Doubles Only Tennis Podcast

Erin Routliffe, the #3 ranked WTA doubles player, unpacks her recent title run in Charleston with Jelena Ostapenko and shares insights about navigating the 2025 season so far.

• How her off-season injury affected her at the start of the year and how Gaby Dabrowski supported her
• Experience playing doubles with Ostapenko and winning in Charleston
• Differences between playing with Ostapenko versus her regular partner Gaby Dabrowski
• Plans for the clay court swing
• Why she doesn't look at draws
• Her friendship with Asia Muhammad and learning from each other's games
• The toughest teams she & Gaby have faced
• Thoughts about recent US Open mixed doubles format changes that disadvantage doubles specialists

Erin is one of the best players to watch if you want to learn how to play smart doubles. She possesses great net skills, movement, and strategic variety from the baseline that you should try to emulate. Follow Erin throughout the rest of the 2025 season.

Previous interviews with Erin:

• Sep 13, 2023 - Dealing with Nerves & 10-Point Tiebreakers from 2023 US Open Champion
• Dec 21, 2022 - Her Huge Ranking Leap, Practice Routines, & Match Preparation

Learn more about Erin & follow:

• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram
• Twitter/X

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

In this special episode on the state of doubles and the professional doubles debate, I speak with ATP & WTA Coach, Dan Kiernan. Dan is the coach of Gaby Dabrowski, Michael Venus, and Nikola Mektic, and has been on the show several times before (below).

In this conversation, we examine the future of doubles from multiple perspectives and challenge current assumptions about the format's viability.

• Reactions to the idea that "doubles specialists have no place in the future of tennis"
• The doubles debate centers on "the WHO, not the WHAT" – personality and storytelling matter more than format
• US Open's controversial changes to the mixed doubles format make commercial sense in the short-term but we must consider the long-term timeline as well
• Doubles players face three options: accept diminished status, fight for change within the tour structure, or break free to create their own tour
• Professional doubles needs to embrace vulnerability, personality-driven content, and innovative viewer experiences to thrive
• The seven tennis governing bodies lack a cohesive vision for doubles, focusing instead on short-term commercial priorities
• For it to survive, doubles specialists must take initiative in building their own brands and connecting authentically with fans
• Innovations like free fan movement, court-side service, and more relaxed atmosphere could transform the doubles spectator experience and change in a way that singles is resistant to

This is an open invitation to everyone in tennis – players, coaches, tournament directors, and media – to continue this conversation and work together toward solutions that benefit doubles and the sport as a whole.

Previous Episodes with Dan Kiernan:

• Dan Kiernan Interview: GROWTH, Coaching ATP Doubles, Aggressive vs Consistent Returns, & an Illegal Volley Drill - April 5, 2023
• Coach Dan Kiernan Interview at the WTA Finals - November 5, 2023
• Coach Dan Kiernan Shares Stories from the WTA Finals, 2nd Set Adjustments, Positive Mindset, & More - November 20, 2024

More from Dan:

• Dan's Podcast - Control the Controllables | Twitter | Instagram
• Soto Tennis Academy | Twitter

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Ellen Perez is the #17 doubles player on the WTA tour. I spoke with her at Indian Wells on an off day after her 2nd round win with Jelena Ostapenko. We discussed their partnership, working with coach Rennae Stubbs, US Open Mixed changes, and more.

• Working with Rennae Stubbs and understanding strategic shot placement
• Ostapenko's funny on-court nature
• Partnership changes early in the 2025 WTA doubles season
• Goals for the rest of 2025
• Adjusting to playing with doubles specialists like Melichar-Martinez vs more baseline-oriented/singles players like Mertens & Ostapenko
• Her candid reaction of the US Open mixed doubles format changes
• Finding the right communication style with different partners' on-court personalities

Check out our previous episodes with Ellen below where we dive deeper into her full tennis journey.

Other interviews with Ellen:

• WTA Finals Match Breakdown, 2023 Plans, & Balancing Doubles vs Singles - November 16, 2022
• Her Story, Lefty Advice, How to Slide, The Doubles Calendar, & More - September 25, 2024

Learn more about Ellen & follow:

• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram
• Twitter/X

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Andrea Vavassori is the #9 doubles player on the ATP Tour and won the 2024 US Open Mixed Doubles title with Sara Errani. He also reached the final of the men's doubles at the Australian Open earlier this year.

I spoke with him at Indian Wells this year about those achievements, his vision for the future of doubles, the controversial US Open mixed doubles changes, and a lot more.

• Potential innovations for mixed doubles including a ranking system and year-end Masters event to increase visibility
• Reflecting on his successful partnership with Simone Bolelli and their journey to three Grand Slam finals
• Explaining his reaction to US Open mixed doubles format changes and why tradition matters more than money (Read his viral Instagram post)
• Describing how Bolelli's calm demeanor complements his energetic playing style
• Highlighting the "Sinner effect" that has transformed tennis popularity in Italy
• Discussing the challenges of balancing singles and doubles careers

Andrea and Sara went on to win the BNP Paribas Open mixed doubles draw in Indian Wells less than a week later. He is on the ATP player's council so I'm hoping he can continue to fight for doubles and make positive changes for tennis.

Learn more about Andrea & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Demi Schuurs and Asia Muhammad join the show for their 3rd and 2nd times respectively (listen to the previous episode with Demi | episode with Asia).

This team just won the BNP Paribas Open and I chatted with them after their second-round victory at Indian Wells just before practice on their off day. We discussed their impressive run to that point in the tournament, how their partnership formed, what's working so well, and more.

• Defeating Olympic champions and major finalists Paolini/Errani in round one with clean, aggressive tennis
• Finding partnership chemistry through shared temperament—both value staying "chill" under pressure
• Their aggressive, net-focused playing style
• Demi expresses concerns about US Open mixed doubles changes limiting opportunities for doubles specialists
• Asia discusses her transition to a doubles-only focus, which brought her into the top 10 within a year

Demi and Asia went on to play an amazing tournament only dropping one set and defeating some of the top teams on tour. They're a fun team to watch and you can learn a lot from how they play. Be sure to watch them throughout the rest of the 2025 season.

Learn more about Demi & follow:

• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

Learn more about Asia & follow:

• WTA Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten are the #1 doubles team on the ATP tour, having captured two of the last three major doubles titles including Wimbledon 2024 and Australian Open 2025. I spoke with them in Indian Wells a few days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open.

In this conversation, we discuss their practice routines, their partnership, the state of ATP doubles, and more.

• Detailed breakdown of their practice sessions, including specific drills like "volleyball" for serve and return practice
• Strategic approach to facing teams with singles specialists like their first-round match against Melo and Zverev
• Comparison between their Wimbledon and Australian Open victories and the different emotional experiences
• Insights into Henry's relationship with his coach, Calvin Betton, who was also on the podcast recently (below)
• Perspective on the current state of professional doubles and how to increase its popularity among fans
• Discussion of mixed doubles format changes at the US Open and implications for the sport

Watch Harri and Henry play doubles through the rest of the season on Tennis Channel Plus and Tennis TV.

From this episode:

• Tennis Tribe Memberships (Ad Court Webinar 3/25 @1pm CT/2pm ET)
• Calvin Betton Interview

Learn more about Harri & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

Learn more about Henry & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Kimberly Birrell is the #76 singles player on the WTA tour and reached the finals of the Australian Open in mixed doubles a few months ago. I spoke with Kim after her round-one victory in Austin Texas at the ATX Open. We discussed her recent Australian Open performance, how she's improved her game as her career has developed, and more.

• Kim's experience playing AO mixed with doubles veteran JP Smith
• Singles vs doubles mindset, and the importance of belief and partnership trust
• Discussing goals for the future and her doubles plans
• Ideas on promoting the doubles game and discussion around the mixed changes at the US Open

At the beginning, you'll also hear from Matt, a rockstar tennis WAG. You'll learn what that is and how he manages all the responsibility, including one recent fire he put out in Austin.

Follow Kimberly:

• Instagram
• WTA Profile

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Heather Watson is a Wimbledon mixed doubles champion. Maia Lumsden is the #72 doubles player on the WTA Tour. I spoke with them in Austin after their round one win at the ATX Open. We spoke about the match, the playing conditions, and more.

• Heather's plans for doubles and why she wants to play more
• How Heather prepared for the 2024 Olympics where she reached the quarterfinals in the women's doubles draw
• Maia's goals for the rest of the season
• Strong opinions on the recent mixed doubles changes at the US Open, especially from Heather

Follow these players:

• Follow Heather Watson on Instagram  |  Twitter
• Follow Maia Lumsden on Instagram  |  Twitter

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

An exploration of the ongoing debate surrounding professional doubles and its future. In this episode, I directly address the recent comments about doubles from Andy Roddick and Jon Wertheim on the Served Podcast, ignited by Reilly Opelka. I also created a separate video addressing the issue (see links in show notes below).

I believe one of the problems we face is that there has been an echo chamber culture around the doubles debate. We need people with different opinions to come together for conversations that create change. While I haven't been able to get Andy, Jon, or Reilly on the podcast yet, I thought this was the next best thing.

Here's what I attempt to cover.

• Where I agree and disagree with Andy & Jon
• Why doubles does have a "user education" problem
• The "business case" for doubles specialists
• Why other sports like professional driving or golf can help
• The economics of doubles at the majors vs 250's & 500's (a topic I'm still trying to understand)
• My vision for a future doubles tour

I hope this episode helps keep the conversation going and creates positive change for tennis. I certainly don't have all the answers, but if we can have productive debates and explore solutions tennis will benefit.

Show Notes:

• Opelka's Initial Comments on Instagram
• Andy & Jon's Reaction on the Served Podcast (minute 25)
• My 7-minute Video on how a consulting firm might view doubles

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Rob Galloway is a top 30 doubles player on the ATP Tour. He made the finals of the 2025 Dallas Open with Ariel Behar. Rob's great story shows the importance of hard work and mindset to improve in doubles.

In this conversation, Rob shares.

• Early obstacles and his decision to pursue a professional career
• The transition from college to pro tennis
• The significance of staying healthy and having a growth mindset as a player
• Mixed doubles and being a part of Team USA at the United Cup
• Improving the popularity of doubles

After the episode Rob shared a training hack that I discuss in the intro to this episode so don't skip it.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Jamie Murray is a 7-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion and a former world #1 with 34 career men's doubles titles. I set up a 15-minute interview with Jamie during the Dallas Open and we didn't talk about any of that. We also didn't discuss strategy, tactics, or mindset for improving your doubles game. I never asked about his story, or mentioned his brother Andy or his mother Judy.

Instead, we talked about how to grow professional doubles. And the conversation lasted a full hour.

Jamie is uniquely qualified to tackle this problem because of his success on the pro tour and his experience as the tournament director at the Queen's Club Championships, an ATP 500 Event.

During this conversation, we dive deep into all topics related to making doubles better.

• Rule changes
• Scheduling
• Marketing & social media
• What the tours & tournaments can do
• What the players can and probably should do
• Roadblocks facing doubles
• and more...

My hope is that this episode generates more conversations that lead to positive change for doubles. I think there is a larger market for doubles if it's delivered and broadcasted the right way.

You can do your part by watching doubles on TV, engaging with doubles content on social media, and if you're a player, building your own brand by engaging with fans and media to get your story out there.

Learn more about Jamie & follow:

• Instagram
• Twitter/X
• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Robert Cash and JJ Tracy are two rising doubles stars on the ATP Tour. They reached the semifinals of the Dallas Open, propelling their rankings inside the top 100 for the first time. College teammates at Ohio State, the chemistry between them is obvious when they play.

I chatted with them after their quarterfinal win in Dallas about college tennis and a lot more.

• The serve dominance in their quarterfinal win
• Discussing their Dallas Open tournament experience and venue appeal
• Tactical adjustments during the match
• Balancing singles and doubles in JJ's young career (I LOVE this answer!)
• The impact of college tennis on their professional paths
• Inspirations from established players like the team they had just beaten (Krajicek & Ram)
• The popularity and future of doubles

Robert and JJ are now in the ATP 250 Delray Beach Open semifinals at the time of this publishing. I would not be surprised to be chatting with these guys at bigger doubles tournaments for the next few decades.

• Follow JJ Tracy on Instagram
• Follow Robert Cash on Instagram
• Follow the Dallas Open on Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Ariel Behar and Rob Galloway made the finals at the Dallas Open and are now ranked #41 and #25 on the ATP doubles tour, respectively. In this post-match interview, we discuss their quarterfinal win in Dallas, their goals for 2025, the potential for making doubles more popular, and more.

• Insight on their quarterfinal and R16 match where they faced the top seeds and friends of Rob - Nate Lammons & Jackson Withrow
• Goals vs process and enjoying the journey
• Enhancing doubles visibility through social engagement
• Strategic differences when playing against singles vs. doubles specialists
• Rob reflects on the experience representing Team USA at the United Cup

This team is playing some high-level doubles so you'll see their names more throughout the 2025 season. We also had a longer conversation with Rob later in the week which will be coming to the podcast soon.

• Follow Rob Galloway on Instagram
• Follow the Dallas Open on Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Jamie Murray and John Peers are both multiple-time Grand Slam Doubles Champions. They reached the semifinals of the 2025 Dallas Open where I spoke with them after their quarterfinal win.

They reflect on their crazy comeback victory from a set and 2-6 down in the 2nd set tiebreaker. By ATP standards, this is a huge deficit. We talk about resilience, adjustments related to the match, and more.

• How they climbed out of their big hole in the tiebreaker
• Insights on mental strength and key strategic adjustments
• Advice for club players on maintaining focus during tense situations and 10-point tiebreakers
• Reflections on the Dallas Open experience
• How to make doubles more popular

I also spoke with Jamie for a longer podcast coming soon.

• Follow Jamie Murray on Instagram
• Follow John Peers on Instagram
• Follow the Dallas Open on Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

This episode includes two post-match interviews with 2025 Dallas Open Champions, Christian Harrison and Evan King. They won six matches without dropping a set, resulting in new career-high ATP doubles rankings of 55 and 54.

They share the importance of teamwork, communication, and chemistry. We also discussed the effective return strategy that I believe helped lead them to the success they had in Dallas.

• Importance of chemistry and their off-court friendship
• Strategy of the two-back return formation and its execution
• Impact of crowd support on their performance
• Future goals and plans after their success in Dallas

I expect these two to continue climbing up the rankings and you'll hear from them again throughout the 2025 season.

• Follow Christian Harrison on Instagram
• Follow Evan King on Instagram
• Follow the Dallas Open on Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Louis Cayer is one of the smartest doubles minds on the planet. He is a Senior Performance Advisor for the LTA, and the strategic brain behind every successful British ATP doubles player of the last few decades. He's worked with players doubles grand slam champions like Jamie Murray, Joe Salisbury, Neal Skupski, Henry Patten, and more.

I spoke with Louis at the 2025 Australian Open, several days before one of his teams (Henry Patten & Harri Heliovaara) won the title. Whether you're a coach or player, this is an episode you'll want to listen to more than once.

We explore the world of doubles coaching on the ATP Tour, the difference between the player and the performer, and how to effectively communicate. The discussion highlights Louis' coaching philosophy, evolving strategies, and passion for doubles within professional tennis.

• Why clear communication is key to good coaching, plus the exact phrases Louis uses with his players
• The significance of a supportive team environment in doubles
• Balancing team strengths vs opponents' weaknesses
• The evolving role of a coach: from directive to empowering
• Mistakes he's learned from in coaching
• ATP doubles changes & growth of the sport

This is one of my favorite conversations I've had on the podcast and Louis is someone I look up to greatly. I hope to speak with him again at some point to dive deeper into the puzzle that is doubles strategy.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

For the 4th year in a row, I bring Peter Lebedevs on the show to preview the Dallas Open.

The 2025 tournament is undergoing remarkable changes as it transitions to an ATP 500-level tournament, bringing in a stronger singles and doubles field. It's also moving to a larger venue at the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility in Frisco, Texas. Fans can expect world-class tennis, great food & drinks, and unique player engagement opportunities throughout the tournament.

We discuss:

• Transitioning from an ATP 250 to a 500-level tournament
• The player lineup featuring Grand Slam champions and rising stars
• Venue change to the Cowboys’ Ford Center with expanded 6,000-seat capacity
• Challenges presented by the Super Bowl overlap
• Active recruitment of players by Peter, a year-round process
• Enhanced fan experiences including a vibrant outdoor fan zone

More from this episode:

• Follow Peter on Twitter | Follow the Dallas Open on Twitter and Instagram
• Buy tickets, volunteer, or find more information about the tournament at DallasOpen.com

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Mark Petchey is a commentator and analyst for Tennis Channel and other television networks. He is also a former top 100 singles player on the ATP Tour. He's been around this sport for decades and understands the ins and outs of the tour, TV, and doubles.

I spoke with Mark at the 2025 Australian Open, a few weeks after he sent out this tweet which created some buzz in the doubles world. I spoke with him about what he meant, and what he'd like to see change on tour for doubles. We discuss:

• Why he thinks ATP doubles isn't an exciting product.
• What changes he would like to see, including moving the net post and changing the position of the server's partner.
• How the tour is blocking doubles from growth.
• The debate of the root cause of doubles' problems... does the product or the marketing need to change? Mark and I do not agree on this but that's OK.
• and more...

This is a friendly debate that I believe needs to happen more often so that we can come to solutions and create positive change for doubles.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Tweet at me and Mark with your thoughts.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Calvin Betton is an ATP doubles coach. He works with Henry Patten & Harri Heliovaara who won Wimbledon in 2024, and Luke Johnson. I spoke with Calvin on the middle Sunday at the 2025 Australian Open.

Calvin shares his work over the past year with Harri and Henry, including their run at Wimbledon. He breaks down the matchups, draw, and how he scouted their round 1 opponents incognito.

After that, we dive into the growth of professional doubles. If you've listened to the podcast for a while, then you know I'm extremely passionate about this topic. We discussed:

• 2024 doubles experiments and changes
• Opinions on shot clocks and changing the product or rules
• What type of marketing and promotion is needed
• What the doubles players want and have tried doing on social media
• What's holding doubles back
• and more...

Calvin is active on Twitter and is also a host of the Tennis Unfiltered Podcast.

Listen to my interview with Harri Heliovaara about their 2024 Wimbledon Title.

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

The 2025 Australian Open is underway and this episode previews new teams and picks for the first major of the year.

I recorded this from Melbourne with Tennis Tribe beat writer, Hanlon Walsh. We review the ATP then WTA draws discussing new partnerships and making 3 picks each for the 2025 AO Champions.

I'll have more conversations with players and coaches from Melbourne over the next several weeks.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Read Hanlon's 2025 Australian Open Doubles Preview
• Podcast with Nate Lammons
• Podcast with Coach Dan Kiernan
• Podcast with Marcel Granollers & Horacio Zeballos
• Gaby Dabrowski's announcement about her breast cancer diagnosis

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

To celebrate the new year, I'm re-releasing the three most popular episodes of 2024. This was the top #1 episode from 2024... enjoy!

For the strategy nerds... Jonathan Stokke joins the show for a second time as we discuss his Stokke Six. What are the Stokke Six? Simply put, they are errors to avoid that will dramatically improve your game. And I mean dramatically.

Jonathan and I could talk strategy and tactics for days. He's one of my favorite coaches because of his ability to simplify the game and help players focus on the most effective things that lead to winning tennis.

We dive deep into the most common errors:

• During the first four shots (the most important!)
• Why net errors frustrate Jonathan so much
• How to reduce your double faults
• Your one goal for the serve +1 and return +1
• Specific drills to improve the Stokke Six
• and more...

Jonathan's last episode was one of our most popular and I know this one will be as well. Listen to our first conversation here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/jonathan-stokke-interview/

• Instagram: @stokketennis
• Youtube: stokketennis
• Baseline Intelligence Podcast
• Baseline Intelligence Substack

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

To celebrate the new year, I'm re-releasing the three most popular episodes of 2024. This is #2...

Tony Huber is the former coach of multiple doubles world #1 players including Liezel Huber, Martina Navratilova, Cara Black, Lisa Raymond, Ai Sugiyama, Latisha Chan, and Sonia Mirza. Today he coaches adult club-level players and I absolutely love his approach to the game.

This is one of those conversations that you'll want to listen to multiple times. I believe it will change the way you practice and play. We cover:

• Tony's favorite doubles drills to help adult players better understand how points are won and lost in doubles.
• The one error you must avoid to improve.
• How to level up from 3.0/3.5 to 4.0/4.5.
• What most player get wrong about how they win or lose.
• The 3rd String Theory (this will help your volleys a ton!)
• The most important shots in doubles.
• How to captain a winning USTA team
• and more...

I expect this to be one of our most popular episodes and will have Tony on again.

Mentioned in this interview:

• Baseline Vision Camera
• The Bolt Tennis Racquet
• Australian Open & Cincinnati Open
• Pressure Tennis by Paul Wardlaw
• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

To celebrate the end of 2024, I'm re-releasing the three most popular episodes of the year. This is #3...

Styrling Strother is an innovative tennis coach who trains junior players and adults to transform the way they practice and think about the match court. He is a Tennis Performance Trainer (TPT) with the International Tennis Performance Association (ITPA), a PTR Professional Coach, a best-selling author, and the founder of Styrling Strother Tennis, a player development program located in Cary, North Carolina.

This episode will totally shift your practice habits, and inject fun into your doubles matches. Styrling shares some transformational ideas with me in this episode.

• Why you should NOT look at the ball after you hit.
• A new way to think about the game score that helps you maintain focus and concentration (Momentum Scoring System).
• Innovative doubles drills that will better help you win matches.
• What you should be thinking when you make an error.
• Why opponent-based thinking is the #1 thing to learn for tennis players (and why it's so hard).

We also discuss his new book, The Art of Winning Tennis, which offers strategies that change the way you see the court. I'm about halfway done with the book and it's already got me thinking about adjustments for my next match.

As we dissect the traditional practice court paradigm, you'll discover why it's critical to move beyond technique to the strategic 'where, when, and why' of each shot. You'll learn to embrace the pressure of in-match scenarios through our in-depth analysis of scoring and drill modifications that mimic match conditions.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Harri Heliovaara is the 2024 Wimbledon gentlemen's doubles champion and the 2023 US Open mixed doubles champion. He's currently ranked #16 on the ATP doubles tour. Heliovaara is also one of my favorite players to watch because of his entertaining celebrations and on-court demeanor.

This interview with Harri covers his Wimbledon run, doubles changes, his story, and more.

• Why he quit professional tennis in 2013 before returning in 2017.
• How he mentally overcame being down multiple match points in the Wimbledon final.
• Serve struggles and how he's improved his 2nd serve, including specific drills.
• His experience being mic'd up in DC (video below), and what other changes he'd like to see to help make doubles more popular.
• Offseason training.
• The process of changing partners and new teams for 2025.

Learn more about Harri & follow:

• ATP Tour Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

Harri's Favorites:

• Tennis Book: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
• Non-Tennis Book: The Unknown Soldier by Vaino Linna
• Tournament: Wimbledon
• Dream Mixed Doubles Partner: Anna Danilina
• Singles Player You Want to Play Doubles With: Alexander Bublik
• Off Season Hobbies: Hang out with children (1 & 3 years old); Aviation- he likes to take his daughter to the airport to watch planes landing and taking off.
• Harri's advice: Watch more doubles! 

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Are you using the right tennis racquet? What about strings? Jonas from Tennisnerd is one of the world's leading experts in tennis racquets and strings, having reviewed 1000s of racquets and consulted for ATP & WTA tour pros.

I first met Jonas in Austria at the Head headquarters on a trip with Tennis Warehouse to test out the new Gravity. Recently, we went to SLO California to test more gear with the TW team. I've learned a ton from Jonas and wanted to have him on so you can too. In this conversation, Jonas and I discuss the following.

• Some of the best tennis racquets on the market today for certain player types.
• The head size most club-level doubles players should be looking for.
• What gives a racquet more power, control, spin, etc.
• Why you and the professionals do not (and should not) use the same racquets - even though they look the same.
• How to start experimenting with your strings, including specific recommendations.
• and more...

Follow Tennisnerd on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Get a racquet or string consultation from Jonas here.

Shop tennis racquets at Tennis Warehouse.
Shop strings at Tennis Warehouse.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

It's the offseason, a time to reflect and prepare for next year. How will your training or practice improve in 2025?

In this episode, I share 5 tips for improving your doubles game through more effective training this offseason.

• You cannot improve without tip #1.
• A common mistake in practice made by club-level doubles players.
• My favorite training tools (links below).
• What off-court training has helped me the most.

If you can implement these tips, you'll be a better doubles player in 2025!

My favorite training tools:

• Topspin Pro 
• Functional Tennis Saber
• Targets & Lines from Tennis Warehouse
• The Best Tennis Ball Machines

Members get discounts on all the items above except the ball machines. Become a member or sign in here.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Nate Lammons is the 19th-ranked doubles player on the ATP Tour. He and his doubles partner, Jackson Withrow, made the semifinals of the US Open earlier this year.

Nate played college tennis at SMU in Dallas, Texas where he still lives and trains with other professional doubles players like Austin Krajicek and Hans Hach. In this conversation, we discuss:

• Who's had the biggest influence on his doubles game?
• How Nate practices his serve - he has one of the best serves on the ATP doubles tour.
• Changes to the doubles tour - free fan movement, faster pace of play, mic'd up players, etc.
• Simulating in-match pressure.
• How he & Jackson "got over the hump" during the 2024 US Open to reach their first major semifinal.
• How Nate trains his first volley when his partner is serving.
• Nate's offseason plans.
• Their on-court apparel from Sigrun.

Nate and Jackson are among the few teams that have stayed together for more than a couple of seasons. Their team chemistry and consistent progress show how important a good partnership is in doubles.

Follow Nate on Instagram.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Today, Sunday, November 24, is the last day to get 35% off the new Tennis Tribe Memberships (coupon: LAUNCH).

This mini-lesson covers a phrase coined by Craig O'Shannessy (Brain Game Tennis), that has had more impact on my doubles game than any other lesson I've learned over the last decade.

I believe that if you can focus and train with this simple lesson in mind, you'll improve faster and understand doubles on an entirely different level.

If you like this shorter format, let me know by sending me an email: Will@TheTennisTribe.com

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Dan Kiernan is the coach of Gaby Dabrowski who just won the 2024 WTA Finals alongside her partner Erin Routliffe.

I spoke with Dan a few days after winning the title in Riyadh. He shares:

• Behind the scenes stories from the Finals.
• How his coaching process has changed over the last 18 months with Gaby.
• What types of adjustments the team made from 1st to 2nd set in different matches.

Dan is one of my favorite guests because of his ability to share messages through stories. Doubles fans and players of any level can benefit from listening to Dan's advice.

The membership is live and discounted through this Sunday only.
**Sign up here**

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Do you prefer to play doubles from the baseline or net? I'm better at the net but often get lazy and have to remind myself to get up there and quit hanging out in the back of the court.

This episode reminds the baseliners (and me) the benefits of getting to the net.

You'll learn:

• Three reasons to move forward
• Why I think many people aren't comfortable at the net (but should go anyway).
• What the win percentages say about the net vs the baseline.

The Membership launches next Tuesday, November 19. Stay tuned for updates!

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Do you use different serve and return formations? You should be! This episode will cover the pros and cons of each formation.

• When to NOT use regular formation while serving.
• What is the best formation against BIG returners.
• When should I play 2-back while returning?

This is a preview of my presentation from Tennis Con 8 which goes live today. To watch the full presentation, sign up here before 10/31.

Get lifetime access to all 40 presentations here.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Peter Freeman hosts Tennis Con 8 starting next week. It's a free event where some of the best online tennis coaches present on different topics to help you improve your game.

I asked Pete to share the best doubles lessons he's learned over the years from Tennis Con. We discuss eight lessons.

1. Gigi Fernandez's 123 Poaching Formula
2. Jorge Capestany's Doubles Dance
3. Ian Westermann's Angels in the Outfield
4. Roy Emerson's Play for your Partner (Bonus Never miss a return)
5. Will Boucek's It's not you, it's me approach
6. Gigi's Stagger formation
7. Will Hamilton's Racket Below Wrist Poach Tell
8. Gigi's Singles Approach Strategy for Doubles

Pete and I always have great strategy discussions so I know you'll enjoy this one.

Sign up for Tennis Con 8 here.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Bob Bryan is a 23-time doubles grand slam champion (16 men's, 7 mixed), and Captain of the US Olympic and Davis Cup team. Bob and his brother, Mike, known as the Bryan Bros, are widely regarded as the greatest doubles team of all time.

In this conversation with Bob, you'll hear us discuss potential rule changes that could help doubles, how he's transitioned from player to coach, his experience captaining at the Olympics where his US doubles teams beat Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray, and won Silver and Bronze Medals, and more.

Bob also shares how the game has changed over the last 20+ years and how he would train differently if starting his doubles career tomorrow. At the end, he shares one of his and Mike's favorite doubles strategies that club-level players should absolutely use.

I hope to have Bob (and Mike) on more in the future as the show continues to grow and we try to help grow doubles. They've done more for doubles than anyone and it's inspiring to see them continue to be involved in our sport.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

We celebrate Episode 200 of the Doubles Only Podcast with a live webinar where I answered your questions. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions and joined live 😀

Topics covered included...

• Offensive vs defensive court positioning at the net.
• How to end or win the lob wars.
• Differences between volleys in singles & doubles.
• How to best train volleys for doubles.
• Why you shouldn't necessarily volley with "the edge of your racquet leading."
• and more...

Thanks again to everyone who attended! I'm excited for the next 200 episodes.

You can leave a review of the podcast here. This is one of the best ways to support and help others find the show. Thank you!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Fence Mount
• Functional Tennis Saber

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

I recently released a 3-part doubles lesson on the most important volley in doubles... the Serve +1 volley. You can watch all 3 lessons below.

This episode covers the serve +1 volley in even more detail, including my response to several Facebook and Instagram comments on the lessons. You'll learn how to practice the serve +1 volley, the different types of this volley, and several rules to follow to make it easier.

Master this shot and everyone will want to be your doubles partner because they'll hold their serve so much more easily!

Don't forget to join me for Episode 200 LIVE! Sign up here.

Watch all 3 lessons on the Serve +1 Volley below.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course
• Mental Game Masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics
• Return Strategy for Doubles
• Serve Strategy for Doubles
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Ellen Perez is world number 11 on the WTA Doubles Tour, with seven career titles. In this interview, Ellen shares her tennis journey, WTA doubles serve, return, volley, groundstroke, rankings, and more.

Here are a few topics we dive into:

• Learn the benefits of returning with backhands in the middle, which Ellen and her partner, Nicole Melichar-Martinez, do.
• Racquet customization.
• Ellen explains how she got her athletic prowess.
• Advice for left-handed players.
• Known for her speed and epic slides, Ellen explains the keys to a good slide on any surface.
• How she made the transition from singles to nearly full-time doubles.
• College tennis at the University of Georgia.
• Your questions from Twitter & Instagram including mixed doubles, her favorite potato style, the player's council, and more.

At the end, Ellen shares what she would change to grow doubles. Whether you're a doubles fan or just curious about the world of professional doubles, this episode offers a comprehensive glimpse into the life and strategies of one of the best in the world.

• Follow Ellen on Twitter | Instagram
• Ellen might partner with Max Purcell for mixed doubles at the Australian Open.
• Favorite tournament: Italian Open
• Books: Open by Andre Agassi

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course
• Mental Game Masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Tony Huber is the former coach of multiple doubles world #1 players including Liezel Huber, Martina Navratilova, Cara Black, Lisa Raymond, Ai Sugiyama, Latisha Chan, and Sonia Mirza. Today he coaches adult club-level players and I absolutely love his approach to the game.

This is one of those conversations that you'll want to listen to multiple times. I believe it will change the way you practice and play. We cover:

• Tony's favorite doubles drills to help adult players better understand how points are won and lost in doubles.
• The one error you must avoid to improve.
• How to level up from 3.0/3.5 to 4.0/4.5.
• What most player get wrong about how they win or lose.
• The 3rd String Theory (this will help your volleys a ton!)
• The most important shots in doubles.
• How to captain a winning USTA team
• and more...

I expect this to be one of our most popular episodes and will have Tony on again.

Mentioned in this interview:

• Baseline Vision Camera
• The Bolt Tennis Racquet
• Australian Open & Cincinnati Open
• Pressure Tennis by Paul Wardlaw
• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course
• Mental Game Masterclass

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

This is an AMA episode where I cover three questions from you. I chose these doubles topics because they haven't been covered on the podcast before.

• How to use the swinging volley in doubles.
• What is the proper technique when faking at the net?
• How can you improve at doubles when most coaches focus on singles?

If you have other questions you'd like me to answer on the podcast, email me: will@thetennistribe.com

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Fabio Molle is the founder of Functional Tennis, a company that created products to help tennis players improve. Their Saber is one of the only training tools that I use and highly recommend to doubles players.

In this episode, Fabio shares the story of the Functional Tennis Saber, how it is made, and why so many pro-level players are using it including Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Harri Heliovaara, Joe Salisbury, and more.

I personally love the Saber for my volleys because it helps me consistently find the sweetspot and hit a cleaner ball. However, Fabio considers it a footwork tool.

If you are serious about improving your volleys and doubles game overall, the Saber is a must-have product. I promise it will make you a better player.

• You can purchase your Saber here.
• Listen to the Functional Tennis Podcast (my episode here)
• Follow Functional Tennis on Instagram
• More at www.functionaltennis.com

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tacti

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

For the strategy nerds... Jonathan Stokke joins the show for a second time as we discuss his Stokke Six. What are the Stokke Six? Simply put, they are errors to avoid that will dramatically improve your game. And I mean dramatically.

Jonathan and I could talk strategy and tactics for days. He's one of my favorite coaches because of his ability to simplify the game and help players focus on the most effective things that lead to winning tennis.

We dive deep into the most common errors:

• During the first four shots (the most important!)
• Why net errors frustrate Jonathan so much
• How to reduce your double faults
• Your one goal for the serve +1 and return +1
• Specific drills to improve the Stokke Six
• and more...

Jonathan's last episode was one of our most popular and I know this one will be as well. Listen to our first conversation here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/jonathan-stokke-interview/

• Instagram: @stokketennis
• Youtube: stokketennis
• Baseline Intelligence Podcast
• Baseline Intelligence Substack

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

🎾🥈 Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram won an Olympic Silver medal for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. I spoke with them a few weeks after the Olympics to hear about their experience in Paris, beating Rafael Nadal & Carlos Alcaraz, working with the Bryan Bros, and more.

We talked about how difficult it was to close out their quarterfinal match against Nadal and Alcaraz with the crowd so against them. What were they feeling and saying in those moments? They also shared how "comforting" it was to have the doubles GOATs, Bob and Mike Bryan, in Paris with them. At the end, they share the overall Olympic experience and how it felt to be there with Team USA.

Rajeev and Austin will both compete at the US Open next week, and I'll be there as well. Watch them and all the doubles action on ESPN Plus. If you're attending in person, let me know. I'd love to meet you.

Doubles Camp
It's August 29-31 during the US Open and I only have 4 spots left!

• Sign up at www.thetennistribe.com/camp/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

This is a post-match interview with Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin from the National Bank Open in Toronto. We spoke with them after a very close victory where they saved six match points.

Bethanie and Sonya share insights into their strategies and conversations during the match, including how they stayed positive when down a set and a break. These two are a ton of fun to listen to because they're so transparent with their game plans and love to talk strategy.

Shout out to Mike McIntyre from the Match Point Canada podcast for the cover photo for this one.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Aldila Sutjiadi is the 37th-ranked doubles player on the WTA Tour. Born in Indonesia and 2x doubles All-American at Kentucky, Aldila has a fascinating story.

Tennis Tribe writer, Hanlon Walsh and I spoke with her on the grounds at the National Bank Open in Toronto. We discussed her story, how and why she plays with doubles partners with contrasting styles (loved this answer), mixed doubles, and more.

While I love the tactics and strategy, I want to start diving deeper into the stories behind these great doubles players so you can get to know them better and become bigger fans of these under-the-radar tennis stars. Aldila's journey was a great place to start.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Team USA finished with two doubles medals at the Olympics. Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek won Silver while Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz took home Bronze.

In this episode, I share three more lessons I learned providing strategy and scouting analysis for Team USA.

• How to beat Nadal & Alcaraz.
• The Andy Murray tendency.
• The two most important shots in doubles.

These lessons will help players of all skill levels. Not just the pros ;)

Only 5 spots left in our doubles camp!

• Sign up here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/camp/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

The Olympics are underway, and Team USA is off to a great start in doubles. In this episode, I share 3 lessons I've learned from scouting and analyzing data & video for Team USA over the past week.

• Who should be using the lob return?
• Why you need to be experimenting earlier and more often than you think.
• How to handle a BIG forehand.

No matter which country you support, watch the doubles from Paris all week long. In the US, you can watch on Peacock.

Enjoy the Olympics!
#WatchMoreDOUBLES

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Bruce Lipka is the coach of WTA #1 doubles player, Erin Routliffe. He has coached over twenty top 100 ATP and WTA players, won USPTA Tour Coach of the Year three times, and now is the head men's coach at Penn State.

Erin has improved immensely under Bruce's coaching, and it's something I've personally noticed since watching Erin over the past few years. In our discussion, we talk about her improvement, as well as specific drills that you can use.

Bruce has been the Director of Tennis at Woodmont Country Club in Maryland for the past 25 years where he worked with club players. His principles-based thinking provides a proven improvement process for players at every level.

• How Erin has gone from outside the top 50 to world #1.
• The best drills to improve your net game.
• Why Bruce offered a one-hour tennis lesson for $1,500.
• Exactly how Bruce and Erin structure practices.
• Drills for club-level players.
• and more...

He also answered many of your questions from Instagram and Twitter towards the end.

Bruce is one of the top coaches I've had on the podcast and I expect this episode to be a big hit for players and fans. You might listen twice to absorb all this doubles knowledge.

See the shownotes for this episode here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/bruce-lipka-interview/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Retu

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

This episode covers three lessons I learned from watching the men's doubles final at Wimbledon as well as a private lesson that made me sad...

1. Return team lesson - If you're having trouble breaking serve, you might be making one of these two mistakes.
2. Serving on a fast court - How should your serve tactics change on grass? or a fast indoor hard court?
3. Maximizing practice - I recently watched a private lesson from a few courts away. They didn't even finish one basket of balls in the entire hour. Why is that a problem?

• US Open Doubles Camp: https://www.thetennistribe.com/camp/
• Return Cheatsheet: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-cheatsheet/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Net Play Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/net-play-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

James Cerretani is a former ATP doubles player with a career-high ranking of #45 in the world. He won four ATP doubles titles, made the Wimbledon quarterfinals twice, and played college tennis at Brown where he is in their Hall of Fame.

James joined the team of Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic earlier this year to help improve their performance. I spoke with Marcelo a few weeks ago in a previous episode and was excited to hear about the two-week run to the Roland Garros title from a different perspective on their team.

James and I discuss.

• His role on Marcelo & Mate's team and how he spent his time during and between matches.
• Why gratitude can help you in tennis and life.
• What "growth mindset" means and why it's important for peak performance.
• How to "rep your mindset" & why you should, similar to how you rep your serve.

This is a deep dive into the mental side of the game, an area I've not covered on the podcast a ton, so it was great to get James's expertise. At the end, Jamie shares his favorite tournament, books, and how we can make doubles more popular.

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/
• Serve Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/serve-strategy-for-

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Storm Hunter is one of the best doubles players on the WTA tour over the last several seasons. She's a Wimbledon finalist (2023), world #1, and US Open mixed doubles champion (2022).

Unfortunately, the 2024 season was cut short for Storm as she suffered a torn Achilles in April. I spoke with her from Australia in June as she continues rehab. We discussed her timeline for recovery and her success on the court over the past few seasons.

Here are a few topics we cover.

• When does she expect to return to pro tennis?
• How has she been able to succeed with a variety of doubles partners who have different game styles? Caroline Dolehide, Elise Mertens, Katerina Siniakova...
• Why Storm started playing tennis right-handed.
• What does she do differently in mixed vs women's doubles?
• Strategy advice for lefty's and righty's who are playing with a lefty.
• Which of her Aussie teammates would do best in a fight with their scary wildlife? 🤣

You'll get some great insights into life on the pro tour, Storm's childhood, and tons of doubles strategy in this episode. We hope to see Storm back soon!

See the shownotes for this episode here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/storm-hunter-interview/


-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

**Doubles Strategy Courses** These video courses will help you play smarter doubles and make winning easier.

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

**Doubles Ebooks** These guides offer proven advice to improve your doubles strategy.

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles:

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

• A strategic adjustment he and his partner, Mate Pavic, made to turn around their semifinal match against the top seeds after dropping the first set.
• What he's learned from his new partner, a 7x major champion himself, this year.
• His thoughts on how to make doubles more popular.

If you're not a Marcelo fan yet, you will be after. He's an incredibly positive and generous guy with great energy on the court. Vamos Chelo!

See the shownotes for this episode here: https://www.thetennistribe.com/marcelo-arevalo-interview/

-----

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox: https://www.thetennistribe.com/join-the-tribe/

• Net Play Strategy for Doubles - The Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/net-play-strategy-for-doubles
• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/25-winning-doubles-tactics
• Mental Game Masterclass: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/the-mental-game-masterclass
• League Doubles Training Masterclass Video Course: https://the-tennis-tribe.teachable.com/p/league-doubles-training

• 25 Winning Doubles Tactics:  https://www.thetennistribe.com/25-winning-doubles-tactics/
• Return Strategy for Doubles: https://www.thetennistribe.com/return-strategy-for-doubles-ebook/

-----

**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players** 

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course