← Served with Andy Roddick
Served with Andy Roddick
Top Players Threaten Boycott, Hailey Baptiste Interview & More | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters
01:08:26
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- [00:02]
Blair
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- [00:28]
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- [01:04]
Kim Kleisters
Hi everyone. Welcome to our new episode of Love All. Really excited again. Like, I feel very, very lucky that we get to have some really, really great women on on the show and today is no other. Hayley Baptiste is joining us. She is in Rome, had an amazing two weeks in Madrid where she beat Saba Lanka, made it semifinals of the Madrid Open. And and so we get to kind of pick her brain a little bit and talk about where, you know, where she felt like she started to feel more comfortable out there and confident enough where she's able to beat players like Sabalenka. So really looking forward to, to that one.
- [01:42]
Blair
Yeah, I am so excited. Kim, how are you doing in life? How's life treating you?
- [01:46]
Kim Kleisters
Life is good. Life is good. We finally have some, some sunshine in New Jersey and so I'm yeah, we feel like we all handled the Disney trip well and everybody's back into their normal routine of school and basketball and getting everything, everything done. So life is back to normal and I actually planned on I'm going to the French Open for a few days the week of qualifying. Actually. I'm gonna go out there and and watch watch some tennis boots on the ground.
- [02:17]
Blair
I cannot wait to see the Kim Kleisters inside scoop behind the scenes. Watch out. You're gonna see the influence Kim Kleister's
- [02:27]
Kim Kleisters
of Love all don't get people's hopes up lair.
- [02:30]
Blair
She's going to be out there taking selfie videos showing, showing our Love all fans what it's like to be behind the scenes at Rolling Heroes, which for those who, who haven't maybe seen the fact that really the Whole player area or most of it is underneath the grounds. It's actually one of the most unusual and unique and obviously there are many tournaments. The Australian Open also has, has sort of that underground tunnel system. But at Roland Garros it legit feels like there are two worlds. There's the, the ground level and then there is what's happening underneath. I feel like it's like a little ant city.
- [03:06]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah. And I'm excited because I haven't been back. You know, I haven't. I don't always see like when you miss a year or two, like, I feel like it. They just keep improving the ground so much now and, and the French Open, I know a few years ago they put a bid in on a property that was like near Euro Disney, right, Like on, on one of the, the grounds there. And they ended up not doing, not getting it and then just really putting in a lot of money into the renovations of the grounds there. And it's almost like the only place you can go is underground. Right. Because I feel like everything is so compact and unlike, let's say the US Open where you have so much space in between the courts and you can walk around where you don't have that there. But it's still a really, really great vibe. And I'm so excited to go back and someone posted like I saw something on social media where it was like my cap PI final 2001. I was like, wait, that was 25, 25 years. I was like, oh my God, wait,
- [04:06]
Blair
where did time go?
- [04:07]
Kim Kleisters
Like, how is this all going so fast? But yeah, that's life I guess, right?
- [04:13]
Blair
Yeah, we need to do a deep dive on that match for sure. So lots to talk about once Roland Garrow starts the first. We've got action in Rome and as promised, an interview with 24 year old Haley Baptiste, who's sitting at her career high ranking of 25 in the world. We had so much fun talking to her after that. We'd love to have you stick around though because we have headlines for you. The word boycott is being thrown around in Rome press rooms and of course we have rec room for you as well. Take a listen.
- [04:42]
Kim Kleisters
Hailey, thank you so much for joining us. We're super excited to get the chance to talk to you. You've had an amazing, I feel like few months right, where you've been playing great and we see your confidence just go up and up on. But the semifinals in Madrid and the whole event there, like tell me a little bit like what you took away from those two weeks There.
- [05:05]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I mean, it's great tournament for me. Probably the best tournament I've ever had. It was definitely a special one. I was there with my two basically brothers, Franklin Tiafo and William Woodall, two guys that I've grown up with and known since I was, like, five years old. So incredible to share that moment with them. But, yeah, I mean, obviously leaving there with a lot of confidence and happy to be back on the red clay. The red clay is my favorite surface. So, yeah, to be able to get those results, it just feels really good. And obviously I had some good results in Miami, and so I'm sure people were questioning whether I would be able to back that up and, you know, to prove some people wrong. Felt good.
- [05:50]
Blair
Are you sure you're an American, that red clay is your favorite surface? I don't know that I've ever heard that come out of an American. American mouth in my life. It.
- [05:57]
Haley Baptiste
It is. It is kind of shocking, but jtcc, the club I grew up at, we have two red clay cores. And I spoke. I spent quite a bit of time there. And I don't know, I just. I've always loved the red clay. I love sliding around and. I don't know. Just fun to me.
- [06:15]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah. I was talking to my husband during the. During the Madrid tournament, and, you know, he plays basketball and. And I was, like, telling him about. Like I told Bear about that yesterday when we were kind of preparing a little bit for today. And I was like, haley looks so calm and in control when she's out there. Like, she doesn't feel rushed. Like, she doesn't feel like she loses balance on the surface. And he's like, yeah, she's like. She's like, dancing, like. Look at dancing. Like. Like, that's what she. Like, she has the. She has control. She doesn't feel rushed. She's in charge. Like, that's what she reminds me of. I'm like, yeah, that's probably. That's a good comparison.
- [06:47]
Haley Baptiste
I like.
- [06:49]
Kim Kleisters
And I said, yeah, that's probably like, what that. What that feeling is. Right? To just be. Yeah, you have the strength and the power, but you also have the finesse to slide around and to come in. And the, you know, that combination, like, I think, is, yeah, really, really cool to see. And, yeah, more and more players are going to really, like, be like. Look at the draw and be like, she in my section, damn it. Like, you know. Yeah.
- [07:12]
Haley Baptiste
I mean, that's the goal for sure.
- [07:13]
Kim Kleisters
So are you. So are you going to be seated at the French or Not yet.
- [07:18]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I will be. Yay. Yeah.
- [07:21]
Kim Kleisters
First time.
- [07:22]
Haley Baptiste
It'll be my first slam that I'm seeing it, so.
- [07:24]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah.
- [07:25]
Haley Baptiste
Exciting.
- [07:26]
Kim Kleisters
Very exciting. Very exciting. It's a big. Get the draw printed out and highlight it for the first time and frame it. It's a good. Good memorabilia right there, so I'm super excited.
- [07:42]
Haley Baptiste
French has honestly always been, like, the slam that I wanted to win. Like, growing up, Rafa was my favorite player, and, you know, he won it every single year, so it was. It was always, like, my favorite slam. And obviously it's on red clay, so I'm super excited to get over there.
- [08:00]
Kim Kleisters
So, Haley, when you go there, like, I'm gonna give you a little bit of, like, my personal kind of experience is go and try to play on. On Philippe Chatrier, on Susan Langlen. Like, don't. Don't hit just on those tennis courts because it's such a big court. There's so much space. And I remember just always feeling a little bit, like, out of place when I played on. On center court. So try to just. Yeah. As. As much as you can, like, go out and practice there.
- [08:32]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah. Last year I got to round a 16, and I played on Susan Longland, and, yeah, it was just completely different feel. And I definitely. I definitely felt that just, like, lost. And it's just disappointing because you're like, damn, like, if I just felt a little bit more comfortable, like, maybe things could have been better. But, yeah, no, I definitely am going to prioritize, like, trying to practice on those courts because I'm expecting myself to be playing on them.
- [09:00]
Kim Kleisters
So, yeah, it's right. Like, it's also visually right, like. Like, it looks like Susan Longland, like, looks and feels different than Philippe Chatrier. And then you have the smaller corner, like, the. The smaller courts. They're just. Yeah, it's just so different. So I just.
- [09:14]
Haley Baptiste
It's all different.
- [09:15]
Kim Kleisters
They feel completely different. And you can kind of catch yourself a little bit. Like, you can get caught off guard, like, when you walk out there, like, oh, like, why timing off now? Or, like, why am I, like, a little bit, you know, like, off balance more so. Yeah, really try to get as many as you can.
- [09:31]
Haley Baptiste
100.
- [09:32]
Kim Kleisters
Are you playing anything the week before the French? Are you going to practice out there?
- [09:36]
Haley Baptiste
I think so. I'm playing obviously, here in Rome, and then I think I'll probably just practice that first week before, get used to everything and get my bearings in Paris. Yeah. Get ready.
- [09:51]
Kim Kleisters
I haven't told you yet, Blair, but I'm gonna be at the French for the qualifying week. I'm gonna fly out there for a few days.
- [09:56]
Blair
So. Jealous.
- [09:57]
Kim Kleisters
I'm excited. So I'll see you there, Haley.
- [09:59]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I'll see you there, for sure.
- [10:00]
Blair
Do you like Euro life? Are you. Because, you know, we've heard some of our friends talking about their European pet peeves. Do you like the European life?
- [10:11]
Haley Baptiste
I don't know if I could be European, but I do enjoy my time here. The, you know, the eight, nine weeks is really nice. I love it. And then I'm dying to go home. But it. I do really enjoy. I. I like the fact that the food is super clean here. Yeah. And the lifestyle is much different. It's a lot more relaxed, I feel, than in the US Everybody's so busy, busy. So. No, I definitely. I definitely enjoy it, my time here.
- [10:39]
Blair
You have talked about the biggest change in your game. Obviously, we've seen consistency, and there's been great decision making, but you sort of credit that to what's happening in between the ears. And I was wondering if you could specify for us. Are you thinking about something specific in those tight moments? Are you trying to not think about something? Are you redirecting the mental energy? Can you hone in on what the change actually is?
- [11:08]
Haley Baptiste
I mean, I would say, like, the biggest thing is, yeah, obviously my mind. I feel like my mind is a lot stronger. And that was, like, kind of a choice that I made, obviously came with practice, but I just decided that I was not going to allow myself to be a reason for losing matches anymore. Just stop battling myself, really, and almost like, enjoy when I get into those moments of frustration and with my back against the wall, just believing that I can get out of that situation, like, no matter what it is, down match points, up match points, and just, like, having that belief in myself and the confidence to get out of those position situations. And, yeah, I mean, it's obviously shown in my results, and I just have, like, so much confidence in my mind
- [11:57]
Kim Kleisters
now when I watch you now, Haley, like, I feel like there's a maturity that's been added on to your. Your tennis game. Do you think that. Did that come because of, like, what. What was happening in between the ears? Or is it because you started working different on court or with the coach? Like. Like where it's like the chicken and the egg, right? Like, where is it? Is it. Were you doing different work in practice that made you more confident or that build your belief? Or is it just, you know, a tennis player's kind of time of having more experience and playing bigger opponents and bigger, on bigger stages, that helps you get through that as well. Like, where do. What came first? Like, is it the confidence or is it kind of in between the ears, a different mindset that grows the confidence?
- [12:43]
Haley Baptiste
I would say that, yeah, I got to some positions where I was playing bigger players and bigger courts and bigger tournaments, and I was just not where I needed to be. And, like, it was just very clear the things that I needed to change and be better at. And so, yeah, then I started working much harder off the court, like, not even on the tennis court, in the gym. I started working harder and just challenging my mind in that way. And then in matches, you know, I felt more confident physically, so that was out of the picture. And then I really, like, could just focus fully on my mental and, you know, winning the match. And, yeah, it took me a while to kind of figure things out, I think, but I feel like right now I'm in a really good place and I've learned a lot about myself and the past year, and I know what things are going to make me feel confident within my head when I'm at a tournament and leading up to a tournament so that I can go in and feel my best. And I think that's what's most important, is just knowing yourself and knowing how to set yourself up for success.
- [13:52]
Blair
If anyone watched your match against Arena Sabalenka, which you won, took out the world number one, the defending Madrid champion, and saw you save six match points, they would have not only witnessed an incredible tennis match, but they would have seen you save two of those six match points with a second serve and volley, which it's not something we see every day. We barely see first serves and volleys. And I was reading an interview that your coach, Will Woodall, did where he said he really wants to let you be creative. Is that an example of your creativity? What goes into the thought process in deciding to do that in one of the most high pressure moments of your career?
- [14:37]
Haley Baptiste
Sometimes you don't think and you just. You just go off what feels right. You're just a badass.
- [14:43]
Kim Kleisters
That's what it is, if that's what
- [14:44]
Haley Baptiste
you want to call it.
- [14:46]
Kim Kleisters
That's what I call it.
- [14:47]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I think that. I think that I. Yeah, sometimes I just don't think. And I do, like, play off my instincts, and my instincts can be a little crazy sometimes, and I actually have a tendency to hit a serving ball off my second serve. So people that have, you know, watched me play some matches and watch me grow up have seen that. And some of my friends are like, oh, they knew that I was gonna do that. But obviously it's just such an uncommon thing to do. So everybody's like, what the hell is she thinking doing that? But for me, I was like, okay, I have to go that, like, this is the play that I have to do.
- [15:24]
Kim Kleisters
So.
- [15:24]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I don't know. I think that. Yeah, sometimes when you don't think magic can happen, right?
- [15:30]
Kim Kleisters
But. But the impact that that has, like, even, you know, on somebody like Sabalenka too, right? Like, it's. It's such a. Yeah, but, like, it literally badass move, like, to be able to do that. Like, so many players fall back into. Like, I don't want to miss. I don't want to make the mistake. Please, please miss the return. Right. There's so many players who think that way, but, like, yeah, it's great that you're, you know, have that kind of mindset where you want to do that and go for it, and it's.
- [15:54]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [15:55]
Kim Kleisters
And it paid off, and it will only grow that instinct and that. Which is great.
- [16:00]
Blair
Are you a creative person? Are you creative in real life? Are you. Is that how you describe yourself?
- [16:07]
Kim Kleisters
Draw me, crocodile, please. Let me see.
- [16:11]
Haley Baptiste
So, I mean, I think I'm pretty creative. I mean, I used to paint a lot when I was younger. I kind of fell out of that hobby. But, yeah, I mean, I'm really into music, and I attempted to make my own music, but it didn't go very far.
- [16:30]
Blair
Wait, there's still time, Haley. There's still time.
- [16:33]
Kim Kleisters
You're still a baby.
- [16:35]
Haley Baptiste
I get it.
- [16:35]
Blair
On Spotify, you. There are many tennis players who have gone before you. We can set you up.
- [16:40]
Haley Baptiste
I don't know if I want to join them.
- [16:45]
Blair
Oh, my gosh. You might be the next Lorenzo Sonico. Who knows?
- [16:49]
Haley Baptiste
I guess.
- [16:51]
Kim Kleisters
What do you listen to before, like, your games?
- [16:56]
Haley Baptiste
Honestly, it's. It's honestly different every week. Last week, I was listening to a lot of R B before, like, and sometimes I. I often listen to, like, calm music before I go on just because my head is, like, usually racing a lot. And so the music, like, just kind of brings my tone down. And sometimes I need to be hyped up, so I'll listen to, like, crunk rap or. I don't know. It's. It's literally changes every week. So I can't tell you. Like, I have a to go. Go to encore walk on playlist, playlist or anything? No, no, not at all.
- [17:37]
Blair
I wanted to Ask Haley. Just going back to when you were a kid and you talked about, you know, Franklin and Will being like your brothers and having them sitting in your box. But the odds were really stacked against you in just about every way because it's been so well documented how expensive tennis is. And we've seen the Washington Post did a story about the GoFundMe that your mom made. It's been almost 10 years ago now, where she almost described tennis as your destiny. And I'm curious if you. If you felt like that was true, but. But you had to really scrape to make things work. So before we talk about your destiny, what are some of the sacrifices that your family had to make to. To make sure that you could end up where you are today?
- [18:22]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I mean, they had to, you know, basically spend whatever money that they made in extra pocket money on me and traveling and getting me to tournaments. There is sometime when I started eventually traveling out of the country. You know, they couldn't afford to go with me, so I was going there alone. Luckily I had the help of USA for some of them to be able to travel with the team. But yeah, I mean, we were in a, you know, super wealthy family and tennis is extremely expensive and you know, with equipment, travel, coaching and just everything is a tough, tough thing to keep up with for, you know, our family at least. So, yeah, I mean, they sacrificed a ton and, you know, they have been supporting me since I started playing and until today, they're my biggest supporters and so I have to credit, you know, a lot to them.
- [19:20]
Kim Kleisters
But I was lucky enough to meet the whole family in, in West Virginia when we played World team.
- [19:25]
Haley Baptiste
Quite some time there.
- [19:26]
Kim Kleisters
Yes. We were stuck. How long was it? Like three weeks, four weeks? Three weeks.
- [19:31]
Haley Baptiste
I was losing my mind by the end quarantine.
- [19:35]
Kim Kleisters
It was the Greenbrier beautiful resort hotel and. And. But we were, you know, lucky that we were able to play. And what was it? We got, like, tested every couple of days or three days or something. Yep. You know, back in the day when they were going really hot, like pretty high up too.
- [19:54]
Blair
I just know that Haley has some pretty vivid memories of you both you and Venus Williams from the Greenbrier. Can you from your perspective, tell us what that was like? To what? Because how old were you at the time? Like a teenager?
- [20:09]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I think I was like. I think I was 18 or 18. Yeah.
- [20:13]
Kim Kleisters
When was it? 2021.
- [20:15]
Haley Baptiste
2020? Yeah. 2020? Yeah. Maybe the end of 2020, something like that.
- [20:20]
Blair
So you had Kim and Venus at your disposal giving you life advice.
- [20:25]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah. Give us.
- [20:26]
Blair
Set the scene.
- [20:28]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah.
- [20:28]
Haley Baptiste
I mean, it was. I think, towards the end, everybody was kind of losing their minds, and we're all. At the end of the night, everybody had dinner and stuff, and somehow I got sat in between Kim and Venus, and they were kind of just going back and forth, like, telling me, giving me advice and telling me things, and I was like, what the. Like, what's. Like, it just felt like a giant. It did not feel real. And I was like, wow. And then the next morning, I woke up, and I was like, was that really happening? Like, it just. It really felt insane. But, yeah, it was amazing.
- [21:01]
Kim Kleisters
It was. I. I think, look, probably maybe, like, a cool experience for you, but it was also not an easy experience to be a part of because, you know, like, a player from whatever team, like, was like, ah, Like, I got hurt or something. And he would be, like, still in a room, you know, like, where's Hell? Yeah. She was like, the reserve.
- [21:18]
Haley Baptiste
I was literally, like. I was sleeping one time, taking a nap, and I got a call from Matt, and he's like, where are you at? And I was like, I'm, like, napping, and he's like, all right, yeah, you gotta play a match in, like, 20 minutes. And I was, like, scrambling around, like, trying to get my match clothes on. And, Yeah, I mean, it was. It was crazy, but it was a very cool experience still. And we were, yeah, very lucky to be able to do that at the time where there was a little to no tennis going on.
- [21:48]
Kim Kleisters
So that's where I got to meet your mom and dad and kind of get a feel for, you know, the. The impact that, yeah, tennis has, but also the connections and. And how close you guys are. So that was really, really nice to see. So are they there with you this week?
- [22:04]
Haley Baptiste
My dad's here with me. Yeah. My mom, I think, is going to join me in Paris, so. Yeah. Yeah. Looking forward to it.
- [22:11]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah, that'll be fun.
- [22:12]
Blair
Hayley, did you get more texts about beating the world number one or that insane racket break over your knee that was documented by a Getty photographer. And, like, it's already on T shirts, like, I want to buy.
- [22:26]
Haley Baptiste
I know. I know. The. Yeah, the racket break was pretty insane in the moment. You know, it didn't feel great, but once I saw the photo and the circulation online, I was like, okay, not bad. Maybe it was an investment.
- [22:39]
Kim Kleisters
It looked really good with, like, your black outfit. And then, like, yeah, you know, the clay in the background, like, it was just. Yeah, it's Definitely like a piece of art when you frame it.
- [22:49]
Haley Baptiste
Like my entire family, like, they're planning on getting it, it all framed in each of their houses.
- [22:55]
Kim Kleisters
So we, we want, we said last time we said that a couple, when it happened.
- [23:00]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, Madison Keys came up to me the other day and she was like, I'm thinking about getting it framed and putting it in my house.
- [23:06]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah, I want that. That's. You know, back in the day they had this, the famous tennis picture of the girl where she puts the ball under her skirt. Remember?
- [23:14]
Haley Baptiste
Oh, remember that picture?
- [23:16]
Kim Kleisters
And so this is going to be the next one. Like this is, this is women's tennis now. Like, none of that. Like, this is, this is the power that we bring. So, yes, when I see you in Paris, I'm going to get one and I'm going to ask you to sign it. There you go.
- [23:31]
Haley Baptiste
Oh, 100%. All right, I can do that for you.
- [23:33]
Kim Kleisters
No, thank you. Thank you.
- [23:36]
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- [24:07]
Kim Kleisters
Hayley, explain a little bit about Francis's impact on you, like with his, his, his experience over the last few years, like, of being, you know, where he's gotten to with his level, the good and the bad experiences. Right. Like how, how's he been able to, to impact you now that you've gotten to, you know, top 32 and top 50 like before. Like, what, what impact has he been able to, to bring to your career?
- [24:30]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I mean, I've been able to, you know, watch him since he was in the juniors and playing and then it, and then starting on the ITF circuit, challengers and everything and like pretty much, you know, follow behind him every step of the way. And you see all the challenges he's faced, you know, with transitioning from each of those levels and, you know, changing coaches, having struggles of being on tour and, you know, I've been just so lucky to have him and be able to lean on him when I've gone through whatever I've problems I've come across and whatever boundaries have you Know, gotten in my way. He's been, like, right by my side to help me with anything and, you know, give me advice, even through good things. After beating world number one last week, you know, he's bring me back down to earth a couple of days later and be like, okay, you have more work to do, and, like, the next tournament starting next week. And so, I mean, he's definitely been a mentor and somebody that I've looked up to for almost my entire life, but also like, my brother and. And one of my best friends. So, yeah, our relationship, very, very special.
- [25:47]
Kim Kleisters
That's really nice to have on tour. It's. It's.
- [25:49]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [25:49]
Kim Kleisters
Rare, right? Yeah, very.
- [25:52]
Blair
I have a style question for you. I. So. So you wear a lot of the Jumpman stuff. I know there was a. And I don't know exactly how that works. Obviously, Nike is your sponsor. Jumpman is sort of like a brand within Nike, but, I mean, are there crossover hopes, dreams? I feel like any time tennis can sort of make its way into the consciousness of another sport, it's a huge opportunity, and vice versa. Have you thought about, like, what's the dream? Collab.
- [26:25]
Haley Baptiste
I'm definitely trying to, you know, work my way into the right person's ear and make something happen with that. I think I would fit the Jordan brand pretty, pretty well, and I'm sure they would love to get involved in tennis somehow. I know it would be exciting for fans and people, so, I mean, you never know. But, yeah, I would definitely love to do that.
- [26:49]
Kim Kleisters
Well, we love it. I think Jada even mentions it's like, mom, she's so cool. Like, she was here, and she's like, mom, she's so cool. She doesn't look like the normal tennis player, like, where you have the skirt. And, you know, she's like, I love that she's like that. And she's plays basketball, so that's probably where she, you know, relates. And. Yeah, so that was. That was fun to kind of see through. Through her eyes a little bit as well.
- [27:11]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't know. In due time, maybe I'll be supporting and wearing the Jumpman brand. I love that.
- [27:19]
Blair
So it will. If they're smart, somebody should be getting on that sooner than later. Okay. Obviously, it's so important for you to have your people around you. You know, with Franklin and Will, your coach, who, again, Kim and I were talking about this yesterday, you're to the point in your career where you could have maybe gotten a coach that has coached other top players, and Will is is relatively new to this space. He's, I think, only 26, right?
- [27:47]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [27:48]
Blair
Yeah. And so in addition to that, you also have your dog on the road with you, which I will always ask about. Sweet Oscar, who is adorable. How is Oscar doing with his hotel potty training? How is that going? Where. It's a working.
- [28:07]
Haley Baptiste
It's a work in progress, for sure.
- [28:09]
Kim Kleisters
So what does that mean? Like, he pees on the rug in the hotel room?
- [28:12]
Haley Baptiste
Well, not the rug, but he has a bad habit of peeing on the shower towel mat, so at least they can wash those pretty easily. But, you know, I put the pee pads in the room, and I walk him a ton, but I don't know what it is with him in the towel by the shower. It's just. I don't know.
- [28:30]
Kim Kleisters
He's created my feet to get on a bathroom towel rug. Like, it's nice. Like, nice.
- [28:35]
Haley Baptiste
So I get. Yeah. Something comforting about it, I guess.
- [28:38]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah. But he's like, hey, I recognize. This is the only thing that I recognize.
- [28:48]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah. So, I mean, other than that, he's doing great. He loves the attention that he gets being on site. Everybody is obsessed with him, and he's got a few doggy friends on tour as well with him, so I think he likes the tour life, and he has no idea what's going on outside of anything else.
- [29:06]
Kim Kleisters
How is he on the plane?
- [29:07]
Haley Baptiste
On the plane, he's great.
- [29:09]
Kim Kleisters
He.
- [29:09]
Haley Baptiste
He goes in his little travel bag, and he just falls asleep. I mean, he. He goes in his bag. Even when we're at home in the room, he just will jump in, and it's a comfort. Comfort place. So. Yeah.
- [29:20]
Blair
Kim, should we finish with some rapid fire?
- [29:23]
Kim Kleisters
Yes, sure.
- [29:24]
Blair
All right, Haley, what's your favorite app on your phone or most used app on your phone?
- [29:29]
Haley Baptiste
Probably Instagram.
- [29:30]
Blair
You have a favorite follow?
- [29:32]
Haley Baptiste
A favorite follow? That's a good question, Jumpman. Not yet. Waiting on that one.
- [29:41]
Kim Kleisters
Oh, yeah.
- [29:42]
Blair
Okay.
- [29:44]
Haley Baptiste
Favorite followers I'm trying to think of, like, because I got some pretty cool ones last week. I'm trying to think of who. Who they were.
- [29:52]
Blair
I love that you're looking at it as I was thinking the favorite person you follow, but now tell us. No, no. Now you got to tell us who's following you. Who's following you now?
- [30:01]
Haley Baptiste
Okay. Anthony Anderson was one comedian who. Who followed me and messaged me. That was really cool. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. Then Wanda Sykes, another comedian.
- [30:13]
Kim Kleisters
No way.
- [30:14]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [30:15]
Blair
Wanda's at the U.S. open every year.
- [30:18]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [30:19]
Kim Kleisters
Lady. Like, she speaks.
- [30:20]
Haley Baptiste
Like, is she?
- [30:22]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah, I think so.
- [30:26]
Haley Baptiste
Oh, Lisa. Leslie. That was a really cool one.
- [30:28]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah.
- [30:30]
Haley Baptiste
And, I mean, I've got. I've gotten some pretty good ones. Those are the most recent ones that I could find. But favorite person that I'm following, I'm usually on. What I'm spending the most time on is, like, reels, like, and it's mostly just dog videos, and I'm just, like, sending those back and forth to all my friends.
- [30:56]
Blair
Dog videos. Good to know. All right, go ahead, Kim.
- [30:58]
Kim Kleisters
If you could take a shot from another player like that, you say, like. Oh, I would like to add that to my. There's not many. I think that. Because you probably have the big. The big arsenal that a lot. You know, that a lot of players don't have. If you could pick something from. From another player, male or female, doesn't matter. Like, what would you.
- [31:16]
Haley Baptiste
I would probably take, like, Amanda and Isimo was back in. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
- [31:21]
Kim Kleisters
Flat.
- [31:21]
Haley Baptiste
I can't go wrong with that.
- [31:22]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah.
- [31:23]
Blair
All right. What's your favorite meal?
- [31:26]
Haley Baptiste
Favorite meal probably, like, grilled meats, some kind of, like. Like steak, chicken, anything grilled, and, like, a good pasta.
- [31:39]
Kim Kleisters
So you're in the right place now in Rome.
- [31:41]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, exactly.
- [31:42]
Kim Kleisters
What's your favorite sweet treat?
- [31:44]
Haley Baptiste
Favorite sweet treat? Oh, like an apple crumble, apple pie, something like that. With.
- [31:49]
Blair
With ice cream. Yes, that's key. Every time, the ice cream.
- [31:53]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [31:54]
Blair
What makes you laugh the most?
- [31:58]
Haley Baptiste
My friends, honestly, annoyingly, my dad makes me laugh.
- [32:03]
Kim Kleisters
In what scenario? Like, when he does, like. Like, when he does it on, like, tries to make you laugh or he's just, like, funny, awkward in some situations.
- [32:11]
Haley Baptiste
He's just like. He's just like the funny. Like, he's very naturally funny. And he also tries to make me laugh and succeed even when I don't want him to. But, yeah, if you see me with my team, we're usually always dying laughing, which is something that I love.
- [32:27]
Kim Kleisters
So what do you like to do most in your downtime?
- [32:34]
Haley Baptiste
I have been fishing a lot. I really enjoyed that. And shopping.
- [32:43]
Kim Kleisters
Yes.
- [32:44]
Haley Baptiste
I spend a lot of time shopping
- [32:46]
Kim Kleisters
online or you like to go, like, now?
- [32:48]
Haley Baptiste
No, I like to go out. Yeah, I go out and I try to go to literally every store possible
- [32:53]
Kim Kleisters
and, like, clothes or bags or jewelry?
- [32:56]
Haley Baptiste
Like, everything. Everything. Clothes, jewelry, shoes, bags. Like, just whatever I can find.
- [33:04]
Blair
Do you. Do you want to. Do you want to admit to what you told me in Houston last fall when you had to buy how many extra suitcases to get home from Europe last year?
- [33:12]
Kim Kleisters
Oh, yeah.
- [33:13]
Blair
I.
- [33:14]
Haley Baptiste
So I've already. I've Already got one extra suitcase so far, and I'm sure I'm gonna do more shopping here and in Paris, so they're gonna add. I buy four right now. Okay. I love it.
- [33:27]
Blair
Three things you can't live without.
- [33:30]
Haley Baptiste
Music, Oscar, My dog, and my family.
- [33:36]
Kim Kleisters
Oh, nice.
- [33:36]
Haley Baptiste
I probably should have added tennis in there, right?
- [33:39]
Blair
I mean, I actually think it's kind of good that tennis is not in there, to be completely honest.
- [33:43]
Haley Baptiste
Eventually, I'm gonna have to live with that, though.
- [33:46]
Kim Kleisters
All right. If you picture yourself, you know, a few months ahead in the off season, and you can pick a vacation spot, like, where do you want to go?
- [33:54]
Haley Baptiste
Jamaica. And I was supposed to go to Jamaica last year, but they had the awful hurricane, and so I'm hoping that this year it'll be okay to go there, but. Yes, that's. That's. I've been wanting to go there for a few years now.
- [34:10]
Blair
Okay, last one for you, Haley. What's your favorite tennis memory?
- [34:15]
Haley Baptiste
I would say beating Madison Keys in D.C. just because it was the first time I had, like, a really big win. It was actually my first WTA match, and it was at home in D.C. so, yeah, I mean, any successful week there, any kind of success I have at home, just feels much different than anything else. And obviously last week was a close second, I'd say. This is so fun.
- [34:47]
Blair
I know. We're excited to cheer you on. And do you have a. Do you set a goal for the rest of the year now, or have you had to reset goals based on the first part of the year?
- [34:56]
Haley Baptiste
Well, my. My short term goal was kind of to be, like, top 20 in by the end of the summer and top 10 by the end of the year. So.
- [35:07]
Blair
Okay, you're 25. 25 as of today.
- [35:10]
Haley Baptiste
So still. Still reaching.
- [35:11]
Blair
So still reaching. Love it.
- [35:13]
Kim Kleisters
One day at a time. Keep pushing.
- [35:15]
Haley Baptiste
Exactly. Exactly.
- [35:16]
Kim Kleisters
Do you know when you're playing?
- [35:18]
Haley Baptiste
I think I'm gonna play on Friday.
- [35:20]
Kim Kleisters
Okay. All right.
- [35:21]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, a few more days. Yeah.
- [35:23]
Kim Kleisters
Who did the draw? The draw came out. I saw. Who do you play?
- [35:26]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, it's qualifier or stardoop Seva.
- [35:33]
Kim Kleisters
Okay.
- [35:34]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah. So.
- [35:35]
Kim Kleisters
All right, well, enjoy the Roman. Yeah. Yes, the Roman air. The statues on the center court and on the ground.
- [35:42]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, no, that court is one of my favorite courses. It's unbelievable, the statues all around. I remember I played Switolina last year there, and it was like I lost the match, but it was probably top three, one of my favorite matches, so hopefully going to play on that court again this year.
- [36:00]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah, we're. We're feel very lucky when we get to, you know, play tennis in some of these, you know.
- [36:06]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [36:06]
Kim Kleisters
Amazing areas and venues and. And so, yeah, definitely on top of the list there with the old Olympic stadium.
- [36:15]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [36:15]
Kim Kleisters
Try to go first to a soccer game if you can.
- [36:18]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah, I think there was one yesterday and I didn't even know, but I will definitely try to go before I went to last week to Real Madrid game, which was sick. Yeah. And that was awesome. But, yeah, I'm definitely gonna try to go one here.
- [36:34]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah. All right, well, good luck, Haley.
- [36:36]
Haley Baptiste
Thank you so much.
- [36:37]
Blair
And enjoy dinner with. With the Americans.
- [36:40]
Kim Kleisters
Tell.
- [36:40]
Blair
Tell Francis we said hello.
- [36:42]
Haley Baptiste
Yes, I will.
- [36:43]
Kim Kleisters
Give him a big hug from me. Okay. All right. All right.
- [36:46]
Haley Baptiste
Bye, Haley. Thank you, guys. Yeah,
- [36:50]
Blair
that was so much fun. I. She is such a breath of fresh air.
- [36:56]
Kim Kleisters
She is. And she may want to come back to Europe, to America, after eight weeks of being in Europe, but I feel like that European lifestyle really, like, suits her. And she looks so relaxed and calm and probably, you know, she's coming from a great week in Madrid, and then now is exciting to play. To play in Rome. So life is good. And I remember those days, like the early years where you get to travel to tournaments and maybe it's like the second or the, like, second year that you get to go back and everything is a little bit more familiar and you feel more comfortable and so really exciting to see her kind of in that good kind of flow. And so, yeah, she'll be very fun to watch. Maybe it was not on a lot of people's radar to be a contender for the French Open, but I think after some of the tennis that she's shown and that she was able to beat Sabalenka Madrid and she, yeah, she definitely is somebody that a lot of the top players are going to be very, like, worried about and. And when they see them see her in their side of the draw, so very exciting to, yeah. See, kind of follow, you know, see what she'll do next after. After her good result in Madrid now.
- [38:05]
Blair
Pretty cool. All right, well, we are going to transition into Henley's headlines, and normally we would start this off by doing a little recap of the on court action from last week in Madrid. We're actually going to save that for confirmation this week because we have some real news to report. I feel like we need the little. The little news ticker at the bottom because prize money is in the headlines once again, Kim. And for those who sort of don't know the background here, last spring a group of Top players from the ATP and WTA tours. Some are calling this group Project Red Eye, mostly players from the top 10 on both sides. They petitioned the Grand Slams to seek a larger percentage of overall revenue to go toward prize money. And their goal Is to get 22% of projected revenues at the Slams going toward prize money by 2030. Now, the reason this is in the headlines again is because Roland Garros on April 16 announced their prize money increase this year of 9.3%. That's going to bring their prize money to 15% of their projected revenue this year. But that is a smaller share of the total revenue than Roland Garros had back in 2024. And it's not terribly close to the 22% of projected revenue that the players are shooting for. And per the Athletic, the FFT pays the least of the Slams in general if you're looking at total prize money. And just to put it in perspective, and obviously France smaller than the United States, but 20 million less they offer compared to the US Open. So quite a difference. They're at the bottom of of all four Slams in terms of total prize money. Now, Kim, as you might imagine, the FFT had a multi point response to this, saying that their prize money has gone up by 45% since 2019. Among other things, they're a nonprofit organization. Much of that money is going back into grassroots tennis efforts in France and beyond. But as one astute observer on X, Oleg, who is a wealth of information, pointed out that 45% did not take into account inflation, which actually puts that number at closer to 14%. So giving you guys all the facts, just to put that in an even greater perspective, the NFL, the NBA, the MLB, they have their players receiving close to 50% of the league's overall revenues. So players have of course been asked about this in press. In Rome, only a few players have been through press at this point and we're already getting the headlines. Arena Sabalenka was asked if they would consider boycotting, if the top players would consider boycotting. And she said yes, that would be something she would consider. English Phytech said, I feel like boycotting is a little bit extreme. Elena Bacchanal was asked, she said if that's what everybody's doing, well, we'll go with the boycott. So she's going to sort of follow the majority or that's how she sees it. So I think every player will have a perspective on this. I know Andy talked about this at length on served and this is something obviously that the top players are spearheading. Are they concerned that they are not getting enough money to live? No, they. They want this as. As growth for all players. And certainly players rank below them. It's not like Jannik Sinner is hurting and wants to add a few extra million to his bank account. But those top players, Coco Gauff on the women's side, of course, has been involved in this arena. Sabalenka. They feel like this is something that the players deserve, that will help a wide swath of players in years to come. So that was a lot of words from my end of the microphone, Kim. And this is again, not a new topic, but I'm really curious to hear your thoughts.
- [41:56]
Kim Kleisters
Right. It is not a new topic. I feel like years ago, when I was younger and growing up with Venus and Serena as a role model when it comes to equal pay for women, equality. I know Venus was in the meeting rooms at Grand Slams talking to Tornado directors, trying to, you know, proving a point of why do we deserve to be paid equally? And she succeeded. The word boycott was being thrown out at times as well. But I think, you know where IGA stands in. Her comment was like, okay, maybe boycotting right now seems a little extreme, but. But let's, let's keep negotiating and if then nothing happens, who knows, right? Like, I think that's maybe. I think the approach that I would take is let's have these top players sit in the meeting rooms and go for it, right? And see what the challenges are. And why is the French Open approaching it this way now, this year? What are the reasons, right? The real reasons without. Maybe not the ones that we get on a quote, in a. Whatever in a post. It's tough. It's tough. I don't think, although it's the same sport, I don't think we can compare all the four Grand Slams because there is different incomes, there's different quantities of everything and of how they budget their prize money, the taxes, all that stuff. I don't know enough about all those differences, but I do think players deserve to be treated. And it's like you said, it's not the sinners and the Sabalenkas, and it's not for them. It's the general. Like, it's the overall kind of pool of players that deserves to be treated in a different way, that deserve to make more money so that they can actually play tennis the right way and get to, you know, travel with a coach and not worry about making decisions on, oh, do I have to share my hotel with a player or Can I afford to travel on my own, like, you know, in my own hotel room? So all those things. I think tennis has long ways to go and it has to start at the top. Like, you know, it has to, you know, it has to come. The support has to come from the Novak Djokovic's and the Saba Lankas and so, and that those are the players that can make a difference and that can have an impact and can maybe get the ball rolling. So it's an ongoing, I feel like, kind of story that we've talked about for a very long time. And it's nice to see that there's certain players who are now saying, like, okay, we have to kind of now push through with this and not give up.
- [44:55]
Blair
And it's a standard. When you look outside of the little bubble of tennis and you see what just happened with the WNBA and they held out and they got a higher percentage for their players. And when you, again, when you look at the revenue numbers, if Roland Garros, his revenue has gone up, I think by 14% total, but the players are only getting nine point whatever it was, percent more in terms of prize money. Yeah, that does make you scratch your head. If the prices of everything else are going up and it's the players who are bringing in the fans, then it makes sense in terms of the economics of it as an economics nature. Look, Mom, I'm using my college degree. That absolutely made me want to throw my computer at the wall. No, in the most basic way. But it's just economics when you look at the big picture. So I'm very interested.
- [45:51]
Kim Kleisters
But we also can't just compare the US Open to the French Open, right?
- [45:55]
Blair
Totally.
- [45:56]
Kim Kleisters
That's, that's like each slam is different. And you know, I think, you know, for, for the US Open and the USDA in general, like, getting Craig Tylee on board, like, I think it's super, super exciting to see some of the changes that, you know, living in New Jersey, like, just, I hear a lot of the things too. I'm not involved with the, with the American Tennis Federation, but I hear a lot of the noise and I hear when, you know, funding gets cut from the player development program and, and like, those kind of things to me, like, seem like completely like ridiculous. But again, if funding is just thrown out of the window and it's not being used the right way, then of course, like, so it's, I don't know enough about, you know, how everything is being used. I know the French Open, the Federation, they have a very Strong player development program. They do a lot for youth and which is true. Like they have, you know, some of the best players, you know, in every age category. Right. Where there. There's a lot of support financially when it comes to academies and everything. So there's a lot of support and I'm sure that all costs a lot of money, but yeah, we don't know the ins and the outs of all the Slams and their budgets and everything. But it's something. Yeah. Very interesting and I'm curious to. Hopefully when I go to Paris, I can pick up on some information here and there from some players and get a feel for. Yeah. Where they're at and. And you know. Yeah. Very interesting times. Yep.
- [47:26]
Blair
Kim's gonna be a super sleuth and she's gonna be an investigative reporter and an influencer. So watch out. Watch out, Roland Garros.
- [47:34]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [47:34]
Kim Kleisters
Don't get your hopes up, but I'll try.
- [47:36]
Blair
Okay. Moving on to Kim Formation, where we are going to talk a little Madrid. So obviously, Marta Kostyak, the 26 seed coming in, gets her first, first WTA 1000 title. Undefeated on clay this season. An incredible start. She took out the number nine seed, Mira Andreeva in the final. And also notable in that final, it was an all female coach final with Sandra Zanevska and Conchita Martinez, which is very cool. And our very own Megan Fernandez, intrepid reporter that she is, went back and looked at other 1000 finals. By her estimation, the last time that happened in a 1000 final was in 1994. Maggie Malieva and Natasha Zvereva, which is pretty wild. So a big deal, really cool for, for both of those coaches and great runs for both of those players. Andrew also is in the doubles final as well. And I would love to maybe just get your overall thoughts on Marta Kostyuk and the improvements we've seen from her.
- [48:40]
Kim Kleisters
To me, the improvements I feel like for a little while now, like, have been mostly visible when it comes to a physical side as well. Like she's looked super fit, super like on court as well. Like she, she just is moving so well. Like she's aggressive with her movement, but it's not overly done. Like, I think in the past I've expressed a little bit like my, my opinion about like IGA Swiatek, when she's like, she moves very intensely but at sometimes it looks like almost too tight. And whereas with Marta, I feel like her movement is. Yeah, she just is super fit. And you know, when we talk to Haley too, like she mentioned like knowing that I've put in so much work. I feel like when I get to these matches, I have like one less thing to worry about. It's like, I know that I'm not going to get outplayed when it comes to the physical side. And that's a great kind of added level of confidence to have, is knowing that you can be six all in the third set in the heat of, in Australia or wherever you are and not have to worry about cramping or physically not being capable of kind of hitting a clean ball anymore. So first of all, that's one of the things where I feel like she's been able to improve herself in general so that her movement is such a big part of her game and she has the aggressive ground strokes and she's an incredible returner. But I think you can only be so good at that if your physical strength and your interval levels and all those kind of things, they have to be high enough to be able to consistently do that over time. And I do think she's reached a level where she's just there and she can just make players like, make like break them down physically as well. And, and then, you know, I've, I've had the chance to hit with her like years ago when she was a young girl, she was playing juniors and like I, I have felt the heavy ball that she hits and, and you know, I'm sure over time, like she's gotten stronger and everything. So, like, I know that that impact on the other side of the net is, is very big. But add that with the movement that she has, especially on clay, she is been so fun to watch. And yeah, like, she expressed it right in her press conference or in the online interview, the on court interview, that she's been able to really, you know, put aside the expectation of, you know, when she was 15 years old and people expecting her to win a slam and is to push that aside and really say, like, okay, now I'm at a level where, you know, I'm actually capable of doing it. And so it's nice to see the maturity and we all go through that. No player gets thrown into the professional tour having everything together, knowing what to do. So it's nice to see when players have moments where you see, oh, it's starting to click for them or they found something that works for them and that has helped them make a difference out there on court.
- [51:45]
Blair
Her return game win percentage going into the final was 68%. And then she proceeded to break Andreeva four more times. I think Sometimes, and I found this when I was coaching as well. I think a lot of times the return is neglected in terms of amount of time dedicated to practicing it. And obviously she has found the secret. I think she is incredibly aggressive. She is oftentimes inside the baseline going after some of these second servers, which puts even more pressure on the server. And so all of a sudden the serve becomes maybe even a little bit more wiffly than it might otherwise be. What, what is a secret if somebody's out there working on their return? What, what would you say is the thing that is most helpful in making that a weapon?
- [52:30]
Kim Kleisters
It has to be. It's a mindset. It is a mindset. You can say like, oh, you got to push yourself a little. You have to stand a little closer on top of the baseline. But if you don't have that inside of you, that kind of, that approach where you say like, okay, I'm, I'm going to do my split step. Either I'm staying on top of the baseline or I'm going to, to jump forward a little bit. You see a lot of players start close to the baseline, but they actually take a step back and do a split step, almost chest upwards. To me, that's not a, that's not a, an aggressive or a mindset where you want to attack the return. There's players who stay really low and are really looking into, you know, almost hitting a winner of the, of the return. And, and, and she has that. I feel like she wants to be the one like as soon as she has a chance or she, she feels like she's reading the serve well, she wants to go and be the aggressor with the return and she's reading serves really well. I think she just overall has found a really good kind of rhythm where she can adjust if a player because Andreyeva is a good server. So it's not easy to break her that often, but she's able to position herself where she can hit the backhand down the line, she can run around, hit the forehand inside out. She has all the tools and, and that gets. In practice. You have to practice all those different kind of returns, but you have to be able to read your opponent. But it starts in between the ears. It's with having the mindset of attacking the return and the impact that that has on the other side of the net. Doesn't matter if it's a Sabalenka or if it's a lower ranked player and everything in between. It has such a big effect on A server. And it's like you said, you automatically know that there's a harder return coming. You don't finish your service motion properly, so you're pushing back into that service motion and just to be ready for the return. And that's when you start kind of playing on your back foot a little bit. So it's really good to see the maturity that she's built, I think, over time on the tennis court and especially in the matches. And, yeah, so it's exciting to see now, like, when you have a win like that, you know, how. How much more will that boost her level? Right. Like, is this the belief that she needs to maybe do win a Grand Slam? And so it's. Yeah, a lot of. A lot of exciting kind of results before, you know, a few weeks before the French Open starts.
- [54:59]
Blair
And for those who did not see it, we also got to learn about Marta Kostia Brooks, seven years of gymnastics training, because she gave us a little exhibit A in her celebration with the back handspring, which was quickly vaulted to maybe my number one win celebration, maybe of all time. I didn't see it coming. Even though this is something she had done in juniors, I was not ready. And consider me wowed.
- [55:26]
Kim Kleisters
Yes, I was very, very surprised and, like, rewinded it a few times, like, wanted to see it over and over again. And yeah, impressive. Very impressive. And to me, like, that's my favorite, I think, win, like celebration. And then on the men's side, like Medvedev with the dead fish, it's, like, not as impressive, but still impressive to be able to do that
- [55:53]
Blair
in the category of didn't see it coming. That definitely is nearer.
- [55:56]
Kim Kleisters
Those two stand are my two favorites, for sure.
- [56:00]
Blair
Okay, last quick thing on the costume front, a couple of quotes from her. These are from lakeep and my friend Canton Moyne, who did some great reporting there. She said, I finally feel like the Successes achieved at 15 are no longer a weight on my shoulders. For a long time, I lived with everyone's expectations. It's almost as if having one so young had been a curse. I freed myself from it. She also said, I use tennis as a breath of fresh air to forget the rest. I step onto the court and I feel better because I haven't spent the whole day on my couch. I use tennis as a weapon against my negative, my negative, my negative thoughts. And she's also talked a lot about the work that she's done in therapy. She did. It was really funny. She did a little social short for Tennis Channel, where she Was asked what, what hill will you die on? And her hill that she would die on is everybody should be in therapy. But I thought these are clearly spoken like someone who's really unpacked these things that have weighed on her for so many years. And it made me think of Madison Keys when she won the Australian Open, talking about her therapy and really sort of the bigger picture things that she got from that time in therapy, which is different than what you might get from a performance psychologist. We hear about players going and seeing a performance psychologist or bringing in a psychologist to work on the performance aspect. Aspect. This is, this is sort of the everyman's therapy. This is, this is like what, what we're doing. You know, many people take advantage of that in their everyday lives is, is everybody has those things that weigh them down. And figuring out how to free yourself from those can be helpful on the sports front as well. I thought it was just an interesting distinction is that we think of performance psychology when we think of players talking about seeing someone, but it's not always the case. Case.
- [57:51]
Kim Kleisters
No, not at all. And I think, you know, the most important thing is like you have to be happy off court and it is such a, such an intense lifestyle. And when you get thrown into this world like she did, right where you know, a lot of expectation on her from when she won a slam as a junior, 14 years old is, is incredible. And I can just picture, you know, the agencies and everybody, the, the, the contracts and expecting to have the, the big results and when you don capacity yet to kind of put everything into place and to keep, you know, just stay focused on the process and it's, it can be a lot and, and it's, you know, unfortunate that, you know, to me that's, I think the biggest downside of our sport is that on these young great tennis players who literally have not proven anything yet in the women's store, right. That there is that people and adults put so much pressure on young kids and especially like a lot of the younger girls and, and it's unfortunate. And so for her to realize or to have found a way to go about it, whether it was she got married, we've seen her be so great at fashion when she comes out with, I think she made a dress, was it like a Wilson dress that looked like her wedding dress? And just to have that distraction and other things to focus on being from the Ukraine like that mentally, those kind of things have nothing to do with sports psychology. That's life like life changing events that happen. So a Lot of times, I do think, in general, a life psychologist or a life mentor at times can be super beneficial because the more that you develop off court, the better, and the more mature you become on court. And. And I think, yeah, it's something that she's figured out. And the unfortunate thing is, in tennis, we have to learn these lessons the hard way. When we're doing it on the big stage, in Grand Slams, in tournaments, a lot of times it's on tv, in the public eye, and it's hard because that is also another factor that gets thrown on top of it is that your failures, which end up being your biggest lessons, but your failures are always in the spotlight, and that can sometimes also be hard to. Hard to handle and hard to take. But she's doing really well. And I think Andreeva, too, like, is. She's had some incredible results. Like, we saw her. You know, she gets very emotional, but she's, you know, I think when you give it a few days, like, she can realize that she's, you know, playing some great tennis, like having one in Stuttgart and then having another, you know, playing another final in Madrid. And it's just, yeah, really good to see, like, that she's, you know, playing the tennis that is capable of getting to, you know, end of the tournament almost week after week. But, yeah, it's an emotional roller coaster being a tennis player, and everybody has to find their way with what works. Right? Like, what worked for me may not have worked for you. You know, like, things like that, it just doesn't always work. And you have to find people on tour that you can relate to and where you can kind of connect with and that you feel like, oh, yeah, I can actually learn from this player, and I can, because we're very similar or we have. Have similar backgrounds or whatever it is. And that's what it all comes down to, is finding those people that are able to share their experience with you and so that you may have a little bit easier of a time going through it all.
- [61:29]
Blair
Okay, Kim, should we wrap up the day with a little rec room?
- [61:35]
Kim Kleisters
Yes, please.
- [61:36]
Blair
All right. Do you want to go first?
- [61:37]
Kim Kleisters
I haven't been really inspired by anything for this week, so I'm going to start off with you, Blair.
- [61:43]
Blair
Okay. I brought both my friend and my enemy. It is my weighted jump rope. And if you are listening to this as an audio medium, as podcasts used to be now, now we're audio and visual, but it's not weighted, as in the handle of the jump rope is weighted, because previously that's what I knew a weighted jump rope to be. This is a rope that is sort of woven. It's nice and pink. It looks really sweet. It's allegedly only three pounds, but can I tell you that when I jump with this thing, it might as well be 50. I. I don't understand the physics of it and how, again, it's telling me that altogether this only weighs three pounds, but how it feels so heavy. But I do once a week, I do one minute on, one minute off for an hour. So it's 30 minutes of total jumping. But the reason why I am recommending it is because I assume we have a lot of either tennis players or tennis fans here, and there is no other exercise that I do that makes me feel better on a tennis court than this. When I don't do this for several weeks, I can tell you, for whatever reason, I think probably because it just engages so many different muscle groups, because it really is sort of a back and arm workout as well, because you're really having to get some momentum to swing it all the way around as fast as you need to. But I feel like when I do this regularly, I don't get to play tennis as much as I would like to, but it makes me feel as good as I can feel when I only play tennis once or maybe twice a week. So I highly recommend weighted jumpers.
- [63:28]
Kim Kleisters
Great. What a great. I thought you were going to pull your yacht into the screen for a second.
- [63:33]
Blair
Look, my yacht?
- [63:34]
Kim Kleisters
Your yacht, Your boat. It looked like one of those robes that you like, hook onto.
- [63:39]
Blair
That's a tug. Mine would be a tugboat. Kim. Mine would not be a yacht. I would be, you know, throwing it over my shoulder. Like, let's. Let's bring Claire's tugboat.
- [63:50]
Kim Kleisters
But that's a great idea because skipping rope has always been one of my favorite kind of warm ups and workouts, and I've missed it. So my goal now is obviously to play tennis again after my Achilles tendon rupture, but is if I can start skipping rope again, like, I would be, like, happy to. To. To get excited. Like, get excited for that. So I'm. I'm definitely going to order that. That's a really good one. Thanks for sharing.
- [64:14]
Blair
You're welcome.
- [64:14]
Kim Kleisters
So one minute on, one minute off for 30.
- [64:16]
Blair
Yes.
- [64:17]
Kim Kleisters
But you don't have.
- [64:17]
Blair
I mean, you could do. I. I did not start off doing that. I started off doing a much shorter, Shorter period of time. But. But I think that's one of the cool things about this particular rope is that it really gets you bang for your buck in terms of time. So as those of us who don't have that much.
- [64:34]
Haley Baptiste
Yeah.
- [64:34]
Kim Kleisters
Two feet. Like you don't do.
- [64:35]
Blair
I do two feet.
- [64:36]
Kim Kleisters
Just two feet.
- [64:37]
Blair
I. I probably am getting to the point where I could sort of do like a run. Alternate running, jump, But I have not been that adventurous yet, so.
- [64:46]
Kim Kleisters
No. So give me a little visual. Where do you do this? Like, outside, inside?
- [64:49]
Blair
Like, I usually do it inside because I need a distraction. So, like, wallet. No, I usually watch tv. It's my TV time. While the kids are at school. I have a spot in my living room.
- [65:02]
Kim Kleisters
Like when you're watch. Like you guys are all watching a movie together. Like mamas.
- [65:06]
Blair
No, they would hate me. No, I do not. But. But yeah, there you go.
- [65:12]
Kim Kleisters
All right, great. Thank you. I'm gonna. I'm gonna bring something next week. I just haven't been. Yeah. Been inspired by anything.
- [65:23]
Blair
Wait until the mood strikes you, Kim, because we know when it does. An excellent recommendation from you, but this has been so much fun today. Hailey was great. I loved hearing your thoughts on Marta. Thanks so much.
- [65:37]
Kim Kleisters
Yeah, thank you.
- [65:39]
Blair
And thank you all for listening. As you know, we've got new episodes for you every Wednesday. You have to make sure you're following us on all of our. Our social channels at Love all podcast, because influencer Kim is coming for you at Roland Garros. Kim just snorted at Roland Garros 2026. And of course, make sure to like and subscribe on YouTube. We would appreciate it so much. There's of course, the served YouTube, but there's also love all YouTube. So we'd love for you to go there, like, and subscribe to us so you can get us new every Wednesday. So we'll see you guys soon.
- [66:14]
Kim Kleisters
Bye. Bye.