← Served with Andy Roddick
Served with Andy Roddick
Will Serena Play Singles at Wimbledon? + Robin Montgomery Interview | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters
01:01:30
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- [00:01]
A
This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block. Or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it, ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required compatibility and availability. Veris18 this episode is brought to you by Fox One. Watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World cup live in 4K for just $19.99 a month with three days free. Build your own multiview, choose up to three streams and follow player spotlights. Stay on top of every moment with live stats, highlights and instant replays. The FIFA World cup streaming live on Fox One offers a subject to change. See fox.com for complete terms and conditions.
- [00:56]
B
Here we go. Hi everyone. Welcome back to Love All. We have a new episode. I'm currently in Belgium. Blair is in in America. I'm living the World cup from my home country so I'm really excited. That's why I have the Belgian shirt hanging up. It's an old school shirt that used to be my dad's, so I wore it very proudly during. During the first match of the first game of Belgium last night. So Blair, how are you living the World Cup?
- [01:31]
C
I'm living the World Cup, Kim. Like a clueless American. I although I will say the amount of content that has been served to me on various social media platforms of people from other countries, you know, like the Japanese fans, enjoying everything that Texas has to offer that has brought me great joy. They are, I mean Bucky seen son of those you. Have you seen Freddie the German fan on Twitter? Have you heard about his journey?
- [02:07]
B
No, I have not.
- [02:09]
C
Well, he. And who knows is this. Is Freddie a real person? I. I don't know. I. But he has been living his best life. He started tweeting about his road trip through the United States coming toward Texas and he's experiencing things like BUC EE's. Have you ever experienced BUC EE's Kim?
- [02:29]
B
I have. Which was. That's actually shocking to be honest.
- [02:33]
C
When did you go to BUC EE's? Really kind of.
- [02:36]
B
So I played an exhibition in San Antonio a few years ago and that's right.
- [02:41]
C
I was there.
- [02:43]
B
Yeah. And I like we stopped there because we went from, we drove from Austin to. To San Antonio and stopped at the BUC EE's and I walked in there. I was like what is this? Just, I had to just take it all and I had my phone. I was filming a lot of things. Like it was, yeah, what a, what a world. We're proud of. Like Wawa in, you know, in, on my side of. Of the world in, in America. And then you see Bucky's and you're like wah. Wow. Like they do it big here in Texas.
- [03:10]
C
They, they sure do. Bucky the Beaver. In case anybody was wondering, they do have like a little statue of Bucky outside and you can get numerous bits of apparel. Like should you can get a vintage Belgium jersey or you can go to Buc EE's and get Beaver boxers. All the things. So it's been fun to see people experiencing, you know, different cities in the United States. And I think that's. So that's one of the coolest pieces of this, right? Is that like from Canada down to Mexico and a bunch of cities in the US they all sort of have their different quirky cultural things and seeing that through the lens of people who've maybe never been to the States before has been really neat. So very, very pure.
- [03:55]
B
I saw some funny, some funny Japanese videos of, of people visiting, tourists visiting and they all they wanted to do was try barbecue in Texas and they're trying it and tasting all the food and just loving every little bit of it. So we'll see how they feel in after two weeks or however long.
- [04:16]
C
Exactly. I don't know that I recommend that for long term consumption but great for a special experience. So yeah, lots of feel good moments in the sports world. Basketball, football, tennis, all the things. And hopefully we're going to have a feel good interview to start things off today we are going to have Henley's headlines and confirmation per usual. But we are starting off with a conversation that Kim, we are so excited about. It's with a 21 year old lefty out of the Washington D.C. area. She was a top junior in the world, won girls the girls US Open in singles and doubles in 2021. She broke into the top 100 last year, then had wrist surgery last summer. Robin Montgomery though now as of today is a WTA tour champion. She won the title in Sir Togenvash last week and we can't wait to catch up with her.
- [05:13]
B
Very excited for this conversation. Like I said earlier, it's not always easy when you walk around the tennis courts now and you see a lot of new names come up. But it's a real honor for us to have you on the show, Robin. And I'm excited to get to know you a little bit better. I've watched some of your matches and just exciting that we got the chance to you talk to. Talk to you.
- [05:36]
D
Yeah, no, thank you for having me. And I'm very happy to be on this podcast with you all. Yay.
- [05:42]
C
We're excited to have you. And we are also so excited for you because you are now the owner of a WTA Tour title, the winner in Saratoga Bosch as a qualifier. Has it sunken in yet?
- [05:57]
D
I think now it has. I mean, yesterday probably asked that question. I'd probably say no. Um, obviously the final was an unfortunate event. Um, but at the same time, I am telling myself, like, I did earn it, I believe, with the week that I had and how I was playing and things like that and. But yeah, it's asking in the beginning of the year if that was going to happen, I'd be like, I don't know. My main goal is to try to be healthy, stay healthy, and just have fun on the court. And now knowing that I can say I've won a WTA title is amazing.
- [06:32]
C
Yay. And for those who don't know, because we didn't say it later on in the podcast, you did get a walkover in the final. We're supposed to play Barbara Krachikova. She had to withdraw with an upper respiratory illness. But you smiling, holding that trophy, that was the biggest smile. And you're absolutely right that, that you earned the right to be standing there with that trophy because it was an incredible weekend. And your story is really incredible, too, because you had wrist surgery last summer. Did you expect. You came back in April. Did you expect to have a result like this so soon?
- [07:06]
D
Honestly, no. But at the same time, I was craving it and really wanting it, and I did have. I probably put maybe a little too much pressure on myself of trying to have a quick comeback and get my ranking up as soon as possible and things like that, even. Because even on the protected ranking system is a great system for us. I also want to be playing on my own current ranking, and so it did happen quicker than I thought, but it's is what it is.
- [07:39]
B
So explain to me how you. How did you get to that stage where you needed to have surgery? What did it happen in. In, you know, playing tennis? Did it happen gradually? Was it kind of a wear and tear kind of injury, or how did you get to that stage?
- [07:54]
D
It was a chronic injury, so I actually first had it in 2022, and it ended up being, I believe, an avulsion fracture off my ulna bone. So A piece of bone chipped off. So it was a chronic, just from the constant hitting backhands and just the wear and tear of the training, the matches, and everything. In 2022, I was able to just rehab it for three, four months and then be able to compete. Then I want to go see a risk specialist more for the sake of my mind to know, like, is it all good? Has anything changed? And the doctor actually did say, if you feel no pain now, keep doing what you're doing, keep playing, and things like that. But if the pain comes back, you'll. You'll need to get surgery. So in January 2025, that's when I started feeling pain again. And we went to go get checked out, and doctors were like, the only solution is surgery, since I've already been through the process of rehabbing it and strengthening it already. But the surgery, since it was a chronic injury, they weren't like, oh, my God, this needs to happen right now. And so it was more so up to me with how much pain I could deal with and if I wanted to keep playing, things like that. So the goal for me last year was to play until US Open because I haven't played that many US Open, so swings or the entire swing in my career. So my goal is to try to push through that. But after Wimbledon last year, it definitely affected me more than I thought it had. Dealing with the constant day to day of, oh, how's my risk gonna feel? Is, can I get two hours in? Can I get 30 minutes in? And so, yeah, it was kind of. It was up to me. It was my decision. And it was just a chronic kind of overuse situation.
- [09:55]
B
I had wrist surgery in 2004, also on my left wrist from the backhands. And I remember just when my wrist came out of the cast and my arm was about very, very small compared to my right arm. And I was like, how am I ever going to play another backhand? My wrist was hardly moving, and it was a big thing. But again, I never had any issues with it afterwards and was able to still, you know, hit better than before. So nice to see that it's. It's all better. So that's good.
- [10:29]
D
It's a very sweet moment with the title as well and everything, knowing that the one year mark is definitely is approaching since I made a decision for surgery and everything. But, yeah, my right wrist, even before surgery, was already really small. My mom would make fun of me for it because I would have a tan line from the tape as well. And so it was Just like it was just very pale and scrawny. And then it was even worse after surgery.
- [10:58]
B
Yeah.
- [10:58]
D
But now it's strong again. It's looking a bit more like balanced.
- [11:05]
C
Yeah, I love that. No, I was just going to ask, during that time, I mean, you were such a good junior that you were, you were playing a intense schedule from your teenage years. Is there anything that you had time to do while you were home after surgery that you enjoyed?
- [11:25]
D
I think for me it was just really embracing the family time. I got to visit family in New York. I got to spend more family, spend more time with my family in D.C. because I live with my mom, my grandma, my aunt there. And it was just kind of really embracing those moments. I'm trying to think I went on more like, as we say, like side quests, just visiting different cities and actually like enjoying the city and not just hotel sites and things like that. One place is I went to Sedona, Arizona, which was really, really pretty and really cool. I went with my mom. So that was a really fun, fun thing. And I even got to see the Grand Canyon and it was, it was a good time. Obviously my birthday was also through that period and I got to spend it with my family and it was, for me it was just family time and seeing people who I don't usually get to see due to my schedule.
- [12:23]
B
Was there any on courts stuff that you were doing like once you start like that you were able to like. I was able to really focus on, you know, trying to learn how to hit a proper slice and, and you know, I was practicing some one handed backhands as well. So just to kind of, yeah, stay in control of, you know, some just to be on court for a little bit. Was there anything that you worked on on the court?
- [12:45]
D
No, for me it was slicing. It was like a re. Introduction. I mean before when I took a break, we, the coaches had me work on my slice again. But then when that I came back after that chunk of time, I didn't hit a slice again. So my goal this time was to work on my slice, work on the short slice, work on drop shots and especially even forehand drop shots because I usually always just hit my forehand. And the goal this time was actually use my slice, even though I know I can hit my backspin again. But yeah, it was a slice. And then for me, working on as well like a kick serve once I was able to toss the ball again and working on the different kind of serves and those were the, the main things.
- [13:33]
B
Yeah, that's awesome.
- [13:34]
C
Can you tell us what it was like growing up training at jtcc, which is an academy that some pretty big names have come out of, of course, yourself included, but also Francis Tiafo and Haley Baptiste. Who's older than you, Francis, obviously several years older than you. But what was it like having them around as people to look up to?
- [13:57]
D
I. It was amazing. Obviously, when I was younger, I didn't quite know who they were, so I was just stuck to myself and was. I always remember the hallways of College Park. All the big kids would, like, stand there and, like, talk because they were on a lunch break, and little me was just like, I need to get through. Like, I was honestly, like, scared of them, to be honest. But now, like, now that I. When I got older, Francis obviously started talking to me, and I became like, he's like an older brother. And same with Haley. She's like family now. And seeing them excel on the tour and get their successes also inspired me and showed that, like, I can do it, too. And having that family aspect really helps, especially on tour when it can be a little lonely and stuff like that. So it's nice that some tournaments I get to see Haley and then nice. When the combined events, Francis, Haley, and I were all there, and that's also helped me through my recovery. In December, we were all there for the holidays, and we did, like, a little D.C. preseason, one week kind of thing all there, and that was really fun. And it was special to me because it was the week where I could start hitting backhands again. And, yeah, so they mean a lot. And coming from an academy like that really holds a big spot in my heart.
- [15:25]
C
Can you take me back to your junior years, Robin, where? Listen, we've seen many top juniors come out of the US and go through some of the USTA system, and then when you win a Junior Islam, especially the US Open, as an American, there can be just so many layers of pressure stacked on top of really young people, and you have to learn how to deal with that. And I'm curious what that was like for you. Did you feel the pressure? Did you have to adjust to it? What was the process like?
- [16:01]
D
I mean, I think as. Since I was young, I was aware of the pressure, and I think in a good way, obviously, I felt like in some moments, it did feel heavy, obviously, and it felt like it was do or die, and if I don't do well, then I'm not a good person, like, things like that. So definitely, now that I'm older, I'm getting Better at separating the person and the player and also still keeping them combined. But when I was younger, I think I still handled it fairly well. And I think I'll honestly have to thank my mom for that because she didn't try to hide the pressures away from me. She didn't. She, if anything, told me about them and was like, this is how the world works. And sometimes, yeah, you are the underdog and you won't have the pressure, and other times, even if you don't want to do it, you have to do it, and the outcome is the outcome, and that's. That's what happens. So I think I've heard a thank for that and making sure she keeps me humble and make sure I'm down to earth and everything. And so I think that's helped me. Definitely.
- [17:13]
B
Smart mother.
- [17:14]
D
Yeah. Navigate through my junior career and even my pro career when transitioning from the junior to the pro, because obviously, like, I wanted things to happen fast, and so I had good results in juniors when sometimes that's not the case. And. Yeah, so I think, for me, I like it. For example, after winning this tournament, I even told my boyfriend, I was like, you know, I'm actually looking forward to the challenge next year to come and defend it. And I was a little bit shocked at first when I said that. I was like, whoa. But at the same time, I was like, no, I'm. I'm looking forward to that challenge, to come back to a tournament where I won the previous year and see if I can win it again.
- [17:59]
B
I love hearing that because that. That tells me a lot about how you are as a person and your mindset, because there's also a lot of players that are scared and that feel like, oh, no, like I have to defend, you know, all these points when I come back here next year. And so I bet I gotta make sure that if I don't, you know, if I can't defend it, I have to make sure that I have enough points because I'm gonna lose my ranking. And so it's nice to hear that you have that. And, yeah, you just, you know, everybody has their doubts and their fears, and you just keep pushing, and that's. That's all you can do is work hard and. And enjoy the. The whole. The whole process of it.
- [18:35]
C
Your mom, obviously, is a big influence, but I. I believe you've worked with a sports psychologist as well. Is that correct?
- [18:43]
D
Yeah, I work with you. Yeah.
- [18:46]
C
And I. So I would love to know what you think the biggest benefit that you've seen on the court has been from your time working with, whether it's a sports psychologist, performance psychologist, where have you seen the most benefit?
- [18:59]
D
I mean, I think the most benefit that I've seen from it actually is started from off court and who I am as a person and how. How I also see myself. And it has translated on court in a way. So when I started with my new. Not new. We've been working together for like two years now. But when we first started, it was actually a little bit before I decided to do surgery. So like, yeah, a year, year and a half. And it was more about who I thought as a person. And I felt like tennis was me and I didn't know who I was outside of tennis. And I kind of felt the pressures and it probably was also due to going through surgery that if I don't play tennis, would I still have the same friends? Would people still talk to me like, things like that? So it was definitely working through that self confidence of like, who I am as a tennis player, who I am off the court and how they're actually very intertwined. But I'm still Robin at the end of the day. And that has been the biggest thing with that. We've been. I've been working with my sports psychologist and I think clearly I've seen it translate on the court and I really felt it actually this past week on the court, and I'm really happy that I kind of felt like it clicked and I could even like just visualize of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to be, how I wanted to compete, and knowing that, honestly, yeah, losing sucks, but I would have still been fine with the result because I knew I did what I was, who I wanted to be in that moment.
- [20:45]
C
I have the chills. That's like, I know that's so great. But it is like some of that I think about what like Madison Keys talked about before she won her slam and just kind of being able to separate who you are outside of the results. So, man, I feel like that was just like a great pep talk because it's relatable, right, Even for people who don't play tennis.
- [21:09]
D
Yeah, it's. It's in life. It's your work and your personal. Yeah.
- [21:13]
C
Yeah, for sure. So thanks for sharing that.
- [21:15]
B
What. What was Ross Marlin like for you? You spent. You played qualys there. You. You, you know, obviously you won the tournament. What was it like? Did you. Did you visit some things? You had some. A lot of rain, too.
- [21:28]
D
There was. There was lots of rain. And I would say the rain gods were on my side because I didn't have to deal with any two matches a day or finishing a match or anything. So I was very lucky in that regard. But, you know, it's funny, like, a lot of people, they were like, oh, it's so cloudy. It's so, like, rainy. Like, where's the sun? And me, I was like, I kind of like it. Obviously, I like the sun, but the people there and like, the. Obviously it's more on the countryside and things like that, but I've enjoyed my time there. This time I wasn't able to see the city center, but I did see the city center two years ago when I went back when I went to the tournament for the first time. But just due to the long days at the site with obviously with the rain and everything, I didn't have that much time to go see it. But the hotel's in a nice area. The people are really nice. It's right next to a movie theater. So we actually went to go see Devil, Devil Wears Prada too, and the Michael movie. So that was kind of the week as a whole.
- [22:34]
C
Speaking of being able to. To, you know, having fun and being able to do things off the court, who are your best friends on tour?
- [22:41]
D
I. Oh, there's a few, I think, obviously, I would probably say, like, my closest two are Akasha and Clervy. We spent a lot of time in Orlando together during, I mean, Claire's recovery and my recovery. And then Akasha trains in Orlando. It's really nice because obviously we're close in age and it's. It's really good. It's. It's like a sisterhood, especially since we live near each other outside of the tour and everything. And then obviously I'm good friends with Coco as well. So, yeah, I would say those are the ones that I keep in touch with, even if I'm not playing.
- [23:20]
C
I had heard that for people who don't know, obviously we were talking about right and left wrists, but you are a lefty. You are a. You are five, ten plus, right?
- [23:31]
D
Yes. Yeah.
- [23:32]
C
Which. What I would have done to be slightly taller than my 5 foot 4 inches. But I heard that Petra Kvitova is someone that you looked up to. Is this true? And are there any other players that you looked up to?
- [23:47]
D
Oh, yeah. They missed the first part of the answer. I think for me, the Williams sisters was the first go to stars I looked up to. And they were obviously legends of the Games. And then I was. When I was around like 8 or so I was told. Like, it's great to look up to the Williams sisters, but it's also since I was lefty, they were like, we think you should also look into left handed players, which I'm kind of grateful for because it is true. It's a little bit of a different style and being able to see the advantages of a left handed player. And so I did look up to Kvitova as well because she was a power hitter just like me and then add in a little bit of flair when, when needed. But also her lefty servo's sick so I was just trying to copy that.
- [24:44]
B
Where is Pterodactyl?
- [24:47]
C
I'm right here.
- [24:48]
A
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- [24:52]
D
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A
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D
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A
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- [25:01]
C
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- [25:05]
B
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D
This should be tons of fun.
- [25:09]
A
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- [25:44]
C
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- [25:47]
B
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C
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B
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- [26:08]
C
That's why you rack.
- [26:16]
B
So what, what is your mindset? A little bit like when you're on the grass court with the, with the surf, do you, yeah. Like how do you start the point? Is it like, okay, I'm gonna open up the court? Like how do you think when you start your, your point as a lefty?
- [26:29]
D
I think, I mean on the grass for me it really depends, obviously the score line of the match. But I feel so comfortable serving on the grass because with my spin and everything, the grass helps me, it complements it. I feel like 10, 10 times more. So for me, sometimes I'm like, okay, like, yeah, I'll go a slice tea to see how far I can get it. Get it into the middle of the court and then obviously love seeing the slice wide short on the grass. But I think on grass and especially last week, I was really loving a good body serve and just because the spin, I could go a big flat one or even. I didn't even think there's a clip in my semi finals match where the spin literally like curved it into her body. I mean, I said sorry after, but she did peg me on the first point too with a serve with a body serve. So. But yeah, I think on the grass I love seeing how it like really grabs the ball and like catches the spin and, and takes it off the court. So I feel very comfortable serving on the grass. And yeah, I mean there was a lot of aces last week too. So part of me sometimes like, okay, let's go for it. Yeah.
- [27:58]
B
Yeah, good for you. You have it all, so that's good.
- [28:02]
C
Do you feel like you mess with people as a lefty? Do you, do you relish the fact that you, you could get in people's heads because some players handle it better than, than others?
- [28:11]
D
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I feel like for, even though we all say like lefties have a good advantage, I feel like a lot of players on tour do handle playing lefties well and things like that. And some handle better than, better than others. But I also think it's fun when, when you're dealing with a player that is clearly having struggles reading the serve or even if I'm serving well, I'm like, there's nothing you can do about it. And my favorite is when I sometimes always go out wide and they stand a little bit wider. And maybe my coach doesn't love this, but I'm like, I'm going to go even shorter wide.
- [28:56]
B
We're all the same. We just tried to make it harder for ourselves.
- [28:59]
D
Yeah, exactly. Just use as a little challenge and then at one point I'll go big flat T. So thunder, like I moved over wide and now she has this tea serve and, and so yeah, it's, it is fun to mess around with with my serve a little bit.
- [29:16]
B
So Robin, you said before that you took the train from Amsterdam to, to England. Are you, what kind of traveler are you? Like, do you travel. You heavy. You travel with a lot of stuff. Do you, are you a messy. Like, what does your room look like? Like, is it like my daughter's? And there's like, stuff everywhere, or are you.
- [29:33]
D
I mean, I travel. I do travel in, like, package cubes and things like that, so I stay somewhat organized. I would. And then out of tennis players, I think I travel fairly light, but my bag still end up heavy. But it's because I only travel with my tennis bag and one other suitcase and then a duffel that I take on the plane. So I think my bag just end up heavy because I don't spread it out with, like, two or three suitcases. I don't know how some players travel.
- [30:01]
B
And then now you travel with the trophy as well.
- [30:05]
D
I sent it back home.
- [30:08]
B
Okay.
- [30:09]
D
Okay. I sent it. I sent it back home so my aunt and grandma can. Can see it and put it up where they want to and in the house and everything on the mantle. Yeah.
- [30:20]
C
Wait, so if you are a relatively compact traveler, do you give Haley the hardest time for the fact that she is traveling with, like, eight suitcases?
- [30:31]
D
The funny thing is, I've never seen her travel fully, so I haven't had the chance to, like, clown her on it. But I have heard stories of times where she has a fight soon, and her room is still, like, clothes all over the place and everything. And I just laugh because it's also, I can't even make fun of her for it because it's so her at the same time, and me being me is so me at the same time. And we. We crack jokes about how, like, Robin loves being on time. Robin needs to be organized. Don't change anything, or she's gonna lose it. Like, things like that, while she's more like. I'm like, okay, here we go. Is she gonna be 15 minutes late or 5 minutes late? So it's.
- [31:17]
B
It's a.
- [31:18]
D
It's always funny, but at the same time, with how things happen, it's like, it's exactly who we are. And so all we can do is just laugh about it.
- [31:27]
C
Kim, did you want to ask? I, I. I am gonna be the one. Sorry. I'm just gonna be the one to do it. I'm gonna be nosy. You mentioned your boyfriend a couple of times, and I want and need to know more about him. How did you guys meet? How long have you been dating? What is he like? Is he an athlete? How does he handle being your, you know, your sort, sort of the guy in the stands? Tell us all the things.
- [31:51]
D
Yeah, I mean, so we actually met in Lake Nona by. By chance, but I've known him since 2021, actually, through our DC friend group. So he Knows Francis, he knows Haley actually really well. They're all like. I mean, they're also like family. So when we started dating it was kind of at first like, okay, let's see if we are compatible before we share the news because we didn't want to change the friend group obviously and the dynamic. But then when we broke the news, it was all. Everyone was very happy and things like that. He. He used to play tennis in, in college now, but he's no longer plays. But he, he's from New York and this is Go Nick. Yeah, he's actually a Celtics fan. So salty.
- [32:47]
B
Oh no.
- [32:51]
D
But yeah, I mean he actually is amazing in regards to my world and he really understands. And I think that's also because since he's friends with Francis and Haley, he truly sees how our day to day and how sometimes in relationships we're still like very self centered and it's very hard for us sometimes to handle or yeah, handle other things outside of tennis, when tennis can be so consuming in the day and everything. And it's like when we visit these cities that some people are like, oh, let's go see this, let's go see that. And we're like, I have to be this episode at 9, I have practice at 11, we don't get back until 4. So he, he gets that though. So it's, it's very nice and I'm glad. He is very understanding and he's been a huge help these past few weeks and making sure like I enjoy the tennis time, I have rest time and, and things like that. And so we've been dating for about, I think it was like end of November, beginning of December. So like around seven months. Six. Seven months.
- [34:00]
B
Love that. Are you able to hit with him at all still or he doesn't play anymore, the funny thing. No.
- [34:06]
D
So he hit still. And one of his friends actually asked like, oh, do you guys hit? We've never hit with each other up until last week actually. And before that we were like, we're never gonna hit with each other because God knows what's gonna happen. And we were like, let's just keep it separate, you know, like and last, when we found out I won and everything, we started playing like touch games and he made a joke. He was like, let's hit a rally from the baseline. And we were both like, oh, do we really want to do that? Are we sure? And obviously joking. And then we, we hit together from the, from the baseline. And obviously it was special too because it was grass court and everything. So but that was the very first time that we hit with each other.
- [34:58]
B
You have to hit against him on the Wimbledon courts. Like, he has to experience that too.
- [35:03]
D
Yeah, he has his grass court shoes and everything. So we'll. We'll see.
- [35:09]
B
There you go. Good. They'll allow him on there.
- [35:12]
C
Yeah. I hear you are a history buff, and I need to know more about this. Is this true?
- [35:22]
D
It is true. I would say it's definitely more in my junior career, though. But I am a history buff. I was more into, like, World War II, learning about that, reading historical fiction books about that. And then even when I was younger, this might make me seem insane, but I was into reading about assassinations of presidents and things like that, so. But now I've kind of branched it out on my reading and I don't read that stuff anymore.
- [35:53]
C
You're well rounded. Well, we're gonna go with well rounded.
- [35:56]
D
Yeah, yeah. But I. It always has, like, a little spark of interest for me and history and everything. And I remember at a 35k that I went to in 2020, I believe it was actually where it was in the north of France in Chaborg, and I got to see the Dunkirk Memorial or D Day Memorial. Yeah.
- [36:20]
B
All right, well, like Blair said, we have some rapid fire questions to just end the. To just end the. Our chat. So I'll go first. What is the first app that you check when you wake up?
- [36:37]
D
Messages. Yeah, messages. And then TikTok.
- [36:41]
C
Wait, real quick follow up. What's your. What's in your TikTok algorithm?
- [36:45]
D
Well, right now it's like World cup history. Yeah, yeah, no, right now it's World cup edits and how everyone's traveling to the US and like, how, like, the teams are kind of like, what's the. They're in the middle of, like, Kansas City and they're like, what are we doing here? And things like that.
- [37:06]
B
Robin, I'm the. I'm the oldie without TikTok. So. So that's. That's me.
- [37:09]
D
Really? That's good. Don't get it. Don't.
- [37:14]
B
Thank you. There you go, Blair.
- [37:15]
C
Oh, my gosh. Stop that, Robin. I'm trying to convince Kim to TikTok with me.
- [37:21]
D
No, no, I mean, she doesn't have to scroll.
- [37:25]
C
Just do it with me. Just be on TikTok. Be a TikTok star. You don't have to scroll.
- [37:30]
D
You can just send her the TikToks and she can use Safari to learn the dances, and then she can do the TikToks with you, but she downloads It. No, no, no. Oh, no.
- [37:39]
B
Dances.
- [37:39]
D
Why dances?
- [37:41]
B
I'll dance, but not on TikTok.
- [37:46]
C
Oh, man. Okay, what's your favorite off day activity?
- [37:54]
D
Netflix. Yeah, I like being cozy or going to the movies. That's better. Finding a movie and going to the movie theaters.
- [38:01]
B
What or who is something that makes you laugh a lot?
- [38:04]
D
Justin and my mom, so. My boyfriend and. Yeah, my mom.
- [38:09]
C
Last time you cried.
- [38:10]
D
Last time I cried last night.
- [38:14]
C
Oh, like happy tears?
- [38:17]
D
No, but it's okay.
- [38:21]
C
I was. You need to unpack?
- [38:24]
D
No, I think it was just the pure, like, of, like, all the adrenaline. Everything. Last week and that previous night, I didn't sleep too well. I went to bed really late, and when I don't get my sleep, everything feels 10 times more, and I get emotional. So it was because of that.
- [38:42]
B
Oh, all right. Well, it's good to see you smiling now, so that's good. What's your favorite meal?
- [38:49]
D
Oh, my grandma's cabbage enchiladas.
- [38:52]
B
Your biggest pet peeve.
- [38:54]
D
Loud chewing. I, like, made my family all aware of that now.
- [39:01]
C
That's, like a diagnosable thing. Did you know that? Misophonia.
- [39:07]
D
Yeah.
- [39:08]
B
Yeah.
- [39:08]
D
It's just. Or, like, people being. I don't mind people being late, but as long if they don't let me know that they're gonna be late, that bothers me. But if you let me know, I'm like, all right, things. Things happen. So, like, whatever, I don't care. But if you show up trolling in, you don't tell me, I be like, dude, like, why?
- [39:28]
C
What's your favorite tournament?
- [39:30]
D
I was like, Wimbledon, D.C. or Sir Togen Bosch. So one of those three.
- [39:35]
B
That's fine. That's fine. You can name those three. Yeah. What? Describe your personality to us in three words.
- [39:45]
D
Caring, sensitive, and.
- [39:56]
C
You sound disciplined.
- [39:58]
D
Yeah, I was gonna say that. Yeah. I was, like, determined. Discipline. Like, very.
- [40:04]
C
Like, type A. Yeah.
- [40:06]
D
Just like. I want a plan. If you give me a plan, I'm gonna follow the plan. You give me a direct direction, I'm gonna do it and follow it.
- [40:14]
B
So.
- [40:14]
D
Yeah.
- [40:15]
B
Your favorite tennis memory.
- [40:17]
D
I think, for me, honestly, it would be probably through my recovery. When I played was playing, like, these games with Haley and Francis, and we were all just hitting together and DC And. Yeah. And then probably qualifying for Wimbledon would be my second favorite.
- [40:38]
C
Well, I feel like that is the best one to end on, like, a little sentimental note. Also, leading into Wimbledon, you're going to be playing qualys. Did you think. Did you think you might get a wild card by the way.
- [40:50]
D
No.
- [40:51]
C
No, you didn't think. Okay.
- [40:53]
B
Well, you've got, you've got the confidence and the momentum going, so we'll be cheering for you.
- [40:58]
D
Thank you.
- [40:59]
B
Yeah, good luck with everything with the last few days of preparations and yeah, all the best.
- [41:05]
D
Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.
- [41:08]
B
Thanks for coming on.
- [41:18]
A
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B
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- [42:47]
C
That was such a fun conversation and that is just one of the things that I love about my job in tennis and being able to be friends with you, Kim, is that we get to talk to these players who are obviously incredible athletes, but they have so many other facets to them as well.
- [43:05]
B
Yeah, it's something that I really noticed when I was in Paris is, you know, I walk around the players area, especially when you're in the qualifying week and there's so many players that I don't know and don't recognize. So to be able to get a chance to talk to some players, get to know them a little bit better personally, is what I love about it as well. So really enjoyed this one.
- [43:24]
C
All right, Henley's Headlines. It is time, Kim, and this week we've got a couple of 500s in Hala and Queens for the men Berlin. For the women, that is a rager of a draw in Berlin, if you haven't checked that out yet. For those who are listening, also a 250 in Nottingham. Did I do that? Did I do that? Well, Nottingham.
- [43:45]
B
Nottingham.
- [43:47]
C
Oh, boy. No one's gonna hire us to do British accents anytime.
- [43:51]
B
Maybe Sean knows how to do it, Blair.
- [43:54]
A
I don't.
- [43:54]
D
I don't.
- [43:56]
C
I'm devastated, Sean, that you did not give that a go. Nottingham, but okay, that was pretty good. The big news today, though, Kim. The Wimbledon wildcards have been announced. We are recording this on Tuesday, of course. And this morning I woke up to the news that Venus and Serena are playing Devils together. We sort of all. Or at least I did when. When Venus started to play Devils, when you saw her playing with Layla FERNANDEZ at the U.S. open and what moment that was all. And then you heard that Serena had put her name back in the testing pool. I think this is what everyone assumed would eventually happen. I cannot wait.
- [44:37]
B
It's so exciting. It's exciting to see that, you know, all the. The rumors or the. The. The hope that a lot of people have over the little, you know, the whispers that were going around in the tennis world that now this is basically what she's been, I think, trying to. To come back for.
- [44:53]
C
Like, my wheels are. Are turning here because, yeah, like, obviously plans changed and, you know, imagine that sort of, I guess, stroke of bad luck that sort of ended with something really nice for tennis fans, where Vicki Mboko in Queens obviously had played one great Devil's match with Serena and then injured her knee. She's out for the grass season. Haley, who I believe was supposed to play with Venus at Roland Garros. Is that correct? Play doubles. Am I getting that right?
- [45:30]
B
Yeah.
- [45:31]
C
And obviously she gets injured. So anyway, it just. And now here we are where Venus and Serena are playing together at Wimbledon. So interesting that they. It is. They've sort of done this in a slow burn fashion, like they didn't give us what we wanted right away, which I do appreciate. Like, leave it for a slam. And yeah, I just think it's going to be so much fun just to
- [45:54]
B
see the two of them on a court together and then to be at Wimbledon is like. Is really exciting. And I can't wait for them to walk out hopefully on center court or court one. And, yeah, just to see that happen will be a really big moment for tennis and for the tennis fans.
- [46:10]
C
We are going to talk more about Serena's return in kinformation, because I would love for you to Break down some things. Also, quick side note, if you. It makes me so happy when Devils gets a spotlight. When Devils is on center court or number one court, and people get to see, you know, casual fans who might not be tuning in to the Devil's final in whatever city. To be able to showcase doubles like that always makes me. Always makes me happy. Uh, a quick note. On the wild card front, all of the women's singles wildcards have been announced. Perhaps most notably, Maya Kwalinska, finalist at Roland Garros, did indeed get a Wimbledon wildcard. But there is one singles wildcard that has not yet been announced. So start your speculative engines. Ladies and gentlemen, will that one singles wild card go to Serena Williams? What's your bet? Kim Kleisters?
- [47:10]
B
No, not yet.
- [47:12]
D
Okay.
- [47:12]
C
All right.
- [47:12]
B
I don't know. I don't know. Maybe it could be. I didn't even think about that, to be honest, as an opportunity, as a chance yet. Just from some of the videos that I've seen, social media videos of, you know, singles is still a very different game than, you know, what she's done so far. And, you know, I think that might still be a little bit early to start right away at a Grand Slam. Like, I think if she decides to play singles, I think she'll maybe play a couple of tournaments and play a couple of matches before she plays a big tournament. But you never know. I mean, Serena is Serena, and she, you know, once you've been able to play at such a high level, and I'm certain that when she gets back out on court, everything will fall into place and it's just a matter, like, the biggest thing that is going to be noticeable is the movement. That's going to be the hardest thing to, you know, or what everybody will be comparing at is, what was that like a few years ago compared to now? And it's normal that when you haven't played, what is it, four years, that it's. It's, you know, that's going to be. And you get older and it's. It's normal that the movement is not going to be the same. And that's something that over the last few years, movement of the players has gotten so important. And so, you know, we'll see. I hope. I would love to see it. Uh, but I think it might be a little bit too soon to do singles already on the men's side.
- [48:43]
C
So Grigor got a wild card. Stan Bavrinka got a wild card. A reminder that Grigor last year, talk about a Sliding doors moment. Round of 16 was up two sets to love and two all over. Yannick Sinner tears his pectoral muscle. Something along those lines and, and really has not been able to regain the magic since. He's playing a challenger this week, trying to work his way back up. So he's a fan favorite. Love that he got a wild card. Love that Stan got a wild card. Gale on Feast did not get a wild card. Dan Evans, who is playing in his last Wimbledon, did not get a wild card. He is playing doubles. However, Kyrgios did not get a singles wild card, which I think was the right call. He did get a doubles wild card. And no Mateo Berrettini, who may get in. He, he may end up getting in on his own ranking. But I was maybe a little bit surprised about that one because former finalist and just beloved Blair.
- [49:39]
B
Are all the wild cards handed out or is there a couple more to be assigned?
- [49:44]
C
So on the men's singles front, two more to be assigned and for women's singles, one more to be announced. So who knows? We love to debate a wild card in the tennis neck of the woods. Okay, Kim, a couple of other winners from this past week. Donna Vekich getting it done in queens as a lucky loser over Emma Raducanu playing lights out tennis. You know who it reminded me of? And I'm not a scholar in terms of game styles, but when Donna is playing her best, it looks to me like Monica Salas. The way that she is sort of hitting down. Sorry. As I'm like yanking cords out of my. It is, it is like 175% every shot, just bashing the ball but almost there. There's no, you know, forget the low to high that you try to teach people at the country club. It is like just a demolition of the tennis ball. Would, how would you describe the way that Donna plays?
- [50:51]
B
Yeah, to me it's like very. With her upper body into the court. Like she leans forward so much. Right. Like when she, when she's attacking on the grass course, that's, that's almost the mindset that you see her having is I just want to be in the court. I want to play with my shoulders towards the net all the time. And she's attacking so much, just going for all her shots. And I feel like at the French Open when I watched her play, she was definitely playing with a little bit more topspin, waiting a little bit more, being a little bit more patient. And to see the type of tennis that she was playing on grass was really impressive. And I do think it leans a little bit more towards her natural style, the way that she plays on grass and she's such a great first ball striker and her tactics is to really put a lot of pressure on her opponents as soon as possible in the rally because she hits the ball very hard, she hits the ball very flat, she hits it very deep, and it's really hard to get out from under that. So unless you're able to bring that kind of power against her and make her run, because that's where her weakness lays. A little bit is in the movement. But yeah, she has to be the one that's attacking as soon as possible. And she did that so well this week.
- [52:03]
C
And I thought a neat parallel with Emma and Donna is that they were both with old coaches this week now. And for Donna, it's just for grass season. David Felgate, a British coach who coached her back when she was, you know, 12, 13, 14, 15. And then Emma Raducanu back with her coach, Andrew Richardson, who was with her when she won the US Open in 2021. And it reminded me a little bit of you talking about, about your relationship with Carl, who, who knew you when you were a kid and who also helped you toward the end of your career as well.
- [52:41]
B
Yeah, I remember being a little bit surprised when, when Emma decided pretty soon after the US Open, if not right after, decided to change coaches and you know, when you have such a great result and, and then to have, you know, and then to see the, the coaching change and who. I don't know what happened there for them to kind of split up, but to see that she's now back with him and then have a great result or her best result since that US Open probably is really nice to see. And there's something very comforting about having that voice that's so recognizable that you understand a person who understands you, which is great, especially for somebody like Emma being from Great Britain, knowing that there is a lot of attention, there is a lot of pressure on her when she, when she goes to the grass courts. And, and so for her, just to see her happy, I saw some pictures came out that she has a new boyfriend as well and that, you know,
- [53:39]
C
so she seems very happy and sure that.
- [53:41]
B
Enjoying life. Enjoying life. And I think that's. That's important too. And just to have, you know, to be happy off court makes you play better on the court.
- [53:52]
C
I always said, okay, Ben Shelton Kim. What. What a win for Ben. His third 500 title of the year, second final win over Taylor. Fritz Gil Gross pointed out that in both of his finals over Taylor, he won fewer points than Taylor did. And my one question for you on the Ben front, and I do want to do a deeper dive on Ben at some point, but one thing you hear about the way that he plays from, from just about anyone who analyzes his game is he tends to play the big points well. My question for you is, can that be taught?
- [54:32]
B
I think you can grow into it. I think if you. I do think you can grow into it, but I think in Ben's case, I think it's his personality a little bit as well, is to be all in, to go for it, or, you know, do or die kind of thing, and don't regret waiting for your opponent kind of to make the mistakes, because we've all done that kind of in important moments, especially when you're younger, if you're the one that's kind of waiting for your opponent to make the mistakes because your arm feels a little bit tight, that usually is not the right recipe to win the matches. And so I think you can overcome that and you can learn to be bigger on the important moments. But I think in his case, some people like just their natural, like, natural personality is just to. To go all. To go for it. And so. And I think in Ben's case, that's. That's definitely. That's. That's just how he is.
- [55:28]
C
Time for some Kim formation. And as promised, Kim, a little more Serena talk here because in addition to the doubles, as you mentioned, you saw her doing some drills on social media. You sent me the video and you
- [55:44]
B
said it looks like she's trying some singles, some singles practices out there, at least trying out the movement more to the, to the sidelines. And. Which is, which is great to see and it's fun. And yeah, I'm excited to see, like, how far she can push this kind of, this second career or third career maybe that she's having. So really very interesting. And we'll see if maybe that wild card will go to her or not.
- [56:14]
C
Yeah. So singles one, the grass transition.
- [56:18]
B
What do you think? What do you think, Blair?
- [56:23]
C
I think she was doing a lot more training than we thought before anyone knew she was training. So I think probably the odds are higher than maybe you thought they were. I'm. I'm not ready to put myself out on a limb. We know I'm a decidophobic. I cannot commit to saying I definitely think she'll do to get the wild card. But I think that she, for her to come back in the first place was more prepared than maybe we thought she was because we were not seeing the hours she was putting in on a practice court.
- [56:53]
D
Right, that's right.
- [56:55]
C
So I just wanted to ask you quickly, Kim, about the grass transition. How many grass tournaments did you typically like to play and what were some of the adjustments that you made in your game to be ready for that?
- [57:09]
B
Probably the biggest adjustment is similar to what I would make from the hard courts. The sunshine double in the States to the clay courts is just adjusting the movement. First of all, the positioning on the court is being closer to the baseline, being a little bit lower back in the day. And the lead up tournaments to Wimbledon, usually the grass courts are not as great as they are at Wimbledon. So there's a lot more bad bounces. They don't have the covers that, you know, that they have at Wimbledon. So when it rains, the courts gets, get a little bit more soggy at some of the tournaments. But I usually played the Rossmylan tournament and it was just really fun because it was an hour from home and I was able to either, you know, I would sleep a lot of times like in the hotel, but when I had a day off in between matches or something, I would always go home for, for a night. But it's. Yeah, I tried to probably play two tournaments beforehand and then if I didn't have enough matches I would also I played doubles at Wimbledon, played some mixed doubles there as well. So for me, as I didn't always feel my most comfortable on grass because my movement wasn't. I couldn't move as freely as I wanted to or the way that you can on hard court and your movement has to be a little bit more cautious. And that's why I think one of the reasons why Emma plays so well on the surface is because she is such a great mover on that surface. And so for me it was a little bit harder to, you know, to play freely without worrying about like, oh, if I go out wide, I have to be careful that I take a couple more steps to finish the shot or after the shot to push off. Like, it's just, it's just a different game a little bit. And, and I just knew that the less I think on the court the better.
- [59:00]
C
So, so that the extra steps, when you say you had to adjust your footwork work, it really is those sort of like ginger steps, maybe post contact and leading up to the contact. Is that how you would describe it?
- [59:14]
B
Yep. Yeah, like that. Especially afterwards if you have to run out wide, let's say to a, to a wide forehand or a wide backhand where you, where you have to slice. It's not so on. On a hard court, it's, it's a one push off. Like I had strong upper legs. Like I was able to kind of transition my weight going to the outside to the tram lines, but then push off and get back to the middle right away. Whereas on grass, you just have to be a little bit more cautious because it is a little bit more slippery. It's a living material underneath you. And you just have to make sure that your grip is not always as stable as it is on a hard court. And it's the same with running forward. And you see it plenty of times where players slip, especially when it's a little bit, you know, if it's been raining or the moisture in the air is a little bit higher or they've closed the roof and, you know, it just changes a little bit. So. And to me, that was just at times a little bit hard to navigate.
- [60:14]
C
Shall we move on? Kim to rec room today? All right, my recommendation for the week, Kim. I have hopped on the train. I have been taking creatine for the last six weeks or so, putting it in my morning coffee. And I gotta say, I don't know if I have experienced the cognitive benefits yet because that's what I was really hoping for because I've heard everybody say it makes you sharper. Question mark. I don't know. That. I'm not sure about if you heard me talk today, I feel like I could barely string sentences together. So perhaps that's not where the benefit is. But I do actually think that my muscle tone is slightly better. So I've been using the Thorn creatine. I hopped on the train. It's very, you know, middle aged of me, but I feel like I can recommend Kim.
- [61:03]
B
Great. Good. No, that's actually something I've been wondering if I should start it. I'm a big fan of the Thorn supplements, by the way. I take a few of them too, but I haven't jumped on the creatine wagon yet. But yeah, I'll look further into it.
- [61:21]
C
There you go. Well, thank you all so much for joining us this week. We had the best time talking to Robin. I love catching up with Kim, even though she's on her European adventures and we miss her here in the States. But we hope you all enjoyed the show. Please make sure to, like, subscribe all the things at Love all podcast on social media and we'll See you next week.
- [61:40]
D
Bye.
- [61:51]
A
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C
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