Episodes

  • What Does It Really Mean to 'Make It' in Tennis? Insights from Kimmer Coppejans
    Nov 19 2024

    What does it truly mean to "make it" as a tennis player? In this episode, I delve into this question with Belgian player Kimmer Coppejans, a former junior French Open champion who reached the top 100 for a brief period. Kimmer shares his journey through the highs and lows of professional tennis, including the mental challenges he faced, such as the yips and the struggle to regain confidence after injuries. He discusses the importance of consistency and the evolving landscape of the sport, where even players ranked outside the top 100 can pose serious threats. Additionally, Kimmer reflects on balancing life as a professional athlete with family responsibilities and the insights gained from participating in the ATP Player Mentoring Program, which aims to prepare players for life after tennis.

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    30 mins
  • Navigating the Tour: Laurent Lokoli on Challenges and Triumphs
    Nov 5 2024

    French tennis player Laurent Lokoli joins the Functional Tennis Podcast to share his journey through the highs and lows of professional tennis. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on individual game styles rather than just results, advising young players to stay true to their strengths. Throughout the conversation, Laurent discusses players' challenges on the circuit, including mental health and the pressures of consistency at different levels, from futures to the ATP tour. He reflects on his experiences qualifying for Grand Slams and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the sport. As he looks ahead to his future, Laurent expresses a desire to help others and continue sharing his love for tennis through his YouTube channel.

    Hope you enjoy

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

    // Photo credit of Larent : Dumè Alfonsi

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    1 hr
  • The Player's Perspective: Jason Jung on Mental Toughness and Career Choices
    Oct 23 2024

    Jason Jung joins the Functional Tennis podcast to share his journey as a professional tennis player, including the challenges he faced with injuries and the decision to switch national representation to Taiwan. He discusses the financial and personal motivations behind this choice, highlighting how it opened doors for sponsorships and competitive opportunities. Jason candidly reflects on his struggles during a tough year in 2017, where he faced numerous first-round exits, and how a pivotal win at the University Games revitalized his career. The conversation also touches on the rigorous travel schedule of professional players and the mental toll it can take, especially toward the end of the season. As Jason prepares for fatherhood, he shares his thoughts on whether he would encourage his child to pursue tennis, balancing his expertise with the challenges of the sport.

    I chat with Jason Jung and we discuss, his ups and downs as a player, whether he would go back to college looking back on his career and why players are on edge late in the tennis season.

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    38 mins
  • 6-Time Grand Slam Title Coach Wim Fissette [ep.239]
    Oct 9 2024

    6-time grand slam coach Wim Fissette joins us on the Functional Tennis Podcast to chat about his coaching career.

    Wim set a high standard for himself winning 3 out of the first 6 slams he coached at.

    Wim worked with some of the best players in the past 15 years such as Kim Clijsters, Sabine Lisicki, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta, Angelique Kerber and recently finished working with Naomi Osaka. With Iga Swiatek recently finishing with her 3-year coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, is Wim the man to take the job.

    He tells us a bit about his coaching journey with each player, some anecdotes and learnings throughout his coaching career.

    Hope you enjoy it.

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Lulu Sun - WTA #220 to #40 in 1 year
    Sep 25 2024

    Today I speak to 23-year-old US College graduate Lulu Sun who has had an impressive run since graduating from the University Of Texas.

    In only 1 year of College Tennis, she rose to number 3 in the rankings and over the past 12 months on the WTA tour she has risen from no.210 to her current ranking of no.40.

    We chat about her early junior days, the importance of education and college tennis, why she switched nationality from Switzerland to New Zealand, her quailes to quarterfinals run at Wimbledon this year and her secrets to her rankings jump.

    Hope you enjoy and learn

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    43 mins
  • [Part 2] Racket of the year breakdown with Jonas Eriksson aka Tennisnerd
    Sep 17 2024

    Part 2 of the 2024 Functional Tennis Racket of the year breakdown with Jonas Eriksson (aka Tennisnerd). We chat about round 2 and 1/4's results as well as a semi final previewa

    Jonas is one of the leading racket experts and puts out great reviews on his YouTube channel which you can see here.

    Head over to the Functional Tennis Instagram stories to get voting.

    Finally a shoutout to Tennis Warehouse Europe who are sponsoring this event along with the Shoe of the Year which will run in. a few weeks. You can get details on all the rackets over on the Tennis Warehouse Europe site here.

    Finally, we will run a giveaway with the prize of the winning racket, sign up here to enter.

    Enjoy the episode

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    28 mins
  • [Part 1] Racket of the year breakdown with Jonas Eriksson aka Tennisnerd
    Sep 12 2024

    The racket of the year is back and Jonas Eriksson (aka Tennisnerd) jumps on to chat about results from round 1 and previews round 2.

    Jonas is one of the leading racket experts and puts out great reviews on his YouTube channel which you can see here.

    Head over to the Functional Tennis Instagram stories to get voting.

    Finally a shoutout to Tennis Warehouse Europe who are sponsoring this event along with the Shoe of the Year which will run in. a few weeks. You can get details on all the rackets over on the Tennis Warehouse Europe site here.

    Finally, we will run a giveaway with the prize of the winning racket, sign up here to enter.

    Enjoy the episode

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

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    32 mins
  • Inside the Mind of Sandra Zaniewska: Coach of WTA Top 20 Marta Kostyuk
    Aug 22 2024

    In episode 235 of the Functional Tennis Podcast, I sit down with Sandra Zaniewska, coach of WTA Top 20 player Marta Kostyuk.

    Sandra, a former pro herself with wins over the likes of Ons Jabeur and Ash Barty, transitioned into coaching at a young age and has since worked with top names like Petra Martic and Alizé Cornet.

    Sandra shares her journey from player to coach, her experiences leading the development of high-performance players at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, and her role with the Champ'Seed Foundation. We dive deep into the dynamics of coaching, exploring key themes like respect, communication, and trust. Plus, we tackle the big question: who’s really in charge—player or coach?

    I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation!

    Fabio

    This podcast is sponsored by ASICS. ASICS is a Japanese company founded in 1949 to give more people the opportunity to experience how sports and movement can have a positive impact on mental well-being.

    To learn more about ASICS visit their website here: https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/sports/tennis/

    Find us on Social Media:

    Instagram: Instagram.com/FunctionalTennis

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@functionaltennis

    And check out our famous Saber tennis training racket here

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    34 mins