AI is rapidly changing the future of racket sports coaching, player development, and performance analysis.

This week on the Racket Sports Weekly podcast, Ian Rapport is joined by Lauren Pedersen, co-founder and CEO of SportAI, to discuss the platform uses AI and computer vision to bring real-time coaching, biomechanics analysis, and player feedback to tennis, pickleball, and padel players around the world.

They discuss:

• How SportAI uses AI and computer vision to analyze player technique and movement
• Why AI should support coaches rather than replace them
• Democratizing access to high-level player development and coaching
• The future of tennis, pickleball, and padel technology
• How AI can personalize equipment and racket recommendations
• The role of data and gamification in making racket sports more engaging
• Why racket sports are entering a major growth era globally

Lauren also shares why she believes AI can help unlock new opportunities for players, coaches, clubs, federations, and brands across the racket sports ecosystem.

A fascinating conversation for anyone interested in sports technology, coaching, and the future of racket sports.

👉 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

Ryan Redondo has become one of the most influential operators helping shape the future of racket sports in America.

The CEO of Barnes Tennis Center and Youth Tennis San Diego sat down with Racket Sports Weekly host Ian Rapport to talk about how he’s transformed Barnes into one of the country’s premier multi-racket sports facilities by bringing tennis, pickleball, and padel together under one ecosystem.

On this episode of the Racket Sports Weekly podcast, Ryan discusses:

• Building Barnes Tennis Center into a modern racket sports hub

• Why pickleball and padel can actually help tennis grow

• The future of padel in the United States

• How social experiences are changing tennis clubs

• The importance of grassroots access and youth development

• Running professional tournaments and the business behind them

• The future vision for Barnes Tennis Center and racket sports in San Diego

Ryan also shares why he believes coexistence instead of competition is the future of racket sports.

A great conversation for anyone building in the industry.

👉 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

On this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian sits down with Tennis Social founder and CEO Tyler Kelly to discuss how simulator technology could reshape the future of tennis and racket sports.

Tyler shares the story behind Tennis Social, why tennis can be difficult for beginners to pick up, and how gamification could help make the sport more accessible, social and fun.

The conversation also covers:

• Why tennis has been slower than golf to adopt simulator technology
• The similarities between Tennis Social and the Topgolf model
• How simulators can improve training and player development
• The role of data, tracking and performance analytics
• Why racket sports need new ways to widen the participation funnel
• Tennis Social’s upcoming rollout and simulator-based rating system

A great conversation on the intersection of technology, entertainment and the future growth of racket sports.

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian sits down with Steve Shpilsky, CEO and founder of Los Angeles Padel Club, to discuss what it takes to build LA’s first premier padel club. 

Steve shares how his background in hospitality, real estate, and hotel development shaped his vision for a club built around community, player development, networking, and a high-end hospitality experience.

The conversation covers:

• What it actually takes to build a padel club in LA (permitting, zoning, and unexpected costs)

• How LA Padel Club is designed as a hospitality-driven experience, not just courts

• Why the biggest opportunity isn’t tennis players—it’s people who’ve never played a racket sport

• How partnerships help build the local padel community

• Why the industry is still early and who will win as operators, not just builders

If you’re interested in what it really takes to build a padel club in a top market, this episode is for you.

POP Tennis has been around for more than a century, but it’s now starting to find real momentum.

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian sits down with Mitch Kutner, President of the International POP Tennis Association, to break down what POP Tennis actually is, why the sport rebranded from paddle tennis, and how it fits into today’s rapidly growing racket sports landscape.

They also discuss:

• The history of POP Tennis and how it dates back to 1898

• Why the name change was critical for growth in the social media era

• How partnerships with organizations like Tennis Australia are accelerating global expansion

• The role of recreational players in building a sustainable sport

• What success looks like for pop tennis over the next 5–10 years

If you’re interested in where racket sports are headed beyond just tennis/pickleball/padel, this is a conversation worth listening to.

This week, I sat down with Claude Okin (CEO and founder) and Joe Siegel (SVP and SMD) from SPORTIME, one of the largest racket sports club operators in the country.

We go deep into what it actually takes to run a successful racket sports club today with an honest take on the challenges they are facing within the industry.

🎾 What we cover:

• Why racquet sports have shifted from court rentals → programming & community

• The real challenges facing pickleball clubs right now

• Why kids (not adults) are the key to long-term success

• How Sportime manages 20+ clubs and 300+ courts

• The future of tennis, pickleball, and padel in the U.S.

• Inside the growth of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and Johnny Mac Tennis Project

You won't want to miss the part about pickleball. The sport is booming, but the business model is still catching up.

If you're building racket sports clubs or just want to understand where the industry is headed, this is a must-listen.

👉 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, I sat down with Emiliano Abramzon, co-founder and CEO of Racquet 360, live from RacquetX.

We talked about how Racquet 360 is taking a full-ecosystem approach to growing padel in the U.S., from events and clubs to leagues and retail, and why Emiliano believes the biggest opportunity is still ahead.

We also got into the bigger picture around racket sports, including why multi-racquet venues matter, what’s holding padel back in the U.S., and how the industry can grow through collaboration rather than competition.

Topics covered:

• Emiliano’s background as a serial entrepreneur

• Why he made the bet on padel in the U.S.

• The rise of RacquetX and how it became a hub for the industry

• The thinking behind Racquet 360’s ecosystem strategy

• The biggest barriers to U.S. padel growth

• Why club community and social connection matter so much

Listen now for a smart conversation on where padel is headed and what it will take to unlock bigger growth in the U.S.

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian Rapport sits down with tennis journalist Tim Newcomb to discuss the changing world of tennis gear, footwear, apparel, and media.

Tim shares how he built his niche covering tennis equipment and sports aesthetics, what brands are standing out right now, why strings are often overlooked, and how tennis products are evolving to match the modern game.

They also dive into what makes a tennis story worth covering, how brand partnerships can stand out, and what young brands need to do to break through in an increasingly crowded market.

Topics discussed include:

• How tennis gear coverage has evolved

• The racket and footwear brands making an impact

• Why players do not always need the latest racket

• What innovations could define the next era of tennis gear

• How media and journalism in tennis are changing

• What brands need to do to earn coverage

• Why authenticity matters in brand partnerships

• Tim’s experiences covering majors, players, and stadiums

Listen now for an in-depth conversation on where tennis gear and storytelling are headed next.

Follow Tim on IG at Felt Alley Tennis and Stadiums by Tim Newcomb to stay up on the latest.

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, host Ian Rapport sits down with Callum Beale, Head of Game Expansion at Tennis Australia, to discuss how one of the sport’s leading governing bodies is embracing the rise of pickleball, padel, and other emerging racket sports.

Rather than viewing these sports as competition, Tennis Australia is taking a different approach. It is using them to grow overall participation and bring more people into the racket sports ecosystem.

We discuss:

• What “game expansion” actually means

• Why Tennis Australia is leaning into pickleball, padel, and pop tennis

• How different racket sports attract different consumer audiences

• The rise of multi-sport “racket clubs”

• Why the biggest threat to tennis isn’t pickleball..it’s inactivity

• How this model could shape the future of racket sports globally

This conversation offers a fresh perspective on how collaboration—not competition—could define the next era of growth in racket sports.

🎧 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

In this week’s episode of Racket Sports Weekly, host Ian Rapport sits down with Tennis Channel founder and TYPTI creator Steve Bellamy to break down one of the most talked-about new sports in the racket sports industry.

After more than 30 years developing the concept, Bellamy officially launched TYPTI, a short-court racket sport blending elements of tennis, badminton, and pickleball. Viral social clips, impressive equipment sales, and growing interest from investors and brands have quickly pushed the sport into the industry spotlight.

In this conversation, Bellamy shares:

• The origin story behind TYPTI and why now was the right moment to launch

• How the sport spread so quickly across social media and the racket sports ecosystem

• Why building tournaments, rankings, and community infrastructure is the top priority

• His vision for brand partnerships in a “blank canvas” sport

• How TYPTI can grow alongside tennis and pickleball

With early backing from high-profile investors including Drew Brees, Tony Robbins, and Tiffany Haddish, TYPTI is positioning itself as one of the most intriguing new developments in racket sports.

If you want to understand where innovation in racket sports may be headed next, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.