Control the Controllables
Dan Kiernan, Director of SotoTennis Academy in Spain has created a podcast to entertain, educate and energise the tennis community. Hear Dan pick the brains of professional tennis players, coaches, parents, and others involved in High Performance Tennis.
Donna Kelso: What Happens Behind the Scenes of the WTA Tour
What really happens behind the scenes at the world's biggest tennis tournaments?
This week on Control the Controllables, Dan Kiernan is joined by one of the most respected figures in tennis officiating, WTA Supervisor Donna Kelso.
Donna has been a WTA and Grand Slam Supervisor since 1998, having previously been one of only two female Gold Badge chair umpires in the world.
Her extraordinary career has taken her from umpiring junior matches in Australia to sitting in the chair for Grand Slam finals, an Olympic gold medal match and one of the most emotional...
CTC Short: All the latest from the Asian swing and Goffin retires!
This CTC Short is brought to you live, from a beautiful clay court at SotoTennis Academy, on a lovely, sunny day in Spain. Dan has just arrived back, from a very successful trip in China, where he has been supporting Gaby Dabrowski throughout her back to back title victories in Beijing and Wuhan, alongside Luisa Stefani!
In this episode, Dan takes us through a roundup of the latest stories from across the tennis world, and also lets us know which famous faces have been interacting with our podcast on social media!
Key stories discussed:
...CTC Short: The Biggest Stories in the tennis world live from Beijing!
This CTC Short is brought to you live from Beijing, at the China Open, where Dan Kiernan is there for the WTA 1000 event!
In this episode Dan takes us through a roundup of the latest stories from across the tennis world, including those that have taken place moments away from our host ,who recorded this special CTC Short on the centre court in Beijing!
Key stories discussed:
Djokovic wins the China Open for the 7th timeMedvedev defaulted from China Open v Djokovic in the semisAlcaraz wins first title since February in JapanLegend of the sp...Toby Samuel: “Everything’s a Choice” – The Mentality Behind His Top 100 Breakthrough
Fifteen months ago Toby Samuel was ranked 1,870 in the world, injured, out of college, and unable to get into the qualifying draw of a 15K.
This month he broke into the ATP top 100, made his Davis Cup debut at the Copper Box and won the first rubber for Great Britain to help them qualify for the Davis Cup Finals.
In 2025, Toby won 62 matches and climbed further up the rankings than any other male player in the world. He did it without fanfare, without headlines and by his own admission, still staying in the bedrooms at...
Joe Salisbury & Rajeev Ram Retirement Special
Two Retirements. Two Incredible Careers.
This week on Control the Controllables, we're marking the retirement of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, two of the finest doubles players of their generation and two of the most generous guests we´ve had on the show.
Between them: 6 major titles each. 4 men's doubles crowns together, including the Australian Open in 2020 and that remarkable US Open three-peat in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Joe became only the second British man ever to reach World Number 1, holding the position for 23 weeks. Rajeev picked up two Olympic silver medals, 32 ATP titles, 9 Masters titles.
T...
US Open 2026 Review: New Champions, Big Talking Points & Lessons from New York
What a US Open! We saw two new champions crowned in New York, plenty of our pre-tournament predictions were ripped up, and both draws gave us lots of storylines.
In our final Grand Slam Review episode of 2026, Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our panel:-
Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie NielsenSports broadcaster and former CNN anchor Candy ReidCoach, podcaster and former agent Johnny DelgadoKieron Vorster, Fitness Coach to Tem Henman, Dan Evans & Wayne FerreriaAs ever, this isn’t just a review of the results. The panel gets int...
US Open Preview 2026! Everything To Look Out For!
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US Open 2026 preview. Dan is joined by Freddie Nielsen, Denmark Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon doubles champion, Candy Reid live in New Yorks, and first-time guest Johnny Delgado, coach and podcaster.
In this episode:
Are both the men’s and women’s draw wide open?Qinwen Zheng, Paris Olympic champion, comi...Ingrid Neel: How To Be Mentally Resilient Recovering From Injuries And Set Backs.
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You've drilled the technique. You've done the fitness. And still, in the match or the tiebreak, when you have chances to close out, something else takes over. That's not a skill you're missing. It's something that's never actually been measured, until now.
Click the link here for a FREE diagnostic: https...
Reaction To The 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles. Was It A Success?
Reaction to the 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles event. Was it a success?
About Control the Controllables US Open Live
Dan Kiernan and a different special guest across the US Open fortnight, bringing you analysis from inside the grounds. Live on the CTC YouTube channel. Episodes drop as podcasts the next morning wherever you get your podcasts.
Brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/
TennisAthlete delivers age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit https://linktr.ee...
US Open Mixed Doubles 2026 Chat! All You Need To Know! W/ Will Boucek
Day 1 of the Control the Controllables US Open Live series, recorded in New York City. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live across the US Open fortnight with tennis icons, coaches, players and special guests joining Dan from inside the grounds at Flushing Meadows.
In this episode:
Will Boucek joins Dan live from New YorkThe US Open Mixed Doubles new format - what changed, why, and whether it belongs at a Grand Slam1st round picks and predictions across the full Mixed Doubles drawDoubles specialists vs singles stars and what it means for the sportRoger...DEBATE: ATP Doubles Proposals + Wimbledon 2026 Review
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Email us: [email protected]
Meet our panellists:
Denmark's Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie Nielsen - currently coaching August Holmgren, who is in the final round of qualifying as we record.GB Coach Calvin Betton who is currently working with Henry Patten & Harri Heliövaara.Top S&C Coach Kieron Vorster who has worked w...Day 11 Wimbledon Recap w/ x30 Grand Slam Champion, Gordon Reid
Day 11 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): the first-ever all-Czech Wimbledon women's singles final in the Open Era is setKarolína Muchova beats Coco Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(12-10) after saving a match point at 9-8 in the tiebreak, in 2h35m...Day 10 Wimbledon Recap w/ Lee Childs Talking About Playing Rafa Nadal At SW19!
Day 10 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): Arthur Fery makes British tennis history and the semi-final line-up is confirmedFery beats Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 on Centre Court, only the 5th British man to reach a Wimbledon SF in the Open...Day 9 Wimbledon Recap w/ 2023 Wimbledon Winning Coach, Ken Skupski
Day 9 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy)Sinner into his 10th Grand Slam semi-final at 24, one of only 5 players since 2000 to reach 10 men's singles semis at the majors before turning 25 alongside Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and AlcarazSinner beats Struff to extend his...Day 8 Wimbledon Recap w/ 1995 Wimbledon Boys' Doubles Champion, Martin Lee
Day 8 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): Arthur Fery does it again, from two sets to one and a break down to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finalsTaylor Fritz cruises past Alexander Bublik The women's draw guaranteed to produce the 10th different champion...Day 7 Wimbledon Recap w/ Jonathan Overend, The Voice Of Tennis.
Day 7 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): the world No. 1 out, the defending champion out, and Wimbledon 2026 guaranteed a first-time women's championNaomi Osaka beats Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) on Centre Court to reach her first ever Wimbledon quarter-finalKarolina Muchova beats defending...Day 6 Wimbledon Recap w/ Danny Sapsford Talking About Playing Pete Sampras at SW19!
Day 6 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): a day of women's upsets and a British wildcard writing history on Court 18Iga Świątek out to Alexandra Eala 7-6, 6-2, the first Filipino ever into the second week of a Grand SlamRybakina be...Wimbledon Day 5 Recap w/ 2024 Wimbledon Champion Coach, Calvin Betton
CTC Wimbledon Live: Day 5, Calvin Betton, the Doubles Battle and the "Older Boys" Doing Their Job
Day 5 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
Dan and Calvin talk on the fight for the future of doubles
There's a fight going on off the court this week that could reshape the...
Wimbledon Day 3 Recap w/ 2012 Wimbledon Champion, Freddie Nielsen
Day 3 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds.
Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
A quick note: today's episode runs a little longer than usual as Dan and Freddie dive into the significant news emerging around proposed ATP doubles changes and what they could mean for the future of the sport.
In this episode:
Major...Wimbledon DAY 2 Recap w/ x2 Grand Slam Winner & Wimbledon Finalist, Erin Routliffe!
Day 2 of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): the curse of the grass court champions, with Cerundolo and Shelton both out in round one, and Bergs surviving the Eastbourne final repeatBen Shelton's stunning loss to Finnish qualifier Otto...Wimbledon DAY 1 Recap w/ Wimbledon Champion, Lloyd Glasspool
The first episode of our Wimbledon 2026 daily live series, recorded inside the grounds on Day 1 of The Championships. Brought to you by Novellus.
Live every night at 9 pm UK across the Wimbledon fortnight, with Wimbledon champions, tennis icons and special guests joining Dan to break down the day's biggest stories from inside the grounds at SW19.
In this episode:
Major Moments (brought to you by SotoTennis Academy): Raducanu and Draper both withdrew, Norrie beaten in five by qualifier Michael Zheng, and a brutal Day 1 for the British contingentJannik Sinner survives a three-and-a-half-hour scare against...Wimbledon Preview 2026
It is Wimbledon time! Dan is Joined by the ever present Freddie Nielsen, Denmark Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon doubles champion, and Kieran Vorster, S&C coach and one of the sharpest minds in the game, currently working with Henry Searle and Dan Evans among others.
There is plenty to get into before a ball has even been struck, from retirements and comebacks to doping bans and prize money rows.
You will have to listen to find out who they are backing, and there are a couple of calls in there that might...
Zach Svajda: The Tennis Myth Buster
This week Dan is joined by ATP pro Zach Svajda, fresh off a stunning run to the last 16 of Roland Garros 2026.
There he beat the heat, the occasion and a host of higher ranked players before falling to eventual finalist Flavio Cobolli in a fourth set tie break. Currently ranked 69 in the world with a career high of 62, Zach is 23 and only just getting started.
This is a genuinely special and emotional conversation. Zach opens up about the unconventional path that got him to top level tennis, from using a full size racket at age...
French Open 2026 Review
Our Roland Garros 2026 Review Show is here!
What a fortnight in Paris it´s been, with two new Grand Slam Champions in Sascha Zverev & Mirra Andreeva.
Host Dan Kiernan is joined by Denmark Davis Cup Captain Freddie Nielsen and GB doubles coach Calvin Betton to look back on a quite extraordinary French Open.
Calvin joins us fresh from coaching Henry Patten and Harri Heliövaara to their third Grand Slam final and their first ever world number one ranking in men's doubles, so there is plenty to get stuck into from the off.
...French Open Week 1 Chaos Round Up!
Our CTC Live series continues from Roland Garros 2026! Host Dan Kiernan is joined by broadcaster Candy Reid and performance analyst Mike James to round up an extraordinary first week at the French Open.
From Fonseca's stunning comeback against Djokovic to Sinner's shock exit in the heat, the drama has been non-stop. Dan also gives us a first-hand account of being at the tournament with his players, including a brilliant moment with Landaluce after his 5hr 58 minute epic.
This is the place to go for a round-up of Roland Garros action from a coach's perspective.
<...French Open Live
Listen to Dan and guest Freddie Nielsen chat through all the action from Day 4 & 5 at Roland Garros, including the shock departure of Jannik Sinner.
They analyse what went wrong for Sinner, key upcoming matches, and who they think could now lift the trophy.
Key TopicsYannick Sinner's unexpected exit and the implications for men's singlesWith the men´s draw wide open, anyone from Felix to Zverev or Cerundolo could take the titleHeat, mental fatigue, and injuries are influencing player performances more than everDoubles draw controversies and rule changes affecting participationEmerging young talents and dark horses in the t...French Open Live Breakdown! Talking about the 1st few days of action in Paris. W/ Calvin Betton.
Our CTC Live series is back for Roland Garros 2026, bringing you first-hand updates from the courts of Paris!
Sponsored by Novellus Finance: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/
In this episode, Dan is joined by Calvin Betton, a 2 time Grand Slam-winning coach, live from the tournament, to break down the action from the first three days. They cover the extraordinary heat gripping Paris, the big seeds falling, integrity questions around the doubles draw, and some brilliant stories from inside the locker room and beyond.
This is the place to go for...
French Open 2026 Preview
We're back for Roland Garros 2026! Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our Grand Slam panellists, two of them live from Paris during qualifying week, to preview all the action we can expect from the clay courts over the next fortnight.
They discuss the Carlos Alcaraz injury situation and the wider player burnout debate, the future of US college tennis, and the prize money controversy making headlines at this year's tournament. Plus dark horses across both draws, key storylines to watch, and their winner predictions!
Meet our panellists:
Denmark's Davis Cup Captain and coach of...CTC Short: Remembering Dr. Jim Loehr — The Sports Psychologist Who Changed Tennis Forever
Today´s episode is a tribute to one of sport's greatest minds Dr. Jim Loehr, who sadly passed away last month aged 83.
Dr. Loehr was one of the world’s leading performance psychologists and a true pioneer in mental fitness. Across a remarkable five-decade career, he worked with hundreds of elite athletes including Grand Slam champions Jim Courier, Monica Seles and Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario.
His work helped transform the way athletes viewed mental performance — not as a weakness, but as an essential part of achieving greatness.
We were incredibly fortunate to welcome Dr. Loehr...
Maxime Tchoutakian: Coaching Vicky Mboko & Life on the WTA Tour
What does it really take to coach at the very top of the game?
And how does a 32-year-old coach find himself leading the journey of one of the fastest-rising players in world tennis?
In this episode of Control the Controllables, we sit down with Maxime Tchoutakian, the coach of Vicky Mboko — a 19-year-old who has taken the tennis world by storm, breaking into the Top 10 in less than a year.
But Max’s story is just as compelling as the player he now coaches.
Ranked 530 in the world as a play...
CTC Short: British Doubles Pioneer – Celebrating Jamie Murray’s Legacy
A tribute to a British tennis legend.
This week on Control the Controllables, we're marking the retirement of one of Great Britain´s greatest ever players, Jamie Murray.
7 Grand Slam titles. 39 tour-level titles. World Number 1. Davis Cup Winner & Olympian. The man who put British doubles on the map and helped spark a generation of GB doubles players that continue to thrive on the tour today.
We went back into the archives to pull out one of our favourite moments from our episode with Jamie back in 2020. This short clip is a perfect reminder o...
Adam Jones: Inside Life as a Hitting Partner to the World’s Best
What does it really look like behind the scenes with the best players in the world?
This week on Control the Controllables, we sit down with Adam Jones -hitting partner to the world's best, doubles professional, and the man behind Forehands & Flat Whites, the Instagram account quietly taking over tennis feeds everywhere.
In 2026 alone, Jonesy has celebrated with the Australian Open women's champion on Rod Laver Arena, hit with Djokovic, Sinner and Rybakina and won his first professional doubles title.
From taking the bus to junior tournaments with his granddad on the Wirral...
Sander Gillé: The Unconventional Path to the Top of Professional Tennis
What if you didn’t have to be a top junior to become a professional tennis player?
In this episode of Control the Controllables, we speak with Belgian professional tennis player Sander Gille, a Roland Garros finalist, Olympic competitor, Davis Cup player and former World No.18 in doubles.
Sander’s journey to the top of the game is anything but traditional. He wasn’t a standout junior, didn’t grow up expecting to turn professional, and at 17 he chose US college tennis simply to continue playing while earning a degree.
After college, Sander decided...
Australian Open 2026 Review
Join us as we unpack the biggest storylines from the 2026 Australian Open!
From Osaka´s dramatic outfit entrance on Rod Laver Arena to Djokovic rolling back the years to take out Sinner in the semi-finals, we analyse the epic matches, player performances and behind-the-scenes moments in Melbourne.
Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our Grand Slam panelists:
Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie NielsenTop S&C Coach Kieron Vorster who has worked with Liam Broady, Dan Evans, Tim Henman and Wayne Ferreira.Key Talking Points
Carlos Alcaraz be...Australian Open 2026 Preview
We’re back for the Australian Open 2026!
Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our Grand Slam panelists to preview all the action we can expect from Melbourne over the next fortnight. They discuss the standout players, popcorn match-ups and potential dark horses.
They also look at the impact of this years tennis balls for players, new 2026 partnerships in the doubles draws and give their predictions for this years winners!
Meet our Panelists:
GB Coach Calvin Betton who is currently working with Henry Patten & Harri Heliövaara.Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimb...Lloyd Glasspool´s Journey to ATP Doubles No.1
In this special episode of Control the Controllables, Dan Kiernan looks back at one of the most remarkable journeys in British tennis — Lloyd Glasspool’s rise to Year-End World No.1 in ATP Doubles, aged 32.
This episode is built around clips from Lloyd’s three previous appearances on the show, recorded across five pivotal years of his career.
From being ranked 150 in the world in doubles in 2020, to winning his first Grand Slam in front of a home crowd at Wimbledon in 2025, listen to Lloyd´s development as it happened.
A unique layer to this ep...
CTC LIVE: Reaction To Alcaraz & Ferrero Split
One of the most successful and emotionally connected player–coach partnerships in modern tennis has come to an end.
In this episode, Dan breaks down the split between world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz and his long-term coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, analysing their statements, the timing, the power dynamics, and what it means for the 2026 season — including the ripple effect on rivals like Jannik Sinner.
Ferrero first spotted Alcaraz at age 14 near his academy in southeast Spain. Their official partnership began in 2018 and lasted 7 years.
Achievements together:
24 tour-level titles6 Grand SlamsYoungest world No.1 in ATP...From Louisiana to the ATP Finals: A Tennis Family’s Journey with Christian Harrison
Christian Harrison’s story isn’t your typical tennis journey. Formerly a top 200 singles player, his career has been repeatedly derailed by surgeries, setbacks, and a foot injury at Wimbledon 2022 that convinced him to walk away from singles altogether.
8 surgeries before age 25 would finish most players. Cristian just adjusted.
Now at 31, he’s producing the best tennis of his life on the doubles court. In 2025 Harrison has rocketed to world number 15 alongside partner Evan King. The pair started the year playing Challengers and ended it at the ATP Finals in Turin, after winning titles in Dallas...
From Antigua to the Pro Tour: Jody Maginley’s Tennis Journey and Podcast Success
This week we sat down with Jody Maginley, a professional doubles tennis player and co-founder of The Changeover Podcast, one of the fastest-growing shows in tennis.
Jody takes us from growing up in Antigua (population ~90k) with limited access to high-level tennis, to navigating US college and chasing points and paychecks on the pro tour.
We get into the realities most fans never see; money, logistics, late-night travel and tough losses, and how that experience pushed him to build a platform that shines a spotlight on players outside the Grand Slam bubble.
Topics...
What Data is Making a Real Difference on the ATP Tour with Tom Corrie
It´s been said for many years that data and performance analytics in tennis is way behind other sports.
Not just for improving player performance but also fan engagement. One of the reasons for this is the inconsistency of how the data is presented across our industry.
TennisViz is trying to correct that.
Today we speak to Tm Corrie who is Head of Performance, Media and Broadcast for TennisViz. They provide data for coaches and the media for the ATP tour.
In the episode you´ll hear Tom and Dan share th...
