The Sit-Down

With the 2026 National Indigenous Tennis Carnival concluding on the weekend, we’re releasing an interview with Evonne Goolagong Cawley, the Aussie legend who supported the creation of the annual event in Darwin. Goolagong chatted with Casey Dellacqua at last year’s Night of Champions in Melbourne, reliving the journey to career heights including seven Grand Slam singles titles and the world No.1 ranking. Celebrated for her graceful all-court play and revered the world over, Goolagong won her final Slam title as a mother at Wimbledon in 1980. After winding down her playing career a few years after that, Goolagong Cawley has stayed connected with the sport while her eponymous foundation creates opportunities for First Nations kids in Australia to discover tennis and thrive through the sport. She was a significant inspiration for Ash Barty, who emulated Googlagong Cawley as a world No.1 and multiple major champion, the final one coming at Australian Open 2022 – where Goolagong Cawley was the surprise trophy presenter.

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Having already played 19 tournaments in the first seven months of 2026, Tristan Schoolkate decided it was time to return home to “get out of the hamster wheel”. Joining Viv and Matt from Brisbane during a training block, Schoolkate said he’d enjoyed the chance to reset and refresh before heading to North America, one of his happiest hunting grounds. It’s where he won his first Grand Slam match at the 2024 US Open, and where in 2025 he reached his first ATP quarterfinal in Los Cabos, beat Joao Fonseca at the Canada Masters, made his top-100 debut and returned to the second round in New York. The 25-year-old Aussie, raised on Perth’s grass courts, recalled those highlights while discussing the slim margins separating ATP and Challenger level, life on tour with his fellow Aussies, how he taps into data and analytics – and what it was like to go toe-to-toe with world No.1 Jannik Sinner under lights at Rod Laver Arena. 

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Two years ago, Viv sat down with Barbora Krejcikova on the eve of Wimbledon 2024 – a tournament the Czech star went on to win for her second Grand Slam title after Roland Garros in 2021. We’re bringing that episode back given Czech tennis is again at the forefront of the game, thanks to Linda Noskova’s triumph at the All England Club and last week’s tournament in Prague, where crowds packed the stands in another reminder of tennis’ enduring popularity there. While that’s all been happening Krejcikova has been showing hints of the elite level she can produce. Since June she’s been one of the game’s in-form players, winning 15 of her past 18 matches, returning to the second week of Wimbledon and hoisting her ninth WTA title in Athens earlier this month – her first title since that 2024 victory at SW19. (Episode originally published 15 July 2024).

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Last week, Craig Tiley finished up after more than 20 years with Tennis Australia, where he began as Director of Player Development, then became Australian Open Tournament Director, and later CEO. He joined Viv and Matt in Pod Laver Arena to reflect on the countless highlights and memories in that time, including the exponential growth of the AO, the rise of Australian champions and the legacy he leaves as he departs Australia to begin his new role as CEO of the United States Tennis Association. Famous for his innovative approach, Tiley discusses how tennis can improve and what potentially lies for it. Plus, he recalls his discovery of tennis as a child in South Africa – the beginning of a connection to the sport which has seen him work in all areas of the game and taken him all over the world. 

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Acclaimed film director Zach Heinzerling joined Viv and Matt this week to discuss Rafa, the four-part documentary series which premiered on Netflix on 29 May. Rich with extensive archive footage, rare interviews with Nadal’s inner circle and fresh insights on the significant moments which defined Nadal’s storied career, the series almost never happened. Just days into filming, the Spaniard suffered a serious injury that threatened to derail the project. Heinzerling discusses how the documentary took shape from that point, the elements of Nadal’s personality and story which captured his interest, and what it was like to work with Nadal’s family and rivals – and the man himself – throughout the two-year production.

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In the second part of our interview with Todd Woodbridge, we focus on the Australian legend’s Wimbledon memories and milestones. The storied tournament is where Woodbridge achieved some of his greatest career highlights, from winning the 1993 men’s doubles title – the first of five in a row with Mark Woodforde – to triumphing in nine of 10 men's doubles finals, plus reaching the singles semifinals in 1997. The fact he thrived at the All England Club is a testament to the power of a dream, former as a child when he would watch Wimbledon on the TV at night in front of the heater during the Australian winter. In other nuggets from this chat, we hear how he played his first main-draw singles match on Centre Court in 1988, beat Pete Sampras in the American great’s Wimbledon debut in 1989, and scored a rare triple bagel in qualifying in 2001. Catch Part I here: Todd Woodbridge (Part I): Records, recollections, and a legacy beyond tennis

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In this special edition of The Sit-Down, we delve into our archives to revisit our guests’ favourite Wimbledon moments. We hear from Brits Tim Henman and Katie Boulter, who have thrived on home support at the All England Club and, in Henman’s case, have a spectators' vantage point named in his honour. We chat to Australian legends Pat Cash, Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis and Pat Rafter about what it was like to feature on the final Sunday. Wimbledon was also significant for former world No.1s Angelique Kerber, Garbine Muguruza and Stan Smith, all of whom reflected on their triumphs at SW19. Viv and Matt also got the inside story of Ash Barty’s 2021 triumph from Craig Tyzzer – the man who coached her to her most coveted title.

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Joanna Garland’s profile exploded at AO 2026 when she won through to the final of the 1 Point Slam at Rod Laver Arena, beating Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari and Donna Vekic along the way. She sat down with Viv and Matt to relive what was one of her greatest professional tennis experiences, and how things shifted for her in the aftermath. In this candid interview, Garland also shares stories from developing her game in Chinese Taipei, how she’s come to be based in the Netherlands, and her connection to the UK, where she was born. And that’s where she’ll be this week, competing in Wimbledon qualifying as she chases her dream of playing in the main draw at the All England Club, and where she hopes to take another step closer to a top-100 debut.

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In an episode we released almost two years ago, Viv sat down with then 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva ahead of Wimbledon 2024. She was one of the stars of the moment, having just reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros and rising to the brink of the top 20. Shortly after, she captured her first career WTA singles title in Iasi, then won an Olympic silver medal in doubles at the Paris 2024 Games. In this interview Andreeva showcased her strikingly mature personality and unique perspective on the game, discussing her love of all surfaces, comparisons with Martina Hingis, and working with former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, as well as what she was reading and studying. Within two years, Andreeva has risen to become the sport’s newest Grand Slam champion with her recent victory at Roland Garros, making this a particularly fascinating listen given she alludes to the mindset which would ultimately propel her to a major title. (Episode originally published 5 August 2024).  

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This week, 22-time major doubles champion and Olympic gold medallist Todd Woodbridge joins us in the studio to take us back to where his love-affair with tennis began. A prodigious junior, Woodbridge quickly enjoyed success as a pro, cracking the top 20 in singles while also becoming one of the greatest doubles players of all time. After the highs of Grand Slams, tour life, Olympics and Davis Cup, Woodbridge transitioned to the media, where he has built an award-winning broadcast career. Because there was so much to dive into, we’ll bring you a second part of this interview in the coming weeks, where the nine-time Wimbledon men’s doubles champion reflects on his highlights and memories from the All England Club.

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Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
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