Reflecting on Federer and Wimbledon Memories

This is a global production everybody needs to know about Mauricio Pochertino. He very much believes in the universe This is the first ever Spanish speaking South American immigrant that's taken over this team. It's not the strategy, it's not the tactics, it is the belief. Kurt Russell could probably play Potatino as well, actually. W wouldouldn't k him out of bed beating Chris, but he is a handsome older man now. You know, for me as a sport, it's bigger than the money, you know? The thing is for wildcards no one deserves it, no one doesn't deserve it. And Serena, what she's done for the sport has obviously been incredible. That's another case of headlines, I think US players a little bit more insecure than the settled Argentinian player and the settled Brazilian player. This is a United States men's national team truly believes we can go all the way mark. Welcome to the Sports aggents, Gabby, isn't it? first? Yeah, I'm just excited to see you. You're actually at the World Cup. so I'm thrilled for you. I am I am. I have a week in America at the moment. so I've been to one game. I went to the England game against Ghana, which is probably the worst game of the tournament so far I'm going to Germany Ecuador later, which is here in well New Jersey and M life, which is huge for Scotland. Today's show we are going to be focusing a little bit on underdogs, aren't we? becausecause I think we could probably add Scotland into this mix. We'll get into what they have got to hope everybody else does to stay in this World Cup. We're going to be talking to Marcus Willis who had his moment on Centeour in twenty sixteen with Roger Federer after he was a wild card entry, but what it takes for those wild cards who are this week trying to qualify for Wimbledon at Rohampton and get into the main draw. And we're going to talk to him. and we're also talking about Potch and the US men's team's belief that they could go all the way to the final, which would be a movie in years to come if they could get themselves there. And it is based actually, this belief or this narrative is based on what happened to the US men's Olympic ice hockey team back in nineteen eighty, which did become a movie with Kurt Russell because they were the underdogs, massive underdogs against the Soviet Union Kurt Russell could probably play Potciatino as well, actually with the sort of Maybe back then, but have you seen him lately? No, no, ha't seen him late don't get me wrong, I wouldn't k him out of bedatating crris, but he is He is a handsome older man now. Whereas Potch is still, I think, you know in his early fifties, isn't he? I think he wants maybe somebody more, I don't know.. Who are were going to go for Russell No, not Russell Crowe. Well actually maybe yes, maybe Russell Crowe. Be I'm loving his. we did discuss this on the other. I know Wayne's obsess. Yeah, his his sartorial kind of presence in this World Cup has elevated him, I think beyond other coaches. Listen.' the flow It's the flowing locks though, as well, isn't it? Yeah' used to that Yeah used to can done very well Wayne's getting quite a lot of attention by the way, for his kind of more I what as we call it? Considered U cllothing appearance? I mean, I don't know how to He's looking I believe they say fresh. I He's looking fresh, isn't he? Of course you were all over the Scotland Brazil game last night, I imagine. My husband and son are there haven't heard from them since lunchtime yes. No, the familyily Whatspp group suddenly went quiet, which I can only mean For me that they werere having a great time, I hope And Yes, they're drrouowning their sorrows, I would imagine in Miami Yeah, it is obviously not where we want to be for Scotland right now because they have left themselves with this horrible few days where they are in limbo waiting for results to come in from other teams and hoping that lots of countries around the world can do them a favorour. Yeah, and the u virtually everything I read every website and stats based company that offers percentages Has it somewhere between forty five and fifty five really them of them getting through. So it's that's fifty fifty. fif fifty fifty. So they're seventh out of eight teams currently, right? They've only got a place to draw So they can only allow one permutation to kind of go wrong for them. So so in Group D, Australia are playing Paraguay and the loser will end on three points and a draw will leave both on four. So what we want there if you' Scotland is Australia to smash Paraguay. Yeah. Yeah. can I come in at the start this then because what you have just mentioned is the real is the real issue here which is which is to go back forty odd years. Fve had a massive problem with the gaming attitude, didn't they? West Germany and Austria and they basically contrived to knock Algeria out is the theory because the games didn't kick off at the same time then Now FIFA have created this problem for themselves again, because the third place issue Obviously not everybody can kick off at the same time. So Australia and Paraguay both know They draw They both end up on four points. they both go through And And look appreciate that within that teams might be looking well Actually, we'd rather win this and not finish third so that we play. Argentina. So we don't have to go to Mexico City Yeahes so we don't have to go to Mexico City. But equally, there is element. Well, look You know, we both know we're through if we don't actually go full throttle and take a draw And there are example of that. And that's the example of that. and there are a couple of those. So It is It is a crowd. Uutterly crap way to sort out have the other place You can make this better is to increase the tournament further or reduce it back to what it was. They're not going back, we know that I mean, they're never going to rain anything in are they, FIFA? And that might include drinks breaks, but they are definitely, I think the noise is growing around sixty four teams. Well Martin Samuel wrote a piece on it and I saw him in reception of the hotel in Boston a couple of days ago. I know I sort of mentioned his cololumns lock, but they do make me think. I don't always agree with them, but they really do make me think and You read the headline FIFA have to go to sixty four and you think, oh my go, do they really? Do they? And then you read the thinking behind it and would it Would it the dath thing with it is, would it make it bigger I mean, it would make it bigger in the number of teams, but actually Youd probably have more games on the same day. It would make it more difficult to cover, I think, or less. You wouldn't have any rounds because you wouldn't have any more rounds. You got the certainty of being in the top two basically is No team Yeah. No team would play more games than they're playing now and you would go back to the top two I think it'll probably come, not for the next one, but I think it will come. Anyhow, back to your permutation, Sorry. Oh we can take it a day at a time take one game of one day soide. Because by by tomorrow evening, it could all be over. But yes, and the but the interesting not the interesting, but the difficult thing for Scotland fans is I was sitting in a bar last night watching the last two games, the Mexico game and the South Korea South Africa gate And with fifteen minutes ago, that was all looking fine. It was looking as though Czech Republic and South Africa wouldn't get into a third place and then South Africa score a late goal jump into second place in that group, bump South Korea down into third. South Korea have got a better goal difference in Scotland. So South Korea now Head of Scotland. It wasn't a good it wasn't a good day for Scotland yesterday because not only did they lose But the other two groups produce third place teams now with better records than Scotland. So the three completed groups They are third of the Well they' dropped down. haven't they after that result from second to seventh, which is a mighty fall. But there is a question going aroundound really that actually does Scotland deserve to scrape through if they've only scored one goal in this World Cup and a scrappish performance against him. I think one of the players And there were a lot of interviews last night, so I can't remember. It may be Andy Robertson, but sort of alluded to something similar, I think at the moment, which is U which is that's one that's one win against Haiti and in terms of of a tournament. Is that is that enough to get through to the The knockout rounds. Is that how is that how a tournament should work? I don't think he said it quite like that and it may not have been him, but somebody did bring it up last night, you know, one win against Haiti, one Nil Is that what you want from a tournament? Nothing against Scotland. Is that what you want from a tournament As brilliant as their fans have been and as amazing a presence kind of globally, they've managed to land on social media. It ain't all about that, is it? So yeah. But I have to say, swinging back the other way, of course, this household in particular will be hoping that somehow miracles happen. If you ever hear from them Yeah, they've gone missing on the family WhatsApp. So the last picture posted was about seven hours before kickoff in their shirts, looking really kind of pumped up and hopeful That was it. never to be heard from. I mean, we're talking now kind of the next day, aren't we nearly I know they'll be asleep somewhere. Hopefully their hotel, who knows. Traffic codess on their heads met some nice Brazilians, decided to spend the night partying with them. There was only one message actually that landed, which Ruben obviously didn't realize he put on the group chat, which was, Dad, these Brazilians are getting really loud, couldould you come back I know was like Oh, what's going on? That' going work. So I don't know where these Brazilians were, so I'm feeliving a lot away here behind the curtains. Well wa I'll wait for the next episode of the sport agents to find we need the do do Beautif Now there is a great belief in the UN's men's national team camp that they could do something very special at this World Cup. So where does that belief come from eleven seconds Well, that was the last few seconds of the Miracle on Ice, one of Sorts's great underdog stories. And it's a piece of US sports history that Maurizio Poertino has apparently fallen in love with and cried watching the movie of that as we discuss Kurt Russell playing the lead in that. And this is what he's using to inspire the men's team that they can go all the way So let's talk to Louis Miguel Echagare, journalist at CBS, ESPN and Fox and Brad Friedel, former US and Astonvilla goalkeeper, amongst others. Luc we got tell us the miracle on Iice was and why it should be so inspiring. Well, chapters, the Miracle or Nice story is one that lives in eternity here in the United States. It's during the nineteen eighty Winter Olympics in Lake Placid in New York. and it was played between the hosting nation, the United States and the Soviet Union back then nineteen eighty. And it was during the medal round. so it wasn't the final gold medal win. it was the during the medal round of the men's Iice hockey tournament. And this was about an American site that was essentially an amateurish site made up of university college players. going up against The giant the Godzilla that was the Soviet Union at that time. So very much, you know, imagine the mighty ducks in real life, right? And this was basically what it was and it was tremendous heroic performance where the U. S won game that took him obviously to to the gold medal game and I believe that was against defeating Finland for two in their final. Well the Sovet Union Soviet Union, even though it claimed the silver medal It was really about the fact that the U.S defeated a giant just like the Soviet Union. And at that time when the US won Al Michaels for M for ABC at that time as The game finished, he screamed, Do you believe in miracles? Yes. And that basically concluded the victory. It was a remarkable David against Goliath victory for the US And this unsurprisingly, maybe wasn't a film that Maurizio Pocertino kind of knew about, was it? He was directed towards this story by a US soccer sponsor, Scott Gododwin, who said, you've got to see this film Yes, he was just inspired by it, obviously. And you know, we also you know, for those who don't know, there was a movie by Disney called Miracle that, you know, that essentially tells the whole story Pino, Muricio Poino, watch did. And look, there's a thing, Abby and Chapters and Brad that everybody needs to know about Mauricio Poertino. He very much believes in the universe and how the energy of the universe can help you become an optimist, a positive human being, somebody that really can just do anything. And so when he watches Miracle Annightes and he watches this story, to him, that's speaking to everything that he speaks about. That's why his ethos throughout this entire whole process was has been belief W, compete. belief work compete. And he has established this ethos, this mentality, this philosophical and strategical, you know way of thinking to the American side. And obviously Miracle O Eyes is the perfect example of doing this He also, Brad use the line from the coach in the film, her brooks. I'm not looking for the best players. I'm looking for the right players. And I'm wondering there's a former U.S international as they The sport sort of took off over here and grew over here pressure on the men's national team every time they went to a tournament was just pick the pick our best players because because maybe we don't have a wider pool and maybe because that's what we need to do to establish ourselves at international level. So does that line on Pociertino's philosophy showed the progress of' the number of players and the types of players that are available now. It's not just that the U S. not just the best US. players or perceived best US. players. it was also the US. players could pick and choose their games. I mean, that goes back to and ninety four when I started I came into the fold in ninety two, but that back then like the big players playing in Europe could pretty much pick and choose the games they wanted to play, the marketed players could pretty much pick and choose their games. It wasn't like in other countries when the best They have to play. they want to play. they take pride in it. Mauricio someone I know very well as as you guys do. I also Louis Miguel, Mike Ruioni, Jim Craig. I was right there. I played a lot of ice hockey growing up. So I know the I know I know I know the story very very There you go. What Mauricio had to do and I think I'm probably one of one pundit in the US. I mean, Louis Miguel, you probably saw a lot of the pundits really sticking it to Muricio the last eighteen months or so I and Chapters, I think we spoke earlier, he's going to get a team together that's going to compete. That's how he works. And he is he is a buff the universe. and he has his own nuances, of course He knows who will work in his system He manages some of the biggest clubs, but he's also manages some of the smaller clubs in big leagues Espaniel, Southampton did very well there. Tottenham did made Tottenham you know, just about one of the giants. So he knows how to bring players in that'll fit his system. I think if there were I I sort of equated a little bit to Bora Miliitenovich going back to nineteen ninety four because Bora Milienovich played a player and started them in every game named Mike Sorber. Mike Sorber was nowhere in anybody's probablybably top fifty And here he was in the team and starting every game and he did brilliant in Bora's system And he had a really strong World Cup I don't think many coaches would have brought in a Sebastian Burhalter and a Christian rolled on and players like that. I don't think there's many coaches that would have stood up and said, Matt Freeze is my number one. So Mauricio knows exactly what he wants and He will never make a decision based on what a pundit says What a media outlet says what a fan says, that's not how he works. He's going to he's going to look on the pitch see who's working hard on the pitch and then he's going to see who acts accordingly off the pitch and those are my guys H work, determination, pulling together, being this team with belief and all wanting to go in the same direction I only gets you so far Brad though, doesn't it? Absolutely, Gabby. And we spoke we spoke earlier like we'll have a ceiling. That's who we are as the US. And I also said that there's no shame in that You know, we're not we're not a football culture over here. We don't have the best of the best in the inner city waking up and saying, I want to be a soccer player. likeike that that's not how it that's not how it works over here. But we have Arguably the best left back in the tournament or one of We have a very good center center back in in Richards We have very good Tyler Adams Wester McKinney if Christian Pool is six fit Baliguns on form we could cause an upset, but I think it would be difficult for our team to let's just say beat a Belgium, then back that up by beating Spain, back that up by beating Argentina, backed that up by beating Brazil. I don't think that or in France, or England, I don't think that's who we are round to sixteen, what Bosnia or Algeria looks like right now as the permutations go. I think we can win that. We could also lose, by the way But I think with with the way we're playing right now with the character in the camp, with how things look. It looks really, really positive in that game. And then we see who we're drawing in the round of sixteen You can only beat what's in front of you, can't you? Be there is a danger of getting carried away because two winds added to, but it has only been Paraguay and Australia. But then at the same time Some of the football Lewis Miguel, particularly in the particularly in that Paraguay game was some of the best football of the tournament? Still now I'm going to say right now, it's the best I've seen the US play at the World Cup It's that good. And yes, we can talk about like you said, what we're seeing in front of us. We can only judge it by that. But just like Brad said, like Mauricio Poetino focuses so much on what he wants out of the players that he thinks are going to help that the number one, the number one priority, it's not the strategy, it's not the tactics. it is the belief. And I know that that sounds very poetic But it really is, because he comes from the schoolool of Marcelo Yels He comes from the school that you should represent culture of the town or the city that you live in. like we saw it with Leeds United with Pciatino does exactly the same thing. He enters an environment and he says, I want this team to represent what we can be And the United States is a country massive, full of, you know immigrants and hard workers and people that are just searching for that American dream. And when I look at this team, that's exactly what it is. You know, as a South American myself, it doesn't leave me by the way, to think that this is the first ever Spanish speaking South American immigrant that's takaking over this This team Right U and it's doing so many amazing things with this with this kind of squad. The other thing I want to say by the way is that when he entered US. soccer He has said it himself He was very naive about what he was entering because he thought that he was entering an environment where players were fighting to be part of the squad. know, they were trying to work hard towards a certain mentality that is going to make them victors. That wasn't the case But Jatino essentially had to break everything down in order to have what he has. And just like Brad is saying, look, you know Matt Freees, Bur halter. Freeman who is just wonderful. like I don't think that any other manager would select those kinds of players in this situation. And it's because it begins with the ethos of believing in yourself and creating a mentality that why not us? why not us? And that's exactly what you're seeing right now And some of the things that Louis Miguel touches on there, Brad, the way this team looks, behaves has this support certainly in the stadiums, this incredible support behind it I don't know, it flies in the face of what's certainly here in Europe and in the UK. We've been feeling about the US over the last few years. I don't want to start kind of going down a Trump road because we haven't seen the guy, have we? I mean, Trump he's really kept a low profile at this World Cup so far. Let's not go though. Let's keep him out of it Yeah. But this I certainly you know talking to people, they're just feeling a bit more positive. Yes Be of what Louis Miguel said, the first half, there's only one in the history of the United States. I mean, I obviously didn't watch the thirties and the fifties, in the modern history of the United States, there's only one half of football that compared to the half of football the first half against Paraguay and that was possibly us in two thousand two against Portugal But I still think that the Paraguay game was better because we were the aggressors and we were on the front foot and we had the possession against Portugal, we were hitting them on the counter atttack and Luis Figo and Rouis Costa were keeping the ball. L, you know, so it was a completely different a completely different feel, but that's the only game Lis Miguel that I can see that compares And one of the thing that hasn't been touched on is where where Mauricio is able to get the best of his player. So whether it's song or whether it's Caine or whether you're talking about Freeman what he does is once you're into his inner circle, is you know you have an ally, a friend, in a compassionate way. So if you have anything that you need off the field that has nothing to do with football you can go to him. That doesn't mean that just because he helps you with it, you're going to start but you know that you have a real human being sitting in front of you. You don't have a dictator. You don't have someone that is gonna to throw you to the curb just with one bad performance. you don't have once he creates his group, you know you have a father figure in there as well. And the young US players I think really take to that because a lot the U.S players are a little bit more insecure than the settled Argentinian player and the settled Brazilian player, they're constantly looking for satisfaction, gratification and stuff like that. and over and the other thing why this team's come together, I think, because for the last two years And I said it earlier on this, almost every single pundit at some stage has questioned not just not just tactics, they've questioned a desire to wear the shirt. they they question their work rate. So now I think there's a lot of players and I coach Tyler Adam I know Tyler really well. I know inside that will have killed him Like I mean he and he'. So this team, I think all that got this team together as well But the final thing I would say as well, Louis Miguel is this is all why Potatino was brought in, why they went for a superstar international coach with the experience to Because Jesse Lash thought he was getting the job, didn't it? Yeah Yeah That's a different kind of worms, Gabby, Gabby. Yeah To that point though, Gabby, Jesse Marsh is that kind of manager that in many, you know facets. And I know Jesse Marsh was as well, obviously as Brad does, I love the man. I think I respect him hugely. But what the US needed was a complete turnover. it's funny because in many ways, the US knew what they didn't know And so when they brought in Mariso Poertino, he kind of introduced them to something different. And again, it all begins with an identity of culture And I think the U.S was searching for that So when Patino arrived, he created this. And again, I don't want to you know, repeat myself, but it's because Poitino comes from the schoolchool of Marcelo Yelza of coming somewhere and just shaking it like a snow gloob and just saying we're going to make this happen. And then I'll just say one more thing about this relationship right now. And we don't know what's going to happen. likeike Brad said at the beginning, the U.S. could lose, it could win, it could do whatever But what's happening right now is something that I'm seeing Again, I haven't seen in a very long time and Brad brings obviously the Portugal game, I agree. you know This is a United Statesmen's national team that truly truly believes we can go all the way You know, Things can happen. Obviously, we haven't seen them play against giants and there are bigger obstacles coming their way, but to have that mentality now, to truly believe it and work as a cohesive unit and do the things that they're doing is truly remarkable. And it's like you said, Gabby, it's inspiring an entire nation. They're getting a little bit lucky right now as well with something else that they're already first in the group. you don't often get the opportunity to play make a lot of changes in the game that can bring the team together as well. Just a little anecdote to it is that you know he's already come out and said the players that have bookings aren't going to be playing. I would assume he's going to give Turner a role in goal Um, I would assume there's probably going to be seven, eight nine changes in this game and that's going to really help the group because it, you know, this it's not fun sitting there on the bench through all these games. And when everyone gets to put their foot on the field It was going to bring the group together even more. But Brad, the mentality will stay the same exxactly the same they will they will not they will not take their foot of the pedal. That's that's what I love about Pote. likeike I you saw with Tonam and and Southampton and hisespani. He's just like L, whoever's out there, you better kill yourself for this and that's what I like to see. And you know what's interesting, Louis Migu If a player doesn't get on the field tonight take away the third goalkeeper but then you probably know that players not doing everything in trainings. L that's another situation that that Mauricio deals quite well. Tough life being the third goalkeeper, isn't there, Brad? That's why I took out of that actually. Chap chat, chatppers, I don't know. Yay. Hey, listen And's aifelong Aston Villa fan, I can attest to this, by the way So we've talked a little bit on the podcast in the past with the likes of Conan Nland who wrote the book The Racket about just how hard it is to go week to week on the tour, having to qualify, travel on a low budget. The likes of Jank Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz just go slam to slam with their incredible teams producing or helping them to produce great tennis But what is it like when it is a relentless stream of qualification, qualification, not knowing where you're going to be, which city and how you're going to get there? How do players outside the top one hundred the insecurity of whether you're going make the following week, how you going to get there? know, how you're traveveling, where you're staying? That was your life, right? That was your existence Yeah. yeah, it's been a A lot of my career has been that up until, you know, the last couple of years last year, I'd say And minus, you know, my womanum couple of runs Wimbon and it's brutal out there. I mean, when you're when you're not on the ATP challenge at all, if you're playing the future circuit, and It's I mean, when I played if you won the tournament, you got eight under quid. Somet like that And then if you're abroad, you get taxed on that. So You can imagine you've gotta pay your flights, hotel So without a sponsor or family or financial backing, it's very, very difficult now you know, we used to play British tours. there were prize money tournaments, the three day events at the you know back end of the week to try and win that. you get the seven hundred fifty quids So You know, a lot of my career was I very rarely paid a full calendar because were thankfully there were quite a few tournams in Britain when I was playing but So you But doing what to supplement the income because you don't win every week either. No, exactly. So playing British tours, playing club matches in France and Germany. So you've got your club tennis out there where you' going you know you're paid quite well to go and play for a team, but Of course while you're doing that, you could be playing a tournament at the same time. Quite often I've played at the weekend in France and then we'll go straight there to another tournament so. Youre kind of turning up half cut as well. Yeah, it's brutal. it's brutal. Doing your own analysis Presumably you're traveling with a M mus and a nutritionist. No. Absolutely not. How are you going to get the food? I mean there was quite you made headlines, didn't you when you had a would you have a can of Coke and a bar of chocolate? Yeah. ye, thanks for reminding me of that. I was a little bit oave I was a little bit out of shape back then. I don't think I on point. No. It's not the kind of stuff we see Jank Sinner pulling from his backag. No, no, no. I mean, you know, he's obviously got a team of tenens and everybody kind of you know working to make him the very best he can be. And when you're in the lower echelons, you must look up and think, o I'd love love to have a piece of that. Does it feel like The tour has got it wrong for you in the imbalance and How weighted it is at the top end. Yeah, I think I think very, very few people make money for the sport. I don't know you know, the solution to things that I know they're trying, but You know, there's a lot of good tennis out there where where people, you know, can't afford to play anymore. There's some players protesting onn't they in they did in Paris and they're doing so again at Wimbleledham. And they're the top players doing it, you know they don't need to do it and we're very grateful for that. But yeah, there is a problem But I say it's the difference between someone fifty in the world and twenty in the world is too much in one hundred and fifty and you know, as you know, there are stories every slam every tournament where you know, someone comes through and that's why I love certainly the qualify week and first weeks of sllams. you get upsets, you get stories. You know, Saolinska making the final of French open. It does happen and There are some very able players that Emm Radicney. Emma Radiconney, ye. Yeah. There's some very able players that you know, maybe we don't know about it that don't have the chance to do it. and it's You know, for me it's as a sport, it's bigger than the money, you know. if they wanted, they could have, you, top ten people in the world playing who are every week and then make loads of money, but I don't think that's very well spirited and it's trying to find that balance, but Yeah as players with fairly powerless you know, guys are ranking doubles guys and you know, we need the top guys to step up and thankfully they are. If you're talking about those qualifying weeks, you both have everything on the line. I mean, I'm talking myself into tingles here just thinking about kind of what it must feel like inside knowing that this is the difference between me having an amazing summer on the tour where I can kind of plan things and this is me going back to kind of jam and bread sandwiches and you know Lucaas as my nutrition or other high energy drinks Yeah, all the good stuff. Yeah, it's it's brutal and it's trying to train yourself in that moment to just play the point, play tennis and it it's hard sometimes because you know, we're not stupid. I think when I surve for the mat, was five to up serving for the match against Medfidord I qualified and I put in the worst game you have seen. I' broken to love, horrendous and thankfully I've served out five four bit You know you know when you're out there what it means and it's trying to kind of try and trick myself to pretend I'm playing in training or playing somewhere else because Yeah, that's how I cat, but it's not very nice. So when you hear the likes of Serena Williams being given a wildcard to come back, do you D you get that D you get why the sport has has done that? or does it seem having just had that discussion we've just had. a bit unfair The thing is for wild cards, it' It's a wild cut. it's up to the discretion of the tournament, right? And Again, no one deserves it, no one doesn't deserve it. There are some people you go, I think You know, the Dan Evans one, you think orr maybe should have got one for everything he goes to the sport, but It's not our decision U And Serena what she's done for the sports obviously been incredible. U But that's another case of headlines, I think You know if anyone else had come back and it wasn't Serena and said I want to work hard that I think with what she's won and I think the outpouring of kind of joy that seemed to come from her fearing I suppose having children, you know, being out all that it's a great story, isn't it? And it I can imagine it'd be very difficult to not give her a wild Exactly. But that's at the expense of somebody like you, you know, and or somebody in a situation like you were ten eight years ago. And so you know, obviously people will then hope she goes at least a few rounds to kind of make use of that. Tell us about that you've just alluded to it really with Doubles has afforded you a little bit more in the way of luxury of having people to help analysee your game and people to help you with your travel and everything. What else is Doubles giving you? Is it given you A love bar for tennis. Yeah, it has You know, when I retired, I and to stop with the pandemic, you know, our young family They were young men. they still are, but Yeah, I miss playing. I miss that That thing I felt as a child when I got home from school and hit the ball against the wall for three hours before getting called in for dinner and stuff like that. I missed that. I miss that and I still love that to this day. I mean I couldn't play singles mainly because yeah, my body will probably say no but Yeah know, it's very tough and My game is more suited doubles, but I love being out there and Aually sort of deeper than that I love being able to improve still and getting on the practice court and You know, tennis is something I'm never going to complete and the game evolves and you play against players that change things up and it's a constant evolution and I love that. Ten years since you went out Centact with Roger Federer And when I was doing the research ahead of Changi today, the picture came up of your group in the box in the family box there. And I remember at the time thinking what a ride for them that must have been even you know and for you to when he left you on Centourt at the end of the game just that moment Describe that for us Surreal. It's difficult to put into words. I mean because I was so hope cus on trying to hang in there and play the best player of all time and try and win. and I you know did quite well in the end. I made it competitive towards the end of the match, let's say. but You know, then then a minute later you're getting a standing ovation on Centre Court and you trying to take take the last three weeks or not just three weeks, your whole life and you see your family there and it's to take it at once. it took me a while to sort of I still look back now and It's nice to hear where people are. People came up to me the other day and said, A we were there when you play Feder and saw that lob and it's like hearing different people's perspectives onene of the great loobs in Wimbledon' history in the world Yeah, well I don't know who they is, but I'll take it. I'll take it But that's you know, that's a story to tell your grandchildren, isn't it? I mean, your children, But you know, that is something remarkable to play one of the greatest, if not the greatest tennis player of all time on centre courourt I know it', as you just said before, you'll never complete tennis But that That is something that you can up there. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. it's strange everything Yeah, it's strange to think it feels like a lifetime ago as well Um, But yeah, I mean, at the time, my whole life changed in those few weeks and It's everything I kind of pictured as a kid. At the time it was Pete Zampress but I didn't compute he wouldn't be playing by the time I was an adult. You know I was going to play Petz Samrress on Center Court and all that stuff that it end up being Roger Federer, but Yeah, it's surreal. Its still a surreal to talk about really. Well, Marcus, we hope you have a very successful fortnite and thank you so much for reliving a little bit of your moment on Sante Cour You're welcome. Thanks for having me. That's it for today. Thanks so much for listening. Please get in touch this weekend with your thoughts on anything we've discussed. You can drop us a comment below, email the sports agents at global dot com or you can message us on social media at the spports agents. And remember, past episodes are available on YouTube, Global Player or wherever you get your podcast. As always, please hit the subscribe button as well, maybe even leave us a review and we will be back on Monday This has been a global production.