Baseline Intelligence with Jonathan Stokke

5 Things I Learned Watching Jessica Pegula And Desirae Krawczyk At The Charleston Open

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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Marc Lucero: Stealing Your Opponent's Time And Creating Extra Time For Yourself

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

1:05 Taking away time from your opponents

3:03 Recognizing short balls earlier

4:30 Creating time without giving up court position

9:22 Keeping your level steady over a few months

11:50 Keeping players confident during a losing streak

15:31 Difference between pro and college athletes

19:30 Collegiate tennis pet peeves

23:39 Players looking to you for answers

29:37 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Quinn Gleason: What a pro doubles player thinks about at the net (and how it can help you improve)

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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Click here to watch Quinn's volley video

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DT5YQYuEXSU/?igsh=MWsxdDNxbzZieHpmZw==

We talk:

1:00 Her 2 hand forehand volley

2:40 How she calls play on her serves

7:37 What she thinks about when she's at the net

13:20 Her return strategy in a match

15:26 Most difficult thing about new partners

20:54 Getting into big events with ranking

23:11 What she's learned in the past year

26:34 Playing tiebreakers

Michael Joyce: Winning Tennis For Beginners And Advanced Players

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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1:02 How he starts with a new player

6:39 Playing well for 7 consecutive matches

10:28 A high floor vs a high ceiling

20:12 Balancing improvement vs. outcome

27:23 Describing a "winner"

31:44 Best advice for ALL levels

10 Questions Every Singles and Doubles Player Needs Answered

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

:20 Balancing improvement vs. outcome

2:07 How do you improve for a match tactically?

5:22 How do you stay focuses to start the 2nd set?

7:23 I lose confidence when I miss serves

9:52 Managing expectations

11:23 The server's job on a poach

12:41 Improving your reaction time on a poach

14:28 How to deal with an aggressive net player?

16:19 My partner gets attacked at the net

17:22 Australian formation

Joel Myers: What you can learn from the Alcaraz serve, adjusting to court speeds, and premium footwork at the Australian Open

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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1:24 The Alcaraz serve change

8:42 Court speed strategies

12:53 Spizziri/Sinner situation

19:11 Movement of the best players

Dr. Jack Groppel: Laws, Principles and Preferences In Tennis

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

:51 What is "high performance"?

4:50 Laws, principles and preferences

11:33 Making sure you're getting SOLID information

15:18 Listening as an online tennis coach

18:25 The most important part of tennis

26:40 Mountains Within

31:18 What he's working on with his 3.5 ladies

Sem Verbeek: Using His Big Toe To Win A Wimbledon Title?

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Help Sem win Amsertadam Athlete Of The Year!

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How to vote

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We talk:

:54 How he attacks an offseason

3:40 Brain based training

7:30 What he works on in the offseason

9:42 How he sets goals for 2026

11:47 How luck factors into the year

16:05 How he handles nerves

23:12 What impressed him about Siniakova

25:15 Volley technique thoughts

Rajeev Ram: What a 3x US Open Champion Knows About Doubles That You Don’t

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On today's episode we talk:

1:13 How Rajeev chooses serve formations

8:05 How Rajeev chooses his serve targets

14:13 When he changes strategy in a match

16:33 Improving your situational awareness

18:35 How he calls poaches

21:25 Where he starts in regular formation

25:30 What he looks for in a partner

30:22 How bossy was I as a doubles partner?

30 Years Of Poaching Lessons In 10 Minutes

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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https://stokketenniscoaching.com/

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Dom King: Separate The Signal From The Noise

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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https://stokketenniscoaching.com/

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On today's episode we learn strength and conditioning tips from Dom King, an accredited strength and conditioning coach with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association. He's an ITPA Master Tennis Performance Specialist, Racquetfit certified, and an NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist.

Francesco Dandekar: The Unique Mental Hurdles Tennis Players Face (And How You Can Overcome Them)

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On today's episode, we talk:

1:42 The unique challenges of tennis

10:55 Accurately identifying "what is"

13:13 Emphasis on outcome

23:40 Staying in the present on the court

33:26 How "off court" affects "on court"

37:35 Building resiliency

Meike Babel: One Main Difference Between European And American Coaching

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On Today's Episode We talk:

1:00 Understand where you're at before you start an improvement plan

3:07 Why players overcomplicate things

6:15 Simple fundamentals every player can use

11:30 Where she ranks technique in a player's game

14:30 Difference between European and American teaching

22:27 Easier to do something, or not do something

28:50 Consistency on the pro tour

Josh Goffi: Start Faster, Close Sets, Win Matches

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

3:00 Stacking pressure on your opponents

5:03 Opening the match

10:35 Sensing nerves across the net

12:06 The 2nd phase of a match

18:12 Novak in a breaker

21:50 Phases 3 of a match

27:17 Protector vs gunslinger

31:40 Closing the first set

36:36 Starting the second set

43:53 The "poor me" opponent

45:47 Closing out the match

47:57 10 point tiebreakers

Karue Sell: Do NOTHING And Gain Clarity

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On today's episode we're joined by Karue Sell. He was a standout player at UCLA, cracked the top 300 in the world on the ATP Tour, and then became a coach and a YouTube sensation (170K subscribers). After several years away from the tour, he's "turned pro at 30" and is on the cusp of making the grand slams in his return.

On today's episode we discuss what he learned from stepping away from the game, how he works on the first 4 shots, his baseline principles, and why he thinks clarity is the most important part of his game.

Four Lessons From The US Open And My NYC Doubles Camp

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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Jeff Greenwald: The 6 Letter Word That's Destroying Your Tennis Game

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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Jeff Greenwald, MFT, is a licensed psychotherapist, best-selling author, and a leading expert in sports psychology, renowned for his book The Best Tennis of Your Life. A former number one world ranked player on the ITF Masters Tour and professional tennis player, Jeff brings unparalleled experience both as a competitor and elite mental coach. For over twenty-seven years, he has empowered thousands of adult and youth athletes worldwide, helping them develop the mental edge and elevate their performance. As the founder of Mental Edge & Fearless Tennis (established in 1997), Jeff continues to shape the next generation of champions while competing globally on the Masters Tour. He was inducted into the Northern California Hall of Fame in 2019. Visit him at mentaledgeforsports.com to learn more about the services he provides for athletes, parents, coaches, and corporate executives around the world.

Buy Jeff's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Mental-Edge-Young-Athletes-Champions/dp/B0FJPTWXXR/ref=zg_bsnr_g_11370_d_sccl_7/000-0000000-0000000?psc=1

Audio Book: https://transactions.sendowl.com/orders/163188170/f13b225fa2f820281ab3e35dd7f0f95d/1

We Talk:

1:22 The trap of expectations

9:32 Worrying about what people think of your game

19:17 Character development vs. skill development

25:07 How gratitude can help your game

29:30 Getting back into the present

Top Data Analyst: How to maximize your strategy and win more matches

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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Tommy Rounds joins the show to talk about how data and analytics cam improve your game

On Today's Episode We Talk:

2:04 Statistical Analysis vs Strategic Analysis

9:10 Scouting yourself vs your opponents

13:24 Tactical inefficiencies on the WTA Tour

21:30 Optimal first serve strategy

31:12 The statistic that helps you hold serve

36:04 How to improve without statistics

Joel Myers: The Important Difference Between Strategy And Tactics

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On today’s episode, Joel Myers comes back to discuss critical ideas for your tennis game. We break down the key difference between strategy and tactics—and why knowing the distinction can instantly make you a smarter player. We also dive into how to make your rally ball more effective without swinging harder, and share our favorite tips for getting to the net with more confidence and success. Whether you're a doubles player looking to finish more points or a singles player wanting to apply pressure, this episode will help you play smarter and win more matches.

Kyle LaCroix: When you're out of position, don't be a magician

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

:43 defining quality shot selection

4:32 doing something once vs. ten times

9:00 the best volley you'll ever hit

11:40 baseline rally fundamentals

15:50 why do players disrespect height on a rally ball

22:39 how pressure affects shot selection

5 Tips To Play Better AND Get Better At Your Next Tournament

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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Richard Brice: Vision Hacks To Improve Your Groundstrokes And Ball Striking

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 05:45:00 -0400

To watch today's episode on YouTube, click here

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We talk:

1:44 What is brain-based training?

6:47 His essential vision drills

11:26 Benefits of vision training

15:48 Eye dominance myth

24:35 Improving reaction time

27:42 Proper spacing on groundstrokes

31:40 Pattern recognition

34:48 Learning how to play with non-dominant hand

44:07 Best coaching advice you've ever received

To see more of Richard's content, visit his YouTube page and his website below...

https://www.youtube.com/@TennisHacker

https://www.tennishacker.net/

Brian Baker: How Wake Forest trained SO HARD that playing in the NCAA finals felt easy

Tue, 27 May 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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We talk:

3:01 What it feels like winning NCAAs

6:40 How they got players to relax in the finals

10:34 Training at Wake Forest

15:48 Doubles principles

19:58 Understanding the space on the doubles court

28:28 Building self-belief

30:52 Best coaching advice he's ever received

33:36 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Lauren Davis: Backhands down the line and visualizing success

Mon, 12 May 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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On today's episode Lauren Davis, former WTA #26, joins the podcast to discuss her 15 year pro career.

We talk:

1:01 How she developed her footwork

3:43 Where she stands behind the baseline

7:34 Backhand tips

10:51 Staying with her coach for 7 years

16:02 Her keys for serving as a shorter player

17:49 Her 2nd serve return strategy

20:00 Her pre-match routine

21:53 How she views the warmup

25:20 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Coach Conor Casey: The Hottest Takes in Tennis

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 05:45:00 -0400

If you're interested in attending my NYC Doubles Camp August 23rd and 24th, visit my website www.stokketenniscoaching.com for more information and to reserve your spot.

On today's episode with Conor Casey, we talk:

4:14 Tennis culture and etiquette

10:24 How he starts with a new player

12:30 Best advice on the backhand slice

15:27 Big swings to big targets

21:45 Attack attack attack

24:30 The deconstruction of the game

31:56 Most common mistakes at his club

33:36 What he laughs at on the court

36:17 How to find the right coach for you

39:00 What do we disagree on?

You can find Conor at...

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tenniscoachconorcasey/?hl=en

Substack: https://tenniscoachconorcasey.substack.com/

My backstory with Jessica Pegula and what goes into winning a WTA 500 event

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:45:00 -0400

In this week's episode I share my backstory with Jessica Pegula, and 4 lessons I learned from watching her win the WTA Charleston 500 event.

Click here to subscribe to my newsletter

https://baselineintelligence.substack.com/

Jeff Greenwald: Optimizing your energy state to win more tennis matches

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Jeff Greenwald comes back on the podcast to discuss how you can mange your energy state to win more tennis matches.

We talk:

1:02 What is state management?

6:35 Mid-level arousal

12:37 Do people need to calm down or get more amped up?

18:07 Breathing in competition

26:30 Feeling comfortable competing

33:12 Internal awareness

Find Jeff at www.fearlesstennis.com

5 lessons learned at my Indian Wells Doubles Camps

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:45:00 -0400

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Michael Kosta: From grinding futures to The Daily Show

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Michael Kosta joins us for the 83rd episode of Baseline Intelligence. Michael is currently one of the hosts of The Daily Show and in today's episode we discuss his collegiate tennis career, how he got into comedy, and his best advice for the 4.0 player.

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We talk:

2:32 Playing for Craig Tiley

6:05 Handling losing on the pro tour

14:03 What makes a great comedian

15:45 Funny stories from college coaching

20:55 What separates guys who make it on the tour vs. guys who don't

22:10 Climbing futures ladder vs. climbing the comedy ladder

25:30 What he's ranked in comedy

26:45 Best advice for the 4.0 player

SwingVision CEO: How video and AI can improve your tennis game

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 05:45:00 -0400

On today's episode we have Swupnil Sahai, the CEO of SwingVision. I've been using the app for years, and if you'd like to get a free swing stick with your free trial subscription, click here

https://swing.vision/r/jonstokke-apple

We talk:

1:06 How SwingVision works

5:03 Reducing friction in setting up SwingVision

6:53 What features he enjoys the most

13:18 AI coach

17:00 Line calling

Ian Westermann: The improvement process and why players get stuck at the same level

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Ian Westerman from Essential Tennis joins the podcast. Ian's YouTube channel has over 300,000 subscribers, he has one of the top tennis podcasts, and has helped millions of players with his online content.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube:

We talk:

1:00 Why players go see Ian

2:30 Why players get stuck at the same level

11:49 Deeply ingrained habits

16:15 Working towards actual improvement

24:38 Ian's tennis passion

32:15 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Rajeev Ram: LOSE the right way to WIN more matches

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:45:00 -0400

3-time US Open Champion, 2-time Olympic Silver Medalist and former ATP World #1 Rajeev Ram joins the podcast. Click here to watch on YouTube...

https://youtu.be/x9jIYxuPE6Y?si=_M98dgOW9d5dVkCe

We talk:

1:07 Offseason growth

4:53 Making practices more competitive

7:09 Adjusting to a new partner

10:07 Handling a lefty serve

15:59 One-handed return of serve

21:54 First volley footwork

27:32 Losing the right way

31:21 Getting your body ready for competition

35:49 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Jessica Pegula: Play better tiebreakers and "undercook" your practices

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Jessica Pegula joins us for the 79th episode of Baseline Intelligence. If you want to watch her interview on YouTube, click the link below...

https://youtu.be/AxrDZnaVuXY?si=vixdalQ9_P9jHR7e

We talk:

1:10 Her current health situation

3:11 Load management

5:59 Her mindset entering a tiebreaker

11:38 Playing mental games to feel better about the current situation

15:34 Risk vs. reward

17:45 What she's learned from Mark Merklein

21:30 What she's learned from Mark Knowles

24:28 What she learned from the US Open

26:23 What she does when her serve goes off in a match

31:30 Tinkering with her equipment

Ashley Neaves: The Tennis Mentor discusses "The Five R's" and how they can improve your groundstrokes

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 04:45:00 -0400

Ashley Neaves, aka The Tennis Mentor, joins the podcast to discusses five things you can do to improve your groundstrokes.

Want to watch on YouTube? Click the link below...

https://youtu.be/vHLfCZTgee0?si=oK4sG4qZE25q-OJq

We talk:

2:12 What skills should you start learning first?

6:33 Anticipation vs. footwork

9:35 Obsessing over technique

11:13 The "Five R's"

12:42 Ready

16:50 Read

22:03 React

25:30 Respond

30:11 Recovery

34:23 Basic singles tips

38:20 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Eddie Elliott: What wins and loses matches on the pro tour

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Eddie Elliott joins us for the 77th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Eddie has worked with top WTA pro Lauren Davis for the past 6 seasons.

:50 What wins on the pro tour

2:07 High percentage tennis

5:32 What loses on the WTA tour

9:12 Fixing strokes before a tournament

15:58 Staying with a player for 6 seasons

20:15 Baseline success on the pro tour

23:25 What he looks for in a player

27:02 Best coaching advice he's ever received

Justin Russ: Level up your fitness this offseason

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Charleston Doubles Camp Details

Dates: March 30th - April 1st (sold out) April 2nd - April 4th (spots still available)

Location: Snee Farm Country Club, Mount Pleasant SC

Tennis: 8-11 each mornings, 5 coaches for 16 players

Pro event: Tickets to the afternoon sessions of the WTA 500 event and a premium gift bag

Group Dinner: Night 2 of the camp

Price: $2850 or $2650 if you subscribe to the bonus episodes of the podcast

If you have questions or are interested in reserving your spot in the camp, email me at jonathan@stokketennis.com.

Today's guest is Justin Russ. Justin is a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with ATP/WTA players, NCAA national champions, and adult players of all ages and levels. Find more from Justin and his staff at https://www.coachjustinruss.com/

We talk:

1:49 What should a warmup look like for an amateur adult player?

4:05 How does rolling out help your muscles?

5:32 Low back pain

7:22 Gaining strength in your posterior chain

9:03 What is athleticism?

10:30 Multisport exposure

15:53 Genetic influence on athleticism

17:30 "Sneaky" athleticism

20:12 IG fitness coaches

25:59 First steps for starting your S&C plan

28:55 What he wishes he knew 5 years ago

Steve Smith: 50 years of serving knowledge

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Steve Smith joins the podcast for the 75th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Steve has worked with players in over 40 states and 30 countries, and has helped 12 players go on to win NCAA National Championships. You can find Steve and all of his content at www.greatbasetennis.com.

We talk:

1:07 Film your serve

7:53 Height of the toss

14:11 Being patient when changing a stroke

17:45 Second serve drills

Peter Freeman: How to beat a pusher

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Indian Wells Doubles Camp

Dates: March 5th - March 7th

Location: Cathedral Canyon Tennis Club

Perks: Gift bags from Yonex, Vuori, and other sponsors. Two court side seats to the BNP 1000 night sessions

Tennis: 9 hours of tennis over 3 days with 5 coaches for 16 players

Price: $2850 OR $2650 for bonus episode subscribers

Email me at jonathan@stokketennis.com for more information or to reserve your spot!

Peter Freeman from Crunchtime Coaching joins the podcast.

On today's episode we talk:

1:40 What's a pusher?

3:53 Why do pushers win?

7:15 What's a tweener?

9:35 How to beat a pusher

17:48 Becoming more self aware

21:46 Slice disrespect

24:15 Can you improve as a pusher?

27:12 Best advice he's receive from another coach

28:48 Frustration in the improvement process

31:29 TennisCon8

Bruce Lipka: Teaching technique to support your tactics

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:45:00 -0400

Bruce Lipka joins the podcast for this week's bonus episode. Bruce is a 3-time USPTA coach of the year, has worked with over 20 top 100 WTA/ATP pros, and is currently the head coach of the Penn State men's tennis team.

We talk:

1:05 Teaching technique to support tactics

7:26 Finding your optimal tactics

17:13 Fighting resistance with players

20:49 How you spell "pusher"

27:00 How pros eliminate errors

Nate Lammons: 2024 US Open semifinalist talks returns, reflex volleys and seeing the ball big

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 05:45:00 -0400

The 20th ranked doubles player on the ATP tour and 2024 US Open semifinalist Nate Lammons joins the podcast.

We talk:

2:29 Late bloomer

5:38 Learning from his college coaches

7:31 Staying calm in big situations

11:49 Underdog vs. favorite mentality

13:33 Returning first serves

18:15 Lobbing close net players

20:28 Picking return targets

22:46 Return grip

24:44 Serving fundamentals

27:27 Second serve toss

29:58 String and racket preferences

David Roditi: Head Coach of the National Champion TCU Horned Frogs

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 05:45:00 -0400

David Roditi joins the podcast to discuss winning the 2024 NCAA D1 Championship. Roditi is a 5-time Big 12 coach of the year, has finished in the top 10 of the ITA rankings ten times, has won two ITA National Indoor Championships, and most recently won the 2024 NCAA Championship.

We talk:

2:14 What it's like to win the NCAA championship

5:47 Talking less as a coach

6:51 Why this particular team was able to win it all

9:04 Preparing for a big match

12:15 How his program develops professional players

17:40 What separates players mentally

20:25 How speed of shot impacts your level

25:08 Know what you do well

Rick Macci: US Open preview and what you can learn from the top players

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Rick Macci joins the podcast to preview this year's US Open. Rick is a 7-time USPTA national coach of the year and has coached some of the best players in the history of the game, including the Williams sisters and Andy Roddick.

We talk:

1:09 What makes Novak so great

3:46 How you can handle pressure more efficiently

6:20 Alcaraz movement

11:28 Fundamentals of the Sinner groundstrokes

14:16 Why Iga isn't as dominant on hard courts

17:07 What he looks for when he's watching a slam

20:45 Billion Dollar Mind

23:12 Getting out of negative thinking loops

You can find more from Rick here

https://rickmacci.com/

Will Boucek: Scouting for Team USA at the Olympics

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Today's guest is Will Boucek. Will is the host of the Doubles Only Tennis Podcast and recently was part of the team that scouted for Team USA at the Olympics.

We talk:

1:13 Scouting for Team USA

4:42 Do players get surprised by the data

6:55 Understanding win percentages

10:52 How variables affect scouting

14:27 Scouting Carlos Alcaraz

16:12 Scouting Nadal

18:16 Scouting opponents on-site

21:09 Improving your reflex volleys

Click here for more great information from Will

https://www.thetennistribe.com/

Bonus Episode Sneak Peek: David Roditi on dealing with aggressive net players in doubles

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 05:45:00 -0400

On today's episode I share a sneak peak from the bonus doubles mailbag with 2024 NCAA Champion David Roditi.

We talk:

1:14 Working with Phillip Farmer

4:14 Should you respect when someone goes down the line

5:26 My All-American story

The top 4 things I learned from Wimbledon 2024

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 05:45:00 -0400

On today's episode I share the top 4 things I learned from this year's Wimbledon.

One: You're never out of a match with the scoring system

Two: Matches are not won with winners

Three: Hard work pays off

Four: Attitude before performance

Sam Querrey: Beating Djokovic at Wimbledon and great tips for a faster serve

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Sam Querrey joins us for the 67th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Sam reached a career high ranking of 11th in singles and 23rd in doubles on the ATP tour. He reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2017 and the quarterfinals of the US Open later that year.

We talk:

1:34 Developing as a junior player

4:31 Committing to a grip change

5:46 How he worked on his serve

12:01 How returners could mess with his serve

14:10 Beating Murray at Wimbledon

18:01 Beating Djokovic at Wimbledon

22:25 Wimbledon grass

24:24 HIs thoughts on doubles

26:53 Best coaching advice he ever received

29:30 Playing big points in a match

31:23 What the average player doesn't know about pro tennis

32:32 Best advice for the 4.0 player

David Starbuck Smith: Ageless Painless Tennis

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 05:45:00 -0400

David Starbuck Smith joins us for the 65th episode of Baseline Intelligence. David wrote the popular book "Ageless Painless Tennis" and specializes in overall health and performance.

We talk:

1:31 Getting older doesn't mean getting weaker

5:32 How active is active enough?

9:45 Developing good posture

12:45 What is core strength?

17:48 Elbow pain

20:40 Clay vs hard court for injury prevention

22:55 Where to look for increased performance

27:27 How long should you warmup for?

28:42 Secret to maintaining your level as you get older

29:32 How sleep impacts your health

30:55 Best advice for the 4.0 player

David's book link

https://www.amazon.com/Ageless-Painless-Tennis-Limitations-Potential-ebook/dp/B081TNQF1T

David's website

https://davidstarbucksmith.com/

Marc Lucero: Behind the scenes at the French Open

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Marc Lucero joins us for the 65th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Marc has coached several top players on both the ATP and WTA tours, including Shelby Rogers, Steve Johnson, and currently Amanda Anisimova.

We talk:

0:52 the week before a grand slam

2:44 Cramming for the exam

5:47 The differences in the red clay

9:02 Moving on slick surfaces

Gigi Fernandez: Hall of Fame worthy doubles tips

Mon, 20 May 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Gigi Fernandez joins us for the 64th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Gigi won 17 grand slam titles, 2 Olympic gold medals, was ranked #1 in the world and is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

We talk:

1:24 Playing her best tennis in big matches

4:53 Focusing on yourself

6:15 Detaching from the outcome

7:59 Understanding the game of doubles

11:35 Common mistakes net players make

15:37 The holy grail of doubles formations

21:56 Returning down the line early

24:15 Adjusting to a faster pace

24:52 Biggest myth in doubles

26:28 Her toughest doubles opponent

28:48 Playing opponents who play two back

29:30 Best advice for the 4.0 doubles player

You can find information on Gigi and her camps at her website

https://gigifernandeztennis.com/

Emma Doyle: What makes a great coach

Mon, 06 May 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Emma Doyle joins us for the 63rd episode of Baseline Intelligence. Emma is a speaker, coach, trainer, and author of the book "What Makes a Great Coach".

We talk:

1:51 What makes a great coach

9:19 Empowering your player to make decisions

13:46 What makes a great question

17:28 Five gaming principles

21:25 Being a good listener

28:50 Why the coach/player relationship matters

33:22 Best advice for the 4.0 player

You can find Emma at her website

https://www.emmadoyle.com.au/

Jeff Greenwald: Handling nerves and learning to relax in your matches

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Jeff Greenwald joins us for the 62nd episode of Baseline Intelligence. Jeff is one of the premiere sports psychologists and wrote the award winning book "The Best Tennis of Your Life".

We talk:

2:16 Why people get nervous

5:57 Framing "not missing" in a positive way

7:05 Step 1 to handling nerves

8:59 How expectations affect nerves

15:50 The stats he wished he knew when he was a player

18:34 Permission slips

20:33 Taking your practice game to the match court

29:10 Building confidence

30:36 Best advice for the 4.0 player

** Click here if you're interested in my NYC doubles camp this August!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1iMPjmHuupuQhKSGkwEiP7hdXoqIgWMCXOn2aFE050t0wVg/viewform?usp=sf_link

You can also email me directly with any questions you have about the NYC doubles camp at jonathan@stokketennis.com

Scott Fawcett: Using math and logic to make better strategic decisions

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Scott Fawcett is our guest for the 61st episode of Baseline Intelligence. Scott founded the golf analytics platform DECADE Golf, and has helped players win NCAA Championships and PGA Tour events.

We talk:

1:35 Who is Scott Fawcett?

3:49 Tiger 5 statistics

10:47 Managing expectations

15:24 Solving problems

26:45 Four pennies drill

29:12 Shot patterns

41:02 Optimal strategy

Michael Joyce: Adapting to different conditions and the importance of depth on your rally ball

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:45:00 -0400

We talk:

1:33 Analyzing Krueger vs. Badosa

6:04 Adapting to different court conditions

14:32 Why depth is important for your rally ball

18:45 Maria Sharapova at the French Open

24:04 When you should change directions and go down the line

30:54 Taking your practice game to the match court

34:42 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Gaby Dabrowski: Closing the net to win more doubles matches

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Gaby Dabrowski is our guest for the 59th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Gaby is the 2023 US Open Women's Doubles Champion and has been ranked as high as 4th in the WTA rankings. She also won the 2017 French Open and the 2018 Australian Open in Mixed Doubles.

We talk:

1:35 Mixed vs. women's doubles

2:42 Returning a faster serve

4:10 Where to stand on a kick serve

5:00 Lobbing

6:24 Return targets

8:08 Players with weaker backhand volleys

10:12 Getting comfortable at the net

13:53 When to close the net

16:08 The close-lag structure

17:20 How to hit a better overhead

18:54 Communicating with your partner

21:28 Don't be a dickhead

25:10 What she wishes she knew at the beginning of her career

27:27 Best coaching advice she's ever received

29:02 What amateurs don't know about pro doubles

31:32 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel

https://youtube.com/@StokkeTennis?si=4RLwRvnRepGZZyXl

Dan Kiernan: Paying your daily bill and insights from the 2023 US Open doubles champions

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Dan Kiernan is our guest for the 58th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Dan hosts the popular podcast "Control the Controllables" and currently works with the reigning US Open doubles champions Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.

We talk:

2:15 Lightning in a bottle with a doubles team

6:40 Learn how to communicate as a doubles partner

9:55 Creating stress for your opponents

14:07 What to do when you don't serve well

16:33 The extended warmup

19:33 Technique vs. tactics

23:08 The daily bill

26:03 Most transformational podcast idea

31:29 Rules of the US Open champions

32:51 Advice for the 4.0 doubles player

Click here to subscribe to bonus episodes

https://baseline-intelligence-w.captivate.fm/support

Click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel

https://youtube.com/@StokkeTennis?si=FUgnTwHQ19DztP4C

Jay Berger: Playing with intensity and accountability

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Jay Berger joins us for the 57th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Jay was ranked as high as 7th on the ATP tour and won 3 singles titles throughout his career. He was the head men's tennis coach at the University of Miami, was the head of men's tennis at the USTA Player Development, and currently coaches Reilly O'Pelka.

We talk:

2:05 Playing with intensity

6:36 Pillars of his success

9:48 Hitting without a coach

11:45 Watch more tennis

16:01 Learning from Jose Higueras

18:34 Developing good habits on the court

23:35 Best drills to improve consistency from the baseline

26:22 Similarities between the 3.5 player and professionals

29:13 Timing your poach

31:46 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Click here to subscribe to bonus episodes through captivate

https://baseline-intelligence-w.captivate.fm/support

Click here to subscribe to my Youtube Channel

https://youtube.com/@StokkeTennis?si=FUsbjorx61kb-S66

Louis Cayer: Transforming yourself into a confident doubles player

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Louis Cayer is our guest for the 56th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Louis is the premiere doubles coach in all of tennis. He's a lead coach for the LTA and has helped several players to world #1 in the ATP doubles rankings including Jamie Murray, Neal Skupski and Joel Salisbury.

We talk:

1:48 Informing, forming and transforming

5:00 Louis' values and beliefs

10:52 What the world number ones have in common

13:24 Joe Salisbury's climb to ATP #1

17:38 Playing the net when you're on defense

20:49 Winning on defense

23:30 What he's learned now that he didn't when he was younger

26:42 Working with players who resist coaching

29:21 Finding a good match with your doubles partner

31:33 Best advice for the 4.0 player

**Visit the link below to subscribe to bonus episodes through captivate

https://baseline-intelligence-w.captivate.fm/support

Bonus Episode: Avoiding the second set letdown with Jessica Pegula and Alistair Higham

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 05:45:00 -0400

On our first bonus episode we discuss second set letdowns and what we can do to get off to quicker starts in the second set.

We talk:

1:31 What is a second set let down?

2:51 The unique scoring system in tennis

5:39 Three ways to get off to quicker starts

7:40 Jessica Pegula on getting off to quick starts and closing out matches

12:50 Bathroom breaks

16:40 Tactics your opponent might use to bring your energy down

Jessica Pegula: Finding your optimal rally ball

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 05:45:00 -0400

Jessica Pegula joins us for the beginning of the 2024 season of Baseline Intelligence. Jess had another incredible season, winning the Montreal WTA 1000 and the Korea Open, and finished top 5 in both singles and doubles on the WTA tour.

We talk:

1:25 Playing in difficult conditions

2:22 Playing downwind

5:23 Beating four straight top 10 players

6:39 Describing her rally ball

9:25 How fast she tries to hit her average rally ball

12:25 Finding your rally ball

14:58 Swing thoughts on her backhand

16:51 Backhands down the line

18:58 How she aims her groundstrokes

20:20 How she improved her serve in 2023

22:24 2024 Goals

23:18 Staying calm on the court

24:05 Turning points in her career

26:44 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Season 2 Technical Recap: The best technical advice from 2023

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 05:45:00 -0400

We had a lot of great technical tips this year and today I'm sharing a few of my favorites.

1:12 Andy Fitzell on the time it takes to change

2:53 Andy Fitzell on hitting pure topspin

4:29 Steve Johnson on his forehand

5:52 Shelby Rogers on her backhand

6:58 Brad Stine on the backhand slice

9:03 Joel Myers on serve

Season 2 Doubles Recap: My favorite doubles tips from 2023

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 05:45:00 -0400

We had so many great doubles tips this year and today I'm sharing a few of my favorites.

1:01 Paul Annacone on communication

2:48 Kelly Jones on basics of doubles

5:14 Mark Gellard on returning against I formation

6:42 On hitting the ball at it's highest point

8:37 Kelly Jones on being active at the net

10:56 Jessica Pegula on getting closer to the net

12:44 Erin Routliffe on leaving her alley open

Rajeev Ram: Doubles tips from the reigning 3-time US Open Champion

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Rajeev Ram is our guest for the 52nd episode of Baseline Intelligence. Rajeev is the reigning 3-time US Open Doubles Champion, is currently ranked 6th in the world, and recently won the ATP Tour Finals with his partner Joe Salisbury.

We talk:

1:28 ATP Tour Finals

3:25 Deferring the toss

6:02 Being effective at the net

8:10 Covering the net

9:42 Tips for reflex volleys

12:24 I formation

15:31 Calling poaches

19:18 Turning the season around

20:11 Increasing his energy on the court

22:48 Communicating with his partner

27:57 What he sees from 3.5 doubles players

30:35 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Dr. Jon Finn: Using habits to supercharge your game

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Dr. Jon Finn is our guest for the 51st episode of Baseline Intelligence. Dr. Finn is the author of the best-selling book "The Habit Mechanic" and is the founder of the award-winning Tougher Minds consultancy.

We talk:

1:39 Why knowing doesn't lead to doing

4:54 The VUCA world

7:06 How to build positive habits

9:21 The nine factors that shape your behavior

18:16 Taking advice from other players

21:48 Triggers in a tennis match

25:18 Using court locations as a trigger

26:58 The best habit you can have as a tennis coach

29:11 How long it takes to form a new habit

Here's a link to Dr. Finn's book "The Habit Mechanic"

https://www.amazon.com/Habit-Mechanic-Fine-Tune-Brain-Supercharge/dp/1544528965

Here's a link to Dr. Fin's website

https://www.tougherminds.co.uk/

Dustin Taylor: Through discipline comes freedom

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Dustin Taylor is our guest for the 50th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Dustin helped UVA win three consecutive NCAA championships as the associate head coach and is currently the head men's tennis coach at Oklahoma State University.

We talk:

1:38 Hands, eyes, and feet

4:42 Ball dropping vs. ball rising

7:20 Solving every ball

10:13 Hitting the outside of the ball

13:08 Creating space

17:58 Heavy and through

22:45 Discipline leads to freedom

25:58 Trusting your good is good enough

29:47 Best coaching advice he's received

31:15 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Erin Routliffe: 2023 US Open Women's Doubles Champion

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Erin Routliffe is our guest for the 49th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Erin is ranked 12th in the WTA tour doubles rankings and partnered with Gaby Dabrowski to win this year's US Open.

We talk:

1:23 Treating all matches the same

3:55 A losing record on the year

6:02 How she almost quit the game

11:27 Not covering her doubles alley

15:25 Net play when your partner returns

19:19 How to gel with a new partner

23:01 Poaching more often

25:49 Something people don't know about pros

28:04 Best coaching advice she's ever received

Mark Gellard: Becoming an unconditional competitor

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Mark Gellard is our guest for the 48th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Mark is currently the coach of WTA #23 Magda Linette. Magda has experienced one the best seasons of her career, having reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in singles and reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open in doubles.

We talk:

1:29 A normal day on tour

3:36 Using video to scout an opponent

6:38 Reviewing matches with a player

8:33 Coaching in pro matches

11:04 Magda's win vs. Azarenka

13:10 Avoiding the second set letdown

16:57 Keeping players confident

21:40 Accidental winners

26:26 Baseline tactics of the pros

29:44 What separates the good from the great

31:28 Best coaching advice you've ever received

32:31 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Click here to listen to Mark’s podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nFkd8bj7L5ky44qqzQqtK

Paul Annacone: Aggressive shots to conservative locations

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Paul Annacone is our guest for the 47th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Paul has coached some of the best players in the history of the game, including Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Tim Henman, Sloane Stephens, and Taylor Fritz. A former top 15 ATP singles player, you can see him weekly as a regular analyst on the Tennis Channel.

We talk:

1:42 Why he rushed the net as a player

3:02 Mixing in serve and volley

5:30 Where to place your first volley

7:48 Height over the net

11:30 Doubles formations

15:15 Difference between hitting well and playing well

18:59 What he learned from Roger Federer

22:22 Evaluating and scouting opponents

26:50 Delayed effects of a successful tactic

31:38 Best coaching advice he's ever received

33:50 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Joel Myers: What you can learn from Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton at this year's US Open

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Our friend Joel Myers joins the pod to talk about this year's US Open.

We talk:

1:12 Coco's breakthrough

6:00 How to compete against a consistent player

8:07 The Medvedev serve

11:31 Ben Shelton's game

16:30 The Shelton serve

19:30 Closing the net in doubles

25:58 What you can learn from pro doubles

Franco Herrero: How to improve your fitness and feel better on the court

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Franco Herrero is our guest for the 45th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Franco is one of the premier fitness coaches in the tennis industry. He's worked with Reilly O'Pelka, Monica Puig, Sofia Lenin, and Tommy Paul.

We talk:

1:51 How he got started in strength and conditioning

4:10 Observing a player's movement

7:40 What makes Tommy so quick

10:07 Applying force

13:14 Training during tournaments

16:39 Recovering after a match

18:54 Ice baths

24:19 Body weight exercises

28:36 Changing directions

30:42 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Grant Chen: Building a quality support team for your tennis game

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Grant Chen is our guest for the 44th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Grant helped UCLA reach the elite 8 in five of his six seasons as an assistant/associate head coach and is currently the head coach at SMU. His teams have won back to back conference championships and he's earned AAC coach of the year honors two years in a row.

We talk:

1:38 His cell phone contacts

2:52 An epic NCAA final

6:34 Using a tough loss to spark growth

8:28 Helping his players become pros

10:06 Building a support team around a player

15:07 Who's on your bus?

18:38 How to become a college player

24:27 Favorite doubles drill

29:16 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Shelby Rogers: Why rankings mean nothing and a great tip on the backhand

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Shelby Rogers is our guest for the 43rd episode of Baseline Intelligence. She has career high rankings of 30th in singles and 40th in doubles on the WTA tour. She reached the quarterfinals of both the French and US Opens, and helped lead the US team to the 2017 Fed Cup title.

We talk:

1:32 Her start in tennis

4:04 Skipping college for the pros

7:13 Building belief

9:54 Difficulties of being on the road

11:35 Preparing for different surfaces

13:44 Practicing at tournaments

18:00 Playing different opponents

20:35 How to play big points

23:56 Her rapping career

25:55 Backhand tips

** Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Joel Myers: What we learned from Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova at this year's Wimbledon

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Our friend Joel Myers joins the pod to talk about the tactics, shots, and pressure points played by the best players in the world at this year's Wimbledon.

We talk:

1:24 The greatness of Alcaraz

7:35 Chris Eubanks' magical run

10:09 A great volley tip

11:45 The women's championship

13:45 Hanging in there when you're down

14:49 Returning a lefty serve

17:26 Playing on a faster court

21:49 Accelerating on your forehand

22:49 Surprising patterns of play

26:55 Bad execution vs. a bad decision

Steve Johnson: Playing to your strengths and making your opponents uncomfortable

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 05:45:00 -0400

** Today's episode was brought to you by Online Tennis Instruction. Please visit moreservepower.com to redeem your free, four week all-access pass.

Steve Johnson is our guest for the 41st episode of Baseline Intelligence. Steve has been ranked as high as 21st in the world in singles and 39th in doubles, and won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. He's also a four-time team NCAA champion and a two-time individual NCAA champion in singles.

We talk:

3:06 Jumping a level in college

5:43 How improving his fitness helped his mentality

12:06 Learning how to lose

16:15 Performance over outcome

21:15 Using his forehand as a weapon

27:12 Making his opponent uncomfortable

31:14 The best coaching advice he's ever received

35:21 His advice for the 4.0 player

Brian Kalbas: Head Coach of the 2023 NCAA Champion UNC Tar Heels

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Brian Kalbas is our guest for the 40th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Brian is a 3-time ITA National Coach of the Year and his teams have won 15 conference titles, 7 ITA National Indoor Championships and this year's 2023 NCAA Team Championship. He's coached 27 All-Americans and has helped three doubles teams win the NCAA Doubles Championship.

We talk:

3:16 Finally winning the NCAA Championship

8:31 How he helps his players relax

10:15 The character of his players

11:30 Keeping practice fun

14:23 What separates good from great

16:33 How to add a weapon to your game

19:51 Grandma's house

21:18 A normal team practice

23:16 When he decided to become a coach

29:08 SAP player

30:31 Doubles advice

** Today's episode was brought to you by Kyle Lacroix and SETS Consulting. To learn more please visit www.setsconsult.com or www.setsconsult.org. You can also DM Kyle directly on Instagram at @sets_consulting.

Joel Myers: What we learned from Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek at the 2023 French Open

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Our friend Joel Myers joins the pod to talk about the tactics, shots, and court positioning of the best players in the world at this year's French Open.

We talk:

2:34 Novak's sustained success

5:22 Playing on pressure points

8:55 Kick serve as a first serve

13:20 Iga's movement and return game

14:10 Best advice for improving court position

16:00 Attacking second serve returns

18:34 Ad side to ad side pattern

19:58 Getting out of the ad court pattern

22:12 What to do when receiving a drop shot

25:23 Moving on clay

27:49 Wrong footing opponents

30:38 Watching tennis on tv

32:46 Playing in the wind

37:14 Best tactic for the 4.0 player on clay

* Today's episode was brought to you by Kyle Lacroix and SETS Consulting. To learn more please visit www.setsconsult.com or www.setsconsult.org. You can also DM Kyle directly on Instagram at @sets_consulting.

Jermaine Jenkins: Lessons learned from Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Jermaine Jenkins is our guest for the 38th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Jermaine was an All-American at Clemson University and went on to spend three years as the hitting partner for Venus Williams. He coached Naomi Osaka in 2019 and 2020 and now works as a lead national women's coach for the USTA. He also recently served as a vice captain on the USA BJK Cup team in their win over Austria.

We talk:

1:46 His family's success on the tennis court

3:19 Starting tennis at age 14

4:25 How he got started with Venus

7:55 Learning from Venus

11:12 What he learned from David Witt

13:03 Coaching Naomi Osaka

16:04 Working with top junior players

20:03 Tournament training schedules

22:38 Calming yourself down when you're angry

25:02 Getting ready for big matches

28:00 Best coaching tip he's ever received

31:34 His best advice for the 4.0 player

sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Gil Reyes: Weak legs command, strong legs obey

Wed, 24 May 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Gil Reyes is our guest for the 37th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Gil was the longtime strength and conditioning coach for Andre Agassi, and has spent time training several world number 1s including Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty, Simona Halep and Angie Kerber.

We talk:

1:45 How he got started with Andre

6:58 Creating a program for Andre

8:47 Starting and stopping

13:57 Inspiration, information and application

18:34 His special equipment

23:16 Variable resistance

28:26 Using bands

30:54 Weak legs command, strong legs obey

35:24 How many workouts a week for an amateur

38:45 Common traits among champions

**Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Andy Fitzell: Debunking classic tennis myths

Wed, 10 May 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Andy Fitzell is our guest for the 36th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Andy is a USPTA Elite professional who spent several years learning from and working alongside legendary tennis icon, Vic Braden. He is currently the coach for Kimberly Birrell, who is ranked 111 in the latest WTA rankings.

We talk:

1:41 How he met Vic Braden

5:00 His favorite tennis myths

8:05 Wrist position on forehand contact

10:23 Fundamentals for pure topspin

13:35 The geometry of the court

16:08 Why players try so many angles

17:33 Angle of the racket face on the volley

19:07 The volley grip

21:55 Optimal height for a serve toss

25:20 Changing your technique

27:03 Myelin

30:20 Brain typing tennis players

35:18 Best advice for the 4.0 player

Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Thomas Johansson: Hard work beats talent every day of the week

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Thomas Johansson is our guest for the 35th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Thomas was ranked 7th on the ATP tour and won 9 titles, including the 2002 Australian Open. He won a silver medal in doubles at the 2008 Olympic Games, and has gone on to coach David Goffin and Sorana Cirstea.

We talk:

1:22 His start in tennis

5:41 Sustaining his success from juniors to the pros

8:35 Working towards the top 10

13:39 Knowing yourself as a player

15:41 Winning the 2002 Australian Open

19:02 Poor play leading up to the tournament

21:49 His game plan vs. Marat Safin

24:37 Transition to coaching

27:11 Deciding what to work on

32:00 His toughest opponent

35:18 What he looks for in a double partner

39:00 His best advice for the 4.0 player

**Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Craig O'Shannessy: Good errors, bad errors, and how to force more errors

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Craig O'Shannessy is our guest for the 34th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Craig is the leading strategy analyst for the ATP Tour and spent three year as the data analyst for Novak Djokovic. He is the founder of braingametennis.com, an educational website with multiple courses for the avid tennis player.

We talk:

1:31 Where mistakes are made

10:21 How to limit errors in position A

13:27 What type of error is "unforced"

17:53 What is considered a bad error

20:56 Thinking about your opponent

22:43 Forcing your opponent into more errors

27:26 What pros do exceptionally well

29:01 How to win more points on your second serve

34:18 Making your first serve on a big point

37:06 Simplifying analytics

39:07 Weirdest data anomaly

40:34 Best advice for the 4.0 player

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Lindsay Davenport: The mindset of a hall of famer

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Lindsay Davenport is our guest for the 33rd episode of Baseline Intelligence. Lindsay won 55 WTA singles titles and 38 WTA doubles titles, including 3 singles grand slams and 3 doubles grand slams. She won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 and was ranked number 1 in the world in 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2005. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014 and Tennis Magazine voted her as the 29th greatest tennis player of all time.

We talk:

1:32 How she got into the game

4:30 Working with Robert Lansdorp

6:45 The X factor

8:53 Being accountable for your effort

9:55 Finding her style of play

12:18 How to hit a better return

16:10 Deep middle returns

17:47 The Williams sisters

19:54 Anxiety before matches

21:57 Dealing with different game styles

26:30 Connecting with players as a coach

28:48 What she wishes she could tell herself at age 18

30:50 Her greatest accomplishment

33:19 Approaching big points

35:31 Winning ugly matches

38:16 Advice for the 4.0 player

**Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

JY Aubone: Working towards becoming the best player you can be

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:45:00 -0400

JY Aubone is our guest for the 32nd episode of Baseline Intelligence. JY was a 2-time All-American and ACC Player of the Year at Florida State University. As a professional he won 3 singles titles, 14 doubles titles and represented the US in the Pan-American Games. He worked with USTA Player Development and went on to travel with Reilly O'Pelka from 2018-2021.

We talk:

1:30 Traveling with Reilly

3:23 Overcoming difficult times

5:10 Focusing on yourself vs. the opponent

7:36 How to spot your opponent's weakness

10:54 Being mentally tough

13:03 Handling nerves

18:11 Figuring it out for yourself

22:34 The biggest mistake he sees in matches

25:48 Scouting Reilly's opponents

28:35 His best drill for consistency

29:56 What he learned from being on tour

30:58 His best advice for the 4.0 player

You can find JY at https://www.aubonetennis.com

**sound effects by https:www.zapsplat.com

Kelly Jones: Building confidence in your volleys and transition game

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Kelly Jones is our guest for the 31st episode of Baseline Intelligence. He won two NCAA doubles titles at Pepperdine University and went on to become world number 1 in doubles in 1992. He won 8 career ATP doubles titles, 2 ATP singles titles and has coached top pro players like James Blake, Mardy Fish, Sloane Stephens, Rajeev Ram, and his daughter Makenna, who also won an NCAA doubles title in 2021.

We talk:

2:16 The foundation of his coaching philosophy

8:09 Volleying cross court more often

12:59 Technical fundamentals of the volley

16:47 Split stepping

20:21 Teaching first volley movement

22:31 The volley grip

25:33 The basics of doubles

29:26 Applying strengths and weaknesses

31:38 How to anticipate at the net

33:09 Watching more doubles

33:45 His best doubles tip

35:41 The biggest doubles mistakes he sees

36:30 Doubles advice for the 4.0 player

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Allistair McCaw: Becoming a champion minded tennis player

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Allistair McCaw is our guest for the 30th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Allistair is the author of several books, including "Champion Minded" and "Winning Attitude and Mindset". He has worked with olympic gold medalists, grand slam champions, Fortune 500 companies, and several top Division I collegiate teams on developing a winning mindset and maximizing performance.

We talk:

1:43 How the big 3 personify an elite mindset

4:57 Self discipline

7:45 Champion minded

9:30 Mental toughness

12:47 Caring, but "not caring"

16:40 Building confidence

18:53 Preparation

21:48 What separates good from great

24:46 How parents can help their kids with nerves

26:02 Visualization

28:27 How to start being champion minded

Find Allistair at https://www.allistairmccaw.com/

** sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Joel Myers: What you can learn and implement from the 2023 Australian Open

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 05:45:00 -0400

Our friend Joel Myers comes back on the pod to talk about the tactics, shots, and movement patterns the best players in the world used during this year's Australian Open.

We talk:

2:07 Why Novak dominates tiebreakers

6:35 How you can play better tiebreakers

8:07 How the pros play break points

10:55 Thinking in terms of two balls

12:38 How to flip pressure

14:56 Best serve + 1 patterns

16:05 Training your wide serve

19:04 The role of the forehand and the backhand

21:38 How the best players were using their backhands

25:30 Reading short balls

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Brad Stine: How adding a backhand slice helped Jim Courier reach world #1

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Brad Stine is our guest for the 28th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Brad is one of the most accomplished coaches on the ATP tour, having helped Jim Courier reach world number 1 while also winning 4 grand slams. He also spent time coaching Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson, Mardy Fish, Sebastien Grosjean, and currently works with ATP #35 Tommy Paul.

We talk:

2:21 Coaching Jim Courier

5:34 Backhand slice fundamentals

9:30 How the slice helped Jim get to 1 in the world

12:54 Four situations to use your slice

16:56 Kevin Anderson's Wimbledon run

24:23 Questioning yourself as a coach

29:47 Footwork fundamentals

36:18 Best advice for the 4.0 player

37:07 Double reverse Sydneys

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Jessica Pegula: Off-season improvements and her best tips for returning serve

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Jessica Pegula is our guest for the 27th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Jessica reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, French Open and the US Open in 2022 and won her first WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara. She's currently ranked 6th in the world in singles and 3rd in the world in doubles with her partner Coco Gauff.

We talk:

1:32 What it's like to be a two-time guest on the podcast

2:15 What her off-season looks like

5:53 Working on her heavy forehand

7:28 Getting worse before you get better

10:04 How she tries to hold serve

13:00 Going up against other top 10 players

18:05 One to one comparison

21:18 Reading her opponent's strategy

23:22 How David Witt has helped her

28:30 Our time together in Birmingham

31:07 Shots she hits in doubles that help her in singles

34:42 Getting close to the net in doubles

40:00 Her best return tips

41:45 What she's learned on tour this year

43:08 Best advice for the 4.0 player

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Season 1 Recap: My favorite moments from 2022

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0400

This episode marks the end of season 1 of Baseline Intelligence. In this episode I'll share some of the clips I found the most insightful and entertaining from the first season of the podcast.

1:05 Craig O'Shannessy on the first four shots

4:58 Rick Macci's best ball striking tip

7:45 Tom Gullikson's 3 keys for Agassi at the olympics

10:37 Dr. Mark Kovacs on serve power

14:40 John Isner and his serve tips

16:42 Michael Joyce talks Sharapova beating Henin

19:02 Alistair Higham on momentum

21:12 Carlos Goffi's traffic light system

24:55 Dr. Larry Lauer talks staying in the present

26:56 Rajeev Ram on being a great performer

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Desirae Krawczyk: Taking more risks in your doubles matches

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Desirae Krawczyk is our guest for the 25th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Des has won four mixed doubles major championships and seven doubles titles on the WTA tour. She's currently ranked 16th in the world and reached a career high ranking of 10th in the world this past summer.

We talk:

1:52 Reaching the top 10 milestone

2:42 Building self confidence

5:25 How she handles losing

6:39 Her post match process

8:28 Playing in pressure situations

9:37 What her preseason looks like

12:00 Off court training for doubles

13:18 What she needs to improve

16:00 What she looks for in a partner

21:46 Moving more at the net

22:55 Why the fake signal is overused

24:20 Where to return against an aggressive opponent

25:08 What she does when she's playing poorly

27:15 Advice for the 4.0 player

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Joel Myers: Fundamentals you can learn from watching pro tennis

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Joel Myers is our guest for the 24th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Joel was a 3x All-American for Point Loma Nazarene University and was the 2010 national player of the year. He is currently a USPTA elite professional teaching out of San Diego and his educational instagram page has well over 100,000 followers.

We talk:

1:36 His tennis background

3:32 When he knew he wanted to be a coach

4:46 Coaching influences

7:08 How to know if you're getting good information

10:23 Learning discipline at an early age

14:14 Learning from pro tennis

15:32 Fundamental laws of topspin

19:01 Serving fundamentals

19:54 Where he likes his toss

22:59 Returning deep through the middle

29:54 Non-negotiable rules for practice

30:40 Best advice for the 3.0/4.0 player

31:49 Biggest pet peeve

32:42 Who would win a match between us

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Alec Ingold: Miami Dolphin fullback talks maximizing your mental game

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Miami Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold is our guest for the 23rd episode of Baseline Intelligence. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin and was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent. He scored the first touchdown ever in Allegiant Stadium and was the Raiders' nominee for the Walter Payton man of the year award in 2020. In his free time he helps athletes across the country improve their mental performance by utilizing goal setting, visualization and breathing exercises.

We talk:

2:32 How he became a mental performance coach

4:53 How to perform consistently

6:54 Power of visualization

9:02 His week of preparation for an NFL game

11:45 How preparation calms nerves

16:11 Goal setting

19:49 Be your own best friend

20:45 Why people are afraid of lofty goals

22:45 Staying calm when emotions run high

26:01 Sticking to what works

28:20 Common sense coach

https://alecingold.com/foundation

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

David Roditi: College tennis stories and a great ball striking tip

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

David Roditi is our guest for the 22nd episode of Baseline Intelligence. David is the head coach for the TCU men's tennis team. Over his 12 years as head coach the Horned Frogs have won 4 Big 12 titles, made a final four, and won the 2022 ITA National Indoor Championship. Roditi was named the 2015 ITA National Coach of the Year and also served as the Mexican Davis Cup Captain.

We talk:

1:40 A funny recruiting story

3:53 What he looks for in a recruit

6:08 Why players focus on their hitting instead of competing

9:52 The difficulties of recruiting

16:28 How to make your opponent play worse

20:32 Cam Norrie's indoor lesson

24:07 What made Cam special

27:48 Working on strengths vs. weaknesses

29:03 Underrated skill needed as a head coach

31:35 Best advice for the 3.5/4.0 player

36:03 Throwing his racket bag into a lake (and missing)

**sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Margie Zesinger: Growing the women's game

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Margie Zesinger is our guest for the 21st episode of Baseline Intelligence. Margie is the head of female tennis at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and was the 2021 PTR member of the year. She has coached numerous players to ITF titles, grand slam championships, and NCAA championships.

We talk:

1:55 Her role at IMG

2:33 Why IMG has male and female programs

4:15 Character traits she values

8:12 Teaching players to compete

10:51 The difference between boys and girls

15:55 Saying too little vs. saying too much

18:10 Why she became a coach

22:08 Why there are more male coaches

24:08 Bollettieri sets the standard

26:59 Advice she wished she knew earlier

29:19 Advice for the 3.5/4.0 player

**sound effects by https:www.zapsplat.com

John Isner: More than just a serve

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

John Isner is our guest for the 20th episode of Baseline Intelligence. John has reached a career high rankings of 8 in the world in singles, and 14 in the world in doubles. He's won 24 ATP titles and has amassed 29 wins against top 10 ATP opponents. He has 5 career wins over "the big 3" and reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2018.

We talk:

2:56 His first leap as a junior tennis player

4:25 A pivotal invasion call at Kalamazoo

6:48 Why he chose the college path

9:19 Learning to work hard at UGA

11:30 Our match at national indoors

15:32 Playing Federer at the US Open

19:10 The most challenging member of "the big 3"

23:12 Jumping into the top 10 in the world

25:16 Advice for playing tiebreakers

26:48 What his experience on tour has taught him

30:20 One coaching experience that helped him

33:34 The epic Wimbledon match

39:33 His best serve tips

42:00 Back to back fantasy football championships

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Kyle Lacroix: Coaching the coaches

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Kyle Lacroix is our guest for the 19th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Kyle is the Chief Education Officer of SETS Consulting, a coaching and educational service for elite coaches, competitive players and tennis institutions/federations. He is certified by the USPTA and PTR as well as the ITF. He has been a featured speaker at numerous industry conferences and has extensive on court work with ATP and WTA players, as well as top collegiate players.

We talk:

3:25 His background in tennis

7:01 His time at Saddlebrook

10:45 What linked Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati and Justine Henin

12:44 Why he's the "king of failure"

15:43 Why people struggle with failure

17:34 Connecting with players

22:01 Coaching other coaches

23:49 Improving coaching professionalism

26:36 Coaching pet peeves

29:40 Player accountability

34:09 Why players lean towards the negative

38:14 Advice for the 3.5 player

41:32 "Kyle-isms"

** sound effects from https:www.zapsplat.com

You can find Kyle and Specialized Educational Tennis Solutions (SETS Consulting) online at www.setsconsult.org.

Alistair Higham: Using momentum to win more matches

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Alistair Higham is our guest for the eighteenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Formerly the head of coaching education for the LTA, Alistair is now a leading expert on momentum in sport. He advises professional tennis players, football teams, and coaches on matchplay and momentum.

We talk:

2:11 What is momentum?

6:03 Creating momentum early in the match

9:23 Four performance factors

11:32 Creating momentum on your own

14:45 Limiting turning points against you

19:33 Awareness of turning points

22:57 Momentum between events

25:40 Using tactics to maintain momentum

29:16 Using tactics to stop negative momentum

34:04 The best pros who use momentum

37:58 Why we have a fantastic scoring system

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

For interactive, engaging online courses on matchplay and momentum visit www.coachingedgeuk.com. Mobile and tablet friendly, there are courses for players and coaches. For coaches, there is also an online resource call the "match pack", a step by step guide to deliver his content in your own coaching program. You can find Alistair on his social media channels or can contact him by email at coachingedgeuk@icloud.com.

Alison Riske-Amritraj: The long journey to top 20 in the world

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Alison Riske-Amritraj is our guest for the seventeenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Alison reached a career high of 18 in singles and 40 in doubles on the WTA tour. She's won three singles titles and reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon where she beat then world number 1 Ash Barty.

We talk:

3:39 How she's maintained her level for over a decade

6:20 The danger or comparing yourself to your peers

8:37 Skipping college for the pro tour

11:11 Never doubting herself

13:58 Being yourself in new/challenging situations

18:26 Why she has success on grass

20:20 Differences between hard courts

21:50 How the surface affects her tactics

23:23 How the score affects her tactics

25:53 The 30 second tempo drill

28:15 Her love for Primanti Brothers sandwiches

29:03 Her favorite place to play

30:16 Her best advice to a junior player

** Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Tom Gullikson: Timeless fundamentals to improve your game

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Tom Gullikson is our guest for the sixteenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Tom reached a career high of 34 in singles and got as high as 4 in the world in doubles on the ATP tour. He reached the doubles final of Wimbledon in 1983, and then went on to coach the US Olympic team, the US Davis Cup team, and was one of the founding coaches of the USTA Player development team.

We talk:

1:28 How grass courts differ from hard courts

5:29 Timeless tactics at Wimbledon

7:11 How to hold serve more often

8:16 How to break serve more often

10:31 What we can learn from Nadal

14:49 Overcoming mental hurdles

22:38 What Dr. Jim Loehr taught him

25:04 Coaching the US Davis Cup team

30:13 His best doubles advice

31:10 His best singles advice

** Sounds effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Dr. Larry Lauer: Mental skills to improve your game

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Dr. Larry Lauer is our guest for the fifteenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Larry is the mental skills specialist for the USTA Player Development program. He was also an assistant coach for Michigan State and helped the team reach the NCAA tournament in 2013.

We talk:

1:14 What is a mental skills coach?

3:07 Mental toughness

5:07 Resilience

10:30 Making your practices challenging

15:39 Handling match nerves

21:35 Seeing the big picture

24:26 Taking time to practice mental skills

29:59 Why people neglect working on their mindset

32:43 Taking practice skills to the match

35:19 Maintaining focus during a match

36:21 Handling cheaters

40:35 Differences between pros and amateurs

**sound effects from https:www.zapsplat.com

Howard Joffe: The secret sauce of back to back NCAA championships

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Howard Joffe is our guest for the fourteenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Howard is a former All-American for Pepperdine University and is currently the women's head coach for the University of Texas where they've won both the 2021 and the 2022 NCAA championships.

We talk:

2:09 How he builds his team

4:52 What he looks for in a recruit

6:28 How a player reveals their passion for the game

11:34 When he starts recruiting junior players

15:15 The "false self"

17:18 What he focuses on with his players

21:05 Listening to his players

25:16 How his players stay relaxed under pressure

27:10 The difficult of defending a national championship

31:47 Most difficult aspect of being a head coach

33:18 His halftime speeches

35:14 His best advice to win more matches

sound effects from https://zapsplat.com

Rick Macci Part 2: Funny rhymes and his best ball striking tip

Mon, 23 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

In part 2 of our episode with Rick Macci we discuss...

1:08 How he comes up with his famous rhymes

4:35 The mind is either for you or against you

8:40 A common technical mistake he sees

13:55 His best tip for hitting a cleaner ball

18:15 The differences between college and pro tennis

22:08 The future of tennis

Sound effects by https://www.zapsplat.com

Rick Macci Part 1: Life with the Williams sisters

Mon, 16 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Rick Macci is our guest for the twelfth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Rick is a 7-time USPTA national coach of the year and has coached Venus and Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati and Mary Pierce. He's also featured prominently in the Oscar winning movie "King Richard".

We talk

1:30 Where he gets his energy and passion from

5:08 How he got started with the Williams sisters

14:21 What Richard did well as a tennis parent

19:31 How he coaches parents

21:00 What he learned from Venus

23:49 What he learned from Serena

26:14 Why competitive drive is so important

Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Michael Joyce: Lessons learned from life on tour

Mon, 02 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Michael Joyce is our guest for the eleventh episode of Baseline Intelligence. Michael achieved a career high singles ranking of 64 on the ATP tour and had wins over Patrick Rafter and Michael Chang. He's also been the lead coach for many of the best players in the world, including Maria Sharapova, Jessica Pegula, Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta and Genie Bouchard.

We talk:

2:20 Being on the other end of an Agassi highlight

3:45 What he did well as a player

7:33 Technique vs. tactics

11:26 Focusing on yourself vs. the opponent

15:00 How his dad helped Maria win the US Open

17:45 Lack of set play with juniors

26:28 Teaching players to handle pressure

30:42 Poker with Phil Jackson

32:47 Lessons learned from Maria

37:39 Biggest mistake as a coach

42:06 Pushback from pro players

44:00 Using white lies to motivate

46:56 Advice for the 3.5 player

51:10 Dismantling the LA Lakers

sound effects from https:www.zapsplat.com

Kathy Rinaldi: What it's like to be captain of team USA

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 06:15:00 -0400

Kathy Rinaldi is our guest for the tenth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Kathy achieved career high rankings of 7 in singles and 13 in doubles on the WTA tour. She currently works as the lead national coach for women's tennis at the USTA, and also captains the United States team for the Billie Jean King Cup.

We talk:

1:45 Making the quarters of the French Open as a 14 year old

2:45 Using her playing experiences to help her as a coach

4:16 Putting the person first

6:18 The success of American women

8:25 Building chemistry for team USA

10:45 Coaching during the match

14:42 A big change in the Belarus final

16:22 Her thoughts on the match vs. Ukraine

18:10 Changes she'd like to see in the BJK format

19:20 Best tip for the 3.5 player

21:27 Using offensive lobs

23:45 Tips for hitting a clean ball

**sounds effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Prakash Amritraj: Using a "code" to maximize your potential

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Prakash Amritraj is our guest for the ninth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Prakash was ranked as high as 119 in the ATP rankings and represented India in Davis Cup on multiple occasions. He was also the MVP of the 2002 NCAA Championship for the University of Southern California, clinching the last 3 matches of the tournament. He's currently a host, commentator, and interviewer for tennis channel as well as a movie producer.

We talk:

2:10 the junior tennis fraternity

4:00 what it was like to win an NCAA title

8:00 Davis Cup experiences

10:48 how he managed pressure

12:30 what he's learned from commentating

16:54 developing his on camera skills

20:55 his discipline and how he channels it

22:41 his "code" and how he uses it to improve

27:47 tips for the 3.5 player

30:57 why his shirt sleeves are so short

32:49 how I can help him with his calves

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Dr. Mark Kovacs: Building your body for better performance

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Dr. Mark Kovacs is our guest for the eighth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Mark was the former director of the Sports Science and Strength and Conditioning departments of the USTA, is the CEO of the Kovacs Institute, and has spent the past two years as the senior director of Sports Science and Health for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was also an All American and NCAA Division I champion in doubles for Auburn University.

We talk:

1:45 how to get started with a fitness program

3:42 strength, mobility, endurance and flexibility

6:58 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week

9:15 what is overtraining?

12:03 when you should hydrate before a tournament

14:38 what you should eat the night before a match

17:07 what you can eat during a match

19:04 generating power on the serve

29:23 what's the root cause of most injuries

31:00 what part of the body you should focus on the most

33:00 on court vs off court training ratio

35:17 the MK drill

**Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Peter Smith: Building a team with love

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Peter Smith is our guest for the seventh episode of Baseline Intelligence. Peter coached Division I men's tennis for over 30 years, winning 5 NCAA championships, 2 National coach the year awards, and took four different schools into the top 25. He also spent time coaching top American professionals Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey.

We talk:

3:25 Why his teams won so many NCAA championships

6:00 How the love of his players improved performance

8:37 Loving the big moments

10:00 The difference between good and great

12:00 Common "walls" players put up

17:05 His coaching philosophy

19:00 Coaching a college match

24:48 Top thing he looked for in a recruit

28:27 Top thing a 3.5 player can do to improve

29:51 How easy it was to coaching against me

32:10 A legendary coaching story

** Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Marc Lucero: Life on tour and what you can learn from professional players

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Marc Lucero is our guest for the sixth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Marc spent time as the assistant coach at Princeton University, was a USTA national coach, and has coached several top professional players including Shelby Rogers, Genie Bouchard and Steve Johnson. He also has his own podcast "Check the Marc" and is a commentator for collegiate and professional tennis matches.

We talk:

1:40 How he comes up with a game plan for his players

5:18 Why it takes time for a game plan to work

9:39 What a relationship between a pro player and their coach looks like

11:41 Differences between the men's and women's games

14:52 What tactics the pros use that you can add to your game

16:53 His coaching influences

20:53 His communication style

22:53 The most important skill to have as a coach

26:10 His biggest mistake as a coach and what he learned from it

** Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Carlos and Josh Goffi: How to play the "other" 50 minutes of a match

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Carlos and Josh Goffi are our guests for the fifth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Carlos is the author of "Tournament Tough" and was the longtime coach of world number 1 and 7-time grand slam champion John McEnroe. His son, Josh, is currently the head men's tennis coach at the University of South Carolina where he helped coach Paul Jubb to the individual NCAA Singles title in 2019.

We talk:

2:30 Carlos' first tennis lesson with John McEnroe

4:45 What you should be doing between points

6:30 Controlling your opponent

10:22 The traffic light analogy

14:45 The two phases of junior development

21:00 The role of the tennis parent

28:30 Kids who have parents as their coach

34:00 Not all points are worth the same

**Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Nick Saviano: Finding the joy and passion for competing

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Nick Saviano is our guest for the fourth episode of Baseline Intelligence. Nick is widely regarded as one of the world's preeminent tennis coaches with over 45 years of world class experience. He has helped helped train over 75 players who have gone on to professional careers on the WTA and ATP tours, including world number ones, olympic gold medalists and grand slam champions.

We talk:

1:25 What he looks for in a player

6:12 The difference between nerves and fear

9:08 The ground rules for playing a tournament

15:30 Everybody has an on-court personality

19:05 Every practice shot should have a tactical objective

24:26 Core fundamentals for developing an elite serve

28:52 How much time a player should dedicate to practicing serve and return

31:11 What to do when you aren't playing well in a match

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Craig O'Shannessy: Using data to optimize strategy

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 06:45:00 -0400

Craig O'Shannessy is our guest for the third episode of Baseline Intelligence. Craig is the leading strategy analyst for the ATP Tour and most recently spent three years as the strategy and data analyst for Novak Djokovic from 2017-2019. He is also the founder of braingametennis.com, an educational website with multiple courses for the avid tennis player.

We talk:

3:32 - When he learned the value of using video for the first time

8:45 - Focusing on yourself vs. focusing on your opponent

13:45 - How he helped Rajeev Ram get back into the top 100

20:03 - What your strategy should be in the first four shots

23:48 - How often you should practice serve and return + 1

28:53 - The storm cloud analogy

30:24 - The leaking cup analogy

34:47 - The "center window" of the doubles court

37:50 - The future of tennis strategy

40:04 - What tactic makes him cringe the most

41:27 - The most important statistic in tennis

43:00 - What type of errors you want to make

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Rajeev Ram: What it means to be a great performer

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 06:45:00 -0400

Rajeev Ram is our guest for the second episode of Baseline Intelligence. Rajeev is ranked 4th in the ATP Doubles Rankings after a fantastic 2021 season where he (and partner Joe Salisbury) reached the Australian Open final, the semifinals of Wimbledon and won the US Open.

We talk:

3:42 - How he maintains his emotional energy throughout a long season

5:04 - Managing 10 point tiebreakers

11:10 - What he and Joe need to work on to finish as the top ranked doubles team

12:40 - What it's like preparing for a grand slam final

16:00 - How the game of doubles is changing

21:30 - What makes a great doubles partner

27:20 - What it means to be a "performer"

31:45 - How to avoid burnout

**sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Jessica Pegula: Climbing the WTA rankings with 1% improvement

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 06:45:00 -0400

18th ranked Jessica Pegula joins us for the first episode of Baseline Intelligence. She recently wrapped up a career year by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2021 Australian Open and jumping 44 spots in the WTA Rankings.

We talk:

1:55 - What she credits her jump in the rankings to

7:25 - How 1% improvement makes all the difference

10:35 - What she counts as a bad error

14:45 - Her most basic tactic in a match

21:36 - What she did as a junior that helped her become a pro

23:56 - What she would do differently as a junior player

34:34 - Tells us about practice "tickles"

38:10 - Why she feeds her dogs so much before she goes on the road

**Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

Introduction to Baseline Intelligence

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Welcome to the Baseline Intelligence podcast! Each episode will feature a prominent player or coach who will share what they've learned throughout their careers. We'll discuss their strategies, techniques, mindsets, fitness plans, and anything else they consider when trying to be great at the game we all love. My hope is that each episode will help you learn something new and improve your game without even hitting a tennis ball.