Wesley Koolhof & Nikola Mektić Interview from the Miami Open

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektić have been one of the best doubles teams on the ATP Tour in 2024. They've won three titles so far, including Indian Wells, and I spoke with them in Miami after their first-round win.

We talked about the match, their 10-point tiebreaker success, how they handle pressure & nerves (they each deal with it differently), and Wesley's goals for his last year on tour.

Also, please fill out the Pro Doubles Survey!

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Transcript

Speaker 1 1:15

Hey everyone, I wanted to share with you a very short podcast before the weekend starts here. Before I get to this podcast, which is another short interview from the Miami Open, a quick request from me. So if you did not see or have not filled out the double survey that I released earlier in the week, I'm going to link to it in the show notes and if you can just take two minutes and fill this out for me, it would really help me out a lot. I've been collaborating with several ATP and WTA doubles players and we're trying to gather some data, get some research done to make or at least help the tour make better decisions with doubles. So I'm going to link to it in the show notes. It'll just take you one to two minutes and it would really really help a lot if you could fill that out.

Speaker 1 2:11

So this episode is a brief post-match interview with Wesley Kuhlhoff and Nikola Mektic. They won Indian Wells. I caught up with them in Miami after their first round victory. We talk very briefly about the match, Then we talk about 10-point tiebreakers. They are 7-0 on the season in 10-point tiebreakers or at least when I talked to them after this match they were and then we talk specifically about what they do when they do feel pressure. So they have two very different answers, which kind of goes back to something I've been stressing over the last month when it comes to dealing with nerves and dealing with pressure, you have to figure out what works best for you, and Wesley's answer is very different than Nicola's answer during this interview. So I want you to listen to that part very intently. And then at the end I ask Wesley how or what goals he has for the rest of the year, because this is his last year on tour. So he talks a little bit about wanting to win a Grand Slam and a few other things as well.

Speaker 1 3:23

So this is a very short interview. It won't take a ton of your Friday, but I wanted to get this out before the weekend. So thank you all for checking out the survey, for filling out the survey, and I hope you have a good weekend and enjoy this brief conversation with Wesley Kuloff and Nikola Mektic. All right, so what do you make of the match? Or what did you make of the match today? 6-2, 6-2 victory, Pretty straightforward.

Speaker 2 3:53

Yeah, well, I think we started off very good. Obviously, we have the luxury of playing well at I've played a lot of tennis lately, even though there's still was there like nine days in between in New Brunswick and here. But no, I think we started off very good, got the early break, which obviously helps. I think we felt comfortable. The guys didn't have any break points. They came to 30 a few times, but that's it. I think we served pretty good. We're both returning very good, putting the pressure on them, and even their holds were tough holds for them. So I think we dominated from the start and luckily we could go all the way until the end. A little bit of rain in the end, but I think the focus was there. So in the end it's never easy, but a good dominant performance from us In the end it's never easy but I think it's a dominant performance from us.

Speaker 1 4:42

So I was looking at your record earlier this year, earlier today for this year, and obviously you've had a really strong start to the year with three titles. But I also noticed you're 7-0 in 10-point tiebreakers. Is there something specific that you feel like you're doing well in the 10-point tiebreakers or something that you're really?

Speaker 3 5:05

focusing on to perform well in those Nothing special. We play the same way, like we played the whole match from the beginning, but it's just, yeah, the level is really close and then most of the times, how your year ends up like if it's a good year, like if it's a good year or if it's a bad year comes down to what your super-typical record is most of the time. So for now, we're doing very good. Obviously that's one of the biggest reasons because we were able to win those close matches and then if you win a couple, it gives you even more confidence for the next one. So it's pretty important because, like I said, the level is close and then there's going to be a lot of those super tyrants in the year and then if you have a good record in it, mostly the result and the ranking is pretty high um, so a lot of the people who will listen to this play like kind of club level doubles.

Speaker 1 5:58

Is there something that you do in those pressure moments or in those 10 point tiebreakers that that helps you kind of release the nervous energy or play better, anything specific?

Speaker 2 6:10

um, I'm not sure. I think it's just basically sticking to. I mean, obviously we have a game plan going into the match, um, which can obviously change during the match depending on how the guys are serving or returning or whatever. I think normally sticking to the game plan, knowing what you want to do, set yourself up and also set up your partner at the net, I think we're just good in putting a lot of balls in play, maybe more than our opponents, especially in the breakers, the rest not much. During the match. I don't really feel nervous. Maybe before the match, then I'd like to whatever, start off with a during the warm-up, maybe just let it all loose and hit some big shots. Also, maybe the first point of the game if we're returning, just hit the first ball Down the line, or something.

Speaker 2 7:02

Down the line or just big just to get it out of the system, instead of starting with like a lob or even same with the serve. Maybe go big on the first serve instead of just kicking it in, because then you're basically holding the nerves in. But yeah, I mean, we've played so many matches that I think in the final I didn't really get nervous in the second set tiebreak. Yeah, it just happens, and obviously in the beginning of I remember my first Serving, my first ATP title, for example. Then, yeah, then you get a bit more nervous, sure, but during the years you learn how to deal with it.

Speaker 1 7:36

Yeah, anything you like to do in the pressure moments Go big.

Speaker 3 7:40

No, no, like I just yeah, like I trust myself to do what I, you know, to do what I do. I just always like to maybe a little bit different, like some guys like to go big and then somehow, you know, release the pressure that way. Okay, at least I went big, bigger, at least I went for it. I'm more of a like let's go smart. Like let's not go big, let's go smart, like what is the smartest thing here? It's like I I'm that kind of a player that gave me results. I do think a lot what I do, but then again, yeah, like there's stuff that I concentrate on, each segment of the game, each shot that I do, and I just in those tight moments, I just concentrate on doing the right thing and then if it goes well for me, it goes well, if it doesn't, it doesn't.

Speaker 1 8:37

Wes any kind of goals for your last year on tour? Just kind of enjoy the ride, or do you have specific things?

Speaker 2 8:45

Well, that's part of it enjoy it, obviously, as it is my last year, but no, at the beginning of the year I was like, okay, I want to get one more slam, for sure. I didn't have in mind I would win one 250, one 500, one Master Series already in the end of March. Things are going very well, but no to win one more slam. The Davis Cup is up there, the Olympics as well. Like you said, enjoy it, but winning the slam is the highest priority, I think, and also, obviously, qualifying for the Interfinals in the end of the year. I think that's the goal of every doubles team at the moment, but no, to reach there in the final year would be great.

Speaker 1 9:27

Awesome, all right. Thanks, guys, thanks.