The Functional Tennis Podcast

As we are on a short summer break, we have decided to rerelease one of our favourite podcast episodes from the past this week!Janko Tipsarevic joined us on Episode 44 to reflect on his career, coronavirus & life after tennis. Janko is a former Top 10 player & won the Davis Cup with Serbia 🏆We talk:Life during lockdownDeveloping habitsRecovering from injuries Dealing with distractionsPlaying against the worlds best playersBuilding a life after tennisOur chat with Janko is one of the best that we have ever had. We really hope you enjoy it (if you haven't heard it before!) 😃Let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:17 - Life during Lockdown9:34 - How he developed his game35:27 - Coming back from injuries40:23 - Deciding to retire46:23 - Building a life after tennis59:53 - Advice for juniorsFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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

Jason Stacy, fitness coach of world-ranked tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to elite coaching. He discusses his holistic approach, influenced by martial arts, and the importance of connecting with the right coach. Jason reveals insights into mental focus, energy management, and the dynamics of teamwork, emphasizing how these elements are vital for athletic success. He also highlights the unseen challenges athletes face and offers advice for aspiring players to cultivate resilience and self-awareness.

Alexander Ostrovsky joins us this week to talk about his tennis academy, the sports management agency that he owns & what its like running top professional tournaments 👊We talk:How he became involved in the tennis industryHis High Performance Tennis Academy in MoscowThe Sports Managements Agency that he ownsRunning top professional tennis tournamentsAlexander has accomplished so much in tennis already & continues to build everyday. It's not very often that we get the opportunity to speak to guests that are involved in so many different aspects of the game - so we really enjoyed the chat 😃Let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:53 - How he became involved in tennis3:39 - Facilities at the academy10:20 - Setting up a sports management agency13:24 - Running pro tournamentsFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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 Timo Glock joins us. Timo is an avid tennis fan/player, a former F1 driver & currently races for BMW in BMT 🔥Timo is a Functional Tennis follower who we have been in contact with for a while! We always like to mix it up on this podcast by occasionally bringing in guests from other sports, so we hope that you enjoy listening to our chat 😃We talk:When he started to play tennisSimilarities between tennis & racingLife as an F1 driverHis most memorable racesFitness levels needed to compete at the highest levelSpeaking to Timo was really cool! He is passionate about tennis & we hope that he can find some time in his busy schedule to continue playing 😉Let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:56 - Starting to play tennis9:42 - Similarities between Tennis & Racing14:31 - His first F1 Grand Prix17:51 - Most competitive competitor19:17 - Fitness level needed to compete26:26 - Managing his busy scheduleFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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 we talk to Mike Ballardie, who is the CEO of our podcast sponsor, Slinger Bag 🤩Mike has worked in tennis for a number of years, including stints working at Wilson & Prince. He now runs Slinger, the company who produce the well known portable ball machine, the Slinger Bag!We talk:His tennis backgroundPurchasing Prince TennisSigning new endorsement deals with top playersSeeing the Slinger Bag for the first timeFuture plans for SlingerSpeaking to Mike was super enjoyable & it was a pleasure to be able to have him on the show. Not only does he have a really interesting back story, but has committed to sponsoring this podcast for quite a while now.  A big thanks to him & his whole team 🙌Let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:50 - Mike’s Background 19:12 - Buying Prince Tennis26:03 - First hearing about the Slinger Bag34:42 - Tennis as a lifestyle brand37:50 - Slinger becoming a ‘Connected Brand’41:51 - Advantages of trading publicly Find us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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

Canadian Coach, Larry Jurovich joins the podcast this week 🇨🇦Larry has worked with top juniors around the world, including a stint at the LTA. He has also worked with former podcast guests James McGee, James Cluskey & Sharon Fichman!We talk:Working during COVIDLessons learned during his time coachingHis time spent working in IrelandWorking with the LTAHis new tennis centres in Canada It was great to be able to chat with Larry, especially as he has such a wealth of knowledge & experience in the coaching industry.Fun fact: Larry also played ice Hockey for Ireland during the time that he spent living there! Hope you enjoy it & let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:23 - Life during COVID in Canada8:00 - Values in his tennis programs10:57 - Working with the LTA15:48 - Playing Ice Hockey for IrelandFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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 we take a sneak peak into the tennis media world with Nick McCarvel 🇺🇸Nick is a sports media expert, who has worked in tennis for a number of years & is now involved with the Olympics 🤩 He is a writer, presenter, commentator & producer.Cian, who works at Functional Tennis takes over from Fabio as host for this Episode!We talk:Breaking into the industryLGBTQ Community in TennisGetting to know Billie Jean KingBoundaries between work & personal lifeStaying up to date with tennis storylinesOlympic TennisIt was great to be able to speak to Nick, especially as the Olympics draw closer. Hope you enjoy the chat & the change up this week 😃Let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:28 - Breaking into the industry4:45 - More drawn to journalism or tennis?12:35 - Setting boundaries between work & personal life16:37 - LGBTQ Community in Tennis22:36 - Getting to know Billie Jean King28:37 - Current role with the OlympicsFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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

Marcel da Cruz, a seasoned Strength and Conditioning coach and former professional athlete, discusses his decade-long collaboration with Casper Ruud. He shares insights on the upcoming grass court season, the unique fitness demands of tennis, and the risks of excessive muscle leading to injuries. Marcel also reflects on Casper's decision to take a year off and the importance of S&C for junior players, emphasizing a holistic approach to training that balances performance with injury prevention.

Marco Chiudinelli from Switzerland joins the podcast this week 🇨🇭Marco had a 17 year long career, which saw him rise to a career high #52 as well as winning the Davis Cup with Switzerland in 2014 🏆We talk:What life after tennis looks likeRunning Tennis CampsCan Novak compete the Golden Slam?What he misses from travelling on tourWinning the Davis CupIt was nice to be able to see what Marco is up to these days, but also to look back and remember all the good times that he has had on court 💪Hope you enjoy it & let us know what you think!Leave us a review on iTunes 📱Episode Chapters1:25 - Life after Tennis6:00 - Running Camps in Halle11:50 - Can Novak complete the golden slam?16:28 - Up & Coming Swiss talent, Dominic Sticker19:41 - What he misses from his travelling days25:55 - Winning the Davis CupFind us on Social Media:Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennisPodcastYouTube: Functional Tennis PodcastTwitter: twitter.com/functennisWebsite: www.FunctionalTennis.comFacebook: Facebook.com/FunctionalTennisOfficialHave 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

In this chat with Garry Cahill, a Tour Coach and former Irish Davis Cup captain, the focus is on leadership and mentorship in tennis. Garry discusses his journey in establishing his own academy and the lessons he's learned since the pandemic. He highlights the importance of emotional connections between coaches and players and the need for strategic investment in talent development. Furthermore, Garry addresses the pitfalls of seeking short-term success and stresses the value of nurturing a supportive community for future stars.