Control the Controllables

What really happens behind the scenes at the world's biggest tennis tournaments?

This week on Control the Controllables, Dan Kiernan is joined by one of the most respected figures in tennis officiating, WTA Supervisor Donna Kelso.

Donna has been a WTA and Grand Slam Supervisor since 1998, having previously been one of only two female Gold Badge chair umpires in the world.

Her extraordinary career has taken her from umpiring junior matches in Australia to sitting in the chair for Grand Slam finals, an Olympic gold medal match and one of the most emotional moments in tennis history, Monica Seles' return to competition following her stabbing in 1993.

Donna shares incredible stories from her decades in the sport, including the challenges she faced as a young female official, the toughest match of her career and how she developed the calmness, fairness and respect that have made her such a popular figure on tour.

We also gets a rare look behind the scenes of the WTA, discussing how tournament schedules are decided, and the delicate balance between looking after players and delivering entertainment for fans.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How winning a colouring competition led to an extraordinary career in tennis.
• Umpiring Monica Seles' emotional comeback and some of the biggest matches in tennis history.
• Breaking barriers as one of the world's first female Gold Badge chair umpires.
• The umpiring experience that nearly ended Donna's career.
• Donna's three Cs - Communication, Consistency and Common Sense, and why they matter far beyond tennis.
• What a WTA Supervisor actually does and how tournament schedules are influenced by players, broadcasters and organisers.
• The challenges of late-night matches and whether tennis needs to rethink its scheduling.
• Why treating every player with the same respect matters.
• The impact of electronic line calling and technology on the future of tennis officiating.

This episode is a must-listen for players, coaches, parents and tennis fans who want to understand what really goes on beyond the court.

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This CTC Short is brought to you live, from a beautiful clay court at SotoTennis Academy, on a lovely, sunny day in Spain. Dan has just arrived back, from a very successful trip in China, where he has been supporting Gaby Dabrowski throughout her back to back title victories in Beijing and Wuhan, alongside Luisa Stefani!

In this episode, Dan takes us through a roundup of the latest stories from across the tennis world, and also lets us know which famous faces have been interacting with our podcast on social media!

Key stories discussed:

• Maja Chwalinska wins her first career title in Wuhan
• David Goffin retires ❤️
• Bianca Andreescu wins biggest title of her career since the 2019 US Open
• Davidovich Fokina wins first masters 1000 title in Shanghai
• Gaby Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani win back to back WTA 1000s in China
• Jodar penalised for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Sonay Kartal’s fantastic run in Wuhan

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Follow Control the Controllables: Instagram | YouTube | Website

Check out Tennis Athlete Here: https://www.sototennis.com/tennisathlete

Email us: [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾

For players who don’t always have access to in-person coaching, progress doesn’t have to stop.

TennisAthlete

This CTC Short is brought to you live from Beijing, at the China Open, where Dan Kiernan is there for the WTA 1000 event!

In this episode Dan takes us through a roundup of the latest stories from across the tennis world, including those that have taken place moments away from our host ,who recorded this special CTC Short on the centre court in Beijing!

Key stories discussed:

• ⁠Djokovic wins the China Open for the 7th time
• Medvedev defaulted from China Open v Djokovic in the semis
• Alcaraz wins first title since February in Japan
• Legend of the sport, Kei Nishikori retires
• ⁠WTA announce equal prize money at all combined 1000 events
• Jannik Sinner to miss rest of the 2026 season
• Navarro opens up about health struggles
• Coco Gauff condemns racist abuse after winning China Open first round

Dan is at the China Open with Gaby Dabrowski, who plays the Final of the women’s doubles , on Sunday alongside Luisa Stefani.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Follow Control the Controllables: Instagram | YouTube | Website

Check out Tennis Athlete Here: https://www.sototennis.com/tennisathlete

Email us: ctc.podcast@sototennis.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾

For players who don’t always have access to in-person coaching, progress doesn’t have to stop.

TennisAthlete

Fifteen months ago Toby Samuel was ranked 1,870 in the world, injured, out of college, and unable to get into the qualifying draw of a 15K.

This month he broke into the ATP top 100, made his Davis Cup debut at the Copper Box and won the first rubber for Great Britain to help them qualify for the Davis Cup Finals.

In 2025, Toby won 62 matches and climbed further up the rankings than any other male player in the world. He did it without fanfare, without headlines and by his own admission, still staying in the bedrooms at the National Tennis Centre.

This is a conversation about the mental side of the game more than anything else, and Toby's answer on competing is one of the best things we've had on this podcast. If you have a junior in your house, play them that bit twice!

In this episode:

• The Davis Cup call-up he wasn't expecting, and the most nervous he has ever been before a match.
• Losing the first set and finding a way back, and why that is now a pattern rather than a panic.
• "Everything is a choice." Toby on how he transformed the mental side of his game.
• What he says to his coaches before every single match, and why it has nothing to do with how he is hitting the ball.
• Why he has always preferred being the favourite, and what that has cost him against the top guys.
• Going from 1,870 in the world to the top 100 in fifteen months
• The bone bruising injury that wiped out his ranking, and the ATP Accelerator wildcard that turned it around
• Choosing South Carolina over Florida State, the decision that changed his career.
• What NIL money has done to college tennis, and why he thinks it needs a limit
• How he actually uses data, and the six-monthly meeting that shapes his development
• His honest view on the proposed ATP doubles changes
• The Quickfire Round

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Follow Control the Controllables: Instagram | YouTube | Website

Check out Tennis Athlete Here: https://www.sototennis.com/tennisathlete

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Email us: ctc.podcast@sototennis.com

Two Retirements. Two Incredible Careers.

This week on Control the Controllables, we're marking the retirement of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, two of the finest doubles players of their generation and two of the most generous guests we´ve had on the show.

Between them: 6 major titles each. 4 men's doubles crowns together, including the Australian Open in 2020 and that remarkable US Open three-peat in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Joe became only the second British man ever to reach World Number 1, holding the position for 23 weeks. Rajeev picked up two Olympic silver medals, 32 ATP titles, 9 Masters titles.

Then this year, with barely any matches between them, they made the US Open semi-finals from nowhere. Form is temporary. Class is permanent.

We've gone back into the archives to pull out the moments from their episodes that we think every player, coach and parent should hear.

In this episode:

• Joe on the gap between belief and confidence, and why the two are not the same thing
• Rajeev on walking away from singles at 56 in the world to become a doubles specialist
• Following your heart when the decision is genuinely difficult, from college to retirement
• Why 11 partners in one year is the hardest way to build a career
• What Rajeev saw in Joe before anyone else did
• Joe on what he wants his legacy in British tennis to be
• Dan's challenge to British tennis: what happens when the Louis Cayer era ends?
• The Rajeev Ram Instagram post that everyone in this sport should read

Listen to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury´s full episodes on CTC:

• Rajeev Ram - Multiple Grand Slam Champion
• Joe Salisbury - Double US Open Champion!

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

• Follow CTC on Instagram
• Tennis Athlete - Online Strength & Conditioning for Performance Players
• SotoTennis Academy

What a US Open! We saw two new champions crowned in New York, plenty of our pre-tournament predictions were ripped up, and both draws gave us lots of storylines.

In our final Grand Slam Review episode of 2026, Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our panel:-

• Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie Nielsen
• Sports broadcaster and former CNN anchor Candy Reid
• Coach, podcaster and former agent Johnny Delgado
• Kieron Vorster, Fitness Coach to Tem Henman, Dan Evans & Wayne Ferreria

As ever, this isn’t just a review of the results. The panel gets into the realities behind elite performance: handling pressure, managing expectations, coping with defeat, the role of parents and coaches, and what players at every level can learn from the very best in the game.

In this episode:

• Alexander Zverev finally gets his US Open moment beating Shelton in the final, and his emotional on-court speech about his mother and managing Type 1 diabetes.
• Ben Shelton´s breakthrough run to his first Grand Slam final
• Could 2027 give us a new “Big Three”? The panel discusses whether Zverev can now consistently challenge Alcaraz and Sinner.
• Rafael Jodar’s shock first-round exit despite being a dark-horse pick off the back of a career-best summer.
• Elena Rybakina defeats Aryna Sabalenka. Why Rybakina’s balance, composure and first-strike tennis caused Sabalenka so many problems in the final , and the panel discuss how the best players handle nerves differently.
• Serena Williams skipping press conferences again and the panel's take on tournaments letting stars off the hook.
• The strength of the women's draw: Zheng Qinwen's run through qualifying, Iva Jovic, Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff's continued dominance on and off the court
• The Djokovic debate: a first-round exit, falling out of the world's top 10 for the first time in over two decades, and whether he can still go deep in a Slam at 37.
• Wheelchair tennis: GB´s Alfie Hewett, Tokito Oda and the extraordinary standard at the top of the wheelchair game.
• Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison's men's doubles title, and the debate around the future and recognition of doubles tennis
• Katerina Siniakova keeps making history! Her continued dominance and double Golden Slam achievement.
• What happens next? The panel looks ahead to the remainder of 2026, including the race for year-end No.1, Holger Rune’s return, the Next Gen Finals and the WTA Finals.

There are plenty of disagreements, predictions and laughs along the way, but also some brilliant takeaways for players, parents and coaches on pressure, resilience, expectations and what really separates the very best when the biggest moments arrive.

🎧 Sit back and enjoy our US Open 2026 Review!

This episode is brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/

Links Mentioned in this Episode

Follow the Podcast here: Instagram | Facebook | Email us

SotoTennis Academy: https://www.instagram.com/sototennis

Mentioned in this episode:

Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾

For players who don’t always have access to in-person coaching, progress doesn’t have to stop.

TennisAthlete

Follow the Podcast Here: https://www.instagram.com/ctc.podcast/

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Email us: [email protected]

US Open 2026 preview. Dan is joined by Freddie Nielsen, Denmark Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon doubles champion, Candy Reid live in New Yorks, and first-time guest Johnny Delgado, coach and podcaster.

In this episode:

• Are both the men’s and women’s draw wide open?
• Qinwen Zheng, Paris Olympic champion, coming through qualifying despite elbow surgery
• Stan Wawrinka getting a wildcard at the last minute and why the panel loves it
• Alcaraz, will he even make it to the court on day one and how far can he realistically go
• Men's and women's dark horse picks and winner predictions
• The Djokovic debate: can he recover match after match at nearly 40 and go deep in a slam?
• Debate around the future of doubles tennis

TennisAthlete provides age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit sototennis.com/tennisathlete

Brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/

Follow the Podcast Here: https://www.instagram.com/ctc.podcast/

Follow Tennis Athlete Here: https://www.instagram.com/tennisathlete_sta/

Follow SotoTennis Academy Here: https://www.instagram.com/sototennis/?hl=en

Email us: [email protected]

You've drilled the technique. You've done the fitness. And still, in the match or the tiebreak, when you have chances to close out, something else takes over. That's not a skill you're missing. It's something that's never actually been measured, until now.

Click the link here for a FREE diagnostic: https://clutchquotient2026.scoreapp.com/

Ingrid Neel

Ingrid Neel was one of the most decorated US juniors of her generation, winning every Little Mo age group, a 10-and-under world championship in France, and the deciding match in the NCAA finals. Then came a slipped disc in Tokyo, wrist surgery, two and a half years away from the sport, and a ranking that dropped to zero.

A year on, she made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, which was her best-ever Grand Slam result. On the court she loves most.

This episode is one of the most honest and warm conversations we've had on Control the Controllables. Ingrid speaks about injury, identity, friendship, family and what it really means to keep going when you've lost your relevance, your ranking and your answer to the question of who you are without the sport.

In this episode:

• Wimbledon quarterfinalist, reflecting on her best ever Grand Slam result a year after wrist surgery
• Being present at Wimbledon and the US Open while injured and not competing, and why it helped
• How she genuinely celebrated others' success while struggling herself
• Can you have true, real friendships in an individual sport and still be the ultimate competitor?
• The back injury that nearly ended her season in Tokyo, and how she won the tournament anyway
• The wrist surgery that made her question whether she'd ever play again
• Growing up in Minnesota, the Bollettieri Academy and Nick giving her open access
• Being a prodigy, winning every Little Mo age group and a 10-and-under world title in France
• Did the values her parents instilled help her, or hold her back?
• Self-worth, identity and who you are when the ranking says inactive
• Choosing to represent Estonia and the story of the grandmother she is named after
• The Quickfire Round

TennisAthlete provides age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit sototennis.com/tennisathlete

Reaction to the 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles event. Was it a success?

About Control the Controllables US Open Live

Dan Kiernan and a different special guest across the US Open fortnight, bringing you analysis from inside the grounds. Live on the CTC YouTube channel. Episodes drop as podcasts the next morning wherever you get your podcasts.

Brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/

TennisAthlete delivers age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit https://linktr.ee/tennisathlete

Send your questions via Instagram @ctc.podcast or email [email protected].

Follow the Podcast Here: https://www.instagram.com/ctc.podcast/

Follow Tennis Athlete Here: https://www.instagram.com/tennisathlete_sta/

Follow SotoTennis Academy Here: https://www.instagram.com/sototennis/?hl=en

Day 1 of the Control the Controllables US Open Live series, recorded in New York City. Brought to you by Novellus.

Live across the US Open fortnight with tennis icons, coaches, players and special guests joining Dan from inside the grounds at Flushing Meadows.

In this episode:

• Will Boucek joins Dan live from New York
• The US Open Mixed Doubles new format - what changed, why, and whether it belongs at a Grand Slam
• 1st round picks and predictions across the full Mixed Doubles draw
• Doubles specialists vs singles stars and what it means for the sport
• Roger Federer on site at Flushing Meadows
• Dan's open coaching offer to Riley Opelka

About Control the Controllables US Open Live

Dan Kiernan and a different special guest across the US Open fortnight, bringing you analysis from inside the grounds. Live on the CTC YouTube channel. Episodes drop as podcasts the next morning wherever you get your podcasts.

Send your questions via Instagram @ctc.podcast or email [email protected].

Brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/

TennisAthlete delivers age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit sototennis.com/tennisathlete .