Open Stance Audio

After over two years and $25 Million in research and investigation, an independent task force has compiled a comprehensive report on match fixing in tennis. Spurred on by reports of corruption at low level pro events in January 2016, tennis leaders created the panel and have said that they will implement all of it's recommendations. Some of which are sure to cause controversy. Joey gives his thoughts on relevant topics.

Read the report for yourself: http://tennisirp.com/

The pros make sliding on clay look easy, but when you head out there are try it for the first time, you'll realize it's definitely not that simple. While clay is slippery, it still require great lower body strength and balance to slide effectively on clay. Joey gives you a few tips on the equipment, positioning and technique required to slide on clay in this episode.

After an absolutely dominant performance in Monte-Carlo, the question this clay court season is, once again, can anyone beat Rafa? The answer: probably not. Joey breaks down why the Spaniard is virtually impossible to overcome on the red clay from a technical and mental standpoint before giving a couple names of players that could maybe possibly win a set.

Check out where Nadal is returning serve from: https://twitter.com/Dimonator/status/988038585998770176

After a shaky last 18 months for Novak Djokovic, many have begun to question if he will ever get back to the top of the sport. He took a step in the right direction in Monte Carlo by beating your Croatian Borna Coric in a good contest. Joey discusses what has changed for Novak, and what he will need to do to get back on top.

More on Djokovic's serve: https://soundcloud.com/openstanceaudio/novak-djokovics-serve-past-present-and-future

How often do nerves and new-balls get in your head during a match warmup? Well if the answer is often, you're not alone. Answering a listener question, Joey details how you can improve your match warmup in a variety of ways. From early preparation, overdone footwork, to dealing with the pop of new balls. A must listen for all serious tennis players.

Have a question you'd like Joey to answer on the podcast? Email him: [email protected]

It rolls around every clay court season: why is Hawkeye not used on clay?! Today Joey tackles that topic by first laying out the facts before giving a little opinion of his own. We get into the specifics of margin of error, uneven surfaces and temper tantrums.

This episode was sparked by Monday's clay court incident with Jared Donaldson: https://twitter.com/UnArdeal/status/985829354469982208

The single most important piece of equipment for a tennis player; the racquet obviously! Choosing the right racquet for you is very important and something many players overlook. Joey discusses what should be going to through your head when selecting a racquet and how to demo/test them most effectively.

Try HEAD's Play Better quiz to find out what racquet is right for you: https://www.head.com/us-US/playbetter/

2018 is apparently the year of tennis controversy! Another story broke today, this time courtesy of the New York Times, announcing that the U.S. Open will implement a 25 second shot clock rule into the main draw of the year's final major in 2018. Previously tested in the qualifying draw, this rule has already sparked major discussion amongst players an coaches. Joey breaks it down and gives his thoughts on "working backwards" to solve an issue.

Read the full story on the impending rule change: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/sports/us-open-serve-clock.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

A technical episode dedicated to the important concepts and coaching of taking the ball and/or on the rise. In modern tennis, players have moved further and further behind the baseline, but a few still have the ability to step in and attack the ball early. It's a skill that can be challenging to perfect, but incredible valuable to utilize. Joey discusses when and how to work on taking the ball early, as well as a larger discussion on court positioning.

One of the most interesting stories to hit tennis in 2018 came out on Monday, as Madison Brengle announced she is suing the ITF, WTA and other involved indaviduals for neglecting to adhere to her medical requirements surrounding blood testing. The case is extremely interesting because it will set precedent on similar cases going forward. With the world of anti-doping becoming more complex, how much should athletes be subjected to testing while also being looked after for their health and wellness. Let the debate begin.

Full story: https://nypost.com/2018/04/10/tennis-pro-suing-wta-your-drug-tests-are-destroying-me/