My Tennis Journey

Junior tennis players who compete play a LOT of tennis. They focus on the technical. They focus on strength and conditioning. They focus on the tactical. My question for you today is this… how much time do they spend focusing on the hugely important mental side of the game? How do you play at your best when it matters most? How do you deal with a perceived injustice? Out? Are you sure? How do you go again and again when things aren’t going your way? How can you see a defeat as a learning opportunity rather than a disaster? My hunch is that your player spends less time working on the mental side of the game than they do on the technical, tactical and physical sides. Ask them. See if I’m right. I hope listening to today’s episode, and hearing the wisdom and approach of Nicole Discenza, might make you think about that. Maybe the mental side of the game will move up the priority list a little. Nicole Discenza hails from Venezuela. She started playing tennis aged three and rose to a junior ranking of No.1 in her country. Nicole then moved to the States where she played D1 college tennis — an experience she describes as the best of her life. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Nicole realised her passion lay in the mental side of the game, and she has dedicated herself to helping junior players in this area ever since. In today’s episode, we focus on why the mental side of tennis matters so much, what parents need to understand, and how they can help their players become mentally stronger. I hope you enjoy listening to Nicole as much as I did. If you’d like to find out more about Nicole’s approach please do take a look at her Instagram . Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Today’s episode is a belter for two reasons! Firstly, because our guest, Abbie Breakwell, has already had an amazing tennis journey although she’s only 23 years old! Abbie is one of the UK’s leading wheelchair tennis players who competed for Team GB in the 2024 Paralympic Games. The second reason is it a belter is because this episode is hosted by a special guest called Charlie. Charlie is 15 years old and was one of the very first pupils I coached when I became a full time coach. Charlie has always had a flair on the court and as you’ll hear he also has a flair for interviewing! We hear from Abbie about what it was like to compete in the Paralympics and what life inside the Olympic village was like. We hear about what it’s like to be a player on tour and what Abbie’s hopes and dreams for the future are. I hope you’ll enjoy listening to the episode as much I did! FOLLOW ABBIE ON INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/abbiebreakwell Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Sports parents - how are you finding the journey? Rewarding? Stressful? Exciting? Anxiety inducing? Relationship enhancing? Expensive financially? Expensive emotionally? Any of those? All of those! Either way, I honestly believe that today’s episode will help you. Help you with the approach you take as a sports parent! Today’s guest is Garry Linton, Garry is US based and is a leading voice in parenting and youth sports. He publishes Instagram posts which are ace under takeflightcoach . Posts you’ll learn from and want to share with those you care about. Garry’s sport is basketball but as you’ll hear his guidance is relevant to all sports. In this podcast, we’ll work through some of Garry’s amazing Instagram posts and go deep on the messages he conveys. The original posts are amazing - the additional insight Garry gives in this episode even more so. I wish I’d known about Garry’s posts and his approach when I was starting out on the sports parenting journey - if you like what you hear today how about sharing this episode and Garry’s Instagram account with any sports parents you know who it might help! I think you’ll be doing them a favour… Follow Garry's Take Flight Instagram account Find out more about Garry's sports parenting journey and book a consultation. Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Make no mistake, County Tennis needs your support in 2026! I’ll explain why… In Q4 2025, the LTA decided to make the 2025 Adult Winter County Cup the last ever staging of the event - a decision made by the LTA and one of their sub-committees without a meaningful consultation - and in 2026 they will launch a review into county competitions - it is like to include Junior County Cups and Summer County Week. The power of County Tennis to bring communities together, initiate life long friendships and play a major role in the game development of players should never be under estimated. So if you are passionate about County Tennis please take a listen to this podcast episode for my take on what has happened, what is likely to come next and how you can help! And to kickstart showing your support for County Tennis, please join the Friends of County Cup and County Week Facebook group - together we are stronger. Here’s to 2026 — a year where County competitions are shaped with the community, not for it. Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

When you think of the voice of tennis who do you think of? There are some great commentators / co-commentators out there from David Law to Annabel Croft but for me personally there is only one answer. I think of Russell Fuller. When it comes to experiencing big tennis events and immersing myself in to them - my go to is not the TV it is most definitely the radio. Russell Fuller is the BBC Tennis Correspondent and many of you will know his commentaries from Wimbledon and the other big tournaments. Tennis Journeys take all sorts of different pathways. All sorts of different destinations. They can’t all lead to Wimbledon glory. But so many to lead to incredible adventures. Russell’s journey to BBC Tennis Correspondent is a compelling one and I hope you’ll enjoy hearing about it as much as I did… Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Today’s guests Dr. Amanda Stanec and Richard Way are on a mission to protect the joy children get from sport! After reading their book Protect The Joy and chatting with them on this episode it is a mission I am joining them on! And with as many as 70% of children quitting sport by the onset of adolescence, it’s a quest I hope you’ll support. From burn out to early specialisation, an overwhelming focus on results to it just not being any fun anymore there’s loads of reasons why children quit sport. We dive deep into these areas in today’s episode and also look at ways that you can proactively help keep the joy. Listen to today’s episode (and read Protect The Joy) and you’ll be onboard with why forward thinking governing bodies like Tennis Canada are championing Long Term Athlete Development. You’ll understand why the way a competition system for juniors is designed can be responsible for the challenges you see in the actions of coaches and the behaviour of parents. You’ll know why you should be championing task based goals and keeping away from solely focusing on ego based goals! So what are you waiting for? Hit PLAY now! About Dr. Amanda Stanec and Richard and the Protect The Joy Book Amanda was born in Canada and is the founder of MoveLiveLearn, has a PhD in physical education, has played soccer at uni and is Mum to three sports playing daughters. Richard is also Canadian and is the founder of the Sport for Life society. He is a leading light in the field of Long Term Athlete Development. Richard is also Dad to three sports playing children. Protect the Joy is available now and offers a fresh, positive approach to youth sports, helping parents, coaches and sports leaders create a supportive environment where children can thrive. With practical strategies for collaboration and empathy, this book ensures that sports remain fun and growth-focused, empowering kids to build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love for physical activity. BUY PROTECT THE JOY HARDBACK ON AMAZON UK BUY PROTECT THE JOY KINDLE EDITION ON AMAZON UK BUY FROM PROTECT THE JOY WEBSITE (SHIPPING TO UK UNAVAILABLE) Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

You’ll have seen products that come with government health warnings. Don’t do this or this might happen. My question for you today is this, should the junior tennis journey come with a financial health warning? And I think the answer is YES! If your player ends up spinning on the hamster wheel which is performance junior tennis, it is going to cost you. Individual lessons, group sessions, rackets, tournament fees, travel costs, strings, shoes, clothes…the list could (and does) go on and on. The reason for this episode is that I don’t think anyone really warns parents of what the costs are going to be. And I think they absolutely should. So what is the price of a tennis journey? Just as everyone’s journey is different, so everyone’s costs are different. But I want to put a marker in the sand to give some sort of indication of what you’ll be looking at. And that is the point of this episode. Ahead of publication, I shared the costs listed in this episode with some tennis parents and asked them what they thought. The majority thought I had been conservative. That the journey costs more. I find the cost I came up with mind blowing - but the fact is it is probably on the conservative side for many families who are on this journey. That’s even more mind blowing I don’t want this to be a depressing episode - the benefits of a tennis journey are many and have been covered extensively on this podcast. And this absolutely isn’t me having a go at tennis coaches and their charges - coaches work incredibly hard often in unsocial hours and need to earn a living. I do, however, think parents whose children are starting on the journey should be aware of what could be in store cost wise. Maybe in time we can do an episode on solutions to the problem of junior tennis costs - but for now let’s start with what the costs are… Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Let me start with a confession - at times I’ve found being a tennis parent challenging! The trials and tribulations of the ‘performance’ tennis journey have surprised and at times shocked me. So three experts coming together to create an online course that aims to help tennis parents navigate a positive path through the journey has to be a good thing! That’s exactly what Dr Liya Jacob (wellness coach and tennis parent), Chris Johnson (Level 5 Master Coach) and Ellie-Rose Griffiths (former GB jnr no.1) have done. An online course called Winning Tennis Parents full of helpful information and tips to help parents help themselves and their players. The course is live now and costs £49.99 - less than a pair of new tennis shoes or a couple of individual lessons! I found this episode and the course mega useful and I hope you will too! The episode is really a taster for the course and after listening I’d really encourage you to go that one step further and enrol on the course. I’ve gone through the course and all the materials and it is excellent. I think it will help me with our tennis journey. ENROLL ON THE WINNING PARENTS TENNIS COURSE NOW Music Credits Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

PLS NOTE: There is some swearing in this episode and it is not one that is suitable for children. What’s it like to be the no.1 12U player in the World? To be the youngest player ever to be signed by the IMG management company. To win a full scholarship to one of the most famous tennis academies in the World. Reckon the future for that player and his family was bright? Fame and riches around the corner? Today’s guest, Todd Ley who hails from Adelaide in Australia, was in exactly that position. And has written all about that part of the journey and what happened next in a searingly honest book called Smashed . As you’ll hear today, what happened next was not fame and fortune. What came next was darkness and at times despair. A chapter which Todd is now moving on from as he rides the rollercoaster of life working in the world of coaching - and I hope setting down what happened in the book will help him do just that. It has certainly helped me think about the journey we are on as a tennis family and why we are on it. It has helped me gain perspective of what is important and for that I thank Todd. Today’s episode may not be easy listening at times, you might not agree with everything Todd says, but do take a listen because Todd’s story and messages will I think help our family and our tennis journeys and I hope it will maybe help yours too. Visit Todd Ley’s website to find about more about the book and BUY A COPY OF SMASHED NOW Thanks to FeedSpot for naming My Tennis Journey as a Top 5 UK tennis podcast - much appreciated! You can see the list here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/uk_tennis_podcasts/ MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

In this episode on why players, parents and coaches should absolutely think about what strings they put in their rackets, the Pro Tour stringer Huw Phillips who runs RacketSpec says: ‘You wouldn’t buy rubbish tyres and put it on a Formula 1 car. It’s the same with a tennis racket - it’s the strings that hit the ball’ He explains that you can make a £100 racket play ten times better by having it professionally restrung with decent strings and you can make a £300 racket play awful by having it strung badly. What’s more the strings you have in your racket could result in you or your player sustaining injury if they use strings which aren’t right for them. So what are you waiting for? Dive in and find out what it’s like to be a Pro Stringer, what strings you should be using on your racket, what the different tensions mean and why a light racket isn’t necessarily the way to go for young players. Ladies and gentleman, over to Huw Phillips to tell you all you need to know about tennis strings and tennis restringing. Enjoy… Click this link to find out more about Huw and his company RacketSpec MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Welcome to the 100th episode of My Tennis Journey. And what an episode it is! In many ways, Conor Niland has had the ultimate tennis journey. He’s taken the unbelievably hard step from promising junior to pro player. He’s played Grand Slam tennis. He’s played Davis Cup tennis. He reached number 129 in the World! Some achievement. Since retiring he’s become a Davis Cup captain. However, what Conor has become best known for is bringing the whole journey kicking and screaming to life in an absolutely brilliant book called The Racket. A book which became the first tennis book EVER to win the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year. A book that is about the rollercoaster of tennis and the rollercoaster of life. Whether you are a player, parent, coach or someone interested in what life is really like as a sporting professional, I reckon you’ll find the book a compelling read. And I think this podcast episode will give you a whole load to think about and reflect on. And that is why I’m very happy that the 100th episode of My Tennis Journey features Conor Niland! Enjoy. READ MORE ABOUT THE RACKET BY CONOR NILAND AND BUY IT NOW: MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Over the past 20 years, Spanish Tennis has established itself as the World leader when it comes to producing world class players and establishing world class academies. Led by coaches like Pato Alvarez and Louis Bruguera and players like Nadal, Muguruza and Alcaraz as well as foreign stars who have trained in Spain like Murray, Spain has been a leading force in World tennis. It’s little wonder therefore that players and parents have headed to Spain to aid their players’ development at the host of amazing academies. But what are the secrets of Spanish tennis and with powerhouses like France and Italy emerging, is Spain still as dominant as it once was and if not why not? In this episode we will find out from an absolute expert in the Spanish game. An American coach who was so passionate about Spanish tennis that he bought a plane ticket as a young man and headed to the academies of Spain where he became friends with Alvarez, Bruguera and a host of other top coaches. I’m passionate about Spanish tennis, our boys have trained at the Ferrer Academy near Alicante and when I studied for my Level 3 coaching qualification I took the RPT course - which is a Spanish organisation. I also bought a book by today’s guest called the Secrets of Spanish Tennis and I used the drills in it to drive my coaching. The book is now newly updated with new material including a chapter on Toni Nadal - and today author, coach and social media influencer Chris Lewit is going to share the six Secrets of Spanish tennis with you! Enjoy… BUY SECRETS OF SPANISH TENNIS ON AMAZON UK VISIT THE SECRETS OF SPANISH TENNIS WEBSITE Alternatively, to get hold of a signed copy of Secrets of Spanish Tennis Volume 2 please contact Chris Lewit directly on WhatsApp on +1 (914) 462-2912. MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Back in 2023, changes were made to LTA Junior County Cup 11U-14U that undoubtedly had good intentions but have resulted - I think - in a competition that just isn’t quite as good as it used to. The objectives behind the changes were worthy but as I hope my original blog post on LTA County Cup 11U-14U shows the actions taken are not resulting in the objective being met. I set out to find out if County Coaches and parents of players think the same way as I do or if they believe the changes are a good thing. To do this I put a survey live with some questions and a section where people could add their thoughts and ideas. I’m delighted to be able to share the survey results with you alongside news of my meeting with a member of the LTA competitions team and what the next steps are. A massive thanks to each and every person who took the time to share thoughts and ideas. Suffice to say, I see this as the beginning of a campaign for change not the end of one. MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Do you ever read a book and love it so much that you go round telling people about it? Like everyone you meet. That’s exactly what happened with myself and Conor Niland’s book The Racket! From his experience as a junior on the tournament circuit (one I know a lot of tennis parents will recognise) to his days on a tennis scholarship in the US to the rollercoaster ride that is the Pro Tour, Conor’s book is a compelling read. If you are anything like me, you’ll finish it in a couple of sittings. BUY THE RACKET BY CONOR NILAND HERE https://amzn.to/3Cg6ZAQ This is the first book review I’ve done on My Tennis Journey - and I hope it will be the first of many. It was inspired by my friends at Ashby Castle Tennis Club who when I went on about the book said we should start a Book Club. This podcast episode is dedicated to my friends at Ashby Castle and all the other friends I have made on the tournament circuit which Conor brings to life so eloquently in the book. If you’re a player, coach or tennis fan I think you’ll devour this book. It’s no surprise to me that it has been shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year for 2024. It would be a perfect Xmas present for you to give or receive! The podcast episode is a short one - it gives you six reasons why I think you’ll love the book. Enjoy. BUY THE RACKET BY CONOR NILAND HERE https://amzn.to/3Cg6ZAQ MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

You might have heard of tennis coach Todd Larkham for a host of reasons. It was Todd who spotted a young Nick Kyrgios and coached him through to the Pro Tour and beyond. It’s brilliant to hear about that journey on this episode. You may know Todd was some player reaching no.136 in the World and that he played at each and every Grand Slams. Or have you seen Todd is one of the Coaches who feature on the ace Coachlife website which brings hundreds of video lessons from the Junior Coaches of some of tennis’s greatest players? More on Coachlife below. After listening to this episode, though, I believe you’ll know Todd for giving some of the BESTEST guidance EVER for parents and coaches of aspiring junior tennis players. That’s not a throw away line. I mean it. Todd speaks with experience and from the heart. Whether you are a parent or coach, I 110% believe Todd can help you. Let him just do that by listening now… As I mentioned above, Todd is one of the coaches on the ace new Coachlife tennis coaching site. The site brings video lessons from the childhood coaches of Swiatek, Gauff, Fritz, Tiafoe and Jack Draper. The guidance dispensed is incredibly useful for parents and coaches. I really recommend you check it out and not just because there is a load more top guidance from Todd! Visit the Coachlife site here for your free 7 day trial: https://coachlife.com/?ref=TOL A big thanks to Peter Clarke who set up the Coachlife website and helped put me in touch with Todd. MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Just to be clear, County Cup’s one of my favourite things in the whole wide world. I want to start with this as everything you are going to listen to comes from a starting point of love and wanting to make something that is great even better! And you see, I do think Junior County Cup (focusing in on 11U, 12U and 14U) can be improved as a result of a couple of flaws - and I’d love to know if you agree and what improvements you’d make to LTA Junior County Cup. For avoidance of doubt, this is research I’m undertaking. It’s not affiliated to the LTA although I will look to share the findings with the relevant parties at the LTA. So have a listen and then please please HAVE YOUR SAY by visiting this link: www.serveandvolley.net/my-tennis-journey-podcast/lta-junior-county-cup-lets-make-it-even-better

Sporting parents, coaches and players - today you’re in for a treat! Wayne Goldsmith is an international coaching expert from Australia who has influenced the thinking and teaching of some of the world’s leading athletes, coaching and teams. But if I’m honest that’s not why I was so excited about speaking to Wayne. The reason I was buzzing to chat with Wayne is because he is my no.1 go to source for wisdom on navigating the challenges of being a sporting parent and a coach too. As you’ll hear, Wayne gets it. I know at times the journey of a sporting parent can be stressful and downright hard. From a coach perspective, it’s sometimes difficult to know what is important and what isn’t. The approach which Wayne puts forward in his utterly compelling Aussie fashion has helped me as a parent and as a coach and I believe it can help you too. Enjoy… Find out more about Wayne and his approach here: https://wgcoaching.com/ And do join me in subscribing to Wayne's YouTube channel too: https://www.youtube.com/wgcoaching MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

You know in life there are some people who are amazing at making things happen. Who are driven to get things done. And when it comes to tennis I think Fabio Molle is absolutely one of them. Fabio runs a successful tennis e-commerce business called Functional Tennis. He came up with an idea for a brilliant tennis product called The Saber which he took from concept to manufacture. A process I loved talking to him about on this episode. He’s a very successful tennis podcaster - having recorded over 200 episodes of The Functional Tennis podcast - often on a weekly basis. He’s interviewed big stars and he’s also interviewed guests who can give a tremendous insight into the tennis parenting journey. And Fabio is a prolific social media publisher - indeed his Instagram has over 975k followers - which is testament to the ongoing stream of brilliant content which he publishes. I loved chatting to Fabio, hearing about his journey, his tips for tennis parents and just how he makes so much happen on Functional Tennis. Enjoy… To find out more about Fabio, Functional Tennis and his podcast please head here. For the Functional Tennis Instagram account please visit @functionaltennis MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

Amazing adventures can be had by tennis players at American Universities! However, if you’re going to make it a great adventure rather than an OK or not so good adventure you’ve got to plan and prepare effectively. And that is where this episode comes in! Today’s guest, Marleyna Trifunovic, is in a unique position to tell you all about the US uni experience as she has just returned from three years at Wilmington University in Delaware. Marley’s story and guidance can, I think, give players and / or parents the info they need to know if a US tennis scholarship is right for them, understand what to watch out for and know what you need to do to make it happen. Let the adventures begin… MUSIC CREDITS Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0

This is episode 91 of My Tennis Journey. As you’ll probably know, the vast majority of the episodes have been dedicated to the sport I’ve loved since I first picked up a racket in Skelton in Cumbria aged 9 or 10. But dear, lovely tennis - I’ve got a confession to make. Whilst as Whitney sang I will always love you - I’ve also fallen for another sport. And that sport is pickleball. I’d like to explain why and what I plan to do in the world of pickleball. I’d also like to tell you one MASSIVE reason why I think pickleball can play a really positive role in our society moving forward. Let me explain…