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Doubles Only Tennis Podcast
The only tennis podcast with a focus on doubles. We believe doubles should be more popular and get more coverage than it does, so we’re fixing that. Our goal is to help you become a better player with pro doubles tips and expert strategy. We interview ATP & WTA tour doubles players and top tennis coaches to help you improve your game.
Doubles Only Tennis Podcast
Erin Routliffe & Aldila Sutjiadi: Cincy R1, The DC Title, Winning as a TEAM, & More
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Erin Routliffe and Aldila Sutjiadi are one of the hottest teams on the WTA Tour right now, having won the DC Open several weeks ago.
Tennis Tribe doubles beat writer Hanlon Walsh caught up with Erin and Dila after their round one win in Cincinnati. They discussed the victory, their DC run, and their partnership. I especially liked Dila's thoughts on playing great doubles as an individual vs winning as a team.
- Executing a match plan early and surviving momentum swings
- Using return games to create constant pressure
- How they handle deuce points
- Building confidence from the Washington, DC title run
- A career-shaping US Open match and a tense fan moment
- Lessons from playing with different partners and managing emotions as a team
- Favorite SEC memories and what college tennis teaches
- Living in the South, from food to basketball and football culture
Learn more about Erin & follow:
Learn more about Aldila & follow:
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Post-Match Setup And Congrats
SPEAKER_00All right, so Aaron and Dila, congrats on the win today. Tell me about the match.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, uh I think the match is really good today. Like we were able to execute our game plan from the beginning. We know it's not gonna be easy to play against Asia and Fanny. They're a very good team. Um but I'm glad like uh we're able to close out the first set because we were up 5-2 and then we got broken again and then went back to serve and then we're able to get the um the break on the last game on the first set, and then there are a lot of like breaks on the second set also. Yeah, but we were able to like um we got broken on four all to uh and they were serving for the set, but then like we're able to um stay positive and like trying to like be aggressive aggressive on the return and try to make a lot of like return uh to put pressure and we're able to do that, and then we're able to bring back the momentum for us. So I think we're happy with the match that goes today.
SPEAKER_00Aaron, anything else to add there?
SPEAKER_01No, I mean, I mean, I guess, yeah.
Game Plan And Momentum Swings
SPEAKER_01We obviously knew they've been playing together for a while, they're a really good team. We knew we were gonna have to come together and stay together in those big moments with the scoring system. We've all been playing it for years, but it's just so there's momentum shifts all the time. A lot of these games today. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, today there was a ton. So I think that's like really important. Um Dale's really good at like bouncing back after we kind of have like a little bit of a lull. She's really good at like reminding me, like, hey, look, we're good, we can break every game. I think when we're playing our best, um we can break all the time. So it puts a little bit less pressure on our service games. Obviously, we like when we hold more. But um, yeah, no, I think you know, we're never like out of it because we when we're doing the right things, we're making a lot of returns and therefore putting pressure on our opponents, which I think we did a lot of that today. We never really let them have like an easy hold. Yeah. It was really rare that they're then one or 1540 left, which I think is ultimately honest when I think.
SPEAKER_00Did you have a specific strategy on the deuce points today in general, or do you you know take it like every other point?
SPEAKER_01It's like every other point. Honestly, we just go, like if we're returning, obviously we choose, so we like have a little chat about like who we think is the best person to take it. Um, but no strategy. I think we we really try to stay together, stay positive and swing and not get tenetist because I think the most aggressive team normally wins in the end. Yeah, especially on disciplines. Yeah. So we just try to do that all the time and we hope that by the end of it, like they come on our side, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, just take it before they do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00And you guys are coming in on some good momentum with the title in DC last week. So tell me uh just how the week came about in DC and what worked well for you all.
SPEAKER_02Um I felt like even though like I haven't played with Erin for a long time, but like it always comes natural when I play with her. So like even the chemistry like on the first match was good, and then we get a very good momentum in DC, like every match gets better. So I think it builds up our confidence also, like winning the title in DC. Um yeah. I I always like playing with Erin. Like we always have good like chemistry on and off the court, so that helps.
Deuce Points And Aggressive Mindset
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was nice. It was honestly, I don't think I'm or I don't know, you can say, well, have you ever won a title without playing a 10-pointer? No. No, no, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we were like we were prepping the news points and not turn with the gotta be a nice break from the usual tour when you're like losing like 13-11, 15-13.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. You always have to survive like one match. I feel like there's always the 10-pointers. So yeah, it was nice in DC to kind of get our first week together um in a while and like kind of play together and get some good matches. So it was nice. It was fun.
DC Title Confidence And Rhythm
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Aaron, what is it about Sin C because you have quite the resume here. And then also you've wanted DC and the US hopefully in like this time of year seems like it's sort of your your prime time. So, what is it about like the summer hardcore season?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thank you for saying that. I I sometimes forget, and then like what you just said, I'm like, oh, okay. Like, I actually do like this reaction. I love a fast hardcore. Um, I don't know. Like, I think I think with uh the first year when Gabby and I went US open the balls, we used those like the woman balls. I don't even know if we're using the same balls. I'm so done with that stuff, but I did feel like it was flying and it was bouncing really high. I think that when it's really hot, that kind of happens. Like points are fast, you need like quick hands, big balls, like you hit big balls and like big serves are good. If you're hitting your spots and you're getting to your spot as like the net the service partner, then like you're gonna win a lot of matches. Um I don't know what it is about. I mean, I love playing it toincennatal, obviously. Yeah, um, I don't know what it is about here. I love I love how many fans come out to watch doubles. Like we were on a smaller court today, but I feel like there was like pretty good crowds cheering for us. Um I I most of the time love the heat, maybe not so much today. It was perfect. Oh my god, today was
Why Fast Hard Courts Fit
SPEAKER_01today was freaking water. Yeah, it was windy. But most of the time I do like playing in the heat. So I guess I don't know, hard court heat. It's um, you know, close to home for me. My family's in Canada. So sometimes my Canadian blood doesn't like the heat. I think that's right. But um, I honestly don't I could not tell you what it is about it.
SPEAKER_00But hopefully let's pop the I want to go back to your US Open around a couple years ago because Will and I were sitting front row on Louis Armstrong when you played, you and Gabby played Taylor and Layla in that insane like quarterfinal match.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Is that the w one of the one of the year the most like crazy, craziest doubles atmospheres you've played in before?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. That was insane. Yeah, yeah, that was insane. That was a that was a real turning point, I think, in our I think my career, um, and I think in our partnership and the trust in each other to have a match like that so quick, like after playing it, I think it was our third or fourth term of fan or something like that, and to have have to like get through something like that together, it did feel very like bonding. It was like a bonding experience. Trauma bonding a little bit. It was, yeah. Like I feel like there was like there, I don't know if you remember the guy that was like attacking Gabby, the fan. I tried to remember that like totally. I went full mama bear.
SPEAKER_00I was like, Was that in their box? Because their box was a very relevant.
SPEAKER_01No, no, it wasn't their box. No, no, it wasn't. It was just like a guy in the front row or whatever. And he just like for some reason had targeted Gabby, and I was like, hey, get away from her.
SPEAKER_00Like, that's not so he was like, okay, their box was energetic, but not like that level.
SPEAKER_01No, no, yeah. This was like disrespectful.
SPEAKER_00He was like hateful.
SPEAKER_01Totally, yeah, yeah. No, there was no um build up for any
US Open Atmosphere And Crowd Drama
SPEAKER_01box. But no, it was a it was a really fun match. I think even if we had lost that match, it was really like such an atmosphere for doubles that you'd never well. I think you you're we're starting to see it more now, but I think at the time it was like one of the best ones I've ever been in for sure. And I think uh yeah, obviously you were there, it was awesome. Like, and everyone cheering against us. It was, yeah.
SPEAKER_00They were definitely, yeah, they definitely had the which is fair enough.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Layland Taylor. So especially in the US Open.
SPEAKER_00That might as well be a New Yorker after her singles on.
SPEAKER_01Honestly, she's such a fan favorite, but yeah, that was a really fun time. I'm honestly, obviously really glad to be like get the win on the other side of it, but it was there was a little luck involved.
SPEAKER_00Well, how did how did you guys I know I remember in Austin y'all played together a time or two, maybe before that you had played together. Then this year, how did you reunite? Sort of what led to y'all playing together again?
SPEAKER_02Um, we kind of talked a little bit like around the end of like play season, like beginning of grass. Yeah. Yeah, where kind of like, no, you were we were talking about you're looking for grass.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I was looking for the grass season. Um so I asked Dila and Dila was set with her other partner. And so I was like, okay, well, we could, I'm probably gonna be looking for the hard courts, like who knows what's coming. Because I was I played with um Melcar, Martinez for the grass, and she's going back to Guxa, obviously, because Guxa was injured. Um, so I just said, let's chat a little bit in grass. And um, then it it worked out that you know she wanted to play, and so now we're having a year and then we'll see what happens. But um, yeah, no, that's kind of how we got back. Yeah, and it was like three years, I guess since Oscar was the last time we played, we've played like two or three of ITFs together. Okay. Um but we've always really enjoyed playing together. You know, look, there's some players like you get on the court with them, and it's like very natural. Your games really work together, you're covering each other, and there's not really like we obviously work really hard to do that, but um, it does feel like Dila said, really natural. So that's really nice to have that feeling.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's great. And then I know that um, or actually one other question too, on the partnership
Reuniting As Partners For Hard Courts
SPEAKER_00front. What have you all learned about maybe your your game individually playing with so many different partners this year, too? It seems like both of you have kind of gone through a few different partners just you know by circumstance. So love to hear more about that.
SPEAKER_01Um, what have I learned about myself? I yeah, it's really it's it's interesting because I feel like in doubles, obviously, there's so many different circumstances for whether you're gonna play with someone for a certain amount of time. Um and with most of our doubles players also playing singles, that also means people bobbed around a lot. Um, as predominantly doubles players, I think we most of the time prefer to play with someone for like a longer period of time. But yeah, this year obviously you know how it is. Like when you're playing with doubles and it's not worth playing with someone, if it's not working, like you guys are like, okay, well, we're gonna go different routes, and then it's like a time of the year where it's like some people are looking, some aren't. Um it's like a weird world. But uh yeah, I guess I've learned that I've always said that if you want to be one of the best doubles players in the world, you have to be able to play with everyone. I think I think I've learned um that I, you know, can control myself and a lot of the time control like the play
What Rotating Partners Teaches You
SPEAKER_01and the emotions of my partners no matter who it is. Um, sometimes that comes more naturally, sometimes that's harder, you know, the way it's like how you are in big pressure moments. You have to get the best out of yourself, but simultaneously you want to get the best out of your partner, and that might look different. Like if you're better, you know, being angrier and kind of getting feistier, but your partner's better being calmer, then you guys gotta have to find that balance. So I think just finding that between different partners and different partnerships, yeah. I haven't done a great job about this.
SPEAKER_00But might be turning around now, though.
SPEAKER_02I think what I learned the most is actually like um no matter how good you play, like with your partner, but you need to win as a team. You need to work together, practice together. Like um I'm we've played with a lot of different partners this year. And I've been working with my coach starting this year, and what I also learned from him because he used to play is like um because I've been improving a lot, as I say, like um throughout the year, and I feel like I'm playing good, but it's just like like to win like big tournaments, we need to win as a team. And that really like what I feel like this year, like that's why like I wanna like play with Erin because I feel like me and her, we can work as a team also, like, and we're good at like communicating with each other. And that's why like I wanna like I think it's gonna be like good to play with Erin like for the rest of the season, like no matter how we do, like even if we lost the first round in DC, like we're gonna work together. Like it's a long term, not just a short.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, exactly. You can really focus on the process, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I talked to Dan Kieran yesterday, and he he was pretty bullish about you two playing together as a team. So he uh he's he's thinks high or he's he's he's expecting a lot out of Oh, that's really good. No, obviously you know yeah, but uh Yeah, we love Dan.
SPEAKER_01I love Dan. That's really nice. Yeah, and he knows I like pressure, so thank you, Dan. Yeah, I'm not sure.
SPEAKER_00And then uh last question too. I know both of you are former SEC standouts. Um I live in Birmingham, Alabama, so roll tie. Oh mine, oh my god, I didn't know. South Low Alabama connected. Um I'd love to hear from both of you like what's a favorite SEC memory, can be tennis or non-tennis. Oh that's part one, and then I have a part two after that.
SPEAKER_01Um I have mine. I think in Tuscaloosa, we beat Florida for the first time my freshman year, and we clinched. It was the first time we beat Florida in like three, seven years or something, because Florida is like the whatever basketball SEC always, or was, I don't know anymore. Um, and I clinched with Maya Jansen, whom we played together. Um, and that was we did like the whole dog pile, and that was so epic. And then probably like winning with Maya because she's still one of my best friends.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, y'all won the national championship. Oh wow, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_01And now we're not gonna. She came today to watch it. She's married to Andre Grantson, another doubles player.
SPEAKER_00Oh, cool. So I see her all the time.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Yeah, I said that. Yeah, I guess little FCC uh the best is like winning those with Maya because now I'm like obviously like conferring on like 10, 11 years later, like we're still best friends, like probably that. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00What about you?
SPEAKER_02I think
SEC Memories And College Tennis Pride
SPEAKER_02for me is when we won the national indoors. I don't remember beating me.
SPEAKER_00We're all the same class in college. Oh well. Okay. Yeah. A lot of a lot of history before you know pointing out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And even juniors. I know her juniors too. Yeah. So I think that's the one because uh we we got into the final the year before and we lost in the final, and then we got to the final again and we finally ended up winning that. Like the SCC tournament? No, it was the individual. Oh, no way. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that was the best memories. College tennis is the best.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, what's that's a whole other topic? What's one um unique memory of just about living in Kentucky and Alabama for both of you? Because you both came from you know outside of the South and you know, the country. So uh uh to hear about your experience in the South.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. For me it's more the food.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, I'm sick.
SPEAKER_00I'm uh fried chicken or to be added.
SPEAKER_02I'll be like, I don't know, like uh, you know, a Kentucky fried chicken, it's from Kentucky. But I've never eaten Kentucky fried chicken in Kentucky. Oh yeah. I I don't really like Caps in the China. Yeah, and it's calf in Indonesia is the best. That's where I eat.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. We went like Santa went to national championships when I was there. Like you were there daring like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for them is football. For me it's basketball. Oh, yeah. I love basketball. Like when I went to visit Kentucky and then when uh they uh took me to like a game and they have the firework inside the basketball game. I was like, whoa, I want to come there.
SPEAKER_00That's the other deal. Basketball and Kentucky basketball and Alabama football. To a good program.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I love basketball more than football.
Culture Shock In The South
SPEAKER_02Yeah. No problem.
SPEAKER_00That's the that's the Kentucky blood coming out of it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh, thanks again, guys. Good luck with the rest of the the tournament and the season, and hope you have a good grass, I mean a good hardcourt season. So thanks.
SPEAKER_02Thank you very much.