The Tennis Files Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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