The Sit-Down

The Sit-Down is on location in Brisbane, where producer Rhys de Deugd is joined by Australian coach Mark Draper at Pat Rafter Arena. The timing was perfect, given the two players Draper currently works with – Rinky Hijikata and Adam Walton – were both selected in the Australian Davis Cup team that defeated Poland. A Tennis Australia National Academy coach for 15 years, Draper loves being able to give back to players trying to get the best out of themselves, knowing from experience how difficult it is to make it at the highest level. His own playing career reached a high point in 1998, when he qualified for the Australian Open and Wimbledon and climbed to world No.152, around the same time younger brother Scott was enjoying some of his best results on the ATP Tour. Growing up in Brisbane, Draper’s development was shaped by Australian tennis legend Mal Anderson, whose influence also helped inform his approach to coaching. It’s a philosophy Draper describes as evolving into “talking a little less, listening more, and letting the player take control of their careers”.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
@Rhysdedeugd
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we bring you an episode from the vault featuring American youngster Alex Michelsen. In late 2024 he sat at a career-high world No.41 ahead of his campaign at Next Gen ATP Finals, joining Viv and Matt during a rare break at home in California to discuss his meteoric rise. Michelsen began season 2024 ranked 97th and soared thanks to reaching two ATP finals — Newport and Winston-Salem — and winning more than 30 singles matches, including against top-10 opponent Alex de Minaur in Los Cabos. Now, the 22-year-old is on the brink of the top 30 after breaking through for his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the US Open, where he ultimately fell to France’s Tiafoe in a match that ended with one of the 2026 tournament’s most iconic moments. (Episode originally published 16 December 2024)
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Viv caught up with Dane Sweeny at the US Open during the Australian’s breakthrough run to the third round of a Grand Slam. His second-round win over 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti, and the prize money boost accompanying his best Slam performance, has been career-altering, boosting the 25-year-old’s belief that he belongs at the top level of the sport. This latest performance, coming after qualifying for the main draw at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, was unthinkable when he walked away from the game in mid 2024 “hating tennis” and unsure if he would return. Yet he soon began to miss it and returned – with a greater focus on gratitude, mindfulness and discipline – to completely alter his career trajectory and tennis story. Coupled with his rise to the cusp of the top 100, Sweeny has been winning fans over, especially in New York, with his athletic, dynamic style and fighting spirit.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s guest on The Sit-Down is longtime tennis editor, writer and historian Suzi Petkovski, former editor of Australian Tennis Magazine which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. Petkovski spent 10 years at the country’s preeminent tennis publication and has continued covering the sport as a freelancer and historian. In Part I of this two-part episode, Petkovski reflects on discovering tennis as a child in Melbourne, falling in love with and later working in the sport, the big names and storylines she covered during her time at the magazine, and the importance of record-keeping and archives to tell the stories of the sport. Look out for Part II – an Australian Open-themed episode – which is due to come out in the build-up to AO 2027.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we bring you another Grand Slam special edition of The Sit-Down – one focused on the US Open, where qualifying for the 2026 tournament begins today. Over more than two years of episodes, guests have reflected on their greatest career highlights, many of which have unfolded in New York. It’s where Lleyton Hewitt won his first Grand Slam doubles title (2000) and singles title (2001) and where, 10 years later, Angelique Kerber stormed into her first major semifinal when ranked 92nd, setting her on a path toward three Grand Slam titles and the top ranking. It’s where Lindsay Davenport and Kim Clijsters broke through for the first of several Slams – and faced each other on the same courts – and where 1996 finalist Michael Chang came within one point of becoming world No.1. We also revisit a chat with Corey Gauff, the father of women’s star Coco who explained the thinking behind sitting away from her entourage during the North American summer of 2023, which she capped with victory at Flushing Meadows.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.