Media persona and comic Joel Creasey shares his favorite tennis recollections in our Superstar Match collection.
Melbourne, Australia, 10 October 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Joel Creasey is an Australian comic and media persona.
He’s a co-host on Nova FM’s award-winning nationwide drive radio present, Ricki-Lee, Tim and Joel, and not too long ago co-hosted New Leash on Life, an ABC tv program.
He’s additionally a printed creator, actor and long-running host of Australia’s Eurovision Tune Contest protection on SBS.
In our Superstar Match collection, Creasey reveals he’s a life-long tennis fan and was as soon as a ballkid for the world’s prime gamers …
Inform us about your tennis expertise. Have you ever performed earlier than?
You’ll be shocked to be taught I’m not a very sporty individual. Nevertheless, tennis has all the time been the exception to that very cliché rule. I like it and nonetheless recurrently meet up with buddies for a “hit”. Okay, that second half was a lie however I simply needed to indicate that I do know the tennis lingo. I possibly play a couple of times a 12 months at most, however I by no means miss a Grand Slam!
Once you do play, what’s your greatest shot and why?
Backhand down the road! I grew up in a time of Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin. The Belgian backhand queens!
What’s your earliest tennis reminiscence?
Taking part in tennis on the ratty, mouldy tennis courts on Rottnest Island with racquets employed from the native basic retailer with my mother and father.
Do you’ve a favorite tennis reminiscence?
Oh gosh, too many to say! Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams are my heroes and queens, so any time I’ve had the privilege of watching them flex their craft for an viewers has been a deal with. Come again Serena! You are able to do it! Snatch that document from Margaret Court docket!
What’s the most memorable story out of your Hopman Cup ballkid days?
Nicely, you maybe received’t be stunned to be taught that I used to be fairly a chatty ballkid, so I used to be normally assigned to taking good care of the participant’s drinks. On court docket, after all. I wasn’t mixing them martinis after hours (I want!). I bear in mind getting at hand Kim Clijsters her water (which is a sentence that sounds sort of ridiculous when you consider it). However her response and what she mentioned to me has stayed with me and impressed me for all times.
Do you bear in mind the primary skilled match you noticed reside? Who performed?
I do! It was the Hopman Cup and it was … you guessed it, Belgium versus … properly, another person. I bear in mind Kim Clijsters was ranked across the 30s on the time. However she received her match that day and I turned to my dad as if I had been Simon Cowell, at 12 years outdated, and mentioned “she’s gonna be a star”.
Who’s your favorite tennis participant to look at and why?
Oh there’s simply too many. Serena for the showmanship. Watching Serena play is like attending a Broadway present. She knew it wasn’t nearly being the best of all time on the sport (which she was and is, don’t come for me). It was about leisure! And naturally lovely Kim. Nevertheless I do department out … I’ve all the time beloved Xavier Malisse, Pat Rafter and Stefanos Tsitsipas. My fellow-tennis-loving supervisor is all the time freaked out once I say I discover Andy Murray a bit of bit attractive. I adored Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Amelie Mauresmo and Martina Hingis. And I as soon as acquired to wring the sweat out of Marat Safin’s sweat towel.
If you happen to may meet any tennis participant, who would it not be and why?
To be fully trustworthy, the one motive I’m doing this interview is within the hope I’ll be invited to satisfy and interview (adopted Australian) Kim Clijsters. I’m pondering Rod Laver Area earlier than the ladies’s ultimate? I’ll cry. She’ll cry (hopefully). It’ll be TV gold.
Joel Creasey and Dannii Minogue at Australian Open 2023. Image: Tennis Australia
Lastly, are you able to please end these sentences for us …
The very best a part of the Australian Open is … the vibe!! The environment! Melbourne does occasions like no different capital metropolis on the planet. And having lived in and everywhere in the United States I don’t say that evenly. And as a comic book you’d be arduous pressed for me to not say the Melbourne Worldwide Comedy Competition. However an aperol spritz within the solar strolling across the Australian Open listening to the pop of tennis balls knocking forwards and backwards throughout the online … I’m undecided if it may be overwhelmed?!
Tennis is enjoyable as a result of … it’s a solo sport. It’s a thoughts sport. At instances, it’s even a vogue sport. Serena’s catsuit? Jennifer Capriati’s star-spangled costume? Roger Federer single-handedly bringing again the bandana. What’s to not love?! Plus individuals need to be quiet which I respect. It actually IS just like the theatre!
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Ebook on-line, play right this moment: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on court docket and have some enjoyable!
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