The Functional Tennis Podcast

Lukáš Klein has been as high as 109 in the world, won five Challenger titles and finished 2025 as Slovakia’s Player of the Year. Then 2026 brought two surgeries: his back in March, and his hand just days before we spoke.

We talk about how he’s coping, why time at home with his one-year-old son has been the silver lining, and his plan to be back competing next spring.

We discuss:

• What really separates Futures, Challengers and the ATP.
• The week the ATP withdrew him from Ortisei by mistake, and how he still won the title.
• Being two sets to one up on Zverev at the Australian Open.
• Beating Stan Wawrinka in Gstaad, and Stan’s unbelievable chip returns.
• Why he’s stuck with the Head Prestige when so many players have moved on.

A great listen for players and parents chasing the next level. Prestige fans, go back to Ep 278 with HEAD’s Max Defregger for 25 years of the iPrestige.

Hope you enjoy!

Fabio

How much time should your child spend on court and when does more practice stop helping?

Coach Piotr Sierzputowski returns to the Functional Tennis Podcast to discuss one of the questions I hear most often from parents. Focusing on players aged 16–18, we explore his approach to training hours, why the quality of each session matters, and why adding more practice isn’t always the answer.

We chat about group versus individual training, balancing tennis with fitness and school, and recognising when a player needs more recovery. We also catch up on his coaching journey and the lessons he’s learned working across the women’s and men’s tours.

A conversation for parents, coaches and players trying to find the right balance between working hard and staying fresh.

Jonas Eriksson, aka Tennisnerd, is back for our annual racket catch-up on the Functional Tennis Podcast.

We discuss why the new Babolat Pure Aero has divided opinion, why players are stocking up on the 2023 version, and whether Wilson can take the crown in our Racket of the Year vote.

We also get into the latest from Head, Dunlop and Tecnifibre, why some pros switch back to their old rackets, and the balance between power, spin, control and comfort. Plus, Jonas talks about his Toroline string collaboration and reveals the racket he’d reach for with a big match on the line.

Plenty of racket chat to help you weigh up your next switch or appreciate what’s already in your bag.

What makes the HEAD Prestige so special, and where does it fit in today’s game?

I am joined by Max Defregger, HEAD’s Global Business Unit Manager for Tennis Rackets, Bags and Accessories, to celebrate 25 years of the iPrestige and explore the two rackets marking the occasion: the iPrestige MP 2.0 and the Prestige Limited.

Max takes us behind the scenes of bringing a classic back, explaining what HEAD wanted to preserve from the original and how the more forgiving Prestige Limited offers a modern interpretation of that familiar feel.

We discuss:

• The iPrestige’s memorable 2001 season, including Goran Ivanišević’s Wimbledon triumph.
• The differences between the two new rackets and who each is designed for.
• Racket development, molds and professional player customisation.
• Why Prestige still has a place in an era of power and topspin.
• A hint of what HEAD has planned for the Prestige’s 40th anniversary in 2027.

Whether you grew up playing with a Prestige or are curious about its loyal following, this episode explores the appeal of one of tennis’s most recognisable racket lines.

Ryan Peniston left his family at just 13 years old to move to France and pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player. After five years there, he moved to the United States to play college tennis at the University of Memphis spending nine formative years away from home.

In this episode, Ryan reflects on the sacrifices involved and whether he would make the same decision again. He also discusses reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 123, defeating Casper Ruud at Queen’s, playing at Wimbledon and the injuries that have disrupted his career.

We also explore the financial and mental realities of professional tennis, his recovery from a lower-back stress fracture, his work with Young Lives vs Cancer and his early experiences in commentary and punditry.

Hope you enjoy!

Fabio

College tennis has never been stronger on court… but behind the scenes, major changes are happening.

In this episode, I’m joined by ITA CEO Dave Mullins to break down what’s really going on in US college tennis right now.

We discuss NIL deals, players getting paid, why some universities are cutting tennis programmes, and whether the current system is sustainable long term.

We also chat about:

• Why more international players are choosing the college pathway
• How college tennis is producing stronger ATP and WTA players than ever
• The growing financial pressures inside college athletics
• Why Olympic sports are under threat
• The future of NCAA tennis
• What players and parents should know before choosing the college route

Whether you’re a junior player, parent, coach, or tennis fan, this episode gives a real insight into one of the biggest shifts happening in tennis development today.

While at the Italian Open in Rome with ASICS, I got the chance to sit down with Luciano Darderi for this mini episode of the Functional Tennis Podcast.

Luciano talks about growing up between Argentina and Italy, being coached by his dad, and why his family sacrificed so much to help him pursue professional tennis. He also shares what changed as he climbed the rankings, what separates the very best players from the rest, and what it actually feels like practising and competing against players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

We also chat about Luciano becoming an official ASICS athlete after previously buying and wearing their shoes himself, and how a pair of ASICS shoes helped him through a difficult foot injury period before his breakthrough run on tour.

A short episode, but plenty of insight into life at the top level of the game.

In this short episode from the Italian Open in Rome, I sit down with Mattia Bellucci for a quick chat about his journey from an average junior career to breaking into the ATP Top 100.

Mattia talks about growing up in Italy, being coached by his dad, why he decided to stop focusing on juniors and jump into Futures events early, and what changed once he started competing at ATP level. He also shares what it feels like playing in Rome in front of the Italian crowd and his move to becoming an official ASICS Tennis athlete this year after previously buying and wearing their shoes himself. Mattia now wears the Solution Speed FF 4 and explains why he made the switch from the Resolution line.

This episode was recorded while I was in Rome with ASICS, who brought me over for a few days around the tournament. I also recorded a short chat with Luciano Darderi, which will be live in the coming days.

What does it actually take to compete at the top level in under-12 tennis today?

In this episode, I’m at the IMG Future Stars in Greece, where some of the best young players in the world come together to compete, learn, and experience life at a high-performance event.

I sit down with Sebastian Lavie to get his perspective as a coach on what’s changed over the last few years, what stands out at this level now, and what players really need if they want to progress.

We talk about the level of the players, how the event has evolved, and the realities of junior development today.

Sebastian’s player, Tatiana Na, also joins us briefly during the conversation, giving a small insight into what it’s like competing at this level.

If you’re a parent, coach, or player trying to understand the pathway in tennis, this will give you a good feel for what’s actually happening at the top end of junior tennis right now.

🎾 Check out episode 2 of my YouTube series where I test my level against better players.

I take on Peter Buldorini, a 21-year-old ATP 900, in two champions tiebreaks.

Watch now by tapping here.

I tried something new.

For a long time, I’ve talked about starting a YouTube channel where I get back on court and test myself against players better than me. The reality is, I never really had the time to do it properly.

Now I’ve finally started.

In this first video, I take on one of Ireland’s best players, Sinead Lohan, to see how I stack up and to explore the level difference.

This is the first of many, and I’m still figuring out the format, so I’d really appreciate your feedback.

You can watch the full video here