In a rare episode of The Sit-Down conducted in the locker rooms of John Cain Arena, Kimberly Birrell joined the podcast when she was recently in Melbourne for Australia’s most recent Billie Jean King Cup tie. The 28-year-old reflects on a career journey interrupted by serious elbow injuries, which required surgery and made her doubt if her body would hold up to the rigours of professional tennis. What has followed has been a period of sustained success; Birrell peaked at world No.60 and has entrenched herself in the top 100, also enjoyed a stint as Aussie No.1, and is competing more regularly at the biggest tournaments against the game’s best. After a sizzling start to 2026, the Queenslander has bigger goals in sight, sharing her dreams for Wimbledon and beyond.

AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify 

Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT

In a rare episode of The Sit-Down conducted in the locker rooms of John Cain Arena, Kimberly Birrell joined the podcast when she was recently in Melbourne for Australia&rsquo;s most recent Billie Jean King Cup tie. The 28-year-old reflects on a career journey interrupted by serious elbow injuries, which required surgery and made her doubt if her body would hold up to the rigours of professional tennis. What has followed has been a period of sustained success; Birrell peaked at world No.60 and has entrenched herself in the top 100, also enjoyed a stint as Aussie No.1, and is competing more regularly at the biggest tournaments against the game&rsquo;s best. After a sizzling start to 2026, the Queenslander has bigger goals in sight, sharing her dreams for Wimbledon and beyond.
<hr>
<a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fausopen.com%2Flisten&amp;data=05%7C01%7CJHoevenaars%40Tennis.com.au%7C39d41d646c2d44fd299008dadcd3bdc3%7C61aa9c8da7734a7c84701dd8062e404a%7C0%7C0%7C638065099215598899%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Pv9ViyqGlAcwDPKaeTzYZCwHLUzSRqpu%2FU2pwaedzRQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-outlook-id="3c370577-7dba-4abd-b544-3c6b4e392575">AusOpen.com</a> <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1300-the-ao-show-106540123/" data-outlook-id="e73cdaea-125d-447d-bfed-1ed1c278432e">iHeart</a> <a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fau%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-ao-show%2Fid1447078646&amp;data=05%7C01%7CJHoevenaars%40Tennis.com.au%7C39d41d646c2d44fd299008dadcd3bdc3%7C61aa9c8da7734a7c84701dd8062e404a%7C0%7C0%7C638065099215598899%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Hibqry6n4Q%2FepVo1I9kTOYduhyOnk7yK%2BhC8SDzyEqM%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-outlook-id="a850383b-e29c-4d3f-a117-538e4b9d362c">Apple Podcasts</a> <a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F5iZNWXsa7TQNs88F0PAmB1%3Fsi%3D720671f241a14afe&amp;data=05%7C01%7CJHoevenaars%40Tennis.com.au%7C39d41d646c2d44fd299008dadcd3bdc3%7C61aa9c8da7734a7c84701dd8062e404a%7C0%7C0%7C638065099215598899%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xWAr%2BGz5LJ0OigwN9Irgx13SdZ4iMSGRCvT9clKZDVo%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-outlook-id="95ef2cdc-f40a-4e55-b032-19a10ce8fddd">Spotify</a>&nbsp;
Host handles: <a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FViv_Christie%3Fs%3D20&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpodcast%40tennis.com.au%7Cb466fa168a3e4134f82608de2888d966%7C61aa9c8da7734a7c84701dd8062e404a%7C0%7C0%7C638992765391785071%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kMQQyYkld7sJHrsv3a%2BaYRc%2B17UOmocys0%2FzO5DocqM%3D&amp;reserved=0">@Viv_Christie</a> <a href="https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FMattyAT%3Fs%3D20&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpodcast%40tennis.com.au%7Cb466fa168a3e4134f82608de2888d966%7C61aa9c8da7734a7c84701dd8062e404a%7C0%7C0%7C638992765391805810%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kCfYo0iZ60Z802rT7a%2FWJs0YkbolBSA5O2aXUYssv38%3D&amp;reserved=0">@MattyAT</a>

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.

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&rsquo;t hear anywhere else. Tune in every week for an authentic, unfiltered chat with the personalities who&rsquo;ve helped shape the sport of tennis.

The Sit-Down 

Kimberly Birrell: “I think I’ve surprised quite a few people”

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/138cb33a-01b6-451f-b31c-b455002ebc69/transcript