Control the Controllables

Nick Monroe has been on the ATP Tour for the last 17 years with a career high of 30 ATP doubles. Nick speaks to us from the US Open Bubble as he prepares to play next week. Nick was a top USTA Junior, US College All-American and 17 years as a pro. Fascinating insights and told with such humility. Enjoy

Nick Morgan is a former UK University Tennis Champion whilst graduating from Bath University before turning his career to the Sports Science world. This started at Lilleshall home of England Football and took him around many British Football Clubs as well as Masters Series Events on the Tennis Tour. He now runs his own commercial nutritional company and consults for big brands globally. All through the vehicle of tennis. We discuss and compare two main topics, Nutrition and Data. A highly educational and thought provoking podcast. Enjoy

Jonathan worked for BBC radio for over 25 years and brought the famous moments to life for many of us including his final match for the BBC.. The Men’s Wimbledon 2013 final where Andy Murray overcame 77 years of hurt for Men’s tennis in Britain. His voice is silk, his stories are full of passion and his ability to paint the picture is sublime. We loved bringing this pod together and we know you will love listening to Jonathan. Enjoy

Dan Evans and Mark Hilton speak to us from New York as they prepare for the US Open 2020. Hear all about the ‘bubble’ at the US Open and how preparation has been going.

James Cluskey was top 150 ATP and represented Ireland in Davis Cup. He has used his tennis as a vehicle to attack the business world. He is Sir Richard Branson’s private’s tennis coach and he has leveraged this and more to move forward in the business world. A fascinating story and so many learnings for us all. Enjoy

Bruno and Juan both have extensive experience of being brought up through the ‘Spanish System’ as players and coaches. Yet both have had experience in the British Tennis world as players at Stirling University. Bruno is now a National Coach at the National Academy in Stirling, UK and Juan runs his own Academy in Sevilla, Spain. We explore the differences, positives, negatives of both tennis cultures including characters, tournament structure, climate and much more....

Dan spent many years in the top 5 in the UK and top 250 ATP after a successful junior career including making final of the prestigious Tarbes U14 event. Dan retired aged 26 back in 2016, but as the pandemic has had an effect on us all, it has got Dan motivated to give it another go on the tour. Hear about all the ups and downs that go into these careers and the insights into why decisions like this are made. A great listen

Neil Harman worked tirelessly for many years for many of the top UK Newspapers in football, and then mainly as a tennis correspondent.  An award-winning journalist and author, Neil connected with the top players such as Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka . Neil´s world fell apart in 2014 when he was sacked by The Times for plagiarism of the Wimbledon Annual which he had written for 10 years. A fantastic story of ups and downs with honest and insightful reflections from Neil.  A great listen. Book: Close Quarters: An Extraordinary Season on the Brink Twitter: @Neil_Harman57 LinkedIn: Neil-Harman

Barry Fulcher was an excellent tennis player who has turned his passion to not only coaching, but also to creating a competitive structure in the UK that allows players to compete, learn and earn. This passion has been solely driven by Barry and his own bank balance. It finally got the recognition the Progress Tour deserves as he ran the top ladies event in the UK last week which attracted all of the GBs top female players. This is only the start of his journey, as he continues to juggle his coaching and playing international veteran tennis. An inspiration to us all, as on top of this he overcame cancer a few years ago. Enjoy his story

Michael Joyce had a very successful playing career with a career high of 64 ATP. Michael has gone on to coach some of the biggest stars in the women’s game including Victoria Azarenka, Genie Bouchard, Johanna Konta, Timea Babos and most notably Maria Sharapova. The American worked with Sharapova for 7 years, winning 3 Grand Slams together. In this episode of Control the Controllables, Michael gives us fascinating insights into his role as a coach, from contracts to training. It´s a must listen. Enjoy!

Mark Bullock has dedicated his coaching career to making tennis inclusive to all. He spent many years at ITF working and developing wheelchair tennis globally including its presence at all 4 of the Grand Slams. Over the last few years he has turned his attention to visually impaired tennis and other sports where he continues to innovate and inspire. A great listen and so many lessons for us all to learn.

Mike Dickson is the UK Daily Mail´s Tennis Correspondent.He has been a sports journalist for more than 35 years, predominantly covering tennis as his major sport during this time. He´s one of the most respected and admired journalists in tennis, and is very close to British Tennis, reporting on all its successes and failures.Mike shares many stories and insights from the world of Sports Journalism during this episode, which makes it a great listen. Links mentioned in this episode:-Mike Dickson on TwitterFollow Control the Controllables on InstagramSotoTennis Academy

James McGee is a former Irish Davis Cup Player and number one. Reached the top 150 ATP including qualifying at the 2014 US Open in dramatic circumstances, listen out for that. Shares his insights into the tour, Irish Tennis, his mental battles and how he now put all of those learnings to great use. A great listen

Anthony Ross is a world leading Sports Psychologist whose background is in Clinical Psychology. Anthony takes a look at our stories from the week and offers advice, reframes the way that we look at mental health ‘issues’ and brings an expert feedback to the many areas of Mental Health that tennis players/ coaches and everyone else experiences in this life. Thanks for supporting our mental health awareness week to all our listeners.

Matt has competed on and off on the ITF futures tour for the last 7-8 years whilst juggling a tennis coaching career to fund this. But then does he do either to the best of his ability? And what mental health difficulties does this bring? A common tennis story and so grateful that Matt has shared his thoughts and experience for many to learn from.

Joe Dixon was a SotoTennis Academy Coach for 6 years and continues to work at an International Player level. Joe has experienced depression and anxiety throughout his life and this came to a head when he tried to take his life in 2018. Joe has built his life back up and is now in a fantastic place with his mental health and has shown strength in sharing his story for you all the learn and draw from. It really is a must listen.

Liam Broady discusses the mental health battles he has experienced over the past few years and how he has worked through and built himself back up, just as you would do with physical health problems. A short, sharp and insightful podcast we are sure many will relate too.

Fran is a tough coach in Wales working with top International Juniors. She discusses the potential challenges for coaches working with young elite players around expectation of time, commitment and from parents which can lead to mental health difficulties around work-life balance. A great listen

Noah Rubin has been as high as 125 ATP and is a former Junior Wimbledon Champion. Noah has set up his own ‘Behind the Racket’ platform which is giving players a voice on their stories. We speak about current affairs around tournaments and what can learned from the period, as well as Noah opening up in detail on his mental health journey. So many great lessons for us all. Enjoy

Dan introduces the fantastic guests that we have throughout the week with 1 podcast being released each day to help bring awareness to a subject that isn’t talked about enough, yet is in all of our daily lives. Dan also explains the motivation behind setting up the Mental Health Awareness Week. Enjoy

Former Irish National Coach Paul Casey talks from the heart about his ideas on how Irish Tennis can and should develop from his experiences as a player and as a coach for 40+ years. He talks about his support for former ITF President Dave Miley and how that may have been a big opportunity missed. Straight talking and open. A great listen

Donald Young has been on our screens since he was World Junior Number 1 aged 15, to top 100 ATP AT 18. His story is full of ups and downs which he shares in detail, but one things hasn’t changed.. his love for the sport. A great listen

Martin Lee is one of a very select few British Male Players to reach the ‘Holy Grail’ of Top 100 ATP. Was it an easy journey there? Find out more....

Former GB Davis Cup Player Barry Cowan discusses his tennis journey which took him from Liverpool to taking Pete Sampras to 5 tough sets at Wimbledon. Since then he moved onto the other side of the camera as a Sky Sports and Amazon Prime Commentator. An open, honest chat with many great takeaways.

Irish Davis Cup Player Peter Bothwell has recently retired from the ATP/ITF Tour after 6 years of professional tennis. We dig into why Pete has made that decision at the age of 24 and the realities of the futures tour and in turn difficulties that so many have. A great insight.

James Trotman was a top 10 player in Europe from an early age, before winning multiple Junior Grand Slams. He was then struck down with a career ending illness. Not a one to dwell, he put his passion into his coaching and has become one of the UK’s finest. Working with many top 100 ATP players and representing both Tennis Australia and the LTA for the last 20 years where he currently oversees the players on the LTA Pro Scholarship Programme. A great story..

Aisam Qureshi is a tennis player from Pakistan who has made the top 10 ATP Doubles and two Grand Slam finals. He is Pakistan´s most successful singles and doubles player and at age 41, he is still going strong. Aisam has used his tennis platform to create awareness and open up political doors through his connections and his amazing way with people. In November 2010 he was appointed goodwill ambassador for The United Nations Development Program. That same year, Aisam and his doubles partner Rohan Bopanna from India were awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award. They also received the Peace and Sport Image of the Year award for bringing political authorities from their respective countries together. Together, they created the Stop War Start Tennis campaign to promote peace through tennis. His story is tennis, but it is so much more and an inspiration to us all. Connect with Aisam Follow Aisam on Twitter: @aisamhqureshi Follow Stop War Start Tennis on Instagram: @stop_war_start_tennis

Judy Murray is a Scottish tennis coach and the Mum of global superstars Jamie and Andy Murray. A former player, she became Scottish National Coach in 1995. She was the GB Fed Cup Captain between 2011-2016, and in 2017 was awarded an OBE for services to tennis, women in sport and charity. Away from tennis, she´s also appeared on The Chase, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Masterchef. In this episode Judy discusses her journey into tennis, her life as a coach and Mum to the boys, and their journeys and experiences. We then delve into the ‘real’ Judy Murray. Keeeeep Dancing! Connect with Judy Follow Judy on Twitter: @JudyMurray Follow the Judy Murray Foundation on Twitter: @JudyMurrayFdn Visit the Judy Murray Foundation´s Website: www.judymurrayfoundation.com You may also like these episodes of Control the Controllables:- Episode 111: Jonny O´Mara & Toby Smith - Double Trouble Episode 67: Leon Smith - The History Maker Episode 66: Kris Soutar - Mr Tennis Episode 13: Jamie Murray - From Dunblane to the top of the world! Episode 11: Ali Collins - You cannot be (too) serious!

Dan Evans talks to Control the Controllables about his incredible journey which has taken him inside the top 100 ATP on 3 occasions. The British number 1 discusses how he overcame injuries and a drug ban, and what has made him continue to what is now a career high of 26 ATP. A must listen for anyone with an interest in the real journey of a professional tennis player. Connect Follow Dan on Instagram: @danevo.official Follow Control the Controllables on Instagram: @ctc.podcast Visit Control the Controllables Website: www.controlthecontrollables.co.uk

John Millman has been ranked as high as 33 in the world. He has beaten Roger Federer to progress to 2018 US Open Quarter-final. We delve into his tennis journey and into his strong intelligent opinions on the direction of the sport and so much more...

Sarah Borwell went from a nervous young girl who didn’t want to compete to the top 200 WTA singles and 65 in the world in doubles.  Listen to why, how and what she is now doing helping 100´s of young players realise their potential through US College Scholarships. Website: https://tennissmart.net/ Facebook: TennisSmart

Craig O´Shannessy is recognised as a world leader in data analysis and is changing the landscape of how coaches view data within tennis. He spent 3 years working with Novak Djokovic and is the strategy analyst for the ATP Tour, Wimbledon, the Italian Tennis Federation and The New York Times. Craig talks to Control the Controllables about his tennis journey which has taken him to the top of the game as a data analyst. Connect with Craig Follow Craig on Twitter: @braingametennis Visit Craig´s Website: www.braingametennis.com Connect with us! Follow Control the Controllables on Instagram: @ctc.podcast Follow SotoTennis Academy on Instagram: @sototennis Visit SotoTennis Academy´s website: www.sototennis.com

Dan moves to the other side of the microphone, as he chats with Graeme Foreman. Dan discusses the influence of his north east upbringing and how this led to his Control the Controllables philosophy out at SotoTennis Academy in Spain and much more...

‘Barkers’ as Ian is known in the tennis world talks us through how he got into tennis, to the amazing journey of taking Pat Cash from aged 11 to Wimbledon Champion. Ian discusses his time in the UK in depth, as he created a winning culture through his job at the LTA national centre at Bisham Abbey.

Paul Jubb was dealt an extremely difficult start to life, as he lost both parents at an early age. This wasn’t going to stop him achieve what he wants in a sport that he loves. In 2019, Paul won the division 1 NCAA Tennis Championship and played Wimbledon for the first time. He has recently signed with Andy Murray’s Sports agency and his journey on the pro tour is beginning. A must listen!

Ireland’s Davis Cup Captain and ATP 129 at his best, Conor talks through his journey from Edgbaston to Limerick to Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York playing against Novak Djokovic. We also dig into the details around Irish Tennis throughout the episode.

Calvin Betton has been a tennis coach for 20 years working at all levels. He has developed a passion for purposeful practice and skill acquisition and we attack both subjects with live examples from his career.

Euan has been head coach at Stirling University after years at US College as a player and also on the lower levels of the Pro Tour. His passion has helped bring GB Universities to the conversation of player development and we delve into this and more..

Emily Webley-Smith has been competing on the ITF/WTA tour for the past 18 years. She has reached a career high of 240 in singles and 113 in doubles. Emily has overcome 7 major injuries during her career, but she continues to make big improvements through passion, desire and hard work. The tennis journey is not an easy one, but if you have the love of the sport, it overcomes all. We get into all of this with Emily in this episode. Enjoy! Connect Follow Emily on Twitter: @ews24 Follow Emily on Instagram: @emilywebleysmith Follow Control the Controllables on Instagram: @ctc.podcast

Will Herbert is currently Kyle Edmund’s physio and has previously worked with Alexander and Misha Zverev, Ana Ivanovic to name a few.  He was a top UK Junior player funded through the LTA system, and has used his tennis playing to create an opportunity to be part of that world as a physio.  In this episode, Will gives us an insight into the role of a physio on a pro players team, and shares his experiences working with Zverev, Ivanovic and Kyle Edmund. He also tells us the story behind Ivan Lendl´s nickname for him! A great story, enjoy!  ***After recording this episode, Will was part of Emma Raducanu´s team at the 2021 US Open where she won her first Grand Slam, aged just 19-years-old. 🏆 Episode Shownotes

87 year old coach John Hicks talks about his tennis story. From the early days, to his favour Wrexham squad, the British players such as Tim Henman and Andy Murray who he helped shape, to what has kept his mind and body in such great shape!

In this episode you will hear how Jamie & Andy grew up as one, the reason behind Jamie taking to doubles so early in his career, how he chooses his doubles partner carefully and the impact of his Mum, Judy on himself and Andy. A fascinating listen. Enjoy 😊

Head Coach of the prestigious Queens Club in England Lee Childs discusses his tennis journey. From U18 European Champion to playing Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon. To the big question, why didn’t he become a top 100 ATP despite being touted for this in the tennis world?

WTA player Ali Collins talks candidly about how tennis is taken too seriously at a young age and the effects it can have on a players mental health, if we are not careful. We discuss the transition from being a top junior player into the Pro Game and much more.. Instagram: @alicollins27

Multiple Grand Slam Champion, Paralympic Gold Medalist and the first ever Wimbledon Wheelchair Champion in 2016, Gordon Reid. Gordon tells his story from the beginning to being the champion he is today. Gordon Reid on Twitter: @GordonReid91 Website: www.gordonreidtennis.com

From talented British junior, to a successful playing career before moving onto the ATP Tour as a coach, Mark Hilton has an amazing story. As well as helping GB´s Liam Broady reach World Junior number 2 in 2012, Mark has also coached Kyle Edmund and has coached Dan Evans three times over a 15 year period. Enjoy the show! Mark on Twitter: @markhilts

We get a chance to get inside the mind of one of the worlds best sports psychologists. Dr Anthony Ross, Director of Mentally Tough Tennis and a former top 150 ATP player shares his own personal and professional journey with us. And it’s been far from plain sailing.... Find out more about Dr Anthony Ross here:- Instagram: @mentally_tough_tennis Website: www.mentallytoughtennis.com

Eden Silva and Evan Hoyt discuss their unexpected run to being the longest standing British tennis players at Wimbledon in 2019. After being given a wildcard into the Mixed Doubles, they reached the quarter-finals going further than Andy Murray and Serena Williams. Eden and Evan chat to Control the Controllables about that unforgettable fortnight, as well as their plans for who they will play with in 2021. Does she say yes? Eden on  Instagram: @edensilva Evan on Instagram: @evan_hoyt Evan Hoyt Youtube Channel

Liam and Josh were the 2012 Australian Opens Boys Doubles Champions and had successful junior careers. How have they transitioned into the pro game of tennis.. or is it basketball?

Two lads from Liverpool who realise their dream and both make it into the top 45 ATP doubles players in the world, and doing it together.  But not all things happen so easy, listen to brothers Ken & Neal Skupski to find out more... Skupski Brothers onTwitter: @skupskibros Neal Skupski on Twitter: @nealskupski Ken Skupski on Twitter: @k_skupski