TennisWorthy

Patrick McEnroe reconnects with Olympic gold medalist and former world top 10 player Marc Rosset for a candid reflection on the evolution of Swiss tennis. Before Roger Federer became a global icon, Rosset was one of the few players putting Switzerland on the tennis map. The two revisit their shared history, tracing Federer’s journey from a relaxed, PlayStation-loving teenager to the legendary champion who redefined the sport.

Rosset provides rare, behind-the-scenes insights into Federer’s unique mindset, his legendary work ethic with physical coach Pierre Paganini, and the pivotal moments—both on and off the court—that shaped his career.

Highlights:

• Mentoring a Legend: Rosset recounts his early days on tour with a teenage Federer, sharing memories of the young prodigy who was more focused on video games than the pressure of the professional circuit.
• The Myth of the Backhand: Challenging common narratives, Rosset explains that Federer’s late-career backhand surge wasn't a technical overhaul, but a mental and physical shift that allowed him to dominate the court.
• Beyond the Court: The duo explores how Federer’s genuine personality, humble upbringing, and ability to stay present turned him from a tennis star into a universally beloved global figure.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and uncovers the sport's history and mindset of champions.

Listen to every episode and view transcripts at tennisfame.com/podcast.

Few players attuned themselves to the physical demands of tennis like Hall of Famer Jim Courier, especially on clay. The two-time Roland-Garros champion details the commitment to fitness that transformed him from a promising junior into a 4-time major champion.

Discover how his legendary conditioning allowed him to dominate the toughest five-set matches and ultimately earn his place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

This episode is part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's TennisWorthy short-form series. View more TennisWorthy stories at tennisfame.com/tennisworthy.

Roland-Garros is here, and we take an in-depth look at the rich history and evolution of the year's second major. Chris Bowers sits down with François Thomazeau—former Reuters Paris Bureau sports editor and past president of the French Tennis Federation's Press Commission—to explore how a cozy "garden party" venue was transformed into a premier global powerhouse.

The conversation highlights the monumental impact of Hall of Famer Philippe Chatrier, the visionary administrator who modernized the stadium, launched talent scouting programs, and reshaped France’s sports culture. Thomazeau shares intimate reflections on his decades spent covering the tournament, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the unique spirit of Roland Garros.

Highlights:

• The Chatrier Revolution: How Philippe Chatrier expanded the tournament infrastructure, moving it from a single-court facility to a bustling multi-court tennis complex.
• A Cultural Shift: How the iconic triumphs of Yannick Noah in 1983 and the Davis Cup team in 1991 shifted French fandom from celebrating "magnificent losers" to embracing winners.
• The "Garden Party" Charm: Why the tournament uniquely blends a high-society celebrity hotspot with intimate, quiet spaces like the junior courts and surrounding gardens.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and uncovers the sport's history and mindset of champions.

Listen to every episode and view transcripts at tennisfame.com/podcast.

Patrick McEnroe welcomes 25-time major champion, youngest ever world No. 1 and Hall of Famer Martina Hingis to her TennisWorthy Podcast debut. The duo reconnect in a fascinating chat, exploring Martina’s abilities as "chess master on a tennis court".

This episode dives deep into the meteoric rise of a teenage prodigy whose ability to anticipate shots was unlike anything the tennis world had ever seen. Martina reflects on her unique journey, from hitting balls with a wooden racquet in her living room at age two, to becoming world No. 1 at age 16 and eventually, one of the all-time greats.

Highlights:

• The "Genius" Label: Why she viewed her early success as a lack of pressure rather than a burden.
• Legendary Rivalries: Her experiences battling the power of the Williams sisters, the tenacity of Jennifer Capriati, and the speed of Stefanie Graf.
• The Evolution of the Game: How she navigated the shift from tactical "touch" tennis to the modern era of pure power (and social media).
• The Comebacks: What drew her back to professional tennis multiple times, and domination on the doubles court.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and uncovers the sport's history and mindset of champions.

Listen to every episode and view transcripts at tennisfame.com/podcast.

Patrick McEnroe catches up with friend and Hall of Famer Pam Shriver from Rome, where she's coaching as part of Yonex's Mindset and Performance Program. In a wide ranging chat, Shriver reflects on her meteoric rise from a 16-year-old US Open finalist to one of the greatest doubles players in history.

She dives into her new "startup" coaching role with Yonex, emphasizing the critical importance of a growth mindset in today’s power-driven game. From navigating the locker room of the Original 9 era to her recent advocacy for player safeguarding, Shriver shares candid insights on how tennis has evolved. Plus, don’t miss a spirited "rapid fire" round covering her toughest rivals and favorite tennis cities.

Pam Shriver is a 21-time major champion, former world No. 1 in doubles, No. 3 in singles and Olympic gold medalist. Alongside fellow Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova, the duo are the only women's doubles team in history to complete the calendar Grand Slam (1984). She continues to lend her voice and deep tennis insight as a broadcast commentator and coach.

Patrick and Chris are joined by Swiss author and journalist Simon Graf to discuss his career covering the enduring legacy of Roger Federer. The trio explores Federer’s remarkable journey, from his days as a ball boy for one of Patrick's matches in Basel, to becoming a global icon who redefined the game by blending old-school technique with modern power.

The conversation highlights Federer’s extraordinary character, specifically his genuine interest in others and his ability to remain grounded despite his "circus-like" fame. Graf shares personal anecdotes about Federer’s authenticity, while McEnroe and Bowers reflects on his "stubbornness" as a champion—an attribute that fueled his late-career reinvention and his emotional breakthrough at Roland Garros in 2009. The conversation is an intimate look at why the world remains captivated by the man who simply "loved the craft" of tennis.

Simon Graf is a journalist for Tages-Anzeiger, the Swiss national daily newspaper based in Zurich. He is the author of three books on Roger Federer, including a biography and The Roger Federer Effect alongside Simon Cambers.

This week, we remember the legacy and impact of Dr. Jim Loehr, a groundbreaking performance psychologist in tennis, who passed last week at age 83. Last year, Patrick McEnroe and Dr. Loehr had an insightful conversation on mental toughness and the whole person behind elite performance, which we're resharing today.

Dr. Loehr's contributions to tennis were profound and lasting. Over more than three decades, he worked alongside some of the sport's most respected coaches and guided thousands of professional and junior players. His landmark first book, Mental Toughness Training for Sports, features a foreword by Arthur Ashe, and remains a foundational text for athletes to this day.

His reach extended well beyond tennis. Dr. Loehr worked with more than 17 number-one-ranked athletes and teams across professional tennis, golf, basketball, football, hockey, boxing, motorsport, and the Olympics. His energy management principles were applied across sports, business, medicine, and the military. He authored 19 books, including the co-authored bestseller The Power of Full Engagement.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. For more information and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Patrick McEnroe sits down with renowned journalist and author Christopher Clarey to discuss the legacy of Roger Federer. Drawing from his book, The Master, Clarey explores Federer’s transformation from a volatile, "hotheaded" teenager into a global cultural icon defined by grace and grit.

The conversation delves into the pivotal figures behind Federer’s success—including Peter Carter, Pierre Paganini, and his wife, Mirka—while examining his legendary rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Clarey also reveals Federer’s philosophy for longevity: the ability to "clench and unclench" the fist to avoid burnout. It's insightful look at the resilience and aesthetic beauty that cemented Federer as a true master of the sport.

Christopher Clarey covered tennis, the Olympics and more for the New York Times for over 30 years, and remains a leading journalist in tennis. He is the author of The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer and most recently, The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay. Chris continues to give his current tennis insights at Christopher Clarey's Tennis and Beyond on Substack.

The TennisWorthy Podcast, presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, uncovers the sport's history and mindset of champions. Listen to every episode and view transcripts at tennisfame.com/podcast.

In this inspiring episode, Patrick McEnroe sits down with one of the individuals who created and formalized wheelchair tennis: Hall of Famer Brad Parks.

Following a life-altering skiing accident, Parks turned his competitive spirit toward tennis. Hear how he collaborated with recreational therapist Jeff Minnebraker to build a lightweight aluminum chair. Parks details the development of the "two-bounce rule", tweaking to push a wheelchair while holding a racket, and laying the groundwork for an adaptive sport.

Parks shares the remarkable journey of the game’s evolution—from the early days of playing in heavy hospital wheelchairs with wooden rackets to the high-tech, elite global competition it is today. He reflects on the challenges of balancing his roles as a top-ranked player and the sport’s lead administrator, his historic Paralympic gold medal win, and his 2010 induction into the Hall of Fame.

The TennisWorthy Podcast, presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, uncovers the sport's history and mindset of champions. Listen to every episode and view transcripts at tennisfame.com/podcasts.

In this special edition of the Tennisworthy Podcast, Patrick McEnroe and Chris Bowers highlight and celebrate 2026's 50th anniversary of the sport of Wheelchair Tennis. Chris brights insightful intergenerational conversations with three of the sport's most decorated athletes: Diede de Groot, Daniela Di Toro, and Gordon Reid.

The guests reflect on the dramatic evolution of the game, from playing in everyday collapsible wheelchairs to the elite athleticism seen today at all four Grand Slams. They discuss the "Dutch dominance" inspired by legend Esther Vergeer, the importance of visibility for women in disability sports, and the shift toward being recognized as high-performance athletes rather than just "inspirational" backstories. From Paralympic gold medals to the "running tennis" vs. able-bodied debate, discover how wheelchair tennis has spent 50 years breaking barriers and building a global community.

Diede de Groot is one of the most accomplished athletes in wheelchair tennis history. She is a 42-time major champion, and former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles. She is the first wheelchair tennis player to ever complete the quintuple career Grand Slam, and is a five-time Paralympic medalist for the Netherlands.

Daniela Di Toro is a former world No. 1 in singles, and captured two US Open titles, the 2000 Wheelchair Tennis Masters Doubles title, and two-time Paralympic medalist. Following her 2005 retirement, she remains active in the wheelchair tennis community in her home country of Australia.

Gordon Reid is a 29-time major champion, including a record 27 in doubles, and former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles. The Brit has captured three Paralympic medals, including gold with partner Alfie Hewett in 2024.