[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 365 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with strength and conditioning coach Dean Hollingworth about how to warm up and strength training efficiently and effectively for maximum tennis performance. Dean has over twenty-eight years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has established himself as a highly regarded author, speaker, and fitness and performance consultant. Dean published the Baselinepower video series, which addresses all aspects of fitness training for tennis players. Dean’s work with world-class athletes has given him a deep understanding of the requirements and balance for high performance, helping the athletes he works with develop all facets of athleticism. Dean is currently the Director of fitness and sports performance at Club Sportif Cote-de-Liesse in Montréal, where he works primarily with high performance tennis players.  On the show, you’ll learn the best warm up exercises before playing, when and how long you should warm up, Dean's top strength training exercises for tennis players, how to structure your weekly strength training sessions, the biggest mistakes tennis players make in the gym, common myths about warming up and lifting weights, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Dean! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Deanhollingworth.com Dean’s Instagram Baselinepower.com ITPA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 364 of The Tennis Files Podcast, founder of Tennis Tribe Will Boucek will talk about advanced doubles strategies. Will is an ATP & WTA Doubles Strategy Analyst, founder of Tennis Tribe, and host of the Doubles Only Tennis Podcast. He works with club level players, D1 college programs, and top 10 doubles players on the ATP and WTA tour to help them better understand their game and strategize against opponents. He has over 20 years of experience playing and coaching tennis, is a former college player, and is currently an NTRP 5.0. Will lives in Fort Worth, Texas and is constantly studying doubles. He started Tennis Tribe as a doubles blog in 2016 and has since turned it into one of the leading resources for doubles players who want to win more matches with a weekly newsletter, a podcast, and video lessons. He also reviews tennis gear including the latest racquets, shoes, bags, strings, and more. On the show, you’ll learn the most effective doubles strategies, how to neutralize big serves and active net players, how to make adjustments in mixed doubles matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Will! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Doubles Return Cheat Sheet Doubles Only Tennis Podcast | The Tennis Tribe "Watch More Doubles" Shirts - Shop Tennis Tribe Gear (thetennistribe.com) The Tennis Tribe - YouTube Will Boucek (@WillBoucek) / Twitter The Tennis Tribe (@the_tennistribe) / Twitter The Tennis Tribe (@thetennistribe) • Instagram Inner Game of Tennis Essential Tennis Mine! TFP 278: Doubles Strategy for Club Level Players with Will Boucek Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 363 of The Tennis Files Podcast, performance coach and yoga certified instructor Cheri Cope reveals how yoga can positively impact your tennis game by strengthening your mind and body. Cheri is a performance and motivational consultant at Cheri Cope, LLC. She received a post-master’s certification in Sports Psychology and a RYT 500hr Yoga Teaching Certification. Her coaching services include helping individual athletes, teams and businesses in the areas of motivation and performance achievement, and those who are in career and life transitions. She has previously worked with Essential Tennis to create yoga instructional content. On the show, you’ll learn how yoga can supercharge your mind and body for better tennis results, the best yoga exercises to perform for tennis players, how much (or little) time you need to commit to yoga to make an impact on your game, how yoga unites the mind and body, the biggest mistakes beginner yoga practitioners make, adjustments that inflexible people should make when practicing yoga, how Cheri has helped her students excel through yoga, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Cheri! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! chericope.com Subscribe to Cheri’s Newsletter Cheri’s YouTube Channel Cheri’s Instagram Page Light on Yoga The Yoga Bible Eastern Body - Western Mind, Psychology and the Chakra System Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 362 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Vesa Ponkka will reveal how to find your ideal contact point for more powerful and consistent ball striking. Coach Vesa Ponkka is Senior Director of Tennis at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, home to Frances Tiafoe, Denis Kudla, and numerous other elite players. He was selected as the 2011 USOC National Developmental Coach of the Year and has trained top junior players in the United States and Europe for national, NCAA, ITF and professional competition. Vesa’s students have won numerous professional and national titles, achieved the #1 ITF Junior World Ranking, several #1 USTA National Rankings, and NCAA All-American honors. He also received several certifications including USPTA, PTR, and USTA High Performance. On the show, you’ll learn the benefits of having a good contact point, the different factors that determine your ideal contact point, how a good contact point will help you hit a more powerful and heavier ball, why using your eyes and your brain are the most critical skills for making good contact with the ball, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vesa! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Junior Tennis Champions Center Get A Grip Podcast The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 361 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to reduce mishits, strike the ball cleaner, and anticipate where your opponent’s shot is going. There are three phases you need to learn when the ball is in play: (1) tracking (2) zooming and (3) scanning. A lot of players end up tracking the ball when they should be scanning the opponent instead or vice versa, and many don’t zoom on the ball long enough. These terms may sound confusing, which is why on this episode I’ll walk you through each phase, drills you can do to improve them, how to analyze your opponent using the 4 Ps, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Summit 2021 The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 360 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with coach Steve Smith about how to develop a great base of tennis fundamentals. Coach Steve Smith spent many years learning and coaching under tennis legends Vic Braden and Welby Van Horn. He founded the Great Base tennis player development system, which comprises a complete system of player development that emphasizes character, learning, and self-discipline. With over 48+ years of tennis coaching experience, Steve is also willing to share his knowledge through The Great Base Tennis Podcast with Andy Fitzell. On the show, you’ll learn how to transform your strokes, the best advice Steve has learned from tennis legends Vic Braden and Welby Van Horn, how to improve your toss and serve technique, why we have weaker backhands, how to win club level doubles matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Steve! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Great Base Tennis The Great Base Tennis Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 359 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll walk you through the 5 lessons I learned from winning the 2024 Asian Games. On the show, you’ll learn the recap of my matches, return tips, how to have consistent wins, how to reduce errors, how to utilize your strengths to win matches, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Asian Games Men’s Open Semifinals Match The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 358 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with New York Times correspondent and author Christopher Clarey about his book: “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer.” Chris is a top international sportswriter and has been a New York Times correspondent for over 25 years. He has covered Roger Federer since the beginning of the Swiss Maestro’s professional career and has interviewed him exclusively more than any other journalist since Federer’s rise to prominence. Chris has just published a new book, “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer,” this week. It focuses on the pivotal people, places, and moments in Federer's long and rich career and features hundreds of perspectives from him and the many people he played, trained, and interacted with since his early days in tennis. I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of Chris’s book and have thoroughly enjoyed its detailed insights, entertaining stories, unique humor, and the many teachable principles that we can all integrate into our tennis games and our lives. As a result, I very highly recommend that you pick up a copy of “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer” here.  On the show, you’ll learn the critical decisions that Federer made from a young age which shaped his legendary career, the influence of coaches Peter Carter and fitness trainer Pierre Paganini on Federer’s game and fitness, how working with a sports psychology took his results to the next level, how he manages to live in the present, funny stories about Federer’s mischievous other half, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Chris! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer Chris’s Twitter Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 357 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn doubles players’ biggest confidence killers with Mehrban Iranshad and coach Peter Freeman. On the show, you’ll learn the three biggest confidence killers in doubles, why players are afraid of poaching, how to improve movement and positioning, how to level up your net play and shot selection, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Pete and Mehrban’s Doubles Confidence Camp - July 27-28 in Atlanta, Georgia (We may add a second camp July 25-26 due to a ton of interest!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 356 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to make a comeback when you’re losing. In this episode, I’ll share a recap of my doubles match that got our team back to first place in the league, how to reset and focus on the present, how remembering past similar situations can help with making a comeback, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 355 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to simplify your tennis game with tennis coach and author Greg Moran. Greg has over forty-five years of experience in helping players of all ages and abilities improve their tennis, win more matches, and have a great time doing it. He is the author of The Truth About Tennis: The Definitive Guide for the Recreational Player. Greg is a frequent contributor to Tennis Magazine and is the author of the bestselling Tennis Beyond Big Shots books. Greg was the owner and Director of Tennis at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, Connecticut and a member of the Wilson Advisory Staff, the Cardio Tennis National Speaker's Team, and the USTA's Coach Developer program. Greg has traveled the country and to Africa conducting workshops for players and coaches. On the show, you’ll learn the most important things that club level players need to work on, the keys to anticipation, how to add spin and power to your game, how to deal with choking and getting nervous during big moments, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Greg! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! LINKS The Truth About Tennis - The Definitive Guide for the Recreational Player First 10 people that contact Greg get a free copy of his book: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 354 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to develop a consistent second serve, how to anticipate where your opponent’s shot is going, my favorite pressure drills, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I receive tons of questions from the Tennis Files audience on technique, strategy, fitness, and the mental game. On today’s episode, I’ll answer nine of them based on what I’ve learned from decades of playing and from the top pros and experts I’ve interviewed on my podcast and summits. Big thanks to the Tennis Files community and to everyone who has sent me questions! I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 210: Serve Technique Masterclass with James Ludlow Topspin Pro Movement Triangle Video Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 353 of The Tennis Files Podcast, former WTA pro Vania King discusses the ups and downs of a professional tennis career and her latest project Serving Up Hope. Vania reached career high rankings of #3 in the world in doubles and #50 in the world in singles on the WTA Tour. She also won two Grand Slams, winning the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open Doubles Championships with partner Yaroslava Shvedova. Vania currently works as the Community Development Ambassador for WTA Charities, the philanthropic arm of the WTA, and is a Director At Large on the USTA’s Board of Directors. Vania co-founded Serving Up Hope with former Chilean #1 ranked tennis player Hans Podlipnik to help give more human beings access to health, happiness, and equal opportunity through tennis. On the show, you’ll learn how to improve your mental health, the most impactful technical changes Vania has made to her game, how to navigate the ups and downs of the pro tour, winning doubles strategies, how to avoid injuries through tennis fitness training, the importance of routines, Vania’s inspiration for co-founding Serving Up Hope and how you can help, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vania! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Servinguphope.org Serving Up Hope Facebook Serving Up Hope Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach James Ludlow and Mehrban take a deep dive into the toughest shot to master with the greatest rewards: the serve. James is a Certified Tennis Instructor at Online Tennis Instruction (OTI). In 2021, James attended a tennis clinic with the Head Coach and Founder of OTI, Florian Meier. Since then, he has developed a huge passion for the technical side of tennis and had spent thousands of hours studying and testing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to stroke biomechanics. James analyzes OTI students’ strokes and creates instructional videos for OTI’s Youtube channel. On the show, you’ll learn how to improve your throwing motion, how to develop a consistent toss, whether to use the platform or pinpoint stance, the key to having a great kick serve, how to avoid over rotation, what part of the serve tennis players struggle with most and how to fix it, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with James! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Online Tennis Instruction YouTube Channel Serve Slow Motion Video - Right to Left Movement Facebook OTI Page LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several months of preparation and hard work, I am super excited to announce that Tennis Summit 2024, a free online tennis conference that I am hosting, is now open for registration!    From April 22-27, over 40 world class coaches and experts will reveal proven strategies, techniques, mental and fitness exercises to level up your game. And the most awesome thing of all is you can get your ticket to watch all these online lessons, presentations and live masterclasses for free (for a limited time) at tennisfilessummit.com! For today’s podcast episode, I put together a preview of three summit sessions: (1) Paul Annacone on maximizing your potential, (2) Louis Cayer on doubles strategy for club level players, and (3) Feisal Hassan on reading the court.  To watch the full length version of these sessions and all 40+ summit masterclasses, sign up for Tennis Summit 2024 ASAP at tennisfilessummit.com! I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2024! Tennis Summit 2024 - sign up to get your free ticket to watch the world’s biggest online tennis conference! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 350 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 5 keys to mastering an explosive forehand. On the show, you’ll learn how to execute a proper unit turn, how to uncoil your body efficiently, the most common forehand power killers, how the contact point varies for different grips, drills to develop powerful acceleration, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! [email protected] The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 349 of The Tennis Files Podcast, pro tennis coach Claudio Pistolesi reveals his top insights from over four decades of playing and coaching on the ATP/WTA Tour that will help you reach your fullest tennis potential. Claudio is the Director of the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) Bolles in Jacksonville, Fl. He ranked as high as #71 on the ATP Tour. He trained and coached many top ATP/WTA Tour pros, including Monica Seles, Robin Soderling, Simone Bollelli, Daniela Hantuchova Takao Suzuki and AI Sugiyama. He is also a volunteer coach for the University of North Florida Tennis Team. On the show, you’ll learn why Italy has so many top #100 ranked tennis players, how the sound of an Italian cannon helped develop a world class serve, how Claudio got in the zone and defeated world #1 Mats Wilander, how he brought Simone Bolelli from world #248 to #36 in less than three years, why empathy is the key to success in coaching, and much more!  I hope you enjoy my interview with Claudio! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Global Professional Tennis Coach Association Claudio’s Email Jtcc.org  Claudio Pistolesi Enterprise Claudio’s Instagram Page Claudio’s Facebook Page The Inner Game of Tennis Match Play and the Spin of the Ball Emotional Intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 348 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn 9 doubles strategy lessons from Tri-Level Nationals. On the show, you’ll learn the best time to poach, how to play against aggressive movers, how to adjust formations and read your opponents, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 347 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Vince Van Patten about the keys to performing at the highest level as a former professional tennis player, actor, and poker player/commentator. Vince achieved a #26 ATP singles ranking and #24 doubles ranking. He reached the 3rd round of the US Open and Wimbledon in singles, and the Quarterfinals of the French Open in doubles. Vince defeated tennis legend John McEnroe and two other top ten players en route to winning the Seiko World Super Tennis tournament. Vince was also a famous actor and is one of the main commentators for the World Poker Tour. He is currently playing professional pickleball, teaming up with Ivan Lendl in doubles. On the show, you’ll learn why confidence played a huge part in Vince’s success on the ATP Tour, how Vince transitioned from an acting career to professional tennis, his epic experiences playing both professional tennis and high stakes poker, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vince! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Vince’s Instagram Vince’s Twitter WPT Voyage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 346 of the podcast, I’ll walk you through my 9 biggest takeaways that I learned from taking a private lesson at the USTA National Campus. I recently took a trip to Orlando and booked a one-on-one lesson at the USTA National Campus a few days before returning home. This training session was a big eye opener to the areas in my game that could use some work. Right after the lesson, I jotted down my key takeaways from the lesson in the notes app of my iPhone and decided that I would share them with you on the podcast. They include tips that will help you improve your forehand, backhand, volleys, serves, doubles tactics, and much more!  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! USTA National Campus Precision Hydration The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files - Subscribe Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On this episode of the podcast, Meike Babel, former top 30 WTA Pro, reveals her top mental game strategies. Meike played on the WTA Tour for 10 years and was ranked #27 in singles and #45 in doubles. She is the founder of Meike Babel Coaching, where she focuses on mental skills training and tennis coaching for tennis players of all levels. She was the women's tennis assistant coach at Tulane University and at Vanderbilt University. On the show, Meike will share how she reached the elite ranks of the WTA tour, her top mental game strategies and what not to do on the court, reasons why you need to practice mindfulness to reach your potential, why getting nervous is normal and how to deal with it, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Meike! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! The Art of Doubles - Pat Blaskower Open - Andre Agassi Headspace https://www.meikebabel.com/ Meike’s YouTube Channel Meike’s Facebook Meike’s Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 344 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Lisa Stone, the founder of Parenting Aces, to talk about how to develop successful junior and college tennis players. Lisa has created one of the most valuable resources for tennis parents and junior players with her Parenting Aces platform. Fortunately for us, she took the initiative to research and find the best information on how to develop junior players after being urged to do so by a fellow tennis parent. Lisa hosts The Parenting Aces Podcast, a weekly show which is also on the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. She has interviewed many of the most well-known coaches and experts about the junior and college game. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest mistakes tennis parents make when trying to help their kids succeed in tennis, the current issues surrounding the USTA’s junior ranking system, what colleges are looking for in junior players and how to have the best chance of getting a scholarship, how to choose the right coach for your junior player, the top tips and lessons Lisa has learned from her guests on The Parenting Aces Podcast, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Lisa! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Tennis Files Tennis Summit ParentingAces Website ParentingAces Podcast ParentingAces Shop Interview with Lisa and Her Son Interview with Tracy Austin Zoo Tennis Website - Collette Lewis Parenting Aces Facebook Page Parenting Aces Instagram Page Parenting Aces YouTube Channel Inner Game of Tennis Winning Ugly Open: Andre Agassi’s Autobiography  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 343 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn about the ups and down of playing on the ATP tour, match preparation, and technical changes with Ante Pavic. Ante achieved career high rankings of #132 in singles and #106 in doubles at the highest levels of our sport. He reached the 2nd round of Wimbledon and 1st round main draw at the French Open. Ante won 31 Futures and Challenger titles and he is currently a tennis coach in the Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton, Florida. On the show, you’ll learn Ante’s tennis pro journey, his thought process before matches, return strategies, how to handle pressure, how to handle technical changes while playing, the problem with the Futures Tour in the US vs Europe, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Ante! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!   And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Ante’s Instagram Ante’s Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 342 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to level up your serve returns, increase your first serve power, develop a stronger mindset, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I went back into the Q&A mailbag and selected seven excellent questions from the Tennis Files community for today's episode. I'll explain how to level up your NTRP rating, critical checkpoints to develop first serve power and second serve consistency, how to return a lefty's slice serve to the ad court in doubles matches, eye-opening statistics from the pro tour, and much more that I’ve learned from decades playing the game and from the world’s top tennis pros and coaches who I've interviewed on the podcast and for my online summits. I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know by leaving a comment. Tennis Files Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Speed Workout Routine - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - Free Worksheet! TFP 187: Q&A Edition - Forehand Power, Second Serve Consistency, Concentration Tips, and More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On Episode 341 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the most important changes I’ve made to how I approach training and thinking about tennis that has transformed my game. The top pros make tennis look simple, but it is far from an easy game. All of us have gone through struggles and obstacles in tennis and we need to keep figuring out ways on how to improve to reach our potential. Sometimes it can take months or years to make a breakthrough, but we have to trust the process and consistently put in the work.  In this episode, you’ll learn how I think about strategy and tactics, the importance of self-assessment, key training principles that I have learned from interviewing hundreds of top tennis experts, the approach to your practices and matches that yields maximum improvement, and much more! I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Newsletter Simple Stretch Routine Video Simple Stretch Routine PDF Theragun Mike Boyle Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 340 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 7 doubles tells that will win you more matches. On the show, you’ll learn what to look for when doubles teams use serve signals, the best times to poach, serve positioning in doubles, how to play more aggressively, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn how to increase your forehand power, develop second serve consistency, improve your concentration, fitness, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I receive a ton of questions from the Tennis Files community on a wide range of topics, from technique and strategy to fitness and the mental game. Today we'll explore step by step methods and proven approaches I've learned from decades playing the game and studying the world's top coaches and pros to answer your most burning tennis improvement inquiries!  I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Leg Strength Workout - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - Free Worksheet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 338 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to structure your tennis workouts with Nathan Martin from Tennis Fitness. Nathan Martin has worked on the ATP and WTA circuits since 1999, including as a head tennis trainer at the renowned Sanchez Casal tennis academy in Barcelona. He specializes in strengthening and conditioning tennis players. Together with his wife, Giselle Martin, they have successfully created a unique tennis fitness system at tennisfitness.com called the Martin Method. Nathan and Giselle have also developed a deep knowledge of how to produce elite female athletes through their partnership with the WTCA (Women Tennis Coaching Association). They have trained numerous legendary ATP and WTA pros such as Lleyton Hewitt, Martina Navratilova, Sam Stosur, Monica Seles, and Jennifer Capriati, while also developing new programs to improve amateur players' tennis fitness and empowering the next group of young players. On the show, you’ll learn how to structure your weekly fitness workouts, the top exercises to enhance your flexibility, mobility and strength, the best movement drills for your on-court fitness sessions, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Nathan’s Tennis Speed, Agility and Power Program Episode 119 with Nathan Tennis Fitness Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 337 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how coaches can better work with sports parents with J.P. Nerbun. J.P. is a leadership coach who co-hosts the Coaching Culture Podcast. He is also the author of The Sports Parent Solution and The Culture System. J.P. founded TOC Culture Consulting, a leading global sports-consulting and leadership coaching business. His mission is to support leaders and their teams to achieve their full potential through 1:1 coaching, consulting, and community. On the show, you’ll learn how to build partnerships with parents, how to effectively communicate with sports parents, how to engage in hard conversations, the right way to enforce boundaries with parents, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with J.P.! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! The Sports Parent Solution The Culture System Parenting from the Inside Out TOC Culture Consulting  @TOCCulture (Instagram) Twitter (X) Tik Tok Facebook Coaching Culture Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 336 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to peak your tennis game in 2024 with Peter Freeman! Pete has coached Division 1 college players, produced state level and national champions and been awarded the honor of USTA Georgia Pro of the year. He has coached under Tony Palafox, who was John McEnroe’s former coach, and Frank Brennan former Stanford University Coach who won 10 national titles. He has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube (currently at 66 thousand subscribers) and at Crunch Time Coaching. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! On the show, you’ll learn how to set goals to improve your game, how to become more aware of your strengths and weaknesses, how to get out of your comfort zone, how to identify the real reason you are losing matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! crunchtimecoaching.com [email protected] Crunch Time Coaching YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 335 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the top takeaways from the show in 2023!  For this special year-end episode, I went through this year’s podcast episodes with grand slam champions, former ATP/WTA players, world-class coaches and tennis experts, as well as my solo episodes. Then I selected the most downloaded and most popular episodes and took clips from each of them containing the best advice on how to improve your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn how to perform best under pressure, doubles strategy mistakes you must avoid, the most effective ways to make your opponent miss, the biggest serve power leak, and much more! If you enjoyed these clips and want to listen to the full episodes featured on TFP 335, visit the links below or go to the episode number in your favorite podcast app or at tennisfiles.com/podcast. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 302: Dr. Mark Kovacs TFP 307: Dr. Larry Lauer TFP 312: Johnny Parkes TFP 319: Mehrban Iranshad TFP 324: Nick Aracic TFP 325: WTA’s Mental Health and Performance Team TFP 332: Jonathan Stokke TFP 334: Jonas Eriksson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 334 of The Tennis Files Podcast, racquet and strings expert Jonas Eriksson from Tennis Nerd and Mehrban have an in-depth discussion about how to choose the best racquets and strings for your game. Jonas is the founder of TennisNerd.net and hosts the Tennis Nerd Podcast. He also has 49k subscribers on YouTube. Jonas creates tons of awesome content, including racquet and string reviews, tips and tricks to improve your game, tennis gear reviews, and much more. Jonas is passionate about testing racquets, strings, shoes, and tennis tools. He is also an avid tennis player and competes semi-regularly on the ITF Masters Tour. On the show, you’ll learn how to choose the right racquet and strings to enhance your game, the best spin, power, and control racquets and strings, the biggest mistakes players make when demoing a racquet, which racquets Jonas thinks Mehrban should try next, and much more. I hope you enjoy my interview with Jonas! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Tennisnerd.net Tennis Nerd Facebook Group Tennis Nerd Twitter Tennis Nerd Instagram Tennis Nerd YouTube Tripod (Amazon Basics) GoPro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 333 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to play more confident and relaxed with Nathan de Veer. Nathan is a mental performance expert who specializes in helping players and athletes master their mind with proven mindset strategies. He played Division I tennis at DePaul University and he is currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He also created a website (nathandeveer.com) to share most of his work on the mental side of the game. On the show, you’ll learn my private coaching session experience with Nathan, what it takes to play more freely and confidently so players can win more matches, how to play big points confidently, how to reset yourself after a string of errors, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Nathandeveer.com Nathan’s Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 332 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to make your opponents miss with Jonathan Stokke. Jonathan hosts the Baseline Intelligence Podcast and is a tennis coach in Charleston, South Carolina. He spent 14 years as both a student-athlete and coach with the Duke men’s tennis program. Jonathan helped Duke to two ACC Championship titles (2003, 2006) and was named the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006. He is a former All-American and two-time All-ACC pick and was also named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Jonathan became the first student-athlete in program history to win the ITA National Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award in 2006 while also earning the USTA Sportsmanship Award. On the show, you’ll learn 5 ways to make your opponents miss, how to get more power from your serve, the importance of recording and analyzing your play, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jonathan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Awareness - Anthony De Mello The Habit Mechanic - Dr. Jon Finn Baseline Intelligence Podcast Jonathan’s Instagram Page Jonathan’s Newsletter (Substack) Swingvision Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro Marcus Willis about how he went from teaching tennis lessons for 30 pounds an hour (about $40) to playing Roger Federer on Center Court at Wimbledon in 2016.  Marcus has reached a career high ranking of #322 in singles and #209 in doubles on the ATP tour. He was also ranked as high as 15 in the combined junior world rankings. But Marcus struggled to breakthrough on the pro tour until he decided to work harder than everyone else and had a support system that held him accountable. Then in 2016 his hard work paid off; he got through pre-qualifying, qualifying, and his first round match to face arguably the greatest player of all time on Center Court at Wimbledon. On the show, you’ll learn the in-depth story behind Marcus’s incredible run at Wimbledon, how he was able to win against much higher ranked players, the key to transforming his career in 2016, the biggest mistakes that amateur players make, Marcus’s huge win in doubles against the defending Wimbledon champions the following year, how to succeed on the tour, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Marcus! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Marcus Instagram Marcus Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 330 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the most important serve power leak. On the show, you’ll learn how understanding the kinetic chain can be beneficial to your technique, how to perform extreme corrections when changing your technique, how to add power and spin to your serve, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! 8 Stage Model of the Serve - Dr. Mark Kovacs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Kevin Garlington, the founder of Total Tennis Domination, on how we can go from being stuck and frustrated to rapidly improving our games. Kevin is the Head Tennis Pro at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Oklahoma and also churns out online tennis instruction content at Total Tennis Domination. He previously worked with my friend Ian Westermann at Essential Tennis, one of the biggest and most well-known online tennis businesses in the world. Kevin is a 5.0+ player and competed at the Division I level at Oral Roberts University, as well as on the Pro Circuit in the US and Spain. Both Kevin and his wife Megan have been teaching tennis together for many years and have helped improve thousands of players with their top quality instruction. Kevin has also been a featured coach on my online Tennis Summits. On the show, you’ll learn why players get stuck for years at the same level, what to focus on in your game to make big improvements, Kevin’s systematic approach to developing adult tennis players, what part of the serve players struggle with most and how to fix it, winning singles strategies, Kevin’s tennis journey from a late start in his teens to Division I college tennis baller and eventual world-class coach, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Kevin! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Total Tennis Domination TTD YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 328 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn my favorite exploitative singles and doubles tactics that work every time. On the show, you’ll learn exploitative singles and doubles plays, how to improve your awareness on the court, how to make opponents hit outside their comfort zone, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Awareness - Anthony De Mello TFP 326: How to Stop Playing Tentatively During Matches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 327 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn 5 key lessons from Goran Ivanisevic’s 2001 Wimbledon Victory. On the show, you’ll learn about the epic, never seen before run of a #125 ranked player who received a wildcard into Wimbledon and ended up winning the whole tournament. You'll also learn five key lessons from Goran's victory, the most interesting quotes from his post-finals press conference, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Goran Ivanisevic Press Conference  Ivanisevic Superstition Article Ivanisevic-Rafter Wimbledon Article TFP 325: WTA’s Mental Health and Performance Team — How to Improve Your Mental Health & Resilience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 326 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to stop playing tentatively during matches. On the show, I’ll share my nerve-wracking story at tri-level nationals, the importance of having a game plan, techniques to avoid having a tight grip, how to give yourself the confidence to swing more freely, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Tennis Con 7 The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 325 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to improve your mental health and resilience with the WTA’s Mental Health and Performance Team. On today’s episode, I interviewed three esteemed guests to talk about mental health: Caroline Zadina, Becky Ahlgren Bedics, and Kathy Martin from the WTA’s Mental Health and Performance Team. Caroline is a Mental Health Care Provider at WTA who has counseled a wide range of athletes from high school to elite college and semi-professional competitors. She consults with NCAA member institutions to enhance team climate and culture, and with Olympic training programs to optimize performance transitions and safeguard athletes. Becky is the Vice President of Mental Health and Wellness at WTA. She has been featured on ESPN Outside the Lines and NPR segments related to athlete development and fan behavior, respectively. Prior to joining the WTA, Becky owned a consulting company and partnered with athletics departments and conference offices to enhance their student-athlete development programs. Becky also joined the Janssen Sports Leadership Center as Director of Leadership Development. Kathy is the Senior Director of Mental Health and Performance at WTA. She provides counseling and resources for WTA players relating to emotional health, sports performance, and safety. She is passionate about helping WTA players learn skills that will empower them to make smart and safe choices; improve their on-court performance and mental strategies; and manage the challenges of professional tennis life. Kathy develops WTA policy, education programs and resources for player safety, mental health and well-being. On the show, you’ll learn techniques to improve your mental health and resilience, how to prepare yourself mentally before matches, the most important traits that make tennis players mentally tough, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Caroline, Becky, and Kathy from WTA! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Real Me: Modern Health x WTA YouTube Series WTATennis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 324 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to play tennis more intuitively with Nick Aracic from Intuitive Tennis. Nick is the creator of the Intuitive Tennis Teaching Methodology and a USPTR Professional with 25 years of experience. He is a former top 20 junior in Germany and former 2. Bundesliga Player (DTK Dortmund). Nick achieved number a #37 NCAA Division 1 ranking and was a 3-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year. Intuitive Tennis currently has 240K+ subscribers on Youtube with 40+ million views, 102K+ Instagram followers and 47K+ Tiktok followers. On the show, you’ll learn how to replace bad technique with good technique, how to generate more power on the serve, whether to prioritize technique or strategy first, how to achieve a lower racquet drop, how to deal with opponents who hit heavy topspin, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nick! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tiktok Facebook Instagram IntuitiveTennis247 YouTube Intuitive Tennis YouTube Channel Intuitive Tennis Premium  Intuitive Tennis App - Apple store Intuitive Tennis App - Android store Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed current ATP and former collegiate coach Peter Smith about how to overcome adversity and develop a winning mindset. Coach Smith is currently the General Manager/Director of Tennis for The Jack Kramer Club in Rolling Hills, California. He also has one of the most prolific records in college tennis history. Coach Smith guided the University of Southern California Men’s Tennis team to 5 NCAA Championships and has notched over 600 wins in his college coaching career. Coach Smith was also a 2-Time ITA National Coach of the Year and 5-Time PAC-12 Coach of the Year. He now coaches top American ATP pros Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey. Coach Smith is one of only two coaches to guide three different schools to the NCAA quarterfinals and top-5 national rankings (USC, Pepperdine and Fresno State).  On the show, you’ll learn the principles Coach Smith used to guide his players to the top of the rankings, why it is more important to develop great people first and top tennis players second, what he is currently working on with Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey, routines that you can implement in your day to perform your best, what sports besides tennis you should play to become a better athlete, the toughest moments Coach Smith has had to face and how he has overcome them, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Coach Smith! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! The Score Takes Care of Itself - Bill Walsh Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success - Phil Jackson The Inner Game of Tennis - W. Timothy Gallwey Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success - Mike Krzyzewski Peter’s Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 322 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to prevent injuries and strengthen your body with Kayla Fujimoto Epperson. Kayla is a Physical Therapist (PT), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She is also a Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist. She is the owner of the Athlete Connection since 2020. Kayla is a Former Division I tennis player at Indiana University and she completed a Kovacs Institute Tennis Serve Biomechanics Fellowship. She currently trains Jennifer Brady (U.S. Open Doubles Semifinalist and 3rd round Singles). On the show, you’ll learn about the most common injuries for amateur tennis players, a simple warm up routine to prevent injuries, Kayla's experience at US Open training Jennifer Brady, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Kayla! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! @theathleteconnection Instagram Jessica the Sports RD The Society for Tennis Medicine and Science - Free upcoming virtual conference Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with one of the top athletic movement specialists in the world, Lee Taft, about how to become faster and stronger on the tennis court. Lee is known as “The Speed Guy” and has devoted over 30 years to training and teaching his multi-directional speed methods to athletes, top performance coaches and fitness professionals around the world. He’s been a Strength and Speed Coach at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, conducted workshops for MLB and NBA teams, and consulted for NFL teams. Lee has created tons of programs and books to help you improve your speed, strength and agility, including the Certified Tennis Speed Specialist certification. On the show, you’ll learn a simple and very effective speed workout, the best exercises to become a stronger and more powerful athlete, the biggest mistakes we make when training our speed, how we can improve our lateral and multi-directional movements, tools we can use to get faster, how to divide our training on the court and in the gym, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Lee! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Lee’s Facebook Lee’s Twitter Lee’s Instagram [email protected] www.LeeTaft.com www.CTSS.co - Certified Tennis Speed Specialist certification Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 320 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 7 essentials on how to prepare for matches. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Dynamic Warm-Up YouTube Video Precision Hydration Sweat Test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 319 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 5 doubles strategy mistakes you must avoid. On the show, you’ll learn how to take control of doubles points, how to become unpredictable in doubles formations, how to play against aggressive net players, how to strategize with your doubles partner, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 318 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to thrive as a multi-sport athlete, dominate junior tennis, and compete at the Division I & ATP Tour Level with Benjamin Kittay. Benjamin currently plays Division I college tennis at The University of North Carolina. He reached as high as No. 32 in the ITA doubles rankings and finished the year ranked No. 39. Benjamin was ranked #1 in Maryland in the juniors. He also reached the Round of 32 in the 2023 NCAA Doubles Championships. Benjamin won five TF Junior Singles & Doubles titles and is an ATP ranked player on the Pro Tour. He was also a catcher during the MLB lockout. On the show, you’ll learn how Benjamin managed to play both tennis and baseball at the highest level, his experience playing Division I college tennis at UNC vs on the ATP Tour, the most important technical changes he's made in his game, how he lost 20lbs by dedicating himself to fitness, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Benjamin! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! 30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful Student-Athletes Benjamin’s Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 317 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn 5 strategy lessons from 5.0 sectionals. On the show, I’ll share a recap of my experience playing in 5.0 sectionals and the lessons I learned from our matches. I really hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! The Tennis Files Podcast Dillon Sykes Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 316 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to develop a winning mentality with coach Jack Schore. Jack is the President and Founder at Jack Schore Tennis and the President of the Urban Leadership Development Group. He is also the CEO of Montgomery TennisPlex which is one of the biggest junior facilities in the nation. He has coached five players ranked in top fifty in the world, including Grand Slam champions in doubles. He was a three-time winner of the Montgomery County Tennis Association “Tennis Coach of the Year”.  On the show, you’ll learn the three common traits among his top players, how to get 100% out of practice, how to win during crunch time, keys to developing a winning team, differences between coaching individuals and teams, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jack! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Montgomery TennisPlex Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with USPTA Elite Professional, Davor Dekaris, about drills and techniques to help you transform your tennis strokes. Davor is the Director of Tennis at Tchefuncta Country Club. He was previously a Stroke Development & High Performance Coordinator at Stone Creek Club and Spa and a tennis instructor in Berlin for 10 years. Davor also played on the ITF, Future Tours and in the highest divisions of the German Team Tennis Leagues. He was awarded USPTA Southern Pro of the Year in 2017. Davor is currently the founder of Tennis Haus, which has grown into a wonderful community of tennis coaches and players. With Tennis Haus’ awesome tips, techniques, drills and advice about tennis, Davor’s community has grown to well over 264k followers on Instagram. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest technical flaws on the serve and backhand, drills to get more spin and power on your serve, how to use your legs and upper body on your volleys, the best grips for your strokes, expert coaching tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Davor! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Tennis Haus Instagram Tennis Haus Facebook Equipments Grip Aid Rebound Walls  On Court Off Court Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 314 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 5 biggest mistakes players make when choosing a new racquet.  On the show, you’ll learn the importance of demo’ing racquets, how tennis strings affect the demo experience, how long you should demo a racquet, how to choose a racquet that is best for you, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with USPTA Elite Professional Joel Myers about pro strategies and techniques to help you level up your tennis game. Joel is a world-class tennis coach in San Diego at Coronado Tennis Center and was a 3-time collegiate All American. He was ranked in the Top 10 in singles and doubles in the NAIA and was the National Player of the Year 2010. Joel has almost 50k followers on Instagram thanks to all the fantastic strategies and techniques that he has shared with thousands of tennis players worldwide. He has received numerous testimonials and endorsements from other elite coaches and players including Coach Peter Smith, Craig O’ Shannessy, Paul Annacone, Marcus Willis, Dr. Mark Kovacs and Allistair McCaw. On the show, you’ll learn the key technical change that helped Joel add 20MPH+ on his serve, how to improve your forehand and backhand technique, Joel’s top winning singles and doubles plays that will win you more tennis matches, his journey from top junior player to elite tennis coach, how to prepare for matches and tournaments, the secret to Joel’s explosive Instagram growth by sharing his tennis knowledge, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Joel! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Joel’s Website Joel’s Instagram Page Dr. Mark Kovacs Interview on the Serve The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel (Subscribe!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 312 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the fundamental fitness and mental game principles with Johnny Parkes. Johnny is a Lead National Coach at the USTA Player Development and Master Tennis Performance Specialist through the International Tennis Performance Association. He was the former Assistant Head of Strength and Conditioning and Head of IMG Academy. He is also the co-host of The Compete Like a Champion Podcast. On the show, you’ll learn how to level up your tennis fitness training, how to win matches when you are not playing your best, how to prepare mentally and physically before matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Johnny! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Playerdevelopment.usta.com Johnny’s Instagram Johnny’s Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 311 of The Tennis Files Podcast, tennis coach and entrepreneur Marco Impeduglia shares his strategies on how to grow the game of tennis. Marco is a USPTA certified tennis instructor who takes great pride in sharing his passion for the sport with players of all ages in the Washington DC community through ProsToYou Tennis, a company which he runs and operates. ProsToYou Tennis is the premier all-in-one racquet sports provider in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Marco is also the General Manager of Montgomery TennisPlex & Owner of Tennis Topia. An extensive employment history allowed Marco to gain precious insights on the managerial and business areas of the industry. Previous experiences include working as the Program Manager at Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland and the Director of Business Development & Special Events for the Citi Open Tennis Tournament in Washington DC. As a coach, Marco is passionate about interacting directly with tennis students and players: He has been a tennis coach at Connelly School of the Holy Child (Potomac, MD), Flint Hill School (Oakton, VA) and Chevy Chase Club (Chevy Chase, MD). I hope you enjoy my interview with Marco! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! www.tennistopia.com ProsToYou Montgomery Tennis Plex Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, elite coach Jorge Capestany answers audience questions about nerves during matches, how to refocus, improving your mental toughness, and much more! Jorge is one of only twelve people worldwide that has earned the distinction of Master Professional with the USPTA and International Master Professional with the PTR. Jorge is a certified Mental Toughness Specialist through the Human Performance Institute and holds a USTA Sports Science certification. He is a 6-time Michigan Pro of the Year and 2-time Midwest Pro of the Year and a member of the USPTA Midwest Hall of Fame. Jorge was also named National Pro of the Year by both USPTA and PTR! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jorge! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Jorgecapestany.com tennisdrills.tv Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, Ryan Reidy will teach you his top 6 simple and effective tips on technique and strategy. Ryan is a world-class tennis instructor and has helped thousands of competitive tennis players level up their game. He is the founder of 2 Minute Tennis which offers essential tennis tips for amateur and elite tennis players. 2 Minute Tennis has over 175k subscribers on YouTube and 39.5k followers on Instagram.  I hope you enjoy my interview with Ryan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! 2 Minute Tennis YouTube Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, Marc Sophoulis reveals the most important data points that you can use to transform the way you practice and play matches. Marc is the Head Coach at Melbourne International Tennis School in Melbourne, Australia. He has coached many pros, including Anastasia Rodionova, Arina Rodionova, Dane Propoggia, and Victor Hanescu. Marc has also spoken at conferences around the world and has been a commentator for professional tennis matches. He is the Director and Head Coach of the Tennis Menu, an awesome instructional tennis site which you should definitely check out (link below). I hope you enjoy my interview with Marc! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! thetennismenu.com The Tennis Menu Facebook Marc Sophoulis Twitter Marc Sophoulis Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, Dr. Larry Lauer reveals a proven step by step process to play clutch under pressure. Dr. Lauer is the mental skills specialist for USTA Player Development. He earned a PhD in science, exercise, and sports psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Lauer was previously the Director of Coaching Education and Development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) at Michigan State University. He also was an assistant coach and mental coach for Michigan State Men’s Tennis, helping the team reach the 2013 NCAA tournament. Dr. Lauer was a sports psychologist consultant for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He currently co-hosts the Compete Like a Champion Podcast with Johnny Parkes. I hope you enjoy my interview with Larry! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Larry's Bio  Compete Like a Champion Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, Jeff reveals the keys to mastering your mind that include technical and tactical adjustments in the most common pressure situations to play looser and more relaxed tennis…and he answers questions live from the audience!  Jeff is an internationally recognized sport psychology consultant, licensed psychotherapist, and the author of the 3rd best-selling tennis psychology book, The Best Tennis of Your Life and Fearless Tennis. Jeff has been helping athletes and professionals through his personal coaching, seminars, book, and audio programs for the past twenty years. Jeff was ranked No. 1 in the world in the men’s 35 age division, is a two-time ITF World Champion and former ATP Tour player and has been inducted into the Northern California Hall of Fame. I hope you enjoy my interview with Jeff! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Fearless Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, 17-time Grand Slam Champ Gigi answers your questions on strategy, the mental game, technique, the pro game, and more! Former world #1 Gigi Fernandez is widely considered to be one of the best doubles players of all time. She is a Hall of Famer, winner of 17 Grand Slam doubles titles with various partners, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals with Mary Joe Fernandez. In 2000, Gigi was named Puerto Rican Athlete of the Century. Gigi now spends her time coaching adult players how to excel at doubles and developed the Gigi Method of doubles.  I hope you enjoy my interview with Gigi! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! thegigimethod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 304 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Paul Annacone reveals his top secrets to getting the most out of your game and answers questions from the audience. Paul is a former professional tennis player and one of the world’s leading coaches and commentators. During his 14 years on tour as a player, Annacone won three ATP titles and reached a career high ranking of No. 12 in singles. He won the 1985 Australian Open doubles title and finished his career with 14 doubles titles. Annacone has worked with some of the most accomplished players ever to pick up a racket, including Federer, Sampras, Henman, and Sloane Stephens. He currently coaches ATP top 15 Taylor Fritz. I hope you enjoy my interview with Paul! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Coaching for Life - Paul’s Book! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 303 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Jeff Salzenstein will reveal how to achieve optimal performance and decrease stress. Jeff broke the top 100 in the world for the first time at the age of 30 (reached #100 in singles) and #69 in doubles on the ATP Tour and is the founder of Tennis Evolution. Jeff is also a USTA High-Performance Coach, USPTA Elite Professional, and highly sought-after mental performance coach. He has recently made a transition to keynote speaking and corporate coaching. On the show you’ll learn the biggest detractors to optimal performance, a simple routine to help with optimal performance, where stress comes from and why do some people deal with it better than others, how to turn stress into a positive attitude, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jeff! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! JeffSalzenstein.com Tennis Evolution Jeff's Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Dr. Kovacs answers questions on the most important tennis fitness concepts that every competitive adult player should put into practice. He covers strength training, endurance, mobility, recovery, and much more to help you gain the edge and outlast your opponents!   Dr. Kovacs is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes. He has trained many top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young, and Melanie Oudin on peak performance. Dr. Kovacs founded the Kovacs Institute and the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA). On the show, you’ll learn how we should adjust our training when we have physical limitations, how to modify fitness drills for senior players, the best recovery methods, how to develop power that transfers to your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Kovacs Institute International Tennis Performance Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 301 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn how to master your mindset and excel under pressure. On the show, you’ll learn the need to have a growth mindset, the two of the biggest detractors to optimal performance, how to set intentions and how to prioritize them, how to train with pressure games, how to practice your decision making on the court, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! Join Summit Waitlist for when I open it back up, I’ll email you. Go to tennisfilessummit.com/waitlist! Tennis Summit Waitlist Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is a very special one! We are celebrating 300 episodes of The Tennis Files Podcast by featuring clips from 10 of the most downloaded interviews and discussions over the years on the show!  Here's the list of tennis experts, coaches, and players you'll hear from in this special 300th episode of The Tennis Files Podcast: Claudio Pistolesi (TFP 208) James Ludlow (TFP 210) Steve Smith (TFP 214) Dean Hollingworth (TFP 218) Karue Sell (TFP 223) Dr. Mark Kovacs (TFP 235) Brad Gilbert (TFP 270) Peter Freeman (TFP 271) Nick Saviano (TFP 280) Jonathan Stokke (TFP 282) I really hope you enjoy this 300th celebratory podcast episode that we put together for you!   It’s nearly three hours long, so if you don’t listen to the whole thing in one sitting I won’t blame you 🙂 Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!  Thanks for all your support! :O) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with elite coach from Web Tennis, Brent Abel, about winning gold balls on the senior tour. Brent has won 14 USTA National Gold Balls. He was also the 70s age group Captain of the 2018 and 2019 USA Senior World Cup Teams. Brent founded Web Tennis, and his youtube channel has gotten over 11 million views and has helped many thousands of tennis players improve their games all around the world. Brent has been featured on my Tennis Summits as well to share his wisdom about the game with our massive audience. On the show, you’ll learn how senior players can thrive in tournaments and prolong their careers, Brent's favorite singles and doubles match strategies, playing tournaments all around the world, Brent's unforgettable experiences winning gold balls (a LOT of them!), and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Brent! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Web Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode, I interviewed elite tennis coach John Craig about the five areas of your game you need to develop to have a solid tennis foundation. John is a USPTA professional and a RacquetFit certified coach with over 35 years of tennis coaching experience. He is also the founder of Performance Plus Tennis. John has appeared on my Tennis Summits on multiple occasions to share his fantastic lessons and wisdom about improving your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn about the principles of the tennis foundation, the reasons why you need to develop this foundation, its game changing benefits, how to create it, how to use it to reach your true tennis potential, what to avoid when building your tennis foundation, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with John! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Performance Plus Tennis The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance - Jeff Greenwald Inner Game of Tennis - Timothy Gallwey Secrets of a True Tennis Master - Welby Van Horn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several months of preparation and hard work, I am super excited to announce that Tennis Summit 2023, a free online tennis conference that I am hosting, is now open for registration!   From April 17-22, over 35 world class coaches and experts will reveal proven strategies, techniques, mental and fitness exercises to level up your game. And the most awesome thing of all is you can get your ticket to watch all these online lessons, presentations and live masterclasses for free (for a limited time) at http://tennisfilessummit.com! For today’s podcast episode, I put together a preview of three summit sessions: (1) Jeff Salzenstein on optimal performance, (2) Marc Sophoulis on how to use data to level up your game, and (3) Dr. Mark Kovacs on the most important fitness misconceptions for adult players.  To watch the full length version of these sessions and all 40+ summit masterclasses, sign up for Tennis Summit 2023 ASAP at http://tennisfilessummit.com!! I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2023!  Tennis Summit 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode, I spoke with Marc Sophoulis, Head Coach at Melbourne International Tennis School, about how you can become a complete player. Marc has coached many pros, including Anastasia Rodionova, Arina Rodionova, Dane Propoggia, and Victor Hanescu. He has also been a part of the Bryan Brothers team for 6 years at the Australian Open. Marc has spoken at conferences around the world, has been a commentator for professional tennis matches, and has also been featured in my Tennis Summits each year. He is the Director and Head Coach the Tennis Menu, an awesome new instructional tennis site which you should definitely check out (link below).   On the show, you’ll learn the essential skills you must develop to become a well-rounded tennis player, proven tips and strategies to level up your game, important lessons Marc learned while working with the Bryan Brothers, how tennis coaches can maximize their impact, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Marc! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! thetennismenu.com The Tennis Menu Facebook Marc Sophoulis Twitter Marc Sophoulis Instagram Equipment: Theraband Medicine Ball Books Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 295 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn about my favorite USTA doubles strategies and the role of confidence. In today's episode, you’ll hear my recap and observations about the 9.0 mixed and 9.5 combo matches that I played last week, the strategic lessons I learned during those doubles matches, how confidence impacts our performance on the court, how to play against aggressive net players, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 294 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I will reveal the winner of my racquet bracket battle with Sam Jones. Sam has always been fascinated by new racquet and string technologies and how they can help players improve their games and avoid injury. This passion led him to a position at one of the largest online tennis retailers in the world, Tennis Express, as a content writer and playtester. Sam was also certified as a Master Racquet Technician in 2011. He was a 4 year member of The Southwestern University Men’s Tennis Team (2001-2005), and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. Sam achieved All-SCAC (southern collegiate athletic conference) status his senior year, and then began a 10+ year coaching career. On Episode 277 of the show, we talked about the top 8 racquets that Sam and I picked for me to playtest. On today’s episode, we are going to reveal which racquet made it to the top of our list. I hope you enjoy my interview with Sam! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Express Tennis Files Youtube Channel TFP 277: The 8 Racquets I’m Testing To Choose My Next Stick with Sam Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 293 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 10 best tips from the show that helped my tennis game. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast TFP 140: World-Class Doubles Strategy with Louis Cayer TFP 278: Doubles Strategy for Club Level Players with Will Boucek TFP 143: Critical Singles Strategies and Tactics to Level Up Your Game with Rick Macci TFP 270: Brad Gilbert — How to Become a Tough Competitor, Reduce Errors and Forget About Your Losses TFP 198: Craig O’Shannessy – The First Four Shots TFP 121: Michael Russell – The Grittiest Player In History TFP 284: Nick Bollettieri — How to Achieve Your Dreams and Help Others Succeed: From the 2019 archive TFP 061: How Ian Westermann Created One of the Biggest Online Tennis Instructional Sites in the World TFP 216: Why the Contact Point Determines Your Success in Tennis with Vesa Ponkka TFP 096: James Blake – Preparation, Visualization and Reaching #4 in the World TFP 046: The Mental Game with Jeff Greenwald TFP 033: Dr. Mark Kovacs—Strength and Conditioning for Tennis Players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 292 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to use time to your advantage during matches. On the show, you’ll learn how to give yourself more time during points, how to disrupt your opponent's momentum, why you should probably take longer breaks, how to lengthen your opponent’s time on the court, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Tennis Summit 2023 is coming in mid-April! I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2023!  The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Con Live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, I spoke with Dr. Larry Lauer, a mental skills specialist for USTA Player Development, about how to become a more resilient competitor. Dr. Lauer earned a PhD in science, exercise, and sports psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was previously the Director of Coaching Education and Development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) at Michigan State University. Dr. Lauer also was an assistant coach and mental coach for Michigan State Men’s Tennis, helping the team reach the 2013 NCAA tournament. Dr. Lauer was a sports psychologist consultant for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He currently co-hosts the Compete Like a Champion Podcast with Johnny Parkes. On the show, you’ll learn how to become a more resilient competitor, a step by step process for improving your on-court performance, how to deal with pre-match nerves, mental training that you can do while stuck at home, how players at USTA’s National Tennis Center in Orlando train their mental game, excellent books for your mind, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Larry! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Resources Compete Like a Champion Podcast USTA Player Development Net Generation Dr. Lauer’s TW Books: Can’t Hurt Me - David Goggins Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence - Gary Mack The Obstacle is the Way Mindset: The New Psychology of Success In Pursuit of Excellence - Terry Orlick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode, I spoke with former ATP Top 10 singles and doubles player and Grand Slam Champion, Spanish pro Emilio Sanchez, about how to develop a more aggressive tennis game. Emilio achieved career high rankings of #7 in the world in singles in 1990 and #1 in doubles in 1989. He won 3 Grand Slam Doubles titles (two French Opens and one US Open) and a silver medal in the 1988 Olympic games in men’s doubles. During his tennis career, he won 15 singles titles and 50 doubles and made over $5 million in prize money.  Emilio has both played for and captained Spain’s Davis Cup Team to a championship title in 2008. He is the co-founder of the Sanchez-Casal Academy (Academia Sanchez-Casal) where he helps all types of tennis players achieve their true potential. On the show, you’ll learn how to become a more aggressive player and why it is important to your long term success, how to become a better thinker on the court, Emilio’s top returning strategies, how Emilio reached the top 10 in the world in both singles and doubles, what it was like to both play Davis Cup and captain Spain to a championship title, footwork and movement tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emilio! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! emiliosanchezacademy.com Emilio Sanchez Academy FL Facebook Emilio Sanchez Vicario Twitter Emilio Sanchez Instagram Emilio Sanchez academy, FL Instagram Tennis Worldwide Leadership LinkedIn Academy website Blog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2020] On today’s episode, I spoke with former ATP pro Taylor Dent about how you can develop a solid serve and volley game that will put your opponents on the defensive. Taylor achieved a career high ranking of #21 in the world on the ATP Tour and won four singles titles. He reached the 4th round of Wimbledon and the US Open. He also placed 4th in the 2004 Olympics. Taylor has defeated numerous tennis legends such as Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, and many other unbelievable players with his huge serve and volley game. His parents, half-brother, godfather, and wife also played tennis professionally. Taylor is a coach and co-founder of the Dent Tennis Academy at The Birch Racquet and Lawn Club in Keller, Texas. On the show, you’ll learn how to think like a professional serve and volleyer, the right tactics to use when you are at net, drills you can perform to become a better serve and volleyer, Taylor’s toughest battles in his tennis career, the secret to hitting a 149mph serve, the big change Taylor made to his game early on to succeed on the pro tour, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Taylor! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS The Birch Racquet and Lawn Club Golf is Not a Game of Perfect Outliers Inner Game of Tennis Atomic Habits Dent Tennis Academy Facebook Dent Tennis Academy Twitter Dent Tennis Academy Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2016] In today’s episode, I spoke with world renowned sports science and fitness expert Dr. Mark Kovacs about strength and conditioning for tennis. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young, and Melanie Oudin. Stack named Mark one of the Top 31 Fitness Professionals to Follow in 2015. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes. He has been featured in many of the biggest sports and news publications, including ESPN, the New York Times, and Tennis Magazine. Mark was also a top college player at Auburn and achieved a world ranking on the ATP Tour. To sum it up, Mark has one heck of a resume, and it is an honor to speak with him on the show today. Mark co-authored an amazing book and resource, Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd edition), which was published a couple months ago. I have a copy of his book and have had a hard time putting it down in my spare time. It has a ton of invaluable information on how we can put together a personalized fitness program using the exercises and in-depth knowledge from Mark, E. Paul Roetert (former managing director of the United States Tennis Association’s Player Development Program) and Todd S. Ellenbecker (Vice President, Medical Services ATP World Tour, and clinic director at Physiotherapy Associates Scottsdale Sports Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona). The book also includes 56 videos illustrating the exercises and stretches which you can access online. The value in this book is unparalleled in comparison to any other tennis fitness book I’ve seen on the market so far. In this episode, I ask Mark questions on how we can improve our tennis fitness to become better tennis players. We also talk about Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd edition) and some of the principles in the book that will help take your game to the next level. Mark has an unbelievable amount of knowledge in sports science for tennis, and provided us all with a ton of value on The Tennis Files Podcast. Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd edition) Tennis Anatomy Dynamic Stretching The Flexible Stretching Strap Workbook Mark-Kovacs.com ITPA-tennis.org Interview with Allistair McCaw Mark’s Facebook/Twitter/Instagram (mkovacsphd) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2019] On Episode 287 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to develop rock solid technique with legendary coach Rick Macci. This is a great interview that I had with Rick from 2019 and I want to bring it back for you because the lessons are valuable and timeless. Rick has coached five number one players: Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, and Maria Sharapova, as well as hundreds of world class professionals. He has guided his players to a combined 247+ USTA National Championships since 1985, and is widely regarded as one of the best tennis coaches of all time. Rick is also the founder of Rick Macci Tennis Academy, and is a highly sought out motivational speaker, clinician, and author.  On this episode, Rick discusses his philosophy on developing biomechanically-sound technique, gives us simple yet super-effective technique tips, and explains some huge mistakes in our technique that, if fixed, will supercharge your efficiency and power. I particularly love the power leak Rick mentions for the serve in the interview (I won't spoil it for you, you'll have to tune in to find out! :O) ). I hope you enjoy this podcast interview episode with Rick! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Rick Macci Tennis Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 286 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to become mentally stronger and excel under pressure. On the show, you’ll learn how to reach your full tennis potential, how to deal with negative self-talk, why obsession is a key trait of successful tennis players, how to get out of your comfort zone, how to have a healthy perspective, and much more! If you enjoyed these clips and want to listen to the full episodes featured on TFP 286, visit the links below or go to the episode number in your favorite podcast app or at tennisfiles.com/podcast.  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 280: Nick Saviano — How to Unleash Your Full Tennis Potential TFP 271: Why Obsession is the Key to Your Tennis Success with Peter Freeman TFP 226: How to Handle Pressure by Changing Your Perspective with Vesa Ponkka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 285 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal the 8 key fitness principles for a strong and healthy 2023 and a weekly/daily workout template! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 233: How to Structure Your Diet for Optimal Performance with Tara Collingwood Dartfish - Exercise Database Tennis Con Live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2019] Legendary tennis coach and icon Nick Bollettieri sadly passed away in December 2022, but his impact on his students, coaches, and the entire tennis community will live on forever.   For this episode, I have resurrected my 2019 interview with Nick about how to achieve your dreams and help those around you reach their true potential. Nick had over 60 years of unrivaled experienced coaching the world’s best tennis players. He founded the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where he worked with such players as Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, Serena and Venus Williams, Mary Pierce, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, Marcelo Rios, Kei Nishikori, and Boris Becker, just to name a few. Nick also co-founded the nonprofit fitness camp, Camp Kaizen with his wife Cindi. He wrote for tennis magazine as an instruction editor and was featured in tv series and documentary films. Nick was also a very accomplished author, having written numerous books, including Bollettieri’s Tennis Handbook, My Aces My Faults, and a recent Biography entitled Bollettieiri - Changing the Game. On top of all this, Nick was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame and told me that he has been inducted into 12 others as well. On the show we cover the mindset you must have to achieve your goals, why every top performer has a great team behind that person, why you must get to know your students if you want to help them reach their true potential, Nick’s exercise routine at 88 years old, and much more! I hope you enjoy this podcast episode! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Nick Bollettieri - IMG Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 283 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the best advice in tennis strategy, technique, mental game, and much more from the top episodes of the podcast in 2022! For this special year-end episode, I sorted through all of my interviews with grand slam champions, former ATP/WTA players, world-class coaches and tennis experts, and my solo episodes from 2022. Then I selected the most downloaded episodes and took clips from each of them containing the best advice on how to create a fitness plan, simple strategies to win more singles and doubles matches, how to reduce errors, how to become mentally tough, and a lot more! If you enjoyed these clips and want to listen to the full episodes featured on TFP 283, visit the links below or go to the episode number in your favorite podcast app or at tennisfiles.com/podcast.  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 238: 5 Reasons Why Tennis Players Can't Serve Properly with Peter Freeman TFP 270: Brad Gilbert — How to Become a Tough Competitor, Reduce Errors and Forget About Your Losses TFP 235: Dr. Mark Kovacs — How to Create A Fitness Plan to Level Up Your Game TFP 232: Inside the Mind of a 5.0 Tennis Player with Dillon Sykes TFP 244: The 5 Most Common Mistakes That 3.0-4.5 Doubles Players Make TFP 241: Simple Strategies to Win More Singles and Doubles Matches with Jonathan Stokke TFP 239: 5 Traits That All Champions Have In Common with Emma Doyle TFP 233: How to Structure Your Diet for Optimal Performance with Tara Collingwood The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Summit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 282 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach and fellow podcaster Jonathan Stokke about how to win singles matches.  Jonathan hosts the Baseline Intelligence Podcast and is a tennis coach in Charleston, South Carolina. He spent 14 years as both a student-athlete and coach with the Duke men’s tennis program. Jonathan helped Duke to two ACC Championship titles (2003, 2006) and was named the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006. He is a former All-American and two-time All-ACC pick and was also named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Jonathan became the first student-athlete in program history to win the ITA National Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award in 2006 while also earning the USTA Sportsmanship Award.  On the show, you’ll learn how to formulate singles strategy, how to hide your weakness from your opponent, what type of serve players should master first, tips to refocus when you get nervous, return strategies, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jonathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Baseline Intelligence Podcast  Jonathan’s Instagram Page  30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful Student-Athletes Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise Part I and Part II of Jonathan’s Last Interview with me on the Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 281 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching to talk about our 8 tennis goals for 2023. Peter has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube and at Crunch Time Coaching. He was also named the Georgia Pro of the Year. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! On the show, you’ll learn why setting goals is important, why staying in your comfort zone will not make us improve, how to identify if you’re a singles or a doubles player, how to improve fitness and avoid injuries, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! TENNIS CON LIVE - Join me, Peter, Gigi Fernandez, Kevin Garlington, Karue Sell, Jeff Greenwald, Ryan Reidy and many others LIVE at Innisbrook Resort in Tampa! - March 30-April 2nd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 280 of The Tennis Files Podcast, legendary coach Nick Saviano reveals how to unleash your full tennis potential. Nick is widely regarded as one of the world’s preeminent tennis coaches and experts in the field of coaching education. He has 45 years of world-class tennis experience—nine years playing on the ATP tour, followed by 35 years as a high-performance coach. He helped train over 50 tennis players who have gone on to professional tennis careers on the WTA and ATP tours, including Grand Slam winners, Olympic gold medalists, and world’s number one in singles and doubles. Nick established The Saviano Method (TSM), which he has incorporated into the Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy. He also recently unveiled Maximum Tennis, which features online tennis training and insights that maximize your results and give you the edge you have been looking for. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest impediment that prevents players from reaching their full potential, how to become consistent so that you can reach your goals, how to develop mental discipline and utilize visualization, how to deal with nerves and getting tight during crunch time situations, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nick! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: maximumtennis.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 279 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Tennis Hacker founder Richard Brice reveals brain based tennis training techniques to help you level up your game. Richard is a Neuro Tennis Performance Consultant who helps tennis players improve performance and address injuries using brain based training and applied neurology. He is an expert in helping tennis players train and elevate their visual system through simple exercises. On the show, you’ll learn what brain based training is and how it can help tennis players improve their game, how to watch the ball better, simple eye drills to improve our vision, common areas that affect our vision on the court, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Richard! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Hacker YouTube Channel tennishacker.net/vision Tennis Hacker Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 278 of The Tennis Files Podcast, fellow podcaster and founder of Tennis Tribe Will Boucek talks about doubles strategy for club level players. Will is an ATP & WTA Doubles Strategy Analyst, founder of Tennis Tribe, and host of the Doubles Only Tennis Podcast. He works with club level players, D1 college programs, and top 10 doubles players on the ATP and WTA tour to help them better understand their game and strategize against opponents. He has over 20 years of experience playing and coaching tennis, is a former college player, and is currently an NTRP 5.0. Will lives in Fort Worth, Texas and is constantly studying doubles. He started Tennis Tribe as a doubles blog in 2016 and has since turned it into one of the leading resources for doubles players who want to win more matches with a weekly newsletter, a podcast, and video lessons. He also reviews tennis gear including the latest racquets, shoes, bags, strings, and more. On the show, you’ll learn Will’s top doubles strategy takeaways from the WTA Doubles Finals, how to figure out the optimal doubles formation for club level players, the biggest myth about doubles strategy, doubles tiebreaker tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Will! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Doubles Only Tennis Podcast | The Tennis Tribe "Watch More Doubles" Shirts - Shop Tennis Tribe Gear (thetennistribe.com) The Tennis Tribe - YouTube Will Boucek (@WillBoucek) / Twitter The Tennis Tribe (@the_tennistribe) / Twitter The Tennis Tribe (@thetennistribe) • Instagram Inner Game of Tennis Essential Tennis Mine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 277 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban and Tennis Express playtester and content writer Sam Jones will talk about the 8 racquets I’m testing to choose my next stick. Sam has always been fascinated by new racquet and string technologies and how they can help players improve their games and avoid injury. This passion led him to a position at one of the largest online tennis retailers in the world, Tennis Express, as a content writer and playtester. This is Sam’s third appearance on the podcast, as I previously interviewed him on Episode 103 and Episode 222. Sam was also certified as a Master Racquet Technician in 2011. He was a 4 year member of The Southwestern University Men’s Tennis Team (2001-2005), and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. Sam achieved All-SCAC (southern collegiate athletic conference) status his senior year, and then began a 10+ year coaching career. On the show, you’ll learn the top 8 racquets that Sam and I picked for me to playtest, the unveiling of my racquet bracket, our initial impressions about each racquet, our predictions for which racquets will make it the farthest in the bracket, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Sam! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Express Tennis Files YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 276 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal the 8 keys tennis players need to level up their games. On the show, you’ll learn why you need to create goals and a long term vision for your game, why its important to develop an open and positive mindset, the importance of analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, why consistently putting in the work is crucial to leveling up your tennis game, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 275 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll talk about the 5 best doubles strategies to use against aggressive opponents. On the show, you’ll learn about my crazy ACTA league doubles match last weekend, why you should try to hit down the line when you get the chance, how to get to the net first, how to use your strengths against an aggressive player, how to get the ball away from the net player, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 274 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Meike Babel, former top 30 WTA Pro, reveals how to use mindfulness to develop a winning mindset. Meike played on the WTA Tour for 10 years and was ranked #27 in singles and #45 in doubles. She is the founder of Meike Babel Coaching, where she focuses on mental skills training and tennis coaching for tennis players of all levels. Meike was the women's tennis assistant coach at Tulane University and at Vanderbilt University.  On the show, you’ll learn the power of mindfulness and how to incorporate it into your training, how to perform mindfulness awareness meditation, how to label your emotions correctly, how to refocus into the present, how to integrate mindfulness into your daily practice, and much more! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! meikebabel.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 273 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to transform your tennis fitness with coach T.C Costello. T.C is the Senior Director of Athlete Development at The Junior Tennis Champions Center. He is the current fitness coach of ATP Top 20 pro Frances Tiafoe and he works with WTA player Alison Riske as well as numerous ITF Top 10 players. He is also an NSCA strength and conditioning specialist & DBC Fitness Level 1. On the show, you’ll learn the most important fitness principles that tennis players have to follow, how to plan your weekly fitness sessions, how Frances Tiafoe’s commitment to fitness transformed his results, why consistency is so critical for improving your fitness, the best types of exercises for tennis players, the biggest mistakes tennis players make when it comes to fitness, coach Costello’s experiences with tennis pros, juniors, and amateur players, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with T.C.! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Junior Tennis Champions Center Tennis Anatomy Book Complete Conditioning for Tennis T.C’s. Instagram ITPA Frances Tiafoe Workout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 272 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Andrew Reiley from Cult Tennis will share epic tennis stories. Andrew is the founder of Cult Tennis Youtube Channel where he tackles all aspects of the sport including players, tournaments, controversies, scandals, and more. He is a former Division III College tennis player and he majored in Nutrition and Dietetics at SUNY Oneonta. On the show, Andrew talks about epic tennis stories including the Tennis Star who Faked his Tennis Career, How Boris Becker Wasted His $170 Million Fortune, The Weird Loophole that Let Anybody Play the US Open, Why Tennis Balls are an Environmental Disaster, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Andrew! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Cult Tennis YouTube Channel Cult Tennis Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 271 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching to talk about why obsession is the key to your tennis success. Peter has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube and at Crunch Time Coaching. He was also named the Georgia Pro of the Year. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! On the show, you’ll learn how to develop an inner drive to keep improving, the biggest obstacle to staying on track and how to avoid it, how to deal with adversity, why you need a healthy obsession for the game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Register for Tennis Con 6 - Click Here! Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 270 of The Tennis Files Podcast, legendary tennis player and coach Brad Gilbert will reveal how to become a tough competitor, reduce errors and bounce back quickly after losses. Gilbert achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 4 in 1990 and career-high doubles ranking of world No. 18. He won 20 singles titles and a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Gilbert also coached several top players, including Andre Agassi, who won six of his eight Grand Slam titles under Gilbert, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, and Kei Nishikori. On the show, you’ll learn how to develop no quit relentlessness, avoid the perfection trap, become a tougher competitor, prepare yourself for battle, reduce errors, outthink your opponent, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with coach Brad Gilbert! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Winning Ugly Winning Uglier with Brad Gilbert Podcast Brad’s Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 269 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn the top singles strategies and tactics from grand slam champions with Paul Annacone. Paul is a former professional tennis player and one of the world’s leading coaches and commentators. During his 14 years on the tour as a player, Annacone won three ATP titles and reached a career high ranking of No. 12 in singles. He won the 1985 Australian Open doubles title and finished his career with 14 doubles titles. Annacone has worked with some of the most accomplished players ever to pick up a racket, including Federer, Sampras, Henman, and Sloane Stephens. He currently coaches ATP top 15 Taylor Fritz. On the show, you’ll learn how to use your strengths against your opponent’s weaknesses, the mentality you must have before each point, the optimal pre-point routine, the best tactics against counterpunchers and serve and volleyers, the most common tactical mistakes that club level players make, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Paul! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! https://paulannacone.com Coaching for Life - Paul’s Book! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 268 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite tennis coach John Craig about how to develop winning singles strategies. John is a USPTA professional and a RacquetFit certified coach with over 35 years of tennis coaching experience. He is also the founder of Performance Plus Tennis. John has appeared on my Tennis Summits on multiple occasions to share his fantastic lessons and wisdom about improving your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn the two-rule formula for when to hit shots down the line, why you need tactical plan for your returns and where to hit them, how to take time away from counterpunchers, how to stay focused during your matches, advanced singles strategies for beginner and intermediate players, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with John! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Performance Plus Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 267 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed coach Emma Doyle about the top practices of the world’s best coaches. Emma is an international high-performance tennis coach turned corporate/team coach specializing in helping leaders and teams harness their energy, discover their purpose, and achieve high performance under pressure. She does this by inviting her clients to adopt a curious champion mindset and utilizing proven coaching tools to unleash human potential. She is a former D1 US college tennis player and has represented her native country of Australia as a world team coach on 20 occasions. Emma utilizes the lessons that she has learned from being an international high-performance tennis coach and transfers these skills into her corporate coaching. She is a qualified Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Emotional Intelligence certified practitioner.  On the show, you’ll learn how to empower your decision making, how to be in the present moment, how energy is a rhythm, how to manage your energy during matches, how to build your resilience, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emma! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! What Makes a Great Coach? What Do I Wear on my Feet to Play Tennis? (2 - 6 year olds) What Makes a Great Coach Website The Coaching Podcast - Emma’s Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 266 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Harry Tong from Tennis Spin about tennis shoes, overgrips, and training tools to improve your game.  Harry fell in love with tennis from the age of 6. He developed an affinity for tennis equipment and gear, and worked in the tennis department of a sporting goods store in college. He is the creator of the Tennis Spin Youtube channel where he uploads daily videos about racquets, equipment, and how to improve your game. Harry is also the Shop Manager of Brad Gilbert’s Tennis Nation. On the show, you’ll learn about the best tennis shoes on the market for comfort, durability, and performance, why you should not skimp out on high quality tennis shoes, the top pieces of equipment to improve your tennis game, the different types of overgrips and how to choose the right one, the best new racquets coming out soon, and much more! I hope you enjoy part II of my interview with Harry! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! tennisspinusa.com TennisSpin Instagram How to put on an overgrip How to string a racquet What to do when you get a new racquet VT Advantec Friction Labs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 265 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to choose the best racquets and strings for your game with Harry Tong from Tennis Spin.   Harry fell in love with tennis from the age of 6. He developed an affinity for tennis equipment and gear, and worked in the tennis department of a sporting goods store in college. He is the creator of the Tennis Spin Youtube channel where he uploads daily videos about racquets, equipment, and how to improve your game. Harry is also the Shop Manager of Brad Gilbert’s Tennis Nation.   On the show, you’ll learn about the new and upcoming racquets and racquet technologies, how to choose the right racquet for your game, the biggest stringing mistakes, how long racquets really last, Harry’s favorite strings and overgrips, and much more!   I hope you enjoy Part I of my interview with Harry! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!   And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS tennisspinusa.com TennisSpin Instagram How to put on an overgrip - TennisSpin How to string a racquet - TennisSpin What not to do when you get a new racquet - TennisSpin VT Advantec Friction Labs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 264 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Milan Krnjetin, a former ATP pro, about how to be relentless and have a clutch mentality. Milan started playing tennis in his hometown Novi Sad, Serbia, and he was ranked #2 in Serbia in the 18s division. He eventually came to the U.S. and played college tennis for Auburn University (top 25 program in the country). Milan played in professional leagues and on the ATP tour, where he reached a ranking of 1256 in the world. Milan eventually took a huge opportunity to be a hitting partner and coach for such players as Jelena Jankovic and Jovana Jaksic. He has an online platform called TENFITMEN which stands for Tennis Fitness Mental and a fantastic YouTube Channel which details his practices with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Kevin Anderson, Alex de Minaur, Hyeon Chung, and most recently Nick Kyrgios, along with great tips to improve your game. On the show, you’ll learn how to become a relentless player, how to develop a clutch mentality, why improving requires winning little battles every day, how to fully prepare to play your best before matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Milan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! TENFITMEN Youtube Channel TENFITMENT Instagram TENFITMENT Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 263 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I will reveal the 6 lessons I learned from Nick Kyrgios at the 2022 Citi Open. On the show, you’ll learn the recap of my Citi Open experience, the benefits of a lower ball toss on the serve, the importance of a serious and focused mindset, a tip from Jessica Pegula on how to react when you're losing in doubles, Kyrgios big weapons in tennis, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 262 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal 15 lessons from poker that apply to your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn my WSOP and WPT experiences, how I compare poker to tennis, how patience can get you more wins, the emotional ups and downs in both tennis and poker, decision making practices, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. LINKS The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 261 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Raheel Manji from Mission Elite about how to coach yourself and problem solve through adversity. Raheel is a former Team Canada and Indiana Hoosier Captain and a former ATP ranked pro. He played #1 at Indiana University. He is also a 4-time title holder. Raheel is currently the CEO of Mission Elite. On the show, you’ll learn how to develop internal toughness, the importance of being able to self-coach and be your own cheerleader, Raheel’s junior and pro career, the 3 biggest mistakes amateur players make, how to become better problem solvers, and more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Raheel! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! www.missionelitetennis.com  Mission Elite Instagram Page Mission Elite YouTube Mission Elite Facebook Quarterly Book List Jocko Willink - Extreme Owndership TED Talk Interview with the Elderly Tuesday’s with Morrie  12 Rules for Life The Alchemist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 260 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with one of the most legendary tennis coaches of all time, Rick Macci, about how to excel under pressure, hit more effective volleys, and develop better forehand technique. With over 247 USTA National Championships since 1985, Rick is one of the most legendary tennis coaches of all time. He has coached five number one players; Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, and Maria Sharapova as well as hundreds of world class professionals. Rick is the founder of Rick Macci Tennis Academy, and is also a highly sought out motivational speaker, clinician, and author. On the show, you’ll learn the best way to practice volleys by yourself and at home, the top piece of advice for club level players, the true source of power and how to find it, how not to let pressure affect your stroke technique, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Rick! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! rickmacci.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 259 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban and Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching reveal how to generate power and the importance of fundamentals. Peter has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube and at Crunch Time Coaching. He was also named the Georgia Pro of the Year. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! On the show, you’ll learn the biggest serve power leaks, how to get more fluid serve, importance of fundamentals, the role of the legs and the upper body on the serve, the different training phases and environments, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! tennisfiles.com/powerchallenge Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 258 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite tennis coach Jorge Capestany about training mistakes, pressure points, and footwork intensity. Jorge is one of only twelve people worldwide that has earned the distinction of Master Professional with the USPTA and International Master Professional with the PTR. Jorge is a certified Mental Toughness Specialist through the Human Performance Institute and holds a USTA Sports Science certification. He is a 6-time Michigan Pro of the Year and 2-time Midwest Pro of the Year and a member of the USPTA Midwest Hall of Fame. Jorge was also named National Pro of the Year by both USPTA and PTR! On the show, you’ll learn the biggest mistake club level players make when trying to develop their game, the proper balance between match play and practice, why closing out a tennis match is much more difficult than winning in other sports, how to have intense footwork and a relaxed upper body during matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jorge! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! jorgecapestany.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 257 of the podcast, mental game expert Jeff Greenwald will reveal how you can transform your mindset and play loose under pressure. Jeff is an internationally recognized sport psychology consultant and licensed psychotherapist. He is the author of the 3rd best-selling tennis psychology book entitled The Best Tennis of Your Life and Fearless Tennis. He was also ranked No.1 in the world in the men’s 35 age division, and is a two-time ITF World Champion and former ATP Tour player. Jeff has been helping athletes and professionals through his personal coaching, seminars, book, and audio programs for several decades. You’ll learn how to level up your mindset and mental preparation, how to handle pressure in doubles matches, how to handle nerves when serving, how to perform your best under pressure, and much more on the show! I hope you enjoy this episode with Jeff! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Fearless Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 256 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Larry Lauer, a mental skills specialist for USTA Player Development, about how to mentally prepare for your matches. Dr. Lauer earned a PhD in science, exercise, and sports psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was previously the Director of Coaching Education and Development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) at Michigan State University. Dr. Lauer also was an assistant coach and mental coach for Michigan State Men’s Tennis, helping the team reach the 2013 NCAA tournament. Dr. Lauer was a sports psychologist consultant for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He currently co-hosts the Compete Like a Champion Podcast with Johnny Parkes.   On the show, you’ll learn a step by step process for how to prepare mentally for your matches, how to achieve the optimal performance state, how to figure out your ideal match temperature, the power of visualization and journaling, how to create a pre-match plan, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Larry! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Larry's Bio  Compete Like a Champion Podcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 255 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Will Hamilton from Fuzzy Yellow Balls about serve power, the championship traits of the best players in the world, and how to improve your anticipation. Will co-founded Fuzzy Yellow Balls, one of the biggest and most well-known online tennis instructional websites on the planet. Will has partnered with many of the game's best players and coaches to produce instructional courses, including Patrick Rafter, Bob and Mike Bryan, Gigi Fernandez, Craig O'Shannessy, Dr. Mark Kovacs, and Feisal Hassan. He is the creator of the Singles and Doubles Playbooks, which teach you the strategies you need to take your matchplay to the next level. On the show, you’ll learn how to distribute your weight on the serve, why the loading of the back leg will help you hit your serve bigger, the top pieces of advice that Will has received from the legends he has worked with on his tennis programs, Will’s top doubles plays that will win you more points, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Will! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Fuzzy Yellow Balls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 254 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Babolat sales representative Allan Iverson about how to get the best performance out of your racquet. Allan has appeared on several Tennis Summits and the podcast over the years to talk about all things tennis gear and equipment. He has 25 years of experience teaching tennis and running pro shops. Allan was awarded Tennis Industry Sales Rep of the Year in 2014. He was also Babolat's National Salesperson of the Year in 2012. Allan is a USPTA P-1 with more than two decades of teaching experience.  On the show, you’ll learn the most current string and racquet trends, how to choose the best racquet for your game, the ins and outs of different strings and racquets, other pieces of tennis equipment that will increase your comfort and performance, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Allan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Babolat US Allan Iverson Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 253 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Ramon Osa reveals his step by step process for how to play your best tennis under pressure.  Ramon is an expert at helping players discover the fun in tennis, while showing them what they need to do to improve their mental game, technique and tactics. Ramon is the founder of Osa Tennis 360, where he produces value-filled and fun tennis videos. He also has an awesome Youtube channel with fantastic tips and advice. Ramon believes that fun, along with the right system to develop world-class strokes and sound fundamentals, is the key to improving your tennis game. Ramon also works with Mark Jeffery to educate players around the globe about the Winning Formula and the Trust Method to help them improve their mindset and performance. Ramon gave an exclusive presentation for Tennis Summit 2022 about the mental game and it was so good that I decided to feature it on the podcast. On the show, you’ll learn what pressure is and how to deal with it, how to train yourself to perform your best under pressure, the ideal routine to follow between points, how to access the “flow state”, and much more!  I hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Osa Tennis The Winning Formula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 252 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban spoke with Swupnil Sahai of SwingVision about the future of tennis tech and how it can help your performance. Swupnil Sahai is the Co-Founder and CEO of SwingVision, a mobile A.I. platform for shot tracking, video analysis and officiating. He is also a Co-Instructor for Data 8: Foundations of Data Science, the largest class at UC Berkeley, with 1,600+ students from across 40+ majors. He built patented A.I. for 3D object tracking at Tesla Autopilot. On the show, you’ll learn how tennis tech has evolved over time, the most and least successful technological advancements for tennis players, how using SwingVision can help you improve your tennis game quickly and easily, the most important features of SwingVision and how you can review your matches and most important statistics in less time, how Swupnil Co-founded SwingVision, SwingVision’s appearance in the latest Apple event, how you can keep score and challenge line calls with an Apple Watch and SwingVision in real time, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Swupnil! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: https://tennisfiles.com/swingvision - Exclusive Free 30-Day Trial for Tennis Files Listeners and Tennis Files Bundle Discount ($100 off a Phone Mount + Annual SwingVision Membership!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 251 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban and Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching will talk about how to transform your backhand with a 7 Day System. Peter has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube and at Crunch Time Coaching. He was also named the Georgia Pro of the Year. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! The 7 Day Backhand Challenge will start on May 23rd! If you want to transform your backhand, you can check out the link below to sign up for the challenge for free! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! 7 Day Backhand Challenge Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Mehrban and world renowned sports science and fitness expert Dr. Mark Kovacs answers audience questions on the most important tennis fitness concepts that every competitive adult player should put into practice. He'll cover mobility, recovery, and much more to help you gain the edge and outlast your opponents!  Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background in training and researching elite athletes. He is the founder of The International Tennis Performance Association (ITPA) of which I am a proud member, and the Kovacs Institute which is based in Atlanta, GA. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young and Melanie Oudin. He recently served as the Senior Director of Sports Science for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mark also co-hosts The Doc and Pro Show, together with professional golfer Jason Bohn where they talk about tennis, golf, sports, and life, and how you can improve your sports performance. I hope you enjoy my interview with Dr. Kovacs! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Doc and Pro Show KovacsInstitute.com Kovacs Institute Instagram itpa-tennis.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Mehrban and Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching reveal the differences between “pushers”, hitters, and tweener players and why the first two player types usually win while the tweener usually loses! This episode is taken from a recent livestream that I did with Peter on Tennis Summit 2022! Peter has created tons of fantastic free and premium tennis content on Youtube and at Crunch Time Coaching. He was also named the Georgia Pro of the Year. Pete hosts Tennis Con each year for players over 50, leads really fantastic 7-day and 30-day challenges, and is a great friend of Mehrban and the Summit! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 248 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban spoke with Dr. Reza Ghorbani of APMI Health and Wellness Center about injury prevention and recovery for tennis players.   On the show, you’ll learn about the critical concept of early intervention, how to train your body to prevent injuries, the best exercises to strengthen your ankles, advanced recovery methods such as cryotherapy, Dr. Ghorbani life-changing experience visiting the Rafael Nadal Academy, why you must become proactive about treating your injuries, and much more! APMI Health and Wellness Center is having an open house on May 5, 2022, so if you’re in the mid-atlantic area, contact them to arrange a visit and meet Dr. Ghorbani in person!   I hope you enjoy my interview with Dr. Ghorbani! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!   And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! APMI Health and Wellness Center Facebook  APMI Health and Wellness Center Instagram www.apmiwellness.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 247 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach Mike Digby about how he prepares for intense practices, develops consistency, and the keys to improving your serve. Mike is currently coaching at Soto Tennis Academy in Spain. He is a former US collegiate tennis player and he graduated in 2019. He worked as a full time hitting partner with top tennis players such as Federer, Tsitsipas, Nadal, Halep, Djokovic and more. On the show, you’ll learn how Mike prepares for practices with top tennis pros, the best pieces of advice he learned from his practice sessions, how Mike transitioned to coaching at an elite tennis academy, the biggest keys to win more matches, how to be a problem solver on the tennis court and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mike! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Mike’s Instagram Soto Tennis Academy Website Soto Tennis Academy Instagram Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Nadal’s Autobiography Steven Gerrard - My Story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 246 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach Mike Digby about lessons he learned from practicing with the top players in the world. Mike is currently coaching at Soto Tennis Academy in Spain. He is a former US collegiate tennis player and he graduated in 2019. He worked as a full time hitting partner with top tennis players such as Federer, Tsitsipas, Nadal, Halep, Djokovic and more. On the show, you’ll learn how Mike got into coaching, his first experience practicing with Novak Djokovic, how Mike prepares for practices with the pros, his best and worst practice experience, top keys to being a great coach, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mike! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Mike’s Instagram Soto Tennis Academy Website Soto Tennis Academy Instagram Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Nadal’s Autobiography Steven Gerrard - My Story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several months of preparation and hard work, I am super excited to announce that Tennis Summit 2022, a free online tennis conference that I am hosting, is now open for registration!   From April 18-23, over 40 world class coaches and experts will reveal proven strategies, techniques, mental and fitness exercises to level up your game. And the most awesome thing of all is you can get your ticket to watch all these online lessons, presentations and live masterclasses for free (for a limited time) at http://tennisfilessummit.com! For today’s podcast episode, I put together a preview of three summit sessions: (1) Rick Macci on how to become an elite competitor, (2) Paul Annacone on how to maximize your tennis potential, and (3) Allan Iverson on how to get the best performance out of your tennis racquet.  To watch the full length version of these sessions and all 40+ summit masterclasses, sign up for Tennis Summit 2022 ASAP at http://tennisfilessummit.com!! I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2022!  Tennis Summit 2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 244 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal the 5 most common mistakes that 3.0-4.5 doubles players make. In this episode, I’ll walk you through my recent experiences playing USTA League doubles matches and the biggest takeaways from them, along with tips I’ve learned from the best coaches in the world. Fortunately I have been doing quite well this season in mixed and men’s combo doubles matches (15-7) thanks to the strategies I’ve implemented and from paying more attention to my opponents and their tendencies. In this episode, I’ll discuss picking up on doubles tells, why heavy groundstroke dippers are so useful, different doubles formations, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Doubles Playbook (Podcast Sponsor) Tennisfilessummit.com Tennisfiles.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 243 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Furi Sport’s Erick Mathelier about how to develop a unique tennis brand. Erick started playing tennis at the age of 13. His dedication to training helped him earn a scholarship to play Division I tennis. Erick has a Masters in Urban Policy and Management and eventually became an entrepreneur and a Co-Founder of Furi Sport with Michelle Spiro. Erick currently resides in New York. On the show, you’ll learn the difficulties that Erick faced as a kid due to racial tensions in New York, why he switched from competitive baseball to tennis, how he Co-Founded Furi Sport, the ins and outs of how to develop unique products, Furi Sport’s exciting new racquets, strings, bags, grips and other gear, how Furi Sport is helping to make tennis a more diverse sport, how people can try or view their products, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Erick! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! https://furisport.com/ Furi Sport Instagram Furi Sport Twitter Furi Sport Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 242 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis strings expert and coach Richard Groenewold about how to choose the best strings for your game. Richard is Signum Pro’s USA LLC National Sales Manager and the CEO of Genesis tennis strings. He began playing tennis when he was 12 and started in the tennis business at the age of 15, selling tennis strings and racquets locally. He is a former ITF top-150 ranked singles player. He played tennis for 3 years at Open tournaments and Pro tournaments until retiring from tennis to dedicate many years to Photography. Richard opened a little pro shop in Mexico in 2008, and then afterwards became the distributor for Genesis, Signum Pro, Medspec, Topspin, Polyfibre and Polystar in México. By 2016, he took over the distribution for Signum Pro in the US, and in 2017 purchased Genesis from the founders of the brand. On the show, you’ll learn about the different types of tennis strings and their characteristics, how to choose the thickness and tension of your strings, the biggest mistakes tennis players make when choosing strings, the most popular strings from Signum Pro and Genesis, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Richard! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Genesis Tennis Facebook Genesis Tennis Instagram Signum Pro USA Facebook Signum Pro USA Instagram The Tennis Depot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 241 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach and fellow podcaster Jonathan Stokke about simple strategies to win more singles and doubles matches. Jonathan hosts the Baseline Intelligence Podcast and is a tennis coach in Charleston, South Carolina. He spent 14 years as both a student-athlete and coach with the Duke men’s tennis program. Jonathan helped Duke to two ACC Championship titles (2003, 2006) and was named the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006. He is a former All-American and two-time All-ACC pick and was also named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Jonathan became the first student-athlete in program history to win the ITA National Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award in 2006 while also earning the USTA Sportsmanship Award.  On the show, you’ll learn Jonathan’s coaching philosophy for developing elite players and how it has changed over time, how to record and analyze your tennis matches and practices, the keys to developing a winning mindset, the most effective strategies for singles and doubles matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy part two of my interview with Jonathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Baseline Intelligence Podcast  Jonathan’s Instagram Page  30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful Student-Athletes Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 240 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach and fellow podcaster Jonathan Stokke about deliberate practice and the keys to winning in college and junior tennis. Jonathan hosts the Baseline Intelligence Podcast and is a tennis coach in Charleston, South Carolina. He spent 14 years as both a student-athlete and coach with the Duke men’s tennis program. Jonathan helped Duke to two ACC Championship titles (2003, 2006) and was named the ACC Tournament MVP in 2006. He is a former All-American and two-time All-ACC pick and was also named the ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Jonathan became the first student-athlete in program history to win the ITA National Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award in 2006 while also earning the USTA Sportsmanship Award.  On the show, you’ll learn what deliberate practice is and how to implement it in your training, the most effective drills you can use during your practices, the keys to success in junior and college tennis, the most important traits of a successful tennis player, how Jonathan became an elite level tennis player, the pros and cons of online tennis instruction, and much more! I hope you enjoy part one of my interview with Jonathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Baseline Intelligence Podcast  Jonathan’s Instagram Page  30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful Student-Athletes Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 239 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed high-performance tennis and corporate coach Emma Doyle about the traits that all champions have in common. Emma is an expert instructor, communicator, and mentor, and has helped several professional tennis players reach their potential on the WTA Tour. She currently runs coaching qualifications for a High-Performance Workplace and Coaching Certification. Emma has also been a Tennis Australia High Performance Coach, and she travels the world as a professional speaker specializing in helping people to maximize and live their potential in the corporate world using lessons learned from her tennis career. Emma is experienced in Exercise Science, Emotional Intelligence, Neuro-linguistic programming and energy coaching. Emma has been featured on several of my Tennis Summits as well. On the show, you’ll learn how to develop a champion mindset, the five traits that all champions have in common, how to be more resilient, how finding your purpose can help you level up your tennis game, how success in tennis and the corporate world are similar, how to become a better coach, coaching culture and the future of coaching, how to become a better listener, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emma! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Episode 151 Inner Game of Tennis The Coaching Podcast emmadoyle.com.au acecoach.com.au linktr.ee/EmmaDoyleiii Open Door Coaching Certification - 25% off for TFP Listeners! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 238 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching about the five reasons why tennis players can’t serve properly. Pete has coached division 1 college players and has produced state level and national champions. He has been awarded the honor of USTA Georgia Pro of the Year. He has also coached under Tony Palafox, who was John McEnroe’s former coach, and Frank Brennan former Stanford University Coach who won 10 national titles. Peter has a huge passion for tennis and will do whatever it takes to get your game to the next level. He also hosts Tennis Con, one of the biggest and best annual online tennis conferences, each fall. On the show, you’ll learn how the grip affects your serve, how to escape the “technique hole”, why your ego holds you back from hitting big serves, how to develop your serve the right way, the right mentality you need to level up your serve, serve strategy tips, how to participate in Pete’s 7 Day Serve Challenge, and much more! Join Pete and me for the 7 Day Serve Challenge, which starts next week!  I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! 7 Day Serve Challenge Pete’s Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 237 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with actor and tennis coach Christopher Crabb about how he went from both competing on the court and acting at the highest level to coaching famous celebrities. Chris is a tennis coach in Los Angeles with an A-list rolodex of clients. His tennis students include George Clooney, Alec Baldwin, Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Kline, Elle Fanning, Steve Carell, Pete Wentz from Fallout Boy, Dakota Fanning and Jeff Probst. Chris tutored Robert Downey Jr. for his Oscar-nominated role in the film "Chaplin," for which Chris also served as tennis coordinator. He began acting at the age of eight and has starred in many commercials, movies and series including the remake of "A Christmas Carol", "Danger Bay", "Life Goes On", "Rebel Highway", and many more. Chris was a highly-ranked junior tennis player and turned pro at the age of 16. He has defeated grand slam champions Michael Chang and Jim Courier. On the show, you’ll learn how Chris developed his skills in tennis and acting and how he managed to do both at the highest level, the biggest challenges he faces when teaching celebrities, his unique green jacket approach of coaching, the biggest mistakes that amateur tennis players make, why players don't play well during competition vs. practice, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Chris! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Christopher’s Instagram Inner Game of Tennis Winning Ugly The Magic Key to Tennis - Eric Sage The Hollywood Reporter Article Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 236 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed 2021 US Open Girls Singles and Doubles Champion Robin Montgomery about her incredible journey from the juniors to the WTA Tour. Robin was born and raised in Washington DC and trains at both the Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland and the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France. After winning both the Junior Singles and Doubles titles at the 2021 US Open, she is now focusing her efforts on WTA Tour tournaments. Robin also won the 2019 Orange Bowl title. On the show, you’ll learn what separates the best junior players from the rest of the pack, how Robin structures her daily training sessions, how Robin won both the singles and doubles titles at the US Open Junior tournament last fall, how Robin prepared the day before and day of her record-setting championship wins, the advantages that left-handed players have over right-handers, Robin’s team and support system, the importance of mental game training, the racquets, strings, and shoes that Robin uses on court, and much more!! I hope you enjoy my interview with Robin! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Robin’s Instagram Shoe Dog - Phil Knight Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 235 of The Tennis Files Podcast, world renowned sports science and fitness expert Dr. Mark Kovacs will reveal how to create a fitness plan to level up your game. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background in training and researching elite athletes. He is the Senior Director of Sports Science for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the founder of The International Tennis Performance Association (ITPA) of which I am a proud member. He is also the founder of the Kovacs Institute which is based in Atlanta, GA. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Youngm and Melanie Oudin. He is also one of the hosts of The Doc and Pro Show, together with professional golfer Jason Bohn where they talk about tennis, golf, sports, and life, and how you can improve your sports performance. On the show, you’ll learn how busy competitive tennis players can create a consistent training plan, the key to maintaining intense footwork in an entire match, the top health and fitness changes over the past decade, equipment and apps that can help tennis players improve their game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Doc and Pro Show KovacsInstitute.com Kovacs Institute Instagram itpa-tennis.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 234 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with fellow content creator and Tennis Channel Podcast Network host Gill Gross about Novak Djokovic’s visa cancellations and our predictions for the Australian Open. Gill is the host of Monday Match Analysis on the Gill Gross Youtube Channel, which has over 12k subscribers. He is also the host of Three - A Tennis Show which focuses on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and is on the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. On the show, you’ll learn why Djokovic’s visa was canceled twice, who is to blame for the prolonged ordeal involving the Australian government, Tennis Australia, and the world’s #1 player, whether we think Rafael Nadal will win the Australian Open, Gill’s favorites and dark horses to win the first Grand Slam of the year, how Djokovic’s Australian Open saga ended, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Gill! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Monday Match Analysis Three - A Tennis Show Tennis Channel Podcast Network The Secrets of Spanish Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 233 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Sports Dietitian Tara Collingwood reveals how to make small changes in your diet to boost your energy and performance on the tennis court. Tara is a nutrition consultant to the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) National Campus in Orlando, Florida. She is also currently the Team Dietitian for the Orlando Magic NBA team and Nutrition Consultant to The University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Athletic Department. Tara has worked with numerous high-profile companies including Walt Disney World, Rodale Publications, Tupperware, Canyon Ranch Spa, Rosen Hotels, United Behavioral Healthcare, and many others. She owns Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting in Orlando and was also a health blogger for five years. On the show, you’ll learn the top 5 best and worst foods for tennis players, how to structure your meals the day before and day of a match, Tara’s simple rules for determining what ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats you should consume, sample healthy meals you can start eating today to increase your energy, why traditional sports drinks are the best way to hydrate yourself during intense exercise and what to add to them if you sweat a lot, the best snacks to eat while playing and in-between matches (hint: they are not the same!), how to prevent cramping and improve your on-court performance, how to stay consistent with your diet and nutrition, slow vs. fast digesting carbohydrates and the optimal time to eat them, how soon you should eat after a match to maximize your recovery, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Tara! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Dietdiva.net Tara’s Instagram Tara’s Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 232 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed fellow tennis player and content creator Dillon Sykes about his journey to reaching the 5.0 level. Dillon played Division III college tennis at Christopher Newport University. He plays USTA Leagues and competitive tournaments at the NTRP 5.0 level. Dillon is also the founder of Dill Plays YouTube Channel where he shares match play footage from USTA leagues and tournaments against 4.5-5.5 tennis players. On the show, you’ll learn how Dillon started playing tennis, the differences between 4.5 and 5.0 players, how to deal with pressure, Dillon’s set up to video record his gameplay, tips for 4.5s to get to 5.0s, his monster training routine during the pandemic, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Dillon! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Dill Plays Youtube Dillon’s Instagram Dillon’s Tiktok (or search for @dillplays) Winning Ugly Inner Game of Tennis Open - Andre Agassi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 231 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal the top 10 lessons I learned in 2021. The end of the year is almost upon us, so it is the perfect time to reflect upon the most valuable lessons from the world class coaches, pros, and experts who I have interviewed on The Tennis Files Podcast and Tennis Summit 2021. I have also learned a lot of things that I need to work on from analyzing my tennis matches and training sessions over the past year. I hope you find these lessons helpful and put them into practice to level up your tennis game in 2022 and beyond! In this episode, you’ll learn how to get the most out of your training, how to deal with mental roller coasters during matches, how to improve your game off the court, how to reduce negative pressure, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Tennis Files Podcast YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 230 of The Tennis Files Podcast, we look back at the top tips and advice from my podcast guests in 2021! For this special episode, I went through my podcast platform, found the most downloaded episodes of the show this year and selected the best tips and advice from my awesome guests which include world-class coaches, tennis experts, and elite players. You’ll learn their secrets for retooling your strokes, developing a consistent contact point, how to develop your serve technique, how to improve your focus on the ball, how to train properly to reach your potential, the best warm-up exercises, how to play well under pressure, how to hit more spin on your second serve, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. TFP 214: How to Develop a Great Base of Tennis Fundamentals: Steve Smith TFP 216: Why the Contact Point Determines Your Success: Vesa Ponkka TFP 205: Dr. Mark Kovacs — Serve and Backhand Technique Q&A TFP 210: Serve Technique Masterclass with James Ludlow TFP 215: How to Watch the Ball and Scan Your Opponent TFP 186: How to Think, Train, and Compete to Your Potential with Beau Treyz TFP 218: How to Warm-Up and Strength Train for Tennis with Dean Hollingworth TFP 204: How to Play Your Best Tennis with Jeff Greenwald Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 229 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Foot Doctor Zach Thomas about how to find the best tennis shoes for your feet and your game. Zach is a Podiatrist, tennis player, and is known by many as Foot Doctor Zach. He publishes very unique video reviews and teardowns of the most advanced tennis, basketball, running and training shoes for athletes. Zach currently has 20k subscribers on his YouTube shoe review channel. Lately I have resorted to binge watching Zach’s tennis shoe reviews and particularly enjoy when he cuts open and examines tennis shoes layer by layer. On the show, you’ll learn the top tennis shoes for different game styles, injuries, and foot types, the most important characteristics of tennis shoes that you must consider, the biggest mistakes people make when buying tennis shoes, what shoe size to select and adjustments to make when one foot is bigger than the other, shoe tying techniques to enhance shoe comfort and performance, the difference between hard court vs. clay court shoes, Zach’s favorite tennis shoes of all time, a sneak peak into how Zach creates his tennis shoe reviews, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Zach! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Foot Doctor Zach Youtube Zach Thomas Twitter Zach Thomas Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 228 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Mark Sansait about his experiences playing in USTA Leagues, recording matches for YouTube, and reviewing tennis products. Mark is the founder of Toxic Tennis. He consistently creates entertaining and educational tennis content. Mark publishes videos of NTRP 4.5-5.0 match play, product reviews, and tutorials on his YouTube Channel, which has nearly 10k subscribers. Mark played college tennis at The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and was recently bumped up to the NTRP 5.0 level. On the show, you’ll learn Mark’s up and down experiences with USTA Leagues, what he thinks about getting bumped up to an NTRP 5.0, how Mark records his matches, Mark’s journey creating tennis content on YouTube, the best $40 reel of string money can buy, his favorite racquets of 2021, facing a copyright claim from one of the biggest online tennis retailers in the world and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!   And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Mark Sansait’s YouTube Channel Best Stiff Round Poly on the Market Video ISOSPEED Baseline Control String Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 277 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn my top mistakes and winning strategies from my 5.0 singles match. On the show, we will be analyzing one of my singles practice matches against Greg. You’ll learn why recording yourself during matches is helpful, how to analyze your tennis matches, why serving to your opponent’s forehand is a critical mistake, how to play with controlled aggression, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! YouTube Channel The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 226 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with coach Vesa Ponkka about how to handle pressure by changing your perspective. Coach Vesa Ponkka is the Director of Tennis at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, home to Frances Tiafoe, Denis Kudla, and numerous other elite players. He was selected as the 2011 USOC National Developmental Coach of the Year and has trained top junior players in the United States and Europe for national, NCAA, ITF and professional competition. Vesa’s students have won numerous professional and national titles, achieved the #1 ITF Junior World Ranking, several #1 USTA National Rankings, and NCAA All-American honors. He also received several certifications including USPTA, PTR, and USTA High Performance. On the show, you’ll learn how to gain a healthier perspective, the difference between positive pressure and negative pressure, helpful routines to deal with pressure, how top players develop a healthy perspective, the holistic pathway of development, insights into Frances Tiafoe's and Denis Kudla's training at JTCC, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vesa! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Junior Tennis Champions Center Get A Grip Podcast JTCC Facebook JTCC Twitter JTCC Instagram The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 225 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Emma Green will reveal how to prevent, treat, and heal tennis elbow. Emma graduated from Manchester University, England as a Physical Therapist and gained a Masters degree in Sports Medicine. She is now dual qualified being both a licensed Physical Therapist (USA) and a Physiotherapist (UK) along with being certified in Clinical Pilates through the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute. Emma has also traveled worldwide with numerous national sports teams, the highlight of which was working at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She now works with a wide variety of clients, including tennis players, to help them prevent, heal, and recover from tennis elbow. On the show, you’ll learn the numerous potential causes for tennis elbow, the most effective ways to prevent and treat it, the 4 phases of tennis elbow, why it is important to normalize tension in your body before strengthening it, the best piece of equipment for treating tennis elbow, why you should use heat instead of ice after a few days of having tennis elbow, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emma! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The stretch to prevent and treat tennis elbow TennisElbowQueen.com Tennis Elbow Facebook Group Emma’s Facebook Page Emma’s Instagram Page Emma’s YouTube Channel Contact Emma Microwave Heating Pads Elbow/Knee Heating Pad Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 224 of The Tennis Files Podcast, elite tennis pro Karue Sell will reveal how to improve your returns and develop winning strategies. Karue achieved a career high #371 ATP Tour ranking, 15.01 UTR rating, and is Naomi Osaka’s practice partner. He won over 100 matches at UCLA and reached the NCAA team final. Karue has won several Futures tournaments and he has defeated many ATP Pros including Dominic Thiem, Kyle Edmund, and Hugo Dellien. Karue co-founded MyTennisHQ and spends much of his time creating excellent online content to help you play better tennis. On the show, you’ll learn how to hit more offensive returns, simple and effective match strategies and tactics, why your strategy depends on your technical abilities, how to improve your backhand technique, the biggest lessons Karue learned during his pro career, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Karue! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! MyTennisHQ.com MyTennisHQ Youtube Channel MyTennisHQ Newsletter MyTennisHQ Instagram MyTennisHQ TikTok The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** - Mark Manson Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - James Nestor Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Everything is F****d - A Book About Hope - Mark Manson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 223 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with elite tennis pro Karue Sell about how you can simplify your serve and develop a winning mindset. Karue achieved a career high #371 ATP Tour ranking, 15.01 UTR rating, and is Naomi Osaka’s practice partner. He won over 100 matches at UCLA and reached the NCAA team final. Karue has won several Futures tournaments and he has defeated many ATP Pros including Dominic Thiem, Kyle Edmund, and Hugo Dellien. Karue co-founded MyTennisHQ and spends much of his time creating excellent online content to help you play better tennis. On the show, you’ll learn a simple drill to generate more serve power that Karue picked up from Naomi Osaka, the difference between the pinpoint and platform stance and which one you should use, the keys to succeeding in college tennis and on the pro tour, the mental attitude you need to win more matches, every single racquet that Karue has used from his first day playing tennis, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Karue! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! MyTennisHQ.com MyTennisHQ Youtube Channel MyTennisHQ Newsletter MyTennisHQ Instagram MyTennisHQ TikTok The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** - Mark Manson Everything is F****d - A Book About Hope - Mark Manson Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - James Nestor Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 222 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Tennis Express playtester and content writer Sam Jones reveals the best racquets for your game in 2021. Sam has always been fascinated by new racquet and string technologies and how they can help players improve their games and avoid injury. This passion led him to a position at one of the largest online tennis retailers in the world, Tennis Express, as a content writer and playtester. This is Sam’s second appearance on the podcast, as I previously interviewed him on Episode 103 about the life of a playtester. Sam was also certified as a Master Racquet Technician in 2011. He was a 4 year member of The Southwestern University Men’s Tennis Team (2001-2005), and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. Sam achieved All-SCAC (southern collegiate athletic conference) status his senior year, and then began a 10+ year coaching career.  On the show, you’ll learn how to choose the best racquet for your game, the top beginner, intermediate, and advanced racquets, the best spin and control racquets, how to properly demo racquets, how strings affect a racquet and the best combinations for different players, how to modify racquets with lead tape and other tools, how to make a racquet feel more comfortable, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Sam! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Express Demo Program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 221 of The Tennis Files Podcast, David Ramos, a performance analytics expert, reveals how you can analyze and improve your game through video. David is a USPTA/PTR, P1 Professional with over 20 years of diverse professional experience. He is currently the Director of Coaching Education and Performance Analytics at USTA’s National Campus in Orlando, Florida. In his role, David’s primary responsibilities include implementing strategic initiatives of USTA’s Player Development including projects for the departments of Coaching Education, Sport Science and Talent Development. David is a Dartfish Certified Technician and Performance Analyst, and works closely with the USTA National Coaches and Training Center students to provide training and video analysis for technique and tactics. On the show, you’ll learn exactly how David analyzes ATP and WTA Tour matches, the strategies he’s given top US pros to help them beat their opponents before matches, how you can use video analysis to take your game to the next level, the best apps and tools to help you examine your match play statistics, proven strategies that David has learned through watching thousands of hours of video that you can implement in your game for better results, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with David! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Dartfish.com Swing Vision ProTracker Tennis App  Dartfish Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 220 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching reveals the top 5 lessons from Tennis Con 5, a free online tennis conference featuring 40+ top experts starting on October 18, 2021! On the show, Pete will walk us through his favorite pieces of advice on how to defeat pushers, poaching tactics, training more efficiently, tennis specific fitness, Novak's zone court, and much more that he has learned from the awesome lessons coming up at Tennis Con 5 from top coaches and experts including Gigi Fernandez, Dr. Mark Kovacs, Jorge Capestany, Jeff Salzenstein, Will Hamilton, Ian Westermann, Brett Habden, myself, and many more!  Tennis Con 5 starts on October 18, 2021! You should definitely get your free ticket at tennisfiles.com/tenniscon5 asap to learn how to play bigger and better tennis! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Tennis Con 5 - Get Your Free Ticket Here! Crunch Time Coaching on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 219 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll hear part two of my conversation with strength and conditioning coach Dean Hollingworth about the five biggest tennis fitness training mistakes that amateur players make. Dean has over twenty-five years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has established himself as a highly regarded author, speaker, and fitness and performance consultant. Dean published the Baselinepower video series, which addresses all aspects of fitness training for tennis players. Dean’s work with world-class athletes has given him a deep understanding of the requirements and balance for high performance, helping the athletes he works with develop all facets of athleticism. Dean is currently the Director of fitness and sports performance at Club Sportif Cote-de-Liesse in Montréal, where he works primarily with high performance tennis players.  On the show, you’ll learn how to train your on-court movement, why you should avoid wasting your time with non tennis-specific exercises (even if they look cool), the best exercises for balance and power generation, why trying to create power on an unstable surface is counterproductive, why you should try doing the dynamic warm-up without shoes, the most important elements of recovery, tools to help you recover faster for your next match or practice, and much more! Dean offers tennis specific fitness classes on Tuesday and Thursday at 12 noon Eastern time. And they are online so you can participate from anywhere in the world! To join, contact Dean on Instagram or his website (see contact info/links below). I hope you enjoy my interview with Dean! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Deanhollingworth.com Dean’s Instagram Baselinepower.com ITPA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 218 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with strength and conditioning coach Dean Hollingworth about how to warm up and strength training efficiently and effectively for maximum tennis performance. Dean has over twenty-five years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has established himself as a highly regarded author, speaker, and fitness and performance consultant. Dean published the Baselinepower video series, which addresses all aspects of fitness training for tennis players. Dean’s work with world-class athletes has given him a deep understanding of the requirements and balance for high performance, helping the athletes he works with develop all facets of athleticism. Dean is currently the Director of fitness and sports performance at Club Sportif Cote-de-Liesse in Montréal, where he works primarily with high performance tennis players.  On the show, you’ll learn the best warm up exercises before playing, when and how long you should warm up, Dean's top strength training exercises for tennis players, how to structure your weekly strength training sessions, the biggest mistakes tennis players make in the gym, common myths about warming up and lifting weights, and much more! Dean offers tennis specific fitness classes on Tuesday and Thursday at 12 noon Eastern time. And they are online so you can participate from anywhere in the world! To join, contact Dean on Instagram or his website (see contact info/links below). I hope you enjoy my interview with Dean! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: Deanhollingworth.com Dean’s Instagram Baselinepower.com ITPA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 217 of The Tennis Files Podcast, performance coach and yoga certified instructor Cheri Cope reveals how yoga can positively impact your tennis game by strengthening your mind and body. Cheri is a performance and motivational consultant at Cheri Cope, LLC. She received a post-master’s certification in Sports Psychology and a RYT 500hr Yoga Teaching Certification. Her coaching services include helping individual athletes, teams and businesses in the areas of motivation and performance achievement, and those who are in career and life transitions. She has previously worked with Essential Tennis to create yoga instructional content. On the show, you’ll learn how yoga can supercharge your mind and body for better tennis results, the best yoga exercises to perform for tennis players, how much (or little) time you need to commit to yoga to make an impact on your game, how yoga unites the mind and body, the biggest mistakes beginner yoga practitioners make, adjustments that inflexible people should make when practicing yoga, how Cheri has helped her students excel through yoga, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Cheri! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS chericope.com Subscribe to Cheri’s Newsletter Cheri’s YouTube Channel Cheri’s Instagram Page Light on Yoga The Yoga Bible Eastern Body - Western Mind, Psychology and the Chakra System Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 216 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Vesa Ponkka will reveal how to find your ideal contact point for more powerful and consistent ball striking. Coach Vesa Ponnka is Senior Director of Tennis at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, home to Frances Tiafoe, Denis Kudla, and numerous other elite players. He was selected as the 2011 USOC National Developmental Coach of the Year and has trained top junior players in the United States and Europe for national, NCAA, ITF and professional competition. Vesa’s students have won numerous professional and national titles, achieved the #1 ITF Junior World Ranking, several #1 USTA National Rankings, and NCAA All-American honors. He also received several certifications including USPTA, PTR, and USTA High Performance. On the show, you’ll learn the benefits of having a good contact point, the different factors that determine your ideal contact point, how a good contact point will help you hit a more powerful and heavier ball, why using your eyes and your brain are the most critical skills for making good contact with the ball, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vesa! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: Junior Tennis Champions Center Get A Grip Podcast The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 215 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to reduce mishits, strike the ball cleaner, and anticipate where your opponent’s shot is going. There are three phases you need to learn when the ball is in play: (1) tracking (2) zooming and (3) scanning. A lot of players end up tracking the ball when they should be scanning the opponent instead or vice versa, and many don’t zoom on the ball long enough. These terms may sound confusing, which is why on this episode I’ll walk you through each phase, drills you can do to improve them, how to analyze your opponent using the 4 Ps, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Summit 2021 The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 214 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with coach Steve Smith about how to develop a great base of tennis fundamentals. Coach Steve Smith spent many years learning and coaching under tennis legends Vic Braden and Welby Van Horn. He founded the Great Base tennis player development system, which comprises a complete system of player development that emphasizes character, learning, and self-discipline. With over 48+ years of tennis coaching experience, Steve is also willing to share his knowledge through The Great Base Tennis Podcast with Andy Fitzell. On the show, you’ll learn how to transform your strokes, the best advice Steve has learned from tennis legends Vic Braden and Welby Van Horn, how to improve your toss and serve technique, why we have weaker backhands, how to win club level doubles matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Steve! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Great Base Tennis The Great Base Tennis Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 213 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with New York Times correspondent and author Christopher Clarey about his new book: “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer.” Chris is a top international sportswriter and has been a New York Times correspondent for over 25 years. He has covered Roger Federer since the beginning of the Swiss Maestro’s professional career and has interviewed him exclusively more than any other journalist since Federer’s rise to prominence. Chris has just published a new book, “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer,” this week. It focuses on the pivotal people, places, and moments in Federer's long and rich career and features hundreds of perspectives from him and the many people he played, trained, and interacted with since his early days in tennis. I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of Chris’s book and have thoroughly enjoyed its detailed insights, entertaining stories, unique humor, and the many teachable principles that we can all integrate into our tennis games and our lives. As a result, I very highly recommend that you pick up a copy of “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer” here.  On the show, you’ll learn the critical decisions that Federer made from a young age which shaped his legendary career, the influence of coaches Peter Carter and fitness trainer Pierre Paganini on Federer’s game and fitness, how working with a sports psychology took his results to the next level, how he manages to live in the present, funny stories about Federer’s mischievous other half, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Chris! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer Chris’s Twitter Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 212 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to develop a consistent second serve, how to anticipate where your opponent’s shot is going, my favorite pressure drills, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I receive tons of questions from the Tennis Files audience on technique, strategy, fitness, and the mental game. On today’s episode, I’ll answer nine of them based on what I’ve learned from decades of playing and from the top pros and experts I’ve interviewed on my podcast and summits. Big thanks to the Tennis Files community and to everyone who has sent me questions! I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. LINKS: TFP 210: Serve Technique Masterclass with James Ludlow Topspin Pro Movement Triangle Video Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 211 of The Tennis Files Podcast, former WTA pro Vania King discusses the ups and downs of a professional tennis career and her latest project Serving Up Hope. Vania reached career high rankings of #3 in the world in doubles and #50 in the world in singles on the WTA Tour. She also won two Grand Slams, winning the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open Doubles Championships with partner Yaroslava Shvedova. Vania currently works as the Community Development Ambassador for WTA Charities, the philanthropic arm of the WTA, and is a Director At Large on the USTA’s Board of Directors. Vania co-founded Serving Up Hope with former Chilean #1 ranked tennis player Hans Podlipnik to help give more human beings access to health, happiness, and equal opportunity through tennis. On the show, you’ll learn how to improve your mental health, the most impactful technical changes Vania has made to her game, how to navigate the ups and downs of the pro tour, winning doubles strategies, how to avoid injuries through tennis fitness training, the importance of routines, Vania’s inspiration for co-founding Serving Up Hope and how you can help, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Vania! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Servinguphope.org Serving Up Hope Facebook Serving Up Hope Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 210 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach James Ludlow and Mehrban take a deep dive into the toughest shot to master with the greatest rewards: the serve. James is a Certified Tennis Instructor at Online Tennis Instruction (OTI). In 2021, James  attended a tennis clinic with the Head Coach and Founder of OTI, Florian Meier. Since then, he has developed a huge passion for the technical side of tennis and had spent thousands of hours studying and testing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to stroke biomechanics. James analyzes OTI students’ strokes and creates instructional videos for OTI’s Youtube channel. On the show, you’ll learn how to improve your throwing motion, how to develop a consistent toss, whether to use the platform or pinpoint stance, the key to having a great kick serve, how to avoid overrotation, what part of the serve tennis players struggle with most and how to fix it, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with James! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Online Tennis Instruction YouTube Channel Serve Slow Motion Video - Right to Left Movement Facebook OTI Page James' LinkedIn Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 209 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 5 keys to mastering an explosive forehand. On the show, you’ll learn how to execute a proper unit turn, how to uncoil your body efficiently, the most common forehand power killers, how the contact point varies for different grips, drills to develop powerful acceleration, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! FH Power Challenge [email protected] The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 208 of The Tennis Files Podcast, pro tennis coach Claudio Pistolesi reveals his top insights from over four decades of playing and coaching on the ATP/WTA Tour that will help you reach your fullest tennis potential. Claudio is the Director of the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) Bolles in Jacksonville, Florida. He was ranked as high as #71 on the ATP Tour and defeated many top ATP Tour pros, including Mats Wilander, Sergi Bruguera, David Wheaton, and Aaron Krickstein. Claudio has trained and coached numerous top ATP/WTA Tour pros, including Monica Seles, Robin Soderling, Simone Bollelli, Daniela Hantuchova, Takao Suzuki and Ai Sugiyama. He is also a volunteer coach for the University of North Florida Tennis Team. On the show, you’ll learn why Italy has so many top #100 ranked tennis players, how the sound of an Italian cannon helped develop a world class serve, how Claudio got in the zone and defeated world #1 Mats Wilander, how he brought Simone Bolelli from world #248 to #36 in less than three years, why empathy is the key to success in coaching, and much more!  I hope you enjoy my interview with Claudio! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Global Professional Tennis Coach Association JTCC.org  Claudio Pistolesi Enterprise Claudio’s Instagram Page Claudio’s Facebook Page Range; Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World The Inner Game of Tennis Match Play and the Spin of the Ball Emotional Intelligence Email Claudio at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 207 of The Tennis Files Podcast, high performance coaches Mark Jeffery and Ramon Osa will reveal how to play your best tennis when it matters most. Mark Jeffery is the founder of Big Point Player Training. He is a 12 years British HM Forces veteran, former Army champion, and mentors players and coaches on how to perform their best under high pressure. Ramon Osa is a world-class tennis coach, Tennis Summit instructor, and the founder of OsaTennis360. On the show, you’ll learn the four key elements that will elevate your tennis performance, examples of mental toughness in the Wimbledon finals matches, a 20 second routine in between points to help you reset and refocus, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark and Ramon! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Big Point Player Free Quiz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 206 of The Tennis Files Podcast, 17-time Grand Slam Champion Gigi Fernandez will show you how to set and achieve your tennis goals. If you have a strong desire to accomplish big goals in tennis and want to maximize your potential, don’t miss this episode!  Former world #1 Gigi Fernandez is widely considered to be one of the best doubles players of all time. She is a Hall of Famer, winner of 17 Grand Slam doubles titles with various partners, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals with Mary Joe Fernandez. In 2000, Gigi was named Puerto Rican Athlete of the Century. Gigi now spends her time coaching adult players how to excel at doubles and developed the Gigi Method of doubles. On the show, you’ll learn how to get unstuck when you’ve been on a losing streak and unhappy with your progress, how to set the right weekly, monthly and yearly tennis goals, how to communicate with your doubles partners, the keys to Gigi’s massive success on the WTA Tour, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Gigi! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Gigi Fernandez Tennis The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 205 of The Tennis Files Podcast, world renowned sports science and fitness expert Dr. Mark Kovacs will reveal how to develop biomechanically efficient technique on your serve and backhand. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background in training and researching elite athletes. He is the Senior Director of Sports Science for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the founder of The International Tennis Performance Association (ITPA) of which I am a proud member. He is also the founder of the Kovacs Institute which is based in Atlanta, GA. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young and Melanie Oudin. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest technical mistakes you need to correct, optimal two handed backhand technique, visual cues for using your kinetic chain, how to transfer your weight on the serve, why your back leg is the secret to generating explosive power, exercises that most amateur players may want to avoid, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! KovacsAcademy.com KovacsTennis App Kovacs Institute Twitter Kovacs Institute Facebook Kovacs Institute Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 204 of the podcast, mental game expert Jeff Greenwald will reveal the keys to mastering your mind, including technical and tactical adjustments in the most common pressure situations. Jeff is an internationally recognized sport psychology consultant and licensed psychotherapist. He is the author of the 3rd best-selling tennis psychology book entitled The Best Tennis of Your Life and Fearless Tennis. He was also ranked No.1 in the world in the men’s 35 age division, and is a two-time ITF World Champion and former ATP Tour player. Jeff has been helping athletes and professionals through his personal coaching, seminars, book, and audio programs for several decades. You’ll learn how to improve your mindset and mental preparation, how to perform your best under pressure, how to stay focused and present during matches, and much more on the show! I hope you enjoy this episode with Jeff! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! LINKS: Fearless Tennis The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 203 of the podcast, I’ll walk you through my 9 biggest takeaways that I learned from taking a private lesson at the USTA National Campus. I recently took a trip to Orlando and booked a one-on-one lesson at the USTA National Campus a few days before returning home. This training session was a big eye opener to the areas in my game that could use some work. Right after the lesson, I jotted down my key takeaways from the lesson in the notes app of my iPhone and decided that I would share them with you on the podcast. They include tips that will help you improve your forehand, backhand, volleys, serves, doubles tactics, and much more!  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know by leaving a review for the show! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS USTA National Campus Precision Hydration The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files - Subscribe Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 202 of the podcast, coach Sarah Stone discusses the women’s game, WTA Tour coaching, mixed doubles tactics, how to choose the right coach for junior players, coaching mistakes and much more! Sarah has been coaching on the WTA tour for over 10 years. A former professional player, Stone has a vast amount of experience at the very top of women's tennis. Sarah was the coach of Samantha Stosur who was a 3-time grand slam champion whilst under her tutelage. Additionally, she has coached 5 other top 100 players. She is one of very few females coaching on the WTA tour and to be a WTA Gold Coach. Sarah is the founder and CEO of The Women's Tennis Coaching Association (a non-profit organization) and is a committee member of the International Club of Australia. I hope you enjoy my interview with Sarah! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Sarah Stone Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, former top 30 WTA Pro Meike Babel reveals her top mental game strategies. Meike played on the WTA Tour for 10 years and was ranked #27 in singles and #45 in doubles. She is the founder of Meike Babel Coaching, where she focuses on mental skills training and tennis coaching for tennis players of all levels. She was the women's tennis assistant coach at Tulane University and at Vanderbilt University. On the show, Meike will share how she reached the elite ranks of the WTA tour, her top mental game strategies and what not to do on the court, reasons why you need to practice mindfulness to reach your potential, why getting nervous is normal and how to deal with it, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Meike! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! LINKS: The Art of Doubles - Pat Blaskower Open - Andre Agassi Headspace Meike Babel Coaching Meike’s YouTube Channel Meike’s Facebook Meike’s Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is a very special one! We are celebrating 200 episodes of The Tennis Files Podcast by featuring clips from 11 of the most downloaded interviews and discussions over the years on the show!  Here's the list of tennis experts, coaches, and players you'll hear from in this special 200th episode of The Tennis Files Podcast: Jorge Capestany (Episode 161) Emilio Sanchez (Episode 129) 7 Do’s and Don'ts for Doubles Players (Episode 160) Edgar Giffenig (Episode 164) Taylor Dent (Episode 128) Dean Hollingworth (Episode 125) Todd Widom (Episode 115) Nick Bollettieri (Episode 113) Gregg Le Sueur (Episode 150) Rick Macci (Episode 143) Marcus Willis (Episode 185) I really hope you enjoy this 200th celebratory podcast episode that we put together for you!   It’s about three hours long, so if you don’t listen to the whole thing in one sitting I won’t blame you :) Let me know what you think about it in the comments below!  Thanks for all your support! :O)   LINKS: The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching reveals 8 key strategies to help you defeat pushers, aka the most exhausting player (MEP). There’s a certain type of opponent that amateur tennis players routinely struggle playing against. These players have no weapons (except their mind and grit), their strokes look inferior...and yet they somehow find a way to take you out of your comfort zone and eventually defeat you. Fortunately Coach Peter Freeman will walk you through 8 key strategic and mental principles that will help you figure out how to beat these players. Enjoy this masterclass on how to defeat pushers with Pete and me on this latest episode of The Tennis Files Podcast! LINKS The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, top tennis strategist Craig O’Shannessy will reveal the secret formula for transforming how you play the game: the first four shots. In this strategy masterclass, Craig presents mind-blowing statistics that definitively prove why we are focusing on the wrong rally lengths in practice, how to change our training and tactics for maximum results, and how to dominate the first four shots to win more matches. Craig is widely recognized as the world leader in teaching and analyzing tennis strategy. He specializes in this specific area of the sport, and created his online Brain Game Tennis programs to teach players, coaches and fans the patterns of play and winning percentages that dominate our sport. Craig has worked with numerous professional tennis players, including Mario Berrettini, Kevin Anderson, Amer Delic, Rajeev Ram and Dustin Brown, when Dustin defeated Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. He is also frequently featured as a commentator and analyst at all the Grand Slams and big tournaments around the globe. I hope you enjoy this episode with Craig! Let us know what you think about this one in the comments below! LINKS Brain Game Tennis The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Mehrban recaps his top 10 lessons learned from all the amazing 45+ Tennis Summit 2021 sessions on technique, strategy, fitness, and the mental game with Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching! You’ll learn Mehrban’s biggest takeaways from Craig O’Shannessy, Louis Cayer, Jorge Capestany, Satoshi Ochi, Peter Freeman, and many more from this year’s epic summit, which had over 11,000 players and coaches who attended! Pick one of these lessons that resonates with you and block time on your calendar to work on it consistently each week. Enjoy! The Tennis Files Podcast Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Fabrice will reveal his four top strategies to instantly boost the amount of points and matches you are going to win. Fabrice has analyzed well over 1 million points at the ATP/WTA level and will show you four of the most effective strategies he's uncovered that you can use to play more strategically-sound tennis.  Fabrice is an expert statistician and strategist, and the founder of Tennis Profiler. His stats program has been used by tennis federations, international academies, and the pro tours. Fabrice is currently the chief strategist for Gilles Cervara, who coaches Daniil Medvedev, and also works with Felix Auger-Aliassime's and Nicolas Mahut's coaching teams.  This episode is going to level up your tennis strategy with four simple and highly effective tactics. Enjoy! Tennis Profiler Tennis Summit 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, Mehrban and Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching reveal the 8 biggest training mistakes that are preventing you from reaching your tennis potential. Have you ever wondered what is truly holding you back from getting unstuck and progressing to the next level? You may think it’s because of the way you hit your serve or how you position yourself on the court, but most of the time you need to examine yourself at a much deeper level and fix how you approach the game and your training. That’s exactly what Pete and I get into on this latest episode of The Tennis Files Podcast. Enjoy! Tennis Summit 2021 Crunch Time Coaching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode I’ve got another Tennis Summit 2021 preview for you of two awesome mental game sessions. In case you haven’t heard, I am hosting Tennis Summit 2021, a free online tennis conference which has become the largest one in the world (over 14k players and coaches attended in 2020)!    From April 19-24, over 40 world class coaches and experts will reveal proven strategies, techniques, mental and fitness exercises to level up your game. And the most awesome thing of all is you can get your ticket to watch all these online lessons, presentations and live masterclasses for free (for a limited time) at http://tennisfilessummit.com! For today’s podcast episode, I put together a preview of two mental game sessions: (1) Jorge Capestany (USPTA/PTR Master Pro) on how to manage your nerves and energy levels and (2) Adam Blicher (fellow tennis podcaster) on the power of mental flexibility. To watch the full length version of these sessions and all 45+ summit masterclasses, sign up for Tennis Summit 2021 ASAP at http://tennisfilessummit.com!! I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2021!  Tennis Summit 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several months of preparation and hard work, I am super excited to announce that Tennis Summit 2021, a free online tennis conference that I am hosting, is now open for registration!   From April 19-24, over 40 world class coaches and experts will reveal proven strategies, techniques, mental and fitness exercises to level up your game. And the most awesome thing of all is you can get your ticket to watch all these online lessons, presentations and live masterclasses for free (for a limited time) at http://tennisfilessummit.com! For today’s podcast episode, I put together a preview of three summit sessions: (1) Paul Annacone on how to get unstuck and level up your game, (2) Rick Macci on grand slam habits and training secrets, and (3) Ryan Reidy on doubles positioning tactics. To watch the full length version of these sessions and all 40+ summit masterclasses, sign up for Tennis Summit 2021 ASAP at http://tennisfilessummit.com!! I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast, and I look forward to seeing you at Tennis Summit 2021!  Tennis Summit 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 192 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Lisa Stone, the founder of Parenting Aces, to talk about how to develop successful junior and college tennis players. Lisa has created one of the most valuable resources for tennis parents and junior players with her Parenting Aces platform. Fortunately for us, she took the initiative to research and find the best information on how to develop junior players after being urged to do so by a fellow tennis parent. Lisa hosts The Parenting Aces Podcast, a weekly show which is also on the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. She has interviewed many of the most well-known coaches and experts about the junior and college game. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest mistakes tennis parents make when trying to help their kids succeed in tennis, the current issues surrounding the USTA’s junior ranking system, what colleges are looking for in junior players and how to have the best chance of getting a scholarship, how to choose the right coach for your junior player, the top tips and lessons Lisa has learned from her guests on The Parenting Aces Podcast, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Lisa! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And subscribe to Tennis Files using the link below to receive updates about the free online Tennis Summit starting on April 19th! Tennis Files Tennis Summit ParentingAces Website ParentingAces Podcast ParentingAces Shop Interview with Lisa and Her Son Interview with Tracy Austin Zoo Tennis Website - Collette Lewis Parenting Aces Facebook Page Parenting Aces Instagram Page Parenting Aces YouTube Channel Inner Game of Tennis Winning Ugly Open: Andre Agassi’s Autobiography Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 191 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Joshua Oxley talks about the importance of emotional intelligence and how to maximize your tennis potential. I connected with Josh through Clubhouse where he hosts a morning audio room answering players’ questions to help them improve with fellow coach Yannick Schramm. Josh was a highly ranked ITF junior and has played pro level tournaments. His 15 years of experience in the tennis industry includes working with Katy Dunne (ranked 180 WTA), Amanda Carreras (ranked 236 WTA) and Suzy Larkin (ranked 600 WTA). On the show, you’ll learn the concept of emotional intelligence and how can it affect your play, the difference between emotional intelligence and mental toughness, how to deal with negative thoughts and distractions that can derail your game, insights from his work with WTA players, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Josh! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Josh’s Intragram Winning Ugly Open: Andre Agassi’s Autobiography Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 190 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to level up your serve returns, increase your first serve power, develop a stronger mindset, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I went back into the Q&A mailbag and selected seven excellent questions from the Tennis Files community for today's episode. I'll explain how to level up your NTRP rating, critical checkpoints to develop first serve power and second serve consistency, how to return a lefty's slice serve to the ad court in doubles matches, eye-opening statistics from the pro tour, and much more that I’ve learned from decades playing the game and from the world’s top tennis pros and coaches who I've interviewed on the podcast and for my online summits. I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know by leaving a comment. And subscribe to Tennis Files using the link below to receive updates about the free online tennis summit starting on April 19th! Links: Tennis Files Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Speed Workout Routine - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - Free Worksheet! TFP 187: Q&A Edition - Forehand Power, Second Serve Consistency, Concentration Tips, and More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 189 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the most important changes I’ve made to how I approach training and thinking about tennis that has transformed my game. The top pros make tennis look simple, but it is far from an easy game. All of us have gone through struggles and obstacles in tennis and we need to keep figuring out ways how to improve to reach our potential. Sometimes it can take months or years to make a breakthrough, but we have to trust the process and consistently put in the work.  In this episode, you’ll learn how I think about strategy and tactics, the importance of self-assessment, key training principles that I have learned from interviewing hundreds of top tennis experts, the approach to your practices and matches that yields maximum improvement, and much more! I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Links: Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files Newsletter Simple Stretch Routine Video Simple Stretch Routine PDF Theragun Mike Boyle Interview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 188 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro Illya Marchenko about his training routines, fitness workouts, and what it takes to be an elite tennis player. Illya Marchenko has been ranked as high as #49 in singles and #268 in doubles on the ATP Tour. He has won 8 ATP Challenger titles, including one just a couple weeks ago where he defeated Andy Murray in the final. Illya also reached the 4th round of the US Open in 2016 (defeating Nick Kyrgios along the way), and has battled top players like Stan Wawrinka, Fabio Fognini, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and David Ferrer. And Illya’s has a fantastic YouTube channel with a great mix of tour life, tennis advice, and hilarious humor. On the show, you’ll learn how Illya achieved his dream of becoming a professional tennis player, a typical day of training and fitness for pro tour players, tips to level up your backhand, the mental attitude you need to succeed on the court, how to deal with nerves and getting tight like the pros, Illya’s awesome YouTube channel, how he defeated Andy Murray to win his most recent title, how to come back from serious injuries, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Illya! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Illya’s YouTube Channel Illya’s Isolation Stretching and Mobilization Workout Video Illya’s Instagram Illya’s Twitter Illya’s Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 187 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn how to increase your forehand power, develop second serve consistency, improve your concentration, fitness, and more on this Q&A edition of the show! I receive a ton of questions from the Tennis Files community on a wide range of topics, from technique and strategy to fitness and the mental game. Today we'll explore step by step methods and proven approaches I've learned from decades playing the game and studying the world's top coaches and pros to answer your most burning tennis improvement inquiries!  I really hope you enjoy the show! If there is a particularly useful piece of advice that you discovered from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Livestream Workout with Dean Hollingworth from Last Year's Summit Leg Strength Workout - YouTube Video Leg Strength Workout - Free Worksheet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 186 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro tennis coach and author Beau Treyz about how approaching tennis from a more analytical and data-based perspective can help you breakthrough and reach your tennis potential. Beau is the author of “How To Tennis: Think Train and Compete to your Potential.” He played Division I tennis at the University of Nebraska and North Florida and achieved a world ranking on the ATP tour. He previously coached ATP Pro Brandon Nakashima and currently coaches ATP Pro Patrick Kypson. On the show, you’ll learn Beau’s data-based approach to creating optimal tennis strategy, how to practice smarter, on-court drills to improve your match-play, key principles from Beau’s new book, the concept of performing what wins the most points, how to analyze your matches, what separates the top 100 players from lower-ranked pros, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Beau! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox every week! How To Tennis: Think Train and Compete to your Potential Beau’s Instagram  Beau’s Twitter Beau’s Facebook Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 185 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro Marcus Willis about how he went from teaching tennis lessons for 30 pounds an hour (about $40) to playing Roger Federer on Center Court at Wimbledon in 2016.  Marcus has reached a career high ranking of #322 in singles and #209 in doubles on the ATP tour. He was also ranked as high as 15 in the combined junior world rankings. But Marcus struggled to breakthrough on the pro tour until he decided to work harder than everyone else and had a support system that held him accountable. Then in 2016 his hard work paid off; he got through pre-qualifying, qualifying, and his first round match to face arguably the greatest player of all time on Center Court at Wimbledon. On the show, you’ll learn the in-depth story behind Marcus’s incredible run at Wimbledon, how he was able to win against much higher ranked players, the key to transforming his career in 2016, the biggest mistakes that amateur players make, Marcus’s huge win in doubles against the defending Wimbledon champions the following year, how to succeed on the tour, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Marcus! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Will’s Instagram Will’s Twitter Ilya Marchenko's YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 184 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Kevin Garlington, the founder of Total Tennis Domination, on how we can go from being stuck and frustrated to rapidly improving our games. Kevin is the Head Tennis Pro at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Oklahoma and also churns out online tennis instruction content at Total Tennis Domination. He previously worked with my friend Ian Westermann at Essential Tennis, one of the biggest and most well-known online tennis businesses in the world. Kevin is a 5.0+ player and competed at the Division I level at Oral Roberts University, as well as on the Pro Circuit in the US and Spain. Both Kevin and his wife Megan have been teaching tennis together for many years and have helped improve thousands of players with their top quality instruction. Kevin has also been a featured coach on my online Tennis Summits. On the show, you’ll learn why players get stuck for years at the same level, what to focus on in your game to make big improvements, Kevin’s systematic approach to developing adult tennis players, what part of the serve players struggle with most and how to fix it, winning singles strategies, Kevin’s tennis journey from a late start in his teens to Division I college tennis baller and eventual world-class coach, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Kevin! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Total Tennis Domination TTD YouTube Channel Tennis Summit  The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel BOOKS: The Inner Game of Tennis Principles Poor Charlie’s Almanac Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 183 of The Tennis Files Podcast, mindset development expert Joey Johnson will reveal the 8 steps to transform your mindset and level up your performance on the court. Joey is the author of the book “Worthy to Win” which outlines an 8-step mental training process to help people achieve a breakthrough in their performance. He has worked with many sectional, national, and world-ranked athletes over a 20 year period, including ATP and WTA professionals. Joey has also been a consultant for amateur, professional and Olympic athletes from many different sports. He is a great tennis player as well and competed on the ATP Tour and played Division I tennis at Ole Miss University.   On the show, you’ll learn why players engage in self-sabotage and how can they stop doing it, why a process-based mindset is critical for improvement, how to tap into the power of pressure, key mental toughness principles from “Worthy to Win”, how to achieve peak performance, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Joey! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! WorthytoWin Mental IQ Test The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Summit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 182 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I’ll reveal my top 8 strategies to help you transform your tennis fitness. A lot of us struggle with creating a consistent tennis fitness plan that delivers the physical improvements we need to play better tennis and prevent injuries. There’s no doubt that fitness can be the difference-maker between outlasting your opponent and losing because you are out of shape, or even worse, sustaining a career-threatening injury. So on this episode I have put together a list of the 8 ways you can level up your fitness in 2021 and beyond. In this episode, you’ll learn how to be more consistent with your workout routine, specific exercises to improve your strength and speed, how to stay committed to your workouts with accountability strategies, the importance of getting enough sleep and how it impacts your fitness, how to record your progress and much more! I really hope you enjoy the show! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. The Four Tendencies Leg Strength Workout for Tennis Players (NO Equipment Needed!) 10 min TENNIS STRETCH ROUTINE for Flexibility and Injury Prevention How Much Sleep Do You Need - Guidelines Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel Subscribe to the Podcast and Leave a Review Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 181 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro Nathan Pasha about how you can elevate your training, mindset, routines and technique. Nathan has been ranked as high as #119 in the world in doubles and #507 in singles on the ATP Tour. Before turning pro, Nathan played college tennis at the University of Georgia where he reached #19 in the nation and UGA was ranked as high as #2. Nathan is now focusing his efforts exclusively on mastering doubles and is poised to crack the top 100. He also maintains a website at nathanpasha.net where he shares his tournament results, travel experiences, achievements, and tennis insights. On the show, you’ll learn how to prepare for your matches like a pro, what to do in-between points to stay focused, how self-awareness plays a huge part in your tennis development, how Nathan analyzes his matches and creates practice plans based on his observations, technique fundamentals for the flex volley, the key change that Nathan made to his serve technique to gain more spin and power, one of the most important principles to being a good tennis coach, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Nathanpasha.net Nathan’s Instagram  The Tennis Files Podcast Atomic Habits Finding Your Zone Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 180 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn 7 ways to improve your focus during your matches and practices in 2021. I get a lot of questions from tennis players on how to stay focused when playing, which is one of the keys to success in tennis. When we lose our focus, an avalanche of mistakes can creep up in our game and matches that are going well can quickly turn around in our opponent’s favor. A myriad of problems from nerves to deviating from winning strategies, losing discipline, and negative emotions can all happen as a result of losing focus and not being able to refocus in time. If you struggle to play your best tennis because you can’t seem to stay focused on the court, then you won’t want to miss this episode! I really hope you enjoy the show! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. LINKS Coach Tennis Online Tennis Summit The Tennis Files Podcast Calm Headspace Oak Subscribe and Leave a Review Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 179 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the keys to leveling up your tennis strategy, technique, mental game, and much more from the top 7 episodes of the podcast in 2020! For this special year-end episode, I sorted through all of my interviews with grand slam champions, former ATP/WTA players, world-class coaches and tennis experts, and my solo episodes from 2020. Then I selected the most downloaded episodes and took clips from each of them containing the best advice on how to serve and volley, how to play more aggressive tennis, the best singles strategies and tactics, how to develop mental toughness, and a lot more! If you enjoyed these clips and want to listen to the full episodes featured on TFP 179, visit the links below or go to the episode number in your favorite podcast app or at tennisfiles.com/podcast.  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. Tennis Summit Taylor Dent - TFP 128 Emilio Sanchez - 129 Rick Macci - 143 Gregg Le Sueur - 150 Mehrban Iranshad - 160  Jorge Capestany - 161 Edgar Giffenig - 164 The Tennis Files Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 178 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed current ATP and former collegiate coach Peter Smith about how to overcome adversity and develop a winning mindset. Coach Smith has one of the most prolific records in college tennis history. He guided the University of Southern California Men’s Tennis team to 5 NCAA Championships and has notched over 600 wins in his college coaching career. Coach Smith was also a 2-Time ITA National Coach of the Year and 5-Time PAC-12 Coach of the Year. He now coaches top American ATP pros Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey. Coach Smith is one of only two coaches to guide three different schools to the NCAA quarterfinals and top-5 national rankings (USC, Pepperdine and Fresno State).  On the show, you’ll learn the principles Coach Smith uses to guide his players to the top of the rankings, why it is more important to develop great people first and top tennis players second, what he is currently working on with Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey, routines that you can implement in your day to perform your best, what sports besides tennis you should play to become a better athlete, the toughest moments Coach Smith has had to face and how he has overcome them, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Coach Smith! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! LINKS The Score Takes Care of Itself - Bill Walsh Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success - Phil Jackson The Inner Game of Tennis - W. Timothy Gallwey Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success - Mike Krzyzewski Peter’s Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 177 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn about the best fitness and sleep trackers of 2020! With technology evolving every day and the increasing importance of having statistics and metrics on our performance, a discussion about the best wearable devices is overdue. Using one or more of these devices can have a very positive impact on your health, sleep, and fitness if you are willing to use the data to make changes in your life. In this episode, I'll reveal the top wearables of 2020 and let you know which one of them I'm using and why! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Apple Watch Fitbit Garmin Whoop Strap Oura Ring TFP 137: How Using Tennis Technology Can Improve Your Game with Alex Johansson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 176 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with one of the top athletic movement specialists in the world, Lee Taft, about how to become faster and stronger on the tennis court. Lee is known as “The Speed Guy” and has devoted over 30 years to training and teaching his multi-directional speed methods to athletes, top performance coaches and fitness professionals around the world. He’s been a Strength and Speed Coach at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, conducted workshops for MLB and NBA teams, and consulted for NFL teams. Lee has created tons of programs and books to help you improve your speed, strength and agility, including the Certified Tennis Speed Specialist certification. On the show, you’ll learn a simple and very effective speed workout, the best exercises to become a stronger and more powerful athlete, the biggest mistakes we make when training our speed, how we can improve our lateral and multi-directional movements, tools we can use to get faster, how to divide our training on the court and in the gym, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Lee! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Lee’s Facebook Lee’s Twitter Lee’s Instagram [email protected] www.LeeTaft.com www.CTSS.co - Certified Tennis Speed Specialist certification Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 175 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to develop a consistent and reliable second serve. I used to struggle with my second serve. I’d get nervous and double fault on important points. I remember not even knowing the proper technique for a topspin or kick serve, so I relied heavily on my slice serve to get the point started. Double faulting negatively affected my confidence and the rest of my game followed suit.  It wasn’t until I learned and implemented most of the information that I share in this podcast episode that I started to develop more confidence in my second serve. Improving your second serve is one of the best investments you can make in your game. As the old saying goes: “You’re only as good as your second serve.” If you want to start having more confidence in your service games, this is the episode for you. On the show, you’ll learn the key fundamentals of the topspin serve, effective drills to help develop height and spin on your second serve, strategic and mental advice to avoid nerves and double faulting, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! The Tennis Files Podcast TFP 167: Powerful Secrets to a World Class Serve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 174 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Nathan de Veer, a mental performance expert, to talk about mindset transformation for tennis players. Nathan is a mental performance expert who specializes in helping players and athletes master their mind with proven mindset strategies. He played Division I tennis at DePaul University and he is currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He also created a website to share most of his works on the mental side of the game. On the show, you’ll learn ways to increase focus and concentration on the court, how to unlock our true potential as tennis players, the biggest mental game mistakes that we make when playing matches, how to reprogram your mind for success, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nathan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! nathandeveer.com Nathan’s Facebook Page Nathan’s Instagram Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 173 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn how to find the right grip for every stroke in your game. Having the right grip for the type of shots you want to produce is critically important. For certain strokes like the serve and the volley, if you use the wrong grip, you will severely limit your potential and effectiveness on those shots. So I put together an episode explaining the different grips, how to find them, what grips the top ATP/WTA players use, the grips I use, and my recommendations. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Grip Aid - OnCourtOffCourt TFP 171: How to Transform Your Tennis Strokes with Davor Dekaris TFP 172: 21 Ways to Improve Your Tennis Game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 172 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I reveal 21 of the best things you can do to improve your tennis game. A few days ago, I randomly decided to brainstorm all the different methods of improving as a tennis player that I’ve learned through my experiences training and competing, and from interviewing the world’s best coaches and players. In this episode, I’ll walk you through 21 ways to level up your skills, including tips to improve your technique, practice intensity, quality of play during matches, fitness, strategy, footwork, mental game, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 171 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed USPTA Elite Professional, Davor Dekaris, about drills and techniques to help you transform your tennis strokes. Davor is a Stroke Development & High Performance Coordinator at Stone Creek Club and Spa. He was previously a tennis instructor in Berlin for 10 years. He also played on the ITF, Future Tours and in the highest divisions of the German Team Tennis Leagues. He was awarded USPTA Southern Pro of the Year in 2017. Davor is currently the founder of Tennis Haus, which has grown into a wonderful community of tennis coaches and players. With Tennis Haus’ awesome tips, techniques, drills and advice about tennis, Davor’s community has grown to well over 52k followers on Instagram and keeps increasing at a rapid pace. On the show, you’ll learn the biggest technical flaws on the serve and backhand, drills to get more spin and power on your serve, how to use your legs and upper body on your volleys, the best grips for your strokes, expert coaching tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Davor! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Tennis Haus Instagram Facebook Equipment Grip Aid Rebound Walls  On Court Off Court Books Complete Conditioning for Tennis - Dr. Mark Kovacs The Inner Game of Tennis - W. Timothy Gallwey Rafael Nadal Biography - Rafael Nadal and John Carlin The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 170 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with USPTA Elite Professional Joel Myers about pro strategies and techniques to help you level up your tennis game. Joel is a world-class tennis coach in San Diego at Coronado Tennis Center and was a 3-time collegiate All American. He was ranked in the Top 10 in singles and doubles in the NAIA and was the National Player of the Year 2010. Joel has almost 50k followers on Instagram thanks to all the fantastic strategies and techniques that he has shared with thousands of tennis players worldwide. He has received numerous testimonials and endorsements from other elite coaches and players including Coach Peter Smith, Craig O’ Shannessy, Paul Annacone, Marcus Willis, Dr. Mark Kovacs and Allistair McCaw. On the show, you’ll learn the key technical change that helped Joel add 20MPH+ on his serve, how to improve your forehand and backhand technique, Joel’s top winning singles and doubles plays that will win you more tennis matches, his journey from top junior player to elite tennis coach, how to prepare for matches and tournaments, the secret to Joel’s explosive Instagram growth by sharing his tennis knowledge, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Joel! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Joel’s Website Joel’s Instagram Page Dr. Mark Kovacs Interview on the Serve The Tennis Files Podcast Tennis Files YouTube Channel (Subscribe!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 169 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the #1 source for more power on your strokes plus five huge power leaks that you need to fix asap. A lot of tennis players, even the pros, are constantly in search of more power on their shots. The extra miles per hour can make the difference between being on offense during a point and playing on the defensive. Unfortunately, most amateur tennis players don’t use their bodies efficiently and maximize its true power on their strokes. On the show, you’ll learn the most effective way to add more power to your groundstrokes and serve, the role of your hips during the loading phase, how to rotate your body properly using your kinetic chain, the top 5 power leak mistakes, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Secrets Playbook Stretch Routine PDF Tennis Files YouTube Channel Slinger Bag Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 168 of The Tennis Files Podcast, my good friend Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching interviewed me about the 5 biggest mistakes that USTA players make. When you learn these mistakes and work on them, you will become a stronger, smarter, and more successful player. You’ll learn about preparation, strategy, the mental game, and more on this episode! Pete interviewed me to celebrate the launch of Tennis Con 4, which he hosts and starts on October 19th, 2020! Tennis Con is a free annual online tennis event that features many of the best tennis coaches and names in the business (including yours truly!). Pete does an amazing job in hosting this event and it is an honor to be featured on Tennis Con 4 this year. If you want to check out all the awesome lessons and interviews on Tennis Con 4 for free (including my lesson on offensive topspin lobs), go to this link: Tennis Con 4! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Con 4 - Get Your Free Ticket Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 167 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’lI learn the most powerful serve advice ever given on the show from legendary coaches, grand slam champions and pro players. I went through all my interviews discussing the tennis serve and selected the clips that will help you fix your technical and strategic serve mistakes and take the most important stroke in your arsenal to the next level. On the show, you’ll learn key concepts from the 8-stage model of the serve, serve secrets from the pros, the biggest mistakes on the serve, the importance of hitting different types of serves, how to generate massive serve power, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! TFP 081: Dr. Kovacs TFP 098: Rick Macci TFP 089: Johan Kriek TFP 128: Taylor Dent TFP 150: Gregg Le Sueur TFP 062: Serve Killers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 166 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with strength and conditioning coach Justin Russ about how you can build a simple and effective training program to get stronger and move better on the court. Justin has worked with several pro athletes on the ATP and WTA tour. He is currently an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Virginia and trains their elite NCAA Division I tennis teams. He was also the Head of Tennis Performance at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and has delivered over 100 live education courses in eight countries and has presented at many conferences. Justin holds numerous certifications from several organizations including a Certified Tennis Performance Specialist with the ITPA and a Master Instructor for both TRX Training and TriggerPoint Therapy. On the show, you’ll learn the 7 foundational movements that all athletes (including tennis players) need to train, how to create an effective training program using these foundational movements, the biggest strength training mistakes tennis players make, how to examine and fix inefficient movement patterns, why you must tailor the program to the athlete and not the athlete to the program, at-home training advice, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Justin! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Justin Russ Instagram Simon Sinek Ted Talk Minibands Superbands Kettlebell Medicine Ball TRX Suspension Training Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 165 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I reveal 6 ways to attack the net that will help you play more aggressively and put pressure on your opponents. I always have been a baseliner since I first started playing. When I got to college, my coach Keith Puryear (who was my very first interview on the podcast, Episode #2!), showed me the fundamentals and the importance of attacking the net when the opportunity presents itself. I vividly remember a match against our conference rivals where I followed the directions of my head coach Keith and Assistant Coach Matt Bilger (who I had on the podcast a couple years back, Episode #43). They told me to concentrate on recognizing short balls and approaching the net on them instead of staying back at the baseline to create pressure on my opponent. If your opponents know you aren’t going to attack the net when they are in trouble, they are going to be comfortable and can hit a lower quality ball back in the court and still be in decent shape. Compare that with being out of position and knowing that your opponent is going to be rushing the net, taking time away from you and volleying your shot, giving you half as much time to recover. Attacking the net creates pressure, errors, and is a game changer. With that in mind, on today’s episode, you’re going to learn 6 simple and effective ways to attack the net and win more tennis matches. I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! LINKS: Approach Shot YouTube Video tennisfiles.com TFP 002 with Keith Puryear TFP 043 with Matt Bilger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 164 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite coach Edgar Giffenig about how to play smarter singles matches. Edgar is the founder of Giffenig Tennis and is an International Consultant for TennisGate. He was a National Coach for the USA, Germany, and Mexico. He is also a frequent speaker in coaching workshops throughout the world including my previous Tennis Summits. Edgar has 30 years of experience coaching players of all ages and levels. With his long-term tennis experiences, Edgar wrote two books entitled, “Play Tennis with Passion” and “Developing High Performance Tennis Players”. On the show, you’ll learn why you should think about tennis strategy like gambling, the laws of first and second serves, how to figure out the best playing style for your game, our observations about singles strategy from the U.S. Open, pre and post-match strategy tips, winning tactics for USTA League players, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Edgar! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! LINKS: Tennisgate.com Giffenig Tennis YouTube Page Edgargiffenig.com Tennisfiles.com/edgar BOOKS: Play Tennis with Passion Developing High Performance Players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 163 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’re going to learn 8 ways to generate massive topspin. Topspin is an extremely important part of tennis, and I’ve heard from many players that they want to hit with more topspin on their strokes. Topspin helps you avoid errors, hit higher over the net, and makes life tougher for your opponents. My topspin groundstrokes are a huge weapon for me, so I figured I would share my knowledge with you about how you can generate more topspin by making 8 technical and equipment adjustments. You may be surprised with some of the suggestions! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! Racquets Pure Aero 16x19 Wilson Blade 16x19 Pure Aero VS 16x20 Yonex EZONE 100 16x19 Strings RPM Blast RPM Blast Rough Solinco Tour Bite Volkyl Cyclone Resources Tennis Files YouTube Channel Thread on Strings and Spin Most Spin-Friendly Racquets Video (Tennis Warehouse) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 162 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with French tennis coach Jean-Pierre Jounier about the most important factors you need to consider when choosing a tennis racquet. A lot of tennis players make the costly mistake of picking a racquet based on their favorite player, what their friends use, or even worse, how the racquet looks. Luckily for you, on this episode Jean-Pierre and I will show you exactly how to choose the optimal racquet for your game. Jean-Pierre has two YouTube channels, Team-Tennis.FR and Team-Tennis [English], geared towards helping players with strategy, technique, and tennis equipment. He has done a lot of in-depth reviews on the latest tennis racquets, and so I brought him on the podcast to help us with this area of the game that so many players both enjoy and struggle mastering. Jean-Pierre is also a great player and has been a practice partner for several tennis pros. On the show, you’ll learn the different types of racquets, the main factors to consider when choosing between them, common mistakes players make when testing racquets, the most popular racquets among different levels, the impact of strings when testing racquets, tips to improve your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jean-Pierre! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight into your inbox! team-tennis.fr Team-Tennis Youtube Channel (English) Team-Tennis Youtube Channel (French) Team-Tennis Facebook Page The Building Blocks of Tennis Success eBook (Free Download!) Inner Game of Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 161 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite tennis coach Jorge Capestany about how you can develop a stronger mindset to help you win more tennis matches. Jorge is one of only eleven people worldwide that has earned the distinction of Master Professional with the USPTA and International Master Professional with the PTR. He is a certified Mental Toughness Specialist through the Human Performance Institute and holds a USTA Sports Science certification. Jorge is also a 6 time Michigan Pro of the Year and 2 time Midwest Pro of the Year and a member of the USPTA Midwest Hall of Fame. On the show, you’ll learn the top mental mistakes amateur players routinely make, exercises you can do on and off the court to become a mentally tougher player, Jorge’s simple system for knowing what to work on next in your game, how to become a more clutch player, strategies to close out matches and start them stronger, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jorge! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Inner Game of Tennis CapestanyTennis.com - Free Mental Toughness Video Course + eBook! TennisDrills.TV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 160 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I discuss 7 key do’s and don’ts for doubles players. I played mostly singles as a junior player. So I really had no idea about what the fundamentals of doubles were, how to move, and even how to volley very well because I spent just about every minute on the court hugging the baseline unless I got a short ball. After law school, I started playing a lot of USTA league tennis, which was a ton of doubles. I gradually picked up a few more doubles strategies, and then my doubles game really picked up when I started Tennis Files around 2015, because I got to interview a ton of expert coaches on the subject. I then developed this deep hunger to really learn the top strategies from the best coaches in the world. So for this episode, I put together a list of doubles mistakes I’ve made and learned to correct through experience, and winning strategies, to share with you to help you improve your doubles game. I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Youtube Tennis Files Channel Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 159 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’re going to learn 7 key do’s and don’ts in your singles matches. Strategy, unlike technique, is something that you can implement immediately that will make a big impact in your matches. With technique, while the benefits are huge, and you should absolutely work on it, strategy doesn’t need 10s or 100s of hours before you can effectively use it in a tennis match. Lately I’ve been watching points of amateur players on Youtube, and I found myself recognizing several key strategic mistakes, as well as things the players did quite well. And on this episode, you’ll learn exactly what to do and not to do on the singles court. There will also be a video on Youtube of me analyzing and critiquing 5 points from a 4.5 singles match by the time this episode is published. If you want to watch this singles points analysis video, you can go to tennisfiles.com/youtube! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Tennis Files Youtube Channel Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 158 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Jibran Mohammadi, former ATP Pro and current tennis coach, about how to compete against the world's best tennis players. Jibran achieved a ranking on the ATP Tour, played Davis Cup for Pakistan, and has played with many legends of the sport, like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, the Bryan Brothers, Stephanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov, and David Nalbandian. He is currently a Tennis Coach in Toronto at the Granite Club where he teaches tennis players of all ages how to level up their tennis games. He’s also got a fantastic Instagram page with a lot of awesome tennis tips and trick shots that you should check out! On the show, you’ll learn about Jibran’s amazing experiences playing with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Denis Shapovalov, and many other pros, his fortuitous Davis Cup career with Pakistan, Jirban’s journey from the juniors to the pro tour, what he’s learned throughout his career, tips to improve your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Jibran! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Dynamic Warm-Up Routine - Free PDF! Jibran’s Instagram Page Jibran’s YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 157 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I am going to walk you through a simple stretch routine that will increase your flexibility and help you recover faster from your tennis matches and training. Playing tennis and training increases muscle tightness and actually reduces your flexibility, so we need to put in the time to rectify this situation. You will gain huge life changing benefits for just a few minutes of stretching each day. Stretching increases your range of movement of your joints, increases stretch tolerance of the muscles, reduces your risk of injury, and reduces muscle soreness! On this episode, I’ll cover the negative effects that I’ve experienced from not devoting time to stretching, nine of the best stretches you can do anywhere, the proper technique and benefits of these stretches, which areas of the body they affect, critical tips to help you stretch properly, and much more! To get a free PDF of this exact stretch routine, go to tennisfiles.com/stretch! And if you want to watch this full stretch routine on video (it’ll be up within a few days of this podcast episode), go to the Tennis Files Youtube channel at tennisfiles.com/youtube and click the subscribe button and notification bell so that you’ll get an email when the video is up! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Stretch Routine PDF - Download for Free! Tennis Files Youtube Channel Complete Conditioning for Tennis  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 156 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with elite coach from Web Tennis, Brent Abel, about winning gold balls on the senior tour. Brent has won 9 USTA National Gold Balls. He was also the 70s age group Captain of the 2018 and 2019 USA Senior World Cup Teams. Brent founded Web Tennis, and his youtube channel has gotten over 10 million views and has helped many thousands of tennis players improve their games all around the world. Brent has been featured on my Tennis Summits as well to share his wisdom about the game with our massive audience. On the show, you’ll learn how senior players can thrive in tournaments and prolong their careers, Brent's favorite singles and doubles match strategies, playing tournaments all around the world, Brent's unforgettable experiences winning gold balls (a LOT of them!), and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Brent! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Web Tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 155 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I walk you through a simple lower body workout routine that will increase your strength, balance, and coordination to help you play better tennis. Consistent strength training is absolutely critical to increase your performance and lower your risk of injuries. Your game will transform when you feel stronger on the court and have the confidence that your body isn't going to break down easily. One of the most important things I've learned over the years of interviewing hundreds of top tennis pros and coaches, studying tons of resources about tennis fitness, and even getting certified by tennis fitness organizations, is that you need to have strong legs to level up your tennis game. I am going to describe this routine as detailed as I can on the podcast, and if you need a visual, check out my YouTube Channel at tennisfiles.com/youtube and click the subscribe button and notification bell so that you’ll receive an email as soon as I publish a video of this exact workout (a few days after this podcast goes up!). I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: Workout Plan PDF Dynamic Warm-Up Plan PDF Tennis Files Youtube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 154 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I am going to walk you through a complete dynamic warm-up routine with no equipment that will help you perform your best on the tennis court and stay healthy. Performing a dynamic warm up that is specific to tennis movement is going to give you the best preparation to play well and prevent injuries, according to many studies, the science, and top tennis fitness experts. There are obviously a ton of other warm-up exercises, variations, and levels of difficulty, but I find that this is a simple one that just about anyone can do to get ready for a great practice or match session. Remember to perform this dynamic warm-up routine before your matches and training, and let me know how it works for you. If you want to watch this full dynamic warm-up routine on video (it’ll be up within a few days of this podcast episode), go to the Tennis Files Youtube channel at tennisfiles.com/youtube and click the subscribe button and notification bell so that you’ll receive an email as soon as I publish the video!   I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: Warm-Up Routine - Free Download! Tennis Files YouTube Channel Books: Dynamic Stretching - Dr. Mark Kovacs Study on Dynamic vs Static Stretching and Activity Specific Warm-ups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 153 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite tennis coach John Craig about the five areas of your game you need to develop to have a solid tennis foundation. John is a USPTA professional and a RacquetFit certified coach with over 35 years of tennis coaching experience. He is also the founder of Performance Plus Tennis. John has appeared on my Tennis Summits on multiple occasions to share his fantastic lessons and wisdom about improving your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn about the principles of the tennis foundation, the reasons why you need to develop this foundation, its game changing benefits, how to create it, how to use it to reach your true tennis potential, what to avoid when building your tennis foundation, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with John! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Performance Plus Tennis The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance - Jeff Greenwald Inner Game of Tennis - Timothy Gallwey Secrets of a True Tennis Master - Welby Van Horn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 152 of The Tennis Files Podcast, Mehrban is going to present his five-step process for how to get back on the court and start improving your game again. Many of you have been unable to play for many weeks or months and are just starting or soon will be getting back onto the tennis courts. But without the proper approach (pun intended :) ), you are way more likely to get frustrated, or worse, injured. On the show, you’ll learn how to regain and exceed your level of play before your long break from the courts, how to make goals and plan your training, the importance of taking care of your health and fitness while off court, how to be safe while playing, and much more! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Resources tennisfiles.com The Building Blocks of Tennis Success eBook  Tennis Fitness Workout Plan The Tennis Files Podcast  Tennis Files Membership - email me at [email protected] Practice Journal Tennis Safety USTA Safety for COVID19 - Player Tips and Recommendations  ITF Return to Tennis Guidelines USTA Tennis Safety for Facilities and Programming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 151 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed elite tennis coach and speaker, Emma Doyle, about how to unleash your tennis potential. Emma is an expert instructor, communicator, and mentor, and has helped several professional tennis players reach top WTA rankings. She is also a Tennis Australia High Performance Coach and travels the world as a professional speaker specializing in helping people to maximize and live their potential through tennis. Emma has been on four of my Tennis Summit as well, and I have brought her back each year because of the fantastic content that she consistently produces to help tennis players improve their skills. On the show, you’ll learn about how you can increase your confidence, find your inner motivation to improve your game, communicate better with your partners, transform your mindset, achieve your true tennis potential, learn the secrets and habits of the pros, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emma! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Books:  Atomic Habits - James Clear Resources: www.acecoach.com.au [email protected] Personality Playing Styles Emma’s TEDx Talk – Unleashing Female Potential Emma’s YouTube Channel EM & M SHOW YouTube Channel Emma’s Demo Reel Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 150 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed coach Gregg Le Sueur from Online Tennis Instruction about how to level up your volley and serve technique. Gregg is currently the lead instructor at OTI where he has helped thousands of tennis players improve their strategy, technique, mental game and fitness. He has also competed at an extremely high level and achieved an ATP ranking while playing in futures tour events. Gregg has been featured on my Tennis Summits the past couple years and continues to impress me every time he shares his knowledge about the game. On the show, you’ll learn how to hit more efficient volleys, how to increase your serve power and spin production, the fundamentals to becoming a better tennis player, Gregg's competitive tennis journey, his experience earning his first ATP point on the pro tour, proven tips and strategies to improve your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Gregg! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! RESOURCES onlinetennisinstruction.com Dr. Jim Loehr’s 16-second Cure (4 Stages) BOOKS Vic Braden - Tennis 2000 Inner Game of Tennis Winning Ugly  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 149 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed Marc Sophoulis, Head Coach at Melbourne International Tennis School, about how you can become a complete player. Marc has coached many pros, including Anastasia Rodionova, Arina Rodionova, Dane Propoggia, and Victor Hanescu. He has also been a part of the Bryan Brothers team for 6 years at the Australian Open. Marc has spoken at conferences around the world, has been a commentator for professional tennis matches, and has also been featured in my Tennis Summits each year. He is one of the co-founders of the Tennis Menu, an awesome new instructional tennis site which you should definitely check out (link below).   On the show, you’ll learn the essential skills you must develop to become a well-rounded tennis player, proven tips and strategies to level up your game, important lessons Marc learned while working with the Bryan Brothers, how tennis coaches can maximize their impact, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Marc! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS: thetennismenu.com The Tennis Menu Facebook Marc Sophoulis Twitter Marc Sophoulis Instagram EQUIPMENT: Theraband Medicine Ball BOOKS: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 148 of The Tennis Files Podcast I spoke with Danielle Lao, top 200 WTA pro, about the mindset, preparation, and resilience you need to become an elite-level tennis player. What’s pretty amazing about Danielle’s path to the pro tour that you’ll hear on this episode is that she was basically locked into a normal desk job after college. But something deep inside told her that she needed to pursue her dream of making it on the WTA Tour. Danielle is a former USC standout and has reached as high as 152 in the world. She has played in the main draw of the US Open multiple times and has even co-authored a book called The Invaluable Experience that takes readers through her college tennis journey and why playing sports in college is an invaluable decision  I am a big fan of Danielle and especially love that she gives us a rare insight into a professional tennis player’s career through her blog at thelittlegiant.net and on her social media platforms. On the show, you’ll learn about Danielle’s biggest ups and downs in her career and how she overcame them, how she prepares for matches, her morning routine, how she almost took a desk job and what inspired her to choose the WTA Tour instead, what she needs to do to reach the top 100 and beyond, her mental game secrets, unique tips to improve your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Danielle! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS thelittlegiant.net thelittlegiantblog.wordpress.com twitter.com/thelittlegiant instagram.com/thelittlegiant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 147 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with 17-time Grand Slam champion Gigi Fernandez about how you can develop a strong mindset and play confidently against your competition. Gigi is a former world #1 doubles and #17 singles player and is now widely considered to be one of the best doubles players of all time. She is a Hall of Famer and she won 2 Olympic Gold Medals with Mary Joe Fernandez. In 2000, Gigi was named Puerto Rican Athlete of the Century. She now spends her time coaching adult players how to excel at doubles and developed the Gigi Method of doubles. On the show, you’ll learn how to develop your mental and emotional skills, simple pre-match routines that will help you stay calm during matches, the mindset you need to have before a match, how to create your roadmap to mental dominance, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Gigi! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Links: The Roadmap to Mental Dominance (+ Gigi Method Free!) - Limited Time Only! Gigi’s Facebook Gigi’s Twitter GIgi’s Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 146 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I reveal my top 10 strategy, technique, mental, and fitness takeaways from Tennis Summit 2020 with my good friend Peter Freeman from Crunch Time Coaching. We recorded this live episode at the end of my annual online tennis conference, which was a smashing success with 13,778 registrants! On the show, you’ll learn why you should use more of your back leg during the loading stage of the serve, the importance of practicing serves under pressure, how to improve your serve returns, the three main elements of watching the ball, how to prepare optimally before your matches, and much more! I hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 145 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with world renowned sports science and fitness expert, Dr. Mark Kovacs, about the release and loading stages of the tennis serve. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background in training and researching elite athletes. He is the Senior Director of Sports Science for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the founder of The International Tennis Performance Association (ITPA) of which I am a proud member. He is also the founder of the Kovacs Institute which is based in Atlanta, GA. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Youngm and Melanie Oudin. On the show, you’ll learn how to improve your serving motion, how to toss the ball in the right location consistently, the causes of poor racquet drop and how to fix it, exercises to improve your loading phase of the serve, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 144 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Babolat sales representative Allan Iverson about equipment trends and tennis gear. Allan was awarded Tennis Industry Sales Rep of the Year in 2014. He was Babolat's National Salesperson of the Year in 2012. He is also a USPTA P-1 with more than two decades of teaching experience. Allan has appeared on several Tennis Summits over the years to talk all things tennis gear gear and equipment. On the show, you’ll learn the latest equipment trends and how they can help your game, what to look for when searching for a new racquet, the different types of shoes and which ones are best for you, stringing patterns and the effect of each type on your tennis game, how to choose the right strings, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Allan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 143 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with one of the most legendary tennis coaches of all time, Rick Macci, about critical singles strategy principles to level up your game. Rick Macci has coached hundreds of world class tennis professionals including world number one players Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, and Maria Sharapova. His players have won over 247 USTA National Championships since 1985. Rick is the founder of Rick Macci Tennis Academy, and is also a highly sought out motivational speaker, clinician, and author. On the show, you’ll learn how to plan effectively for your matches, how to perform under pressure in a new environment, how Sofia Kenin won her first Grand Slam, what tennis players can do at home to build their mental toughness, how visualization can help you improve your game, some helpful guidelines for imitating the pros, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Rick! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Tennis Summit 2020 Rick Macci Tennis Academy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 142 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Larry Lauer, a mental skills specialist for USTA Player Development, about how to become a more resilient competitor. Dr. Lauer earned a PhD in science, exercise, and sports psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was previously the Director of Coaching Education and Development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) at Michigan State University. Dr. Lauer also was an assistant coach and mental coach for Michigan State Men’s Tennis, helping the team reach the 2013 NCAA tournament. Dr. Lauer was a sports psychologist consultant for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He currently co-hosts the Compete Like a Champion Podcast with Johnny Parkes. On the show, you’ll learn how to become a more resilient competitor, a step by step process for improving your on-court performance, how to deal with pre-match nerves, mental training that you can do while stuck at home, how players at USTA’s National Tennis Center in Orlando train their mental game, excellent books for your mind, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Larry! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Resources Compete Like a Champion Podcast USTA Player Development Net Generation Books: Can’t Hurt Me - David Goggins Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence - Gary Mack The Obstacle is the Way Mindset: The New Psychology of Success In Pursuit of Excellence - Terry Orlick Social: Dr. Lauer’s Twitter Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 141 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I reveal nine proven secrets that I’ve learned from interviewing and studying the best tennis coaches, pros, and experts on the planet over the years.  These secrets are from my newest eBook, the Tennis Secrets Playbook, which you can download for free at tennisfiles.com/playbook! I created the eBook by analyzing hundreds of my interviews from the podcast and summits I’ve hosted, picking the best advice I could find from over 35 top coaches and pros, and using it to create the Tennis Secrets Playbook. On the show, you’ll learn why we need a game plan to maximize success, the importance of scheduling your practice and workouts, the three parameters of footwork, how to fix your technique, why we should take care of our fitness, and much more! If you liked the advice from these amazing coaches and pros, then go to tennisfiles.com/playbook to download the Tennis Secrets Playbook for free! Tennis Summit 2020, an online tennis conference to help you level up your tennis game with lessons from 30+ world class coaches, is happening less than 2 weeks from today! Register for free today at tennisfilessummit.com! LINKS: Tennis Secrets Playbook Tennis Summit 2020 Podcast Episodes James Blake Paul Annacone Michael Russell Nick Bollettieri Taylor Dent Dr. Mark Kovacs  Emilio Sanchez Gigi Fernandez Todd Widom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 140 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with world-renowned coach and doubles expert Louis Cayer about world-class doubles strategy. Louis has coached and mentored six #1 ranked doubles specialists, including Jamie Murray, and 26 who have reached the ATP top 50. He also served as Davis Cup Captain for both Great Britain and Canada. Louis currently works with the Lawn and Tennis Association. On the show, you’ll learn the skills needed to become a great doubles player, effective strategies against different types of teams, positional strategies to give you a leg up on the competition, what singles players need to know to play better doubles, how to use disruptive plays effectively, and much more! This interview is part of a masterclass I recorded with Louis for Tennis Summit 2020!   If you want to watch Louis’s full interview in video format, along with over 30 other on-court lessons and presentations on singles and doubles strategy, technique, fitness, and the mental game, for FREE, click the link below: Tennis Summit 2020 - Click Here to Register Tennis Summit 2020, which is an online tennis conference from April 20-25, will be the fourth year I am hosting the event. There are going to be more on-court lessons, point analysis, and masterclass presentations this year than ever before! I hope you enjoy my interview with Louis! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! LINKS Tennis Summit 2020 - Click the link to sign up for free today! Join the world’s biggest online tennis conference, hosted by yours truly! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 139 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I discuss the huge impact that the coronavirus (COVID-19) has had on the tennis world, and how we can still improve our tennis games while isolated at home. On the show, you’ll learn exercises you can do at home to stay in tennis shape, how COVID-19 has affected USTA Leagues, the ATP and WTA tours, how to have a great workout with no equipment, why you don’t need a tennis ball (or even a racquet) to keep improving, a sneak peek about an awesome online tennis conference that you should look out for in a few weeks, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Exercises: Clamshells Seated 90-90 More Hip Mobility Exercises Madison Keys Workout on Instagram Books: Inner Game of Tennis Open - Andre Agassi Complete Conditioning for Tennis Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Equipment: Theragun Jump Rope Exercise Bands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 138 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with sports science expert, Tim Roberts, about athlete monitoring, workload and recovery. Tim is the Director of Sports Science at Theragun. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Sport and Exercise Science and achieved a Master’s Degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science. Tim was a Senior Sports Scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. While there, he combined his expertise in sports nutrition/exercise performance and sports science data to develop innovative strategies for athletes and organizations to reach their potential. Tim also founded Scientific-Athlete, and is considered a world leading expert in sports science for golf. On the show, you’ll learn the benefits of athlete monitoring, a simple and easy way to track your workload, how to recovery properly from your workouts and tennis matches, the best devices for monitoring your exercise, sleep and tennis, the fundamentals of proper nutrition, fitness resources for competitive tennis players and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Tim! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Buy Theragun tennisfiles.com/theragun - Special TF Member Pricing!  Free PDF Downloads Wellness Screen Session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE) Scale Websites / Articles  https://performancepartner.gatorade.com/athlete-tools/detail/internal-and-external-load-monitoring-the-science-and-the-practice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 137 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis technology expert Alex Johansson about the best tech and equipment you can use to level up your game. Alex, aka The Tennis Techie, is the founder of Coachnect LLC and the Director of the New England Tennis Academy. He has worked with Texas A&M as their video analyst, analysis provider and tech advisor. Alex received the Touring Coach of the Year award from USPTA Texas in 2016 for his work and fantastic results with competitive junior players. He also created a video analysis service called tennisfilm.com and the Hoplu app for player skill building, communication, motivation and tracking. Alex created Tennis Techie, the first online forum dedicated to tennis technology. On the show, you’ll learn how technology can improve your game, essential apps that will help you analyze your strengths and weaknesses, the easiest way to record yourself playing and video equipment you’ll need (it’s not much!), resources for analyzing your tennis practices and matches, the best wearables and tennis sensors on the market today, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Alex! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 136 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with legendary strength and conditioning and functional training coach, Mike Boyle, about the critical principles you need to know to get better results with your tennis fitness training. Mike co-founded Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in 1996, where he provides performance enhancement training for athletes of all levels. He has served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Boston University for 15 years and became the Boston Red Sox strength and conditioning coach in 2013 that won the World Series. From 1991-1999, Boyle served for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He also was the Strength and Conditioning coach for the 1998 US Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team, Gold Medalists in Nagano and 2014 Silver medalists in Sochi. On the show, you’ll learn how the average competitive tennis player should structure their weekly fitness training sessions, what areas of the body tennis players need to concentrate on training the most (the answer might surprise you!), how to increase your mobility, why not warming up is the biggest mistake you can make as a competitive athlete, how tennis players can prevent injuries, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Mike! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 135 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn my 5-step framework for improving your tennis game and fulfilling your career goals. On the show, you'll learn the importance of defining your career goals, why evaluating your tennis game is crucial to making progress, examples of the 5-step framework as it applies to different types of players, why you need to track your progress, how I’ve used this framework to improve my own tennis game, and much more! And if you want to learn the latest strategies, techniques, fitness and mental game principles to level up your tennis skills, be on the lookout for Tennis Summit 2020 in late April!  To get notified when the summit becomes available, go to tennisfiles.com and sign up for my email list. Then I will give you a heads up when registration opens for the summit! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 134 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I put together a special mega compilation of the best fitness advice ever given on the show. I went through all of my previous episodes and hand-selected clips from 10 previous interviews with many of the top tennis fitness experts in the world.  On the show you’ll learn about strength and conditioning, explosive power, plyometrics, the most common injuries and how to prevent them, working out on the road, why your range of motion makes a huge impact on your technique, the best exercises for tennis players in the gym, how to protect your rotator cuff, important recovery tips, the biggest mistakes when training, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Link to Full Interviews: TFP 033: Strength and Conditioning for Tennis Players with Dr. Mark Kovacs TFP 039: Injury Prevention and Recovery with Dr. Todd Ellenbecker TFP 048: Optimizing Your Strength and Conditioning Workouts with Dominic King TFP 056: Speed, Power, and Plyometrics with Dean Hollingworth TFP 069: Strength and Conditioning on the Road with Johnny Fraser TFP 078: Strength and Conditioning for Junior Athletes with Aaron Patterson TFP 079: Injury Prevention and Movement Mechanics with David Grant TFP 082: RacquetFit and the Body-Tennis Connection with Dr. Sean Drake TFP 101: How to Reach Peak Athletic Performance with Dr. Greg Rose TFP 119: Tennis Fitness Fundamentals with Nathan Martin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 133 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn about every single piece of gear that's currently in my racquet bag. I was inspired to do this episode after going to Orlando to attend the Racquet and Paddle show, where I saw a lot of new and innovative products. There have been times where I've forgotten to bring certain pieces of equipment and it's made a substantial impact on my performance, especially in a game like tennis which is often decided by razor-thin margins.  On the show, you’ll learn the essential types of gear you need to be fully prepared for your practices and matches, the type of racquets and strings that I use, what each piece of gear can do for your game, new equipment that can help you recover faster, the snacks and drinks that fuel me while playing, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Links to all the gear mentioned in the episode: Babolat Pure Aero VS Babolat Pure Strike 18x20 Babolat Pure Strike 16x19 Volkl Cyclone Tour 17g Hyper G String 17g Signum Pro X-Perience String Gamma Head Tape Penn Tennis Balls Banana Boat Sunscreen Adidas Climacool Hat Wilson Pro Overgrip Tournagrip Babolat Overgrip Yonex Supergrap Overgrip Tape Measure Precision Hydration - use code TENNISFILES for 15% off your first order Hydroflask Under Armour Jug Stretchbands Resistance Bands Lacrosse Ball Slinger Bag Practice and Match Journal  Theragun - email me at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 132 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Peter Freeman, the founder of Crunch Time Coaching, about the key strategies and tactics the pros used at this year’s Australian Open. Pete has coached division 1 college players and has produced state level and national champions. He has been awarded the honor of USTA Georgia Pro of the Year. He has also coached under Tony Palafox, who was John McEnroe’s former coach, and Frank Brennan former Stanford University Coach who won 10 national titles. Peter has a huge passion for tennis and will do whatever it takes to get your game to the next level. On the show, you’ll learn the big differences between Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal’s styles of play, the pros’ pre and post match routines at the Australian Open, Sam Querrey’s take on why the Big 3 are so much better than their competition, the most impressive players at this year’s tournament, what Pete’s students needed to improve on the most at his Aussie Open camp, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Pete! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 131 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with certified mental performance consultant, Zoran Stojkovic, about how to unlock your mind for peak performance. Zoran is a high-performance tennis coach and has two MSc degrees in Sport and Exercise Psychology. He is also the founder of Kizo Performance. His love for coaching and human performance development led him to study how elite performers prepare for competition. Zoran’s mission is to empower people to unlock peak performance and personal satisfaction by training their mind with evidence-based mental tools and techniques.  On the show you’ll learn effective techniques to achieve peak performance, how to eliminate distractions and increase your focus, how visualization can help unlock your mind, common misconceptions about the mental game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Zoran! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 130 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with sports-scientist Andy Blow about how to properly hydrate and prevent cramping. Andy graduated with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Bath and he is currently the CEO and co-founder of Precision Hydration. He was an elite level triathlete and experienced his own struggles with cramps and hydration that led him to specialize in electrolyte replenishment and eventually co-found Precision Hydration. He is also an adviser to the Porsche Human Performance Centre.  On the show, you’ll learn how far in advance you need to start hydrating, how much water and electrolytes you need before competition, what to do to recover from cramps as quickly as possible, the actual effectiveness of several common cramping solutions (think pickle juice and mustard packets), how different climates affect your hydration needs, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Andy! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 129 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with former ATP Top 10 singles and doubles player and Grand Slam Champion, Spanish pro Emilio Sanchez, about how to develop a more aggressive tennis game. Emilio achieved career high rankings of #7 in the world in singles in 1990 and #1 in doubles in 1989. He won 3 Grand Slam Doubles titles (two French Opens and one US Open) and a silver medal in the 1988 Olympic games in men’s doubles. During his tennis career, he won 15 singles titles and 50 doubles and made over $5 million in prize money.  Emilio has both played for and captained Spain’s Davis Cup Team to a championship title in 2008. He is the co-founder of the Sanchez-Casal Academy (Academia Sanchez-Casal) where he helps all types of tennis players achieve their true potential. On the show, you’ll learn how to become a more aggressive player and why it is important to your long term success, how to become a better thinker on the court, Emilio’s top returning strategies, how Emilio reached the top 10 in the world in both singles and doubles, what it was like to both play Davis Cup and captain Spain to a championship title, footwork and movement tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Emilio! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 128 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with former ATP pro, Taylor Dent, about how you can develop a solid serve and volley game that will put your opponents on the defensive. Taylor achieved a career high ranking of #21 in the world on the ATP Tour and won four singles titles. He reached the 4th round of Wimbledon and the US Open. He also placed 4th in the 2004 Olympics. Taylor has defeated numerous tennis legends such as Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, James Blake, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, and many other unbelievable players with his huge serve and volley game. His parents, half-brother, godfather, and wife also played tennis professionally. Taylor is a coach and co-founder of the Dent Tennis Academy at The Birch Racquet and Lawn Club in Keller, Texas. On the show, you’ll learn how to think like a professional serve and volleyer, the right tactics to use when you are at net, drills you can perform to become a better serve and volleyer, Taylor’s toughest battles in his tennis career, the secret to hitting a 149mph serve, the big change Taylor made to his game early on to succeed on the pro tour, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Taylor! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 127 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn 13 tips to achieve your tennis goals in 2020.  With the new year upon us comes excitement for great successes and achievements ahead. But without the proper planning, preparation, and the right habits in place, we don’t stand a chance at achieving our goals, especially with all the distractions in today’s society. That’s why I put together this episode, based on my successes, failures, and principles learned from my podcast guests, to give you the strategies you need to ensure your consistency, motivation, and attitude stays at the level you need to conquer your goals. What are your goals for 2020? Are you planning to improve your forehand, backhand, footwork, serve, mental game, or fitness? Do you want to become a professional tennis player? Or maybe you want to increase your NTRP or UTR rating, or start a coaching career.  This episode will help you achieve any goals you desire for 2020 and beyond. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you learned something useful from it, let me know in the comments below. And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox. I also want to wish you a very Happy New Year!  May this year be filled with prosperity and a fantastic year of tennis! :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 126 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with professional wheelchair tennis player, Kaitlyn Verfuerth, about how she overcame a devastating accident to become an elite athlete through the power of positivity and determination. Kaitlyn is a three-time Paralympian for Team USA. She participated in Rio 2016, Beijing 2008, and Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. She won a bronze medal in the 2014 Copa Americas Cup, gold medals in both singles and doubles at the Rio 2007 Parapan American games, and was awarded the 2002 USTA Most Improved Female Player of the Year. To help adults and children with disabilities to participate in sports, Kaitlyn founded a non-profit organization called Parasport Flagstaff. She is also the head coach of the girl’s tennis team at Flagstaff High School. On the show, you’ll learn how Kaitlyn recovered from a life-changing incident as a child, how she rose up the ranks of the wheelchair tennis circuit, the differences between wheelchair tennis and the ATP/WTA tour, the ins and outs of using a wheelchair for sport, Kaitlyn’s training regimen, her pre-match routine, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Kaitlyn! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 125 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Dean Hollingworth, about movement, strength and explosive power. Dean has established himself as a highly regarded author, speaker, and fitness and performance consultant throughout his 25+ years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has worked with all levels of tennis players including ITF, ATP, and WTA players. Throughout the years of working with world-class athletes, including tennis players, Dean has gained a deep understanding of the requirements for the development of high performance players’ athleticism, balance, explosive power, mobility, flexibility, and bringing out the best in his students. He also created the fantastic Baselinepower video series to supercharge your movement skills. Dean is currently the Director of Fitness and sports performance at Club Sportif Cote-de-Liesse in Montréal. On the show, you’ll learn how to properly train your tennis fitness and where to start, how to develop explosive power from the ground up, some simple exercises that any competitive tennis player can do to improve their movement, fitness and endurance training tips, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Dean! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 124 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll hear clips of my interviews with several world class mental experts and tennis players about how to break through mental barriers and achieve your potential. This episode features Dr. Peter Scales, Jeff Salzenstein, Jeff Greenwald, Michael Russell, Fazal Syed, and yours truly. Special thanks to all my fantastic guests for sharing their knowledge and expertise about the mental game on the podcast. On the show, you’ll learn why removing your ego is essential for progress, how to make the right choice regardless of your past, mindset and character development tips, the importance of knowing your why’s, how to stay disciplined, why having a great mentor is crucial to a great career, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like the format, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 123 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with former ATP Pro Fazal Syed about what it takes to make it as a professional and have a long and successful career on tour. Fazal was ranked in the top 400 in singles, top 200 in doubles, and played Davis Cup for India. He was also a Bronze Medalist at the Asian Games and the #1 ranked junior in India. Fazal is a top notch instructor as well: he previously coached Mahesh Bhupathi and Martin Damm, who are both grand slam champions, and was awarded the USTA Middle States Pro of the Year.  Currently, he is the director of Level7Tennis and a faculty member at Tennis Congress.   On the show, you’ll learn how Fazal’s sheer determination and grit drove him to the upper echelons of the game, his transition from tennis in India to the US, how he managed to make the pro tour despite consistently training with players way below his level, his biggest takeaways from the pro tour, his thoughts on how to become a great tennis coach and much more! I hope you enjoyed my interview with Fazal! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 122 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with a former Division 1 college tennis player, academy owner, and founding and managing member of Arrowbar, Andrew Golub. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science Degree with a focus on Business Management from the University of Miami. He played tennis for 4 years at Miami after a stellar junior career ranked in the top 20 in the nation. After graduating, he started Golub Tennis, and more than 120 students in his program have received scholarships to different universities across the country.   Andrew co-founded Arrowbar which is a gluten-free and all-natural, high-performance energy bar. Tennis pros such as John Isner, Steve Johnson, and former podcast guests James Blake and Michael Russell are just a few big names that are ambassadors of Arrowbar.  I have also tried and really enjoy eating it before exercising! On the show, you’ll learn how Andrew started his tennis career, how he became one of the best junior players in the country, how he managed to balance tennis and his studies in school, what inspired him to create his own training center, the ins and outs of creating Arrowbar, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Andrew!  Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 121 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Michael Russell, former ATP Pro and current tennis coach, about the grittiest player in history. Michael reached a career-high of 60 in the world in August 2007. He has also coached many well-known tennis pros, including Frances Tiafoe, Ryan Harrison, Sam Querrey, Taylor Fritz, and Mackenzie McDonald through USTA Player Development. Michael played on tour for 17 years and retired after the US Open in 2015. He currently owns a private tennis coaching business, Michael Russell Tennis, in Houston. On the show, you’ll learn about Michael's unrelenting commitment to fitness, his stellar career as a junior, how he gained his first ATP point, his recovery routine after matches, key tips to improve your game, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Michael! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 120 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you’ll learn the 21 habits of winning tennis players. I have struggled for a long period of time with building the right habits, and this has motivated me to find out which ones are the most important from the top experts, professional players, and coaches on the planet and how to develop them. On the show, you’ll learn the importance of setting your intention before practice, self-discipline, continually challenging yourself through competition, understanding strategies that work best for your game, and much more. This episode will help you have a better understanding of the keys to being a successful tennis player (and person), and the most important habits you need to implement in your life.  I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like the format, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 119 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with fitness expert Nathan Martin about the fundamentals of tennis fitness.  Nathan Martin has worked on the ATP and WTA circuits since 1999, including as a head tennis trainer at the renowned Sanchez Casal tennis academy in Barcelona. He specializes in strengthening and conditioning tennis players. Together with his wife, Giselle Martin, they have successfully created a unique tennis fitness system at tennisfitness.com called the Martin Method. Nathan and Giselle have also developed a deep knowledge of how to produce elite female athletes through their partnership with the WTCA (Women Tennis Coaching Association). They have trained numerous legendary ATP and WTA pros such as Lleyton Hewitt, Martina Navratilova, Sam Stosur, Monica Seles, and Jennifer Capriati, while also developing new programs to improve amateur players' tennis fitness and empowering the next group of young players. On the show, you’ll learn the most important principles to level up your tennis fitness, the biggest mistakes tennis players make in the gym, the right set and rep scheme for power and strength workouts, the huge benefits of practicing yoga, the Martin Method, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nathan! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 118 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with South Korea’s Daniel Yoo, a former ATP Pro, about how his commitment to discipline and work ethic unlocked his dreams of becoming a professional tennis player. Daniel achieved career highs of 326 in singles and 425 in doubles in 2011. He was coached by Pierre Arnold, one of the top developmental coaches in the world. Daniel has won numerous pro titles and played against many of the game’s elite players on tour. On the show, you’ll learn about Daniel’s extreme dedication to tennis at a young age in Korea, his supernational tournament win as a junior, his experiences as a tennis pro, how he ended up practicing with Roger Federer for two weeks in Dubai, how entering the army affected his tennis career, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Daniel! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 117 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I am back to answering questions that I received from our fellow tennis players about playing against serve and volleyers and counterpunchers, maintaining fitness and improving movement, controlling power on our strokes, hitting faster serves and more! I routinely receive emails and messages on my social media accounts asking questions about how to level up, and I picked out eight of them to answer on the podcast today. I really enjoy receiving emails from the Tennis Files community and do my best to answer them all (even if it takes a little while!). I really appreciate all your questions because they will help a lot of passionate tennis players like you and me improve our games. Thanks again to every single one of you who has contacted me with your excellent questions! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like the format, let me know in the comments below so that I can do more Q&A episodes in the future! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files below to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Questions on today’s show: How to play against serve and volleyers - Dan How to play against counterpunchers - Dave (4.5) I have difficulty hitting a good forehand on the far right corner of the court after hitting a backhand from the left corner of the court. Is there a technique on how i should hold the racquet while I am running from the left corner to right corner to be able to hit the good forehand? Davy - 4.0 My strokes are great but my movement needs to be faster as I'm overweight. Other than slimming down, what can I do to get faster moving around the court and to get into ready position? Lots of times my opponents hit hard to the corner and I miss it since I can't run that fast. Thanks. - Danielle 4.0 Power with control - If i hit with power, then the ball goes out. - Anonymous Dear Mehrban - My son plays tennis U14. His problem is that he is afraid and loses focus and control especially in critical moments and situations. For example by Deuce and Advantage. He can not control his Game and loses the Game or the Set. How to strengthen the shoulders to get stronger and more power and therefore have stronger hits (Forehand, Backhand and Volley). Thanx - Osama Being an effective volleyer. - Dennis , 3.0 Power, form, and strength on my serve - Emma - 3.5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 116 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with the founder of Crunch Time Coaching, Peter Freeman, about how to break bad habits that are limiting you from reaching your true tennis potential. Pete has coached Division 1 college players, produced state level and national champions and been awarded the honor of USTA Georgia Pro of the year. He has coached under Tony Palafox, who was John McEnroe’s former coach, and Frank Brennan former Stanford University Coach who won 10 national titles. Pete is hosting an annual online tennis conference this October called Tennis Con 3! This awesome and free event features many of the best tennis coaches and names in the business (including yours truly!) that will teach you how to break bad habits so you can level up your tennis game. On the show, you’ll learn the keys to breaking bad tennis habits, our list of the biggest habits you need to fix in your game, the all-star list of coaches on Tennis Con 3, details about how and when you can sign up for free to watch the event, and much more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Peter Freeman! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below and be sure to join us for Tennis Con 3! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 115 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with former ATP Pro and current tennis coach, Todd Widom, about how he has been able to develop elite junior players in a non-academy setting. Todd is a former Top 200 ATP Professional and 18-and under Super National champion. At the University of Miami, he became a two-time All-American, and now he is the owner of TW Tennis, which is South Florida’s top small group/private tennis training that is geared exclusively for high performance tennis players. On the show, you’ll learn what type of environment Todd trained in as a junior, what traits and skills he developed to become a top junior and professional player, his biggest accomplishments in his tennis career, the keys to training top juniors in a non academy setting, his personal advice to help you improve your game, and much more. I hope you enjoy my interview with Todd! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 114 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with journalist and podcast host Nina Pantic about how she transitioned from an elite tennis player to a career in the world of tennis media. Nina is the associate editor for Tennis Magazine and Tennis.com, and the managing editor of Baseline, which provides daily tennis news with a spin.   She also co-hosts the Tennis.com Podcast Inside the Tour alongside Irina Falconi on the Tennis Channel Podcast Network.  Nina played college tennis for UCLA and achieved career high WTA rankings of 530 in singles and 488 in doubles.  After playing an elite level of competitive tennis, Nina decided to pursue her passion for journalism and managed to combine it with the sport she’s played all her life: tennis.  In other words, Nina has found a way to live the dream!  It was great to meet her at the US Open last month and I'm really glad we were able to make this interview happen. On the show, you’ll learn how Nina developed into a top ranked junior, what she thinks of home schooling when pursuing a professional career, the difficulties of making a living on the tour, how she became a journalist, what it’s like to work for Tennis Magazine, the highs and lows of working in tennis media, key tips to improve your tennis game, and more! I hope you enjoy my interview with Nina! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 113 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with legendary coach Nick Bollettieri about how to achieve your dreams and help those around you reach their true potential. Nick has over 60 years of unrivaled experienced coaching the world’s best tennis players. He founded the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where he has worked with such players as Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, Serena and Venus Williams, Mary Pierce, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, Marcelo Rios, Kei Nishikori, and Boris Becker, just to name a few :) Nick also co-founded the nonprofit fitness camp, Camp Kaizen with his wife Cindi. He writes for tennis magazine as an instruction editor and has been featured in tv series and documentary films. Nick is also a very accomplished author, having written numerous books, including Bollettieri’s Tennis Handbook, My Aces My Faults, and a recent Biography entitled Bollettieiri - Changing the Game. On top of all this, Nick was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame and told me that he has been inducted into 12 others as well. On the show we cover the mindset you must have to achieve your goals, why every top performer has a great team behind that person, why you must get to know your students if you want to help them reach their true potential, Nick’s exercise routine at 88 years old, and much more! Nick also has a new book coming out soon and read us a preview of one of the chapters on the podcast! Nick has teamed up with Tennis Channel to produce the book and I’ll be sure to give you a heads up when it is available! I am really pleased that Nick and his manager Steve made this interview happen so quickly after the Open, and I look forward to doing a part two, Q&A style! I hope you enjoy this podcast episode! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 112 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with WTA Tour coach and tennis analyst Marc Lucero about how he went from law-school dropout to coaching and commentating at the highest levels of the game.   Marc currently coaches WTA Pro Shelby Rogers, who has been ranked as high as 48 in the world.  He has also worked with a slew of elite world-ranked players such as  Sam Querrey, Eugenie Bouchard, Ryan Harrison, Nicole Gibbs and Alison Riske.  Marc is a solid player himself, having played Division I tennis at Boston College. On top of coaching professional tennis players, Marc founded RAMP Tennis, a tennis training program for junior players.  And he co-founded First Break, a 501 c3 non-profit tennis academy for all levels and age groups in Los Angeles.  Marc and I also have something in common (besides our dashing good looks :) ): he also attended law school, although for only a year before choosing to become a full time tennis coach. On the show we cover how Marc was able to quickly rise through the coaching ranks by taking advantage of opportunities and surrounding himself with the right people, key tips to help you improve your game, financial arrangements between coaches and players, what it's like for both parties when the relationship ends, the ups and downs of coaching on the tour, and more! I am really glad that I met Marc at the Citi Taste of Tennis event in DC and that we made this interview happen a couple months later!  I hope you enjoy this podcast episode!  Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 111 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with WTA Pro Alexandra Mueller about her rise to the pro tour at a young age, singles and doubles tips to improve your game, the ups and downs of life on the tour, and more! Alex has been ranked as high as 280 in singles and 130 in doubles on the tour, and her current doubles partner is Sophie Chang, who was a guest of the podcast way back on Episode 15!  I watched both Sophie and Alex play at last year's Citi Open, and you'll learn why "Sophlex" makes such a great team, among many other things, during my chat with Alex. Alex turned pro at the very young age of 15, yet she has managed to play on tour for another 16+ years and has racked up 7 singles and 21 doubles titles along the way!  I particularly found her advice for how to stay passionate and excited about the game super helpful and inspiring.   If you're looking to improve your game, learn a lot of fantastic advice from a WTA pro, and maybe even laugh at a few puns from both of us, then you won't want to miss this episode with Alex! :O) I hope you enjoy this podcast episode!  Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 110 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I discuss the five biggest mistakes that I've made throughout my tennis career.  If I could pick five of the most impactful choices on my game, take a time machine, and change them, it would be the ones that I talk about on this episode.  It wasn't easy to admit some of these mistakes for you to hear, but I think it's really important to talk about not only your successes, but also your low points so that you can reflect, refine, and improve! These mistakes touch on really important concepts like the fear of failure and seeking long-term gains instead of short-terms wins.  I hope that by revealing these suboptimal choices, it will help you make the right choice when you are faced with a similar situation. I also talk about my awesome experience at this year's U.S. Open, including the matches I watched, really cool people that I met (shout out to Andi and Nina!), and even a lost credit card story (oops!).  I also highly encourage you to check out The Tennis Channel Podcast Network, at: http://tnns.co/podcasts.  I am really proud to be a part of this super talented group of tennis podcasters! I hope you enjoy this solo podcast episode with yours truly and find it helpful! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 109 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pros Donald Young and Marcelo Melo about their greatest lessons learned on tour, what makes them world-class athletes, and keys tips to play your best tennis.  I interviewed Donald and Marcelo a few weeks ago at the Citi Open and combined these relatively short (for my podcast interview standards!) interviews together.  And after each interview, I recap the key takeaways and give my take on what each of these pros discussed​. I am also really proud to announce that The Tennis Files Podcast has joined The Tennis Channel Podcast Network! It is truly an honor to be a part of it. TC's podcast network just launched this past Sunday (August 25) with a fantastic lineup for every type of tennis fan that you can check out at: http://tnns.co/podcasts.  I am really stoked to be a part of this super talented group of tennis podcasters! Speaking of talent, you've probably heard about Donald and Marcelo.  Donald has been ranked as high as #38 in the world, and was a former junior world #1.  Marcelo has been on top of the doubles tour numerous times, notching over 500 career wins (the day that I interviewed him was his 500th victory!) and two grand slam doubles titles (French Open and Wimbledon).  On today’s episode, you’ll learn the step by step recovery methods of both players, the most valuable lessons they've learned on the tour, how to consistently get to bed on time despite so many distractions and electronics around us, how to find the right doubles partner, how to come back from injuries and low points in your career, the most important character traits of successful competitive tennis players, and much more! I hope you enjoy this podcast episode with Donald and Marcelo and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 108 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro and former UVA Ace Treat Huey about how he was able to make a successful comeback from tough injuries sustained while on tour, his greatest lessons learned as a collegiate and professional player, and key doubles tips for your tennis game.  I first interviewed Treat on Episode 7 of the podcast, over 100 episodes ago! Treat has a very impressive tennis resume. He reached the semifinals of the 2016 Wimbledon men’s doubles with Max Mirnyi and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open men's doubles twice (2014, 2016).  He also reached the semifinals of the 2016 Australian Open mixed doubles tournament with Andreja Klepac. And Treat reached the men’s doubles quarterfinals of the 2013 US Open,  Treat is a friend of mine who I met while playing junior tournaments in the Mid-Atlantic section. He is a talented athlete with a wicked lefty-serve and world-class volleys.  Treat’s passion for tennis and mental fortitude has made him one of the most versatile doubles players on tour. He has played numerous Davis Cup matches for the Philippines, and was also ranked #4 in college in singles, behind John Isner, University of Virginia teammate Somdev Devvaarman, and Kevin Anderson. On today’s episode, you’ll learn how Treat faced one of the most difficult stretches of his career in 2018, why he decided against surgery, how he was able to enjoy time away from the game, why Treat loves exercising with bands, his favorite doubles plays, a fantastic tip for having solid volleys, his key tip to improve your tennis game, and much more! I hope you enjoy this podcast episode with Treat and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 107 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP Pro and UVA standout Thai-Son Kwiatkowski about how he got into tennis, lessons learned in college and on the tour, and key tips for your tennis game.    Thai is a very accomplished tennis player and champion. He won the 2017 NCAA Championship singles title and was on three national championship UVA teams. Thai tied his school's single season wins record, going 44-8 in his sophomore season. He also participated in the 2017 US Open after his NCAA singles title, and went 5 sets with Mischa Zverev in the first round. Thai turned pro that year and is currently ranked a career best 201 on the ATP Tour.    On today’s episode, you’ll learn how Thai got his start playing tennis, why he kept playing even after four consecutive 6-0 6-0 losses, his most valuable lessons learned in college and on the ATP Tour, why he took out a loan to start his pro career, financial advice for tennis players, a key tip to improve your game, and more!    It was really fantastic to have Thai speak about his journey to the pro tour on the podcast. I interviewed him at the Citi Open after he qualified for the main draw and couldn’t have been more impressed by his demeanor and outlook for the game.    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode with Thai and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 106 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach and positive youth development expert Dr. Peter Scales about the keys to improving our mental and emotional abilities so that we can become better tennis players. Dr. Scales has written a fantastic new book, Mental and Emotional Training for Tennis, which dives into the top principles we must develop in our junior players so that they can not only be great tennis players, but also great people. Dr. Scales is the head JV tennis coach for girls and boys at Parkway South High in Manchester Missouri, and has been there since 2008. He received his Doctorate in child and family studies from Syracuse University. Dr. Scales is also a USPTA-certified tennis teaching pro and is certified as a Double-Goal Coach by the Positive Coaching Alliance. He is internationally recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on positive youth development, has conducted research studies in more than 30 countries, and published more than 200 scholarly articles chapters and books. On the show, you'll learn the three critical pillars to mentally and emotionally developing a great tennis player, the importance of improving vs. winning, how note taking will take your game to the next level, why you should feel more during matches instead of thinking, and much more! I hope you enjoy this podcast episode about mental and emotional training for tennis with Dr. Scales and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it by leaving a review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 105 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with dietician Jeff Rothschild about different types of diets and which ones are the best and worst for competitive tennis players    Jeff is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with a Master’s degree in Nutritional Science. Jeff’s clients include Mike Bryan, Stefan Kozlov, and James Valentine from Maroon 5. He has also worked with other elite ATP and NCAA tennis players, endurance athletes, boxers, swimmers, and a number of touring musicians at TriFit in Santa Monica, CA.    It was great to have Jeff back on the podcast to talk about how food affects your body and why certain diets are good for tennis players while others aren't conducive to performing your best on the court.    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode about the best diet for your tennis game with Jeff and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 104 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll hear my top 10 tips for surviving and thriving in the extreme heat when you're playing tennis matches    Recently temperatures have reached around 100 degrees and tennis players worldwide have been suffering in the heat. That's why I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about my favorite tips that I've learned and implemented successfully to allow me to perform optimally, even in the face of record-breaking high temperatures.    Do you know your sweat rate? How about the maximum amount of liquid you can absorb per hour? You'll learn about this, along with my 10 most effective tips for dealing with extreme heat on this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast!    If you're playing in a hot climate and want to perform at your best, then you won't want to miss this episode!    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode and find it helpful! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 103 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Tennis Express Playtester and Content Writer Sam Jones about the ins and outs of testing the latest tennis gear.    Sam has tested and reviewed hundreds of racquets, strings, shoes, and other tennis gear throughout his career with Tennis Express. Playtesters are super helpful to the tennis industry because they are among the first to get their hands on, test, and share their thoughts on the latest tennis gear and equipment. Often we use reviews online to guide our purchasing decisions, so cheers to a big shout out to all the tennis playtesters out there!    In addition to his experience in the tennis industry, Sam was a 4 year member of The Southwestern University Men’s Tennis Team (2001-2005), and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. He achieved All-SCAC (southern collegiate athletic conference) status his senior year, and then began a 10+ year coaching career. Sam was also certified as a Master Racquet Technician in 2011. He has always been fascinated by new string and racquet technologies, and how they can help players improve their games and avoid injury.    On this episode, we discuss what it is like to be a playtester, the ins and outs of his unique job, how you can become a playtester, his advice for how to choose the best racquet and strings for your game, and much more!    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode about the life of a playtester with Sam and find it helpful! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 102 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I explain step by step the different equipment and accesories that you need to record your tennis matches.    Recording your matches, practice sessions, and stroke mechanics is hands down one of the best way to improve your game. The only way to improve is by knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and often we have weaknesses that we never know about unless we watch ourselves on camera.    I walk through the different types of recording devices and accessories you can use, their pros, cons, cost, specific product suggestions, and my recommended full setup for recording yourself playing tennis.    But don't just listen to this episode; take action and start recording and watching yourself play! Trust me, you'll see things you didn't expect and will wish you started recording yourself way earlier in your career.    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode and find it helpful! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 101 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Greg Rose, the co-founder of The Titliest Performance Institute and founder of RacquetFit, about how we can reach peak athletic performance.    Greg specializes in assessing and treating athletes, 3-dimensional biomechanics, strength and conditioning, manual therapy, rehabilitation and therapeutic exercises. Throughout the past 23+ years, Greg has helped thousands of athletes of all skill levels greatly improve their flexibility, mobility, strength, speed, power, and athletic prowess.    Greg is a Board certified Doctor of Chiropractic and holds an engineering degree from the University of Maryland (go Maryland!). He has combined an engineering background with an expertise on the human body to help pioneer the field of analyzing 3-dimensional motion capture models of the golf swing. Then Greg brought what he learned over to the tennis world through RacquetFit. Pretty impressive stuff!    He has worked with countless amateurs and professional athletes in golf (ever heard of Rory McIlroy?), tennis, football, and many other sports and I am really grateful that Greg spent his time educating us about how we can improve our tennis games by becoming better athletes on the podcast.    On this episode, you'll learn the difference between flexibility and mobility, why it is crucial to understand your body's physical abilities and limitations when working on your strokes, advice on creating the right fitness routine for you, and much more!    I hope you enjoy this podcast interview episode with Greg! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is a very special one! We are celebrating 100 episodes of The Tennis Files Podcast with a mega episode featuring several of my most favorite interviews over the years on the podcast!    I have learned so much from my podcast guests over the years, and wish I could have included every one of them on this episode......but I knew that 100 hours in one episode might be a bit too much :O)    Here's the list of tennis experts, coaches, and players you'll hear from in this special 100th episode of The Tennis Files Podcast:    Dr. Mark Kovacs (Episode 33)  Paul Annacone (Episode 83)  Jeff Salzenstein (Episode 74)  Will Hamilton (Episode 91)  James Blake (Episode 96)  Peter Freeman (Episode 70)  Ian Westermann (Episode 61)  Gigi Fernandez (Episode 59)  Allistair McCaw (Episode 54)  Jamie Loeb (Episode 66)    I really hope you enjoy this 100th episode celebratory podcast episode that I put together for you!    Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! :O)    Thanks for all your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 99 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with mental performance expert Badri Narayanan about how we can use technology to boost our mental game so we can win more tennis matches.    Badri is a Sports Psychologist Consultant and Mental Conditioning coach for players on the ATP and WTA Tours and the USTA circuit. He is also a certified Neurolinguistic practitioner, and specializes in using relaxation response and progressive relaxation methods to prime the body and mind in the optimal state for performance.    Badri has over 16 years of experience in sports psychology and mental conditioning, and also works with other top-level athletes including Formula One and Cricketeers.    The mental game is often ignored in favor of technique and strategy, but in order to achieve our true tennis potential, we need to get better at this very important and essential facet of the game! That's why I really enjoyed speaking with a fantastic mental game expert like Badri on this episode of the podcast!    I hope you enjoy this podcast interview episode with Badri! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below!    And get ready to celebrate a very special Episode 100 of The Tennis Files Podcast next week!!! :O) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 98 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with legendary coach Rick Macci about the most important principles for developing rock-solid technique on our strokes.    Rick has coached five number one players: Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick, and Maria Sharapova, as well as hundreds of world class professionals. He has guided his players to a combined 247+ USTA National Championships since 1985, and is widely regarded as one of the best tennis coaches of all time. Rick is also the founder of Rick Macci Tennis Academy, and is a highly sought out motivational speaker, clinician, and author.     On this episode, Rick discusses his philosophy on developing biomechanically-sound technique, gives us simple yet super-effective technique tips, and explains some huge mistakes in our technique that, if fixed, will supercharge your efficiency and power. I particularly love the power leak Rick mentions for the serve in the interview (I won't spoil it for you, you'll have to tune in to find out! :O) ).    I hope you enjoy this podcast interview episode with Rick! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 97 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I discuss why it is so critical to understand our body's physical limitations and talk about some really helpful principles that I learned at a RacquetFit seminar that I attended recently.     Many players think they can just copy the exact strokes of the pros and hit shots like Federer, but unfortunately it isn't that simple....    We have to know our body's capabilities to achieve our true tennis potential, and this is what RacquetFit is all about. My mind was blown by what I learned at the RacquetFit seminar, and to say that I really enjoyed both learning about the body-tennis connection, taking a deep dive into the serve and meeting so many fantastic people at the event would be an understatement.    Several of the best tennis coaches and experts on the planet and podcast/summit guests such as Jeff Salzenstein, Dr. Sean Drake, Dr. Greg Rose, and Dr. Mark Kovacs are teaching the world about RacquetFit and bringing advancements from other sports to our game.     On this episode, I'll give you the inside scoop on the most important principles I learned at the RacquetFit seminar and why RacquetFit is going to change the way we coach and learn the game.    I hope you enjoy this podcast episode! Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with former ATP world #4 James Blake about how he used preparation, planning, and visualization to propel himself to the top of the rankings. I feel very fortunate and proud to say that this is the second time I've interviewed James (first interview here) and it was another fantastic experience.    I interviewed James a couple weeks ago during a livestream session on Tennis Summit 2019, which was the third edition of my annual online conference tennis conference. James is a very intelligent, insightful, and super nice guy, and I know you will really learning how you can apply what James learned throughout his career to your game.    You'll also here James talk about an amazing product called CrampsAway that has helped him, along with a ton of players on the pro tour and countless other professional athletes get rid of cramps almost immediately.    James has amassed 10 singles titles, appeared in 24 singles finals, and beaten some of the greatest tennis players in the world, including Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, and Andy Roddick. One of the things that stood out the most about James to me was his class on the court.     When my dad and I used to watch James play in DC at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic (now the Citi Open), he would thank the ballkids every time they gave him tennis balls or fetched him a towel. James also had one of the biggest forehands on tour, which he used to propel himself up the ranks into the top 5 of the ATP Tour.    And a big shout out to Jack Little from CrampsAway for making this interview happen! Jack and his team also set up a special deal where you can get 20% off CrampsAway by clicking here and using the code FILES20.     I hope you enjoyed my interview with James! Let us know what you think about it in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I put together a preview of three more sessions from the summit on pro tactics, the critical principles that you need to level up your game, and how to crush short forehands from world class coaches Paul Annacone, Edgar Giffenig, and Brady Hiete.    The biggest online (and free!) tennis conference of the year is now open for registration and is starting in less than a week! After four months of hard work, I’m proud to announce the third edition of this annual event: Tennis Summit 2019!    The objective of Tennis Summit 2019 is to help you win more tennis matches. From May 14-19, you’ll be able to watch presentations and interviews from 30+ world-class coaches on your computer and smartphone. And you can get a free ticket to watch all the sessions!    Paul Annacone (coach of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Tim Henman), 17-time grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez, Rick Macci (legendary coach of the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati, and Andy Roddick, among many others), sports performance expert and iTPA/Kovacs Institute founder Dr. Mark Kovacs, performance consultant and founder of the McCaw Method, Allistair McCaw, and many more will be presenting this year.    I hope you enjoy this preview of the Tennis Summit 2019 sessions, and be sure to get your free ticket to the summit here (you'll also get a free kick serve course with your free ticket)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I put together a preview of four sessions from the summit on doubles strategy, mental game advice, singles strategy, and key tips on the optimal diet for tennis from Ian Westermann, Allistair McCaw, Sarah Stone, and Jeff Rothschild.    The biggest online (and free!) tennis conference of the year is now open for registration! After four months of hard work, I’m proud to announce the third edition of this annual event: Tennis Summit 2019!    The objective of Tennis Summit 2019 is to help you win more tennis matches. From May 14-19, you’ll be able to watch presentations and interviews from 30+ world-class coaches on your computer and smartphone. And you can get a free ticket to watch all the sessions!    Paul Annacone (coach of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Tim Henman), 17-time grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez, Rick Macci (legendary coach of the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati, and Andy Roddick, among many others), sports performance expert and iTPA/Kovacs Institute founder Dr. Mark Kovacs, performance consultant and founder of the McCaw Method, Allistair McCaw, and many more will be presenting this year.    I hope you enjoy this preview of the Tennis Summit 2019 sessions, and be sure to get your free ticket to the summit here (you'll also get a free kick serve course with your free ticket)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest online (and free!) tennis conference of the year is now open for registration! After four months of hard work, I’m proud to announce on the podcast that I’ll be hosting the third edition of this annual event: Tennis Summit 2019!    The objective of Tennis Summit 2019 is to help you win more tennis matches. From May 14-19, you’ll be able to watch presentations and interviews from 30+ world-class coaches on your computer and smartphone. And you can get a free ticket to watch all the sessions!    On today’s episode of TFP, I explain how the summit works, preview the awesome lineup of coaches and experts, each day's themes, and the session topics.     Paul Annacone (coach of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Tim Henman), 17-time grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez, Rick Macci (legendary coach of the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati, and Andy Roddick, among many others), sports performance expert and iTPA/Kovacs Institute founder Dr. Mark Kovacs, performance consultant and founder of the McCaw Method, Allistair McCaw, and many more will be presenting this year.    I hope you enjoy this preview of Tennis Summit 2019, and be sure to get your free ticket to the summit here (you'll also get a free kick serve course with your free ticket)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 92 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I walk step by step through my morning routine, why you should have one, and how it can supercharge your tennis game. I used to feel like I was walking through a fog the entire day like a zombie, until I learned about morning routines three years ago. After some trial and error, I finally found the right routine that maximizes my productivity and well-being, and I figured it was time to share it with you on the podcast. By waking up as little as 30 minutes earlier in the morning and having a consistent routine, you can work on your priorities, be more calm throughout the day, have more physical and mental energy, and much more! I really hope you enjoy this solo podcast episode about my morning routine and how it can supercharge your tennis game (and your life). If you have any questions about my morning routine, leave a comment below and/or email me at [email protected]. And let me know what you think about this episode too, I'd really appreciate it! Tennis Summit 2019 is right around the corner (May 14, 2019) so look out for more information on that soon! Subscribe to my newsletter below to receive automatic updates and tips to improve your tennis game! Cheers to many fantastic future mornings ahead! :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 91 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Will Hamilton from Fuzzy Yellow Balls about the top lessons he's learned from working with the greatest tennis players and coaches on the planet. I previously interviewed Will on my tennis summit and decided to bring our conversation to the podcast so that you could discover these game-changing secrets from the legends of tennis to help accelerate your tennis progress. Will co-founded Fuzzy Yellow Balls, one of the biggest and most well-known online tennis instructional websites on the planet. Will has partnered with many of the game's best players and coaches to produce instructional courses, including Patrick Rafter, Bob and Mike Bryan, Gigi Fernandez, Craig O'Shannessy, Dr. Mark Kovacs, and Feisal Hassan. I also consider Will a good friend of mine. I've been very fortunate to practice and hang out with Will many times (including the day before this episode was published) over the past couple of years. He is a great dude and you should definitely check out all the awesome content he and his team create over at Fuzzy Yellow Balls. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Will! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 90 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I walk through 5 of my favorite doubles plays that you should use to disrupt your opponent's rhythm and take control of matches. Maybe you've heard of some or all of these plays, but it is clear to me that not enough of you are using them to get the upper hand against your opponents. Most amateur players play the traditional formations and never switch sides or vary their positions on the court. This enables your opponents to get into a rhythm on the returns and serve. Now imagine facing a team where you never know which side of the court the net player and server will be. Doesn't that sound a lot tougher to deal with? If you're a doubles player or want to learn more about winning doubles plays and why to use them, then this is the podcast episode for you! I really hope you enjoy this solo podcast episode about my 5 favorite doubles plays to seize control of matches! Let me know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 89 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Johan Kriek about his epic battles against the legends of the game, his grand slam titles, and the secrets to a world class tennis serve. I previously interviewed Johan on one of my tennis summits and wanted to bring our conversation to the podcast so that you could learn how to improve your game from a grand slam champ.    Johan reached an all-time high ranking of Number 7 in the world on the ATP Tour. He won two Australian Opens, was a semi-finalist at the US Open, reached the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. In total, Johan won 14 professional singles and 8 doubles titles during his illustrious career.     Johan's most memorable wins include victories over Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg. He is also the founder of Johan Kriek Tennis Academy at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.    I really hope you enjoy my interview with Johan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!    Show Notes:    The critical importance of the serve on the pro tour (and at all levels of the game)  Technical changes and adjustments Johan made to his serve during his career  The grip that Johan recommends on the serve  The benefits of the classic vs. abbreviated motion on the serve  How to use your legs to hit a more powerful serve  Classic battles with the legends of tennis  A key tip to help you improve your game  and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 88 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Milan Krnjetin about his journey from a junior player in Serbia to practices with Djokovic, Kyrgios, Jankovic and many more of the very best players on the planet! We also discuss his fantastic content he is producing as the owner and founder of TENFITMEN.    Milan's online platform, TENFITMEN stands for Tennis Fitness Mental. His hometown is Novi Sad, Serbia, and he was ranked #2 in Serbia in the 18s division. Milan eventually came to the U.S. and played college tennis for Auburn University (top 25 program in the country).    Milan also played in professional leagues and on the ATP Tour, where he reached a ranking of 1256 in the world. That is no easy feat, and Milan eventually took a huge opportunity to be a hitting partner and coach for such players as Jelena Jankovic and Jovana Jaksic.    Milan has also worked with high performance juniors in tennis academies around the world. He now has fantastic content and a great YouTube Channel which details his practices with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Kevin Anderson, Alex de Minaur, Hyeon Chung, and most recently Nick Kyrgios, along with great tips to improve your game.    I have really enjoyed watching Milan's videos and figured he would be a great guest for the podcast. My hunch was definitely spot on, I'd say 🙂    I really hope you enjoy my interview with Milan! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!    Show Notes:    3 things most of the world doesn't know about Milan Krnjetin  Hardships he faced during the war in Serbia as a child  Competing against Novak during the junior tournament days  Milan's biggest obstacles and successes while playing in college and on the pro tour  Doubts that Milan has about not being able to play well enough when practicing with top pros and how he overcomes them  The most pivotal moments of Milan's tennis career  A normal practice day with the pros  The most relaxed and intense players he's practiced with  Why Milan created TENFITMEN  A key tip to help you improve your game  and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 87 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Franklin Tiafoe about his tennis career and close relationship with his brother and top 35 ranked pro Frances Tiafoe. I first met Franklin at the Citi Open player party last summer and am really glad he made time to speak with me on the podcast! Franklin played #1 singles and doubles at DeMatha High School in Maryland, my homestate! He is currently training with a private coach at the USTA National Tennis Center in Orlando, Florida to prepare for Men's Opens and eventually pro tournaments. The younger of the two brothers, Franklin has an extremely close relationship with Frances, and when they are not on the road together (which is the norm these days), the Tiafoe brothers Facetime, live stream, or whatever the cool kids call it these days, to keep their relationship strong and pick each other up during tougher moments in their careers. On this episode, we discuss Franklin's journey from a young junior player at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, to his training sessions at the USTA National Tennis Center, his plans for making a run on the pro tour, how his brother Frances was able to reach the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open, their biggest influences growing up, key tips to improve your tennis game, and many other interesting topics that you won't want to miss! I really hope you enjoy my interview with Franklin! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Franklin's 1st memory of hitting a tennis ball Three things most of the world doesn't know about Franklin Tiafoe Hardships Franklin and his brother Frances faced as junior tennis players His strong relationships growing up with Frances The coaches that had the greatest impact on Franklin and Frances (one was my college tennis teammate!) The financial burdens of playing tennis The best piece of advice that Franklin has received from his coaches A typical day of training at the USTA National Tennis Center in Orlando How Frances broke through to reach the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open, and why Franklin was not surprised with the result What Franklin has learned from Frances that he applies to his own game A key tip to improve your tennis game.....and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 85 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Bill Kellogg about how he has transformed tennis clubs into hugely successful programs, and his incredible experiences both playing and contributing to the advancement of tennis by wearing many different hats in the industry. Bill is the President of La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, which has been designated a Top 25 Tennis Resort by Tennis Resorts Online. He was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2017, alongside such legends as Rod Laver, Bobby Riggs, Debbie Graham, Ken Stuart, and Stella-Sampras Webster. Bill has competed in pro level tournaments, played #1 for Dartmouth College, and participated in the NCAA Championships Bill also serves as a Sectional Delegate of the Southern California Tennis Association, and was a longtime member of the International Advisory Council of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and was also previously a Director at Large for the USTA (Audit Committee). He even served as a linesman and chair umpire at Wimbledon....a pretty well-rounded career indeed :) On this episode, we discuss Bill's highly successful competitive tennis career, how he went from thinking he'd be an engineer to running multiple highly successful tennis clubs, his many roles in tennis, and much more. Bill learned by doing, from accounting to gardening, hiring to marketing, and everything in between. And the great thing about Bill is that he truly loves the game and continues to keep himself involved in numerous positions within tennis to help advance the game. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Bill! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Becoming a linesman and chair umpire for Wimbledon during the same year that Bill played pro tournaments Going from a degree in engineering science to managing multiple highly successful tennis clubs How Bill learned to do just about every aspect of running a tennis club Bill's advice for managing and sustaining successful tennis programs How he and his family have kept La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club running strong for over 90 years Bill's experience supporting and marketing for Davis and Fed Cup matches His thoughts on the changes to Davis Cup What USTA and other organizations need to do to improve the state of tennis in the US and grow the game The message Bill would write on a huge billboard for all to see A key tip to help you improve your tennis game....and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 85 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Bill Kellogg about how he has transformed tennis clubs into hugely successful programs, and his incredible experiences both playing and contributing to the advancement of tennis by wearing many different hats in the industry. Bill is the President of La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, which has been designated a Top 25 Tennis Resort by Tennis Resorts Online. He was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2017, alongside such legends as Rod Laver, Bobby Riggs, Debbie Graham, Ken Stuart, and Stella-Sampras Webster. Bill has competed in pro level tournaments, played #1 for Dartmouth College, and participated in the NCAA Championships Bill also serves as a Sectional Delegate of the Southern California Tennis Association, and was a longtime member of the International Advisory Council of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and was also previously a Director at Large for the USTA (Audit Committee). He even served as a linesman and chair umpire at Wimbledon....a pretty well-rounded career indeed :) On this episode, we discuss Bill's highly successful competitive tennis career, how he went from thinking he'd be an engineer to running multiple highly successful tennis clubs, his many roles in tennis, and much more. Bill learned by doing, from accounting to gardening, hiring to marketing, and everything in between. And the great thing about Bill is that he truly loves the game and continues to keep himself involved in numerous positions within tennis to help advance the game. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Bill! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Becoming a linesman and chair umpire for Wimbledon during the same year that Bill played pro tournaments Going from a degree in engineering science to managing multiple highly successful tennis clubs How Bill learned to do just about every aspect of running a tennis club Bill's advice for managing and sustaining successful tennis programs How he and his family have kept La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club running strong for over 90 years Bill's experience supporting and marketing for Davis and Fed Cup matches His thoughts on the changes to Davis Cup What USTA and other organizations need to do to improve the state of tennis in the US and grow the game The message Bill would write on a huge billboard for all to see A key tip to help you improve your tennis game....and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 84 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Tim Bainton about how he persevered through many hardships and obstacles to become an extremely well-known and highly sought out expert in the tennis industry. ​Tim is the Founder for all Blue Chip Sports Management (BCSM), is certified at the highest professional levels, including being a USTA High Performance Coach and a USPTA P1 and Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Professional, and is the youngest person to hold a Merit Rating of 5A from PTR. On this episode, we speak about Tim's coaching journey, from barely making ends meet to running a multi-million dollar sports management company, how to improve tennis and get more people into the game, tips to help improve your tennis game, marketing and selling yourself, creating lasting networks to help your life, and much more! If you are interested in learning more about perseverance, determination, thinking outside the box for solutions, making connections, and how to improve your career and tennis game, you won't want to miss this podcast episode with Tim! I really hope you enjoy my interview with Tim! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Why Tim is so passionate about tennis and improving the state of the tennis industry Tim's epic journey from a no-name tennis coach to one of the most recognizable instructors and industry experts in the game Favorite resources - books/videos/sites/podcasts to help tennis coaches with their careers? Top three conferences for tennis coaches and/or players to attend Tips for marketing tennis and boosting its growth The importance of data analyzation and understanding your business metrics when it comes to sustaining viable tennis clubs Why Blue Chip Sports Management was created and how it helps the tennis industry The message Tim would write on a huge billboard for all to see A key tip to help you improve your tennis game....and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 83 of the podcast, Paul Annacone shares the championship habits and characteristics of the greatest players in the world that he's coached, including Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Tim Henman. I spoke with Paul about the secrets to his career success on the tour, and why Roger, Pete, and Tim were able to win grand slams and achieve top rankings on the last Tennis Summit that I previously hosted, and it was voted one of the most favorite sessions of the event. That's why I decided to bring the audio of that session to this episode's podcast to help you learn the insights from one of the best tennis coaches, and nicest people, on the planet! Paul guided Federer to two straight year-end championships in 2010 and 2011, a return to the World no. 1 ranking, and his seventh Wimbledon Championship. He also led Sampras to 7 grand slam titles. Paul was a world-class player as well, reaching #12 in the world in singles and #3 in doubles. He won the Australian Open doubles title in 1985, reached the Wimbledon singles Quarterfinals, and won 3 singles and 14 doubles titles Paul also recently published a fantastic book called Coaching for Life, where Paul talks about his experiences with the great champions he has coached to give readers a how-to blueprint on overcoming challenges and succeeding both on the court and in life. You can check out Paul's website at paulannacone.com. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Paul! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: The top habits and characteristics of Federer, Sampras, Henman, and Annacone ​How Henman was able to bounce back from the toughest stretch of his career The importance of routines and how they helped the top players How Sampras and Federer are able to maintain laser focus for so long on the tour Federer's evolution during his legendary career A key tip to help us improve our tennis games Why adaptation and openness to learning is crucial to your tennis development Planning for long-term success in your career, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 82 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Sean Drake about RacquetFit and the Body-Tennis connection. Dr. Drake is a world-class sports performance and medical expert who has an incredible amount of experience at the highest levels working with and treating both amateur and professional athletes in numerous sports, such as tennis, golf, and motorcross. I first met Dr. Drake at the World Tennis Fitness Conference in Atlanta, Georgia last year, and really enjoyed his exercise demonstrations. They were really eye opening and I walked away from it very inspired to learn more about how our body functions and its impact on our tennis games. And I'm really happy and pleased that Dr. Drake made some time in his scheduled to speak with me on the podcast. Dr. Drake has an extensive resume. He is the Vice President of RacquetFit, and has a Masters in Sports Health Science with an emphasis in Sports Injury Management. Dr. Drake also has a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University in Atlanta (which is where the iTPA World Tennis Fitness Congress has been held the past several years). He holds numerous additional professional certifications including Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) from the American Academy of Chiropractic Sports Physicians, Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and a Graston Technique Certification. Dr. Drake also specializes in performance for athletes, runs multiple chiropractic clinics, and has been the Medical Director for the UCI BMX Supercross World Cups and Nitro Circus World Games. Phew, that's a a lot of awesome experience! On this episode, Dr. Drake gives us a ton of great advice on how players and coaches alike can improve their knowledge in the arena of sports performance and injury prevention, and how learning RacquetFit's principles can take your game and coaching skills to the next level. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Dr. Drake (he probably wished I called him Sean in this post, but I feel extra respectful today :) )! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Biggest concerns when watching amateur tennis players play and train The most common injuries or potential injuries that amateur tennis players are prone to, and tips to avoid them Advice for tennis players to increase their mobility and how much we should train our mobility How to decide if a player, who has physical limitations, should be working on those limitations (i.e. get more flexible/mobile) versus changing their technique or strategy to work around those limitations What is RacquetFit and how can it help coaches and players improve their knowledge of the game The importance of the body-tennis connection RacquetFit’s organization and the world-class team behind it Upcoming RacquetFit seminars and trainings Three books Dr. Drake would gift to a friend to help them become more fit Favorite apps Dr. Drake suggests for coaches and players The message that Dr. Drake would write on a huge billboard for everyone to see A key tip to help you improve your tennis fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 81 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with world-renowned sports performance expert Dr. Mark Kovacs about the 8-stage model of the tennis serve. I spoke with Dr. Kovacs about the role of the kinetic chain in the serve on The Tennis Technique Summit that I previously hosted, and it was voted the most favorite session of the event. That's why I decided to bring the audio of that session to this episode's podcast to help you improve your serve and get more power, fluidity, and explosiveness on the most important stroke in the game. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes. He has been featured in many of the biggest sports and news publications, including ESPN, the New York Times, and Tennis Magazine. Mark was also a top college player at Auburn and achieved a world ranking on the ATP Tour. I also have two of Mark's books: Tennis Anatomy and Complete Conditioning For Tennis (2nd Edition). Mark is also the co-founder of the International Performance Tennis Association, of which I am a proudly certified Tennis Performance Trainer, and the founder of The Kovacs Institute. Mark routinely gives presentations around the world about sports performance and training, and I feel very lucky to have had his support on the podcast and my tennis summits. On this episode, we talk about Mark's 8-stage model of the tennis serve and how using your kinetic chain fully and in the proper sequence is the key to having a great serve. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: The 8-Stage Model of the Tennis Serve: Start Release Loading Cocking Acceleration Contact Deceleration Finish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 80 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I am back to answering questions that I've received from tennis players like you about how to re-tool your strokes, topspin and slice backhand tips, serving more consistently, advanced drills, staying mentally tough and more! I routinely receive emails asking questions about all things tennis, and I picked out seven more of them to answer on the podcast today. This time, the questions all come from players at the 4.5 level or higher. But no matter what level you are at, you'll learn some helpful tips on this episode to improve your game I really enjoy receiving emails from my subscribers and do my best to answer them all (even if it takes a little while!). Thanks to you, your questions and the answers today will help your fellow tennis playing community become better players. Once again, I really appreciate every single one of you who has contacted me with your fantastic questions. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like the format, let me know in the comments below so that I can do more Q&A episodes in the future! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files below to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Show Notes: Q1: What is the best way to re-tool a stroke where multiple parts of it need to be changed? Do you work on one piece at a time or all at the same time? What is the most effective method to change your technique? (Michael - 4.5) Q2: How do you hit a strong and deep topspin and slice backhand? How do you prevent your backhand from floating and being attacked? (Mark - 4.5) Q3: How should you handle high topspin serves to the one-handed backhand? (Ciro - 5.0+) Q4: How can you prevent guiding (slowing down) the racquet head through contact, and instead release the head through contact? (Tabarrow - 4.5) Q5: How can you become confident and focused during a match? How do you close out matches effectively, and make a comeback when you are down in a match? (Raluca - 4.5) Q6: What drills do you recommend for tournament players? (Mitch - 5.0+) Q7: How can you develop a consistent and reliable second serve? (Ray - 4.5) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 79 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with licensed athletic trainer and performance coach David Grant about how you can prevent injuries and improve your movement mechanics. David is the founder of Grant Training Systems Lifestyle & Sports Rehabilitation, a sports performance based company focusing on the education and training in the field of movement and mobility. One of my podcast listeners, Charlie, connected me with David, and I'm really glad he did! I had a blast speaking with David about how what steps we can do to recognize and minimize injuries, which is so crucial if you want to stay in the game for a while. David has worked alongside Pat Etcheverry at the Harry Hopman Tennis Academy in Tampa and has trained some of the best players in the world, including VIctoria Azarenka, Justine Henin, Martina Hings, James Blake, and Mardy Fish. David is also an adjunct instructor in Germany at the University of Tubingen, where he teaches students about the training, rehabilitation, nutrition, and political nature of working with pro athletes and professional teams. David previously was the Director of Athletic Performance for the Egyptian Tennis Federation and the Director of Athletic Performance for the Smash Tennis Academy. On this episode, we talk about David's philosophies on injury prevention, his super interesting career in the tennis fitness world and at top academies, how to recognize if you are at risk for injury, the best exercises for increasing your flexibility and mobility, recovery advice, and much more! I really hope you enjoy my interview with David! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: David's experiences training some of the best tennis players in the world Common signs that we are at risk for being injured Muscle imbalances and how to help fix them The best exercises we can perform for injury prevention The problems with certain academies when it comes to hiring tennis fitness experts What part of the body we should strengthen to have a stronger serve (this may surprise you!) How David shocked a top player by showing him why he was at a high risk of getting injured Recovery tips to help you play better tennis ASAP What Grant Training Systems is all about and how it can help your game David's favorite books to help you learn more about become a fitter athlete One key tip to help you improve your tennis game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 78 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with sports performance coach and personal trainer Aaron Patterson about how to train our junior tennis players to become better athletes. Aaron works with junior athletes every day at the PIT Strength and Conditioning Center in Bloomington, Illinois, and I have been really impressed by both the effort and positive attitudes from his clients. I first met Aaron at last year’s World Tennis Fitness Conference and really enjoyed speaking with him about how we can develop our junior tennis players to reach the next level in their tennis games by improving their strength and fitness. Aaron has a very strong background in the world of tennis fitness. He is a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer, International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA) Certified Tennis Performance Specialist, and a Certified Speed and Agility Coach. Aaron trains a multitude of top level junior athletes in sports such as tennis, golf, and volleyball. He is currently a Sports Performance Coach at the PIT Strength and Conditioning Center and a personal trainer at Four Seasons Health Club in Bloomington, Illinois. On this episode, we talk about the best exercises for junior tennis players, the importance of having fun while training, books and resources for learning more about sports performance training, recovery and nutrition tips, and much more! I really hope you enjoy my interview with Aaron! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: The importance of making sure your athletes enjoy the process 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Aaron Patterson How Aaron became a sports performance expert and personal trainer The ups and downs Aaron has faced during his career The most critical skills for fitness and sports performance coaches Common mistakes from personal trainers that tennis players should look out for Aaron’s favorite books and resources that helped him develop his knowledge of personal training and sports performance The difficulties of being a personal trainer and fitness coach When younger players should start training their fitness The best exercises for junior tennis players An example of a comprehensive exercise routine Aaron’s favorite pieces of equipment for training athletes Recovery advice for tennis players The most effective stretches after playing tennis Nutrition tips and what kinds of foods to ingest for maximal performance A key tip to help you improve your tennis game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I walk you through the steps you must take to reach your goals in 2019. Many of us get excited when the new year starts and we create goals for ourselves. However, 80% of new year's resolutions fail by February. That's why on Episode 77 of TFP, I walk you through a full-proof method, that if you follow, will push you past inevitable roadblocks so that you can achieve your goals and have amazing success in 2019. We have all struggled to follow through on our goals and kick bad habits, which is why I have been reading a lot about self-improvement and how we can give ourselves the best chance of accomplishing what we set out to do. On the show, I talk about evaluating your 2018, setting goals for 2019, strategies for creating and sticking with good habits, consistency, my favorite tools for helping you achieve your goals, and more! I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like this how-to format, let me know in the comments below so that I can record more episodes like this one in the future! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files below to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Show Notes: Evaluating how your 2018 went How to set new goals Writing your goals down Planning a consistent schedule Attaching accountability to your goal How to track your progress Seeking coaching, help, and problem solving Attaching a reward to sticking to your goals/habits Keeping in mind the "why" to stay motivated Tackling your priorities in the morning Tools and Books (see links below) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 76 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Brad Stine about how he coached Kevin Anderson, Jim Courier, and many other players to top ATP world rankings. Brad's philosophies, systems, and strategies have enable him to consistently propel whoever he coaches, from high level juniors, college players and tour pros, to top rankings and grand slam titles. It was fascinating to hear Brad's tennis journey and how both he and his players have risen to the upper echelon of the game. Brad is a world-class tennis coach from Fresno, California who has coached numerous top ATP pros in his career, most notably former world #1 Jim Courier. He currently coaches ATP world #6 Kevin Anderson, and has also previously coached Andrei Medvedev, Jonathan Stark, Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent, Sebastien Grojean, Sargis Sargisian, and Byron Black. Brad played and coached at Fresno State, and led the program to a top 20 DI ranking as a coach. He was also a US National Coach for the USTA and coached the US junior national team, which was loaded with top talent: Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, MaliVai Washington, Todd Martin, Jonathan Stark, Jared Palmer, David Wheaton and Jeff Tarango On this episode, we talk about how Brad became a top level coach and his journey from coaching at the USTA, to college tennis, and eventually to coaching some of the best ATP pros of all time. I really hope you enjoy my interview with Brad! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Brad’s favorite place in the world to go snowboarding Brad's first memory of hitting a tennis ball How Brad got his start in coaching Brad’s experience coaching the US Junior National Team, which was loaded with top talent: Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, MaliVai Washington, Todd Martin, Jonathan Stark, Jared Palmer, David Wheaton and Jeff Tarango The most important skills Brad focused on developing in the US Junior National Team Coaching D1 college tennis at Fresno State The most important changes Brad made to the Fresno State tennis team that caused the program to eventually get a top 20 DI ranking, and why an atmosphere of respect is so important Differences between coaching in college and the pro tour Going from coaching college tennis to Jim Courier and how they ended up working together Jim’s personality and the approach Brad took to maximize Jim’s abilities Jim’s unorthodox backhand and how the coaching team maximized his game The importance of the backhand slice to Jim’s success The traits and habits that most contributed to Jim Courier’s rise to the top of the game How Brad and Kevin Anderson started their coaching partnership The importance of self-containment and conserving energy and how this has improved Kevin’s results How we can strike a balance between getting pumped up and positive versus conserving energy An example of having a stronger physical presence on the court Kevin’s most important traits that make him a top 10 player Kevin’s increased focus on his fitness training and getting stronger What’s next for Brad and Kevin 3 books Brad would gift to a friend to help them play better tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 75 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I answer questions that I've received from tennis players like you about anticipation, fitness, consistency, technique, and more! I routinely receive emails asking questions about all things tennis, and I picked out seven of them to answer on the podcast today. I really enjoy receiving emails from my subscribers and do my best to answer them all (even if it takes a little while!). The questions and answers today are very likely to help a part of your game, and I appreciate every single one of you who has contacted me with your fantastic questions. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like the format, let me know in the comments below so that I can do more Q&A episodes in the future! And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files below to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox! Show Notes: Q1: How to anticipate where the ball will be to be in the best position to hit an optimal shot and intercept the ball (Dennis - 4.0) Q2: How to motivate a junior player to focus on their fitness instead of spending time on the iPhone/iPad (Kevin - 4.0) Q3: Improving reaction time to the ball and deciding what shot to use (Kay - 3.5) Q4: How to improve the forehand topspin drive (Harlan - 3.5) Q5: Hitting the ball on the run and keeping it in play (John - 3.5) Q6: How to deal with a toxic environment and coach at a tennis club (Prasad - 3.5) Q7: How to learn to play the game correctly and with the right technique so that you don't learn bad habits (Andrea - 2.5) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 74 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Jeff Salzenstein about how we can achieve our potential by changing our belief system and attitudes. This is one of the most mind blowing episodes I've done so far, and contains a ton of highly actionable tips that will motivate you to make a shift in your daily habits and approach to life. Be sure to have a pen and pencil handy if you can, you're going to learn a lot from my interview with Jeff on mindset performance! In case you don't know about Jeff, he is a former top 100 ATP Pro and one of the most well-respected tennis coaches in the game. Jeff has battled against many of the best tennis players in the world throughout his career. He has combined that experience, along with his desire to learn all he could about playing optimal tennis, to create many of the most popular online tennis courses in the world. And the very first online tennis course that I ever invested in was from Jeff! He has recently shifted his focus to mindset performance and it was awesome to bring him on the podcast once again. Jeff first made an appearance on Episode 28 of The Tennis Files Podcast. On this episode, we talk about Jeff's famous battle with Michael Chang at the US Open, how to break through negative thought patterns, the importance of communication, surrounding yourself with positive influencers, Jeff's morning routine, and much more! I really hope you enjoy my interview with Jeff! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Show Notes: Jeff’s 4-set battle with Michael Chang at the U.S. Open How Jeff reached the top 100 ATP rankings and transitioned to a world-class coach Three things most of the world doesn’t know about Jeff Salzenstein Why a person’s mindset is so crucial to their performance and life success The most common roadblocks that prevent people from achieving success on the tennis court Why the focus on mindset is sorely lacking Why Jeff shifted his focus to mindset performance recently How Jeff has personally struggled with the mental game during his career Common negative mental patterns with tennis players Actionable tips that we can implement to improve our mental games What we can do before tennis matches to prepare for the mental battle ahead Mantras to help with our mental performance How to become a high performer by asking yourself one simple question Positive practices off-court to help develop the mental game Why the way we communicate determines our success Jeff’s morning routine Goal setting tips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 73 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I highlight 10 tips that can supercharge your tennis game. These tips are from 10 of my previous podcast guests, and I wanted to highlight them in this episode because if you implement them, you will reach the next level in your game. After each tip, I provide my take on each comment. I really hope you enjoy this episode! If you like it, I highly encourage you to listen to the full podcast episodes of my guests who gave tips on the show. The links to their show are below. Let me know what you think about this episode and if you liked the format in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:42] Dr. Joe Parent [Ep. 71]: Practicing Big Points [7:38] Peter Freeman [Ep. 70]: Getting 1% Better Each Day [13:07] Johnny Fraser [Ep. 69]: Plan and Prepare/Warm-Up [16:02] Gregory Howe [Ep. 68]: Footwork is King [18:01] Leon Vessels [Ep. 67]: Consistency [21:20] Jamie Loeb [Ep. 66]: Enjoy Your Game and Set Goals [24:03] Denis Kudla [Ep. 65]: Keep it Simple, Enjoy the Game, Body Control [27:29] Ian Westermann [Ep. 61]: Video Yourself [33:12] Gigi Fernandez [Ep. 59]: Watch the Ball on Opponent’s Side [35:47] Ramon Osa [Ep. 58]: Believe in Yourself Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 72 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I talk about best practices when changing your tennis technique. On this solo episode, you'll learn whether you need to change your technique, what strokes you should work on, best practices for changing your technique, how to ensure you won't revert to your old technique, and more! Today's episode is based on a presentation I gave on The Tennis Technique Summit, which included over 30 world-class tennis coaches. There was so much amazing information on that summit, that I decided to talk about how to use that knowledge to improve your tennis technique. I hope you enjoy this episode! Let me know what you think about this one in the comments below! Show Notes Do you need to make technical changes to your game? Evaluating your game; strengths and weaknesses Recording your play and the benefits The biggest return on your investment Focusing on one change at a time Mapping out your vision for the future and SMART Goals Mind Mapping (I use Mindmeister) Reducing environmental pressures when changing your technique and progressions Trusting your coaches Don’t revert back to your old technique Enjoy the learning process Focus and intensity on the court Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 71 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Joseph Parent about how we can play in the zone. Dr. Joseph is the author of Zen Tennis: Playing In The Zone. We talk about everything from why players have trouble playing well in matches vs practice, breathing exercises to help you relax and achieve optimal performance, practicing playing big points, mental fitness, and more! This episode is a really important discussion about a highly overlooked part of tennis, the mental game, and I highly encourage you to hit the play button above to listen to it! In addition to Zen Tennis, Dr. Joe is also the author of Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game, Zen Putting: Mastering the Mental Game on the Greens, The Best Diet Book Ever: The Zen of Losing Weight, How to Make Every Putt: The Secret to Winning Golf's Game Within the Game, and A Walk In The Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh. Dr. Joe teaches at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa Resort, and The Los Angeles Country Club. He has been featured on CNN, NBC’s Today in New York, HBO Sports, ESPN, and has also made many appearances on The Golf Channel. Dr. Joe has coached numerous celebrities, including Michael Bolton, Kevin James, Anthony Anderson, George Lopez, Bernie Mac, Michael O’Keefe (Danny Noonan in Caddyshack), Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen, world champion boxer Oscar de la Hoya, and many other elite athletes and celebrity golfers. Golf Digest named Dr. Joe as one of the “Top Ten Mental Game Experts” in the world It was a pleasure speaking with Dr. Joe on the podcast, and I know you'll learn a lot of valuable information that will help you improve your mental game and perform better on the court. Many thanks to Dr. Joe for coming onto the podcast! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes: BEGINNINGS [3:34] How Dr. Parent got his start in tennis and the mental game INTRO TO ZEN TENNIS [5:16] What zen means and its origins/background [7:20] Dr. Joe’s inspiration for writing Zen Tennis and the problem with worrying about results INSIGHTS FROM THE BOOK [11:39] The biggest obstacles players face when trying to play in the zone [13:57] The reason why players practice so well and yet they play poorly in matches when it counts [15:23] Why your intention is crucial to playing well and the NINJA system [17:30] Some things we can do before our matches to give us the best chance of playing in the zone [19:57] Needing to win vs not holding back and doing your best [21:58] How long it takes to improve your mental game [24:27] What is mental fitness, how does it help us and how do we develop it? [26:14] Breathing practices and meditation tips to help you stay focused and grounded CLOSING QUESTIONS [30:24] Other books written by Dr. Joe that we should check out [32:40] Where we can follow Dr. Joe online or in person [34:21] How practicing big points can help us level up our tennis games [36:14] How we can get Dr. Joe's books (see below for the links!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 70 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with my good friend Peter Freeman about his journey from a top junior to teaching tennis players worldwide how to level up their tennis games. Pete is the founder of Crunch Time Coaching, and does an amazing job of creating tennis videos and other great content to help players improve their technique, strategy, and many other parts of their game. We talk about everything from Pete's development as a junior player, to how he got into coaching and the online tennis instruction space, and a ton of awesome tips on how we can improve and get more power on our serve, backhand, and volleys. This episode is a really fun and value-packed one, and I highly encourage you to hit the play button above to listen to it! In addition to running Crunch Time Coaching, Pete has a long list of credentials that makes him one of the top coaches in the business. Pete has coached division 1 college tennis players, produced state level and national champions, and has been awarded the honor of USTA Georgia Pro of the year. Pete also creates tons of fantastic tennis content on Youtube and I highly recommend you check out his Youtube Channel. He has coached under Tony Palafox, who was John McEnroe’s former coach, and Frank Brennan, a former Stanford University Coach who won 10 national titles. Pete has a huge passion for tennis and will do whatever it takes to get your game to the next level. Pete gave an amazing presentation on how to hit a monster topspin forehand on last year’s Tennis Technique Summit, and one on Slice Serve Strategy on this past year’s Tennis Summit 2018 that I hosted. If you haven't already, you can go to those links to check them out for free! Pete also hosts Tennis Con, an annual online tennis conference with some of the best names in the business like Gigi Fernandez, Rick Macci, Jeff Salzenstein, and many more! On top of all that, he is the Director of Tennis at Gold's Gym in Atlanta. It was a pleasure speaking with Pete on the podcast, and I know you'll really enjoy this episode and learn a lot about how we can improve our serve, backhands and volleys, and what it takes to become a great tennis coach. Many thanks to Pete for coming onto the podcast! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes BEGINNINGS [3:56] How Pete got his start playing tennis [5:56] Pete’s role models growing up [8:32] Pete’s playing style as a junior compared with the pros back then [10:21] Three things most of the world doesn’t know about Pete (and a funny encounter with John McEnroe) COACHING [14:37] Reaching the top ranks as a junior in New Jersey [18:47] A unique event that sparked Pete’s tennis coaching career [22:07] How Pete developed into the great coach that he is today [23:06] Pete’s stint working outside of the tennis world in the real estate industry and the tough realities of being a tennis coach [26:43] The pay structure for head pros of tennis clubs [29:50] The difficulty of teaching players who aren’t passionate about the game [32:47] What caused you to want to take your coaching to the online world and create Crunch Time Coaching? [36:42] Why Pete named his business Crunch Time Coaching [38:01] What excites Pete the most about teaching online [40:03] The biggest roadblock in Pete’s tennis coaching career and how he overcame it [41:55] How do pros go about reserving court time to teach lessons, and the issues pros have with this TIPS FOR TENNIS PLAYERS [43:05] The biggest mistakes tennis players make when they serve [46:14] Where power in the serve come from [49:51] How players can generate more spin on the serve [52:49] Pete’s favorite serve to use in matches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 69 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Jonny Fraser about how tennis players should train when on the road. Whether we are top-ranked players or club players, we often find ourselves traveling to a different area for a tournament, USTA league competition, or match away from our home training centers, and don't know how we should train when away. Jonny and I discuss how you can best prepare yourself when heading to a different area or time zone, what to think about and prepare for before leaving, an awesome sample workout with exercises that you can implement into your training on the road, what equipment we should bring in our tennis bags (there won't always be a gym down the street!), recovery tips, and much more. Jonny is a fantastic guy and I finally got to introduce myself to him at this past year's World Tennis Fitness Conference in Atlanta (shot out to Dr. Mark Kovacs and the International Tennis Performance Association!). Jonny has presented at this conference and others over the past several years, and I've always learned a ton from his presentations. I asked him to come onto the podcast then and we finally made it happen, which I am obviously very happy about! Jonny has worked in tennis strength and conditioning for over ten years. He is currently the Head of Strength and Conditioning at Claudio Pistolesi Enterprise, and is the Assistant Director of Fitness at the Tennis Congress. Jonny also currently runs a business called Science in Tennis dedicated to helping you maximize your performance on court. Jonny acts as an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University as well, and is certified as a Master Tennis Performance Specialist by the iTPA, which is the highest level of certification. A pretty solid resume if you ask me :) It was a pleasure speaking with Jonny on the podcast, and I know you'll really enjoy this episode and learn a lot about how we can perform better on the court through training effectively on the road. Many thanks to Jonny for coming onto the podcast! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes BEGINNINGS [5:17] How Jonny got his start in the tennis world [7:00] The injury that lit Jonny’s passion for tennis fitness [8:09] Why Jonny loves working in the tennis fitness niche [9:52] Three things most of the world doesn’t know about Jonny Fraser [12:41] What exactly is sports science and how has it evolved over the years? TRAINING ON THE ROAD [17:33] The biggest challenges that players face when traveling on the road [20:30] The huge importance of researching the resources around you [23:00] Similarities and differences for club vs pro players when training on the road [25:52] Jonny’s travels with pro and club players around the world [27:28] The biggest mistakes that tennis players when traveling to play tournaments [28:56] The pieces of equipment that you should bring in your bag [31:09] What resistance level (colors) of bands should we use when warming-up and training? [32:04] Why a hockey or lacrosse ball will help your recovery [35:09] What level of intensity should players have when training on the road? [38:48] The differing number of sets and reps you should use for building muscle, strength, and endurance [41:42] What is undulating periodization and should you use it in your training? [43:08] A sample workout from Jonny that you can use in your training! [46:05] Tips to help maximize your recovery when traveling and playing on the road OTHER QUESTIONS [48:27] One concept about tennis fitness that Jonny has changed his philosophy about over the years [49:56] Why Jonny created Science in Tennis, and what it aims to achieve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 68 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Gregory Howe about how he decided to quit his job as a 34-year old to travel the world playing professional tennis tournaments in search of an ATP ranking. On top of that, Greg wrote a fantastic book called Chasing Points: A Season On The Pro Tennis Circuit detailing his pursuit of his ultimate dream. I have been reading the book and it truly is a fantastic peek into the life of professional tennis, particularly at the lower levels of the sport where people are struggling to make it to the big stage. Greg set his goal of achieving an ATP ranking almost two decades before he decided to drop everything and travel the world, playing Futures tournaments, finally doing what he set out to accomplish, and then eventually playing Challengers and even ATP Tour events while working a job. You will love Greg's story, as it is a very relatable goal for many players, and he had he stones to go through so much adversity and travel to achieve what he dreamed of doing. I highly recommend you check out Greg's book, Chasing Points: A Season On The Pro Tennis Circuit, as it is extremely detailed and a very entertaining read. It was a pleasure speaking with Greg on the podcast, and I know you'll really enjoy this episode about Greg's journey to achieving his ultimate goal of getting an ATP ranking, no matter what it took. We all dream about getting a pro ranking; even I tried my hand at a Futures event a couple years ago. You can listen to my recap of how my pro tournament experience went here (and check out my amazing cover photo skills while you're at it :) ). Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [5:04] How Greg got his start playing tennis [6:00] Playing with his brother on tour [6:57] Greg’s role models growing up [8:25] The peaks and valleys of his junior career. [10:06] An early pro tournament experience that got Greg hooked on playing the Pro Circuit [11:39] The diversity of players in the Gladstone pro tournament [12:50] The difference between those who bounce back and those who give up when adversity hits [14:23] How Greg’s ultimate goal ended up haunting him throughout his life [15:35] The motivation to want to give his dream 100% effort [16:49] Why Greg quit his job to play the pro circuit, even though he had a solid life going for him and despite the risks of doing so. [18:01] How Greg quit his job and what he said to his boss [19:04] What Greg’s wife (then girlfriend) thought about his decision to quit [19:43] The perks of dating someone who works for an airline [20:58] Financial planning for Greg’s travels around the world playing pro tournaments [22:14] The number of countries Greg traveled to during his pro circuit experience that year [23:47] The difference between the different levels on tour (Futures, Challengers, ATP) and ITF vs ATP organizations [25:55] What drew Greg to the ATP Pro touring life the most [26:49] Getting shots before traveling to tournaments [27:58] How Greg managed to recount his experiences so vividly for the book [29:06] Using huge notebooks to write about his travels [30:03] How much luggage Greg brought around the world [31:45] Giving up 45 minutes into a morning training session with Roger Federer’s former coach in Thailand the day before his Futures tournament [33:21] The biggest ups and downs Greg experienced in the several months leading up to getting his first ATP point [35:42] How Greg came back from a devastating injury and his mindset [36:57] The tournament that got Greg his first ATP point [39:43] What Greg was thinking during the last point of the match that would finally earn him his ATP ranking and achieve his dream Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 67 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Leon Vessels about how he became a practice partner for top ATP and WTA pros. Leon has practiced with Alexander Zverev, Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dmitrov, Eugenie Bouchard, Gael Monfils, John Isner, Janko Tipsarevic, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Rajeev Ram, and countless other top ranked players. I noticed Leon playing with these top players at the Citi Open while covering the tournament over the past few years, and was intrigued about his story. What is particularly amazing about Leon is that although he was a top junior, he did not play college tennis or on the pro tour, took several years off the game, and yet still possesses the skills and focus to practice with the top players in the world. On the podcast we get into how Leon became a practice partner at the Citi Open, how others can become practice partners at tournaments, the level required to practice with the pros, tips he's learned from the best in the world, and much more. It was a pleasure speaking with Leon on the podcast, and I know you'll really enjoy this episode about Leon's journey to becoming a practice partner with these players. I know we'd all love to be in Leon's shoes. Heck, I think becoming a practice partner for the pros is one of my next goals :) Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [3:46] How Leon got his start playing tennis [6:57] Leon’s ultimate goal in tennis [8:50] Where Leon trained as a junior [12:05] Why Leon decided not to play college tennis due to burnout and other factors [14:40] How Leon made his tennis comeback by getting challenged from his friends [15:56] How Leon first became a practice partner at the Citi Open for Rajeev Ram [18:05] How Leon got a wildcard to play in the Citi Open [20:07] Are there common drills that pros ask for from practice partners? [22:04] The mentality practice partners must have and Leon’s close relationship with Alexander Dolgopolov [23:45] Leon’s rough practice experience practicing with Eugenie Bouchard [25:54] Who are some of the most relaxed and demanding tennis players during practice [30:23] The level of tennis you need to be a practice partner at pro tournaments [32:46] How you can become a practice partner [36:02] The vetting process for practice partner applicant [39:24] Biggest lessons learned from practicing with the pros [40:51] What it feels like to warm-up a top 3 player (Zverev) before a final [44:18] Where we can follow Leon online [45:35] A key tip from Leon to help you improve your tennis game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 66 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with WTA world #164 Jamie Loeb about her rise from the juniors to playing the biggest tournaments in the world. Jamie developed into a top junior, had a championship run at the University of North Carolina, and qualified for the US Open while still in college before turning pro full-time. Jamie is grinding it out on the tour and living the dream of traveling the world as a professional tennis player. I first met Jamie at the Player's Party at the Citi Open last month, along with her former teammate and friend Tessa. I remembered that my former assistant coach and teammate Ale Pedergnana is close friends with Jamie, and after a friendly chat and compliments on her dance moves, Jamie was nice enough to come onto the podcast. We chat about her keys to success on the pro tour, how she overcame the toughest moment in her career, how tough it is to survive financially as a pro, what racquets and strings she uses, tips for pros on how to improve your Instagram game, some great insights into how you can improve your tennis game, and much more. I've also added something new for the first time: a transcript of the interview. See below or click here to read the transcript! It was a pleasure speaking with Denis on the podcast, and I wish him all the best in his career. Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Please let me know what you think about whether I should keep doing transcripts for the podcast! Based on your feedback, I'll decide whether to keep doing the transcripts or scrap it. It's an added cost (obviously), and I actually had this one automatically transcribed then fixed it up myself and it took a ton of time, so I'll have to figure out a better way if you want me to keep doing the transcripts. Thanks for your feedback! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [1:57] Jamie’s incredible dance moves [4:09] Breaking the myth about Jamie’s mom being her coach [5:43] How her family influenced her game growing up [7:25] When Jamie knew she wanted to turn pro [8:35] How Jamie’s sister Jenna won a state championship on a broken ankle [8:59] Her tennis role models [9:37] Three things that most of the world doesn’t know about Jamie Loeb [12:03] When Jamie started seriously training for tournaments [13:14] How many tournaments she played as a junior [14:02] Was burnout ever an issue as a junior player? [15:37] The decision to finish up high school online [17:30] Is high school tennis is a good training ground for serious junior tournament players, and potential improvements [19:30] Jamie’s experience training at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy [20:29] A typical day like at JMTA [21:30] Practice matches with John McEnroe and why he never does mini-tennis [24:45] Playing at the US Open in 2015 vs. Wozniacki after winning the American Collegiate Invitational College Tennis at UNC [27:23] Deciding to attend UNC instead of going pro full-time [30:47] What is your first memory of your college tennis career? [32:03] Elements of Jamie’s game she improved the most while at UNC [33:42] How to develop maximal focus and tunnel vision [36:57] The most important piece of advice her coach Brian gave her at UNC [39:51] How many days a week the team trained fitness vs on-court practice in the fall season, and how that changed in the spring [41:31] Deciding to leave school early to turn pro [42:30] Big differences between college tennis and the pro tour [43:59] Focusing on the dynamic warm-up [45:27] A typical day of training while on the tour [46:18] How much weight training is part of her fitness? [47:28] Traveling with a coach, and how frequently her coach joins her at tournaments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 65 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with ATP world #73 Denis Kudla about how his obsession with tennis turned into a pro career.  Denis turned pro as teenager and has had his share of ups and downs, but through it all his passion for the game and excellent support system has helped him catapult back into the Top 100 once again. Denis has always been one of my favorite players to root for because he is from Arlington, Virginia, which is very close to where I'm from (Maryland), and also because he is a very down to Earth guy.  I first met and interviewed Denis at the Citi Open last month after he and Frances Tiafoe played a doubles match (two in the same day actually).  Denis wore a Washington Capitals shirt, which has been the pride of DC for their championship win (and one of my favorite hats to wear).  Denis was kind enough to make some time to speak with me while he was in New York preparing for the U.S. Open.  You'll hear Denis talk about his tennis career from the beginning, how he trained as a junior at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), why he has always prioritized fitness, and how he bounced back from the lowest point of his career. It was a pleasure speaking with Denis on the podcast, and I wish him all the best in his career.  Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:36] Denis's training and preparation for the US Open [3:43] Playing golf at the Stowe Tennis tournament in Vermont [4:26] Similarities between tennis and golf [5:27] Why this has been the best year of Denis's sports fan life (Washington Capitals / Philadelphia Eagles) [7:47] Denis's first memory of hitting a tennis ball [9:04]  Transition to training at the Junior Tennis Champions Center, and why Denis's family made the decision [10:37] How Denis stayed focused on his tennis training as a junior and avoided distractions [11:54] The most important changes Denis made in his game as a junior [13:27] A quote that has always stuck with Denis throughout his career [14:05] The structure and hours of being homeschooled at a tennis academy (Junior Tennis Champions Center) [15:51] Denis's closest friends and competitors during his junior career [17:17] How to overcome your doubts against stiff competition [18:26] Why Denis decided to turn pro instead of going to college [19:44] The lowest point in Denis's professional career and how he bounced back to the Top 100 [21:34] What caused Denis to hit rock bottom as an ATP pro [22:59] Differences between Challenger and ATP Tour Level players [24:14] Why routines don't always work as a professional tennis player [25:44] What Denis changed in his fitness routine after losing a two set lead vs. Thiem at the Australian Open [26:39] Denis's approach to fitness in the off-season [27:22] One piece of advice from Denis to help you improve your tennis game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 64 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll hear several of my interviews with some of the best tennis players in the world and my top takeways from them to help improve your tennis game.  I spoke one-on-one with David Goffin, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Donald Young, Marcos Baghdatis, Hyeon Chung, and Thai-Son Kwiatkowski at the 2018 Citi Open last week after their matches and heard a ton of excellent tips from these amazing players that I want to share with you on the podcast. It was a pleasure interviewing these players, and I have to thank everyone from the Citi Open, ATP Tour, and LINK Strategic partners for helping make these interviews happen.  If you want to see more media from this year's tournament, including my interviews and press conferences, head over to my Youtube Channel! I hope you enjoy this episode of TFP with the pros, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes Interviews: Donald Young - 4:30  Thai-Son Kwiatkowski - 11:28  Marcos Baghdatis - 16:39 Hyeon Chung - 21:32 David Goffin - 26:09 Stefanos Tsitsipas - 34:40 and 43:51 Bonus Clip: Alexander Zverev Championship Press Conference snippet (pretty funny :) ) - 50:58 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Mark Gonzalez from Alpha Racquet Sports about stringing machines. I asked Mark about the different types of stringing machines, how to choose the right one for you, and tips and tricks to become a great stringer.  The International Alliance of Racquet Stringers (IART) has said that Mark’s knowledge of stringing machines ranks among the very best in the industry. Mark wears many hats in the tennis world; he is a Sales Manager for Alpha Racquet Sports, an industry consultant for IART, and a Yonex rep.  Mark has a reputation for being super responsive and has helped me figure out my stringing machine needs. When I did research on best value stringing machines, Alpha was the brand that popped up more often than all the others in the forums and everywhere else, which is why I decided to bring Mark on the podcast. It was a pleasure having Mark on The Tennis Files Podcast, and I know this episode will help you choose the right stringing machine for your game and become a better stringer.  You'll also save a lot of cash if you get a tennis machine which you can use to play more tennis, upgrade your racquets, and enjoy happy hour after your league matches (if you are of-age, anyway! :) ) I hope you enjoy this episode of TFP with Mark, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes Intro [4:02] The biggest advantage of owning a stringing machine [5:32] The biggest hesitation that players have when deciding whether to buy a stringing machine [7:20] What sparked Mark’s interest into the world of stringing machines [9:46] The stringing machines Mark has used throughout his tennis and stringing career? Researching Stringing Machines [11:47] The optimal approach to buying a machine [14:30] When buying a stringing machine, do we plan for the short term or long term? i.e. space in apartment, stringing skill level, potential to string for others, etc. [15:47] What are the biggest mistakes people make when buying a stringing machine? Different Types of Stringing Machines [17:31] What are the different types of stringing machines? [20:42] The kind of machine Mark recommends for a player’s first machine, that plays 2-3 times a week and breaks strings once every 2-3 weeks? [21:55] The drop weight machine is the cheapest kind generally - why is that? [23:53] Who would you suggest a drop weight machine for? [25:06] Why drop weights can be one of the most accurate types of stringing machines despite the price [25:47] Is an electric machine worth it, and if so, what type of players would you suggest get one? [27:58] 2 point vs 6 point machines - what does this mean, and does it matter? Stringing Accessories [29:38] The most helpful stringing tools for stringing raquets [32:29] What part of the stringing machine tends to break the fastest and what to do about it [34:55] What is the WISE electronic tensioner head and what type of benefit would we gain from getting one? Is it worth it? Stringing Racquets at this year’s Australian Open [37:33] Mark’s experience stringing at the Australian Open and the ATP/WTA players he strung racquets for Stringing Technique [40:19] The biggest mistakes novice and intermediate stringers make [41:40] The best way to measure how much string you need to string your racquet and the “4-Wingspan Rule” Alpha Stringing Machines [42:57] The awesome stringing machines Alpha has in its lineup and a cool story about customer service [49:46] Are there any new machines planned for Alpha in the near future, and how we can get an Alpha stringing machine if we are interested in... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I review the 7 biggest serve killers and how to fix them.  Over several decades of playing the game, observing other players, learning from my coaches, and the hundreds of interviews on my podcast, Tennis Summits, and Youtube channel, I've come to identify several huge leaks in tennis players' serves.  And today I'm speaking with you one on one about them.  I've personally struggled (and still sometimes do) with several of these leaks, and I hope that you find this episode as useful as I do in identifying and finding ways to fix your biggest serve killers.  It's certainly not an easy process, but if you work diligently and consistently at your serve killers, you will come out a much more powerful and consistent server. I hope you enjoy this episode on the 7 Serve Killers and How to Fix Them!  Let me know what you think in the comments below! 7 Serve Killers (and How to Fix Them) I Discuss on the Show: 1. Serve Grip 2. Toss 3. Hitch in Motion 4. Shallow Racquet Drop 5. Weight Distribution 6. Opening Up Early 7. Eyes Not Watching the Ball Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with my friend Ian Westermann, founder of Essential Tennis. I asked him about his passion for the game, how he went from country club tennis instructor to one of the biggest online tennis instructional sites in the world, and how we can become better singles and doubles players, among many other interesting topics.  Ian was featured in Forbes as one of the most successful online tennis instruction entrepreneurs and he is considered one of the pioneers of online tennis instruction. Ian started the Essential Tennis Podcast in 2008, which is one of the most popular tennis podcasts of all time. Ian and his awesome team at ET have produced an incredible amount of free, high-quality, value-filled videos that have helped millions of people improve their tennis games.  The proof is in the pudding: Essential Tennis currently has over 125k subscribers on Youtube, which says a lot about the quality of ET’s instructional content. Ian and his team have also created tons of amazing premium tennis courses at EssentialTennis.com. It was a pleasure having Ian on The Tennis Files Podcast, especially because we both share the same passion as you do: to become better tennis players.  I hope you enjoy this episode of TFP with Ian, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:36] Ian’s secret nickname [4:49] Does Ian really have an Essential Tennis tattoo? [5:19] How Ian got his start in tennis [9:08] Ian’s incredible passion for the game [13:22] Ian’s junior career [16:47] Not making the college team the first year [19:22] The highlight of Ian’s college tennis career - playing in the zone [24:32] Ian’s experience taking the Professional Tennis Management Program at Ferris State [28:35] Ian’s coaching jobs at various tennis and country clubs and the frustrations he experienced [33:56] Tough career choices [36:23] The Essential Tennis Podcast: one of the longest standing tennis podcast out there [38:32] What to expect next from The Essential Tennis Podcast [41:15] Leading yourself through the tennis learning process when you can’t find a coach for you [44:04] Ian’s 3 key tips to playing better singles [46:10] How to become a better doubles player [50:28] What is a Vlog and why Ian started one [54:52] Three books Ian would gift to a friend to help him/her become a better tennis player [58:36] When to expect Ian’s new book [59:38] What’s in store next from Essential Tennis [1:00:46] Where can we connect with Ian and Essential Tennis online [1:01:51] One key tip to help us improve our tennis games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After nearly 4 months of hard work, I'm proud to announce that I'll be hosting the world's biggest online tennis conference: Tennis Summit 2018! From April 25-30, you'll be able to watch presentations and interviews from 30+ world-class coaches on your computer and smartphone. And you can get a free ticket to watch all the sessions! On today's episode of TFP, I put together a preview of Tennis Summit 2018.  You'll get to listen to five ten-minute clips of some of the best sessions on the summit.  These sessions include presentations and interviews from Paul Annacone (coach of Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Tim Henman), 17-time grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez, sports performance expert and iTPA/Kovacs Institute founder Dr. Mark Kovacs, performance consultant and founder of the McCaw Method, Allistair McCaw, and registered Dietician Jeff Rothtschild, who has worked with the Brian Brothers and other famous athletes from multiple sports. I hope you enjoy this preview episode of Tennis Summit 2018, and be sure to get your free ticket to the summit here! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:38] Paul Annacone - The Secrets of Federer, Sampras, and Henman [14:16] Gigi Fernandez - Optimal Doubles Strategy From a 17-Time Grand Slam Champion [26:01] Dr. Mark Kovacs - Mastering Your On-Court Movement [37:39] Allistair McCaw - How to Become Champion Minded [50:10] Jeff Rothschild - Carbohydrates, Sports Drinks, and the Heat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I spoke with 17-time grand slam champion Gigi Fernandez about her unique path to becoming one of the legends of tennis.  Gigi is widely considered to be one of the best doubles players of all time. She won 2 Australian Opens, 6 French Opens, 4 Wimbledons, and 5 US Opens, 2 Olympic Gold Medals with Mary Joe Fernandez, the 1990 Fed Cup, and is a Hall of Famer.  In 2000, Gigi was named Puerto Rican Athlete of the Century. The former world #1 doubles and #17 singles player now spends her time coaching adult players how to excel in tennis and developed the Gigi Method of doubles. We discussed how Gigi overcame a lack of resources as a junior in Puerto Rico, her strategies for playing dominating doubles, her journey to winning 17-grand slam doubles titles, the Olympics, life after tennis, and much more on Episode 59 of the The Tennis Files Podcast! I hope you enjoy my interview with Gigi, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [3:03] Where Gigi stores her 17-grand slam trophies and the 100s of other trophies she won in her lifetime [3:33] What Gigi would have been if she wasn’t a professional tennis player [4:28] 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Gigi Fernandez [5:49] How Gigi got her start in tennis [6:42] Memories of her Gigi's first tennis tournament [12:36] Gigi’s lack of role models and how she blazed her own trail instead [8:03] Where she trained as a junior [9:26] How Gigi elevated herself to the best player in Puerto Rico despite very few resources [14:40] Gigi’s most memorable experience as a junior [16:21] What made her decide to play at Clemson [19:02]  Why Gigi improved her game the most in college vs any other time in her career [23:47] Gigi’s most memorable Grand Slam win and how changing her thoughts helped her come back from her lowest point in her career [27:40] Why detaching from the outcome is the most important advice Gigi has ever received in her career [29:13] The benefits of meditation and how it helps control your emotions [31:43] How doubles has changed from when she played vs. today [34:33] Gigi’s most important accomplishment in her pro career out of all the grand slams, the #1 rankings, the gold medals, Fed Cup title, Hall of Fame induction, and all of her other titles [35:23] Gigi’s experience at the Olympics and the difference playing for your country vs. at pro tournaments [36:39] How Gigi was able to stay consistently successful during her remarkable run of winning at least one Grand Slam title every year from 1988–1997, except in 1989, and for three straight years winning three of the four Grand Slam doubles titles in the same year (1992–1994) [39:36] How Gigi balanced her singles training with her doubles training, since she played both at a very high level [41:48] Doubles drills she practiced with her partners [43:22] Why she decided to retire in 1997 at the age of 33 [46:10] Life after pro tennis and earning a new identity: coaching pros and going back to school [48:32] What is the Gigi Method and Doubles.tv all about? [52:31] Big improvements players have made through learning tennis at doubles.tv [54:44] Books she'd gift to a friend to help them become a better tennis player [56:51] One big myth that a lot of tennis players and/or coaches believe today [58:21] One key tip from Gigi to help us improve our tennis games [1:00:16] Where we can find Gigi online and in person Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I spoke with Ramon Osa from Osa Tennis 360 about how to hit kick serves.  Ramon is an expert at helping tennis players discover the fun in tennis, while showing them what they need to do to improve their technique and tactics.  Ramon is the founder of Osa Tennis 360, where he produces value-filled and fun tennis videos.  He also has an awesome Youtube channel with fantastic tips and advice.  Ramon believes that fun, along with the right system to develop world-class strokes and sound fundamentals, is the key to improving your tennis game. We discussed technical aspects of the kick serve, how to toss the ball properly when hitting a kick serve, kick serve strategy, Ramon's approach on how to learn this severely underused and often feared serve, and much more on Episode 58 of the The Tennis Files Podcast! I hope you enjoy my interview with Ramon, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [5:56] What is the kick serve, and how can it help us win tennis matches? [9:07] Why are players uncomfortable hitting or trying to hit kick serves? [11:05] At what level (NTRP rating) do players consistently use the kick serve? [12:34] The number one thing that players do incorrectly when trying to hit a kick serve. [13:41] How to be more relaxed when serving [15:15] The technical differences between the kick serve and a flat or slice serve [17:38] How we should toss the ball when we hit a kick serve. [18:45] How should we approach developing our kick serve -- piece by piece or as a whole? [20:17] Ramon's two favorite drills that teaches us how to hit a kick serve. [22:28] How far forward should we lean into the court for kick serves? [25:21] How often should we use the kick serve in tennis matches? [27:26] Why we should use the kick serve more often in doubles matches [23:18] One key tip to help us hit better kick serves [30:52] How Ramon's serve course helps tennis players develop their kick serves [34:56] What is in the course, and how is it organized? [38:44] Results Ramon's players have achieved through his instruction and courses [41:55] Advice to players who don't believe they can develop a solid kick serve Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I reveal the top 10 things that improved my tennis game in 2017.  It's always critical to periodically examine your progress so that you can figure out what is working and what you may need to change to become a better tennis player.  I sat down and made a list of things that I did differently in 2017, and then marked the top 10 of those changes to discuss on the podcast.  I encourage you to pick one or two of the things I mention on the show, try them out, and see how it works for you.  Let me know what you think in the comments below! Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy this episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I spoke with sports performance coach Dean Hollingworth about how we can train to become stronger, fitter, and faster tennis players and athletes. I first met Dean while eating breakfast before the World Tennis and Fitness Conference, hosted by the International Tennis Performance Association.  Dean gave a fantastic presentation about plyometrics, and I knew that he would be the perfect guest for the podcast. Dean is the Director of Fitness and Sports Performance at Club Sportif Cote-de-Liesse (CDL) in Montreal, Canada. He has over 25 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, and is a highly regarded author, speaker, and fitness and performance consultant.  Dean is the only strength and conditioning coach in Canada to be certified as a Master Tennis Performance Specialist by the iTPA.  He is also a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Speed and Agility Coach, and worked as the S&C coach for Canada’s Fed Cup team win against Serbia in 2014.  Dean coaches a wide gamut of athletes, including professional tennis players such as Elena Vesnina and Francoise Abanda. We spoke about why strength and power training is essential for your tennis career, exercises to increase your strength, power and movement, why plyometrics is a great way to improve your speed and power on the court, Dean's experience as part of Elena Vesnina's team, and much more. I hope you enjoy my interview with Dean, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [3:59] Why focusing on our fitness training is so important in helping us become better tennis players [5:05] The specific benefits we get from fitness training for tennis [6:34] How Dean became a world-class fitness and sports performance coach [8:31] Associations and conferences that helped Dean expand his tennis fitness knowledge [9:45] Dean's first exposure to tennis [11:19] Why tennis is the hardest sport to train athletes for [14:47] Should we use undulating periodization in our training? [16:29] Why we must decide when we want to peak, or else we won't improve [17:54] The biggest mistakes that tennis players make in the gym [19:45] Dean’s favorite thing about being a fitness coach [20:53] Examples of tennis players Dean trained that focused seriously on their fitness and had a huge improvement on their game [22:21] Dispelling the myth that weight training is bad for your tennis game [24:53] Part of the body tennis players need to improve the most [26:31] The importance of “heavy lifts” i.e. deadlifts, squats, and bench press, and why single leg training is so critical [29:32] How many days per week to perform fitness training, and considerations when creating a program [31:34] Tips for training on the road and in faraway places with little equipment [33:30] Exercises for speed training [34:57] How long does each set last for speed training [36:18] What is plyometrics and how can it help our speed on the court? [39:15] How to integrate plyometrics with speed training [41:03] Plyometrics technique tips [42:00] Plyometrics exercises you can perform to improve your speed [44:47] How many reps per set should we perform for plyometrics? [46:07] Key principles to help us do plyometrics the right way? [48:10] If an athlete is deficient in a certain area, and you focus on that more so in their training, once they are proficient in it, do you then reduce focus on that area and train everything equally again? [49:36] Static stretching routine and optimal number of exercises [51:05] Dean’s advice for improving our endurance on court [53:02] Should we do heavier lifts in certain parts of the season, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench press, or all-year round? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I had the honor of speaking with James Blake, former ATP world #4, about his new book Ways of Grace: Stories of Activism, Adversity, and How Sports Can Bring Us Together.  James has amassed 10 singles titles, appeared in 24 singles finals, and beaten some of the greatest tennis players in the world, including Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, and Andy Roddick.  I was fortunate enough to connect with James and speak with him while he was in LA commentating on the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters tournament. One of the things that stood out the most about James to me was his class on the court.  When my dad and I used to watch James play in DC at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic (now the Citi Open), he would thank the ballkids every time they gave him tennis balls or fetched him a towel.  James also had one of the biggest forehands on tour, which he used to propel himself up the ranks into the top 5 of the ATP Tour.  James continues to impress off the court as well with his second book, Ways of Grace, which he wrote ten years after his first book, Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life. James discusses the incredible athletes in Ways of Grace that have spoken out for a cause, the most difficult time in James's career, James's secret weapon for coming back from difficult times, when James experienced discrimination on tour, and more on Episode 55 of The Tennis Files Podcast.  Special thanks to GetCharly for helping set up my interview with James! You should definitely check out this fantastic app if you haven't yet! I hope you enjoy my interview with James, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below this post! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:30] How writing James’s second book, Ways of Grace, was a completely different experience from his first book Breaking Back [4:10] What James wants readers to get out of reading Ways of Grace [6:04] The incredible athletes that James discusses in his book [7:26] Why famous individuals should speak out about what they believe in, and the possible repercussions of doing so [10:11] One of James’s favorite athletes and what she did to advance society [12:05] Times when James experienced discrimination on the ATP Tour [14:15] James’s toughest moment in his career and how he persevered through that adversity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I spoke with sports performance specialist Allistair McCaw about how we can become Champion Minded.  Allistair was a guest on the podcast on Episode 11 of TFP, when we chatted about developing world class athletes. Allistair recently published his newest book, Champion Minded: An Athlete's Guide to Achieving Excellence in Sports and Life with Jenny W. Robb. Allistair is also the owner of The McCaw Method, a former professional athlete, and trains many world class athletes, including US Open Finalist Kevin Anderson (ranked as high as #10 in the world).  Allistair walks the walk, with multiple top 5 finishes in the World Duathlon Championships, completing 12 marathons in 12 months, and winning South Africa's fittest man competition among his many accomplishments. We speak about the importance of vision, why your morning routine can set up the rest of your day for success, how Kevin Anderson exhibits the traits of being Champion Minded, why you need resilience and grit to achieve your goals, and much more on Episode 54 of The Tennis Files Podcast. I hope you enjoy my interview with Allistair, and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:25] Did it get any easier for Allistair to write his second book, Champion Minded, after his first book (7 Keys to Being a Great Coach)? [4:16] Allistair's inspiration for writing Champion Minded [6:06] The importance of vision, and how Allistair guides his athletes to developing the right vision that will help them achieve their goals [8:04] Why Allistair stuck a sign above his bed as a young kid that said “Allistair McCaw - World Champion” and other encouraging signs [9:54] How to overcome laziness and the feeling of wanting to be comfortable so you can make the right decision [12:14] Allistair’s morning routine [15:24] Why Allistair has kept a training journal since he was 11, and the type of information to record in it [18:14] Why Athletes digest information best in short doses and how that influenced the structure of Champion Minded [20:55] Why competing is what athletes have trouble with the most [22:35] How Kevin Anderson exhibits the traits of being Champion Minded? [24:16] Allistair’s most memorable moments with Kevin and the team during the US Open finals against Rafael Nadal [26:43] The importance of grit and resilience and how to develop it to help you achieve your goals [29:14] Why reading Champion Minded will help you perform better on the court and in life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Ben Rothenberg, New York Times Writer and host of the No Challenges Remaining Podcast, recapped the 2017 Citi Open with me on championship Sunday. Ben travels the globe to cover tennis tournaments, and he is one of the most knowledgeable journalists in the world about the ATP and WTA tours. One thing I didn't know about Ben is how excellent of a spelling bee contest host he is when it rains at tennis tournaments :) Ben and I discussed the most impressive players of the tournament, the championship matches featuring Alexander Zverev, Kevin Anderson, Ekaterina Makerova and Julia Goerges, controversies at the Citi Open (Jack Sock "worst court on the tour" cough cough), and other interesting factoids about the men's and women's tours. I definitely had a blast hearing the opinions and insights from Ben, and I know you will enjoy the interview, especially if you like hearing the latest about the ATP and WTA. I hope you enjoy my interview with Ben, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:48] General thoughts about the 2017 Citi Open [3:55] Biggest surprise of the tournament [5:03] Most impressive players on the women's side [6:37] Effect of the long schedule on the seeded players' poor performances [7:22] Dimitrov's early upset and Medvedev's confrontation with Johnson [10:05] Jack Sock calls Citi Open's stadium court the worst court on tour [12:21] Assessing Sock's mental toughness and future potential [13:59] An impressive run to the finals for Kevin Anderson [15:37] Hardest working pros on tour [16:48] When do players get paid appearances fees to play in tournaments? [21:00] The Kontinen/Peers vs Melo/Kubot championship match and Melo coaching Zverev [22:30] The future of the Bryan Brothers [24:03] Thoughts on Julia Goerges and her solid run to the finals [24:34] Ben's crazy travel schedule to cover pro tournaments [26:30] No Challenges Remaining podcast [27:46] Where we can find Ben on social media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I spoke with ATP Pro Dennis Novikov. As an 18-year old, Dennis gained direct entry to the 2012 US Open singles and doubles main draws by winning both titles at the Boys 18s National Championship at Kalamazoo. Dennis impressively won his first round singles and doubles matches at the US Open, and has been steadily climbing up the ATP Tour ladder ever since, reaching a career high of #119 in the world last year. He also played two years of college tennis at UCLA, a top-ranked school that another podcast guest, Clay Thompson, attended. You'll hear about Dennis's daily routines, how he handles adversity, the type of training he does in the gym, and tips for improving your tennis game on Episode 52 of The Tennis Files Podcast. I first met Dennis after a World Team Tennis match between the Washington Kastles and the Orange County Breakers in D.C. My dad and I chatted briefly with Dennis in the garage elevator, and it is really cool to have him on as a guest on the podcast. I hope you enjoy my interview with Dennis, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:57] Dennis's first memory of hitting a tennis ball [4:46] Dennis’s brother’s influence on Dennis’s tennis game? [5:10] Other sports/activities Dennis played as a youngster [5:58] How not specializing early helped Dennis's tennis game [6:38] Dennis's favorite hockey player [7:00] When Dennis believed that he could be a professional tennis player [7:42] Dennis's role models growing up [8:12] Having your dad as your tennis coach [8:45] Pressures as a top-ranked junior [9:29] When Dennis reached the top rankings in juniors [10:36] Winning without training at tennis academies [11:21] Why being a successful junior player doesn’t really translate to the pros [13:41] Dennis's experience winning both the 18s singles and doubles titles in Kalamazoo [15:09] Going pro versus playing college tennis [16:09] Biggest improvements in his game while at UCLA [16:59] Where Dennis would have gone has he not chosen UCLA [17:36] Why Dennis left UCLA after two years [18:12] The most memorable moment as a Bruin [19:15] Winning both first round matches at the 2012 US Open as an 18 year old [20:52] The toughest moment in Dennis's career and how he overcame it [22:10] Differences between the juniors, college, and the pro game [23:10] What Dennis has changed in his training over the past few years on the ATP tour [23:42] Dennis's speed and agility workouts [24:19] Changes in the pro game: shortening matches and using a time clock between points [25:28] A typical day in the life of Dennis Novikov on non-tournament days [26:22] Dennis's go-to breakfast [27:00] Dennis's frequency training strength, speed, agility, power, and endurance [27:41] Dennis's go-to exercises in the weight room [28:15] The importance of different set and rep schemes in your workouts (i.e. endurance vs. power) [28:59] What Dennis eats and drinks during a match [29:45] Does Dennis practice meditation or yoga? [30:28] Caloric intake and the 14k diet [30:55] How many meals Dennis eats a day [31:06] Dennis's favorite TV shows [31:55] Sustaining a pro tennis career from a financial standpoint [33:02] Why Dennis couldn’t take a dime of money for reaching the second round of singles and doubles at the US Open as an 18 year old [33:21] Dennis's racquet, strings, and tension setup [33:58] 3 books Dennis recommends tennis players read to improve [34:46] Dennis’s thoughts on the McGregor - Mayweather fight [36:00] Tips to help improve our serves [36:39] Dennis's schedule over the next few months [37:31] Where we can follow Dennis online and on s... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I spoke with footwork expert Dave Bailey about how we can improve our movement on the court. Dave is the creator of the Bailey Tennis Footwork Method, used by top professionals all the way down to the amateur level. Dave has worked with over 21 Grand Slam Players, including Monica Seles, Jarmilla Gajdosova, Zang Shaui, Jelena Dokic, Bethanie Mattek, Anne Kethavong, Misaki Doe, Irina Falconi, and Vince Spadea. Dave has spent over 30 years studying and researching the steps and movements of the top tennis professionals. Clearly, he really knows his stuff about footwork. After his intensive study of the best players in the world, Dave created the Bailey Tennis Footwork Method, which is arguably the most advanced and comprehensive tennis footwork training program in the world today. Dave was a real pleasure to speak with, and I hope to someday take him up on his offer of doing scissor kick smashes in the sand dunes of Sydney, Australia. I'll try not to puke though :) Many thanks to Dave for the fantastic tips and information on how we can all level up our tennis footwork. And if you can only remember one thing that Dave said (originally from Nick Bollettieri), remember this: "it's footwork, not footwalk." I hope you enjoy this episode and let us know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [2:03] What caused Dave to become so passionate about tennis footwork [2:50] Dave’s competitive and educational background [4:02] How Bruce Lee was one of Dave’s biggest influencers in studying tennis and footwork [5:38] 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Dave Bailey [6:20] Why improving our footwork is critical if we want to reach the next level in our tennis careers [7:21] Why tennis footwork is often under-appreciated in favor of other aspects of tennis like technique or strategy [8:42] Why so many players develop inefficient footwork mechanics [10:44] How different types of players tend to have different movement patterns [12:36] The biggest mistakes amateurs make with their footwork [13:41] What is the Bailey Tennis Footwork Method? [14:52] What are the basic tenets of the Bailey Tennis Footwork Method? [17:08] Which of the 5 R’s are players the most deficient in and how can we improve it? [18:21] Contact and Balance Moves [21:49] How to prevent information overwhelm when learning the different moves in footwork [23:36] Walk through of a typical footwork training session that Dave would give to a 4.0 or 4.5-rated adult tennis player [26:32] How long does it normally take for students on the Bailey Tennis Footwork Method to see improvements in their footwork? [27:56] Types of training equipment do you use to help players improve their footwork? [30:47] Would you recommend the jumprope to players who want to improve their footwork? [31:45] What is the key to eliminating bad footwork patterns and developing efficient patterns? [33:34] Are there any muscles that are routinely undertrained or ignored which contribute to bad footwork? [35:19] What’s the first thing you have an athlete you are coaching do when you want to improve that person’s footwork technique [37:06] What is one drill that tennis players can do right now that will help them improve their footwork? [40:00] How heavy of a medicine ball should we use? [41:01] How can we improve our footspeed/footwork intensity? [43:03] What mistakes do players make in their training that actually slows them down instead of making them quicker on the court? [45:34] What role does the mind play in whether a player has efficient or inefficient footwork? [47:34] Using visualization to help athletes’ footwork [49:16] What type of mindset should we have to help us impro... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode I spoke with Allan Iverson, Babolat's Sales Representative in Southern California and the 2014 Tennis Industry Sales Rep of the Year. Allan and I discussed the history of Babolat, the best approach to choosing racquets and strings, and improvements in tennis technology over the past few decades. In addition to his job with Babolat, Allan is also a USPTA P-1 teaching pro with more than two decades of experience. In 2012, he was Babolat’s National Salesperson of the Year. Allan travels far and wide, including a recent trip to China, to help enrich the tennis industry's knowledge about the latest products that Babolat has to offer. He has become such a wealth of information that one of Allan's bosses recently said “his knowledge of the brand is better than anybody I have worked with.” Allan is no slouch on the court either; he played number one at his high school and all 4 years at Christ College of Irvine. I hope you enjoy my interview with Allan! If you have an interest in racquets, strings (which tennis player doesn't?), and tennis products in general, you will really like this episode. Choosing the right equipment for your game is crucial, and whether or not you go with Babolat products, you will learn a ton from Allan about what is available and how to determine what is best for your game. I use Babolat racquets and strings and highly recommend them. There are a ton of choices out there, and this episode will help you narrow down the playing field. Thanks for listening! Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:35] How Allan became a highly respected sales rep for Babolat [5:20] The farthest that he has ever traveled to promote the Babolat brand [6:46] Allan's favorite thing about being a Babolat sales manager? [7:56] What are 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Allan? [9:30] When, where and how was Babolat founded? [12:47] What was Babolat’s first breakthrough product? [14:22] Which pro has done the most to further Babolat’s brand out of all the players, past and present, on the tour? [17:33] What is Babolat’s most successful racquet line of all time? [19:24] The difference between the European and American approach of making products [21:29] Longest tenured pro with Babolat [22:27] Tips for playtesting racquets and racquets in Babolat’s line that players should demo [25:31] What does the VS stand for in the VS Aero Pro line of racquets? [26:56] The new iteration of the Pure Control [28:03] What does the 16x20 string pattern do to a racquet’s feel/power/control? [29:19] What types of racquets in Babolat’s line are best suited for certain types of players? [31:17] The Pure Strike racquet that Dominic Thiem uses [32:04] Pure Aero VS racquet review [34:03] Allan’s take on the racquet [34:50] Pure Strike 100 racquet review [36:48] Allan’s take on the Pure Strike [38:34] Pure Strike Team 100 racquet review [41:01] What racquets would Allan recommend our audience try, being that most of our audience is between a 3.5-4.5 NTRP level [42:04] The racquet that Allan uses [43:19] How much has the Pure Aero changed since it first came on the market? [46:59] How long do frames normally “last” for before they decline in performance and the one thing that wears out your racquet the most [50:57] RPM Blast Rough strings review [52:23] Allan’s insight on RPM Blast Rough [55:23] Does color of string make a difference in the string’s performance, and the process of making different types of strings [57:36] Hybrid - RPM Blast / VS Touch strings review [1:01:33] Full vs half poly in the Aero Pro [1:03:44] Stringing with electric machines and other string choices [1:07:26] Best practices for stringing racquets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I spoke with Yale standout Tyler Lu. Tyler has played #1 at Yale since his freshman year, and was ranked as high as #64 in the country in college. We discussed Tyler's journey from starting tennis at 12 years old to transitioning to the pro tour, and some excellent tips that can help improve your serve and mindset on the court. Tyler, a blue chip recruit, has defeated a bunch of top 40 ranked college tennis players and was ranked as high as No. 3 in the Southern California (SoCal) region as a junior and No. 24 in the nation by the USTA. I am definitely glad that Tyler's brother Austin reached out to me to get this interview set up. Thanks to Tyler for coming onto The Tennis Files Podcast! I really enjoyed speaking with him. Tyler is a very intelligent young man with a bright future ahead of him. I hope you enjoy his very insightful thoughts about tennis and advice on how we can all play better tennis. Time-Stamped Show Notes [1:49] Sports and activities Tyler did as a young kid before playing tennis [3:25] Tyler's first memory of hitting a tennis ball [4:17] ] Was it difficult starting tennis at a relatively late age? [6:07] Tyler started practicing seriously from day 1 [6:57] Tyler's first tournament experience and its impact on his career [7:52] How playing other sports helps tennis players on the mental side of the game and competing [9:15] Tyler not making his high school tennis team first year [10:17] The structure of Tyler's high school tennis team tryouts [11:15] How Tyler responded after not making his high school team [13:02] Why Tyler didn’t train at a tennis academy and still improved his game a ton [14:16] Tyler's experience with coaches as a junior player [14:51] When Tyler started to reach a high ranking in Southern California and the nation [15:41] What helped Tyler reach the top of the junior rankings in such a relatively short period of time [17:09] Tyler's playing style, and how it evolved as he got older up until college? [18:46] How to selectively go for your shots [19:31] Tyler's proudest moment in his junior tennis career [20:29] His biggest victories in the juniors [21:29] The recruiting process as an upperclassman in high school [22:13] How and why Tyler choose Yale over other big name schools? [23:27] The school Tyler would have gone to if he didn't select Yale [24:39] Which Ivy League school had the highest-ranked tennis program [25:12] What part of Tyler's game he improved the most while at Yale? [26:28] Key tip to improve your serve -Visualize yourself hitting the top of the ball up on your serve for more power -Works for flat and topspin serves -Slice side of the ball for slice serves [30:34] What was a typical day of practice like in college? [32:54] How difficult was it to balance studies at a top Ivy League school with Division I tennis? [34:47] How much off-court training (weight training, agility/sprints) did the team do? [36:45] What was the lowest point in Tyler's college tennis career, and how he overcame it [40:05] The college tennis dynamics of supporting your teammates while competing for a spot in the lineup [42:12] Tyler's most memorable team match with Yale [44:32] Why confidence is so importance for tennis players [49:04] Factors Tyler considered when deciding whether to go pro [50:45] The profession Tyler would take up if he didn’t decide to go pro [52:00] How Tyler plans to handle the financial burden of playing on the pro tour [54:10] Why domestic tournaments can cost more than international tournaments [56:26] Tyler's goals for his first year on tour [57:20] Will Tyler be traveling with a coach and/or team during this time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dominic King, Head of Athlete Development for Everyball Tennis at Halton Tennis Centre in the United Kingdom. Dom is an expert in strength and conditioning for tennis players, and it was a great pleasure speaking with him and learning about many important principles and tips about tennis fitness. Dom has a very accomplished background. He is an iTPA Master Tennis Performance Specialist (MTPS), one of only a small number of people to hold this designation worldwide. Dom is also an Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach (ASCC) with the UK Strength & Conditioning Association, and an NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES). Dom holds numerous other professional qualifications as well. Dom trains club players anywhere from 8 to 80 + years old and loves helping each player improve and develop as a tennis athlete. We covered several important areas of tennis strength and conditioning, including how players can optimize their workouts, optimal rep ranges and recovery periods, and key exercises to improve your tennis game. I hope you enjoy my interview with Dom! Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:16] What made Dom decide to specialize in the fitness side of tennis? [5:19] Dom's competitive tennis background [6:27] Accreditations and degrees Dom finds the most useful for his profession as a tennis strength and conditioning expert [9:13] Mehrban talks about taking the iTPA exam to become a certified Tennis Performance Trainer in 3 months [10:15] Athletes/coaches Dom looked up to the most when he was figuring out his career path [12:43] How many strength and conditioning sessions do Dom's players usually partake in per week? [14:30] How long does each S&C training session last for on average? [15:50] How should we split our workouts in terms of what part of the body is being worked out (i.e. legs day, arms day, push-pull etc.)? [17:43] Why working out for a tennis player is different than general weight training [21:53] Rep ranges and recovery periods that Dom's players use, and whether it varies on the off season or type of workout [25:10] Is there a use for low rep ranges and 90%+ of 1 rep max for tennis players? [27:52] 3 exercises that transfer into better performance on the court [32:39] Is the bench press a useful exercise for tennis players? [34:33] How often you should change up a workout routine [36:44] Should we use tennis-specific exercises in our weight training, or should we get players strong in a more traditional manner first? [39:30] The biggest mistake that tennis players make when training [42:20] Tips for players to maintain their strength and conditioning while constantly traveling on the road to tournaments [46:42] Can players have a good S&C workout without weights? What types of equipment do you suggest they use? [48:39] Use of the legs and rotation to generate power and what we can learn from boxing and other combat sports [53:10] How important are the legs for the serve? [55:57] What other sports are most similar to tennis? [58:44] Dom's experiences working with players of all different ages [1:04:17] A typical day training tennis players at Halton Tennis Centre in the UK [1:07:00] 3 books Dom would gift to a friend to help them increase their knowledge about tennis fitness and strength and conditioning. [1:09:18] Where we can find Dom online and in person [1:11:04] One myth about strength and conditioning for tennis [1:12:28] One key tip to help you improve your strength and conditioning for tennis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I spoke with Charlie Hoeveler, CEO and Founder of US Sports Camps. Charlie discussed his secrets to success and longevity in tennis and how he manages to run the largest sports camps organizations in the world. Charlie is also a very accomplished player and gave some fantastic advice on how older players can continue to be successful in the sport. He has been ranked number one in the world in singles (ITF) in 1991 (45's), 1995 (50's) and #2 in 2001 (55's) as well as #1 in singles in the U.S. twice (1990 and 2001). Charlie has won 48 Gold Balls for USTA national championships in singles (11), doubles (11), mixed doubles (2), and Father/Son (24) with a string of 24 consecutive years with a Gold Ball (1990 through 2013). Charlie and his VP’s of Tennis, Matt, Wendy and Siera, have managed to snag some of the best coaches in the country to run their programs, including Paul Goldstein, Stanford University Men’s Tennis Coach, and Billy Pate, Princeton Men’s Tennis Coach. In addition to his tennis accomplishments, Charlie is a Founding Member National Junior Tennis League of San Francisco, The Charles Schwab Youth Foundation, Special Olympics organizer in Marin County (CA). Charlie is also an Honorary Member of the IC of Great Britain and a member of the USTA/Norcal Hall of Fame. Here's what you'll learn in my interview with Charlie: What Charlie loves the most about tennis. His first memory on the court. Charlie's tennis idols growing up and a legend he got to hit with. If he could give his younger self advice on how to play better tennis, what he would tell himself. Charlie's secrets to success and longevity in tennis. His routine before tennis matches. Charlie's advice to senior players on how they can keep playing How US Sports Camps and Nike Tennis Camps was born How many players have gone through US Sports Camps and Nike Tennis Camps’s camps (hint: its a lot!). The structure and duration of Nike Tennis Camps. What sets US Sports Camps and Nike Tennis Camps apart from other tennis camps. One key piece of advice to help tennis players improve their games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Greenwald, an internationally recognized sports psychology consultant and licensed therapist who specializes in the mental game of tennis. Jeff gave us some fantastic advice on how we can play better tennis by improving the way we think on court and about the game on Episode 46 of The Tennis Files Podcast. If you haven't listened to Episode 44 with Neil Endicott on Mindfulness-Based Tennis Psychology yet, definitely check that one out as well. Jeff is author of a fantastic book entitled The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Strategies for Fearless Performance. He is also a speaker and a former world-ranked pro on the ATP Tour who went on to reach the No. 1 ITF ranking in the world and U.S in the men’s 35-age division. The mental game is such an important part of tennis and I am really excited to bring you this interview with Jeff. We discuss the most important lessons Jeff has learned about the mental game, his biggest struggles on the court, advice that he'd give his younger college/ATP pro playing self, tips on how to improve your mental approach, and much more. Jeff's advice will help you deal with pressure during matches so you can play better tennis. Click the play button above to listen to the interview. Enjoy! Time-Stamped Show Notes: [1:11] How did Jeff got to where he is today in his tennis career [1:55] What Jeff learned most from The Bollettieri Academy [3:10] Jeff's most difficult moment as a professional tennis player that pushed him mentally? [5:27] Jeff's advice to himself as a 20-year old college/ATP pro player [7:47] What can we do to strengthen our mental game? [10:15] What are a few things we can do during a match to help us reset for the next point? [13:12] How can we stay positive after a series of losses? [15:45] Strategies from Jeff’s book that will make a substantial impact on your performance [18:36] Books Jeff recommends you read to improve your mental game The Power of Full Engagement - Jim Loehr Way of the Peaceful Warrior - Dan Millman Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Open - Andre Agassi Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl and William J. Winslade Mindset: The New Psychology of Success - Carol S. Dweck [22:02] One key tip from Jeff to help you improve your tennis game Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Ein, founder and owner of the six-time World Team Tennis Champion Washington Kastles, was thrilled to hear that two members of the Kastles family sealed their places in the 2017 Australian Open final. Mark spoke about his friendship with Serena and Venus Williams, their impact on the Washington Kastles and the community, how he felt when he heard the final was set, and plans for the upcoming Washington Kastles season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Neil Endicott, a coach and author who specializes in Mindfulness-Based Tennis Psychology (MBTP). Neil discussed how tennis players can play more confident and effective tennis by training the mental part of their game through MBTP. Neil has written numerous articles that have been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post and Tennis Magazine. Even Novak Djokovic has talked about how mindfulness helped him reach new heights in his career in his book Serve to Win. If one of the greats in the game believes in training yourself to be more mindful, it's worth a try. We discuss human psychology, how players can change their mindset through MBTP, meditation, and how we can train ourselves to perform our best by being in the moment and recognizing negative thoughts for what they are: thoughts and nothing more. I know a lot of you struggle with pressure and negative emotions on the court. This episode will help you on your journey to overcoming these mental obstacles. I hope you enjoy this fantastic episode on mindfulness with Neil. Time-Stamped Show Notes [4:43] How did you end up becoming an expert on the mental side of tennis? [10:29] Were there any particular books or courses that you read which laid the foundation for your philosophy about the mental game? [14:17] If you could give your 16-year old self advice, what would you say? [15:55] What pros use mindful meditation to help their tennis games? [20:52] More relaxed versus fiery players and how both can use mindfulness based tennis psychology to excel on the court they should mentally approach tennis matches [24:19] How Mindfulness Based Tennis Psychology is structured to help tennis players [28:35] Here’s a scenario: I get an easy sitter on a crucial break point, and blast the ball long. I immediately get a negative thought about what just happened. What should I do? [32:28] Mistakes are a part of tennis. [33:56] Why we tend to battle against ourselves in our minds and what to do about it [38:43] What is a basic meditation that we can start with that will help us be more mindful? [42:06] How long should we meditate for? When is the optimal time to meditate; in the morning, before a match, or after a match? [45:22] How long does it normally take before we will see results from MBTP? [47:43] Mindfulness doesn’t necessarily mean hard work [50:22] When we play against players that are ranked higher than us, there is often an innate feeling that we are supposed to lose/cannot win. How can we overcome these thoughts? [55:08] One key to improve our tennis games [57:43] Mindfulness Based Tennis Psychology can help you excel in other parts of your life as well Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show I had the pleasure of speaking with Matt Bilger, Director of Tennis at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club. Matt was my former assistant coach at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County where I played Division I college tennis. He always kept our team positive and ready to handle adversity. Matt brings the same expertise and energy to the court with his current players, and it was my pleasure to interview Matt on the podcast. Matt and I discussed his passion for the game and tips for running a successful tennis program. Matt talks about his approach for teaching club level players, how he structures his programs, and common mistakes that he fixes in his students' games. It was awesome to speak with Matt and I appreciate the enthusiasm and effort that he brings to every lesson and clinic he teaches. Enjoy the episode and let me know what you think in the comments below! Time-Stamped Show Notes [4:15] Matt journey from a late start in tennis to Director at a country club [5:58] How Matt’s mentor influenced his passion for tennis [7:22] At what age did Matt start playing competitive tennis? [8:43] Advice for aspiring Directors of a tennis/country club [12:18] How Matt overcame the lowest point in his career [14:17] What are three things the world doesn’t know about Matt Bilger? [15:57] Three of the biggest mistakes that Matt sees club players make [17:28] The structure of tennis programs at Chantilly National. [19:02] How Matt gets more players to be engaged and participate in your programs, particularly with social media [20:32] How to fix technical issues in club players [22:03] How to approach teaching beginner tennis players [24:10] Matt’s affable personality; was it always this way? [25:30] How to maintain motivation teaching long hours [27:04] What are 3 tips to improve our serves? [29:19] How Matt incorporates fitness into his clinics [31:15] Some of Matt’s favorite tennis drills [33:10] Favorite tennis books? Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert Agassi’s Book - Open Pete Sampras - A Champion's Mind: Lessons From a Life in Tennis [34:08] The best advice Matt's ever been given about tennis [35:23] One key tip to help tennis players improve their game [36:22] Where we can follow Matt online and on social media If you enjoyed my interview with Matt, subscribe to The Tennis Files Podcast in iTunes or your favorite podcast app! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode I spoke with professional tennis player Clay Thompson, a serious contender for most interesting man in the world (move over, Dos Equis guy!). Clay grinds mostly Challengers and some Futures events as he pursues his dream of becoming a top-ranked professional tennis player. Clay has been ranked as high as 408 in the world (last year) and is famous for a viral video of him smiling and fist-pumping his way to the semifinals of the Champaign Challenger last year. His high-energy and carefree approach is what makes Clay such an entertaining and enjoyable player to watch. Even more impressive is Clay's business acumen and his outside interests, which include creative writing and helping grow the game of tennis. If you dare press the play button above, you are in for two of the most entertaining and insightful hours of audio that I have produced on The Tennis Files Podcast so far. And it only took me 42 episodes to crack a decent joke or three on the show! Thanks again to Clay for coming onto the podcast and showing us how we can improve our tennis games with a more positive mindset and an attitude of gratitude for the game we love. Time-Stamped Show Notes Beginnings [2:00] Clay's first memory of playing tennis [3:09] Playing other sports and how he decided on pursuing tennis [4:33] Clay's tennis idols growing up [6:55] Clay on the importance of personality in tennis [8:30] What are 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Clay Thompson Creative writing, screen writing, business ventures, alternative medicine [12:41] Favorite video games. Final Fantasy, League of Legends, Counterstrike Junior Career [14:42] The first tournament Clay played as a young kid [15:55] What it felt like to win his first tournament [17:57] Clay's highest ranking as a junior player [23:13] Going toe to toe with Jack Sock in the Juniors [26:50] Technical changes in the juniors. [30:14] Unique stroke techniques - Gulbis, McEnroe Transition to College Tennis [31:27] A pivotal moment for Clay in 2012 in the All-American Championships that helped change his perspective on the game and save his career [38:24] What type of yoga does Clay practice and how it helps Clay’s tennis [41:01] The most influential person in UCLA Tennis that helped grow his game and character. [44:29] A point away from winning the NCAA Championship match to UVA [47:51] Clay's impressions about Mackenzie McDonald, a fellow UCLA Bruin and teammate, on his prospects on the pro tour? Pro Tour [50:33] What is the hardest part about being a professional tennis player? Being like a CEO and managing your finances. [53:18] Dealing with no job security in tennis [57:38] Solutions for the financial black hole for professional tennis players [59:58] A normal day of training when Clay isn't playing a tournament? [1:03:49] Typical workout day for Clay [1:06:07] Differences between working out for tennis and other sports [1:08:29] Shake-weight training for tennis! (just a joke :) ) [1:09:12] His experience reaching the semis at the Champaign Challenger last year [1:11:24] Plan to have an awesome year and executing on it with great results [1:14:27] How to plan financially as a professional tennis player; documenting expenses and your budget [1:17:13] The importance of mind maps and Mind Meister (tennisfiles.com/mindmap) [1:18:39] The need for more business courses to teach professional players to manage their finances [1:19:04] The benefits of forming a company (i.e. LLC) as a pro [1:20:58] A fine example of a terribly-executed Chappelle-show joke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 41 of TFP I had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Blicher about coaching elite junior players and high-performance tennis principles. I first heard about Adam when I searched for tennis podcasts on iTunes. The Adam Blicher Show popped up, and ever since, I have learned a lot from Adam and the fantastic guests he has had on his show. Adam focuses on dissecting and deconstructing the minds of world-class performers & leading specialist in our sport. This is something that I love doing as well, so it is not surprising that we connected and did an episode that will help you all improve your tennis games. Adam also has a really cool show called Adam's Advice that will be up around the time of this episode. I highly encourage you to check out Adam's podcast and his show to further immerse yourself in the world of experts so that you can improve your tennis game! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:33] How did you get to where you are today in your tennis career? [3:51] What is it about tennis that inspires and motivates you to get up and coach your players every single day? [5:01] What are 3 things most of the world doesn’t know about Adam Blicher [5:57] In your bio, it mentions that you dissect and deconstruct the best tennis performers and athletes so that you can teach others; How does one go about doing this type of in-depth study to improve themselves? [8:55] If you could go back and talk to yourself when you were a junior, what advice would you give yourself? [10:25] Pressure is a huge part of tennis; what type of mental exercises or training do you have your players go through to help them with this part of their game? [13:01] What type of advice do you give your players before they step out on the court? [15:25] What are your thoughts about meditation? [18:26] How can a player break through a losing streak? [20:22] If a player constantly gets tight on big points, what advice would you tell that player to help him/her perform optimally in critical situations. [22:10] What is a typical day of coaching like for you? [23:37] What are three keys to successfully coaching juniors in the 14-16 age group? [25:43] How much traveling do your players do, and do they ever have issues coping with the travel? If so, how do you help them with this? [28:00] What are some mistakes that you see other coaches making that inhibits the growth of their players? [30:48] What should a player do if they have to make a big technical change to a stroke (i.e. how much tournament play should they be doing)? [34:20] What type of fitness regimen do you put your players through? [39:22] Who are a couple of your high-performing junior players and what about them makes them so successful? [42:18] What did you learn from interning at the Patrick Mouratoglou Academy? What is it about coach Mouratoglou that makes him a great coach? [45:41] Which interview on The Adam Blicher Show is your all-time favorite, and why? [48:52] What was the best piece of advice your podcast guest gave on the show? [50:16] I understand you are planning to release Adam’s Advice; can you tell us about it? [51:12] What are three books that you would give as a gift to your tennis players? [52:37] Do you have a morning routine, and if so, what is it? [53:47] Adam’s favorite type of coffee [54:33] Where can our audience find you online and in person? [56:20] Upcoming podcast episodes [57:50] Key piece of advice to improve your tennis game Many thanks to Adam for coming onto The Tennis Files Podcast and providing our audience with a lot of great advice and tips to help you improve your tennis game! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I spoke with Brian Smith, creator of Performance Tennis Training, about tennis serve technique. Brian and I went through each phase of the tennis serve, from the grip to the finish. The serve is easily the most important part of the game. As I've said time and time again, we serve half the time, and you can start dictating with it immediately. Brian creates fantastic, value-filled videos about all aspects of tennis, including stroke mechanics and footwork, on his Performance Tennis Training Youtube Page. I've watched many of them, and when I've implemented Brian's tips, they have worked really well for me. Thanks to Brian for being on the show and talking about the most important stroke in tennis, the serve! Time-Stamped Show Notes [2:32] How Brian Smith became an expert tennis coach [3:52] Tennis book that made the most impact on Brian's tennis career [4:49] What motivates Brian to be the best tennis coach he can be every day [6:23] Why the tennis serve is the most important part of your game [7:16] The grip we should use for the tennis serve and some alternatives [9:09] Various stances for the serve (platform, pinpoint) [10:35] Brian's preferred backswing technique (abbreviated vs. full/classic) [13:23] How to develop a smoother backswing on the serve [15:19] Tools we can use to smooth out the serve [16:57] How much should we rotate our bodies on the serve? [18:32] The ideal loading position for the serve [19:42] Ideal height to toss the ball [21:17] How to toss the ball properly [23:04] What is pronation and how does it help us hit better serves? [24:42] Would a weak continental grip still allow us to pronate effectively? [26:22] The different types of second serves [28:19] How can we produce more spin on our serves? [30:10] Tips for generating power on our first serves [34:03] How can players hit flat serves? [37:58] Brian's favorite serve placements [40:14] How many serves should we practice hitting a day? [42:32] What parts of our body should we be strengthening to hit better serves [43:57] Favorite point patterns off the serve [46:19] Exercises to keep the rotator cuff healthy [47:27] Resources to improve players' serves [49:52] How did Brian come up with the idea for Performance Tennis Training? [51:23] Why should players check out Performance Tennis Training? [53:07] Brian's favorite PTT video [54:30] Future plans for PTT [55:59] One key piece of advice on how you can improve your tennis serve [56:57] Where can we follow Brian and PTT online? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Todd Ellenbecker, DPT, MS, SCS, OCS, CSCS (whew!). Todd is the Vice President of Medical Services for the ATP Tour and a Director of Physiotherapy Associates Scottsdale Sports Clinic in Arizona. He was kind enough to join me to talk about injury prevention and recovery for tennis players. I received a ton of questions from all of you because injuries are a huge part of the game. We must take measures to prevent injuries, and properly recover when we have the misfortune of getting them. Otherwise, we will not be able to play the sport we love for very long. Todd's advice goes beyond helping your tennis game, and will help you lead a much healthier, more functional life. If you don't make time to work on your physical strength and flexibility, you'll never reach your tennis potential. Todd, along with recent The Tennis Files Podcast guest Dr. Mark Kovacs and Paul E. Roetert, is a co-author of Complete Conditioning for Tennis. This book has been a life-changer for me and my game. I have used it to formulate my own periodized workout routine and am seeing fantastic results on and off the court because I am committed to the program. Thanks so much to Todd for coming onto The Tennis Files Podcast and providing us all with such amazing value. His expertise in the area of physiotherapy is truly second to none! Time-Stamped Show Notes [1:49] How Todd became the VP of Medical Services for the ATP Tour and Director of a Physiotherapy Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ [3:36] Todd's degrees and certifications [5:29] Three things most of the world doesn't know about Todd [6:20] Why do tennis players get injured? [7:37] Can you get injured with good technique? [9:09] Three of the most common injuries on the ATP Tour today [10:52] Difference in injuries now versus previous generations of players [12:20] What we can do to protect the shoulder [13:53] Why traditional heavy lifting can be detrimental to tennis players [16:20] The optimal time to train and perform exercises [18:30] A case study on how Ram, a member of our audience, can recover from a rotator cuff injury [21:09] The cause of hip pain and how to remedy it [23:14] Todd's duties as the Vice President of Medical Services for the ATP Tour, and how Todd and other ATP physiotherapists go out on the court to treat professional tennis players during medical timeouts [25:00] The most common injuries treated during medical timeouts [26:17] How often are medical timeouts used for gamesmanship, and how are trainers supposed to respond if they sense this [27:41] Todd's favorite tools that we can use to prevent injuries [30:28] Three things that amateur players can do to prevent injuries [33:45] How can Doug help his team deal with shin splints [36:44] Where can our audience follow Todd online? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Preston Lemon, a Territory Sales Manager for Wilson Sporting Goods Co. in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Preston, a former college tennis player at Virginia Tech, joined me on the podcast to give you some fantastic tips on how to choose the best tennis racquet for your game. Afterwards, we examined 6 of Wilson's newest racquets on the market: the Blade 18x20 Countervail, Blade 16x19 Countervail, Blade 98S (Spin) Countervail, Pro Staff 97, Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph, and the Ultra 100. Preston and I spoke about each racquet's specs and then discussed our experiences playing with them. Preston was kind enough to send me the six racquets above to playtest, and I have really enjoyed hitting with Wilson's latest sticks. In addition to the racquets, Preston also sent me several packets of Luxilon 4g string 125mm and Wilson Revolve 16g strings. We gave our thoughts on the 4g and Revolve as well. I really appreciate Preston coming onto the show, and for sending me the latest Wilson racquets and strings to playtest. Preston has been a pleasure to work with, and I can only hope that the majority of racquet reps are as good as he is at what he does! Tune in to Episode 38 of The Tennis Files Podcast to enhance your knowledge about racquets and find out which one of them is our hands down favorite! This episode will help you learn how to choose the best racquet for your game, and whether one of Wilson's racquets may be right for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Luca Corinteli from the University of Virginia Men's Tennis team. Luca is an elite tennis player and was ranked as high as #2 in doubles in the country with partner Ryan Shane. Luca has helped UVA Men's Tennis win the NCAA Division I national championship the past two years in a row. Brian Boland, head coach of UVA Men's Tennis and a recent guest on The Tennis Files Podcast, highly recommended that I interview Luca when I asked Coach Boland who he might suggest I speak to from his team. Coach Boland was right on the money (per usual). The senior Wahoo with proud Georgian roots gave us a truly fantastic interview on the life of a college tennis player at the #1 college tennis program in the country. Luca is mature well beyond his years, and we wish him and UVA Tennis all the best this season and into the team's professional careers. Time-Stamped Show Notes [3:15] How does the championship ring feel? [4:13] How Luca got his start playing tennis [5:57] How judo helped Luca's tennis game [7:12] Luca's first tournament experience [7:59] Role models growing up as a junior [9:34] How Vesa Ponkka has helped Luca's tennis career [11:08] An overview of Luca's junior career [12:54] How Luca overcame a low point as a younger player [14:42] Luca's biggest accomplishment in his junior career [15:49] How Coach Boland recruited Luca onto UVA Men's Tennis Team [16:57] Luca's biggest improvement since joining UVA Tennis [18:36] Overcoming adversity in college tennis [20:51] Best advice from the coaching staff [23:08] Luca's favorite drills in team practices [24:18] Ratio of on-court to off-court training [26:50] What part of Luca's game did Luca have to improve the most when he came to UVA? [28:28] Luca's most memorable moment at UVA [30:16] Rivalries in college tennis [31:45] What went through Luca's mind when Henrik Wiersholm clinched the 2016 National Championship for UVA Men's Tennis [33:15] Funniest moment with the team [34:50] The sickest match that Luca has played in college [36:33] Luca describes how he held serve down a break point at 5-5 30-40 in the national championship match at #1 doubles against Oklahoma [37:27] How Luca calmed himself down after shaking before serving down break point in the national championship [38:29] What makes Luca a great doubles player [39:50] How Luca decides when to poach in doubles [40:57] Winning point patterns in doubles [42:46] Difference in levels between college tennis and ITF Futures events [44:05] Luca's plans on whether to play professional tennis after college [45:20] Three things that most people don't know about Luca Corinteli [47:27] Luca's favorite tennis book [49:07] Where can we follow Luca online [49:52] One key tip that will help us improve our tennis games Special shout out to UVA Men's Tennis, as Luca is the 3rd guest I've had on the show in 37 episodes that has ties to the program. Coach Brian Boland (Episode 34) and Treat Huey (Episode 7) have also been on The Tennis Files Podcast. Treat just qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in doubles with Max Mirnyi, which is an incredible accomplishment! Go Treat! Thanks again to Luca for coming onto the Tennis Files Podcast and speaking about his experiences as a player on UVA's Men's Tennis Team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 36 of TFP, Kim Selzman from The Tennis Quick Tips Podcast and tennisfixation.com joined me to give you some of her best tips to help you improve your game. Kim started playing tennis at 40 years old and fell in love with the game immediately. She is a super passionate tennis player that enjoys sharing what she knows and learns about the game with her audience. Well that sounds a little familiar! :) Kim does an awesome job of giving her audience value-packed tips that are quick and easy to implement, and can really boost your game. She has produced over 140 podcast episodes and it was a lot of fun to speak with her on the show. I also included her podcast in my article The 41 Best Tennis Resources Every Player Should Know. Time-Stamped Show Notes: [2:58] How Kim got her start in tennis [5:34] Kim's website and podcast [9:09] 3 tips to improve your serve [15:35] One tip Kim follows every time she plays tennis [18:52] Why Kim changed her mind about lobbing [22:43] Resources that Kim uses to improve her game [26:03] Favorite tennis books Kim would give as a gift to someone who wants to improve their tennis game [30:33] One Key Tip to improve your tennis game [34:06] Where can we find Kim online A big shout out to Kim for coming onto the podcast and giving us some great tips on how we can all become better tennis players! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Martin Blackman, General Manager of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) Player Development Program. Coach Blackman is responsible for partnering with the U.S. tennis community to identify and develop the next generation of world-class American tennis players. The former ATP pro and college tennis coach spoke to us about the USTA's player development program that has recently seen a lot of success and a ton of top-ranked American talent. The current head of USTA PD was one of the top juniors in the world and eventually climbed to a ranking of #158 on the ATP Tour. He also played Davis Cup for Barbados. After his pro career, Blackman coached the American University tennis team and top junior players at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland. On Episode 35, Coach Blackman speaks to us about what the USTA is doing to bolster the development of top American tennis players. We can adopt many of Coach Blackman's and the USTA's principles into our own way of thinking to help us improve our tennis games. Time-Stamped Show Notes: [3:44] How Martin Blackman started playing tennis [5:00] Coach Blackman's college and pro tennis career [8:00] The most important part of the evolution of a tennis coach [9:35] How Martin figured out to have a stronger connection with his players [10:50] Advice Coach Blackman would give to his 20-year old self [11:50] The importance of embracing the process [13:11] How does Coach Blackman define player development? [18:57] What key characteristics or traits need the most development among top tennis players? [22:40] Knowing the long-term vision for the player and sacrificing short-term gain [23:11] Why Pete Sampras switched to a one-handed backhand, and Martin's victory over Pete in the juniors [25:10] What our audience can do to help improve their tennis games A huge thanks to Coach Blackman for coming onto the show and for speaking with me about how the USTA, and you all as players and coaches, can better develop into successful tennis players. I hope you enjoy my interview with Coach Blackman! Let me know what you think by leaving a comment! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 34 of TFP, I had the honor of speaking with Brian Boland, Coach of the 2013, 2015, and 2016 NCAA Division I Championship University of Virginia Men's Tennis program. Coach Boland shows us how we can produce better leaders and human beings through college tennis. This approach is ultimately what determines whether coaches and players are truly successful in life. Coach Boland's approach of focusing on developing his players have resulted in incredible accomplishments, both on and off the court. Virginia Men's Tennis has been ranked in the top five of the ITA’s final rankings in 8 of the past 10 seasons, and they've also won 5 ITA National Team Indoor Championships, 14 conference championships and 18 NCAA and ITA individual national championships. What is so striking about Coach Boland is that he doesn't focus on the results so much as the development of his players. That his favorite moment at Virginia Men's Tennis has been attending weddings of his players, rather than winning titles, speaks volumes about his values. Coach Boland was also the very first contributor to one of my most popular articles, 30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful Student-Athletes. Huge thanks to Coach Boland for coming onto the show! This episode is a must-listen for any coaches and players who want to get the most out of themselves and their players. Coach Boland shows us how we can do this through leadership, integrity, and character. Time-Stamped Show Notes (clickable!): [1:44] How did Coach Boland become a head coach at UVA? [5:03] One thing that the world doesn't know about Coach Boland [7:06] How do you keep motivated after winning everything there is to win in college tennis? [9:37] How did UVA bounce back from adversity this year to win the NCAA Championship? [13:06] How do you deal with players who aren't in the lineup [16:43] Challenges in maintaining an elite team year after year [18:42] What did Coach Boland mean when he said "It takes a village to be the best at what you can do." [23:38] What systems do you have in place to ensure that your players succeed? [26:42] How and where Coach Boland recruit players [29:49] The success of local mid-atlantic players at UVA [34:25] How UVA tennis player Thai-Son Kwiatkowski is skyrocketing up the ATP rankings [40:04] Shout out to Dr. Mark Kovacs (guest on Episode 34 of TFP) [40:51] Treat Huey's rise to the top of the ATP doubles ranks [47:02] What's the goal for UVA during the fall college tennis season? [52:07] UVA's individual and team practices in the fall and spring [54:12] The structure of individual practices [55:31] Difference between fall and spring seasons [58:42] Drilling during practices [61:20] Coach Boland's favorite drills [64:14] How to determine UVA's lineup [67:34] Coach Boland's toughest and most enjoyable moments at UVA [74:02] Sanam Singh's wedding [78:28] How has UVA Tennis changed over the years? [79:54] How can we save our college tennis programs? [81:40] Coach Boland's morning routine [85:26] Books that Coach Boland would gift someone looking to improve their tennis game [86:51] The importance of tennis coaches and experts sharing information with the community [89:15] Best advice that Coach Boland has every received [90:31] Where can we follow Coach Boland and UVA Men's Tennis online [92:08] One tip from Coach Boland that will help us improve our tennis games I hope you enjoy my interview with Coach Boland! Let me know what you think in the comments section! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I spoke with world renowned sports science and fitness expert Dr. Mark Kovacs about strength and conditioning for tennis. Mark has trained numerous top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young, and Melanie Oudin. In 2015, Stack named Mark one of the Top 31 Fitness Professionals to Follow in 2015. Mark is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes. He has been featured in many of the biggest sports and news publications, including ESPN, the New York Times, and Tennis Magazine. Mark was also a top college player at Auburn and achieved a world ranking on the ATP Tour. To sum it up, Mark has one heck of a resume, and it is an honor to speak with him on the show today. Mark co-authored an amazing book and resource, Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd edition), which was published a couple months ago. I have a copy of his book and have had a hard time putting it down in my spare time. It has a ton of invaluable information on how we can put together a personalized fitness program using the exercises and in-depth knowledge from Mark, E. Paul Roetert (former managing director of the United States Tennis Association’s Player Development Program) and Todd S. Ellenbecker (Vice President, Medical Services ATP World Tour, and clinic director at Physiotherapy Associates Scottsdale Sports Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona). The book also includes 56 videos illustrating the exercises and stretches which you can access online. The value in this book is unparalleled in comparison to any other tennis fitness book I've seen on the market so far. In this episode, I ask Mark questions on how we can improve our tennis fitness to become better tennis players. We also talk about Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd edition) and some of the principles in the book that will help take your game to the next level. Mark has an unbelievable amount of knowledge in sports science for tennis, and provided us all with a ton of value on The Tennis Files Podcast. Time Stamped Show Notes: [3:18] - How Mark became a world-class fitness expert [5:08] - Mark's degrees and certifications [7:14] - One thing about Mark that most people don't know [8:27] - The elements of tennis fitness [10:25] - How to train the different elements of fitness [12:30] - What most tennis players lack in their fitness [14:12] - The muscle group that amateur players tend to undertrain the most [15:39] - Ways to train your your weakest muscle group [17:16] - How low should we go when we squat [19:22] - What type of squat should we use during training [22:35] - Will partial squats put pressure on the knees [25:04] - What set/rep/weight ranges should we use for our exercises and what are the effects of using different ones [29:16] - What is periodization and how does it affect our training [32:30] - In what order should we train the different fitness elements in a periodization program for maximum results [36:07] - What are the best strengthening exercises for the serve [38:37] - The importance of the kinetic chain and discussing Mark's "An 8-stage model for the tennis serve" scientific study [42:47] - How do we correct inefficient footwork [45:56] - Mark's favorite footwork drills to help your speed and agility [49:10] - Stretches that tennis players should incorporate into their routine [51:41] - Analysis of professional tennis players' fitness and why tennis is one of the toughest sports in the world [53:53] - How can we get the most value out of Complete Conditioning for Tennis (2nd ed.) and put what we learn into action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I discuss 10 of my favorite tennis tools that I regularly use and recommend. These tools will help you improve your tennis game in many different ways, from learning more about the game to finding hitting partners. I recently published a blog post on The 41 Best Tennis Resources Every Tennis Player Should Know, and wanted to talk about the ones I use the most. These are the resources that I think will take your game to the next level. On this episode, you will learn about the following resources: Tennis Books Search Tools to find players, coaches, and tennis courts Online Tennis Instructors Youtube Online Forums Facebook Groups USTA Podcasts Blogs, and Organizational Tools I hope you find the resources in this episode useful! Try using them and let me know what you think! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, I discuss 7 of the best technique tips I've ever learned in my 20+ years of playing and coaching tennis. These tips are awesome because they are easy to implement, and you will notice the positive effects on your game immediately. Pick one to use during your next hitting session and you will be really pleased with the results! The technique tips that I discuss cover different parts of your game, from the serve to groundstrokes and volleys. I racked my brain trying to think of which tips I've received that would offer the most value to you, my loyal and awesome audience, and I really hope you enjoy what I came up with. Let me know how the tips work out for you in the comments section below! On this episode, you will learn tips to instantly improve the following problems: Hitting the ball too short Inconsistent and weak serves Inability to follow-through on your strokes Erratic volleys Framing or shanking your groundstrokes, serves and volleys Hitting serves into the net Balance issues while serving Do me a huge favor and share this episode so that everyone can benefit from the value this episode will bring to your game! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, 15 professional tennis players answer the question: "How can our audience improve their tennis games?" I placed their answers in this episode and commented on their responses. The idea for this unique episode came to me when I attended Podcast Movement 2016 in Chicago last month. One of the presenters, Pat Flynn, gave us a list of cool podcast episode ideas. One of these was to ask a bunch of experts one question, and include them all on an episode. This is a brilliant idea, so when I was part of the media at the 2016 Citi Open, I ended just about all of my twenty or so interviews with ATP and WTA pros by asking what the key is to improving our tennis games. It is inspiring to hear what the best tennis players in the world think we should be focusing on to take our games to the next level. I hope you enjoy this unique podcast episode format! On this episode, you will hear answers from the following ATP and WTA tour professionals: Alexander Dolgopolov (#58 ATP) Alexander Peya (#25 ATP) Alla Kudryatseva (#155 WTA) Borna Coric (#40 ATP) Camila Giorgi (#66) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (#13 ATP) Ivo Karlovic (#23 ATP) James Duckworth (#199 ATP) Jessica Pegula (#139 WTA) Jordan Thompson (#92 ATP) Lauren Davis (#105 WTA) Mackenzie "Mackie" McDonald (#412) Malek Jaziri (#53 ATP) Yen-Hsun "Rendy" Lu (#72) Yuichi Sugita (#83) I hope you like this episode! Let me know what you think about it in the comments section below! I appreciate your feedback! If you enjoyed listening, share this episode using the social buttons above or below this post! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today my guest is Dave Mullins, former head coach of the Oklahoma Women’s Tennis Team. Dave has had an extremely successful coaching career. His accomplishments include five NCAA tournament appearances, five ITA regional championships. three seasons with at least 17 victories, and ITA Central Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2014. Dave retired from college coaching this past […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I spoke with Jeff Salzenstein, a former top 100 ATP Pro and one of the most well-respected tennis coaches in the game. Jeff has battled against many of the best tennis players in the world throughout his career. He has combined that experience, along with his desire to learn all he could about playing optimal tennis, to create many of the most popular online tennis courses in the world. The very first online tennis course that I ever purchased was from Jeff! Jeff has recently moved his popular online tennis instruction site (jeffsalzensteintennis.com) to Tennis Evolution. There, he continues to create the highest-quality tennis instructional videos possible. I can speak from experience, having purchased both a fitness course and a tennis serve course from Jeff. Both these courses surprised me with the number of videos and how much value each one provided. My interview with Jeff was one of the best episodes I've had so far on The Tennis Files Podcast. Jeff answered each question with amazing insight, and I learned so much from speaking with him. I definitely encourage everyone to check out Tennis Evolution. Jeff also has a ton (and I mean a ton!) of free instructional videos on Youtube that will provide a ton of value and help with your game. If you aren't familiar with Jeff's work, watch some of his videos on Youtube and you will understand why he is one of the best instructors out there today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Ram. Andy won the 2006 Wimbledon mixed doubles championship, the 2007 mixed French Open title, and the 2008 Australian Open men's doubles championship. He retired in 2014 after Israel's Davis Cup match in September, and soon after became an entrepreneur in the tennis world. Andy is the co-founder and CEO of Pulse Play, a wearable technology and app for amateur tennis players around the world. Pulse Play has come out with a tennis smart watch that helps players keep score, find other players to play with, and ranks players based on a complex mathematical algorithm. The best part of Pulse Play is that Andy created it knowing what tennis players would want in a smartwatch. After all, he made a living playing the game and knows it inside and out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Mulumba from Tennis Column and I discuss the 2016 Citi Open championship matches and recap our thoughts about the players' performances. This year's tournament brought us a lot of fantastic matches and showcased the talent of many of the best tennis players in the world. We had a blast attending and analyzing the tennis matches this year! We speak about the epic Monfils-Karlovic match, a very tight men's doubles final between two elite teams, and some fantastic tennis from Yanina Wickmayer, who took home two titles this weekend! We discuss match strategy, tactics, how the pros can improve their games to take it to the next level, and we even talk about Federer's big announcement and Nick Kyrgios's obsession with Pokemon Go (gotta catch 'em all, right?)! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, I spoke with Mulumba from Tennis Column about the action at the 2016 Citi Open up to the 2nd day of the main draw (Tuesday). I met him last year in the media tent at the Citi Open. It was the first time both of us reported on the event, and I was extremely impressed by Mulumba's knowledge. Fast-forward to 2016, and I knew Mulumba would be the perfect person to talk about the matches at the Citi Open. I asked Mulumba about his thoughts on the performances of several players in the tournament so far. You'll hear everything from interesting backstories on players, to technical critiques, and our picks for who will win the Citi Open this year. I plan on connecting with Mulumba again for another episode during the tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest on today's show is Stephen Warboys. Stephen became the #1 Junior player in the world and peaked at #73 on the ATP Tour. Throughout his career, Stephen has gone head-to-head against some of the biggest legends to ever play the game, including Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg, and Ilie Nastase. Stephen is currently a Head Tennis Professional at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club. He took the job after his professional career and has been there since 1986. Stephen retired at the age of 22 after turning pro when he was 16. Despite what many consider to be a short career, Stephen consistently competed at the highest level of the game against hall of fame players. He also reached the Junior Wimbledon final and the top of the junior ranks in 1971. Stephen was born in Essex (UK) and currently resides in Toronto. I first heard about Stephen when listening to him commentate on TSN's International Sports Report radio show. Stephen's expertise is a great asset to the show, and once I heard him speak I knew he'd be a great guest. I had a fantastic time interviewing Stephen, and enjoyed hearing his insights on the game when he was on tour, what he thinks of the game now, and his amazing experience against the greatest players of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I spoke with Scott Baxter, CEO and Founder of PlayYourCourt.  Scott is a USPTA certified tennis coach with over 12 years of coaching experience.  He used his problem solving skills and passion for tennis to create a unique platform to help you find the right coach for your tennis game. By entering your location and answering […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I spoke with ATP Pro Junior Ore on Episode 22 of The Tennis Files Podcast. I first met Junior at the Aspen Hill Club when he was 7 years old. Everyone at the club knew that he was a very unique talent who loved tennis and could make it to the highest levels of the sport. Fortunately, he has proved us right (thanks, Junior!). Junior has always had an extremely strong passion for the game. Since Junior was 5, his dream was to become a professional tennis player. He set high goals, committed to achieving them, and is now playing and beating pros all around the world. I had the great pleasure of seeing Junior at the US Open Sectional Qualifying tournament at the Junior Tennis Champions Center a couple weeks ago. I had not seen Junior for over a decade, although I kept track of how he was doing in college and recently on the pro tour. I ended up playing against him, and his serve was the biggest that I've ever played against. Even more impressive than his game, though, was how much of a class act he was both on and off the court. I was thankfully able to win a few games off of Junior, but I was in awe of his game, much like we were at the beginning of his career, when he was a short, thin little boy at our tennis club beating players who were many years older than him. Junior turned pro last September after a very successful career at Texas A&M, and has already picked up several ATP points and a ranking just outside the top 1000 in singles and in the 700s in doubles. He and his grandfather's dedication to tennis from a young age set the foundation for his rise to the pro tour. While I've had some fantastic interviews so far on The Tennis Files Podcast, my interview with Junior easily ranks up there as one of the best. His story is inspirational, motivating, and enlightening. You will pick up a ton of amazing tips and advice on how you can maximize your game and distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I discuss my experience playing in my first professional tennis tournament, an ITF Futures event. Challenging yourself is the best way to improve yourself, and I had a blast testing my game against world-class competition. I learned a lot about Futures events and what it takes to be successful at this level. In particular, I discuss how you sign-up for these events, how you can get into them, the different lists that players are placed on, and what I learned from playing in this tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I spoke with Dan Waldman, a world champion tennis player. Dan, who is 60 years old, regularly competes in national and international tennis tournaments and ends up winning most of them. Despite working as an attorney at Arnold and Porter, Dan is also dedicated to his tennis and his training. This is why he continues to tear it up on the Senior Circuit. Dan talked to me about his training and tennis playing frequency, the importance of stretching, his diet, his experiences playing tennis for Harvard University alongside current Harvard Tennis Coach Dave Fish, and playing professional tournaments. I know this interview will help a lot of you, especially those in your 50s and beyond. I have received many emails and comments about how to successfully compete as you get older. Dan, a world champion singles and doubles player, shows us what it takes to be the best no matter what your age is! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I discuss 7 reasons that caused me to lose my match in a men's open tournament this past weekend. Analyzing your losses and figuring out what to improve is one of the most important things you can do for your tennis game. After I lost, I was more motivated than ever to ramp up my training and play better tennis. I walked through my matches in the tournament and discovered 7 crucial mistakes that I made before and during my match against the #4 seed. Despite our best intentions, we don't always perform our best and end up losing matches, but as long as we can take away something positive from our experience and commit to taking bold action to develop our tennis game, we have won. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest on The Tennis Files Podcast is master racquet technician Tim Strawn. Tim is the Executive Director of The International Alliance of Racquet Technicians. He has an extensive amount of stringing and racquet knowledge, and has strung racquets at some of the best professional tournaments in the world, including Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Sony Ericsson Open. Tim created the grandslamstringers.com website and message board, which evolved into the International Alliance of Racquet Technicians. He also put together the annual IART Symposium to bring all those currently working or interested in the racquet and string industry together to enhance their knowledge and expertise. Tim was also the Racquet Sports Industry's 2007 Stringer of the Year. Tim was kind enough to tell us how we can choose the right strings to suit our racquet and our tennis game. He went into detail about the different types of strings, the right tension and gauge to have them strung, and common pitfalls that stringers and players make when stringing their racquets. This episode is a must listen for anyone who wants to optimize their string setup and play better tennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is my friend and ATP coach Othmane Garma. Othmane coaches Treat Huey, who with Max Mirnyi, is the #3 doubles team in the world. Treat is ranked #26 on the ATP doubles tour and he spoke with me on Episode 7 of The Tennis Files Podcast. I first met Othmane as a junior player in the Mid-Atlantic area. Othmane was a tough and powerful junior and college player whose love for the game pushed him towards the coaching profession. On the show, Othmane and I discussed how he got into coaching, the role of coaches, and his experiences on the ATP Tour. Othmane also gave us a ton of fantastic information about how to play optimal doubles for club players up to the professional level. We analyzed Treat's progression and how he was able to push his way to the top levels of the ATP doubles tour. Othmane is also an entreprenuer: OG (Othmane's nickname) and another friend of mine, Farshad Garakani, created an awesome platform, Courtplay, to help players find coaches and schedule lessons online. Othmane and Farshad also lessons at their tennis program, Courtplay Athletics, in Vienna, Virginia. It has been such a pleasure to watch two guys who I knew from junior tennis progress so far up the tennis ranks, and I know you will learn a ton and gain fantastic insights into the world of being an ATP Tour tennis coach from my interview with Othmane! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is ATP Pro Jesse Witten. Jesse has been ranked as high as #163 in the world and reached the 3rd round of the 2009 US Open, where he took a set off tennis superpower Novak Djokovic. Jesse has also played in the main draws of the French Open and Wimbledon. He reached the final of the NCAA Division I Championships as a freshman at the University of Kentucky and was its first 5-time ITA All-American (4 singles, 1 doubles). I first noticed Jesse back in the juniors when he played and won a Super National Clay Court tournament in Maryland in 1999. It was my first time watching the best juniors in the country play against each other, and I witnessed him dominate the entire field. I was fortunate enough to play in this event two years later, but Jesse's performance always stuck in my mind as the best I had ever seen by a junior tennis player. I was fortunate enough to speak to Jesse about his career, from reaching the top ranks of the juniors, to how he developed into an elite tennis professional. He also discussed his time playing tennis at The University of Kentucky, and the impact that it had on his tennis game. We also paid tribute to Bruno Agostinelli, a former University of Kentucky tennis player who tragically passed away recently. Bruno was a great teammate and tennis player, but an even better person. He reached #2 in the NCAA rankings, and famously clinched a 5-set victory in the deciding Davis Cup match for Canada in 2009. A Gofundme page has been set up for Bruno's family, and they would definitely appreciate it if you could donate to the fund. Thanks to Jesse for being a fantastic guest on The Tennis Files Podcast. And shout out to Elliott Datlow, a fellow Kentucky Wildcat Tennis alumni, for putting me in touch with Jesse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is rising WTA tennis pro Sophie Chang. At only 18 years of age, Sophie reached career high rankings of #569 in singles and #283 in doubles this week. Sophie is very well-spoken, intelligent, and mature beyond her years. We discussed how she went from not winning a match as a 7 year-old when she first started competing to becoming a top-ranked junior and then a professional tennis player. Sophie also talked to me about her training, diet, and how she deals with the ups and downs on the USTA Pro Circuit. I found out about Sophie when several of my friends shared clips of her playing and training on social media. I also realized that Sophie is originally from Maryland, my home state, and immediately knew that I wanted her to be a guest on The Tennis Files Podcast. Sophie is an amazing talent and I expect to see great things from her in the future! There is a ton of great information in this episode that you can use to improve your mindset, training, and your tennis game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Jeff Rothschild, a Registered Dietitian (RD) and NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with a Master’s degree in Nutritional Science. Jeff’s clients include Mike Bryan, Stefan Kozlov, and James Valentine from Maroon 5. He has also worked with other elite ATP and NCAA tennis players, endurance athletes, boxers, swimmers, and a number of touring musicians at TriFit in Santa Monica, CA. On this episode, Jeff gives our audience a ton of amazing advice about nutrition, sleep, meal timing, protein bars, supplements, and hydration. You will take your game to the next level if you follow Jeff’s tips about preparing your body to perform at its best. Jeff also has a fantastic website at http://www.eatsleep.fit and has authored several scientific papers that have been published in peer-reviewed nutrition and food science journals. He has presented his research at national nutrition conferences. Jeff spent five years as the assistant tennis coach at CSU Los Angeles and helped the Golden Eagles earn national Top-25 rankings each of those years. Jeff is also a two-time winner of Assistant Coach of the Year for the West Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Jeff has competed as a cyclist and continues to play competitive tennis. Mike Bryan calls Jeff an encyclopedia of knowledge, and he proved it during our interview! Thanks to Jeff for speaking with me on The Tennis Files Podcast! Note: The medical and/or nutritional information in this episode is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding this information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I host a solo episode discussing an aspect of tennis that is widely ignored and severely underutilized: pre-match strategy. Tennis players often arrive to a match without thinking through the strategies and point patterns which will maximize their success on the court. Players should always consider the strengths and weaknesses of their own game, their opponent's game, and formulate a strategy based on these considerations that will give them the best chance to win the match. A pre-match gameplan will serve as your roadmap to success and guide you on how you need to play against your opponent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Episode 12 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dave Fish, coach of Harvard University Men's Tennis, about the Universal Tennis Rating system (UTR). UTR provides tennis players worldwide a common scale to determine their level of play based on actual match results without regard for age, gender or where the matches are played. Dave also discussed audience-submitted questions regarding what it is like to be on the Harvard Men's Tennis Team. The UTR system helps facilitate more competitive matches and gives players a more accurate way of determining their skill level. Even John McEnroe is a fan of UTR because of its ability to provide players with more competitive local-based matchplay. With UTR, tennis players can compare their skill level with other players from all around the world. UTR is not only a wonderful resource for tennis players, but it helps coaches, parents, tennis associations and tournament directors more accurately gauge players' tennis abilities based on UTR's 16 level-scale. College tennis recruits can use UTR to figure out the ratings of a team's roster and help them decide whether that school is a fit for them and their tennis skills. UTR is an exciting new rating system that is revolutionizing the game of tennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Allistair McCaw is today's guest on The Tennis Files Podcast. Allistair is a world class sports performance specialist and owner of The McCaw Method. He has trained some of the best tennis players in the world, including Kevin Anderson, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Xavier Malisse, Bernard Tomic, and Jelena Dokic. Allistair talks about the importance of setting standards when working with athletes and parents, and how playing other sports will make us better tennis players. He explains that we first have to focus on the fundamentals and then take care of the "one-percents" to maximize our athletic capabilities. Allistair also answers several audience questions on injuries, imbalances, recovery, training, and dealing with the heat. Thanks to Allistair for being on the show, and for teaching us the principles that we must follow to achieve athletic and personal excellence. His passion and energy for making people better is something that every athlete, coach, and parent can learn from. Take Allistair's advice to heart and you will take your game to the next level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Neagle, Head Coach of the Towson University Women’s Tennis Program, talked to me about the recruiting process, important rules that parents, coaches, and players must follow, and the keys to getting a scholarship to play college tennis. You will learn about eligibility, the best way to communicate with coaches, how scholarships are given to players, and excellent resources to help you navigate your way through the complex path of college tennis recruiting and scholarships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ATP Pro Jason Jung is ranked #245 in the world. He is a regular on the Challenger Tour and is working hard to make the main draws of ATP and Grand Slam events. Jason spoke with me about his junior career, college tennis, and his plans to reach the next level in his tennis career. He also answered several questions from TFP listeners. Jason discussed his love for competition, how he dominated in the juniors, and how his decision to play tennis for the University of Michigan helped better prepare him to become a professional tennis player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ATP Pro Collin Johns talks about his experiences playing on the Futures Tour. Futures events are lower-tier professional tournaments where tennis players grind out wins to move up in the rankings. Collin has picked up ATP points in Futures events all over the world, including places like South Africa, Nicaragua, Israel, and Mexico.    Collin spoke to me about the difficulties, expenses, and problems that he faces playing these Futures events. Collin also told me how he got his start playing tennis, his junior career, his unique training methods, and how he went from a 3-star recruit to competing and winning against the best players in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treat Huey, ranked #30 in the world on the ATP doubles tour, is my guest on today’s episode of The Tennis Files Podcast. At the 2016 Australian Open, Treat reached the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles with Max Mirnyi and the semifinals of the mixed doubles with Andreja Klepac. He also reached the men’s doubles quarterfinals of the 2013 US Open and the 2014 Australian Open. Treat is a friend of mine who I met while playing junior tournaments in the Mid-Atlantic section. He is a talented athlete with a wicked lefty-serve and amazing volleys. Treat’s passion for tennis and mental fortitude has made him one of the most versatile doubles players in the game today. He has played numerous Davis Cup matches for the Philippines. Treat was also ranked #4 in college in singles, behind John Isner, University of Virginia teammate Somdev Devvaarman, and Kevin Anderson. I truly admire Treat’s professionalism, his competitive drive, and his impressive rise to the elite levels of the game. Treat tells us how his love for the game and belief in his abilities helps him be one of the best doubles players in the world. In this interview, you will learn: How Treat’s passion for tennis drives him to be the best player he can be What it is like to play the biggest tournaments and best players in the world Why Treat’s serve is so effective Why Treat decided to specialize in doubles How college tennis at UVA helped him understand how to play points smarter A normal day of training on the ATP Tour How to develop great anticipation at net What it feels like to volley Nadal’s forehand Treat’s experiences representing the Philippines in Davis Cup How to adjust playing with different doubles partners …and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tomaz Mencinger from feeltennis.net shows us a simpler way to learn and play tennis more efficiently with his unique feel-based approach to the game. Tomaz talks about how spending thousands of hours hitting down the middle of the court with intention and focusing on biomechanics helped him develop superior technique. He debunks several myths among the tennis community and helps us understand how and why we unnecessarily end up overcomplicating how we think about hitting a tennis ball. Tomaz also gives us his top mental mindset tips, and explains why simplifying a player’s learning environment and removing stress variables is the best way to learn a new technique or strategy.   In this episode, you will learn: How to simplify the way you learn tennis Why you should focus on biomechanics instead of form How hitting down the middle can massively improve your technique Why playing other sports can help your tennis game How and why you must hit with intention The importance of anticipation How many players overload their mental capacity when learning technique The benefits of meditation and relaxation techniques Why believing you should make every ball can destroy your game Why it is crucial to quiet the mind when playing tennis …and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on TFP I spoke with Punch Maleka, former ATP professional. Punch hails from South Africa and he told me about his experiences training in his home country that equipped him with the tools and mental attitudes to succeed on the tour. He has defeated several top 300 players while he was a professional, and is still crushing it in mens open money tournaments at the age of 37. Punch recently defeated two ATP players, one currently ranked in the top #250. Punch also coaches students at the Gulph Mills Tennis Club in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. His passion and knowledge of the game shines as brightly as his tennis career in this interview. You don’t want to miss all the wonderful advice and tips that Punch told me on the fifth episode of TFP. In this episode, we learn about: What it was like to train in South Africa The importance of having great mentors and coaches How character and integrity determine your true success in life How to play more efficiently by watching other players Training with a purpose instead of training for volume How nutrition is critical to your performance and training Why you must develop your tools before you can compete effectively How training with weaker players can help your game What it was like to play a close match against James Blake The difference between the top levels of the ATP Tour Training with Wayne Ferreira, Raven Klaasen and Punch’s brother KB How to play at a high-level well into your 30s I really enjoyed speaking with Punch about all the experiences that helped shape him into the successful tennis player and person that he is today. I’m sure you will learn a ton from listening to my conversation with Punch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on TFP I talk about 10 crucial concepts that every tennis player needs to understand and implement in order to maximize their tennis potential. Most tennis players don’t succeed because they lack the commitment to one or more of these principles. Change the way you approach the game at a higher level and you will be well on your way to becoming a great tennis player. In this episode, you will learn how to: Remove self-imposed limitations  Turn fear into strength Focus on what matters most Overcome negativity Prioritize for maximum results, and more. Thanks for checking out my episode on 10 Keys to Tennis Success. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected], or leave a comment below! Right Click Here to Download the MP3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is former ATP professional Paul Harsanyi. Paul talks us through his training, how he was able to rise to the professional level, and the key differences between the top-ranked players. Paul reached a career high ranking of 751 in the world. Paul has also been extremely successful in his career after tennis, thanks to the principles that he learned while training to become an elite tennis player. In this episode, we will cover: How to handle pressure The importance of playing against better players Drills to improve your game Playing to your strengths Key differences between skill levels Being realistic about your tennis career Mental strategies on big points and other awesome content. Right Click Here to Download the MP3 I hope you gained a lot of value from this episode of TFP with former ATP Pro Paul Harsanyi. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tennis Files Podcast is here! Over the past couple months, I realized how amazing it would be to start a podcast devoted to helping you improve your tennis game. Podcasts are awesome because people can listen to them from just about anywhere. During December and January, I read books, articles, and watched video tutorials on how to start podcasting. Then I recorded my first episode, deleted it, recorded it, deleted that one too, and finally recorded one that I liked. Third time is the charm, I suppose! After that, I scheduled two interviews: one with an extremely successful coach and another with a former ATP Pro. I recorded those episodes, and will be releasing them within the next few days (stay tuned!). The Tennis Files Podcast (TFP for short) will be a weekly podcast. It is unique from the other tennis podcasts out there, because I will interview top tennis experts and ask them for advice on how to help you become a better tennis player. There are several podcasts devoted to the pro game, and another handful that give instruction and tips, but I haven’t seen one that consistently interviews players, coaches, and other tennis experts to learn from their experiences and help their listeners improve their tennis skills. While many of my episodes will be interviews, I will also host several solo shows as well. On those episodes, I will tell you everything that I have learned and am learning about the game that will help you play better tennis. I truly believe that you will benefit immensely from listening to the show, and I will find the best guests that I can to help you break through your struggles and reach your tennis potential. I am committed to helping you improve your game. I hope you enjoy the show! If you do, please share TFP and this episode with your friends by clicking the button that looks like a triangle on the podcast player! Thanks for listening! iTunes Within the next week or so, The Tennis Files Podcast will be on iTunes and other podcast directories! Soon you will be able to listen to future episodes on either tennisfiles.com or iTunes and through other podcast apps (I will submit TFP to all the ones I can find!). Once the show is up on iTunes, I will update this page and future podcast entries with a link to subscribe to The Tennis Files Podcast on iTunes. Show Notes On this episode, I introduce you to Tennis Files and the reason why I created it: to help you improve your tennis game. Since this is the first episode, I also give you some background on who I am, and my passion for tennis. I explain how TFP is unique from the other tennis podcasts, and speak about the benefits of playing tennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest on this episode is Keith Puryear, Head Coach of the Navy Women’s tennis team. Keith has over 560 wins as a coach at the Division I level, and he was my college tennis coach when I played at UMBC. He has been recognized as the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Section College Coach of the Year, and the Wilson ITA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Keith has taught so many people, including me, how to be great tennis players and even better people by focusing on the process and improving. In this episode, we cover: Keys to being a successful player How to play big points Drills to help you improve your game Focusing on the process High Percentage return strategies Winning Point Patterns The importance of doubles Setting Goals Fundamentals …and more. Right Click Here to Download The MP3 I hope you enjoy my interview with Keith, and I am confident that if you take his advice, you will drastically improve your game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices