The Players' Lounge (Tennis Podcast)

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆He did it. Exactly one year after being kicked out of Australia for refusing to take the vaccine against Covid-19, Novak Djokovic wins on “his turf”, the Rod Laver Arena a 10th Australian Open. Besides winning his 22nd Slam and regaining the number 1 spot, he showed once again how incredible his mental strenght is. In this episode, you will learn: -How to have a strong start in your matches and to put a mental pressure on your opponent: I will share how Djokovic quickly took control of the match by imposing a high intensity physical and mental battle upon Tsitsipas; -Destroy your opponent’s strenghts: find out how Djokovic prevented Tsitsipas to play his game and use his best shots throughout the match; -Take control of the energy of the match and learn how to control your “weak moments”: how Djokovic managed to throw off Tsitsipas from his game by controlling the intensity of the match; -Create a “negativity-free bubble” around yourself: learn the tools to create handle negativity and create harmony with your team. -🌟Bonus: learn why it is important to DREAM BIG according to Novak Djokovic 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Novak Djokovic is the GOAT...at 'Shark Empathy': Why Is He A Beast Mentally ? Ep 33: Australian Open (Part 1): The 5 Reasons Why "Boring" Sabalenka Won Her 1st Slam Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🏆What a start of 2023 with a great Australian Open final between Aryna Sabalenka who wins her first Grand Slam title and Elena Rybakina who proves that, 6 months after winning Wimbledon, she’s here to stay at the top of the WTA. Here are 5 keys that helped Sabalenka win the Australian Open: -Accept the adversity and to be “boring”: learn the crucial decision Sabalenka took one week before the beginning of the Australian Open that made her win -Respect yourself and believe in your potential: how a radical change of your mindset is the key to reach your goals -Why stopping working with her sports psychologist was beneficial to her: the importance of taking responsibility to be successful -Be open to change: how a biomechanics expert saved her serve -Being able to make the difference between “overhit/overplay” and play with high intensity: the physical and tactical reaction of Sabalenka after losing the first set 🌟🌟Bonus lessons: -How both Sabalenka and Rybakina created their unique tennis DNA -Why Rybakina has everything to stay at the top of the WTA ⚠️ Don’t miss the part 2 of this Australian Open which will focus on Novak Djokovic’s victory and 22nd Gran Slam title. 🎙️In the meantime, here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 30: Wimbledon: the 8 Mental Lessons from Dkojovic, Rybakina, Kyrgios, Jabeur Ep 23: Interview with Legendary Coach Valorie Kondos Field: How to Coach Champions in Life Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

Roger Federer retired at the Laver Cup a few weeks ago and it was normal to do an episode dedicated to the Swiss giant. In this second part of this episode (the first part in at the end of the description if you have not listened to it yet), we reveal the 5 additional commandments of Roger Federer’s mental toughness: 6)High level of self-awareness and know when to make changes 7) Be decisive and not have regrets 8) Learn from your losses and know when to take a step back 9) Be yourself and build sane rivalries 10) Always try to improve 11) Bonus tip: don’t miss it (play the ball not the man) 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 32 (part 1): Roger Federer: the "10 Commandments" of His Mental Toughness Ep 16: How to Succeed as a Tennis Parent? Interview of Hernan Chousa, former ATP player, Author and Expert on Sport Parenting How to Take Juniors Tennis Players to Top 20? Interview with Tennis Coach Vlado Platenik Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

It might take us a while to get over Roger Federer’s retirement and Rafa Nadal’s tears after the Swiss Maestro’s last official tennis match. But instead of plunging into despair, let’s be grateful for the 24 years of highlights that will live on forever on YouTube and the unreal emotions we got from Roger. Federer’s amazing talent is a given but throughout his career, we sometimes forgot how mentally tough and resilient he has been. In this episode, we will discuss the mental construction of Roger Federer who started the whole #GOAT debate. In this first part, we will learn: Subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss the part 2 of the episode dedicated to the “10 mental commandments” of Roger Federer! In the meantime, listen to these previous episodes: Ep 6: Talent is a Myth...Even for Roger Federer (Part 1) Ep 6: Talent is a Myth (part 2) : The 8 Skills Any Tennis Player Can Develop Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

The last Slam of the year was an instant classic! After a dull summer, Iga Swiatek won her third slam and has once more shown why she is the dominant force of the WTA. But the biggest event (apart OF COURSE from Serena’s retirement) is without a doubt the crowning of Carlos Alcaraz who not only won his first Grand Slam but became the youngest N1 at only 19 years old. How can we explain the level of maturity and success of these two young players? In this episode, you will learn the common mental strengths of “Iga and Carlitos” 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 29: Iga Swiatek: How to Handle Pressure and Win When You Are the Favorite Ep 19: What does it take to be a Great Coach? Interview with Top Juniors and Tour Coach Emma Doyle Ep 9: Tennis "Prodigies": Why They Make/ Don't Make It on the ATP/WTA Tour Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🏆The third Grand Slam of the year is over and the least we can say is that Wimbledon 2022 was a special one! Novak Djokovic won his 4th consecutive Wimbledon and 21st Grand Slam and Elena Rybakina came back from one set down in the final to win her first Grand Slam against Ons Jabeur. Dans cet épisode, vous apprendrez les leçons que l’on peut tirer du parcours de ces différents champions : Here are the 8 lessons you can learn from Djokovic, Rybakina, Kyrgios and Jabeur's tournaments: Novak Djokovic: -How to be resilient when facing a difficult situation? -How to stay calm and spot the opportunities during a match to win ? -How to "absorb" your opponent's strenghts ? Elena Rybakina: -How to get out of your comfort zone during a match and show bravery to win ? -How to get rid of a high level of stress and focus on your game? Nick Kyrgios: -How to get in your opponent's head and how to respond when your opponent is provoking you? Ons Jabeur: -How to stay focused when you are up and make the right tactical choices -How to find the good rhythm throughout the match 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Novak Djokovic is the GOAT...at 'Shark Empathy': Why Is He A Beast Mentally ? Ep 11: How to React and Win Against "Cheaters" ? Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🏆 By winning her second French Open and her 35th match in a row, Iga Swiatek has without a doubt shown that she is the undisputed boss of the WTA. Her “tour de force” is even more admirable as she has shown a real psychological domination over her opponents and a real comfort in filling the shoes of the ultra favorite. We haven’t seen this since…Serena… In this episode dedicated to “How to Win When You Are the Favorite”, you will learn: 😎-How to accept stress and built on it 💨-Iga’s mental solutions to keep high intensity during her matches 🤓-The 3 winning strategies Iga Swiatek goes to when she is under pressure -How to handle external elements when you start getting results on tour ’re an upcoming tennis player on tour 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 10: Rafael Nadal: Clark Kent vs Superman or the Power of the Alter Ego to Win Ep 23: Interview with Legendary Coach Valorie Kondos Field: How to Coach Champions in Life Ep 1 : How Do You Define Your Tennis Identity ? Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

Last week, WTA number 1 Ash #Barty shocked the world when she announced that she was retiring at 25 only a few weeks after winning her home slam at the Australian Open. 🏆 Barty is not the first player to retire young and at the top of the game. Players like Bjorn Borg or Justine Henin did it before her. Is it the end of long careers like the ones of the Big 3 or the Williams sisters. Are short-lived careers going to become the norm on the #ATP and #WTA tours? In this episode, you’ll learn: 🙋‍♀️-Why is Ash Barty’s decision to stop is not really a surprise; 💪🏾-How to stay motivated after reaching a major goal and how to set up new goals; 🤓-What strategies coaches should use at practice to keep their players motivated and engaged and to limit the frustrations that come with the life on tour -The secrets Roger Federer uses to stay motivated at 40 years old and deal with the negative aspects of playing on tour -The reasons why tennis legends Andy Murray and Venus Williams keep playing despite the recurrent injuries and not being the #1 player in the world. 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 27: Use Ash Barty's 4 Strengths to Dominate Your Opponents Ep 22: How to Win a Grand Slam in 24 Days? Learn Ash Barty's Mindset Techniques to Win Ep 9: Tennis "Prodigies": Why They Make/ Don't Make It on the ATP/WTA Tour Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

😎After a flawless performance, Ash Barty clinched her 3rd slam "at home" 🏆. What stood out during the Australian Open was her undisputed dominance over her opponents. 👀👀 🎙️In this new episode, you will learn the 4 key biggest strengths of Ash Barty: 1️⃣: Use variety to control your opponent's power : Ash Barty is not the biggest hitter on the WTA tour, hitting the ball early and using smart angles give her an important advantage to control most points. Find out how to use slice to neutralize the other players and why you don't need to serve at 140 miles an hour to earn free points. 2️⃣ Tactical superiority: Ash Barty had one scare in the whole tournament when she was 5/1 down in the second set against Danielle Collins in the final. I give you tips on how to change the momentum of the match when you are losing and how to set up automatic game plans. 3️⃣-Emotional stability : Ash Barty's way of handling her emotions and dealing with pressure is impressive. She manages to stay calm and focused in every situation. Learn about the strategies she uses to remain focused and create great harmony and balance with her team. 4️⃣She is clear about her identity and does not care about fame: Ash Barty has built a balance life in which media over exposure is not part of it. In that part, you'll learn how to deal with distractions so you can stay on top of your game. ⚠️BONUS: stay tuned until the end for a tip that will definitely help you get to the next level! 💪 🎙️Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast you can listen to: Ep 22: How to Win a Grand Slam in 24 Days? Learn Ash Barty's Mindset Techniques to Win Ep 1: How Do You Define Your Tennis Identity ? Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🦘The slam "down under" came to an end and we witnessed Rafa Nadal 🏆clinching his 21st Grand Slam after one of the greatest comebacks in a slam final. It really seemed that Daniil Medvedev who had a 2 sets lead was going to once again delay history. 🎙️Here are the 6️⃣ to take away from this incredible battle 🥊-Accepter the fight : Medvedev pulled a "Nadal" on Rafa himself for more than 2 sets by imposing a great physical battle ➕1️⃣- Be ready to play an extra shot in order to mentally break your opponent 🧠-How to impose your strategy in order to make your opponent doubt him/herself and miss on his/her strongest shots 👉-Seize the opportunities and kill the match : Daniil Medvedev dominated Rafael Nadal whose defeat seemed inevitable and yet... This is what you must do when you have a strong lead so your opponent never comes back 💆‍♂️-Don't get distracted: responding to the crowd's provocations made Medvedev lose some of his composure. Learn how to keep your emotions in check and deal with external elements. 💪🏾-Stay focused on the positive even when it seems over : be inspired by Rafa's mental strategy in order to get yourself out of very tough situations and get the win Here are some old episodes of The Players' Lounge podcast related to Rafa Nadal: Ep 10: Rafael Nadal: Clark Kent vs Superman or the Power of the Alter Ego to Win Ep 20 (part 2): Is it the end of the "Rafa era" on clay? Tsitsipas' loss: 3 Things to Do After Losing a Match You Were Close to Win Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

As we're heading slowly but surely toward the end of the 2021 tennis season (let's not forget about the infamous Davis Cup), one thing we can say is: what a year it was! 👨🏆Sacha Zverev's triumph at the ATP Finals in Torino is a great way to end a great season after a heartbreaking loss in the US Open final last year against Dominic Thiem. 🎙️In this episode, you will learn about the 4 key elements who made Zverev excel this season: Dans cet épisode, on va analyser les 4 éléments qui ont permis à Zverev de s'illustrer cette saison : ✅-Match your actions with your ambitions ✅-Improve the shot(s) that will make a huge difference in your game and allow you to get big results ✅-Understand when you lose a game but with the right strategy Comprendre quand on a perdu un match en ayant la bonne stratégie ✅-Learn when to use a strategy different than your natural game to get the win Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

The "mental breakdown" of Novak Djokovic was heavily discussed these past couple of days, but little or no credit was given to Medvedev's massive performance . A true mastermind, the Russian player proved why he definitely is the frontrunner of the infamous "Next Gen" In addition to Medvedev's success, it is impossible not to comment on the historical "tour de force" of Emma Raducanu who won her first Grand Slam (and WTA tour) coming from the qualies and winning 10 matches without dropping a set! In this part 2 of this "US Open episode", you will learn: -The 3 mental strategies Daniil Medvedev used to beat Djokovic and to win his first grand Slam -Why Emma Raducanu's winning spirit sets her up perfectly to be at the top of the WTA. Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

The US Open is over and the least we can say is that it was an emotional one! From the MAJOR performance of Emma Raducanu who grabbed the title coming from the qualies to the incredible run of Leylah Fernadez, what a blast we had watching these two! But what most of us will remember is the shocking victory of Daniil Medvedev over Novak Djokovic preventing from achieving a calendar Grand Slam. In this episode, we will analyze the misfortunes of Osaka, Tsitsipas and Djokovic and what we can learn from them: -Naomi Osaka: what are the roots of her mental struggles and how can she can find herself again? -Stefanos Tsitsipas: why is the "Greek God" struggling since his loss in the final of the French Open -Novak Djokovic: what happened in the final and will Djoko recover and come back stronger than ever? Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

Interviewing people whose purpose is to help athletes become the best version of themselves on and off the court is one of the reasons why I started The Players’ Lounge podcast. In today’s episode, I got the privilege to chat with legendary UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field, also known as “Miss Val”. From 1989 to 2019, she won 7 NCAA titles, 22 regional and 18 Pac-12 championships with her teams and was named “Pac 12 Coach of the Century”. What’s more extraordinary in Valorie Kondos Field’ story is that she never did gymnastics. She is also a Ted Speaker and the author of the book “Life is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance”. In that great conversation, learn how a professional ballet dancer became one of the winningest coaches in history and what valuable lessons she taught hundreds of athletes to become “champions in life” From 0 to 2’50: Introduction Valorie Kondos Field From 2’51 to 4’59: Miss Val’s take on professional athletes’ speaking out about their mental struggles From 5’ to 6’30: Miss Val’s debut as a coach and some of her early mistakes From 6’30 to 7’39: How did she change her style of leadership/coaching, how did she redefine coaching: From 7’40 to 12’09: What were the triggers for Miss Val to change her coaching style? How did she redefine the meaning of success and what she learned from being mentored by legendary basketball Coach John Wooden From 12’10 to 17’17: How do you teach that to athletes to build a winning mentality and the importance of goals setting: how to set big goals and breaking them into daily goals From 17’18 to 22’24: Valorie Kondos Field’s transition from being a pro ballet dancer to becoming the head coach of one of the most prominent gymnastics programs in the United States knowing she was never a gymnast. Learn the importance of “making the ask” and using your past experiences to your advantage From 23’20 to 28’28: how positive parenting and the ability to learn and move on quickly from your mistakes are key ingredients to becoming a successful athlete From 28’30 to 32’59: tips for athletes so they don’t get affected by negativity From 33’ to 36’29: what are the actions athletes can take to deal with social media hate From 36’30 to 40’42: the importance of celebrating “small victories” and how to keep the fun while aiming for big and ambitious goals From 40’43 to 49’59: Miss Val shares her experience on how to communicate effectively with parents and gives some tips on how to talk to young athletes in an empowering way From 50’ to 54’54: As a coach, what you can do to build trust and help an athlete who has lost his/her motivation and confidence From 55’28 to 58’48: Valorie Kondos Field explains the difference between great athletes and champions and why coaches need to become better listeners From 58’49 to end:How Miss Val’s book “Life is short, don’t wait to dance” is an encouragement for people to become their authentic best version of themselves, her upcoming project and how life is about choices Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

🎾Wimbledon is over and while Djokovic's 20th slam has put the tennis in a frenzy in a potential calendar Grand Slam, I want to focus on Ash Barty's win and why her victory is an exceptional mental performance. In this episode you will learn: 📄What you can learn from her 24-day recovery plan after her injury at the French Open and why the perfect preparation doesn't exist 🧠The techniques Ash Barty's mindset coach Ben Crowe used to reframe her mindset ❓What are the 2 most important questions you should ask yourself 💆🏻‍♀️How to focus on the things you can control 🤝The importance of harmony in your team and how to create common values 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦The importance of a supportive environment Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

As a former professional tennis player on the WTA tour, I am very grateful for the valuable lessons that I have learned and the skills that I have acquired on and off the court. As many tennis players train hard in the hopes to step on Center Court at Wimbledon one day, a lot of players and their parents face obstacles they are not prepared to deal with and prevent them from climbing the rankings of the WTA/ATP tour. What does it REALLY take to make it on tour? What do parents/players need to look for when selecting a coach? How do parents financially plan the 4-5 years that are usually needed so your kid can make it to the Slams? What is the best way to schedule your children’s tournaments? It was my pleasure to co-host this webinar with my two co-hosts: Hernan Chousa, former top 300 ATP, is a business owner, a public speaker and an author of books on sports parenting such as “My son, the tennis player” and has just released a new book “Parentshift: the skills you need to become a tennis parent”. Vlado Platenik, who has been on the WTA for over 20 years, and took many player from top 500 to top 20 including former WTA number 12 Dominika Cibulkova, and is current with world number 32 at the WTA Veronika Kudermetova. Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

In this second part of this episode dedicated to the lessons we can learn from the 2021 French Open (if you did not have a chance to listen to the first part that focused on the mental strategies Krejcikova and Djokovic used to have the edge over their opponents, here is the link), we will dig into the losses of Rafael Nadal, “King of Clay” for the past 15 years and Stefanos Tsitsipas who was one set away to win his first Grand Slam. The main focus of this episode will be: how to recover from a tough loss when we were very close to winning? Rafa Nadal: -Why did he come to the French Open with less confidence compared to the previous years? From 3’57 to 9’17 -How did he lose the psychological and physical advantages he had over Djokovic on clay? From 9’18 to 13’18 -Is the end of the “Nadal era” on clay? From 13’19 to 16’57 Stefanos Tsitsipas: -Why does his French Open run confirm that he will be number one in the future? From 16’58 to 21’06 -What was the missing element(s) for him to win against Djokovic in the final? From 21’07 to 25’35 -What are the 3 things to do when you lose a match that you were very close to win? From 25’36 to 37’06

That’s a wrap Roland Garros! And the least we can say is that the 2021 French Open was a special one! The withdrawals of Naomi Osaka and Roger Federer were definitely a shock in the first week of the slam. In the second week, the legendary semi final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, the surprising but very refreshing victory of Barbora Krejcikova and the great comeback of Djokovic to win his 19th slam were wonderful treats to the tennis fans. There are many lessons that we can take from the 2021 French Open that will help us to improve our mental skills. That’s why this episode will be divided into two parts. In this first part, we will focus on the mental strategies Krejcikova and Djokovic have used in order to take the mental edge over their opponents: Barbora Krejcikova’s mental strategies: -The “outsider power”: what is it and how can you apply it to your game? From 3’21 to 7’31 -How to use your stress in order to become stronger and win: from 7’32 to 12’42 -The importance of having a clear game plan in high-pressure situations and how to take responsibility regardless of what’s happening on court: from 12’43 to 18’04 Novak Djokovic’s Djokovic’s mental strategies: -Why is it crucial to plan ahead and trust your plan to achieve your goal: from 18’05 to 23’42 -Learn how to not panic when losing and how to stay calm: from 23’43 to 32’17 -Be comfortable with having high ambitions: from 32’18 to 36’05 Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

Coaches play a huge role in the tennis, yet, we don’t often have the opportunity to hear about their experience on tour and how they help players to reach the top. In this episode, I had the pleasure to interview Emma Doyle, world class tennis coach who coached top juniors and many players on tour. Emma is Australian, she’s a high performance tennis coach, a TEDx speaker and Global speaker in tennis. Emma also helps business professionals to unleash their potential. She has just released a course called “Master your Mindset” for players. Enter the code TPL2021 and get a 17$ discount (course will be 40$ instead of 57$)! In this conversation, you will get to discover Emma’s fantastic energy and you will learn: videoGet in touch or follow Emma Doyle via the following links: Email: info@emmadoyle.com.au, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube , Linkedin Emma shares A free visualization exercise Don't forget to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!

“He/she knows vs he/she doesn't know how to deal with pressure on big points”. How often do we hear these sentences from commentators while watching matches or from people watching us playing from the sidelines? A lot. But how often do we hear people talk about the reason why players feel pressure and why do most of us hate pressure? Not much. As if dealing with pressure was something you were born with or without. What if pressure was your best friend? To discuss "the elephant in the room", it was my pleasure to welcome Mark Jeffery in The Players' Lounge! Mark believes handling pressure can be taught and after listening to our convo, you will believe it too! Mark Jeffery is the Founder of Big Point Player Training, The proven T.R.U.S.T winning formula and Winning Summit. Mark's mission is to democratize what the elite of the Military and Tennis know and train to bring this to the competitive amateur tennis community worldwide. Learn how to harness Pressure and reliably, predictably and WIN when it matters the most and become a "Big Point Player" T.R.U.S.T is also being trained by a proven, replicable, Grand Slam DEVELOPMENT Coach. EXCLUSIVE OFFER! For listeners of The Players’ Lounge podcast we have two 'firsts': -One is a FREE diagnostic WINNING with Pressure tool where you can compare the level of your Closing Out skills to the like of Djokovic and receive a bespoke assessment via this link: http://diagnostic.thewinningformula.tennis -The second is a genuine discount for the next flagship course, the emotively named One Point Away: https://bigpointplayer.clickfunnels.com/opt-inpavk1al9 For the people that sign up via the OPA link will get a genuine $50.00 discount from the $397.00 ie $347.00 AND I will rebate you $50.00 as well so the net price is $297.00 In this fascinating conversation with Mark, you will learn: Don't hesitate to subscribe and follow The Players' Lounge podcast on Instagram @theplayersloungepodcast and Facebook!