I had the pleasure of chatting with Swiss-American ATP pro Alexander Ritschard, who’s working hard to come back from a tricky shoulder injury. You might remember Alexander from his breakout 2024 season, where he captured three Challenger titles and looked set for a steady rise up the rankings. But, as tennis so often reminds us, nothing is guaranteed, and an unlucky muscle tear put him on the sidelines.

We went deep in this conversation — not just about his comeback, but about the mindset, routines, and tough realities that come with life on the professional tennis circuit.