The only tennis podcast with a focus on doubles. We believe doubles should be more popular and get more coverage than it does, so we’re fixing that. Our goal is to help you become a better player with pro doubles tips and expert strategy. We interview ATP & WTA tour doubles players and top tennis coaches to help you improve your game.
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I recently posted an Instagram video asking why club doubles players don't use I-Formation. It now has over 210,000 views and 100 comments, many of which are excuses. In this episode, I break down the five most common excuses and share my rebuttal. I hope that this will convince some of you to start using serve formations more often to help you win matches. Here are the excuses... "Our serves aren't good enough." "I'll get hit in the back of the head by my partner's serve." "Club players are too...
Host Will Bocek discusses seven doubles strategy lessons from various tennis experiences, including the US Open and Davis Cup. The initial three lessons, available freely, cover the importance of focusing on common occurrences in matches, the statistical advantage of playing at the net, and how to scout opponents by observing their tendencies, especially regarding lobbing. The remaining four premium lessons delve into specific tactics like down-the-line shots and poaching.
Jamie Cerretani, a former top 50 ATP doubles player and founder of Inspired, shares his holistic approach to coaching professional doubles players through structured preparation, mindset work, and career optimization. Working with JP Smith, who reached a career-high ranking of 50 in ATP doubles Creating a daily structure for players that includes tennis practice, gym work, and family time Viewing family responsibilities as strengths rather than distractions for professional players Learning from...
Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe, fresh off their 2025 US Open victory, share an in-depth look at their championship run, including a remarkable quarterfinal comeback and their peak performance in the semifinals and finals. They discuss developing self-belief, managing pressure, and tactical breakthroughs, as well as the unique challenges and unconditional support within their partnership. The episode also features their post-win activities and responses to fan questions.
Bruce Lipka, coach of US Open doubles champion Erin Routliffe, joins the show for the second time. I spoke with him before Erin Routliffe and Gaby Dabrowski played their semifinal match in New York. Why preparing for semifinals involves months of work Championship-level doubles requires continuous improvement rather than focusing on winning or losing How they turned around a 0-6 first set in the quarterfinals The compact tournament format creates challenges with mental recovery as players compet...
Three-time US Open Champion Joe Salisbury shares insights into his exceptional athleticism, crediting his parents and multi-sport background. He details how he and partner Neal Skupski overcame early challenges through patience and communication, and emphasizes college tennis as a crucial pathway for personal and professional development. Salisbury also discusses his mindset for mixed doubles and offers thoughts on the US Open's mixed doubles format, while outlining his goals to win more major tournaments.
Nicole Melichar-Martinez joins us from the US Open to share insights on her recent doubles success and preparation for the final Grand Slam of the year. I spoke with her fresh off a title in Monterey with new partner Cristina Bucșa. Detailed breakdown of Nicole's practice routine, including specialized drills for volleys and overheads Comparison of New York to other Grand Slam cities, with particular focus on commute times and logistical challenges Food recommendations for NYC, with Nicole ranki...
Doubles legend Rajeev Ram shares insights on his recent Masters 1000 victory with new partner Nikola Mektić, detailing how they built quick team chemistry. He addresses the controversial Marty Fish comments and provides nuanced perspectives on the ongoing singles versus doubles player debate, emphasizing organization and teamwork. Ram also offers practical advice on return strategy, net play, and his approach to career longevity and recovery as a veteran professional.
At the Cincinnati Open, I spoke with the current #1 doubles team on the ATP tour. Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash's win streak ended at 22 in Cincinnati. We discuss their dominant run on the ATP doubles tour and the mental approach that has led to their success. The pair shares insights into their tiebreaker tactics, physical and mental challenges during their streak, and the fundamentals of what makes a successful doubles partnership. Strategies for tiebreakers, including energy management and ...
I spoke with ATP & WTA Coach, Dan Kiernan, in Cincinnati about life as a professional coach, doubles drills, practice sets, and more. This episode will help you rethink how you practice. Dan works with multiple players on different teams, not uncommon for doubles coaches, so you'll get insights into what his day-to-day responsibilities look like. Dan's daily schedule can involve up to 7-8 hours of court time, plus meetings, court bookings, academy management (Soto Tennis Academy), podcasts, ...
Former Top 70 WTA doubles player Catherine Harrison returns to the show to share her journey recovering from multiple injuries over the past few seasons. We discuss her recent decision to focus exclusively on doubles moving forward. Catherine came to Fort Worth, Texas, last week, where we spent two days of intensive on-court doubles training. We discussed the key takeaways from the training and more. Simple tactical improvements from two days of training. Doubles drills that she found helpful. W...
This is a free preview of a Tennis Tribe member episode. To hear the full episode, become a member at thetennistribe.com/memberships . In this episode, I answer three questions from Tennis Tribe members and followers. FREE: How to beat unconventional or unorthodox players. Why there is no "right way" to hit a tennis ball. Topspin can be overrated. Members: All the options you have when the opponent hits a lob, and when to use each. One of the most underpracticed shots for club players (it's not ...
ATP doubles champions JJ Tracy and Robert Cash share their incredible journey, including their recent back-to-back titles and rapid rise in rankings. They delve into the impact of their new coach, the transition from college tennis to the pro tour, and how they balance a lighthearted approach with an intense work ethic. The duo also discusses the slim margins at the top level, their unique partnership dynamics, and strategies for winning tiebreakers, offering valuable insights into their success and future aspirations.
I watched a lot of Wimbledon doubles over the past few weeks. In this episode, I share 4 strategy lessons from the Championships. Watching professional doubles can help you learn new tactics, positioning, movement, and strategy that you can apply to your own game. Practice specific shots to counter your upcoming opponents' preferred tactics, as demonstrated by Wimbledon Champions, Elise Mertens & Veronika Kudermetova. When you have the baseline advantage, stay patient and consistent. At the ...
World #23 Olivia Nicholls joins us fresh off her first title with partner Tereza Mihalíková in Berlin. She discusses her career-high ranking, steady rise in doubles, and shares insights on overcoming challenges throughout her career journey. Defeating Roland Garros Champs, Errani and Paolini, in Berlin, breaking their 13-match win streak, including tactical adjustments On developing a belief in her game to beat any team Overcoming four consecutive first-round losses during the clay season Workin...
Julian Cash is ranked #12 on the ATP Doubles Tour, has four titles in 2025, and is currently #3 in the race to the ATP Finals. In this conversation, he shares the story of his impressive rise in professional doubles, his successful partnership with Lloyd Glasspool, thoughts on college tennis, mixed doubles, and more. How his partnership with Lloyd Glasspool is built on aligned goals, complementary playing styles, and balancing each other's energy levels Breaking down their semifinal match agains...
Neal Skupski, the #11 ranked doubles player on the ATP Tour and three-time Wimbledon champion, discusses his partnership with Joe Salisbury, their recent Roland Garros finals run, and more. I spoke with Neal during his off day in Eastbourne, where he was preparing for the quarterfinals. He and Joe won that match and are now in the semis. Working through the chemistry and tactical adjustments of a new partnership The significant adjustments required to transition from clay to grass Is grass Neal'...
The US Open just announced its entry list for the 2025 Mixed Doubles Tournament. In case you missed it, they've made significant changes to the event this year, which I discussed with Dan Kiernan and many players at Indian Wells back in March on the podcast. This episode, recorded on Instagram Live with Philip from Tweener Head Tennis, includes my initial reaction to the entry list and a deeper discussion surrounding mixed doubles and ATP/WTA doubles. As the US Open revamps the event with single...
For the first time in a while, a strategy episode! I'm celebrating the launch of the new Tennis Tribe Memberships. Learn more here. The margins in tennis are incredibly small, with the Roland Garros finals being decided by just a few points across all four finals. Effective strategies can make all the difference in gaining a few extra points, resulting in a win or a loss. In this episode, I cover three areas that might be holding you back. Why you should play closer to the net... sometimes A new...
Doubles players Sander Arends and Luke Johnson, along with Coach Calvin Betton, share their experiences preparing for their French Open quarterfinal. They discuss resetting after a tough third-round win, structuring off-days, detailed pre-match routines (including superstitions), Calvin's coaching approach and scouting process, and their perspective on the doubles experience at Roland Garros.
Nicole Melichar-Martinez, ranked #21 on the WTA doubles tour, shares insider perspectives on partnership dynamics, tournament conditions, and the future of doubles. The clay season in Europe offers beautiful cities, but she isn't a fan of the extended tournaments Which tournaments treat the doubles players well, and which ones need improvement WTA now conducts post-tournament surveys to gather player feedback Her take on the 2025 season so far, including partnership breakups, WTA Finals favorite...
Craig Veal shares his experience coaching three top-40 WTA doubles players: Desirae Krawczyk (#14), Olivia Nicholls (#32), and Teresa Mihalikova (#34). Currently in Paris, preparing his players for the upcoming French Open, Craig and I discussed how he manages multiple players while sharing strategy insights, and more. Craig's coaching philosophy centers on "coaching people first, tennis second," which has led to long-term coaching relationships He shares one doubles tactic that is more effectiv...
John Parsons from the No-Ad No Problem Podcast brings his expert knowledge of college tennis to the show. We break down the NCAA Sweet 16, discuss the broader college tennis landscape, and explore how it can increase its television presence. We dive into the lessons college tennis can learn from beach volleyball's TV success and explore how the sport could experiment with formats to become more broadcast-friendly. College tennis hasn't been on ESPN linear networks since 2017, while beach volleyb...
Luke Johnson is currently ranked #40 in ATP doubles and is coming off his biggest career win at the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona with partner Sander Arends. I spoke with him earlier this week about his recent success, doubles strategy, and more. How he and Sander's complementary playing styles create an effective partnership Advantages to using different returning styles and court positioning The journey of rising through the ATP rankings, effectively halving his ranking each year for five co...
Erin Routliffe, the #3 ranked WTA doubles player, unpacks her recent title run in Charleston with Jelena Ostapenko and shares insights about navigating the 2025 season so far. How her off-season injury affected her at the start of the year and how Gaby Dabrowski supported her Experience playing doubles with Ostapenko and winning in Charleston Differences between playing with Ostapenko versus her regular partner Gaby Dabrowski Plans for the clay court swing Why she doesn't look at draws Her frien...
In this special episode on the state of doubles and the professional doubles debate, I speak with ATP & WTA Coach, Dan Kiernan. Dan is the coach of Gaby Dabrowski, Michael Venus, and Nikola Mektic, and has been on the show several times before (below). In this conversation, we examine the future of doubles from multiple perspectives and challenge current assumptions about the format's viability. Reactions to the idea that "doubles specialists have no place in the future of tennis" The double...
Ellen Perez is the #17 doubles player on the WTA tour. I spoke with her at Indian Wells on an off day after her 2nd round win with Jelena Ostapenko. We discussed their partnership, working with coach Rennae Stubbs, US Open Mixed changes, and more. Working with Rennae Stubbs and understanding strategic shot placement Ostapenko's funny on-court nature Partnership changes early in the 2025 WTA doubles season Goals for the rest of 2025 Adjusting to playing with doubles specialists like Melichar-Mart...
Andrea Vavassori is the #9 doubles player on the ATP Tour and won the 2024 US Open Mixed Doubles title with Sara Errani. He also reached the final of the men's doubles at the Australian Open earlier this year. I spoke with him at Indian Wells this year about those achievements, his vision for the future of doubles, the controversial US Open mixed doubles changes, and a lot more. Potential innovations for mixed doubles including a ranking system and year-end Masters event to increase visibility R...
Demi Schuurs and Asia Muhammad join the show for their 3rd and 2nd times respectively (listen to the previous episode with Demi | episode with Asia ). This team just won the BNP Paribas Open and I chatted with them after their second-round victory at Indian Wells just before practice on their off day. We discussed their impressive run to that point in the tournament, how their partnership formed, what's working so well, and more. Defeating Olympic champions and major finalists Paolini/Errani in ...
Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten are the #1 doubles team on the ATP tour, having captured two of the last three major doubles titles including Wimbledon 2024 and Australian Open 2025. I spoke with them in Indian Wells a few days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open. In this conversation, we discuss their practice routines, their partnership, the state of ATP doubles, and more. Detailed breakdown of their practice sessions, including specific drills like "volleyball" for serve and return pra...
