Casey Dellacqua: the spark that lit a golden run (rebooted)

This week we revisit an episode from the vault featuring our 2025 conversation with newly-minted Australian Billie Jean King Cup manager Casey Dellacqua. A revered name in modern Australian tennis, Dellacqua is universally admired for her on-court achievements, commentary insights and humility thro…

Lilli Tagger: a first WTA title and keeping the one-handed backhand alive

Since making history at Roland Garros in 2025 as the first Austrian to win a junior Grand Slam singles title, Lilli Tagger has embraced life on the WTA Tour. Joining Matt during her first visit to the China Open, the 18-year-old reflects on a breakthrough season that brought her first WTA title and…

Ignacio Buse: new heights, deep roots and Peruvian pride

A year ago, Ignacio Buse was outside the world’s top 100. Now ranked inside the top 30 with two ATP titles to his name, the 22-year-old is giving Peruvian fans plenty to celebrate. Only the second man from his country to win a tour-level hard-court title and the third to reach the ATP’s top 30, Bus…

Nicole Pratt (Part 2): coaching at the top level and the joy of giving back

After a professional playing career that took her into the world’s top 40, Nicole Pratt was determined to give back to the sport that had given her so much. In the second instalment of a two-part interview, Pratt tells Viv and Matt why coaching was a natural next step. Having guided the likes of Ca…

Kamil Majchrzak: breaking through at age 30

Ranked outside the top 100 in 2025, Kamil Majchrzak has charged into the world’s top 50 in the best season of his tennis career. The biggest breakthrough came in s-Hertogenbosch when the Polish player claimed a first ATP singles title at age 30. In an unforgettable run, he claimed upset wins over p…

Nicole Pratt (Part 1): from tour champion to Kimberly Birrell’s corner

Nicole Pratt’s tennis journey began on a homemade court in country Queensland, complete with a hitting wall, built by her dad with a bulldozer. From those beginnings came an Australian Open junior champion, top-40 player and WTA champion. In Part 1 of twin episodes of The Sit-Down, Pratt joins Viv …

Mark Draper: taking Rinky Hijikata and Adam Walton to new heights

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 …

Alex Michelsen: rising star turned US Open quarterfinalist

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 s…

Dane Sweeny: From “hating tennis” to career-changing US Open

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-…

Suzi Petkovski (Part 1): a revered Australian voice in the game and self-described tennis tragic

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…