Podcast Summary

Served with Andy Roddick: Love All with Kim Clijsters

Episode: Winning Australian Open, $1M One Point Slam, & More
Date: January 14, 2026
Hosts: Kim Clijsters & Blair Henley

Overview

This episode of "Love All" with Kim Clijsters and Blair Henley dives into the vibrant early days of the Australian Open, focusing on the record-breaking fan attendance, new tennis innovations like the $1M One Point Slam, reflections on Kim's milestone career moments, headline stories from the tour, and an honest look at the mindsets and motivations of world-class players. The tone is warm and insightful, mixing behind-the-scenes details with personal anecdotes from Kim and expert on-site observations from Blair.

1. The Australian Open: Buzz, Growth & Atmosphere

• Attendance Explosion: The event has transitioned into a full three-week festival, with qualifying day attendance jumping from just over 7,500 in previous years to 29,261 this year—a testament to effective marketing and fan engagement (00:25).
• Festival Vibe: The Australian Open’s spacious layout allows for a playground-like atmosphere, including sponsor activations, family games, and even a life-size Barbie playhouse.
  • Quote:

    "It really does feel like that happy slam vibe is just reverberating around the grounds."
    — Blair Henley (01:36)

• Weather Surprises: Despite the reputation for heat, the day was notably chilly, demonstrating Melbourne's "four seasons in one day" phenomenon (03:34).
  • Quote:

    "Especially in Melbourne… you can have the a really bad storm and then have scorching heat about two hours later."
    — Kim Clijsters (03:34)

2. One Point Slam: Tennis Innovation at its Best

• Format & Purpose: The One Point Slam features a single-point elimination format, open to pros, retired players, and amateurs—including people who learned last minute they’d get to play.
  • Rules:
    • Rock, Paper, Scissors replaces the coin toss for serve/side choice.
    • Pros get only one serve; non-pros get two.
    • Winner qualifies for the grand finale and a shot at $1 million; "last non-pro standing" wins a car.
  • Community Aspect: Local club players and celebrities mix with ATP and WTA coaches and current players.
• Nerves for Everyone: Both pros and amateurs feel the unique pressure of the single-point format.
  • Quote:

    "Every single person has been nervous. The pros have been nervous, understandably, the amateurs have been nervous… No one wants to make a fool of themselves."
    — Blair Henley (06:58)

• Inclusivity & Entertainment: The event pulls in all ability levels, moves quickly, and is described as one of the best tennis innovations.
  • Quote:

    "It’s just a feel good event. It moves quickly… and it pulls in players of all ability levels."
    — Blair Henley (10:48)

• Future of Tennis Entertainment: Discussion of whether other Grand Slams will follow in adding such innovations, with Kim noting the importance of blending tradition with new fan-focused initiatives.
  • Quote:

    "It's becoming like… a sports amusement park where… you have entertainment, music, great food, you have… makeup, shopping. It's very entertaining and I want to experience it as a fan this time."
    — Kim Clijsters (14:25)

Timestamps:

• One Point Slam explained: 04:51–11:39

3. Henley’s Headlines: Tour News & Player Insights

Coco Gauff vs. Iga Świątek

• Matchup Evolution: Coco’s variety and heavy topspin are breaking up Iga’s rhythm, causing her to doubt herself when previously she dominated their rivalry.
  • Quote:

    “Coco was really putting Iga out of balance, like, not giving her a lot of rhythm.”
    — Kim Clijsters (16:08)

• Player Under Pressure: Discussion about how each player responds under stress and that “great champions” adapt and develop new solutions.

Belinda Bencic’s Pre-Slam Form

• Hot Streak, Added Pressure: Debate around whether winning too much before a Slam builds belief or adds pressure. Kim shares her personal experiences of both first-round losses and Slam victories after differing warm-up results.
  • Quote:

    “It really doesn't mean anything. You just have to kind of forget about it as soon as possible and start from scratch, I guess.”
    — Kim Clijsters (21:32)

Emotional Toll for Ukrainian Players

• Personal Hardships: Focus on Marta Kostyuk’s and Elina Svitolina’s off-court struggles with the war in Ukraine and their resilience.
  • Quote:

    "You do fight hard because it puts it all in perspective. But there's also a pain that comes with it… It can be as luxurious as it is to play on a big court… at the end of the day that's always in the back of your mind."
    — Kim Clijsters (24:36)

Daniil Medvedev: Fresh Coaching Perspective

• When to Change Coaches?
  • Kim discusses knowing when a coaching change is needed, relying on player intuition, and the importance of honesty from both players and coaches about continued progress.
  • Quote:

    “Your intuition is so strong that you know that it’s the best thing to do for you and for your tennis because you need to keep improving.”
    — Kim Clijsters (27:38)

Tournament Repetition & Comfort

• Kim feels strongly about returning to venues where she feels good energy, listing Stanford and Luxembourg among favorites (30:09–32:41).

Finals Pressure

• Dealing with Mental Hurdles: Kim shares how losing multiple finals can become a mental block—exemplified in her own early Grand Slam final losses and the doubts that follow.
  • Quote:

    "Mine happened in the grand slams, where I was 0-4 in my first Grand Slam finals that I played. And I just know now that I'm older...that I already lost those matches before I even stepped a foot in the court."
    — Kim Clijsters (33:18)

Timestamps:

• Headlines segment: 15:15–35:08

4. AO Memory Lane with Kim

• 2000 Debut at Age 16: Kim recalls her awe at sharing the locker room with childhood idols (Steffi Graf, Monica Seles), embracing the excitement and the whirlwind of entering adulthood in a high-stakes sport.
  • Quote:

    “As a little kid...I was like, 'Oh my God, I want to have that [trophy and stuffed mascot] one day.’”
    — Kim Clijsters (35:36)

• 2004 Runner-Up: Remembers a crucial line call against Justine Henin, but emphasizes accountability and learning from tough losses (39:36–41:54).
• 2011 Champion & Mom: Became the first mother to be ranked No. 1; reflects on surpassing her own expectations and the role of supportive team chemistry (41:54–43:27).

Timestamps:

• Kim’s first AO main draw: 35:18–39:20
• 2004 AO final: 39:22–41:54
• 2011 AO champion reflections: 41:54–43:27

5. Guest Segment: Francis Tiafoe’s Question

• Q: What kept you motivated, the fear of failing or the joy of success?
• A: Kim admits it was the fear of failure. Losing stung more and lasted longer than the satisfaction of a win, and with hindsight wonders if she should have taken more time to enjoy the ride.
  • Quote:

    “I hated losing more than I loved winning...the frustration of losing lasts a lot longer than the joy of winning lasts for me.”
    — Kim Clijsters (44:09)

6. The Rec Room: Quick Recommendations

• Blair’s Pick: Morphe setting spray—for long-lasting makeup, especially during on-site tournament days (46:03).
• Kim’s Pick: The Australian Open app—essential for live scoring, schedules, and behind-the-scenes tournament info (47:12).
  • Quote:

    "We're also tennis fans and we like to stay up to date with everything and it's fun."
    — Kim Clijsters (48:34)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Event Innovation:

  “Tennis has not always been the best at [change]. So props to Tennis Australia.” — Blair Henley (13:37)

• On Learning & Progress:

  “You can be confident, but you can't be overconfident.” — Kim Clijsters (23:05)

Key Segment Timestamps

• 00:25 – Australian Open attendance/fan experience
• 04:51 – One Point Slam explanation
• 15:15 – Henley’s Headlines/news
• 35:18 – Kim’s AO Memory Lane
• 44:02 – Francis Tiafoe guest question
• 46:01 – Rec Room recommendations

Takeaways

• The Australian Open is breaking records and redefining tennis as a festival experience, blending tradition with innovation.
• New event formats like One Point Slam and sustained fan engagement are key to the future of tennis.
• Mental resilience, adaptability, and team chemistry are at the heart of player success and longevity.
• Kim Clijsters’ honesty—about nerves, motivation, and the struggle between fear of losing and joy of winning—offers a rare, relatable look inside a champion’s mind.

For fans and listeners: this episode is packed with light-hearted stories, candid wisdom, and inspiring tennis tales—perfect for anyone eager to get closer to the tour and its stars as the Australian Open heats up.