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The Sit-Down brings you in-depth interviews with some of the most influential figures from the world of tennis. From players to coaches, analysts, and tennis legends, each episode delves into their stories, revealing personal anecdotes and unique perspectives on the game. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just starting to explore the world of tennis, The Sit-Down brings you conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. Tune in every week for an authentic, unfiltered chat with the personalities who’ve helped shape the sport of tennis.
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Ahead of this week’s International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction — where Maria Sharapova and the Bryan brothers join the sport’s elite — president Patrick McEnroe joined The Sit-Down to discuss the power of tennis history. A former Australian Open semifinalist, Roland Garros doubles champion and record-breaking Davis Cup captain, McEnroe is passionate about the game’s rich past and reminding fans that greatness isn’t measured by Grand Slams alone. He shares his vision for the Hall of Fame, reflects on his role in the creation of the Laver Cup, explains why players feel “inspired” by it, and why fulfilling one particular dream remains his “proudest moment”. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In a coaching career spanning several decades, Brad Stine has guided Jim Courier to multiple Grand Slam titles and the world No.1 ranking, while also enjoying fruitful partnerships with the likes of Mardy Fish, Sebastian Grosjean and Kevin Anderson. Now, during a vibrant era for American tennis, Stine is the long-time coach of Tommy Paul, who has reached multiple career milestones under his mentorship. In this edition of The Sit-Down, the highly respected coach reflects on his beginnings in the sport, his award-winning career, and shares some core principles of his highly successful coaching philosophy. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_ChristieSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The last time Maya Joint sat down with us, in April, she was the world No.78 preparing to make her Billie Jean King Cup debut for Australia. Seven months on, she's a two-time WTA title winner, ranked 32nd and was the first player selected to lead the Culture Amp Australian Billie Jean King Cup team into action for this week's Play-offs in Hobart. Joint's return to The Sit-Down gave us a chance to chat to the teenager about just how far she's come, and the fact she's put herself in contention for a Grand Slam seeding in 2026. Now living in Melbourne, Joint joined Jackson Mansell in Pod Laver Arena to discuss her most recent career highlights, how she's adjusting to the brighter glare of the spotlight, her thoughts on representing Australia, plus what she's doing off court to celebrate her successes and maintain work-life balance. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify Host handles: @jackson_mansell@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the second part of Matt's chat with Judy Murray, the Scottish matriarch talks about her passion for the investment in and visibility of women's sports. Inspired by the Billie Jean King quote, "if you don't use your voice, nobody will hear you," Murray discusses her work in the women and girls space, including with the WTA to foster more tennis opportunities at a grassroots level in Saudi Arabia — current home of the WTA Finals — and in her previous role as British Fed Cup captain, where she brought more women into high-performance roles. Be sure to check out Part 1 of The Sit-Down with Judy Murray, in which she discusses raising her Grand Slam champion sons Andy and Jamie. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify Host handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark Philippoussis joins Viv Christie in Pod Laver Arena to reflect on a career that saw him crack the top 10, reach two Grand Slam finals and star in two triumphant Australian Davis Cup teams. The Melburnian's star soared when he stunned world No.1 Pete Sampras as a teenager, in his home city, at Australian Open 1996, and two years later appeared in his first major final at the 1998 US Open. Philippoussis admits his second major final defeat, to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2003, was more painful to process. Yet just a few months later he ended that year on a high, playing through a torn pectoral muscle to clinch the winning rubber over Spain at Rod Laver Arena, which saw Australia crowned 2003 Davis Cup champions. Since retiring, Philippoussis has pursued an interest in fashion yet has remained connected to the sport through legends events and coaching, revealing how much he enjoys watching the current generation of men's and women's stars. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify Host handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Viv and Matt are joined by not one, but two guests: Daria and Luke Saville. During a rare week at home in Melbourne together in 2024, the Savilles left dog Tofu with Dasha's mum and sat down for their first proper interview together. In a wide-ranging chat, they recall how they met as juniors, Daria's relocation to Australia, and how their professional tennis careers have unfolded in tandem: hitting together, offering each other advice, and learning from one another, shining a light on their various strengths as players, and their respective coaching ambitions. Also, Viv refreshes Luke's memory with his original letter to Australian Tennis Magazine 20 years ago! AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify Host handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Since making his ATP-level debut on home soil in Antwerp, Belgian Zizou Bergs has made methodical progress in his career. From his position outside the top 500 then, to cracking the top 50 this year, Bergs has emerged as a compelling player on court with a well-rounded attitude to life off it. In this week’s episode, we share Jackson Mansell’s interview with Bergs in Sydney at last month’s Davis Cup tie, when Bergs helped Belgium to a 3-2 win over Australia at Ken Rosewall Arena. In a wide-ranging chat we learn of the origin of his name, his dedication to improvement and extracting the very best from himself, his breakout run at Roland Garros in 2024, and how he emphasises reading, learning and overall self-improvement in his time away from the court. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyAT@jackson_mansellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Having competed on tour for the better part of a decade, 27-year-old Priscilla Hon is enjoying her best season to date. The Queenslander this week made her top-100 debut, reward for a purple patch of form during which she has flourished on the biggest stages. After qualifying for Wimbledon, Hon did the same at the US Open, going on to reach the third of the main draw in a career-best Slam performance. She then headed to the China Open and powered into the third round, her best WTA 1000 result. Hon joined Viv and Matt on screen from Beijing — where she also reached the doubles semifinals alongside Karolina Muchova — and talked candidly about what's been clicking in 2025 as well as her "up-and-down" journey to this point. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles: @Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In his burgeoning pro career, Rinky Hijikata has shone on the doubles court. At just 21 years of age, he combined with fellow Aussie Jason Kubler to win Australian Open 2023, and in 2025 reached the Wimbledon men’s doubles alongside Dutchman David Pel. Those results have given Hijikata invaluable exposure to the pressure of huge moments on the game’s biggest stages; experience he hopes to translate to his singles game. As he discusses with Jackson Mansell on this week’s episode, the Sydneysider – who’d made a rare return to his hometown for Australia’s Davis Cup tie against Belgium — was keen to put physical niggles behind him in a bid to improve on his career-high singles ranking of world No.62. Inspired by Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt and Japanese icon Kei Nishikori, Hijikata discusses his journey — which went through the US college system — to arrive at this point. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles: @jackson_mansell@Viv_Christie@MattyAT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Judy Murray says it’s ‘incredible’ when she reflects on the fact her sons, Andy and Jamie Murray, emerged from Scotland to become world No.1s and Grand Slam champions in singles and doubles, respectively. Judy began playing the game in Scotland as a child back when the country had barely any tennis infrastructure or elite pathway to follow – and it was one she helped create and grow, at a grassroots level, when she introduced her sons to the game. Murray sits down with Matt on this week’s episode – the first of a two-part chat – to discuss her journey in the game, her sons’ progression to the top of the sport, her stint as the British Fed Cup captain, and the growth of the women’s game, where she now works, for the WTA, as a community ambassador. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Yannick Noah, inspired by Arthur Ashe who recognised his talent and nurtured his potential, went on to craft an inspirational career of his own. In 1983, the 23-year-old became the first Frenchman in 37 years to lift the Roland Garros men’s trophy. He became world No.1 in doubles, an Australian Open semifinalist, and peaking at world No.5 in singles, became the highest ranked Frenchman in history. Yet it was team tennis that he cherished most: as Davis Cup captain, he guided France to three titles. Now preparing for the next chapter in his iconic tennis story – leading Team Europe as captain at Laver Cup San Francisco – Noah joined The Sit-Down to reflect on the highs and lows of his own career and the many life lessons it has provided. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_ChristieSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
David Hall's wheelchair tennis CV makes for heady reading, and at the US Open he sat down with Matt to reflect on a career delivering him Paralympic singles gold, nine AO and eight US titles, six year-end No.1 finishes and induction into multiple Halls of Fame. He was in New York for the 20th anniversary of the US Open wheelchair tournament's inaugural edition at Flushing Meadows, the first time he'd returned to the city since that 2005 US Open – his last Slam campaign in a professional career spanning more than 15 years. Although he initially struggled in the early stages of retirement, Hall eventually made his way back into the sport as a coach, consultant, advisor, ambassador, and instructor, and continues to profoundly impact the sport that brought him incredible joy. All this, plus many more fascinating stories throughout his journey, are detailed in his recently-released autobiography, Superbeast, which is available to purchase via Amazon. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLink Host handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Rennae Stubbs is an icon of tennis, both in Australia and the US. Now a commentator for ESPN, Stubbs earned her credentials through a No.1 doubles ranking, Olympic representation in four consecutive Games and six Grand Slam titles in the early 2000s. The last major final of her distinguished career was a loss to Venus and Serena Williams - the latter of whom she went on to coach. Stubbs has also worked with Karolina Pliskova, Sam Stosur and Eugenie Bouchard, consistently delivering ranking rises if not major titles. In this conversation during the 2025 American swing, the Sydney-born champion reflects on her friendship with Steffi Graf, the Australian "enclave" that bred a generation of stars and the range of parenting styles she's encountered through her eventful tennis life. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Michael Chang stepped into the ATP Tour in 1988 - an era in which US tennis wasn't short of headliner prospects. By 1989 though, at 17 years old, he'd roared past the likes of Jim Courier, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras to become the first American of his generation to claim a Grand Slam title. The Roland Garros champion remains the youngest man to win any major but, as he reveals in this Sit-Down, the Californian performed best on the North American hard courts. Chang won two and reached four consecutive finals in Cincinnati, as well as lifting trophies in Toronto, Indian Wells and Miami, among other American tournaments. Following his playing career, the former world No.2 guided Kei Nishikori to the 2014 US Open Final and, since Wimbledon 2025, has worked with teenage sensation Learner Tien. Originally published on 19/08/2024 and 07/10/2024 AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotify Host handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christian and Casper Ruud are among the most successful father-son duos in professional tennis history. Christian put Norwegian tennis on the map in the 1990s, becoming the first player from his country to crack the top 40 and reach the second week of a Grand Slam in the Open era. These were milestones Casper matched in the early 2020s, then surpassed by appearing in three Grand Slam finals and peaking at world No.2. Christian and Casper joined Viv and Matt on this week's episode to discuss their respective journeys, and how the lessons Christian learned during his time on tour, and in the commentary booth, helped shape Casper's path to the top -- with Christian guiding as coach. They were speaking from Cincinnati as Casper builds up to the US Open, where three years ago he came within one match win of the No.1 ranking. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Jelena Dokic stunned Martina Hingis in the first round of Wimbledon 1999, the Australian qualifier became a global superstar, ultimately peaking at world No.4 in one of the strongest eras of women’s tennis. Dokic has since gone on to become a highly-respected broadcaster and this week won a Logie -- an Australian television award -- for her documenary Unbreakable. Dokic sat down with Matt and Viv to relive her careers highs, recounting her upset of Swiss superstar Hingis in vivid detail, her experience of competing against so many WTA icons, and how her run to the medal rounds of the Sydney 2000 Olympics remains one of her proudest achievements. Originally published on 24/06/2024See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In an episode originally published in 2024, Alexei Popyrin was riding a sweet wave after his ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Montreal, a result meaning he entered the US Open with a career-high ranking and seeded at a major for the first time. The rising Australian star sat down with Viv Christie and Jon Hoevenaars to talk milestone breakthroughs, Aussie inspiration, and the sacrifices that helped to turn his long-held tennis dreams into reality. Originally published on 26/08/2024 iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie @MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In a coaching career spanning four decades, Greg Crump has guided a trio of Australians to the world No.1 wheelchair tennis ranking and provided a multitude of players to a life-changing start in the sport. With an enduring passion for creating opportunities through wheelchair tennis, Crump is now guiding a new generation of competitive players and was recently named ITF Wheelchair Tennis Coach of the Year. Crump caught up with Viv and Matt to discuss his long career in wheelchair tennis, and some bold ideas for its future growth. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australian legends Ken Rosewall and Mal Anderson are two players whose tennis careers overlapped in both the amateur and professional eras, and who continue to remain connected today. Rosewall, then 37, beat 36-year-old Anderson to win the ‘golden oldies’ final at Australian Open 1972, and 53 years later he remains the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era. Rosewall’s longevity has been revisited given the achievements of Novak Djokovic, who last week became the oldest Wimbledon men’s semifinalist behind Rosewall in the Open era and who has received multiple Australian Open trophies from Rosewall at Rod Laver Arena. Matt sat down with both Rosewall and Anderson in Brisbane during an Australian Billie Jean King Cup tie, after Rosewall had presented Anderson with his recently-recovered International Tennis Hall of Fame ring – 25 years after his induction ceremony in Newport. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handle:@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australian coach Craig Tyzzer sat down with Viv and Matt in the days ahead of Wimbledon, a tournament where he helped guide Ash Barty to the 2021 title. The victory, which saw Barty achieve a life-long dream, came amid a challenging season with COVID-19 protocols and quarantine requirements forcing Tyzzer, Barty and their team to remain on the road for nine straight months. He reflects on that experience and how his career focus shifted when Barty retired in March 2022, just six weeks after her iconic Australian Open singles triumph. Tyzzer, who has coached at the elite level since the 1990s, is now working with the next generation of young Aussie female players in the development pathway while keenly following the action on the WTA Tour, where Barty once ruled for more than 100 weeks at world No.1. iHeartSpotifyApple PodcastsPodLinkHost handles:@Viv_Christie@MattyATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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