On Grand Slam tennis returning…
I think we can all be happy there is a Grand Slam happening in Melbourne, because we need tennis, we need live tennis, the players need to play, it’s their job – I think it’s amazing that Tennis Australia has pushed it through and that it is happening.

On the return of tennis…
Yes! I have missed it and I was worried it was not going to happen. But that’s where it is even more important where everyone in the tennis community just need to be thankful that there is a tennis tournament because we are in the middle of a pandemic and it’s not that easy to organise a tournament and make it happen. We should grateful there is tennis and it’s going to be great.

On who is the favourite for the women’s title…
I think Ash Barty is the player to look out for, she has been in Australia for a whole year, she is rested, she hasn’t had to go through quarantine, she has been practising on that surface for such a long time. She is used to the heat, she knows how to win a Grand Slam event which is definitely a bonus for her. We will see, she obviously hasn’t played any matches, so that’s got to be interesting to see how she goes in matches. I think it’ll be a big advantage for Ash Barty compared to all the other players who, like Azarenka, who have had to go through a complete two-week quarantine in a hotel and can’t get out. I think Ash Barty, the Naomi Osaka, there are a few girls. What about Swiatek – she won Roland-Garros, she’s definitely capable. If you have to go through a two-week quarantine it’s going to be very hard if you can’t go out because you can train as much as you want in the hotel room – but you go out and it’s 35c, you haven’t hit a ball, you haven’t had any fresh air, you just need time to adjust. You will lose a little fitness for sure.

On Serena Williams…
We’ been talking about Serena Williams for the last few years now, we were always thinking it’s not so far away and she will win the next title for sure, go level with Margaret Court – we all want to see that, but I think she has just been getting nervous in the final stages of the Grand Slam tournaments. Now, it’s probably an advantage for her, she never usually plays a lot of tournaments leading in to a Slam, and now no one has played a lot of tournaments in the last year so maybe it’s more even for her going into this Australian Open. You can never write Serena off, she has got the biggest serve in women’s tennis and she is so powerful – if she gets on top, plays aggressive tennis then no one can really stop her. It will be interesting to see how all of the players handle it mentally as well as physically because this is a position no one has ever been in.

On Serena Williams winning a 24th Grand Slam title…
Serena wants to win another Grand Slam title, she is highly motivated, I can’t believe she is still out there at 39 playing the way she plays and competing for Grand Slam titles – it’s not that she wins a couple of matches, she is still going deep in Grand Slam tournaments. I thought it was a great effort four years ago, but if someone said Serena would still be playing at 39 I would have said “no chance, this is impossible”. I retired when I was 28 I thought it was too old. Where does she get the motivation from? That’s what is astonishing to me. I think she wants to prove to everyone that she is the best ever, and I think she should go down in the history books as the best ever I think.

On which players to look out for in 2021…
It sounds boring but I’m excited to see Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic compete. Obviously Dominic Thiem. The men’s side is very exciting, Nick Kyrgios will be in action again, he’s always someone to look forward to watch especially in Australia. When will Roger Federer play again? That’s another good question. On the women’s side, will there be another Grand Slam champion? We’ve had so many over the past few years? Will Iga Swiatek be able to back it up? It’s extremely exciting. I’m looking forward to it and to see how all the players are handling the current situation.

On working in television…
To work in television was always an ambition – I started with Eurosport 15 years ago, I thought this is great and this what I want to do. If someone told me 15 years ago that I would be standing in the Cube, alone, basically going to be an anchor for the tennis I would have taken it all day. Time has flown in the last 15 years. I started with Eurosport with 6 or 7 people at Grand Slams, no we usually have 120 people at a live event. I love it, and I hope I can be with Eurosport for another 15 years. I love tennis, I love my team – they are my family now.

On working in the Cube…
When I was asked to come to London last year to work in the Cube, my expectations were different. I was thinking how are they going to teleport players in? How does that work? We only have two LED walls? I couldn’t imagine what it was going to be like. When I was there, I saw the outcome, I thought this is really, really cool – how futuristic are we? Nobody else was using the technology like we did. I was very honoured to be in the Cube using all this new technology. It was perfect for these difficult times when we couldn’t be on-site – the players looked like they were standing next to me. It’s been amazing and the response from all of the world has been amazing. Very innovative.

Barbara Schett will anchor Eurosport's coverage of the Australian Open from the Cube studio. Watch the Australian Open LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport App from Monday 8 February.