For the strategy nerds... Jonathan Stokke joins the show for a second time as we discuss his Stokke Six. What are the Stokke Six? Simply put, they are errors to avoid that will dramatically improve your game. And I mean dramatically. Jonathan and I could talk strategy and tactics for days. He's one of my favorite coaches because of his ability to simplify the game and help players focus on the most effective things that lead to winning tennis. We dive deep into the most common errors: During the...
Aug 28, 2024•59 min•Ep. 194
🎾🥈 Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram won an Olympic Silver medal for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. I spoke with them a few weeks after the Olympics to hear about their experience in Paris, beating Rafael Nadal & Carlos Alcaraz, working with the Bryan Bros, and more. We talked about how difficult it was to close out their quarterfinal match against Nadal and Alcaraz with the crowd so against them. What were they feeling and saying in those moments? They also shared how "comforting" it was to ...
Aug 21, 2024•22 min•Ep. 193
This is a post-match interview with Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin from the National Bank Open in Toronto. We spoke with them after a very close victory where they saved six match points. Bethanie and Sonya share insights into their strategies and conversations during the match, including how they stayed positive when down a set and a break. These two are a ton of fun to listen to because they're so transparent with their game plans and love to talk strategy. Shout out to Mike McIntyre fr...
Aug 14, 2024•16 min•Ep. 192
Aldila Sutjiadi is the 37th-ranked doubles player on the WTA Tour. Born in Indonesia and 2x doubles All-American at Kentucky, Aldila has a fascinating story. Tennis Tribe writer, Hanlon Walsh and I spoke with her on the grounds at the National Bank Open in Toronto. We discussed her story, how and why she plays with doubles partners with contrasting styles (loved this answer), mixed doubles, and more. While I love the tactics and strategy, I want to start diving deeper into the stories behind the...
Aug 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 191
Team USA finished with two doubles medals at the Olympics. Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek won Silver while Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz took home Bronze. In this episode, I share three more lessons I learned providing strategy and scouting analysis for Team USA. How to beat Nadal & Alcaraz. The Andy Murray tendency. The two most important shots in doubles. These lessons will help players of all skill levels. Not just the pros ;) Only 5 spots left in our doubles camp! Sign up here: https://www...
Aug 08, 2024•23 min•Ep. 190
The Olympics are underway, and Team USA is off to a great start in doubles. In this episode, I share 3 lessons I've learned from scouting and analyzing data & video for Team USA over the past week. Who should be using the lob return? Why you need to be experimenting earlier and more often than you think. How to handle a BIG forehand. No matter which country you support, watch the doubles from Paris all week long. In the US, you can watch on Peacock. Enjoy the Olympics! #WatchMoreDOUBLES ----...
Jul 31, 2024•18 min•Ep. 189
Bruce Lipka is the coach of WTA #1 doubles player, Erin Routliffe. He has coached over twenty top 100 ATP and WTA players, won USPTA Tour Coach of the Year three times, and now is the head men's coach at Penn State. Erin has improved immensely under Bruce's coaching, and it's something I've personally noticed since watching Erin over the past few years. In our discussion, we talk about her improvement, as well as specific drills that you can use. Bruce has been the Director of Tennis at Woodmont...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 188
This episode covers three lessons I learned from watching the men's doubles final at Wimbledon as well as a private lesson that made me sad... Return team lesson - If you're having trouble breaking serve, you might be making one of these two mistakes. Serving on a fast court - How should your serve tactics change on grass? or a fast indoor hard court? Maximizing practice - I recently watched a private lesson from a few courts away. They didn't even finish one basket of balls in the entire hour. ...
Jul 17, 2024•19 min•Ep. 187
James Cerretani is a former ATP doubles player with a career-high ranking of #45 in the world. He won four ATP doubles titles, made the Wimbledon quarterfinals twice, and played college tennis at Brown where he is in their Hall of Fame. James joined the team of Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic earlier this year to help improve their performance. I spoke with Marcelo a few weeks ago in a previous episode and was excited to hear about the two-week run to the Roland Garros title from a different pers...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 186
Storm Hunter is one of the best doubles players on the WTA tour over the last several seasons. She's a Wimbledon finalist (2023), world #1, and US Open mixed doubles champion (2022). Unfortunately, the 2024 season was cut short for Storm as she suffered a torn Achilles in April. I spoke with her from Australia in June as she continues rehab. We discussed her timeline for recovery and her success on the court over the past few seasons. Here are a few topics we cover. When does she expect to retur...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 185
Marcelo Arevalo is a top 10 doubles player on the ATP Tour who recently won Roland Garros for the second time in three years. In this episode, he shares his experience winning the French Open again. One of the things that makes tennis so difficult is the sustained focus required to win. This can create mental fatigue and stress. Marcelo doesn't dance around that topic in this episode. Instead of the typical canned responses you hear during post-match interviews, he shares how difficult it was du...
Jun 26, 2024•27 min•Ep. 184
Paul McNamee is one of the best doubles players AND doubles coaches of all time. He has four men's doubles major titles, plus a Wimbledon mixed title. Today, he's best known for being the mastermind coach behind one of the best and most entertaining doubles players in today's game, Hsieh Su-wei. Paul joined me as the grass court season was just getting started. We chatted about his career, doubles strategy, and of course, Su-wei. How does Paul create a game plan for Hsieh with new doubles partne...
Jun 18, 2024•56 min•Ep. 183
Angela Kulikov is a WTA doubles player with a career-high ranking of 57 in the world. She played college tennis at USC where she was the #1 doubles player in the country. She joins me from California as she rehabs an ankle injury. We discussed her wide array of hobbies including flag football, coaching tennis, and now, golf. She shares her path to becoming a professional tennis player and how she's dealt with injuries, using them to reset and propel her game forward. You'll learn: How Angela imp...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 182
Greg Moran has coached tennis for over 45 years and specializes in the recreational player. He's a member of the Wilson Advisory Staff, the Cardio Tennis National Speaker's Team, and the USTA's Coach Developer program. He's also written several books and in this conversation we discuss his latest, The Truth About Tennis: The Definitive Guide for the Recreational Player (affiliate link) . We discuss: Why most adult tennis players get stuck at the same level. The difference between 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, ...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 181
Watching pro doubles can 100% help you improve your own game, regardless of your skill level. Here are 5 things to look for when watching ATP or WTA doubles live or on TV. In between the points. Formations and variety. Net position, movement, court coverage, & shot selection. Baseline... When they MISS! If you're not currently watching pro doubles, you can do so with Tennis Channel Plus and TennisTV in the US. READ: I Surveyed 1,292 Tennis Fans ----- **Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter...
May 22, 2024•19 min•Ep. 180
Over the past six months, I've closely studied net players at every level of tennis. One of the most difficult concepts to teach is where the your eyes should be at the net. This episode covers where to focus your eyes and what to look for when you're at the net. Almost no club-level players get this right because it goes against our natural tendency to follow the ball . But, if you understand when to look at the ball vs the opponents, you'll be able to read the ball earlier, force more errors, ...
May 15, 2024•15 min•Ep. 179
Murphy Jensen is the 1993 French Open doubles champion, tennis coach, cardiac arrest survivor, mental health advocate, keynote speaker, co-founder of WEconnect , TV host, and the most impactful guest we've ever had on the Doubles Only Podcast. This episode is not about doubles. It's far more important. Murphy suffered from depression and addiction while on tour, considered taking his own life, and was saved by a hotel manager. Decades later he fell on the tennis court and didn't breathe on his o...
May 08, 2024•26 min•Ep. 178
Three lessons that will improve your mental game on the doubles court. There's obviously a huge difference between pro and club-level doubles players. While we can't emulate their 120 MPH serves, we can absorb their mindset. These three lessons from my new Masterclass have helped me more than any others over the last several years and I know they'll help you too. You don't have to win every point. Duh?! Be willing to make changes. Most club players never do. You're the 4th most important player ...
Apr 30, 2024•21 min•Ep. 177
Doubles is a TEAM sport. You have to not only worry about playing well yourself but also need to know how to get the most out of your partner. This episode covers several things you can do to support your doubles partner so they play their best! Three conversations to have with your partner before the match starts. One thing that is proven to help teammates while playing tennis (and other sports). How to keep energy and confidence high. This will build your team chemistry for new and existing pa...
Apr 24, 2024•18 min•Ep. 176
This episode covers three new lessons I've learned recently while coaching a high school team. These players are around the USTA 3.0 to 4.0 level. How to think about attacking the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent. A tactic that worked for one of my doubles teams in windy conditions. How I structured approach plus volley drills, and why. Sign up for the Tennis Summit to see my presentation on Common Poaching Mistakes & How to Fix Them. ----- **Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter ...
Apr 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 175
Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers are one of the most accomplished doubles pairings of the last five years on the ATP Tour. I spoke with them in Miami after their second-round win. We discussed their 7-5 6-3 win which Horacio said was one of their "best matches this year." They faced two players whom they've faced many times, Mate Pavić and Marcelo Arévalo. We talk about how they handle facing players who they know so well and who know them, as well as the windy conditions. I also asked the...
Apr 15, 2024•9 min•Ep. 174
Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram are 3-time reigning US Open Champions. I spoke with them in Miami after their second round 7-5 7-6 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Thanassi Kokkinakis. Adam Ross from Florida Tennis joined me for this interview. We asked the US Open champs about the match, including a specific tactic they kept going to that I picked up on. They talked about team chemistry and if they think it helps them early in the season, and how to play doubles vs singles players. You'll hear ...
Apr 11, 2024•18 min•Ep. 173
Elise Mertens is the 2nd ranked doubles player on the WTA tour. She has four major titles including the 2024 Australian Open. I spoke with Elise in Miami after her 1st round victory. We talk about that match, practicing for singles vs doubles, and how she and Hsieh Su-wei adjust to different opponents. Elise also shares why focusing on your good points can help you in pressure moments and a few thoughts on marketing for doubles. ----- **Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Pla...
Apr 10, 2024•9 min•Ep. 172
Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektić have been one of the best doubles teams on the ATP Tour in 2024. They've won three titles so far, including Indian Wells, and I spoke with them in Miami after their first-round win. We talked about the match, their 10-point tiebreaker success, how they handle pressure & nerves (they each deal with it differently), and Wesley's goals for his last year on tour. Also, please fill out the Pro Doubles Survey ! ----- **Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Cl...
Apr 05, 2024•10 min•Ep. 171
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia (Sonya) Kenin won the 2024 Miami Open. I spoke with them after their 2nd round victory in Miami for about 10 minutes. Bethanie & Sonya deliver some fantastic doubles strategy tips throughout this conversation, so listen carefully. We discuss: Their first two victories, including what adjustments they had to make. How they structure their doubles practices. Who calls plays during service games & how do they communicate during the match? You'll also hear why...
Apr 02, 2024•18 min•Ep. 170
Rohan Bopanna won the Australian Open earlier this year, reached #1 in the world, and turned 44 years old on March 4th. I spoke with Rohan at the Miami Open after his round 1 victory. He and his partner, Matt Ebden, won that match in a third set after dropping the first. We discuss adjustments he made to turn it around. I also asked Rohan how he spent his offseason after losing in the US Open final and finishing strong to end 2023. How did he come back better in 2024 at 43 years old? At the end,...
Apr 01, 2024•14 min•Ep. 169
Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe are the 4th and 5th ranked doubles players on the WTA Tour. They won the 2023 US Open and have been on the show several times previously. Previous Episodes: Gaby Dabrowski Interview Erin Routliffe Interview In this short post-match interview from Miami, we discuss their 6-4 6-4 round of 16 victory. How they won a high percentage of 2nd serve points - 76%. Great lesson here! What they do on off days in Miami. Why Erin got frustrated in the 2nd set and what they d...
Mar 29, 2024•10 min•Ep. 168
World #1, Austin Krajicek, joins the show for the second time. We recorded from the hotel lobby in Miami where Austin had a few days off due to weather. Listen to my previous interview with Austin here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/austin-krajicek-interview/ We discuss how he spent his off days, book recommendations, hotel choices in Miami, the no-ad/10-point breaker format, and his 2024 season so far. Austin and his partner, Ivan Dodig, have made one final this year but have had some very clo...
Mar 28, 2024•23 min•Ep. 167
This conversation with Australian Open Champion, Matt Ebden, focuses on the state of professional doubles and where it might go over the next several years. Helping to make pro doubles more popular is one of my passions and missions for Tennis Tribe and this podcast, so I was excited to chat with Matt about this topic. Matt is the 3rd ranked doubles player on the ATP tour, a 3-time grand slam champion, and reached a career-high of #39 in singles. He is also on the ATP Player's Council and involv...
Mar 19, 2024•23 min•Ep. 166
Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez are the number 7 & 8 ranked doubles players in the world. They recently made the finals at the WTA 1000 in Dubai and followed it up with a WTA 500 victory in San Diego. This conversation with them and their coach, Carlos Martinez, took place a day after their round 1 win at Indian Wells. We chat about that victory and their season so far. I asked them: What they've learned about each other over the last two years as a doubles pairing. What Carlos has ...
Mar 16, 2024•30 min•Ep. 165
