What happens when a former top-100 player takes her competitive mindset and applies it to managing over 350 event days at the USTA National Campus? In this episode of Racquet Fuel, hosts Kim Bastable and Simon Gale sit down with Grace Min—a former WTA top-100 player who retired in 2024 and quickly transitioned into her role as Event Manager at the USTA National Campus. Grace shares how she’s adapted her player mindset into leadership, the surprising similarities between competing on tour and managing large-scale events, and what every director can learn about communication, adaptability, and feedback. Her story is both inspiring and practical for anyone managing programs, tournaments, or teams in racquet sports.
What You’ll Learn
- Why adaptability—learned on tour—may be the most valuable skill in event management
- How to balance fundamentals (scheduling, officiating) with “elevators” that make events memorable
- The role of feedback loops and after-action reports in improving events year over year
- The challenge of moving from giving feedback as a player to receiving it as a manager
- Why effective communication is essential when leading high-performance teams
- How mentorship and process-oriented thinking can help directors avoid burnout
- Grace’s simple mantra for events (borrowed from her coach): Win the last point
Episode Highlights
- Grace’s decision to pivot from playing to management after injury and why events, not coaching, felt like the right fit
- The striking similarities between training for tournaments and planning events
- Why the “pressure is a privilege” at the National Campus and how her team manages expectations
- The unexpected joy Grace found in team camaraderie after years in an individual sport
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