NEW YORK, NY, USA - Six months after bidding a final farewell to tennis at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Daniela Hantuchova is settling into another spotlight, splitting her time at the 2018 US Open as a broadcaster for Amazon Prime UK's coverage and as host of a new Tennis Channel web series, #DowntownDani.
"I’m much busier now, especially in the week leading up to the US Open," the former World No.5 revealed over email. "We did so many different TV things, and the days are just much longer. One thing I do not miss is the pressure to be physically at your best every day."
Semifinalist at the Australian Open back in 2008, Hantuchova announced her retirement at last year's Wimbledon Championships and quickly found opportunities to contribute to a game she loves, taking her own experience as both player and viewer into the commentary booth.
"I always enjoyed watching tennis, not only my matches but also matches in general. I learned so much by listening to former players in the commentary booth and what they had to say about my game.
"It was great to hear a different opinion on how I was playing, but also how they would approach the matches, both tactically and mentally. I have always found it really interesting."
Where the booth gig taps into her ability to provide expert analysis, #DowntownDani allows the Slovak to channel her rapport with the game's biggest stars and get inside information from the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Caroline Wozniacki.
"We wanted to bring people a different angle and view, and show them what happens during the tournament, from a player’s perspective. The goal is to share with the audience what really happens once the players are done with training and matches.
"I’ve enjoyed going back to places and do things which I liked to do as a player, and chatting with my former colleagues, many of whom I haven't seen for a while."
Taking fans through Media Day, Taste of Tennis, and the Players' Party at One World Trade Center, Hantuchova has also revisited some of her favorite New York City spots, including a shopping trip through Soho.
Ever the ambitious competitor, the four-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion aims to continue growing as a journalist, and take her talents to the top echelons of her chosen field.
"My dream interviewee would be Oprah, because she's the best at what she does and I would be able to ask her advice on how to do my job the best that I can.
"I also hope to talk to world leaders, the people who make our world a better place. They have so much to say that can be passed on to future generations."
Catch new episodes of #DowntownDani on Tennis.com, Twitter, and Facebook, as well as the Tennis Channel App.
