Tom Hill never planned to be a tennis coach. He finished college, put his rackets in the wardrobe, and was planning law school. Then a chance encounter at a bar in Santa Monica led to a hitting session with Maria Sharapova. Then a call from Danielle Collins — ranked 250 in the world at the time. Eight months later she was Top 30. Then came Maria Sakkari. And six years, a Top 3 ranking and countless close-misses later, Tom is one of the most respected coaches on the WTA tour.

In this episode, Tom joins Caroline Garcia and Borja for an unfiltered look inside professional tennis coaching:

• How he accidentally became a tennis coach — via Sharapova, a bar in Santa Monica and a visa expiry
• Going from 0 coaching experience to taking Danielle Collins from 250 to Top 30 in 8 months
• The real story of coaching Maria Sakkari to World No.3 — and why they eventually parted ways
• How to handle a player who's losing their confidence — what you say, and what you never say
• The match point Maria had against Kvitova at Roland Garros — and how that one moment changed everything
• Why he never sets ranking goals — and what he focuses on instead
• The truth about travelling 45 weeks a year with a player and why he burned out
• How to coach two players at once — and why it only works if roles are crystal clear
• What coaches like Wim Fissette get right that most coaches get completely wrong
• Why winning junior Grand Slams means absolutely nothing for your professional career

Timestamps:

03:30 The bar in Santa Monica — the conversation that changed everything

04:30 Hitting with Maria Sharapova at IMG Academy

07:00 How Danielle Collins found him — and why that hour changed his life

10:30 Falling in love with coaching — helping players become their best

12:00 Taking Collins from 250 to Top 30 in 8 months — with zero coaching experience

13:30 "Me and you against the world" — starting out with no reputation

15:00 The Instagram post that led to Maria Sakkari

16:00 Working under Thomas Johansson — still messaging him once a week

18:00 Imposter syndrome as the youngest coach on tour

19:00 The hardest part of being a coach — 45 weeks a year on the road

20:30 Never setting ranking goals — why he focuses on the process

22:00 How Maria went from 30 to No.3 — four years of consistent improvement

29:30 "The best skill a coach can have is becoming what the player needs"

31:00 Why great coaches with one player often fail with the next

32:30 Can you be friends with your players?

34:00 The coach-player disagreement — what the coach sees vs what the player feels

37:00 How to handle a player after a devastating loss

40:30 How to plan a schedule — training weeks vs tournament weeks

43:00 More hours on court vs smart hours — what actually works

45:30 Why they stopped working together — and why coming back was an easy yes

47:30 Bringing in consultant coaches — threat or opportunity?

49:00 Two coaches at once: why roles must be crystal clear

50:00 Yannick Sinner's team — why Simone and Darren work so well together

51:30 The hitting partner debate — when do top players need one?

53:30 Why men rarely travel with hitting partners

54:30 Managing a big team — physio, fitness coach, psychologist and more

55:30 Every person in the team has their specialty

57:00 "If you're happy off the court, you play well on the court"

59:00 Parents as coaches — when it works, when it doesn't

1:00:00 Caroline opens up about her dad as her coach

1:01:00 Why coaches can't have emotions — the hardest part of the job

1:03:00 Would he ever coach on the ATP tour?

1:04:00 His advice for young players: build the right style, not the best results

1:06:00 Why winning junior Grand Slams means nothing for your pro career

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Gavin MacMillan spent years building athletes nobody expected to make it — boxers, hockey players, tennis pros. Then Aryna Sabalenka hired him, and the tennis world started paying attention.

In this episode, Gavin breaks down the serve transformation that took Sabalenka from 6 double faults in a single final to 6 double faults across an entire tournament. He explains why 99% of strength coaches in tennis are operating on the wrong principles — and why bigger, faster, stronger is the biggest lie in the sport.

He's now working with Coco Gauff. And he has thoughts.

🎾 WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

→ Why conventional weight training is actively hurting tennis players

→ The Federer "toothpick" principle: how elasticity beats muscle

→ Sabalenka's serve rebuild — the real story, step by step

→ What Gavin is working on with Coco Gauff right now

→ Why you can't think your way through a serve under pressure

→ The coaching lie: "I played it, so I can teach it"

→ The broken ATP/WTA system — and why nobody's fixing it

→ Caro Garcia on what she'd change about her career if she started over

→ Why tennis is the single hardest sport in the world to succeed in professionally

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⏱ CHAPTERS

01:00 Gavin's background — 7 sports, hockey, losing his mom at 15

02:00 Narcissistic tennis parents & the crystal ball problem

03:30 Why tennis is the hardest sport in the world to succeed in professionally

06:00 Tennis vs the fight business — the only comparable mental challenge

07:30 Inside boxing: weight cuts, Cotto vs Canelo, and the A-side

10:30 Why conventional weight training is destroying tennis players

12:00 Force vs power — the Soviet training science nobody in tennis is using

13:00 Federer's toothpick body vs Nadal — the real difference explained

15:00 The door analogy — why bigger muscles increase injury risk

18:00 Why there's almost no science in tennis coaching

20:00 Gavin's live analysis of Caro Garcia's game

22:00 Caro's shoulder injury & the 22,000 serves per year problem

25:00 The insane tennis calendar — no other professional sport does this

28:00 Instagram fitness coaches on tour & the science nobody uses

29:00 Technical flaws in the modern game — you cannot hide them anymore

32:00 Federer's on-the-run forehand & why Sampras would dominate today

35:00 The skills gap — why top players still can't execute the basics

37:00 Gavin joins Coco Gauff's team — his exact role

39:00 How long does it really take to change technique on a pro player?

42:00 Coco's serve numbers — the before and after

44:00 The Sabalenka serve transformation — the full story

47:00 The reps math — why "5-minute serve fixes" are for functional morons

48:00 What Freddie Roach taught Gavin about great coaching

51:00 One thing in the corner — simplicity under extreme pressure

56:00 The 70% first serve rule that made Sabalenka unbeatable

1:00:00 Advice to young players: what actually builds a career

1:01:00 The 85% rule — why going 100% loses Grand Slams

1:07:00 Women's tennis marketing — why the tour is failing its own players

1:11:00 Identity, mental health & living and dying with every point

1:18:00 The camera on Sabalenka after a loss — the tour's exploitation problem

1:22:00 Federer's parents — what Gavin learned meeting them at the Australian Open

1:24:00 Coco Gauff at 21 — changing her serve the week before the US Open

1:29:00 Caro: "I would have had a better team" — what she'd change about her career

1:31:00 Every athlete falls to their level of preparation — not one rises above it

1:34:00 George St-Pierre, stars aligning, and the luck factor in elite sport

1:37:00 The unlicensed conditioning industry — and why it's getting players hurt

1:40:00 Injury prevention: the right evaluation every player should have but doesn't

1:42:00 The serve biomechanics breakdown — why Rafter's motion damaged him and Federer's didn't

🎾 TENNIS INSIDER CLUB

The inside story of professional tennis — hosted by Caroline Garcia (former World No. 4, 2022 WTA Finals Champion)

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Arthur Rinderknech didn't follow the typical ATP blueprint. At 18, when most aspiring pros were grinding Futures tournaments, he chose to go to university in the United States — a decision that French tennis culture saw as giving up. Today, he's ranked inside the ATP Top 30 and one of the most interesting stories on the men's tour.

In this episode, Arthur joins Caroline Garcia and Borja for an unfiltered conversation covering:

• Growing up in a tennis family without pressure — and why that made all the difference
• Why he walked away from the pro circuit at 18 and headed to Texas A&M
• The French vs American mentality — and what Europe gets completely wrong about sport
• The moment he nearly quit tennis for good (and the psychologist who changed everything)
• Working with Lucas Pouille — and learning to train LESS to win MORE
• Playing his own cousin in an ATP final in Shanghai (and what the odds on that would have paid)
• What it actually feels like to reach Top 30 at 29 — and why late success hits differently

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction — Arthur's tennis origin story

12:10 The deal with himself: Top 250 in 18 months or stop forever

15:00 Why starting at 22 vs 18 changes everything

20:30 French vs American mindset — not being afraid of anybody

28:50 "I told my wife I wasn't sure I'd keep going"

33:20 No racket for 2.5 weeks — one week before Roland Garros

37:00 The late-night idea: calling Lucas Pouille

44:00 What he learned from Lucas: train less, win more

49:10 US Open R16: hitting only 10 minutes between matches

54:30 Playing his own cousin in the Shanghai ATP final

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🎾 ABOUT TENNIS INSIDER CLUB

Tennis Insider Club is co-founded by Caroline Garcia — former WTA No.4 and Grand Slam Champion. We go deep into the minds of players, coaches, and insiders to bring you content you won't find anywhere else in tennis.

🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode → tennisinsider.club

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How do you raise two world-class champions on a budget in a country with no tennis infrastructure? Judy Murray shares her raw, "old school" wisdom on avoiding burnout, handling the "human ATM" parent trap, and why letting your kids play is better than any coaching manual. A very insightful conversation with the mother of Jamie and Andy Murray.

Chapters:

01:14 Starting with wooden rackets and Scotland's weather

02:19 Why Judy stopped playing to save her love for the sport

05:13 No dreams of pros: Just wanting kids to enjoy sport

06:24 Kitchen table tennis and cereal box nets

08:16 The "Human ATM": The reality of individual sports

10:41 Becoming a National Coach and learning by watching

14:42 Knowing when to be the parent instead of the coach

16:58 Teaching independence: Packing bags and supermarkets

22:15 The Parent-Coach-Player triangle

27:50 Watching Andy vs. Rafa: "Sit on your hands!"

31:18 Communication: Handling the "surprise" visit disaster

41:03 The danger of tennis becoming a child's identity

46:42 Why the American University route is a game-changer

49:03 Sending Andy to Barcelona at 15

53:57 Managing the business of a professional athlete

56:45 Stepping back: "Off you go, little bird"

58:52 Advice for parents of young athletes

If you’re a parent, coach, or athlete looking for the "real" side of the pro tour, make sure to subscribe and hit the bell icon! Let us know in the comments: what's the best advice you've ever received from a parent in sports?

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🌐 Website → https://tennisinsider.club

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Eugenie Bouchard reveals why she still hasn't watched her Wimbledon final match and opens up about the reality of rapid fame—from eating disorders induced by stress to the toxic double standards of social media.

Timestamps:

00:00 – "It happened too fast": Processing early success

01:55 – Why she couldn't talk about mental health in 2014

03:55 – The "Selfie" Double Standard: Loved when winning, hated when losing

05:00 – The Wimbledon Final: "So brutal... I haven't rewatched it"

07:00 – The pressure of playing in front of Princess Eugenie

08:45 – Her Biggest Regret: Firing her childhood coach

10:50 – "A Final is a Failure": dealing with unrealistic expectations

13:50 – The US Open Concussion: "I was crying in the shower"

16:35 – Eating Disorders & Stress: The story about Serena Williams

20:50 – Advice to her 15-year-old self

In this episode of The Insight, we go beyond the headlines with Eugenie Bouchard. She discusses the heavy price of being a tennis superstar at 20, the specific "knot in the stomach" that made eating impossible before matches, and how she learned to stop letting online hate dictate her self-worth.

Join the Club:

🔔 Subscribe for more inside access: https://www.youtube.com/@TennisInsiderClub?sub_confirmation=1

👍 Like this video if you respect Genie's vulnerability!

💬 Comment below: Do you think the media is too harsh on young athletes?

Listen to the Full Episode:

🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/1SDHHtfQmUS0TyP8wqJEh9

🎧 Listen on Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tennis-insider-club/id1721351881

Follow Us:

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🌐 Website → https://tennisinsider.club

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Former World No. 1 and 4-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier opens up about the "surreal" rise to the top, his intense rivalries with Agassi and Sampras, and the brutal reality of life on tour. Plus, he shares how he found peace and success after hanging up the racquet.

Best Moments:

03:33 - Turning Pro at 17 with Pete Sampras

06:55 - The "awkward" reality of the pro locker room

11:58 - The Agassi rivalry & "Open" book

14:55 - Winning his first Grand Slam (Roland Garros)

17:00 - Handling fame & the "storm" of success

21:58 - Social media's impact on young players today

31:30 - Why Jim retired early at age 30

40:50 - Transition to broadcasting & interviewing stars

48:50 - The evolution of tennis: Sinner, Alcaraz & speed

If you enjoyed this conversation, please SUBSCRIBE, like, and leave a comment below! It helps us bring you more legends of the game.

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How do you go from 20 double faults a match to World No. 1 and Grand Slam Champion? Aryna Sabalenka’s performance coach, Jason Stacy, joins the podcast to reveal the raw, behind-the-scenes transformation of one of the WTA’s biggest stars.

In this masterclass on sports psychology and tennis coaching, we dive into:

• The Serve Crisis: Overcoming the "yips" when technical fixes failed.
• Mental Toughness: The "Stop or Change" ultimatum that saved Sabalenka’s career.
• Breathwork for Athletes: Specific protocols to control your brain under high pressure.
• The WTA Tour: Why Jason believes empathy can be a weakness for female athletes.
• Caroline Garcia: A deep dive into the "post-win void" and the reality of life at the top.

Whether you're a player looking to fix your tennis serve or a fan wanting inside access to Team Sabalenka, this episode offers a blueprint for the champion mindset.

01:32 - Energy Management: The hidden cost of Grand Slams

07:22 - From Dmitry Tursunov to the WTA: Jason Stacy’s entry into tennis

12:12 - Building Team Sabalenka

18:15 - Fixing the Yips: Solving the 20 double fault crisis

23:55 - The "Stop or Change" Ultimatum

32:04 - Caroline Garcia on why winning can feel empty

41:43 - Why staying at the top is harder than the climb

49:00 - The Legacy Mindset: You never fight alone

56:10 - Healthy Player-Coach relationships vs. toxic cultures

01:10:54 - Controversy: Is empathy a weakness in women's tennis?

01:16:15 - Breathwork Masterclass: Controlling the mind via the body

01:21:40 - The "Secret" breathing trick for changeovers

01:42:00 - French Open breakthrough and the power of awareness

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Subscribe for more exclusive interviews with the biggest names on the ATP and WTA tours.

#ArynaSabalenka #TennisInsider #SportsPsychology #TennisCoaching #WTA #CarolineGarcia #Breathwork #MentalToughness #TennisTraining #GrandSlam

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Iga Swiatek, opens up about the pressure of going from high school student to Grand Slam Champion overnight. She reveals why she thought winning Roland Garros was "impossible" and the mental strategies she uses to stay at the top and win 5 Grand Slams in her early twenties.

Timestamps:

00:01:55 – School vs. Tennis: Why education was the priority

00:04:40 – The "Imposter Syndrome" at her first tournament: "I don't belong here"

00:05:40 – Roland Garros 2020: "I thought it was impossible"

00:08:45 – The chaotic thoughts before winning match point

00:10:30 – Handling the pressure of her first big sponsor

00:11:40 – Why Iga has worked with a psychologist since age 14

00:13:00 – What drives her: Titles, Rankings, or Stats?

00:15:00 – The "Lie" she tells herself to win tournaments

00:18:15 – Advice to her younger self

In this episode of the Tennis Insider Club, Caroline Garcia sits down with World No. 1 Iga Świątek for a raw conversation about the mental side of tennis. From finishing high school while on tour to handling the explosion of fame after the French Open, Iga shares the reality behind the stats.

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