Tennis Insider Club

Why do tennis players lose matches they should win?Legendary coach and former World No. 4 Brad Gilbert breaks down the tactics, mindset and tiny margins that separate winning from losing — with lessons from coaching Andre Agassi and insights on Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Caroline Garcia.Brad explains why he once told Agassi, “I never beat you. You lost to yourself,” and how changing the way Andre thought about risk helped transform his results.In this episode of The Insight, Brad reveals:• Why hitting more winners doesn’t necessarily mean playing better tennis• The mistake players make when a game plan stops working• Why you shouldn’t change a winning strategy until your opponent forces you to• How just 5–7 points can decide an entire match• What Roger Federer’s 53% of points won teaches us about greatness• The tactic Andre Agassi hated — even while it was helping him win• Why Novak Djokovic is so effective in pressure moments and tiebreaks• How elite players prepare before a Grand Slam• Why one bad match can never be allowed to become fiveBrad Gilbert built his career around understanding how to win — even when winning doesn’t look pretty. This is a masterclass in playing smarter, managing risk and trusting your strengths when the pressure is highest.CHAPTERS00:00 “You lost to yourself” — Brad on Andre Agassi02:00 Why Caroline Garcia plays “massively risky”03:20 When your game plan isn’t working05:00 Don’t change a winning hand06:30 The tiny margins that decide tennis matches07:20 Federer won only 53% of his points08:15 The statistic Brad changed with Agassi10:00 Why great players need to adapt11:45 The tactic Andre Agassi hated13:30 How to play under pressure15:00 Why Djokovic is so good in tiebreaks17:00 Greatness happens in practice18:00 You don’t need to beat the whole draw19:00 How champions approach Grand Slams22:15 The matches that determine your rankingIf you enjoy conversations that go beyond the headlines and inside the minds of the people who know professional tennis best, subscribe to Tennis Insider Club.#BradGilbert #AndreAgassi #Tennis #TennisTips #WinningUgly #NovakDjokovic #RogerFederer #CarolineGarcia

Can a parent also be the coach? And can perfectionism create greatness without destroying the person?Former world No. 3 and Roger Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran for an honest conversation about tennis parents, junior development, elite coaching and the hidden cost of becoming one of the best.Ivan explains why parents should be responsible for developing the human being—not coaching the tennis player—and how even a small expression of doubt can undermine a child’s relationship with their coach. He discusses parents who project their own ambitions, the difficult transition toward independence, and why a parent can never fully occupy both roles.They also explore why results should not be the objective, how Jannik Sinner focuses on constant improvement, why junior success can be misleading, and what players should value when choosing a coach.Ivan then reveals what made Roger Federer so professional and coachable, how Federer treated the people around him, and why the greatest players never stop adding new tools to their game.In this episode:• The biggest mistakes tennis parents make• How to raise an ambitious but independent young athlete• Why results are outside a player’s control• The relationship between perfectionism, success and happiness• How to choose the right coach• Why player and coach must share the same ambition• The danger of becoming successful too young• How elite tennis teams are built• What players can learn from Roger Federer• Why players must take ownership of their careersCan a parent successfully be both the parent and the coach? Share your perspective in the episode comments.Follow Tennis Insider Club for more honest conversations with the greatest players, coaches and minds in tennis.

Ben Shelton did not seriously choose tennis until he was 11. His father and coach, Bryan Shelton, reveals how he helped build Ben’s extraordinary confidence—without controlling him, limiting his personality or coaching the talent out of him.From setting his own alarm for 6 a.m. practices to leaving college early and eventually asking his father to join him on tour, Ben’s journey was built around responsibility, independence and belief.Bryan explains why he only gives Ben “five or ten percent” of what he knows, why he smiles from the player box even when things are going badly, and why parents should ask more questions instead of constantly telling young athletes what to do.This is The Insight: the most powerful lessons from our complete conversation with Bryan Shelton.Watch the full Bryan Shelton episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JOp69bDfkgCHAPTERS00:00 Ben Didn’t Want to Play Tennis 01:24 The 6 A.M. Practice Rule 02:08 Developing the Person, Not Just the Player 03:05 Ben’s Unusual Confidence 04:18 Don’t Put Him in a Box 05:18 Raising the Floor Without Lowering the Ceiling 06:22 Keep Making the Right Mistakes 07:48 Why Ben Left College Early 10:23 “Dad, You Have to Come Out Here With Me” 10:50 Balancing Being a Father and Coach 12:12 Why Bryan Only Gives Ben 10% 12:54 Why Bryan Always Smiles 13:58 What Parents Project From the Player Box 15:24 Confidence Before Results 17:18 Bryan’s Advice to Parents 19:18 The Lesson Every Sports Parent Should HearFollow Tennis Insider Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennisinsiderclub/X: https://x.com/tennisinsiderclSubscribe for honest conversations with the players, coaches and people shaping professional tennis.#BenShelton #Tennis #TennisInsiderClub

Corentin Moutet is known for playing—and reacting—differently. But behind the emotional moments and public labels is a player trying to understand why losing once felt unbearable, why tennis celebrates personality and then punishes it, and how to find peace in a sport he still loves.In this honest conversation with Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán, Corentin explains why he never learned how to lose, how winning became connected to his self-worth, why he struggled to control his emotions, and what facing Carlos Alcaraz revealed about his game.He also opens up about being misunderstood as lazy, the freedom he finds through music, his unique relationship with Roland-Garros, why he believes tennis culture must evolve, and the goal that matters more to him than rankings or money: finding peace before his career ends.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Why Moutet couldn’t stop breaking rackets01:00 Growing up with tennis as a game06:00 The origins of his unique playing style08:00 Why he never learned how to lose13:00 Anger, rackets and emotional control15:00 When winning became personal worth21:00 The mentality hurting professional athletes23:00 Tennis promotes personality—then punishes it27:00 What Carlos Alcaraz exposed in his game33:00 Unlearning childhood beliefs36:00 Music, balance and being misunderstood44:00 Why Roland-Garros feels like home47:00 Why tennis culture must change49:00 “Tennis is boring” and the ATP contradiction52:00 His goals beyond results56:00 Finding peace before retirementTennis Insider Club is where the people who have lived professional tennis share the stories and lessons fans rarely get to hear.Subscribe for more honest, player-to-player conversations from inside the tour.LISTEN TO TENNIS INSIDER CLUBListen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1SDHHtfQmUS0TyP8wqJEh9Listen on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tennis-insider-club/id1721351881FOLLOW TENNIS INSIDER CLUBInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/tennisinsiderclub/X:https://x.com/tennisinsidercl

Tim Henman joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán to discuss Wimbledon pressure, prize money, family legacy and what success really means.A former World No.4 and four-time Wimbledon semifinalist, Tim opens up about growing up with Wimbledon in his family, carrying British expectations, the debate around Grand Slam prize money, and why tennis needs better communication between players and tournaments. Caroline, Borja and Tim also explore parenting, pressure, respect, success beyond winning, and how the sport can build a healthier future.Follow Tennis Insider Club for unfiltered conversations with the world’s best tennis players, coaches and insiders.

Marta Kostyuk’s coach Sandra Zaniewska joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran on Tennis Insider Club for a deep conversation about emotions, pressure, coaching, parents, data, recovery and what it really takes to build a top tennis player.Sandra shares how she went from professional player to coach, what she learned from working with Petra Martić and Alizé Cornet, and how she built a long-term relationship with Marta Kostyuk. She explains why she loves emotional players, why the goal is not to get rid of emotions, and how Marta is learning to turn them into strength.They also discuss the pressure of winning titles, the difference between being an underdog and a top seed, why Sandra does not set ranking goals, how she uses data to measure progress, how players can recover mentally during a long WTA season, and why tennis parents need more education and support.This episode is for Marta Kostyuk fans, tennis coaches, tennis parents, junior players, WTA fans, and anyone interested in elite sport, mental performance and high performance.This episode is sponsored by IM8.IM8 Daily Essentials is one of Caroline’s non-negotiables. One sachet includes 99 clinically dosed ingredients supporting gut health, energy, immunity, joint support and more. IM8 Longevity Powder is designed to support your body at a cellular level for long-term health and performance.Try IM8 here: https://iam8health.com/discount/TICUse code TIC at checkout for 10% off your first order.Follow Tennis Insider Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennisinsiderclub/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tennisinsiderclubSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SDHHtfQmUS0TyP8wqJEh9Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tennis-insider-club/id1721351881Chapters:00:00 Intro: emotions, parents and coaching00:42 How Sandra Zaniewska started playing tennis02:20 Why you don’t need to start tennis at age three03:00 Retiring as a player and becoming a coach04:05 IM8 Daily Essentials ad05:20 From player to coach: the transition06:30 Coaching Petra Martić and learning on the job08:00 Petra Martić’s French Open quarterfinal and Sandra’s breakthrough moment09:15 Why coach-player splits feel like breakups11:00 Learning to coach different personalities12:00 How to start with a new player and build trust14:00 Joining a team and working with staff14:40 Coaching Marta Kostyuk under pressure17:00 Why Sandra loves emotional players19:15 The pressure of being an underdog vs a top seed22:00 What happens after winning a title23:15 Managing expectations after big success24:00 Marta Kostyuk’s “princess treatment” at Roland Garros25:20 Why Marta skipped Rome26:00 Mental recovery and protecting the player27:00 Why Sandra told Marta to consider stopping her season29:00 Giving players space outside tennis30:30 Learning when not to play32:00 The ranking trap and outside pressure33:30 What parents misunderstand in junior tennis35:00 Why tennis parents need more education36:00 Sandra’s advice to parents of young players38:30 Parents living through their children40:30 Why players must enjoy the journey42:30 What really changed before Marta Kostyuk’s breakthrough45:00 Why Sandra doesn’t set ranking goals46:30 Using data to prove progress48:15 How long should a coach-player relationship last?49:45 The stats Sandra uses with Marta Kostyuk51:00 Scouting opponents and choosing the right tools

Eugenie Bouchard returns to Tennis Insider Club for one of her most honest conversations yet.After reaching the Wimbledon final at 20, becoming one of the most talked-about players in tennis, and carrying the pressure of expectation for years, Genie opens up about why she really decided to retire.In this episode, she talks with Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran about the emotional cost of elite tennis, the pressure to repeat her 2014 breakthrough, the criticism she received for building a life beyond the court, the injuries she played through, and the strange freedom that came once she finally said: this is the end.Genie explains that she did not retire because she could no longer play. She still knew she could compete. But the demands of giving everything to tennis left little room for anything else in life. She also reflects on the mental spiral after difficult losses, how negative self-talk can become dangerous, and why being famous so young is much harder than people imagine.This is a conversation about retirement, but also about identity, ambition, sacrifice, fame, pressure, and learning to define success on your own terms.Follow Tennis Insider Club for more honest conversations with the biggest names in tennis.

Before what is expected to be his final Roland Garros, Gaël Monfils opens up about one of the biggest misconceptions of his career: that it was ever just about the show.For years, fans saw the smile, the energy, the jumping smashes, the tweeners, and the impossible athleticism. But behind all of that, Gaël says there was always one thing first: the desire to win.In this short episode, Gaël reflects on the pressure of being called a “showman,” why his spectacular style came naturally to him, the sacrifices behind a long career, the weight of comparison, and why enjoying the journey has been essential to surviving more than two decades at the highest level.As he prepares for his last Roland Garros before retiring at the end of the season, this is a tribute to one of tennis’ most beloved players — in his own words.This episode is sponsored by IM8.🔗 Try IM8 and get 10% off your first order → im8health.com/discount/TICUse code TIC at checkout.🎧 Follow Tennis Insider Club for more honest conversations with the biggest names in tennis.

Madison Keys joins us for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on Tennis Insider Club.After years of being told she would win a Grand Slam, Madison opens up about the pressure that followed her from a very young age, the weight of expectations, and the painful thought that no matter how much she had achieved, her career might still feel incomplete without a Slam.She reflects on the 2017 US Open final, the emotional exhaustion of Grand Slam runs, playing Sloane Stephens in New York, and how badly it hurt to feel so close to a dream and watch it disappear so quickly.Madison also shares the inner work that changed everything: therapy, separating her self-worth from results, learning to stop living only for tennis, and finally reaching the point where she could say, “I’m just going to play tennis how I want to play it.”Then she won the Australian Open.This episode is about pressure, perfectionism, identity, friendship, balance, and the difficult but powerful process of becoming kinder to yourself.Chapters:00:00 Madison Keys on feeling like a failure without a Slam00:39 How Venus Williams inspired Madison to start tennis03:42 Sponsor break: IM804:55 Turning pro at 1407:42 Being called “the next Serena Williams”09:18 The pressure of not winning a Grand Slam12:15 The pain of the 2017 US Open final18:00 Therapy, letting go, and finally winning Australia21:35 Why winning brought old habits back25:28 Separating Madison the person from Madison the player29:15 What’s the point of winning if you’re miserable?31:35 Did winning the Australian Open feel like relief?34:00 Radical honesty and avoiding easy tennis excuses36:35 Perfectionism: gift or curse?41:48 Having her husband as her coach46:15 What motivates Madison now?50:25 Madison’s foundation and giving kids access to tennis54:35 Madison’s advice to her younger selfThis episode is sponsored by IM8.Get 10% off your first order. Code TIC auto-applies at checkout:https://im8health.com/discount/TICA special thank you to InterContinental Rome for hosting us.Follow Tennis Insider Club:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennisinsiderclub/X: https://x.com/tennisinsidercl