The Tennis Files Podcast

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