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Judges Sets May 2024 Trial Date For Classified Docs Case; Jamie Foxx Speaks Out For First Time Since Hospitalization; High Temperatures Expected To Reach Triple Digits; Search Warrant Sought Suspect's Possible "Trophies"; U.S. Dominates Vietnam As Quest for 3- Peat Begins; One-On-One with Tennis Star, Chris Eubanks; "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" Take Box Office By Storm; Fighting To Save Coral And Reef Sharks. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired July 22, 2023 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:38]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR:: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

While the web of legal jeopardy facing Donald Trump it keeps getting wider, one of those strands, the case pertaining to the former president's handling of classified documents, is starting to come into focus. A federal judge in Florida has officially set a trial date in that case for May of next year with obvious implications for the 2024 election cycle.

Marshall Cohen is following all of this from Washington, D.C. for us. Good to see you, Marshall.

So what is the new potential plan, you know? Can you break down the schedule for us?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: We got a new schedule, Fred. Good morning.

Judge Aileen Cannon down in Florida put this schedule on the docket yesterday. And here's the decision. May 2024, that's when this trial is as of now supposed to begin. Look, Fred, that's right in the middle of the GOP primary campaign season. By then, it might all be over. Donald Trump was the presumptive nominee by this time in 2016. We'll see how the primary contests go next year. But late May, 2024 that is when this trial is supposed to begin.

The judge split the difference. This is not what special counsel Jack Smith wanted. It's not exactly what Donald Trump wanted either.

Jack Smith was asking for a trial date in December of this year. That meant there would have been a verdict before the Iowa caucuses in January, but that's not going to happen.

Donald Trump Tas been arguing that this trial should happen after the general election next November. And that is not what the current plan is either. But Fredricka, there are about 30 deadlines between now and May.

Critical arguments and motions that need to be filed. And if just a few of those deadlines slip, this thing may end up going past the election after all.

And of course, if Donald Trump wins the election, he might have the power to shut this whole thing down if he is president again.

WHITFIELD: What a rollercoaster.

Also, it seems as if special counsel Jack Smith is getting close to issuing what would be Trump's third indictment this year for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Where does that investigation stand?

COHEN: We are at a critical moment in that investigation. As you know, last weekend Donald Trump got a quote-unquote "target letter" from the special counsel notifying him that he is the target of this investigation into his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, a separate investigation, overseen by the same special counsel Jack Smith.

In the preceding few days, in the last few days, Donald Trump had an opportunity to come here to Washington, D.C., and tell his side of the story to the federal grand jury. He didn't do that. Probably a smart decision.

But now, that that opportunity has come and gone, what that means is that an indictment could happen any day. All eyes in the next few days will be on the federal courthouse here in Washington, where that grand jury is meeting. They could approve an indictment at any point in time.

But Fred, if an indictment drops, that does not mean that this investigation is over. Our colleagues have reported that special counsel Jack Smith is still scheduling witness interviews for the next several weeks. He still wants to talk to a top ally of Rudy Giuliani, and a former Trump lawyer. So even if there's an indictment in the next few days, this investigation is not over. And Fred, as you said, this would be indictment number three for Donald Trump.

WHITFIELD: All right. Keep us posted. Marshall Cohen, thanks so much.

Let's bring in former federal prosecutor Michael Zeldin now to dive in on all of this. Let's start with that May 2024 trial day. Do you see it happening? Or do you see enough motions to delay it further?

MICHAEL ZELDIN, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: It's a great question. Setting A trial date is easy. Adhering to it is the hard part.

She has given the lawyers a lot of time to prepare. So if she holds their feet to the fire on this calendar, then they should be able to resolve all of their motions before the May 14th preliminary hearing, the pretrial hearing and hold a trial starting May the 20th.

[11:04:59] ZELDIN: She had a tricky time, because Trump has four cases. He's got October for the civil fraud case. He's got December -- I'm looking at my list. He's got January for E. Jean Carroll. He's got May for the Manhattan D.A., and then he's got this in May.

So she had a calendar and she had to figure how do I fit this in, and maybe she did the best thing she could given and October, January and March other trial calendars in other courts.

But it is a long way away Fred, if she should hold them to a trial date, start thinking of jury May 20, May 21.

WHITFIELD: Is there any collaboration with these -- or even conversations between these court for the scheduling?

Well, it is a good question, whether among them, they're working together, but they each know one another's calendar. So if you're a judge and you try to set your own calendar, you don't really want to say well, I'm going to do this at the same time as somebody else's.

So maybe that's why she picked May because that fit in nicely if you have October, and January, then March, then May -- it all lines up pretty nicely. And then we will see what we learn about the January 6th indictment that Marshall and you were just speaking about, the target letter that's outstanding.

WHITFIELD: All right. And with that target letter that the former president himself is the one who publicized his receipt of such, what does that tell you about the progression of the investigation that he would receive a target letter, that he was given a date in which to, you know, present himself. Now what?

ZELDIN: Now, it is wait and see. Jack Smith is still speaking to witnesses. He may have given a target letter that's a month away from indictment, or he might give a target letter that is a week away from indictment, while he is still conducting additional, dotting i's and crossing t's types of witnesses.

But the fact that he received a target letter should reflect that there's a likelihood of indictment. We just don't know when.

WHITFIELD: Ok, former President Trump faces a similar investigation on the state level. We're talking about Georgia now. He is looking to disqualify, you know, the Fulton County D.A., Fani Willis from pursuing the case. On what grounds? And would there be any potential success with that?

ZELDIN: Well, he tried and he lost, in the Georgia Supreme Court. The Georgia Appellate Court, said that no, there is no grounds for forcing Willis off of the case, or shutting down the investigation altogether.

That ruling came pretty quickly after Trump filed his motion to disqualify her and to shut the investigation down. So that seems like something that is going to happen in the summer, according to Willis, and that will then be another case that has to fit into this complicated October, January, March, May trial date. I don't know when hers will squeeze in there but it looks like that is another thing to add to the calendar. And we all get to come to Atlanta and be with you.

WHITFIELD: And I can't wait for that.

I had a question on just, you know, the strategy of the Trump legal team of just, you know, deflecting, trying to undermine, trying to delay, overall, meanwhile there are so many investigations, some of them intertwined, some not, but the fact that the same defendant keeps trying to undermine, criticize, you know, those who are leading these investigations, or of course, as an attorney, you're going to file as many motions as you want.

But does all of that kind of activity undermine his position of defiance in any way? Does any of that kind of bleed over and interfere with his defense?

ZELDIN: Well, right now, I mean he's accusing the prosecutors of all sorts of terrible things, but we've seen that in the past. Nixon did that with Jaworski and Cox, and Clinton did that with Ken Starr. And so I think it's sort of standard fare that you attack the prosecutor.

If he attacks the judge, that should have consequences for him. And he could get a restraining order, like we saw in the case of Roger Stone.

But I think that it is understood in these high profile cases that there's going to be a lot of animosity, and a lot of fervor in the speech, so I don't think it will affect the courtroom once the jury is selected. I think that will just go according to planned. At least I hope it does.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll leave it there for now. Michael Zeldin, of course, we've got on the calendar for your Atlanta-bound trip, whenever that happens. Thanks so much.

ZELDIN: Can't wait, Fred.

WHITFIELD: I can't wait, too.

All right. Coming up, the blistering heat wave, well, it's not letting up across the country. Dozens more heat records could be set today as temperatures climb. We'll have the forecast.

Plus, Jamie Foxx speaking out for the first time since he was hospitalized. His message to fans straight ahead.

[11:09:56]

WHITFIELD: And I sit down with tennis star Chris Eubanks -- get used to the name. You probably have already, after his incredible Wimbledon run. He is back at home, in Atlanta, and he's talking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS EUBANKS, WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: That's taking a bit -- a little bit to get used to. But all in all, I still think -- I like to think I'm still pretty level headed right now.

WHITFIELD: Like I saw you in the parking lot and I was like Eubanks and you were like who is calling me?

EUBANKS: I knew exactly -- I knew exactly who it was.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Jamie Foxx, actor Jamie Foxx is speaking up for the first time since being hospitalized in April for an unknown medical complication. In a video posted to Instagram overnight, the actor addressed rumors that he was blind or paralyzed but didn't reveal exactly what happened. He also credited his daughter and sister for saving his life.

[11:14:57]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: I know a lot of people were waiting, you know, or wanting to hear updates, but to be honest with you, I just didn't want you to see me like that, man.

You know, I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie or television show. I didn't want you to see me with tubes running out of me, and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through.

I went to hell and back. And my road to recovery had some potholes as well. But I'm coming back. And I'm able to work. So I want to thank the people who let me work, and I just want to like say that I love everybody, and I love all the love I got.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: We're pulling for you Jamie Foxx. He was initially hospitalized in Atlanta where he was filming a movie. He later received treatment at a Chicago rehabilitation facility that specializes in care for patients with physical impairments, brain or spinal injuries.

All right. Temperatures, they are soaring once again across the U.S. And right now, 80 million people are under heat alerts in the south and the west. Over two dozen records were either set or tied yesterday in six states.

Record streaks are expected to continue in places like Phoenix, where for nearly a month, temperatures have reached over 110 degrees. That is insane.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers is joining us now.

I know it is like a broken record. We've been talking about these triple digits temperatures. But it's unbearable. And it's life- threatening, too.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is. I just feel like I can't stop talking about it. It's like making copies, you know.

I mean for anybody that has to work outside, or be outside, or for that matter, not having any air conditioning, when you have 115-degree air out there, and that is in the shade. At least 30 records are going to be broken this weekend again, from Florida through the Gulf Coast, and again, obviously, back into the desert southwest, where it is not a wet heat, it is a dry heat, but the temperatures are still way up there.

And it is going to feel like 107 in Baton Rouge today, probably 107 in Houston again, too. And that's the heat index. Without the humidity, these are the air temperatures.

Death Valley, 126. People going to visit there. They'd have their picture take with the thermometer. Vegas, 115 for your afternoon high. So it has been very hot at night, too.

The East Coast, you're in great shape. I mean things are much cooler than you would expect that I think this time of the year. But that's about to change because some of that heat from the west is going to drift to the east. We're going to start to warm things up. Even New York City, you should be in the middle 80s, by Friday, you'll be 94.

So yes, here comes the heat that was all out in the west because it has felt so very nice across all of Cleveland, Pittsburgh, all the way through Boston. We had some heavy rain but you know, the heavy rain right now is kind of tapering off.

I do expect rain to fire up along the Gulf Coast. Some of that could be severe. If you're having a beach day today, along the gulf beaches, you may want to watch out for that lightning. If you hear the thunder, get indoors because this is going to be a rough and tumble type of day.

Good temperature in Chicago though for today. How beautiful is the summer Saturday in Chicago at 84 and sunny skies? Enjoy it. It'll get warmer.

WHITFIELD: Oh, that is nice. Ok, a different kind of beach experience there.

I guess I should start off with, "Hey, Chad, haven't seen you in a while on the weekend on a Saturday.

MYERS: Thank you Fred.

WHITFIELD: Hello. I feel like just because I saw you earlier in the week we all had dinner together, this was like the norm. But this is not the norm. Hey, glad you're with me.

MYERS: It can be.

WHITFIELD: It can be. Ok.

MYERS: I like that (INAUDIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: You're always welcome. I love it. Thanks, Chad. Appreciate it.

MYERS: You got it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, disturbing new details in the investigation in the Gilgo Beach serial killings. Police now focusing on the suspect's family home. And looking for possible trophies that he may have taken after committing allegedly the murders.

[11:19:01]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

After a decade of mystery, the search for answers in the Gilgo Beach serial killings now spans the country. Investigates into the suspect Rex Heuermann now cover New York, Las Vegas and South Carolina -- all areas where the 59-year-old owned property with his family.

And as authorities pore over his home, they are keen on unearthing evidence and items they say Heuermann may have kept as souvenirs from the killings.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is following the latest for us live from New York. Polo, what more are you learning about what investigators are looking for and what they're alleging?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So Fred, this is per a source that's involved in this investigation, telling CNN that there are at least two reasons why investigators since this spring have been working with this theory that they believe either some or all of the victims may have been killed at the home of the suspected killer Rex Heuermann.

For starters, the fact that his wife, Rex Heuermann's wife was actually gone at the time of -- that these murders took place. The district attorney told me last week that they used phone record, travel documents to confirm that.

But also secondly, the fascinating angle of how they were able to essentially re-trace the victim's steps, leading up to their deaths using cell phone tower data. What that did, that basically placed the victims from Manhattan, and then making their way towards Massapequa Park, Long Island which is where Rex Heuermann's home is and that is what lead investigators to believe, at this point in time, that they essentially could have been lured to the place where these murders may have taken place.

[11:24:50]

SANDOVAL: Again, this is all still a working theory. This investigation is still very much moving forward. In fact, you see investigators there at Rex Heuermann's home earlier this week, reason to believe that they're still there today and likely going to be there for a couple of days.

They're making sure that they don't miss any crucial pieces of evidence, including DNA evidence, which we know is one of the most compelling pieces of this investigation.

But add to this this idea that this investigation is really expanding beyond Suffolk County, including South Carolina, where colleagues at the Chester News and reporter actually got their hands on a search warrant, the details of what they're looking for.

You see the list break down there in terms of other places that investigators are taking a closer look at other cases, to see if they're potentially linked. You saw there Las Vegas, Nevada. That is because, according to investigators, Rex Heuermann had a time share there. And also -- we also know that they're in Chester County, South Carolina, as we just mentioned. He maintained a property and they are looking into a potential link there.

And then also in Atlantic city, new jersey, where investigators are taking a closer look at the murders of several sex workers to see if there's a potential link there. And then of course, those two crime scene locations that are being looked at in New York.

So this just gives you a sense of just the wide scope of this investigation, Fred, that has been clearly far from over, as investigators are expanding beyond the limits of Suffolk County, New York.

Meanwhile of course, Heuermann remains behind bars and he maintains his innocence in this case.

WHITFIELD: All right. Polo Sandoval, thank you for all of that.

Let's talk more about this all this with CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller. I mean this seems now, John, like the tip of the iceberg. I mean it's extraordinary, all these details that we're hearing.

So now this suspicion or allegation that possibly the suspect, Heuermann, may have had souvenirs, is that something typical of a suspected serial killer?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: So it is very typical because these are people who are driven by irresistible urges to commit these acts of violence, but it requires a lot of work and organization to do it and keep getting away with it.

So in between, the purpose of these souvenirs, or as the profilers referred to them, trophies from their kills is so that they can re- live the killings in between actual murders by having something to hold on to, something to look at.

It also explains, in another way in this case, why the suspect allegedly called the victims relatives. In one case, a 15-year-old sister of one of the victims of the alleged murders to essentially revictimize someone else, and re-live the killing by explaining to her what he did and how.

WHITFIELD: Wow. I mean this is just so mind-boggling. It really is extraordinary. The kinds of details that we're getting every day. And kind of the layers being peeled back on this investigation and the direction.

So now that the family home -- the family home in New York being searched, and we're talking about what, at least ten years after one of the alleged, you know, the alleged crimes that he's being linked to and charged with. Might there still be evidence, I mean or is it the issue of like the trophies, or are there other things.

And then what sort of things might they be looking at -- looking for, investigators, at the other properties. What --

(CROSSTALK)

MILLER: No.

WHITFIELD: -- land and not necessarily properties, but I mean houses, but at least land.

MILLER: As your question frames, the investigation did not come to an end with the arrest of Rex Heuermann as a suspect. It came to many different beginnings.

So to tackle that question, first there is the inventory of the house. What are the items there? What can the family identify of personal kinds of items that, yes, that was definitely ours, that belongs to our daughter, that was my son's, as opposed to items they will have to show to the victims' families, saying can you say that this hair barrette, or this scrunchy or this watch or this bracelet -- is that something you know that belonged to your sister, your daughter -- to see if they can positively identify those trophies from the victims on-site if they're there.

The second piece is the scientific part that you mentioned, which is, Fred, is there trace evidence that if -- after the suspect cleaned up as best he could -- that remained? That's a hair stuck to a piece of tape, or something at the bottom of a closet, or an article of clothing he may have saved that has something on it that can tie directly to one of those victims.

[11:29:39]

MILLER: And then of course, the third piece, which is fanning out to all those other locations to see, after the bodies were discovered in Gilgo Beach and that region became a place of scrutiny, did he move his pattern of killings to somewhere else? Upstate where he went hunting; down south where his brother lived; in Vegas where they not only have a vibrant sex worker trade and a lot of anonymity but where he had a time share.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And I mean the psychology of this and the psychology used in this investigation is extraordinary because as we hear about this evidence or information, I think clearly he had a double life, you know. He was one thing -- he was an architect and a family man to people. And then according to these allegations, you know, a far more sinister existence.

So is that something that is typical too, criteria that is, you know, typical of a serial killer, you know, being able to kind of elude, because you appear on the surface as one person but then there might be other things going on?

MILLER: If you look back at the ones who we know best -- David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam, mild-mannered, almost mousy, shy postal worker by day, gun-toting monster by night; Ted Bundy, a series of high profile jobs from working on Capitol Hill to going to law school, to being a professional, to being a prolific serial killer; to the man they called BTK -- find, torture, kill -- in the Midwest, who was, think about this, Fred, he was literally installing the cables and the alarm systems in people's homes by day, the guy who made you feel safe, while he was assessing whether you would be a good target for a home invasion murder.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. Wow. It is unbelievable. It's so creepy.

And then there's more. There's so much we still don't know.

All right. John Miller, thank you so much.

MILLER: Thanks, Fred.

And you can learn more about how new technology helped investigators solve this decade-long murder mystery on a new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER: THE GILGO BEACH KILLER".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's growing into the suspect because you now have a car, you have a face, you have a geographic connection. But that is circumstantial.

They need new that thin hair of evidence that is going to go from circumstantial to certainty. And the thin hair of evidence turns out to be a thin hair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two of those hairs, apparently, according to the document that we've read, can be connected to his wife. And one of them can be connected straight to him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, we're in a different place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today's the day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did it feel like to tell the public we got the guy. This is who he is?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It felt good. It is the reason why I became a police officer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, Rex Heuermann is a demon that walks among us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: "THE WHOLE STORY" airs tomorrow night at 8:00, right here on CNN.

[11:32:54]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA, USA.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll bring my son (ph). Yes. Exactly, exactly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That does indeed. The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team kicked off its quest for a historic World Cup 3-peat win with a huge win over Vietnam.

CNN's Carolyn Manno joining us now. Carolyn, walk us through the highlights. People are pumped up.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT; They really are, Fred.

And you know, it partially is ironic. Because of their success, the U.S. Women's team has actually played a direct role in increasing the level of competition that we're seeing around the world.

I mean Vietnam, they're tournament debutantes, but they've been really candid about their fandom for players like Megan Rapinoe who are larger than life off of the pitch.

And so Saturday night wasn't really about will the U.S. win as much as what will it look like. How dominant will they be. And it ended up being a really solid way start to this year's campaign.

And the U.S. possessed the ball for the majority of the game. Sophia Smith making her World Cup debut, drove the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring in the 14th minute early. So that was a real tone setter.

She's one of the faces of this tournament, a young breakout star. And she wasn't done. She struck again deep in the south this time, at the end of the first half for her second goal of the game.

So at just under 23 years old, she's the second youngest player in U.S. Women's Team history to score multiple goals in a World Cup game. You've got the veteran, Megan Rapinoe making history in her own right in her fourth and final World Cup coming in as a sub in the second half, for her 200th appearance for Team USA which is remarkable.

And then Captain (ph) Lindsey Horan adding a goal in the 77th minute to officially put the game away.

But afterwards Smith really talked about rising to this occasion, knowing that there is still much more soccer left to be played.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOPHIA SMITH, U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: I feel good, I think it was a good starting point for our team in this tournament. I also know that we have a lot, you know, more that we can give, a lot more to do, little things to work on.

So I think it is a good place to start. And personally, it was good to just get a World Cup game under my belt to try to see how it felt and know what to expect. But yes, I think it is honestly just makes me more excited for the next game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Up next, the United States and Netherlands on Wednesday night, their second group E game and a rematch of the 2019 World Cup finals. It only gets tougher from here but a really good start for Team USA.

Elsewhere stateside, Messi mania reaching a fever pitch in south Florida last night, Fred.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: I know.

MANNO: -- his long awaited debut.

WHITFIELD: Tell me about it. I mean Messi mania in Miami -- over the top. Tell me about it.

MANNO: Yes. And he really delivered, you know. This debut has been one of the most anticipated in recent memory and it certainly lived up to high expectations and then some.

Seven months after winning the Men's World Cup, you've got seven-time FIFA Player of the Year coming off the bench delivering another magical moment.

[11:39:51]

MANNO: This was just incredible. He pulled this magnificent free kick strike from outside the box in the 94th minute which sent everyone, more than 20,000 on hand, into a complete frenzy. That would turn out to be the game winner and a 2-1 win over Mexico's Cruz Azul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIONEL MESSI, INTER MIAMI: It was a very good game. We were looking for a match like this one and to give a win to these fans.

I want to thank all these people. They're making me feel very welcome here so I'm very happy to give this victory back to them. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Right after that, Fred, he went over (INAUDIBLE) but you had stars in attendance, it was just an incredible night.

WHITFIELD: I love it. And that was not the Barbie pink. I'm doing the Barbie pink today. That is the Miami pink. I love their uniforms. That's so fun.

All right. Carolyn Manno, appreciate it.

All right. And he is the American pro tennis player whose speed, reach and smile are making him a main draw and darling after his spectacular Wimbledon run.

Atlanta Georgia born and raised Chris Eubanks earned his way to the quarterfinals before being defeated by Daniil Medvedev. But in no way was that a loss for Eubanks at 6 feet-7 inches. He sees only advantages as he is about to be the main draw in the Atlanta Open next week.

I sat down with Eubanks, reflecting on his first ATP Tour title in Mallorca and then match made at Wimbledon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Welcome home, Chris Eubanks.

CHRIS EUBANKS, TENNIS PLAYER: Thank you so much for having me.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. You're in the backyard of your alma mater, Georgia Tech. And you're here at home at the Atlanta Open. What does it feel like? Especially on the heels of Wimbledon?

EUBANKS: No, it feels amazing. I actually used to live in the apartments right parallel to the Atlantic Station, so the Target that's behind Atlantic Station, my balcony used to overlook that parking lot. So this really, really does feel like home.

And it feels good to be back, it feels good to be back. I've been gone for about three months, so being able to come back to Atlanta was already going to be a treat, considering how Mallorca and Wimbledon went. It is definitely a little bit sweeter.

WHITFIELD: Both went so well for you. I mean do you feel like you're on top of the world?

EUBANKS: Not really. I wouldn't go that far with it. It definitely does feel a bit different, though, going to some of my favorite restaurants or going grocery shopping and having people stop me and saying, you know, congrats on your run at Wimbledon, it was fun to watch.

And I was at FedEx yesterday to ship some items and a guy stopped me in line and told me he really enjoyed was following my matches. So that has taken a bit -- a little bit to get used to but all in all,

I still think I'm -- I like to think I'm still pretty level-headed right now.

WHITFIELD: Like me, I saw you in the parking lot and I was like Eubanks and you're like who is calling me?

EUBANKS: I knew exactly. I knew exactly who it was.

WHITFIELD: Sounds like it -- so tell me how this transition, how do you transition from, you know, I guess for a large part you felt like an underdog. You felt like you could be under radar, especially at your restaurant restaurants or coffee shops and a grocery store. And now everybody knows your name, after a spectacular, spectacular display at Wimbledon.

EUBANKS: It's weird. I will be honest. It is very, very weird because like you said for so long, I would get asked about basketball a lot. If anyone came up to me in public, the first question is how tall are you? Who do you play basketball for? Those are the questions.

One of the good things is that people no longer kind of asked about basketball now, because I think if they've seen me, they know that I play tennis, and the Wimbledon run I think kind of helped with that.

But it isn't any different, going into familiar places and seeing people just kind of wanting to stop you and have a conversation, and talk about tennis. And it feels good. It does feel good. It feels like a lot of the hard work has been appreciated. Not just in the tennis community in Atlanta, but in Atlanta as a whole. And it will be interesting to see when I get out of Atlanta and I go to other cities for other tournaments this year, what the atmosphere is going to be like there as well.

WHITFIELD: Is there a way to know how you're going to manage that, you know, so that it is in sync with your rhythm, you know, on the court? So that it is not a distraction or so that it doesn't take away from your focus? Because when you're on the court, I mean you look very graceful, you know, you are focused, and you're calm. Do you think all of this attention will in any way impact that?

EUBANKS: I would like to think it won't. I think one thing that I try to allow myself when I came back to Atlanta is to give myself about four or five days to kind of, you know, do some errands, run some errands and kind of live in the moment for a little bit --

WHITFIELD: Run some errands?

EUBANKS: -- and just take out the tennis. Take out the tennis for a few days. Let's do some stuff that I've needed to do for the past three months while I've been gone. Let's kind of just reminisce and enjoy what, you know, the last trip really has kind of brought to my life and brought to my career.

But then, it is incumbent upon me to jump right back into my routine. So I jumped right back into training, starting on Wednesday, Thursday, right back, actually started in the gym on Monday, which is pretty light. I would go strictly just strength and conditioning on Monday and Tuesday, didn't hit a ball.

[11:44:54]

EUBANKS: And then Wednesday, kind of dove right back into my regular routine. That's on court, that's in the gym, that's getting treatment and doing all the things that I did before I left and before the Wimbledon run and just kind of continuing that process.

It's I think because tennis, there is always another week, there's always another tournament you've got to play. Then it's a little bit easier for me to lock in and just focus on my routine because at the end of the day, there is still another tournament and I can't just bask in Wimbledon forever.

So usually having another tournament helps but I also try to do a good job of getting it out of my system and then go right back into some other things.

WHITFIELD: Just playing in this Atlanta Open feels different this go- around, especially since you used to live just, you know, beyond those trees as you just described. So you would overlook and see this area, perhaps be inspired by it, and now you're the main event.

The "Atlanta Journal Constitution" says you are the main event. And everybody else agrees.

EUBANKS: Well, I don't know if it feels a little bit different yet. I think it will. There is going to come a time because I have not played main draw singles since 2017 but I have been coming to this tournament I think probably every year since 2013.

So I know what this tournament feels like. I know what it feels like to be the practice partner who gives your name to the practice players and say if any players need to hit, call me. Let me know I'll be there.

And then I know what it is like to play and qualify. I know what it's like to play main draw. I know what it's like to I think I played semis and doubles twice.

So I've had some really good memories here but never have I been, as you and the "Atlanta Journal Constitution" call it, quote and unquote, "main event".

WHITFIELD: The main event.

EUBANKS: And it is going to be different. I definitely think it is going to be different. But again, if I can just resort to just diving into my routines, allowing everything else to kind of take care of itself, I think I will be able to hopefully manage it pretty well.

WHITFIELD: The tennis playing we know is going to be amazing here. It is wonderful to be in the stands as a spectator here except it is so hot right now. EUBANKS: I would say is it? Are you sure?

WHITFIELD: That's what I was going to say, it's so hot. I mean you know, we're now in high 90s, triple digit temperatures.

EUBANKS: Beautiful.

WHITFIELD: This is an advantage? You like it?

EUBANKS: I love the heat. I play some of my best tennis in hot conditions, so being kind of -- it is a bit tough when you're kind of thrust into it after being in Wimbledon, for the past whatever, three weeks, or traveling Europe in general.

It is going to be a little bit of an adjustment but when I got out here and I felt that heat and humidity, and mind you, I really enjoy it on the court. Off the court, not so much.

But on the court, then I say, you know what, this feels like home. This is going to be -- this is going to be hopefully a good week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Isn't he sweet?

Chris Eubanks, he has more to say about Wimbledon. He says he even surprised himself, and had to keep extending his stay at his hotel as he kept advancing. It is so funny.

More on that next hour.

[11:47:32]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Barb and -- let me try that again. "Barbenheimer" weekend is here. And early box office numbers indicate the films are raking in ticket sales.

CNN's Jason Carroll has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Probably not much of a surprise when one hears something odd has come out of Hollywood. But now there's this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The world will remember this day.

CARROLL: That's not a clip from a real movie. It's a fan-driven mash- up of two. And it's the answer to anyone out there trying to figure out what to do when two potentially blockbuster films open on the same day "Barbie" --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi Barbie.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi Barbie.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi Barbie.

CARROLL: -- and "Oppenheimer".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a matter of life and death.

CARROLL: The Internet's answer is to see both, "Barbenheimer".

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw "Barbie" in the morning. I saw "Oppenheimer" in the afternoon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did that go?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was the right way to do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you can (INAUDIBLE) ask as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, ok. Yes, again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Barbie-cation.

CARROLL: There are TikToks, tweets and t-shirts, even a "Barbenheimer" Wikipedia page promoting what has become a viral marketing phenomenon pushing moviegoers to try both.

So I see you've got your barbie pink on. The question is, will you see "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer", or just one?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh yes, both.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Both.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We kind of like the idea of walking into Oppenheimer with full pink.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it's the "Barbenheimer" --

CARROLL: It's a look.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- experience.

CARROLLS: Both films are worlds apart.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you guys ever think about dying?

CARROLL: On the one hand, you have director, Greta Gerwig's fantasy comedy about a doll experiencing an existential crisis that has to go to the real world to resolve it. The company behind it Warner Brothers/Discovery, parent company of CNN.

On the other hand, you have Christopher Nolan's biographical thriller for Universal, that of physicist credited for creating well, you know.

CILLIAN MURPHY, ACTOR: I mean I'll be going to see "Barbie" 100 percent. I can't wait to see it. I think it's just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day.

MARGOT ROBBIE, ACTRESS: It's a perfect double bill. I think actually start your day with "Barbie" then go straight into "Oppenheimer" and then "Barbie" takes it.

CARROLL: Could a double feature about a plastic doll and the so-called father of the atomic bomb breathe much-needed life back into a movie industry hit hard by streaming, disappointing post-pandemic box office and now actors and writers on strike?

REBECCA RUBIN, FILM AND MEDIA REPORTER, "VARIETY": This is the best thing that's happened to movie theaters in a really long time, because it's happening really organically.

CARROLL: Jason Carroll, CNN -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[11:54:45]

WHITFIELD: All right. Good movie-going weekend.

All right. Still ahead, record-setting heat, flash floods, whipping winds and storms. We'll take a closer look at when there might be a break from these extremes.

But first, today's "Impact Your World".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coral reefs are actually the center of marine biodiversity. And a big part of that is sharks doing their job in the ecosystem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reef sharks are probably keeping some of the prey species in check.

Corals need these nutrients that sharks are bringing in from other habitats.

We just released a study. So the five reef sharks species, they have declined somewhere between 60 and 73 percent each. And what we find is that's because of people fishing them too hard. I think we can get people to reduce fishing overall but what we need is the coral reefs to still be here because these sharks need habitat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sharks are important for corals and corals are important for sharks around the globe. Unfortunately, we're seeing coral reefs degrade.

Here in Florida, we've lost somewhere on the order of 90 to 95 percent of our living coral.

We're in the Florida keys at the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef research and Restoration. It's the largest land based coral nursery in the United States at the moment. These corals are grown out in a farm setting and then moved into an offshore nursery, and then ultimately all of those corals are out- planted directly onto the reef.

Most has to date out-planted just over 210,000 fragments of coral on the Florida coral reef. I'm confident that we have the capabilities of assisting in the recovery of those corals because they are there to support our shark populations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Wow. It's a colossal effort to save our coral reefs and the marine life that needs it.

To learn more, visit CNN.com/impact or text FINS to 707070 to donate.

We'll be right back.

[11:56:49]

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