TennisWorthy, a podcast presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame,
seeks to uncover what it takes to become THE GREATEST CHAMPION. 


Featuring Hall of Famers and tennis legends, these wide-reaching conversations go beyond on-court results, and reveal the mindsets, habits and perseverance of the sport’s legends. Hear from the greats on what it takes to set yourself apart.

SEASON 2 SYNOPSIS

Jim Courier: Facing the Ups and Down: Former world No. 1 and current media personality Jim Courier brings candid honesty, reflecting on his innate competitiveness, the relationships that molded his career and how he continues to be a citizen of the world.

Ken Rosewall: Sustaining Longevity Through Change: 18-time Grand Slam champion and Aussie great Ken Rosewall discusses his longevity, his tactics and the politics that influenced amateurs and professionals at the dawn of the Open Era.

Pat Rafter: Doing the Right Work, and the Hard Work: Two-time US Open champion Patrick Rafter leaves few stones unturned, from his serve-and-volley origins to detailing the innate abilities that define tennis’ greatest players.

Esther Vergeer: Forging a Path in Disability Sports: One of the all-time wheelchair tennis greats, Hall of Famer Esther Vergeer gives a lesson in perseverance, commitment and how she used simple motivations to sustain unparalleled greatness.

Kim Clijsters: Finding Balance and Cherishing Connections: Hall of Fame President Kim Clijsters discusses her career, mental secrets to success and the importance of building and maintaining relationships on and off the court. She shares her “why” in everything she does now, including giving back to tennis through her role with the Hall of Fame.

Tommy Haas: Competition Mindset and the "Inner Dog": Former world No. 2 and current Indian Wells Tournament Director Tommy Haas details how even though injuries delivered setbacks during his tennis career, he remained positive, and shares how a "why not?" mentality kept him pushing for more.

Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton and Ann Jones: Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis - Two members of the Original 9, Rosie Casals and Judy Tegart Dalton, along with fellow Hall of Famer Ann Jones, discuss the early years of women’s professional tennis. They share memories of playing with and against each other, and the lesser-known hard work behind the scenes of growing the game.

Cliff Drysdale: Making an Impression in All Efforts: Cliff Drysdale is a preeminent voice in tennis broadcasting, but his commentary skill on television is just the latest chapter in a career that touches all aspects of the sport. He discusses the early days of professional tennis, and how it was firstly an opportunity for him to continue playing the game he loved.

Margaret Court: Developing Talent through Persistence: Margaret Court captured an all-time record of 64 major titles during her esteemed tennis career, including 24 in singles, 19 in doubles and 21 in mixed doubles. As one of the greatest players of her era, there were several aspects of her life and training that she credits to pushing her game to the next level, which she describes in depth.

Michael Stich: The Desire to Improve: Over the course of a year during 1990-91, Michael Stich went from being the 400th ranked player in the world to sitting inside the top 10, and winning Wimbledon. It was a steep and relatively quick ascent for a self-described "terrible" juniors player, but Stich shares his immense love for the sport as the reason he chose to continue, and make a career of tennis.

Conchita Martinez: For the Love of the Game: Many tennis players start by hitting a ball against a wall - but Conchita Martinez took that early pastime to a new level. Watching her brothers and father play on the courts outside of her apartment as a child gave her spark to try, and she "loved it from the very beginning".

Gabriel Sabatini: Reflecting on Positives & Passions: Gabriela Sabatini was a rising star as a junior, and she lived up to the early expectations. It wasn't all smooth sailing though; she credits working with a sport psychologist and global exposure for helping her become more outgoing and achieve on court.

Recap: Developing as Junior Players: Featuring Ken Rosewall, Tommy Haas, Jim Courier, Conchita Martinez, Pam Shriver and Michael Stich in their own words, host Chris Bowers focuses on the development of champions as junior players. Learn what it was that set them apart at an early age.

Recap: Living a Balanced Life: Hall of Famers Gabriela Sabatini, Jim Courier and Kim Clijsters share how they balanced priorities during their career, including enjoying parts of life outside of tennis, and how it contributed to their on-court success.

Recap: Pivotal History Makers: Five history makers of a different kind, including Ken Rosewall, Cliff Drysdale, Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton and Ann Jones, share their insights from the tumultuous time from 1968-73 when tennis became a global phenomenon.

Recap: The Psychology of Tennis: Hall of Famers Jim Courier, Conchita Martinez, Pat Rafter, Margaret Court and Esther Vergeer discuss the psychology of tennis, which is not solely about psychology, but about dealing with pressure, keeping emotions at the right level, and generally looking after a player's mental health.


Season 2 Episode Transcripts

The Psychology of Tennis
Pivotal History Makers
Living a Balanced Life
Developing as Junior Players
Gabriel Sabatini: Reflecting on Positives & Passions
Conchita Martinez: For the Love of the Game
Michael Stich: The Desire to Improve
Margaret Court: Developing Talent through Persistence
Cliff Drysdale: Making an Impression in All Efforts
Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton and Ann Jones: Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis
Tommy Haas: Competition Mindset and the "Inner Dog"
Kim Clijsters: Finding Balance and Cherishing Connections
Esther Vergeer: Forging a Path in Disability Sports
Pat Rafter: Doing the Right Work, and the Hard Work
Ken Rosewall: Sustaining Longevity Through Change
Jim Courier: Facing the Ups and Down

Season 1 Episode Transcripts

Advice From Legends
Tennis in the Wider World
The Importance of Family 
Learning, Improving and Psychology
Finding Motivation and Determination
John Newcombe: Prioritizing Mental Fortitude, and Relationships transcript
Mats Wilander 
David Hall: Desire, Determination, and Pursuing Dreams
Mark Woodforde: From Singles Success to Doubles Dominance
Vijay Amritraj: Using Sport as a Force for God
Stan Smith: The Power of Belief and Setting Goals
Pam Shriver: Capitalizing on Strengths in a Power Pairing
Gigi Fernandez: Determination and the Importance of Mindset
Mary Pierce
Ivan Lendl
Tracy Austin
Lleyton Hewitt
Original text
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