Tennisnerd - Where we bond over tennis

In this episode, tennis pro Sean Hodkin shares insights on adapting to different court conditions, the nuances of the one-handed backhand, and the intricacies of racket selection and testing. Sean also talks candidly about his tennis journey, experiences at Wimbledon, and mental strategies for competition. This episode offers valuable tips for players looking to improve their game and understand professional routines. It is a must-listen for racquet nerds and tennis lovers alike.

I sat down with Steve Bellamy to discuss the future of tennis and his new sport, which he claims will do a lot for tennis...TYPTI.

TYPTI is growing fast in the US and allows a full tennis swing and style of play...on a pickleball court. Read more about TYPTI and get the gear so you can try it for yourself.

Henrik Wallensten and I followed our yearly tradition of spending a few days at the Swedish Open (where we also end up playing/training daily). We enjoyed the tennis and had some gear stuff to discuss, but also came up with some ideas on how to save doubles and talk about the current state of Swedish tennis. The pod was recorded in a car, and you can watch some footage on YouTube. Sorry for the sound quality, but had to filter out the road noise! 

Tim Puttock is back on the podcast to talk about the new Prince Tours and some other products in the pipeline at Prince. We also get into common misconceptions around tennis equipment and how we can get more people to play and stay in the sport for longer.

Check out our review of the new Prince Tour racquets on YouTube. Or read about them on Tennisnerd.net

Max Bauer is the Senior Global Product Manager for HEAD Tennis Racquets. He sat down with me to talk about the intense release schedule of 2026, of the new HEAD Booms and how AI helped in the design process, and we also get into the new HEAD Squared, which is a completely new racquet outside the other franchises. We also get into how difficult it is to get pro players to switch to a new racquet and much more.

Nikola Aracic from the popular YouTube channel, Intuitive Tennis, is back on the channel to talk racquets, tennis news, predictions and the Australian Open. Nikola is always insightful and opinionated and makes for a good listen! I hope you like it.

Davis Cup stringer and gear expert, Henrik Wallensten, is back to talk about gear. We summarize the year a bit, talk about the new Yonex VCOREs and his latest switch ot the Speed. He also gives his opinions about the new Adidas Barricade 14.

 

Switching to a new racquet comes with its own set of mental and technical hurdles. My friend and excellent tennis player, Daniel Rutkowski, and I discuss the process of going from a more classical control racquet to a more modern, powerful racquet. You can also find our conversation in video format on our YouTube channel. If you like to see more discussions like this, please comment below.

Rubin Statham’s story reads like a classic tennis hustle: a decade-plus on the road representing New Zealand in the Davis Cup, grinding out Challengers, then channeling all that lived pain (and string bills!) into a product players actually need. He retired in December and is now full-time at the helm of Pro Stringer - portable, pro-grade stringing machines you’ve likely seen popping up in player lounges and, yes, even on trains.

Petros Tsitsipas has spent most of his career carving out a place on the doubles tour, often alongside his brother Stefanos, but in recent months, he has been shifting his focus back to singles. I recently had the chance to sit down with him for a long conversation about life on tour, the unique dynamic of playing with siblings, the changing nature of doubles, and, of course, his gear.

In this episode of the Tennisnerd podcast, I sit down with none other than Ashley Neaves – The Tennis Mentor – to dive into all things tennis improvement. Ashley recently crossed 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, a huge milestone that reflects his impact on club players and coaches around the world.

We chat about his journey creating tennis content, what he's learned from coaching thousands of players, and how you can level up your game with smart, practical tips. One of the highlights? Ashley introduces his brand new Tennis Training Deck – a unique tool designed to help players of all levels structure their practice sessions and improve faster.

Whether you're a weekend warrior, an aspiring competitor, or a coach looking for fresh ideas, this conversation is packed with insight, inspiration, and actionable advice.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Swiss-American ATP pro Alexander Ritschard, who’s working hard to come back from a tricky shoulder injury. You might remember Alexander from his breakout 2024 season, where he captured three Challenger titles and looked set for a steady rise up the rankings. But, as tennis so often reminds us, nothing is guaranteed, and an unlucky muscle tear put him on the sidelines.

We went deep in this conversation — not just about his comeback, but about the mindset, routines, and tough realities that come with life on the professional tennis circuit.

In this episode, WTA pro Tamara Zidanšek gets real about life on tour. From the mental battles and injury setbacks to the constant surface changes and pressure of rankings—she doesn’t hold back. We talk about confidence, coaching, journaling, and what it really takes to stay in the game. She also reflects on her deep run at the 2021 French Open and how it changed things.

If you're curious about the behind-the-scenes reality of pro tennis, this one’s a must-listen.

Nikola Aracic from Intuitive Tennis returns to the pod to recap the French Open 2025. We discuss the amazing Alcaraz vs. Sinner match, Sabalenka's salty speech, why women should play five sets, why even pros struggle with their racquets, and delve in-depth into Nikola's frustrating racquet testing journey.

Christopher Clarey is a tennis writer with decades of experience of interviewing and reporting on the best players in the world. He is a New York Times bestselling author with the book The Master, about Roger Federer's astonishing career. Now he has written The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and his Kingdom of Clay, a book that is a biography of Rafa, but also of the tournament and place where he won 14 of his Grand Slam titles, Roland Garros.

Read more about The Warrior.
Purchase The Warrior.