Doubles Only Tennis Podcast

In this AMA episode, I answer Tennis Tribe member questions with simple doubles strategy rules for drop shots, overheads against lobbers, and cutting down double faults.

I also share how I think about building a second serve you can trust, as well as starting and recovery positions at the net.

• Drop shot rules and the best place to hit drop shots from
• Why your drop shot doesn't have to land short
• The best overhead targets
• When lettin...

Mark Ein is the owner of the DC Open, an ATP and WTA 500 tournament starting on July 25. I spoke with Mark the week leading up to the tournament about how he has built the DC Open into one of the premier 500-level tournaments in the world.

We discuss doubles' role in the tournament, his passion for tennis, and plans for the 2026 tournament. Mark also shares his thoughts on the ATP doubles cuts. 

• Mark’s background in sp...

I spoke with Coach Calvin Betton after a second Wimbledon doubles title in three years. Calvin coaches ATP #1, Henry Patten, as well as Luke Johnson. We discussed Henry's Wimbledon run with his doubles partner, Harri Heliovaara, as well as return strategy and the recent news about ATP doubles cuts. 

• Comparing the 2024 and 2026 Wimbledon runs
• Why “no free points” matters more than any "tiebreaker system”
• Bala...

Aldila Sutjiadi is the #36 WTA doubles player coming off a grass court title in Bad Homburg alongside Vera Zvonareva. I spoke with Aldila a few days before Wimbledon, so we discussed her preparation, recent title, and more.

We talk through recovery choices, what actually creates doubles chemistry, and her health scare from a few years ago.

• Managing Wimbledon prep with smart on-site time and planned practice blocks
• Handling recover...

I talk with Dan Kiernan from Wimbledon about the proposed ATP doubles changes for 2028 and why doubles players feel blindsided by the messaging. We focus on transparency, intent, and respect, and what doubles players can realistically do next if leadership will not share clear facts.

You'll also hear specific names who we believe may be pushing this agenda forward.

• Initial reactions from doubles players and coaches at Wimbledon
• Wh...

The ATP is rumored to be shrinking men’s doubles draws and shifting prize money over to singles, part of what has been a slow retreat from doubles over the past few decades.

I don't agree with the decision and wanted to talk with someone who understands the ATP's side. Ben Rothenberg is a journalist who broke the news about the potential plans yesterday. He's also been on the show before (listen here).

Ben shares what he knows ...

Anna Danilina, a 4-time major finalist and 2023 US Open mixed doubles champion, is ranked #6 in the world in doubles. She and Aleksandra Krunic are the #2 team in the 2026 race to the WTA Finals. I spoke with her recently as she prepared for Wimbledon.

We discussed her development over the last several years, mental resets during matches, and how to create belief in yourself. She also shares tactical details you can steal for your o...

Albano Olivetti is the #22-ranked doubles player on the ATP tour. He recently won a grass court title in Halle and owns the record for the 2nd fastest serve of all time.

In this brief conversation, we unpack what really wins on fast courts and why he and his partner, Theo Arribage, feel confident right now. Albano shares practical serve and return lessons, plus his perspective on building a doubles partnership that keeps getting bet...

This is another AMA episode where I focus on the return of serve. Perhaps the most important shot in doubles, and certainly the least practiced.

I break down why the return of serve is misunderstood and how I think about practicing and implementing effective returns. I also dig into consistency, targets, patterns, deuce vs ad court, and tactics for the return. 

• Why returns and groundstrokes are not the same thing.
• One common ...

This AMA episode covers a variety of topics, including net position, formations, and strategy frameworks. A few of the lessons are from a tight mixed doubles match that I recently played, while the others are from Tennis Tribe Members.

1. When is I-formation a bad idea?
2. Why I recently told my partner to stand in two different positions on my return points.
3. When should the baseline player change something? (including how to handle ina...

Greg Kusnierz is a mental performance coach who works with junior and adult tennis players seeking to play better under pressure. Most tennis coaches' and mental gurus' advice about nerves turns me off, but Greg's approach is practical and has actually helped my players on the court.

We discuss why every tennis player gets nervous and how to turn that energy into better decisions instead of tighter swings. We also share practical to...

We catch up with Nicole Melichar-Martinez from Rome and unpack the day-to-day life behind WTA doubles, from gym sessions and practice blocks to physio, massage, and travel logistics. We also zoom out on the clay season, her Stuttgart win, team chemistry, and the mindset shift Nicole is making to stay present when momentum flips fast.

• Favorite clay-season meal in Stuttgart and the no-menu restaurant experience
• How a Rome tournamen...

Marcus Daniell is an Olympic Bronze Medalist and former top 35 ATP doubles player who reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He also founded High Impact Athletes, a company that connects professional athletes with high-impact charities.

Gaby Dabrowski recently launched a fundraising campaign with HIA called Gaby's Games for Good to help protect women and girls from violence.

👉 DONATE TO GABY'S CAMPAIGN HERE

T...

Mehrban Iranshad is the founder of Tennis Summit, an online tennis conference for club players who want to improve. I've presented at the conference for four years in a row and have a presentation this year on doubles formations (live now).

Sign up for here to watch my presentation. You'll also get access to lessons from other coaches like Paul Annacone, the former coach of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, 19x grand slam cham...

In this AMA episode, I answer questions from players I've coached recently, as well as Tennis Tribe Members.

You'll learn how to respond when an opponent has a clear pattern that keeps beating you, an in-depth breakdown of I-Formation, practice ideas, and how to play with non-strategically minded partners.

The first 3 are free to all, while you'll need to become a member for the last 3.

1. How to handle someone who hits sharp angles.
2. ...

Andy Fitzell is the coach of rising US doubles stars JJ Tracy and Robert Cash. I spoke with Andy at Indian Wells to unpack how a pro team actually prepares, competes, and keeps improving when the margins are almost invisible.

We dig into scouting, training plans, partner psychology, and what tennis needs to change for doubles to get the attention it deserves. 

• Match-day practice and routines at Indian Wells 
• The use of f...

Jan Zielinski and Luke Johnson are both top 30 ATP doubles players who recently reached the Australian Open semifinals. I sat down with them at Indian Wells to talk about what clicked early in their new partnership, the season so far, and more. We spoke about emotional intensity, brutally close losses, mixed doubles, and why doubles still isn’t marketed like the product it can be.

• What “great practice” looks li...

David Collins is the coach of Grand Slam-winning ATP doubles players John Peers and Michael Venus. I spoke with him at Indian Wells to get practical advice about doubles training, from tour-level first-volley reps to simple technique fixes that instantly change your net game. We also dig into why club players fear the net, how to build a better doubles player over a year, and what pro doubles needs to grow. 

• How John Peers ...

Coach Jeff Coetzee is one of the top doubles minds in our sport. He reached a career high of #12 in the world during his playing career, and has since coached some of the best doubles teams on tour, including Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal.

Today, he coaches the top WTA doubles team in 2026, Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic. I spoke with Jeff at Indian Wells to unpack their season so far and how he's helped develop Danilin...