The Functional Tennis Podcast

This week I speak to world-renowned coach Riccardo Piatti. Riccardo has been working as a coach for 40 years and has a wealth of experience working at the top of the game from junior to senior level.Riccardo has worked with great players such as Ivan Ljubicic, Maria Sharapova, Milos Raonic, Borna Coric, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Richard Gasquet as well as having numerous great young juniors at his center in northern Italy.We chat about:Where coaching started for himThe Piatti center, model and methodHis willingness to learn from people younger and older form himImportance of videoWhat he looks for in juniors as well as some anecdotes from players he has worked with.It's a super chat which I hope you will enjoy.Have you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

I catch up former pro and now coach and commentator Kenneth Carlsen. Kenneth was a Danish number for over 10 years as well as reaching a career-high ATP No.41.We chat a lot about junior development and some of the players he worked with (a young Holger Rune and Clara Tauson) and young juniors he is working with right now.Day-to-day life for KennethHolger Rune as a young kidTime young juniors should spend on courtGetting juniors to buy into long-term successTeaching players to be brave in high-pressure situationsKenneth's most memorable match on tourI hope you enjoy this episodeFabioHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

This week I have a joyful chat with week with Mexican tennis player Fernanda Contreras Gomez.Fernanda made her Wimbledon debut this year to the joy of her late grandfather who was a former semi-finalist at Wimbledon.She tells us all about her experience there, what it meant to her and we also chat about her college days, how she decided to go pro, her plan b as well as her writing a book which is launching soon.I hope you enjoy it,Fabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

Today I speak to 27-year-old Tamara Korpatsch (ranked WTA 130) who made her first main draw Wimbledon appearance this year.She tells us all about the up and downs of it, from the excitement of being a main draw player to a tense match with Heather Watson and to the disappointment of her doubles partner pulling out an hour before her 1st round double match.She also tells her about some great wins she has had, her team and her hobbies.I hope you enjoy it,Fabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

This week is the start of a new mini-series for the next 10 months. It involves following the progress of Conor Gannon, who we had on the show earlier this year. Conor was on a tennis Scholarship at the University of Tennessee, where at one stage last season they were ranked number 1 in the US.  Conor had to fight it out for his place on his team. For one reason or another Conor decided he wanted to leave and move to a new university that would suit his game style better.I’ll be checking in with Conor every 2 to 4 weeks to see how his progress is going and to check in on his goals for the year.Today we chat about:Pressure to performBecoming a smarter playerAdvice for players/parents planning to go on a US Tennis scholarshipThe College Tennis transfer protocolWhy the University of MemphisThe goal moving forwardIf you enjoy this show please check out all our other episodes with US college players such as Stanfords Arthur Fery who was ranked number 1 NCAA player at the start of the year, and last week's guest Adam Walton who was a teammate of Conor as well as an All American and had an illustrious College tennis career and who has made a great start to his pro career. I also recommend you check out the episode with Peter Smith who was an extremely successful coach at USC.Hope you enjoy it,Fabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

Today I speak to Adam Walton who has made an impactful start to his pro career with 2 future titles followed by a semi-final.Adam is about to finish his master's at the University of Tennessee where he was a 4 time all All-American, number 2 national ranked in singles and NCAA doubles champion.We chat about his decision to go to college, his college days, dealing with pressure on the court and balance off the court, finding belief in himself and as well as what motivates him.It's a short impactful episode.I hope you enjoy it,Fabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

Facundo Lugones, the long-term coach of tennis star Cam Norrie since 2017, shares his journey from college tennis at Texas Christian University to coaching at the professional level. He discusses the unpredictable journey of transitioning from junior to professional tennis and the evolving dynamics of player-coach relationships. Surprising insights emerge about Cam's unique training locations and routines, the importance of nutrition, and adapting to future tournament challenges. The reflection on key career matches adds a personal touch, showcasing the emotional depth of competition.

After a few weeks' break from the podcast, I am back this week with former guest Dave O'Hare. I haven't done too many in-person chats and really enjoyed sitting down with Dave to catch up. The last time I had Dave on the show pre the covid pandemic breakout he was on waiting on his visa to start a coaching role at the University of Memphis.He tells us what happened and his journey to working with Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram, the world's number 1 doubles team. He chats about what he learned the past 2 years, his new philosophies, judging himself, mentors and more.In this episode, I mention our other episodes with tennis coaching guru Louis Cayer and US College Tennis player Conor Gannon who Dave works with when he is back in Ireland.I hope you enjoy my chat with Dave.Fabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com

Shane Liyanage, a data analyst from Data Driven Sports Analytics, has worked with top tennis players like Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka. He shares insights on how analytics is transforming tennis, emphasizing customized strategies for individual players. Shane discusses the collaboration between data engineers and coaches to make data actionable and enhance performance. He also explains flexible pricing models for his services. Lastly, he reflects on recent gameplay evolution and predicts outcomes for the upcoming Wimbledon.

Today I speak to performance coach Lapo Becherini. Lapo is based at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy and works with players such as Holger Rune, Lorenzo Musetti, Alexei Popryin and more.We chat about his early career and the differences between soccer players and tennis players. How the world's best train. How lower-ranked players are fitter than higher-ranked players, the process when starting with new players, cramping, inertial training and more.It’s a great chat and If you enjoy it check out our previous chats with performance coaches such as Eric Hernandez, who works with Daniil Medvedev, Marcel da Cruz - The physical Trainer of Casper Ruud, Matt Little - trainer of Andy Murray, Sebastian Durand, trainer of Grigor Dimitrov, Jason Stacy trainer of Aryna Sabalenka.EnjoyFabio🔋 Podcast powered by Slinger - The world's most portable ball machineFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comHave you seen the Functional Tennis Saber?Check it out here and don't miss the video of Stan Wawrinka crushing the ballFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.com