The First Serve

Brett Phillips brings you this weeks show from Barcelona having just arrived for the ATP 500, fresh off a week in Monte Carlo with plenty of reflections. You will hear from Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin after their impressive runs. Away from Monte Carlo, a BJK Cup wrap with Dale Roberts from Brisbane, Tournament Director Mark Pead at the 12/14 Nationals in Canberra, Scott Bassett - Director of the new BallKilds doco, our college segment with Lachlan Puyol chatting to Aussie pair Amy Stevens and Darcy Nicholls and a wrap of the UTR/PTT tournament held at Hume, hearing from winners Kayla McPhee and Scott Jones.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex de Minaur chats after a heartbreaking three set loss to Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 4-6, 6-7 in the semi finals of the Monte Carlo Masters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lachlan Puyol is back with Episode 3 for 2025 thanks to Play USA Tennis Pathways, dedicated to the US College space for those aspiring to go down this path, providing plenty of education on the US System chatting to Australian players, coaches and administrators. In this third episode of the year, Lachlan chats to Aussie twins from Adelaide Maddie and Chloe Schwarz in their junior year at Western Carolina University and Stephanie Wooten, Head Mens and Women's coach at Weatherford Junior College.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex de Minaur after a big Friday in Monte Carlo making the singles semi finals after a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Grigor Dimitrov and then stepping out to play his doubles QF with Jan-Lennard Struff going down to top seeds Pavic/Arevalo in the match tie break.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexei Popyrin for the third straight day in Monte Carlo, comes out a winner getting his biggest win of the year taking out fourth seed Caser Ruud. He was a break down in the deciding set snd saved match points to prevail 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to now face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the QF's

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex de Minaur has opened his Monte Carlo campaign with a come from behind win over Czech Tomas Machac 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. He will next play Daniil Medvedev in R16. He spoke to Brett Phillips after the win.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexei Popyrin for the first time this year wins back to back matches to advance to the last 16 in Monte Carlo after defeating Frances Tiafoe from a set down. He catches up with Brett Phillips not long after.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexei Popyrin chats to Brett Phillips after a spirit lifting three set comeback win to open his Monte Carlo campaign under the watchful eye of new coaching addition Wayne Ferreira.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brett Phillips chats to Omar Jasika after a big week combining winning the PTT-UTR tournament at Hume Tennis and Community Centre and winning the clutch rubber to give Kooyong Men victory in the Tennis Victoria Premier League Grand Final.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brett Phillips chats to coach John Paci from POWA Tennis in Melbourne, who is on the road with aspiring player Tom Neylon playing at the 15K ITF in Monastir Tunisia to give us his insights into that entry level of the sport.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices