What does it take to go from a kid in Sweden to becoming an Australian Open champion… and later coaching stars like Maria Sakkari and Kei Nishikori? 🎾

Thomas Johansson opens up about his journey, struggles, and lessons learned both on and off the court.

Timestamps / Chapters:

00:00 – Millimeters between glory and disaster in tennis

02:00 – Johansson’s childhood obsession with tennis

07:00 – Breaking into the ATP Top 100

13:00 – The unforgettable run to the 2002 Australian Open title

19:00 – Key differences coaching men vs women

22:00 – Life-changing aftermath of winning a Grand Slam

26:00 – Battling career-threatening injuries

28:00 – Facing Federer, Nadal, Djokovic & two eras of tennis

34:00 – Toughest moment: being forced to retire

38:00 – Transition into coaching & first steps with Caroline Wozniacki

45:00 – Building confidence as a coach and helping players mentally

49:00 – Coaching Kei Nishikori: challenges & humility

53:00 – Mentoring the next generation of coaches

1:02:00 – Advice to his younger self

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support the channel and never miss future tennis stories!

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At just 1m65, Justine Henin defied all odds to become World No.1 and win 7 Grand Slam titles. Behind the elegant one-handed backhand and the trophies, her story is one of resilience, loss, and an unshakable belief in herself.

In this intimate conversation on Tennis Insider Club, Henin opens up about:

• Growing up in a small Belgian town and finding her place in the family after tragedy.
• The role of her brothers, father, and late mother in shaping her character.
• Why she resisted pressure to change her iconic one-handed backhand.
• The painful years after losing her mother at 12, and how tennis became both an escape and a fight.
• Her complicated relationship with her father and the courage to leave home at 17 to pursue her dream.
• What it really takes to beat bigger, stronger opponents like Serena & Venus Williams.
• The pressures of early success, burnout, and why she retired at 25.
• Why she believes academies and parents must work together to protect kids from becoming “broken players.”
• Life after tennis: motherhood, running her academy, and finding happiness outside the spotlight.

🎙 Hosted by Caroline Garcia & Borja Durán

👉 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with the world’s best players and coaches.

📲 Follow us for behind-the-scenes & clips:

Instagram: @tennisinsiderclub

Twitter/X: @tennisinsidercl

#JustineHenin #Tennis #WTA #GrandSlamChampion #TennisPodcast #UsOpen #LaverCup #ATP #RolandGarros

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She won the US Open at 19… then came injuries, pressure, and doubt. But Bianca Andreescu is still fighting—with powerful resilience—to return to the top.

In this powerful episode of Tennis Insider Club, Bianca opens up like never before. She shares the emotional weight of early success, the loneliness of repeated setbacks, and the inner work she’s done to rediscover her purpose. From visualizing her US Open win years before it happened, to nearly quitting the sport during a dark mental health spiral, Bianca's story is raw, inspiring, and deeply human.

Keywords: Bianca Andreescu interview, tennis mental health, US Open champion, tennis comeback, tennis podcast

Highlights:

06:45 – 2019: The Year Everything Clicked

12:23 – “I Was Done With Tennis”

18:10 – Therapy, Spirituality & the Journey Inward

25:38 – Redefining Success After Hitting Rock Bottom

32:17 – Lessons from Losing—and Learning to Let Go

39:05 – The Comeback: Playing With Joy Again

44:31 – Advice to the Next Gen: “Don’t Rush Your Path”

48:52 – New Season, New Intentions

Enjoyed this episode? Watch next:

🎙️ Ben Shelton: Rising a Champion the Right Way → E35: Bryan Shelton

🎙️ Jessica Pegula on Late Blooming & Mental Resilience → E34: Jessica Pegula

Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/tennisinsiderclub

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What does it take to raise and coach a Grand Slam quarterfinalist?

In this Tennis Insider Club episode, Bryan Shelton — former ATP pro, champion college coach, and father of rising star Ben Shelton — opens up about the unique challenges of guiding your own child through tennis.

From growing up in Alabama to facing Boris Becker at Wimbledon, Bryan shares the lessons that shaped his career… and the philosophy that keeps his son grounded in a high-pressure sport.

We discuss:

• The dangers of over-involved tennis parents
• Why mental skills matter more than strokes at the top level
• How to balance joy, discipline, and performance
• The difference between European and American confidence mindsets
• Why sometimes you have to “fake” confidence until you feel it

Best Moments:

[00:01:03] The Day Bryan Shelton Fell in Love with Tennis

[00:03:00] Why He Chose College Over Turning Pro at 18

[00:07:30] Facing Becker and Connors in His First Grand Slams

[00:10:00] Breaking Into the Top 100: A Pro’s First Goal

[00:11:00] Wimbledon 1994: His Greatest Memory on Tour

[00:14:00] From Player to Coach: Bryan’s Second Career

[00:17:00] How Ben Shelton Finally Chose Tennis at 11

[00:23:30] Ben’s Secret Weapon: Relentless Confidence

[00:27:10] The Three Tournament Rule Every Young Player Needs

[00:43:00] Balancing Dad and Coach on the Pro Tour

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Jessica Pegula opens up like never before — from starting tennis at age 7, to dealing with pressure from her parents, to overcoming years of injuries and finally breaking into the top of the game in her mid-20s.

In this candid conversation, we talk about finding your own path in tennis, the mental battles of the tour, handling media expectations, and why making her own decisions changed everything.

🎙 Hosted by Caroline Garcia & Borja Duran — Tennis Insider Club.

🎧 Listen on:

Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6Vcjpr6Vj8UO5bbz9NWRDo

Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/tennis-insider-club/id1664385813

💡 Episode sponsor — Saily eSIMs:

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Chapters:

00:01:08 – How Jessica started tennis

00:09:36 – College vs turning pro; “I hated school” vibe

00:11:06 – Breaking Top 100 after injuries; relief at ~25

00:13:19 – “Own journey” mindset; using peers as motivation

00:21:23 – “I make every decision now” — taking ownership

00:31:01 – Managing your team like a business; lessons from family

00:36:30 – Burnout, perspective reset, and handling losses

00:50:41 – Slowing down to appreciate wins; “the dream is the journey”

00:54:14 – How long she’ll play; LA Olympics carrot, 35 cap

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In this exclusive Tennis Insider Club episode, Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán sit down with Bob Moran, the mastermind behind the transformation of the Cincinnati Open. From his surprising start in golf to leading a $260M tennis revolution, Bob reveals what it really takes to run a Masters 1000 tournament, the financial truth behind the WTA vs ATP debate, and why pickleball and concerts matter more than you think.

💥 Topics covered:

• Why they bet $260M on Cincinnati
• Behind-the-scenes of player experience
• Financials: ATP vs WTA realities
• The future of doubles & mixed events
• Should the tours merge?
• Building a year-round racquet club
• Why scheduling is a war zone

🧠 One of the most honest and insightful looks at how tennis really works behind the scenes. This one’s for every player, fan, and entrepreneur in sport.

⏱️ Top Moments

1. [00:01:49] From Golf to Tennis
2. [00:09:10] The $260M Bet on Cincinnati
3. [00:13:55] How to Design a World-Class Tournament
4. [00:19:42] The Hard Truth About WTA vs ATP Money
5. [00:26:18] Scheduling Is a War Zone
6. [00:29:36] Should the Tours Merge?
7. [00:33:52] Why Pickleball & Concerts Matter
8. [00:39:45] The Future of Doubles and Mixed Events
9. [00:47:40] What It Takes to Succeed in Sports Business
10. [00:54:29] The One Thing He’d Change About Tennis

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insider tennis stories.

#TennisInsiderClub #BobMoran #CincyOpen #CarolineGarcia #WTA #ATP #SportsBusiness

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Wim Fissette never dreamed of becoming a top coach — until a chance call from Kim Clijsters changed his life forever. In this raw and honest conversation, Wim opens up about his unlikely journey, coaching legends like Iga Świątek, Naomi Osaka, and Kim, and what it really takes to help players win at the highest level.

This episode is a goldmine for coaches, parents, and players who want to understand tennis beyond technique — from communication and data to confidence, mindset, and long-term growth.

⏱ Best Moments

00:00 – 🎙 "Dare to dream." Wim’s life philosophy and why belief is everything

03:00 – ⚖️ Quitting tennis at 20 and shifting to a logistics career

10:30 – 📞 The call from Kim Clijsters that changed his life

12:30 – 🛫 Quitting his job to follow a coaching dream

16:30 – 📊 Bringing data to WTA coaching before it was mainstream

20:30 – 📓 The power of journaling and taking ownership of your tennis

28:00 – 🧠 Coaching Iga Świątek vs. other players – knowing when to evolve

34:30 – 🏋️‍♀️ Why physical readiness is key to technical improvement

38:20 – 🏀 Top advice for young players: diversify, don’t specialize too soon

48:00 – 🧠 Mental strength under pressure — and why it must be trained

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor – SAILY

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📸 Follow us on Instagram @TennisInsiderClub for behind-the-scenes content and guest clips.

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What happens when your childhood dream becomes your worst nightmare?

In this raw, emotional conversation, Finnish tennis star Emil Ruusuvuori opens up about his four-year battle with panic attacks, burnout, and depression — including breaking down during matches and questioning the meaning of life. From rising through the ranks to cracking the Top 50, to walking away from the sport he once loved, Emil shares what no press conference ever showed.

Best Moments:

[00:04:35] “I just couldn’t breathe… My body shut down”

[00:08:20] “I didn’t care anymore if I won or lost”

[00:11:45] “Life didn’t matter at that point”

[00:17:10] “You lose your identity when you stop playing”

[00:23:40] “Everyone says you’re living the dream… but it felt like hell”

[00:30:15] “I started therapy—and finally, I could breathe”

[00:37:05] “I had to re-learn who I am without tennis”

[00:41:50] “We’re not machines… even if we’re ranked Top 50”

[00:48:25] “Now I’m building something new. For the first time, I feel excited.”

[00:53:40] “If this helps even one person, I’m glad I shared it.”

This is not just a sports episode. It’s a story about mental health, identity, and what it means to be enough.

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In this intimate and revealing conversation, legendary coach and former world #4 Brad Gilbert opens up like never before. From coaching Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Coco Gauff, to dissecting what truly separates good players from great ones — Brad shares raw lessons, wild stories, and tactical gems from decades inside the sport.

You’ll hear why Agassi never actually beat him, how Coco Gauff processes coaching in real-time, what junior parents often get wrong, and the exact mindset shifts that change careers. No sugarcoating. Just real talk, real insights.

Hosted by Caroline Garcia, this episode dives deep into the coaching mind — strategy, psychology, parenting, and the small decisions that lead to big wins (or painful regrets).

Brought to you by NordVPN. EXCLUSIVE Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tennisinsider  Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

🧠 Topics discussed:

• Competing vs Drilling

• Coaching Agassi vs Roddick vs Coco

• The danger of overcoaching during matches

• The role of parents in a tennis career

• Why small margins decide everything in tennis

• Emotional burnouts and honesty in coaching

• And yes… that wild match vs Caroline in Miami.

🔔 Subscribe for more raw, intelligent tennis conversations with the pros who live it.

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Taylor Fritz opens up like never before. From growing up with a “crazy” tennis dad to breaking down in locker rooms and reinventing his game to win Indian Wells, this episode dives deep into the raw, real side of pro tennis.

In this exclusive interview, Taylor shares:

✅ His most emotional locker room moment

✅ The “delusional” belief that got him to the top

✅ Why he quit FIFA after breaking 4 controllers

✅ How watching junior tapes changed his forehand — and his career

✅ His unfiltered opinion on on-court coaching in tennis

✅ What it’s really like growing up with two tennis pro parents

This is not just for tennis fans — it’s for anyone chasing greatness.

⏱️ Chapters:

05:20 – Early Competitiveness & Training Routines

12:10 – Learning to Handle Pressure & Expectations

26:00 – FIFA Rage & Broken Controllers

33:40 – Why He’s Against On-Court Coaching

36:30 – Rewatching Junior Forehand Before Indian Wells

40:30 – Delusional Belief in Going Pro

48:30 – Locker Room Breakdown After Turning Pro

51:00 – Advice to His Younger Self & Final Thoughts

Subscribe for more powerful stories from the biggest names in tennis.

#TaylorFritz #TennisPodcast #IndianWells #MentalToughness #ATP #TennisLife #TennisMindset

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