excited to have Blair, tennis host and reporter, join me for this season. Blair, thank you so much. I'm so excited to be doing this together.
- [00:24]
B
Kim, you might be excited. I am, like, jumping out of my skin. I have looked forward to this since you sent me my Kim Kleistor's voice note in the middle of September. I don't, I don't think I ever told you this, but it was an Instagram voice note. And I absolutely thought when it popped in my messages that Kim Kleisters has. But Instagram voice noted me, I was thinking it was going to be like two and a half minutes of the bottom of your purse. Thankfully, it was not. You were asking me to consider doing this with you in 2026. I mentally played it cool for like 2 seconds and was all in. So I feel really fortunate to have the chance to do this and to do it with you.
- [01:08]
A
Well, I'm very happy that you say yes. Cause I've, as a tennis fan obviously watched you on TV many, many times and loved your energy and we've done some work together at the US Open and things like that and just always loved your energy and your professionalism and you're just so good. So I'm very, very happy that you said yes.
- [01:26]
B
Well, thank you. And we don't want to bury the lead. Kim, for our first episode together, we've got Ans Jabeur a little later on. That was so much fun. She's someone I think we both consider a friend. We probably could have talked to her for two hours. We spared you all that. Our first episode will not be two hours, we hope so. We do have ons coming up. We're going to go through some headlines. But before we do that, Kim, do you want to sort of let people know what they can expect from Love all this year?
- [01:55]
A
Yeah. So basically the goal for Love all for me is that we, you know, we're going to talk to players like, like Ansjabur, but like current players, we're going to talk to former players. I would love to know more about the player or the members on the players teams, people behind the scenes on the WTA Tour. We want to bring information that to you and me, you know, people who've been on the tennis tour for a long time are kind of normal, but, you know, can be very interesting to share with the tennis fans who are at home and so that's, yeah, just a fun kind of podcast where we can bring all these fascinating topics on air.
- [02:33]
B
Yeah, we know. Listen, the tennis podcast space is. Is crowded these days, but we hope that we can set ourselves apart with the people that we have on the pod. Your perspective, of course, we're going to be almost. Almost weekly. We're going to. We're going to take maybe some of the slams off because there's so much content during that period of time. But we're also hoping that this can be. Can have a community feel where you guys can come and feel like you're talking to your tennis friends, where you can, you know, slide into the. The DMS or the comments and let us know what you all want to talk about. Uh, we also are going to have a Favorite Follows segment, which, Spoiler alert, you're not going to want to miss this. Kim has been looking forward to doing Favorite Follows for. For weeks now. Um, I. I can't wait. Uh, you. You won't see it coming. Let's just put it that way. So the hope is that this feels like a little tennis community with a lot of knowledge and news and really interesting people thrown in. So I can't wait. All right, Kim, we need an Achilles update. The last people heard from you, maybe they knew that you ruptured your Achilles once. They might not have known you ruptured your Achilles twice. How are you doing? How's the recovery?
- [03:49]
A
Luckily, that's it. No, no, third time. So I'm very, very happy with that. Although. Although I have to say that it's been the worry or the, you know, the fear. There's moments at times where I go to bed and I still kind of hear the snap or, you know, kind of that, like, that will stay with me for a little bit, I think. But, yeah, I'm still. I'm on a boot. I'm weight bearing on. On the boot, on the foot. So I feel like I'm useful again, especially in the house and as a mom, can't drive yet it's my right foot. So that's been a little bit frustrating, probably more frustrating for the people around me who have to help out, but there is such a thing as an Uber ride, so I've been Ubering my kids to basketball practice with me in it. So, yeah, it's been. Yeah, a lot a time where I've had to adjust, but also focus on. On, yeah, just getting better. And Holger Runner has been the. I watched him do his Achilles 10. I was watching him on TV and while he was playing and I was about a week ahead until I redid mine and now I think I'm about a week behind his rehab. So it's been, it's been nice to kind of go back and forth with him and kind of cheer each other on and send each other supportive messages and ask questions as well and about his rehab, what that looks like. You know, I'm not in a position as him anymore where he has his whole team with him and I'm going to rehab, you know, three days a week and, and it's, it's just different when you're not a professional athlete anymore. But it's, I'm in, going in the right direction. I have to be patient and. Yeah, but it's definitely the longest or the, the, yeah, the heaviest injury that I've had so far.
- [05:33]
B
So you're telling me you're not out on the court hitting one legged forehands? Is that fair to say?
- [05:38]
A
No. I have been thinking about maybe going to try a little bit of pickleball, maybe maybe the tennis court is a little bit too big for, for, you know, to be moving, but pickleball might be.
- [05:49]
B
And as we mentioned, Holger Runa, keep an eye out on Andy's Served podcast. Holger is going to be joining Andy and producer Mike to talk about all things 2026 and similar to our conversation with. And it's so neat to be able to talk to a current player. Obviously we wish he was on tour doing what he would normally be doing at this time of year. But it's so cool to get a perspective from someone who has faced these players. So keep an eye out for that. And that brings us now, Kim, to something. Speaking of producer Mike, he is call this Henley's Headlines. And I, I am a lover of alliteration, so I'm going with it.
- [06:26]
A
Good.
- [06:27]
B
I'm gonna throw out a headline to you, maybe give some background and then I would love to hear your take. We're gonna start with something that I didn't think we were gonna cover this week, to be completely honest, but it has resurfaced in press conferences and that is the battle of the sexes. I thought IGA Witek gave a great answer when she was asked about it at United Cup. I'm going to try to summarize this as well as I can, but she said it was entertainment. I wouldn't say that it had anything to do with social change or any important topics. The name was the only thing that was the same as the one from Billie Jean King in 73. That's it. No more similarities. I feel like women's tennis stands on its own right now. We have so many great athletes and great stories. We don't necessarily need to compare to men's tennis. And she said, I think events like this one, the United cup, brings tennis together. And then seeing the singles players that usually don't have the space to play mixed doubles play together, playing these kinds of matches, I think this is actually what makes our sport much more interesting and better. I thought that was a great answer. Aryna was also asked about it again after her opening match in Brisbane, and she. I actually felt bad for her in a way because I think she was just bummed that so much of the reaction, at least what we saw online seemed negative.
- [07:47]
C
What.
- [07:47]
B
What were your takeaways?
- [07:50]
A
I think from the start I kind of felt like I wish they changed the name so that it. You. You didn't have that similarity or the comparison to, you know, what Billy did in 1973. I think that would have maybe avoided a lot of that, you know, the negative kind of comments that were with it. But it was still fun to watch. Right. That's what IGA said too. It's. It. It brought a lot of new people to the sport, which is, you know, what we can only. But I do. I loved IGA's approach on it and the way that she spoke about it. I think she summarized it very well. And I think from a female player's perspective, I think, yeah, she summarized that whole, you know, that whole thing very, very well. And it was very clear, very open and honest about it. But to me, it felt like if they maybe change the name to something different, then they can create their own kind of brand around it or something. Absolutely.
- [08:49]
B
I think that that was the number one issue because right off the bat, people had a feeling about it one way or the other. I think there's also maybe been Nick Kyrgio's overexposure in the last few years, which is crazy to say about a player who hasn't been playing regularly on tour. So that was a factor as well. I think the smaller courts, people had opinions on that. I was so baffled by the fact that they gave both players one serve, even though they made arena side of the court smaller. That was confusing to me. She did say that next time she's hoping if they do it again, that is a rule change that she would like to have. But. But yeah, I, in general, my stance on this sort of thing is if people outside of the hardcore tennis fans are talking about tennis, that is generally Annette positive. So I do think like they sold tickets. It's not like there were, there was nobody in the stands. So, so I think overall there were some positives to be taken. Uh, it just sparked a whole lot of discourse.
- [09:49]
A
It did.
- [09:50]
B
So moving on now to Venus Williams getting an Australian Open wild card. She's playing AO for the first time in five years. She first played, and this is just fully head exploding material here, first played the Australian Open in 1998. A two time finalist, she will now be the oldest woman to compete in the AO singles main draw, surpassing another legend, Kimiko Date Crumb. But she's playing Auckland and Hobart in warm up. Saw her on court in, in Auckland and didn't win her doubles or her singles, but looked pretty good.
- [10:29]
A
Yeah, what, what to me stands out the most is her joy on the tennis court. And I felt that at the US Open already. Like it's just so much fun to see her play, you know, and just to be happy out there, to be competing so hard still. And like seeing her win in Cincinnati, like she won a match right. Like it' she's such a great champion and you can see like she just got married. Like, you know, I think we've all seen the pictures on Vogue on the social media platform from Vogue and she looked beautiful, happy and she's still carrying that with her on the road. And to see her healthy, I'm really excited to watch her play. And there's, you know, a few players for me, you know, from my kind of generation that I love to watch that are still out there competing and, and she's one of them. And yeah, she's great to watch. She has big weapons, she has that long wingspan where she can still cover the court. Maybe she's not as fast as she used to be, but she can still cover the court very well and better than some of the players that are out there now who are a lot younger than her. So it will be very interesting to watch. And that's what it's all about is I love seeing all the different, the new up and coming players and then having somebody like Venus in the draw and, and to see them compete against each other is what I love to watch as a tennis fan.
- [11:51]
B
Yeah, give her all the wild cards.
- [11:53]
A
Yes.
- [11:54]
B
I mean, and similar to what you and, and were saying just at the US Open even she gave a ton of time to the fans and that sort of interaction, who knows, that can be the thing that the next gen, the eight year old who goes to the US Open or to the Australian Open, gets that autograph or has that interaction and is hooked on tennis. So I think it's, it's really neat and it's so fun to see her out there. All right, should we go to some results, some notable results. One player that we have talked a little bit about offline is Maria Sakari. Got wins over Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu. Her first win over Emma in five meetings. What did you see from Maria?
- [12:38]
A
Um, I just absolutely loved, I think the time change so when I'm up at night I get to watch the tennis and when I'm up early in the morning, morning I get to see all the tennis. So I've, I think I've seen both of her of Maria's matches and just really enjoyed or I, I could see the like some of the, the improvements that she's made and I wrote some things down in a little kind of magazine that I, or a little notebook that I keep and just, yeah, just looked like she was closer up to the baseline coming in a little bit more. The serve is a lot more. Is it better under pressure? I feel like too and I don't know if it's maybe the engagement as well for her where there's like a different kind of feel about her. I think the pressure, you know, the start of the year, the pressure from, or some of the disappointments from the previous season are gone. But she just looks to be in a really good headspace. She's always been one of the fittest, if not the fittest player on tour and just to see her kind of use that with, you know, the physical aspect to come into the net a little bit more move but like use the, the forehand inside out. Like she was really using that very well in these two matches. So played some, you know, two really good players and, and then she did an interview I think with Laura Robson on and where she talked about like some of the things that she worked on and it was nice to kind of see that my tennis eye was kind of confirmed with what the things that she was saying that she worked on.
- [14:03]
B
I'm shocked to hear that, that you're, that you're right.
- [14:07]
A
Maybe do know a little bit about it.
- [14:09]
B
That is sarcasm for me. All right, moving on to Booza Monero taking out Coco Golf 616760 stat line for Coco. 14 double faults, 54 unforced errors, only winning 60% of the first serve points. And we talked a Little bit about Coco with ons, but were there any takeaways that you had watching that match?
- [14:34]
A
To me, it felt like, well, this is a match that she needs to kind of get. She has to get back into it. Right. It's. It's, you know, with Maria, you could see that she was ready to go from the start, whereas with Coco, I feel like, okay, she needs her matches, she needs to kind of get into this rhythm. Her opponent was very tough. Like, she made, you know, didn't make a lot of errors. Coco did come back from. What was she like a set in 4:1.
- [15:00]
B
Yep.
- [15:00]
A
Or 4:2 behind, and then ended up winning the second set in a tiebreaker. And then in the third set, it was pretty straightforward, but just. Yeah, just kind of missing a couple of the weapons still. Like, she, you know, she hits a heavy ball, but I think as an opponent, once you kind of get that under control and you understand the rhythm that she plays with, and you can maybe take a little step back. So when that heavier ball kind of pops up a little bit, especially with the backhand, a lot of women struggle with that higher backhand if you can make adjustments. And her opponent was really using her footwork very well to step back, step in when needed, and still be aggressive. And she caused a lot of trouble for Coco. So I'm certain that Coco would have been on the practice court, if not after the game or the next morning, to try and get that rhythm back and just get better and better. And eventually the goal is to be at her best when she gets to the Australian Open in Melbourne.
- [15:59]
B
We are going to be moving on here to our interview with ons, but before we do that, can you tell us a little bit about the mindsets going into a year? Some players who maybe have the shorter off season are using those first matches of the year as a way to get back into the groove. But you said you watched Benchic, for instance, who had a slightly longer off season, and. And she seemed ready to go out of the gates.
- [16:24]
A
Right. And every player is also different, right? There's players that can't take on a match as if it's a practice period. Right. They get in competitive mode and they want to be at their best and they can step up a level as well. And then there's players who say, like, you know, I want to peak at the Australian Open. Let me use these first two weeks to get my match rhythm back, to start working on some more things or get used to the things that we change. Maybe in the off season, a Little bit and really use them in. In a match and see how that feels. And so everybody's different, but you could tell, like Belinda Bentzion, I feel like she was so focused, ready to go. And, you know, I think Naomi, as well, I think she was really ready. But then she got sick, and she had a bad cough and a cold. And so there's, you know, some things that you can't control, but every player's mindset is different, which is very interesting. And. And I saw that back in the day when I was younger and especially on the men's side, you know, there were the top players, a lot of times were playing a lot of these events, and they were playing these matches, but they were focused on. They were part of. It was still part of their preseason, basically because they wanted to be at their best mentally, physically, and tactically when they get to Melbourne. And it's a long season, and you kind of have to pick your spots here and there.
- [17:46]
B
All right, one last result that caught my eye. It was on the men's side, and it was Hubie Herkotch, sort of out of nowhere, takes seven months off. He had back issues. He had knee surgery, comes out and. And beats Alexander Zverev. 3 and 4, 21 aces. Like an unreal performance. The talk of tennis Twitter, by the way, has been Hubie's biceps. I don't know what he was doing in those seven months, but clearly it's working.
- [18:16]
A
It is working, and I think it got. It got to Zverev, too. You know, I think during one of the changeovers, I saw a little video clip of kind of being frustrated and, you know, expressing his frustration to his dad, saying, like, how is this possible that this guy's serving like this? He's been off for so long, and. But, yeah, it's. It's incredible to see. And there's also a part about, you know, when you've been off for so long, there's an excitement to go back on tour, and you're. You're playing freely. There's no expectation, there's no pressure. You just want to be out there, and you appreciate being a tennis player again and competing at that level. And, you know, obviously, against a guy like Zverev, he had nothing to lose. So I'm sure, you know, that arm was moving very, very fluidly through, you know, through the air and. And just. Yeah, it's. It's nice to see that, you know, players can get into that flow where everything is going the way that they want it to go.
- [19:07]
B
Yeah. Hubie's on the Maria Sakkari workout plan for sure.
- [19:11]
A
Yes.
- [19:12]
B
All right, well, that will do it for Henley's headlines for today. Now we get to transition to the guest that we've mentioned. It is on Jabeur, who many of you know she's been ranked as high as number two in the world. She's captured five titles. She's major finalists. And perhaps more important than all of that, she is a trailblazer for women in sports, for Arab women, for Arab athletes. And I have seen Onsmania up close and personal in Riyadh. It is absolutely incredible what she has done for the sport of tennis. And we are so excited to talk with her. She is, of course, expecting her first baby, a little boy, in April. She shut down her season this past year after Wimbledon, but she's got some amazing things on the horizon. And after the break, we're gonna hear from her. Well, welcome back to love all, where, as promised, we have ans Jaber with us. I can't think of anyone I would rather start my 2026 with. Ans. Thanks so much for being here. How are you? How are you feeling? What are you up to? Give us the life update.
- [20:19]
C
I'm good. I mean, happy new year to everyone. Wish this year will be amazing. Realizing this this year, last year was the last year as no mother kind of hood. And this year is gonna change. But I'm pretty excited. And, yeah, thank you for having me here. I love it. This is a new con, like a new concept with Kim and with you. I mean, you usually ask me questions. You asked me a lot of questions, Blair. But Kim, usually, it's a different con conversation with her, but I just.
- [20:51]
A
I'm just stuck in the house. I just want to hang out with you guys. That's, you know, dude.
- [20:56]
B
No, I. I'm absolutely thrilled that Kim can throw in some questions as well, because I feel like ons we saw each other pretty recently in Riyadh, and by Q and A number seven anz is like, do you have any new questions for me? I'm like, no, I don't. We're talking to the same group of people. But no, there. There is so much to talk about on. So I guess want to start with how you're feeling physically. How are you doing expecting baby boy in April?
- [21:24]
C
Yeah, I mean, I some they saying this is the best trimester, so. So I'm not sure. I'm. I'm. I'm dealing with sometimes, like, I just wake up tired and I don't Understand why. And then I remember it's a little human being growing up in say. Yeah, kind of, you know, you know, I, I'm six months and I don't, I don't show. Which sometimes I'm just like doing this. Like, are you there? Like, am I having a baby? Or I'm just like fat, you know, I don't know. It's. It's very hard to realize. But now he started to, like, I would say, play tennis inside here and I, I start to feel like there is some movement which is, you know, very nice to, to feel finally pregnant, you know?
- [22:10]
A
Yeah. I saw a video of you hitting, hitting some balls and I saw a little belly. So it's definitely for six months maybe small. But it's. Yeah, really nice to hear you have. You feel life inside of you and it's, it's, it's only going to get stronger and stronger from now on.
- [22:30]
C
So hopefully he's, he's hiding. He's a, he's a shy boy for sure.
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A
When they're kind of quiet and calm in the belly, it's like the opposite when once they're into this world. So I hope, you know.
- [22:44]
C
I mean, usually kicks at night. He loves the party at night.
- [22:48]
A
Jada did. Yeah.
- [22:50]
B
Can you show me what to do? This character with your. Oh, yeah, starter pack. What do you have there with you here?
- [22:57]
C
Can you see this? Listen, for my heartburns, I'm ready. I have everything that a pregnant woman is allowed to, to have.
- [23:05]
B
Yeah.
- [23:06]
A
So enjoy it.
- [23:08]
C
Yeah, it's my supplements for the pregnancy.
- [23:11]
B
For those who are just listening to this, that was a Tum's bottle she just had up. Hopefully on. She's got to work on the, the contract. No free ads here.
- [23:20]
C
That's why I didn't, I just showed the photo. I didn't, I didn't. I didn't even say the name, but there you go.
- [23:25]
A
Now.
- [23:25]
C
Now they have to pay me.
- [23:27]
A
Isn't it funny how we go from like recovery shakes and pre game meals to like heartburn tablets?
- [23:34]
C
I gotta say, I have quite a few heartburns when I'm not pregnant, so I was kind of expecting that now.
- [23:40]
A
So how are you feeling, like tennis wise? Where is your mindset? I know you've been very open about that. You want to start coming back. What do you have in mind about that with Karim and things like that? What are you focusing on?
- [23:57]
C
I'm talking about to the expert of coming back. I'm sorry, but I want my comeback to be like yours. Course you Know, just when the US Open right away. I would love that.
- [24:09]
A
Listen, mine wasn't planning. Take that with you.
- [24:13]
C
I mean, it was kind of not planned, but, you know, it happened fast, let's put it that way. But, I mean, I. I love it. Like, I'm. Now I'm focusing on. On just being pregnant and. And hopefully, you know, have a smooth delivery. But definitely, I. I would love to come back. I want to come back and definitely inspired by you and your comeback. You. You first one that actually did an amazing comeback. And we see now more mothers on tour, which is also encouraging. I want to give my body, you know, the time needed. I'm. I'm hoping. No pressure on the baby, but he will be my biggest motivation. You know, I think I'm putting pressure on the baby now, but I feel like I would be playing for something other than. Than myself, which maybe that's what I needed, you know, because at certain time, I really lost motivation. I. I was lost. You know, I didn't know where and when I want to play. But for now, I feel. I feel like I have more reasons to do so. Yeah, I'm hoping to come back end of 2026, but, you know, it could be early. It could be not early. I don't know. I just want to play a few tournaments before, you know, the new season of 2027. But again, I never delivered the baby. I don't know what that feels like. I don't know how my body would react. There's a lot of things that it's unknown, but I'm putting such a positive energy around it, and I hope it's gonna be great. I'll be thinking of you, definitely.
- [25:51]
B
We can get you a little statue, like a little Kim statue.
- [25:56]
C
I will look at the US Open final all the time.
- [26:02]
B
Did you know, Ons, when you decided to shut your season down earlier this year after Wimbledon? Was that part of the plan? Obviously, you're. You're rehabbing the shoulder. There were the knee issues as well. But did you know that if you took that break, you guys were going to try for a baby?
- [26:20]
C
We. I mean, for me, it was. The idea was to finish the season and then maybe like, start trying. But then at a certain time, I was so exhausted that I was overthinking a lot of things that just went with the flow. To be honest with you. I was. I was not expecting to be pregnant right away. Like, it really happens really fast. It's just like. It was like. I feel like my baby was out there just waiting for us or something. I don't know. I really believe in this stuff.
- [26:49]
A
Yes, me too.
- [26:50]
C
He was ready for. He was ready for a while, and I wasn't giving him the chance.
- [26:55]
A
So.
- [26:56]
C
So yeah, we. We tried, and it happened. You know, I'm not gonna get into details for you, Bear, but, you know, you know how it goes.
- [27:04]
A
Korea must have been really proud.
- [27:07]
B
I do. Well, can I. Can I tell the story in Riyadh where we had done, like, five fan Q& A's at this point, and I anz. Kept giving, very vague, you know, I'll be back. I'm not retired. I'll be back. And of course, again, these are, like, very casual. This is not like, we're in the press room, so I'm not gonna, like, press her on.
- [27:26]
C
Okay.
- [27:27]
B
Like, what are we thinking? Like, what's. What date? What month? What are you shooting for? And so by after, like, the fifth Q A, we were done. I was like, okay, like, give it to me straight. Like, what are we thinking? Off the record? Tell me when you're coming back. And she's like, well, I. I don't know, because I'm. Because I'm pregnant, and I. No joke about, jumped out of my skin. I would do a dramatic reenactment, but I'm afraid of unplugging things. But just so excited for you, because I think everyone knew ons how much you wanted that. How much do you think that you put a lot of extra pressure on yourself? Like, obviously you wanted the slam. Of course, everybody does. But how much extra pressure do you think you put on yourself because you knew you wanted to start this other part of your life?
- [28:18]
C
Yeah, it's like, I feel like the time is chasing me from everywhere. You know, it's always like, you're getting too old to win. Islam. You're. I want. I wanted to have a kid when I was 25, to be honest with you. That was the actual plan, you know, but again, it's like putting timelines on things that basically I cannot control. Made it good pressure, but also, what after was unbearable for me. And at the end of the day, I'm like, I don't. I don't care anymore. I. I've always wanted the Grand Slam before having a kid and just coming back after because, you know, the unknowing of coming back. But now I feel like I let go a little bit and just going with the flow. I. I definitely still won the Grand Slam, but hopefully this. This. I feel like there is way better thing. I know. Deep Inside, there is way better thing than just winning Islam. You know, there is a. This baby is gonna be such an unbelievable gift, and I'm so grateful for that. And I'm trying to put myself first. You know, I feel like, as a tennis player, I never done that before. I'm always doing it for. For different reasons, for the wrong reasons. And that's why I ended up. I. I hate to say it, but wasting two years of my career, like, I could have maybe stopp. Just healed or did something, you know, better than just. And maybe it's a good period that I have learned from it for sure. So.
- [29:47]
A
Well, that's. That's the. The good part about getting older. As a tennis player, not in. In life, but as a tennis player, you learn these things, right? Like, I. When I, like, hear you speak, I. There's so many, I feel like, similarities, and. And, you know, we've been around each other and we've had, you know, breakfast together and things like that. And I've always felt like there's a lot of similarities when it comes to, you know, how we are on and off the court. And please, like, don't doubt your ability to, you know, how you will come back and, like, your body knows, you know, you know, what it's like. You know, Karim is great. Like, you guys will figure it out. And. Yeah, it's. That's the best part about it, is there's this new life that you'll travel with on the. On the road, and everything else falls into. Into place, and. And it's not, you know, chasing that goal, like, is not. It's important, but it's not the most important thing anymore. And. And I can't wait to. To see you out there.
- [30:43]
C
You're gonna babysit, by the way.
- [30:44]
A
I'll be babysit. I'll be.
- [30:50]
C
A lot of baby. I did a lot of babysitting on tour, I hope. Yeah. This beautiful karma will come back to me. So the players.
- [30:59]
B
100%.
- [31:00]
A
Plenty of women with experience who can. Yeah. Who will. He'll be in good hands.
- [31:06]
B
Speaking of the similarities between you two, like, ons just hearing you say that you were doing things for other people, Kim, I feel like that was a lot of your career as well. You gave so much that when you look at the big picture of professional tennis is not how everyone experiences a professional tennis career. It is a selfish sport. But I am sitting here talking to two people who really spent so much of their time giving to others. And ans I've seen it. Kim has seen it the way that you are with your fans, you are absolutely tireless with them, even if you're tired behind the scenes. So how have you in the past and maybe how will you in the future deal with how much you're expected to give and also how you need to prioritize your tennis career to be as good as you can be?
- [31:59]
C
I mean, for me, fans, they're honestly the best. And I don't see it as, as giving or I don't see it as an obligation. You know, I see it as part of what I do. It's like, it's like, you know, the post matches, interviews and everything. I know there's a lot of people saying, like, oh, you shouldn't talk to someone when they're losing. For me, if you change your mindset about it, like, like it's kind of something you, you, you, you have. It's not you have to do, but it's part of your job is like hitting a backhand and a forehand and you just do it and do it with. Because it's part of your job. And then you, you clock out and then go back. You know, Same thing with, with the fans. Like they, they pay the tickets to come and see us. They enjoy and they're there to enjoy that. It's a beautiful time for them. You know, for us, it may be more, more stressful than everything, but without them, probably will not have. Also we. I've played in Covet and it was like a completely different, you know, scenario of how you play. So for us, for me, you know, personally, I, I love that I, for me, it's, it's part of having fun. You know, I don't see it as an obligation to, to take picture with someone. And if I, I don't feel like it or I'm tired, I, I always try to not stay too long, but sometimes, you know, they come for you, so it's nice to do that.
- [33:18]
A
So, yeah, I felt guilty if I wasn't available, you know, like that's how I felt. Like I felt bad if I didn't sign. You know, the, the people who were waiting when you walk off court or because I had to or, you know, after a press conference or as you're going to the cars or whatever. Like it's, it's like it, I felt like I was being, yeah. Not nice, like, dude, not swear or use a bad word on here. But that's how I felt like when I didn't do that because for the reasons right. Like that you say you Want to be available. I listened to Billie Jean King when I was 17 years old at the US Open. We got invited as juniors or when I was younger, I was 15, I think. And she spoke in the big media room and she talked about how tennis, how her generation had brought tennis to the level where we were starting to make more money, we were starting to get more attention, there was bigger TV deals and, and she goes sign every goddamn kid that is waiting on the side of the court. And I took that so to heart and I was like, yes, of course. Because I loved seeing my idols. I was in line to watch Pat Rafter win the US Open as a junior and he signed every autograph. So those moments, like they, they come back to you and they give you motivation to try and be just like them and to create those kind of moments for, you know, for the next generation that you impact.
- [34:41]
B
But can I just add one thing to that is that's what people see. You guys also are exactly this way behind the scenes and as someone who comes from the media side, there are players who will sign everything when they're out in public. And then behind the scenes when there are asks from the tours or from media or whatever it is, it's not always the same type of response. And so not that people, people don't know that about you guys, but I have seen both sides of that where Sometimes players have Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and you guys are consistent, which I know from a media perspective is so incredibly appreciated and it can also be taken advantage of and you guys have handled that like champs. So thank you from, from all of us in the media world. It's so appreciated.
- [35:32]
C
We paid her to say that.
- [35:34]
B
Good job is my check in the mail.
- [35:37]
A
We got through to her aunts, we through to her.
- [35:44]
D
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- [36:12]
B
Kim, did you want to ask about the, the PIF maternity program?
- [36:17]
A
Yeah. So tell me about that. You know, you're probably one of the, the first players who's actually, you know, really using the PIF maternity Fund that was, that came out during Indian Wells of 2025. And so what is it it like for you right now to be a part of that program or a part of that system? And what, what will it look like for you when you do decide to come back or when you're ready to come back on tour?
- [36:43]
C
Yeah, it's definitely a huge help, you know, maybe like more, more help to other players. I mean, I'm, I'm grateful that, you know the finances.
- [36:52]
A
Yeah.
- [36:53]
C
Yeah. I mean, I, I made enough money, you know, to, to, you know, to. I mean, it's, it's. The thing is some people will like, say, oh, how she doesn't need it, you know, but, you know, a baby is expensive. You know, sometimes you. I'm getting, you know, into the shopping list. And, And, and the thing is not just like, really for me it's not about the money, but the fact that, okay, we don't play, we don't get paid. It's as simple as that. And it goes even when you get injured, you know, so that's the thing with. Also the difficulty of being a woman on tour is like, if you decide to stop, okay, some people maybe not come back, you know, very quickly, but they can stay two, three years not playing. So how they supposed to, you know, handle their, their finances or anything? But I, I'm happy for this program, especially for, for other players that they can at least feel good and, and like, maybe they can stay home and take care of theirselves and really spe on themselves and on. On their baby one day. It's such an amazing thing that PIF is doing. I have spoke to people from, from PAF as well, and it was, you know, unbelievable that it happened after so many years. And I feel it like we're like 2020. I mean, last year was 2025 that we are in this year and it's finally we're doing that. You know, I hope it didn't take that long, but I, I'm happy that it. It's happening and we hope we can get more for women. You know, we struggle a lot with different things, especially being a mom. And if some people like delaying that because financially they cannot afford it, that's very tough.
- [38:37]
A
And what about afterwards, like, when like protected ranking? Like what are, what are those? Explain those kind of rules a little bit about how you can use your protected ranking. What is that ranking that you'll be able to use?
- [38:50]
C
How many torrents? I'm not happy with the ranking.
- [38:53]
A
Well, you can go up from there.
- [38:56]
C
But I mean, yeah, it's so good to have the protecting ranking, you know, especially for. For someone that maybe who cannot get as much white cards as. You know, I'm hoping the Middle east would give me a lot of white cards when it.
- [39:09]
A
When it comes up. You'll be fine. You'll get plenty of wild cards, trust me.
- [39:12]
C
I mean, I see now some people, they want the Grand Slams, they don't even give them white cards cards. It's crazy. So I'm a bit scared on that.
- [39:19]
A
But you'll be fine.
- [39:21]
C
But hopefully, yeah. I mean, the ranking is. Is great. You know, I stopped it. I mean, I stopped it for different reasons at Wimbledon, just after Wimbledon. And then again I stopped it for the pregnancy. But I'm happy that I could use it after, especially for the Grand Slams, you know, I think I can use it twice on the Grand Slams, to be honest with you. I usually don't read the rules, but now I have to read them because they kind of concern me right now. Well, I have to use them for a couple of tournaments. You know, it's great to. To get, you know, not. You don't go back from the start, like, from. I don't know. And if after one year you don't play, you lose all your points and it's really very difficult. You know, I don't honestly see myself playing 15Ks to. To come back. I would love, you know, high. Higher level of maybe 125s are good to. There's plenty now, so. Which is a good, good thing.
- [40:15]
B
Well, an Kim and I knew this was gonna be an issue, that we could talk to you, but. But at some point we do need to talk a little bit about tennis and the season. We were hoping you could help us, maybe preview some of the players we should be looking out for. But because you are a current player who has faced most of the players at the top right now, we were hoping we could just throw out a name to you and have you tell us why that player is hard to face. Does that sound good?
- [40:43]
C
Okay.
- [40:44]
B
All right, let's start at the top arena. Sabalenka.
- [40:47]
C
Yeah, I knew what you're going to sell with her. She's very hard. You know, you can see the stats, how. How fast she hits. And the thing is with her, when you. You're afraid to give her easy ball that she's going to smack and kill you with it. So you end up, you know, forcing and taking more risks and. And, you know, missing out. But for me, it's Crazy, because she doesn't like to play me, and I don't. I don't like to play her. So whoever is there to game is the one is going to win. So if I'm getting there and I'm feeling my slices and I'm. I'm getting her to every corner that she hates.
- [41:27]
A
Yeah, you break her rhythm. Frustrated. Yeah. Yeah.
- [41:30]
C
And if she's very fast and doesn't let me do my shots, that's very.
- [41:34]
A
Frustrating to me, honest with you. Like, I feel like when you played her, you really were able to take over her speed very well. Like, I feel like the more you played her, the, the better you got in control of. Like, even when she was dominating the points, you were able to know with your backhand where you maybe at times would prefer to hit a slice, really just hit a normal backhand, but, like, stay with the pace and then wait for the right moment. And I felt like, yeah, there was a period of time where I could really see, like, the improvement of adjusting to her game style and, and which is, I think, why you got to her mentally a little bit as well.
- [42:05]
C
Yeah. Trust. Trusting my game more also. And I can. And being, like, able to say, like, I can hit with them, it's fine, you know, and then one of the things I think that helped me a lot is there's a lot of players that I don't like to play on tour. I. I got to like to play against them, and that's what I helped me. I stopped, like, complaining of not liking. I don't like to play against them. I was like, okay, I love to play against them, and I would learn to love to play against them. And that's how I started beating a lot of players because I start to like to play them. Okay, let's. It's. It's on. I'm. I'm gonna try to do my slices, you know, and, and do my game, and then I'm gonna, you know, piss you off, basically.
- [42:45]
B
Who else was on that list?
- [42:48]
C
Basically big, big hitters. Yeah. Oh, my God, Petra. I tell her, like, please. Oh, my lefty, too. Like, Petra, please let me win once. I think I won once against her, and I blocked my back the next match, so. So that was it. Because I suffered a lot.
- [43:08]
B
Okay, hard hitters. Next up, IGA Svantek.
- [43:14]
C
You know, IGA is knowing by her footwork, you know, she moves unbelievable mentally. She doesn't give up. You know, it's like, you don't. You don't feel like even if she's losing 6050. It's not over until it's over with her. And she's very smart on court. She knows, you know, what to do. She opens the court very well, like on. On the side, because really, arena is. Is going there and. And. And iga, I feel like it's. Is always opening the court for you and, you know, for someone who doesn't. He wants to just finish the drop shot and finish the point, it's a bit annoying.
- [43:55]
B
Amanda Anisimova, big hitter again.
- [43:58]
C
I. I think I. I practiced once with her and basically killed me. You know, I. She, like, I remember in Cincinnati, like, I hit service like, boom. And done the. The point is over, and I'm like, I'm trying. I, like, I don't know what to do, you know, but she. She's. And I'm. I'm really, like, I'm really happy for her that she's playing well now because she's an unbelievable player and she should have been in this level, like, already five years ago or even more. But, you know, just every. Everybody takes their time. But I'm happy for her. Her. I'm really happy for her. What about Coco Golf Coco, I think a bit similar to. To iga, you know, sometimes I say she's an octopus. You know, she doesn't gets every ball. She's always there. She doesn't give up big serve. You know, sometimes it's a bit annoying when. When someone is serving well. She. She can go anywhere to. To get any ball. And, uh. But, you know, I would put her in the category of iga, you know, game more than just flat.
- [45:06]
A
Right. Right. Yeah. She hits with a little more topspin, too. Heavier ball like that, do you think?
- [45:11]
B
Ans, obviously, I think we all know that she's been working through technical issues as someone who. I think you see yourself as someone who the ball striking comes as naturally as anything for you. Do you think that Coco will be able to work through that and feel 100% comfortable out there at some point?
- [45:32]
A
I'm sure.
- [45:32]
C
I mean, that she. She did work through that. I mean, she. She already won, I think two. Two grand slams now and a lot of, you know, 1000s and she's been playing good. She's been at the great level with the same technique. So I feel like now it's a bit late to change any. Like, not. Not change, but like, it's not like the. The forehand. She's like this. But she's not going to have an. Like, there is advantages that there is Bad things in both. Both. She managed to do that from before, and I think now she can still manage to do everything. I think when you focus with something a lot, that's. It becomes too much, you know, maybe there. Yeah, you. You should let go a little bit. And. And really, like, she's one of the best servers on tour, so I think she should trust her serve more.
- [46:21]
A
Right. And that's the hard part, too, because there's so many people who keep talking about it, right? Like, oh, the four and then the serve. And. But like, like you said, she's one, two Slams, like, and you're, like, you're. You're picking it apart. You're, you know, really dissecting little things. But yeah, after a while, like, I think also for her, that has to become frustrating and. And like, almost like a. A confidence killer, you know, to constantly hear it over and over again. So, yeah, yeah, definitely.
- [46:48]
C
I feel like she really has an unbelievable forehand and surf. So the two things that most of people are criticizing she. If it wasn't, I think for these two shots, she would never win a. A Grand Slam, you know, so it's. It's her game. She just needs to adapt it to just becoming better. She did it before, so I'm sure she can do it, you know, again, I'm available.
- [47:09]
A
She also. Yeah, you have some time. A few months. Not too long. This is interesting because I feel like your technique is so sturdy, right? Like, there's no. You don't need to change anything. It's. It's compact. There's. There's no margin for error. Like, it's. It's very. Is that, like, I can talk about. This is what I love is, like, how you grew up. Like, how did you learn? Did you work with, like, a techno, like a coach? That was really good from a young age with, like, to focus on technique. I feel like in Europe especially, you know, when you're very young, like, the technique gets focused on the most, which is when I moved to the States and my two boys were playing tennis. That was. That was not the case. I don't know if you guys heard that background, but my dog just. Yeah. Side really badly. It wasn't me farting or anything. Just saying.
- [48:00]
B
All right, good to know, though. Good to know.
- [48:03]
A
Okay. All right. Sorry. But you know what I mean, like, it's. It's such a difference in approach where. The way that we are taught in Europe and. And so I'm curious, like, how that is for you. Like, how did you start?
- [48:13]
C
Like, yeah, As a kid, Tunisia is very close to Europe. So I mean, believe it or not, when I was, I think since like the young age until maybe 10, 11, I was like this. The grip really was even more than Coco. Yeah.
- [48:30]
A
Wow.
- [48:32]
C
I think. And one summer, stayed two, three months, changed the grip completely and played that because I was like, like playing like this. Completely playing like this.
- [48:44]
B
Let's go to a player with a slightly different game style. Andreyeva, you're a little butt body.
- [48:52]
C
Andrew is. She's strong, man for her age. Like, I. She hits really hard. Like, I was like, first time played her surprise. I think she was like 16 or something, and she already like smacking the ball. And I was like, whoa. Like that. She really hurt my. My shoulder, you know, so I'm like, okay. And sometimes, like, even when I go and tap on her shoulder, like I'm basically tapping a wall or something, like, you know, it's too, too strong. And I'm like, wow, this generation, I don't know what they were. They're eating, but I. I think I should start doing that. But she, she plays unbelievable, but you can see she's missing a little bit of experience. But I think in the future, she. She's a. Honestly, a great player. She has a great serve. Forehand is unbelievable. With a little bit of spin, but it's good. You know, also her. Her grip is a bit kind of closed a little bit, but she's doing a lot of damage with it. You know, that's. That's a. I mean, the different side of it. If you want to hit more flat, then you will have a different grip and you have the advantage of hitting flat and then. Then, you know, the other way around with the. With the different, you know, grips.
- [50:06]
A
Yeah. I mean, who I've watched so far, I don't know if you've watched a lot of tennis already since the season started. No, see, I've been h. To the tv. Oh, really?
- [50:15]
C
Really?
- [50:16]
B
I wanted to know this. So you're not a tennis watcher?
- [50:19]
C
I am not a tennis watcher. I like to play. Same for football. I like to play football. I don't like to watch usually. I like. I like to be in action. So I watch from time to time because Kim loves to watch. So he just opens the TV and I just watch with him and he's like, do you want to, like, know.
- [50:38]
A
I don't want to watch, you know, an like when I stopped playing and I obviously had more time to watch tennis. Right. And I started, like, did a little bit of TV and commentating. So I just, like, wanted to watch this to stay updated about it all. And the more I watched, what I realized was, like, oh, man, I'm learning so much more about, like, these players that I used to play against, things that you don't see when you're on court with them. And I was like, man, I wish I knew all this when I was playing. Like, it actually would have helped me a little bit too, you know, like, just for your own confidence, too. Like, you see players facial expressions and that they doubt and, you know, just as much or if not more than you do. And so there were, like, a lot of things that I picked up. I was like, oh, wow, that would have been interesting to have known.
- [51:18]
C
So I know, I know that will help me, but still don't do it, maybe.
- [51:25]
A
See, we're all stubborn, too, though, tennis players. We're all stubborn.
- [51:28]
C
It's like, I really, I really get bored. Like, I really get bored board. Like, I, I, I cannot stay in, in one place. Like, I need to, like, do something at the same. Like, I can watch a set, but like, to watch a long match, you know, it's, it's. Or, or it's a match, like, you know, you're willing to know who's gonna win at the end, and it's super, like, you know, it's breathtaking, you know, that, that, that would stay, you know, fair enough.
- [51:49]
B
Do you have one more Kim that you want to throw out? I kind of derailed us.
- [51:52]
A
So to go back on that last part is I've, you know, Sakari, to me, has been playing some really good tennis, and I've seen a lot of improvements since probably last year. So what is your. And her game style?
- [52:06]
C
Obviously, I haven't seen how she's playing right now, but, yeah, I think she has the advantage of being, like, super fit, and I feel like she's not exploring that 100% on, on. On court. But, yeah, she can be very dangerous. I played her at her highest level, and she, it's like really no way to, to get, you know, one point from her. If she's very solid on, on, it's like, you know, now people would say her backhand is not as good as her forehand, but actually, if the level of her backhand is high, then it takes her forehand with her, and then she can do a lot of damages because she can really block very well the, the ball with her backhand. And if she's able to do that, then, you know, she can be unstoppable with the rest.
- [52:51]
A
Awesome.
- [52:52]
C
Actually, same thing with me. If my. If my backhand really strong, then I get the confidence of. Of my forehand, and then I can. I can really do whatever I want. And that could, you know, take my slices better, my drop shot better, and everything goes up, you know?
- [53:05]
B
Anyone we should be on the lookout for in 2026? On the women's side or on the men's side?
- [53:10]
C
What else, man? For someone who doesn't watch tennis, But still, like, I already forgot half of the girls playing now, you know, if you don't have the list in front of you, like, you can remember, you know, so that's fair. Okay. I don't know. I would say Maria. Let's put Maria out there.
- [53:33]
B
I love that.
- [53:33]
A
Yeah.
- [53:33]
C
I hope she does a great season. She's playing good. I mean. I mean, playing good on flash score is playing good for me.
- [53:41]
B
Flash score user. I love it. Okay, Anz, we want to be respectful of your time. Can we finish with a few rapid fire questions?
- [53:50]
A
Let's go.
- [53:52]
B
All right. What day of your life would you relive over and over if you could?
- [53:57]
A
Sorry.
- [53:58]
C
I don't know why I'm laughing. Oh, wow. A day that I would live. If someone. I would say. I mean, the thing is, I would want to say one of the finest. But I lost all of them, so I would go to the semifinal.
- [54:15]
B
Okay. Do you. Do you have a favorite semi?
- [54:20]
C
I love the semi that I played arena against. So I was really, like, satisfied with the level and especially, like, winning Elena and then arena, like, back to back. That was unbelievable.
- [54:31]
A
Mine's probably a little bit easier. Your favorite meal when you're not playing a tournament where you say, like, I'm going, like, I'm gonna treat myself. I don't have to worry about whatever calories and all that stuff. Like, this is what I'm going for.
- [54:46]
C
I don't count calories usually, so no. But my. My mom's couscous favorite. You know, it's so good, it's not, like, really not healthy. You know, couscous is one of the healthiest grain, so it's. It's really, really good. You know, I just enjoy it, and I never learned to cook it, unfortunately, but maybe one day.
- [55:08]
A
Yeah, we need the recipe for that.
- [55:09]
C
You go. You guys are invited. If you saw. You saw Netflix a lot. It's got popular on Netflix on my episode because my mom was cooking the couscous, and everybody wanted to come, so. So.
- [55:22]
B
I mean, love all girls. Trip. I'm in what's your most used phone app?
- [55:29]
C
Think. Instagram and WhatsApp both. Okay, I don't like Tik Tok.
- [55:34]
A
Same.
- [55:36]
B
I'm trying to talk him into it.
- [55:38]
A
She's like, yeah, so we're going to do a Tik Tok. I'm like, I don't even have the app. Like, that's what my kids do. Like, I don't do Tik Tok. Like, yeah, if you weren't a tennis player. This is a hard one that I always find really hard to think about because that's all I've kind of thought of when I was a kid. From when I was a kid. What would you want to be if you weren't a tennis player?
- [56:00]
C
That's not tough because, you know, Blair, I think, maybe asked me this before. You know, she asked me a lot of questions, and maybe one of them, it's probably true. So I've always wanted to be a doctor, but knowing how much study you need to do to become a doctor and how many years it takes you, I think I changed my mind a little bit. I love psychology a lot, so it's not far. I love. Basically, I love helping people. I love to talk. I love to, you know, get into, like, what's bothering you? This and that. I think Blair knows, but she. I didn't get the chance from Blair to open up to me, unfortunately, and do my. You know, we'll keep that for the.
- [56:40]
A
For the couscous meal.
- [56:41]
B
Yeah, 100%. Let's film it.
- [56:44]
C
We.
- [56:44]
B
We'll get into all the deep stuff. But I think maybe a good one to end on ons is, what's the best advice you've ever received?
- [56:54]
C
Best advice that I've ever received. And if someone is watching this, they don't think I get a lot of advices, but I do. I just forget them. But, I mean, I've used them before. I'm sure. I think for me is when. When someone tells me to be myself and. And be happy. And also one of the things that I've, I think, in learned, I can't remember from where because I try to read a lot of books, spiritual books, not crazy reading like iga, but, you know, I like to read the nice, nice books. That's again, like I would say to treat someone how I want to be treated. You know, I really. This is something that I go by and I think is really important.
- [57:43]
A
I feel like you've always been somebody from. You know, we've obviously never played each other, but from when I met you, on tour and stuff. No, thankfully for me. You're like. Your slides is like, Justine, like, what I hated, too. But you've always, like, your energy has always been so good. Right. And I think that's where, like, you have people who are very kind of analytic, and then you have people who are very kind of, Of, Yeah. In tune with their energy and think about the energy. And I've always really admired that about you on and off the court. You just bring good energy to the people around you and to this crazy tennis world that we spend so many years of our life in. And I really, really enjoy watching that.
- [58:30]
C
Thank you. I mean, if you spread good energy, you get the good ones, so I truly believe in that. So whatever you attract, you get it.
- [58:38]
A
Yep. It's that simple. An. It's that simple.
- [58:42]
B
No. Right. Gosh, just jot it down. Best advice I've ever received. Right there. That's. That's when somebody asks me the question it came from on. But this has been such a pleasure.
- [58:51]
C
I'll ask you that.
- [58:52]
B
Yeah, please. Please do.
- [58:55]
C
We'll see.
- [58:56]
B
I have to know, are you taking a break from motorcycle riding at this point? That was your, that was your break hobby? Are we, are we actively riding motorcycles still?
- [59:10]
C
No, I'm not, I'm not. But, you know, the thing is, I fell down once when I was pregnant, and I didn't know I was pregnant, and I was just learning, and I was like, boom, you know, a very stupid mistake that I made. But then, you know, one month into taking, you know, the courses and everything, I found out I was pregnant. I was like, no way I'm going to stop now, now, because, like, no way. I just, like, I'm literally, like, in, in two weeks, I'm going to have my exam, so I'm not going to waste all what I have learned for. But I decided as soon as I, I, I, I get the, you know, my driver license, I would stop.
- [59:49]
A
And, you know, what motors do you want to ride? Like, what kind of motorbike?
- [59:54]
C
I love Harley Davidson, but Harley. Yeah, Har. I love, I, I love the sports one, but they're really, like, fast.
- [60:01]
A
I need to learn, like, you know, ducat bodies yet.
- [60:05]
C
Yeah, yeah. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Let's push this baby out and then we'll see.
- [60:10]
A
I'll sit on the back. I'll be holding you. Please be careful.
- [60:14]
C
But, you know, it's everything around it, you know, it's like, I want to be like, you know, this, you know, getting out of the motorcycle and Taking off the helmet and the wind goes like this. And all the leather that I'm wearing, you know, it's, you know, it's a thing, you know.
- [60:26]
A
Yeah.
- [60:27]
B
So I can't wait. Cannot wait.
- [60:30]
C
Maybe, maybe in Cincinnati or one, I don't know, somewhere I would arrive with my motorcycle. Cool.
- [60:35]
A
So it's couscous. It's. It's motorbike. Yeah. We have a lot of things on the schedule.
- [60:40]
B
Anz. Thank you again.
- [60:41]
C
Thank you for having me.
- [60:42]
A
Enjoy the last few months of the pregnancy. I will keep in touch.
- [60:47]
C
We'll send you the baby picture.
- [60:49]
A
Yes, please.
- [60:50]
B
You better.
- [60:52]
A
All the best to Karim.
- [60:53]
C
Thank you.
- [60:53]
A
Bye.
- [60:54]
C
Thank you.
- [60:54]
B
Bye, friends.
- [60:54]
C
Thank you.
- [60:55]
A
Bye.
- [60:56]
B
That was so fun. Ans is the best Kim. I could have talked to her forever, but we had to cut it somewhere. Did any takeaways for you?
- [61:07]
A
I just love how laid back she is. I think the way that she is on the tennis tour, that's what we saw here. And she can make fun of herself. She is caring, loving, and wants to spread that good energy and I think I love that about her. So excited to see the next few months that she has ahead and a big life changing moment will happen to her and. Yeah. But exciting to keep our eye on her and to see, you know, when she'll start practicing and when she'll start doing all those kind of things. So it was great to talk to her and get a, get an update.
- [61:40]
B
I know we got to send her a love all onesie. We got to get our merch game going. Kim. Let's put it on the to do list.
- [61:47]
A
All right.
- [61:48]
B
All right. Well, that brings us to a segment that I teased at the beginning of the show. It's called favorite follows, where we are going to tell you who we are loving to follow. That's probably not the best way to. To phrase that, but our. Our favorite follows right now. It could be a tennis account. It could be a non tennis account. It could be, I don't know, someone offline who knows. But Kim, tell us who you're following.
- [62:12]
A
Mine is definitely not a tennis account, but it is very usable for maybe players in my former players in my situation. And I have for. I don't know if you guys can see it, but her name is Heidi Barlow. She is a pelvic floor women's physio and I absolutely love her. She reminds me to do my pelvic floor exercises and my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I'll do them in bed. I'll do them when I'm cooking in the kitchen. And I think she's absolutely great. She's from Sydney, so it kind of suits, you know, where the tennis season is taking us. And as an Australian, she's my. Yeah. My current favorite woman to follow. Her name is again, Heidi Barlo. Women's Health with Heidi. And I'm a big fan.
- [63:07]
B
I love it, so.
- [63:08]
A
And I can use it. Yes.
- [63:10]
B
Those of you who thought Kim was bedridden and. And not doing anything with that Achilles, she was working out.
- [63:18]
A
Working out.
- [63:19]
B
A true athlete, Kim Kleister.
- [63:21]
C
Well, thank you.
- [63:23]
B
Thank you for our inaugural favorite follow. I'm not gonna top that, but I wanna shout out my friend Courtney Nguyen, who used to write for the WTA and now she is putting together this newsletter called Bagel Bites, which gives you all of the headlines that you need to know. If you, especially at this time of year, can't keep up with it all, I fall into that category. So she is linking quotes, she's linking action. And again, it's just so hard to keep up with everything that happens in tennis throughout the course of the year. It's a great little newsletter. You can find. Find her on blue sky at 40 deuce twits and you can sign up from there.
- [64:01]
A
But really cool.
- [64:02]
B
Bagel Bites it is.
- [64:03]
A
Thanks.
- [64:04]
B
All right, well, while you are signing up for Courtney's newsletter, make sure to follow us at LoveAll Podcast on all socials. You can also search Love All Podcasts wherever you get your podcast and make sure to follow us there. We'll also be on the Served feed, but come on in, guys. This is going to be a fun community to be a part of. I'm excited about it. Kim, you're pumped.
- [64:25]
A
We're ready for 2026. Yes. Ready to go, Ready to watch tennis and share the news.
- [64:31]
B
We'll see you all next week.