Nick Kyrgios

Um, that's, that's fake news.

I can't remember the last time the Australian media was was bang on with anything in my life to be honest. Um, but yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm going to be playing singles throughout this year, um, and that's always been my priority to be honest is is singles. Um, yeah, obviously the, the wrist surgery was tough, but um, back, I've been playing singles this year and and excited to get back, back out there.

Mhm.

Um, in 2015 I fell over on, in a match and I, I ruptured one of my ligaments and then I had the chance to kind of fix it then. Um, but I was only, I was about 19 at the time so I was like, "Maybe I'll see how far I can get." You know, surgeon was like, "You can either fix it now or you're going to have problems later on." And, you know, about 10 years later, I guess, um, you know, I had all, all three of my ligaments were ruptured in my in my wrist. So I had to do like an experimental wrist surgery and I think everything went pretty well, relatively well to get to get me back out there. But yeah, it was, it was definitely a journey.

Yeah, they, they had to drill three, three holes in my hand and then a hole in my arm and then weave this cable through and staple it. It was...

Yeah, technically, and then the bone kind of just closes up over the, the cable. And that's crazy. Yeah, it's pretty disgusting to be honest. Um,

Yeah, it's, um, I did it with Dr. Sandow in, in Adelaide. Um, he's performed it, I think, less than 50 times around the, around the globe. Um, a tennis player hasn't had this surgery before. Um, so look, the odds were definitely stacked. I saw four surgeons and they all said, um, relatively your career is probably at this stage over. Um, so it was, it was tough to digest, but at that time, yeah, I mean, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't, there, there was no function, functional movement in my wrist at all. I couldn't carry groceries or do anything. So at that point, I had no option and and now I'm back playing. So it's all a bonus.

Look, I feel like surgeons in general, they talk to a lot of, you know, normal people with normal jobs that, you know, I do a lot more. Look, I, I train a lot more, I rehab a lot more, I'm obsessed with, you know, getting back out there and competing and playing a sport. So I knew that I was going to do a lot more than the average person to get back out there and and force myself to get in the gym and rehab. So I, I never really felt like my career was over. Um, and then when I was in the cast for 12 weeks, I was like, "[expletive], maybe it is." Um, and then when I was relearning to use my hand again, I did think that it was going to be a long shot. You know, six months out of surgery, I still couldn't hit the ball without pain and there was, you know, I was having conversations with my team like, "Maybe this is it." Um, but here we are, um, 18 months later and getting ready to to go back out there.

It's, uh, it's not the same, but it's, it's good enough to to play.

Uh, yeah, I mean, I got, I think that was the biggest thing. You know, I lost a couple matches in a row this year and then I got a, I got a win on the singles court and I guess mentally for me it was to prove to myself that I'm still able to win at that level and mentally now I do believe. Um, so yeah, I think, I think I can still win for sure.

Um, I think the, the difference between, you know, being top 20 or top 10 in the world to people 300, it's just about, I think that the level everyone can play at at the highest level. I think it's just those players are still yet to find out what they do best and they need to execute it over and over again. That's the only difference. The guys at the top know what their strengths are and what they need to do over and over again to to win.

Yeah, it's like finding out what your strengths are on the tennis court and and able to execute that over and over again where the guys at the top know exactly what they need to do and the guys around 100 to 300, they're still kind of searching for their, you know, their like player identity, I feel.

Um, like I've always been quite unpredictable. Um, I think when a scouting report comes, um, on me when I was obviously in my prime, it was, there's no real game plan. Um, this guy could play amazing or he could beat himself. Um, but I, I played big. I had a, had one of the best serves in the world. Um, and I played big under pressure. Um, and that's just, I think it came from me being overweight kid when I was, I didn't move. I wasn't a great mover when I was young. I was overweight. So I used to just have to be super aggressive. So I think that's just molded my game style.

Um, I definitely didn't go to a raffle and pick out professional tennis player. Um, I like saying, people tend to say like, you know, you, you, you're very natural, like naturally gifted, um, you don't work hard. And I, it's, it's hard because you know, this is the game I played since I was 7 years old. So I've dedicated almost 30 years, um, to this sport. And you know, it's every day, you know, I'm doing something to to get better whether it's gym, rehab, physio, massage, training. So look, I definitely feel like tennis came a lot easier to me than than the other tennis players, but I still feel like dedicating your life to a sport is, is, is hard, is hard work for sure.

I was. Um, I was not, I was, I was relatively pretty good at basketball. And then my dad and my mom kind of decided that tennis was the, the way to go. In Australia at that time, there wasn't many pathways to really get out of the country and play basketball. So they were like, "Tennis is the way." And it ended up being the, the correct choice I guess.

Um, I don't think I play enough to make the top 10. Um, I never play a heavy schedule and that's not my goal.

Um, well, I do, I mean, it's a bit soft the reason to be honest. I just miss home. Um, you know, when as an Australian tennis player, if you play a full schedule, you're, you're on the road for 9 months a year. And for me, that's just not something that I, I, I enjoy doing. I don't, I don't enjoy being away from home, my family, uh, my friends. Um, you know, Mom and Dad are, they're nearly 70, so I, I, I don't want to be away from them for for too long. Um, you know, I miss my dogs, I miss my home cooking, I miss...

Yeah, I mean, look, yeah, exactly. Um, but I've definitely been criticized for it, um, throughout my career. But, you know, this is the reason why I'm, I'm at home at this time of the year. I should be, I should be playing, but I, I just don't want to sacrifice this time at home and with my family and friends. I just don't need to do that anymore. Um, but to be able to make the top 10, you have to play a full schedule. And that's just not something I've been doing my career.

Um, I do think I could. I could definitely light up a week for sure. Um, I still feel the way I'm hitting the ball and and and playing and and in the shape I'm in, I'm, I for sure could could do damage still, 100%.

This is a tough one. Um, I know there's many. The greatest of all time is, is Novak, but, uh, I don't think he was the hardest.

No, he, the greatest all-time is Novak, but I, my hardest opponent was probably Federer. Um, I think for me, game styles, game style-wise, Federer made you feel really average at times. Um, he was very aggressive. He, he took the game to you. And no matter where you played him around the world, he was always a favorite and people wanted him to win. So I think he was my hardest opponent to be honest.

Well, Federer had this arrogance about him that pisses you off, the way he walks. Um, he knew how good he was. He was probably the most talented player to ever pick up a racket. So yeah, he just knew, he knew his ability and how good he was. And obviously that's what made him great. But the way his aggressiveness, he almost shrunk the court. Like that's how he made you feel. He made you feel like he was suffocating you a little bit. Um, and yeah, he was, he was probably my toughest opponent. And so Novak, about Novak, I mean, Novak kind of, he feels you out a little bit. Like he lets you play and then he kind of dissects you a little bit. Like you might win a set and you might win a couple games and then like he's like, he finds out what your weakness is and he kind of makes, kind of kills you slowly. Um, yeah, like he's...

Yeah, yeah, he's a bit like that.

Yeah, there are probably two matches that if I won probably would have changed the course of my career. Um, Federer in Miami, uh, it was like, called one of the matches of the decade. I lost to him in Miami semi-finals. And if I'd won that, I'd probably would have won the tournament. Um, that still haunts me.

Uh, well, I was two points away from winning. Um, and I just, yeah, just I guess I didn't stay in the moment I guess at that time. And I mean, he, it was, he wasn't a bad opponent, but, uh, yeah, I think I just, yeah, didn't execute under pressure. Uh, that would have changed. I think if I'd won that tournament, that would have been a big one for me. And obviously Wimbledon final against Novak. Um, yeah, that would have probably, I mean, if you win Wimbledon, you're immortality in a sport, in the sport. So, um, yeah, being two sets away from the Wimbledon title was, was I still think about that pretty much every day.

100%. Uh, a good example, remember the Ben Stiller thing?

No, it was someone else. Like someone else was trying to tell me how to play and I was like, "Well, do I tell Ben how to act?" You know, it's like it was so good. It's like, why do why are you even...

But Ben's, Ben's a massive tennis fan and I think he's, he's seen a couple of my matches, so he knows anything can happen and anyone can be in the firing line. So, um, yeah, look, I've never been an amazing, I don't, my focus isn't great. Um, I think I've always played tennis the same way, you know, I've been emotional, um, wore my emotions on my sleeve and yeah, I used to carry on as a kid playing and it was just competitive spirit for me. You know, I would cry on court as a kid and I'd want to win so bad and I think I channel that better now, but I've still got that inner kid in me where I'll do anything to win and and I just, yeah, the competitive side just kind of takes over and I kind of lose control a little bit.

Yeah, I'm not going to change things now. I think they're just part of my personality and I think that's part of the reason why when I play the stadiums are, are usually always full because, yeah, you watch sport, you go there for the unknown and you go there to see something that you're going to remember whether it's good or bad. You know, you know, I've thrown chairs on the court, like and and it's things have got out of control, but I think that's a side of me that, you know, sport and entertainment...

It is, it is. It's, it's just the competitive spirit that, you know, I, I can't get rid of.

Yeah, um, me and, me and, the stories actually, we, we actually used to be really good friends.

Um, you know, it was, it was tough for me because I came into like Davis Cup where it was Lleyton, um, 'cause he was a golden boy at one stage.

The Aussies, it was the Aussies and then it was Bernard that was our team and I was this young kid that came into the team and Bernard kind of took me under his wing. Um, and I was also friends with the Aussies, but there was a bit of tension between the team 'cause I was friends with Bernard and I was also, I was also friends with um, Lleyton and I knew that they didn't really get along that well. Um, but yeah, look, like Bernard taught me a lot. You know, when he was, you know, in his prime, he was top 20 in the world. He was an amazing player. He was winning a lot of matches and he kind of taught me things about the tour that, you know, I was new to and we kind of 'cause he's a lot, he's a fair bit older than I am. Um, and yeah, I almost looked at him as like a big brother and then I kind of, kind of found my way up the ranks and things obviously changed a little bit. Um, but yeah, I think the rivalry, I mean, as, as I said, Aussie media loves to pump up a little bit. Like people say that I don't...

Yeah, exactly. And like people saying that, you know, I'm not close with Lleyton or, you know, I commented on Lleyton's son's pick and they're like, "Oh, Nick's a bully." I'm like, I'm friends with these people, they're just making up any headline. But look, the rivalry between me and Bernard, I don't think there's ever been a rivalry for me to be honest. Um, you know, we were on the tour together, we played doubles together and we were room, like we were Aussies that were traveling six months, uh, a year and we, we used to play FIFA, like PlayStation together in the room. So the rivalry, I don't think, was, was really there to be honest.

Exactly. I mean, this is what the media didn't see. You know, it was at times where we missed our family and and we were leaning on each other to just get through months on the road together. So for me, I never looked at it as a, as a rivalry. It was like, you know, this is a guy that is from Australia and he's just trying to do everything he can to to stay sane on the road. Um, and and whilst being under an extreme amount of, you know, media scrutiny as well, it's, it wasn't easy for us because we were, we had a bit of a target on our backs as well during that time and and we were only young. Like I was only like 19, 20. So I was looking as him to take most of the firing line and then I ended up taking it all. I remember.

Um, look, whether or not he can make a comeback, you know, he's still playing at a reasonable level. He's playing at the Challenger level at the moment, which is, you know, your top 200 in the world. Um, and to be honest, I think he just looks a bit, he looks happy. You know, I think when he was, um, playing at the highest level, it, it might have been a little bit too much for him as it was for me at some, some time to, you know, when you're at, when you're playing at that level, there's a great responsibility that comes with it. And for me, when I'm looking at him and playing now, he actually looks more relaxed. Like he's losing matches, he's winning matches and it's like, you know, he's, he's happy, at least he's, he's doing, you know, he's playing the sport that, you know, that's all he knows. You know, that's all we know is, is, is to play tennis. So he, at least he looks happy now when I'm seeing him playing whether he wins or loses and he doesn't look like, you know, the weight of the weight of the world's on his shoulders. So I think I don't mind seeing him, you know, play at that level.

Yeah, I mean, definitely, uh, definitely it would definitely hurt me if they, if they came after me. Please don't come after me. Um, yeah, it was hard. I think, I think the bottom line is, I don't think I was ready for this kind of position at a 19-year-old.

Yeah, the, like my life changed dramatically. You know, I wasn't ready to be a role model at 19. I was just finished school. Um, and I was just, you know, we were, you know, at that stage, me and Horse were just hanging out. We were just kids. Like, I wasn't ready to take on being a role model and and having all these sort of comments and social media and negativity. I didn't know how to deal with that at that age. Um, and it definitely took its toll. I took it very personally, um, at a, at a young age. And it definitely, you know, when I almost started believing some of the comments, you know, when I was seeing it, you know, "I mean every day, you know, I wake up to, is Nick Kyrgios the biggest waste of talent that tennis ever seen?" Like that stuff doesn't bother me now. But, you know, telling that to someone that's 19, 20, but I just started my career. Like, I'm and I was playing against guys that, you know, three of the greatest of all time and and they're like, "Why is he not winning a Grand Slam?" I'm like, "These are arguably the three greatest athletes that any sport's ever seen."

So it's like it was hard for me because I was, I thought I was doing really well. And um, to see the negativity and then it's not just that, you know, it was the, the, the negativity towards, you know, my family or, you know, there were comments that I would say, it was so accessible. I was seeing him every day. So it was hard for me to kind of block that out and it and it and it did affect my mental health. Um, I've went into some really dark spots, but now I don't take them as like, as obviously I see them, but, you know, it's just like, I think I'll survive now. I think I'll, you know, I've got, I've got a great team around me and I've got an amazing life.

Um, I think it just, now I realize that I can't, I can't do what I do on my own. You know, I think at that stage, I was, I tried to block everything around me out and and and take it all on my own. Um, but now, you know, I talk to even just my relationship, my family. I talk to them all the time. Um, you know, especially my mom and dad, I try and talk to them every day now. And they helped me a lot. But, you know, I had some, I've got great friends and I've, I've got great people around me. So now I lean on them as much as I can. Um, but yeah, it was tough. Uh, it was, yeah, it definitely made me feel pretty [expletive] about myself for sure.

I think they don't realize that words can actually be quite hurtful.

Yeah, I just think I've seen it and I've, I've, I've also, um, you know, I've never been like, I haven't been perfect either, but I just feel like if people really understood the, the, the weight of what words can do to someone's mental health and and, you know, don't really understand what people are going through behind closed doors. And even if they look like a million dollars in their profession, you know, the words that they cop, you know, when they're, when they're by themselves or, um, you know, behind closed doors, it can, it can carry a lot of weight and it can, you know, it can arguably end someone's life to be honest. It can get to that point. So you try. I, I try now to not take it so seriously 'cause I, I used to take it very personally. And it and it and it, yeah, I wouldn't sleep. Like it would, it would keep me up and and I genuinely started believing what these people were saying. So, yeah.

Uh, now I do. But now I just troll. Like now I realize I have a ridiculous amount of power on social media. Like I could tweet right now and I'd send this country into a frenzy.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, now I think I, I turn to my mean Daniel, my agent. Um, I always, I always, I always, most of the time I do say, "Can I do this?" And and I think he's like, "No, you know, you can't do that." But sometimes I ask and then sometimes I just maybe if I've had a couple beers on a night out, who knows?

Yes.

He's just like, "Take this down immediately, please." Yeah, yeah. But like, yeah, now I just like, when I see comments sometimes I'll go back and forth. Like I just like to stir the pot a bit now. Um, 'cause it's just a bit like, you know, it is what it is now. I don't mind.

Yeah, I got a, I got a base in Bahamas. Um, so when I'm in the States, Bahamas.

Yeah, so usually we go there, um, after the European swing and we, we do a little training block there before you go as well.

Yeah, it's super nice. Um, just off the grid and we usually, it's just too hard to go back and forth from Australia to be honest. Like the tennis tour is too vigorous with travel through Europe and the States. It's like if you come back to Australia the jet lag and then it's just like go back again, it's just too much.

Yep, you can. "Good Trouble."

It's been amazing. Um, yeah, like sometimes I have to think to myself, like, a kid from that grew up in Canberra is now, you know, playing tennis around the world, um, at the highest level and and now has his own show and and talking to these amazing guests that I never thought was, was reachable. And, you know, I think I, you know, last night I'm, I'm sitting with my mom and my dad, we're watching a movie, eating dinner together. And the next day, you know, I could be talking to Tyson, Tyson or something. It's just like, it's, it is surreal. Um, and it's motivation though, because it's like, if someone like me can, me can get to that position and and and and do those things, it's, I think anyone, anyone can really, can anyone can really do it. I think.

No, no, it's true.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll break the internet. It's just, yeah, it's crazy. Like I never thought that I'd be in this position. Um, and yeah, every day I just, I do crazy, like, Horse will, Daniel will just text me like, "We're doing this today." I'm like, like it could be something crazy. I'm like, "Okay, let's just, let's just do it." It's, it's, it's, it's a bit weird.

Uh, they don't rest. Um, especially when I talk to, you know, Gordon Ramsay and all these, like Gary Vee and and all these...

Yeah, and like these amazing athletes like Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka and Novak. Like they're never content. They're like chasing more. They're always chasing more. You know, they do something amazing where they win a Grand Slam or they, they just release a new TV show and they're just like, "Okay, what's next for me? What can I do more to, you know, to continue to grow my legacy?" You know, Naomi Osaka has won four Grand Slams. Arguably one of the most iconic players to ever play the game and she's like, "I feel like I haven't done enough." And I'm like, "How do you think that makes me feel?" But like that's the mindset. I feel like, I mean, whether it's a gift or a curse, I'm not sure. But they just never seem to be content with what they've done. Um, and they're always hungry to do more and and kind of prove themselves that they can do more. So that's, that's one thing that I've noticed, but I guess that sorts kind of the, the best of the best from the rest.

Um, I don't know why my mind goes to this, so I would probably say, I mean, I love NBA obviously. Um, and obviously being, um, single now, I'd probably, uh, I'd probably take James Harden 'cause like...

Dennis Rodman? Dennis, Dennis Rodman, no, that's like too much. Because I, I don't know where I'd end up.

Yes. Like where that's like too crazy. Like I would like to do that, but it's like I'm a bit scared. Where James Harden, I know that, I know where that ends up and I know it's controlled and I know it's like incredible.

Yeah, like I think me and James Harden would have a hell of a time. Um, that's so good.

Yeah, it's, it's, it's good. I think it's given me time to, um, you know, there's a lot on my plate and it's given me time to focus especially on my tennis and and and my, my physical side of things. Just more diligent with, with my stuff, you know.

Um, usually just travel with your partner. You usually just, if if they're able to travel with you, you just kind of travel together and see the world together and stuff.

Yeah, I mean, look, it's, you got, you got athletes that are obviously testosterone pumping, peak of their performance. I'm sure they want to have a good time.

Like there's a lot of, I mean, there's a lot of tennis couples that are dating, um, all the time and they end up dating afterwards and and end up having a family together. You know, you see, as I said, you're seeing these people more than your own family. Like you're on the road and it's like, you're seeing these people and you might have, you might play mixed doubles and you might just do an appearance together. And then, you know, things just form and then, you know, you might miss your family and then instead you might be going to dinner with this. But it's just like things just happen and and that's just...

It's fun. But for me, I think I was such a, I'm such a homebody. Like I love Canberra. Even being in Sydney gives me anxiety. Like there's just so many people on the streets and it just makes me feel like I just want to run back to Canberra.

Um, I still when I'm in Canberra, yeah, I live with my parents.

Yes.

Um, I would change, I would significantly make the schedule shorter. I would not, I would only have the Grand Slams, Masters events, and ATP 500. So after the US Open, I would, I would shut down the schedule where it goes for another like three months.

You know, it's literally, it's 11 months of the year you can play from start to finish.

They don't do it anymore, but majority of players will do that.

Well, to earn, but I mean, that's just, that's just our sport. That's just the structure of it. There's barely any off-season. It's brutal.

Um, yeah, at the Grand Slams, it's best of five sets. Um, so you have to win three sets to to win a match. And that's different. A normal tournament is only best of three, so you have to win two sets.

So I would change up until the quarterfinals, I'll do best of three for the men and then quarterfinals onwards, I'll do best of five. So the, because the first week there's usually a bunch of scheduling issues. Like some people at this Australian Open aren't finishing their matches till like 3:00 a.m.

So that would be ridiculous. And then how do you expect that person to rest and recover and come, like it just, there's a lot of things that I would change, but that would, that has to change. Like 'cause I mean, I finished a match one time at Flushing New York. I got back to my room at 4:15 a.m. I was getting physiotherapy and the sun was coming up.

I, I won the match, but I didn't recover well for the next one.

It's just a day after.

Yeah, I played a couple three and a half, four hour matches. Yeah.

Um, I think, uh, Carlos Alcaraz is definitely probably a favorite. Um, he's this young guy from Spain who pretty much does everything that the, he's got a bit of Novak, he's got a bit of Nadal and he's got a bit of Federer in him. Yeah, yeah, he's a young guy. And then obviously it's hard to go past Sinner as well with all the controversy around him. But I mean, he's a hell of a player and I think he's got a good shot to to win a Slam. Um, probably just those two to be honest. They're on, they're on a different level.

38, 38 or 39, I think he's getting up there. Yeah.

Yeah, well, I mean, look for a tennis player, he's, he's, he's defeated time. Like to to to be able to play at that level at that age is, it's unheard of really. I mean, there's only Federer and him are the only two players that are really lasted that long and and being one of the best players in the world. But look, he maybe could win Wimbledon. Um, but I think he is starting to...

Yeah, I mean, I know Novak, he's meticulous with everything. You know, diet.

He wouldn't take the vaccine. Um, which is smart. Yeah. But he's like, look, he, he, he, he has people around him. Like he only has a protein shake at a certain time. I don't know what he's putting in there, but, you know, he's every time I've been around him on a practice session, everything is, you know, to the absolute T. Like he doesn't...

Everything. And that's, that just shows like you can't have that length of career without that diligence with with all those little things. And I haven't had that. Like I, I'm, I, you know, you know, I drink a fair bit. Like...

Yeah, but if I don't feel as if, if I was like that, I don't know if the way I played would have been the same. You know, the way I played and my personality was the reason why I was good. I think you can't take that where if Novak did what I did, there's no way he would be able to play the way he plays. So I think it's just comes down to, you know, professionalism, but people's personalities. Novak, he doesn't, he's methodical. He is with, with everything. And I think now towards the end of his career, maybe he'll, you know, be a bit lax with some things, but throughout his prime, he was, he was, he didn't miss a beat.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. With a HOAC. It's basically ozone therapy. It's, he travels the world with this thing. It's crazy.

Yeah, I mean, he's, he had a hyperbaric chamber one year, um, in New York and he was doing it every day. And yeah, he's just, he, he does everything he can possible to to get the best out of his performance and I think his health for sure.

Yeah. I look, I do love a good time. I'm not going to lie.

Hell yeah.

I was vegan for 2 years. Um, the, the, the, the, the original story as to why I changed back was I was actually dating my first girlfriend and in the middle of the night she woke up out of nowhere. She goes, "I hate that you're vegan." And I said, "Where's this come from?"

It was just like random at 2:00 a.m. And I was like, "Well, what, what, like, what's your problem?" She's like, "Every time we go out to eat, like there's no, there's no fun. You don't eat desserts. You don't like eat with me." I'm like, "Okay, fine. Like, if you want me to do this, I'll eat it." Next day I ate meat. Felt so sick. Like two years off meat and then I had like a barrage. Yeah, a big steak and I felt so sick. And then now I just eat meat again.

Yeah. And then I went pescatarian for a bit and then I cut meat back out of my diet because, you know, I just, it was actually originally for me was for the animals to be honest. Um, and then I was pescatarian and I had a best year on tour in 2022 when I nearly won the Grand Slam. I was pescatarian. I ate fish, fish, rice, and veggies was my diet pretty much every day. And then obviously being half Greek, we ate meat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And then I was like, I think there was a family gathering we had at my place and there was lamb on the spit and I was like, "Dude, what am I, what am I doing?" And I just went over there, ate half of it and then I'm just like, "I [expletive] love meat."

I love it. It's the best.

Uh, it was good, but required a lot of effort. Like I had to plan a lot of where I was going to eat. Had to research when I'd go to places if there was vegan restaurants or vegan cafes. Obviously some places, um, we'll tell you off camera. He, oh, actually, I'll just tell it to you now 'cause this kind of shows what friend he is. We were in Argentina and I was like, "That's when I decided to go vegan." I was like, "I'm going to go vegan." And he was sitting next to me on a plane. He was like, I was like, "Do you want to go vegan with me this week?" He's like, "Yeah, man, I, I'll support you. I'll be your best friend and I'll support you." So I was like, "Okay, mate." Anyway, so at the airports, we're eating like bread and sliced tomatoes, like trying to really get through like South America. And then we get to the hotel breakfast. So breakfast, I'm like eating, you know, fruit nuts and he's doing it with me and I can tell he's hating it. Like he's from, he's from the farm. Like he hates vegan. Like hates being a vegan. And then like we're really struggling. It's night time and I'm like, "Man, I'm hungry." And then the next morning I'm miserable. I've barely eaten. I'm eating nuts. And he's like, got the biggest smile on his face. I was like, "Why are you in such a good mood?" And he's like, "Nah, no reason. No reason." And then two days later, I found out that he went to a steakhouse in Argentina while I was in my room eating [expletive] nuts and fruit. He just was crushing like a great massive steak and he just didn't even, he wasn't even going to tell me. Yeah, real good. What a good, what a good mate. What a good mate. Yeah. But it, it was tough. Some places it's, it's hard to, hard to be vegan for sure.

I did. I lost a lot of, you know, if you do vegan right, I feel like you, you have to eat a lot. But also like 'cause you had to maintain muscle as well. I did. It was, it was hard. You, I did lose a lot of weight. Um, I felt my energy levels were actually sorry, my energy levels were quite high.

But it was just, it was the effort. You know, traveling at airports, um, you know, after I'd play a match late at night, like what's open to eat, to eat, you know, there was nothing. The access to food, vegan food and good quality vegan food was, was slim. So it, that was the hardest bit about it. But my energy levels were pretty good to be honest.

Uh, no, no. I'm like the old veteran now on tour. Like I want to have a glass of wine. Like I want to eat good.

Yeah, like I'm, I'm to the point now where like I'm not going to put myself through that anymore.

I don't think you need to cut out meat. Just maybe like one day off it and then just have like fish.

I do. It's terrible probably, but like you said, it's very...

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I need to start with that. Yeah, no, you're right. I need to start doing that.

Yep.

Yep.

Um, uh, we've got a beer company called Strider. Um,

So we're working on, I'm working on that a fair bit. Um, I've been doing a, especially last couple, last two, three weeks, we've been going to local places around Canberra and Sydney and and and giving them like personalized deliveries of stocking us and stuff. So yeah, I mean, look, especially in Australia, we love Australian products. So that's, that's been really good. But as of right now, I'm just, I'm just training, training every day and heading to Paris in in a couple weeks to play doubles over there and and do some TV work, commentating and stuff. So, um, yeah, I got a lot going on.

Um, well, I'm part owner in an NBL team as well, Southeast Melbourne Phoenix.

Um, and then there's a Miami pickleball team. Is it with Larry, Larry?

No, that's with, yeah, yeah, yeah. Larry, he's a good friend of ours. Um, he's a good, he's a good lad. Um, and I'm involved with Miami Pickleball as well.

Yeah, it's taking off. It really is taking off and there's pickleball courts everywhere around Australia getting built and it's, it's going to take over.

In my, in my opinion, I think it, I think tennis should have like bought pickleball when it was a startup. To, you know, it's, it's a racket sport, they all should be really under the same umbrella to be honest. But now I think tennis might be a little bit scared because one, you, the equipment's a lot cheaper than tennis and people at a younger age can start playing pickleball. And then people, you, girls can play it when you're, when you're older as well. You know, tennis is a bit physical. It's like, you know, you break a string, that's $60. A racket's $300. Like new tennis balls all the time. Where pickleball is just like, you have the same bat, you have the same ball, pretty much. Like it's more affordable, it's more accessible.

Pickleball, it's basically a smaller version of tennis with a different. It's like a hollow ball, so the pace of the game is a lot slower and like you could just go with your friends, have a couple... It's more of a social...

Yeah, it's a social thing. But there's a professional league in the States that where the professional players where they get paid a very good, you know, sum of money and and there's a professional league as well. So I just think that pickleball will probably take over. Um, and I don't care to be honest. I, I love the fact that people are going outside and being active and playing any sport to be honest. But um, yeah, pickleball is it's, it's definitely coming.

Um, yeah, I mean for sure. It's, it's growing. There's, there's already a league in Australia at the moment.

Yeah, yeah. Fish and Fishwick, I know exactly where it is. Yeah, yeah. Um, that's what I'm saying. It's, it's everywhere.

No, no, they, they, they seriously need to. I'm not even joking. I'm serious. Yeah. Tennis, tennis should be, tennis should be worried.

Of course. No worries. Cheers, mate.