PODCAST - 2023 Australian Open Review

JILL CRAYBAS ON NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S MENTAL STRENGTH - ‘Everything he went through last year, to be able to overcome all that, the amount of mental strength that he has, I don’t know where he gets it from, but it’s just phenomenal what he’s able to produce after everything he’s gone through’.PETER MARCATO ON NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S TENTH AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE - ’Novak Djokovic won his first title here in 2008 and in 2023 he’s playing like he was in 2008. It was personal this year, a man on a mission and the emotion that came out after a performance which was clinical in the end, showed how much it meant to him’.TENNIS AUSTRALIA CEO CRAIG TILEY ON THE LENGTH OF TENNIS MATCHES - ‘Most people are saying that points are lasting longer, but actually the data is proving that the points are not lasting longer, so when you look at length of matches it’s probably time in-between points. Since we introduced the shot clock, players are realising that they can take their time and the officials are only starting the clock when someone is ready to serve or return and also in Covid players are now having to go back and pick up their own towels and that has created extra time, so we’re seeing extra time not during the point, but between points’.JASON KUBLER ON HOW A NEW MINDSET MAY HAVE HELPED WITH HIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE - ‘A lot of it is being more present and having more understanding on my emotions, why I’m thinking certain things and you know I’m more professional in looking after my body, trying to eat a lot better, looking at how I recover and how I’m feeling in general and that’s all been a big help, so it’s no coincidence that’s when the results started coming’.MARCOS BAGHDATIS ON HIS 2006 AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL - ‘Every time I come to Australia I always say it’s like I had a Grand Slam at home with the crowd and I had my best moments on a tennis court here. I remember in the final I had my chance, I was a set and a break up against Roger Federer but couldn’t go until the end and it was more mentally, I think I started thinking too much and my mind just slipped, I started thinking to much about the future and didn’t stay in the present’.- Podcast presented by Chris Bowers- Podcast guests - Commentator Peter Marcato and former WTA player Jill Craybas- Interviews by Candy Reid