In this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss two of the most influential minds behind the GreatBase philosophy: Dr. Jim Leohr and Coach Jim Verdieck. Through stories, lessons, and personal experiences, they highlight why mental discipline, character, standards, and accountability remain essential in player development.

Episode 273 also previews the upcoming workshop in Ave Maria, focused on honoring tennis teaching traditions, preserving valuable coaching knowledge, and helping today's players and coaches build a stronger foundation. Great coaching endures, and this conversation is a reminder of why the fundamentals and values from the past still matter today.

In this episode, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss the upcoming GreatBase Tennis workshop at Ave Maria University (Dec 18–20). They reflect on the enduring coaching philosophies of two key pillars of their curriculum: Welby Van Horn and Dennis VanderMeer.

From balance training to group dynamics, they explore what made these legendary teachers effective and why their methods are still needed today. The episode also highlights the cultural shift away from fundamentals and discipline in modern tennis instruction, and why this workshop aims to help fix that.

Episode 272's conversation ends with a call for preparation: listeners are encouraged to study in advance, come with questions, and participate fully in what promises to be an immersive three-day learning experience.

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson sit down to tackle issues shaping today’s tennis, from the growing trend of withdrawals at tournaments like Kalamazoo to the impact of DNFs in college play. They share candid stories—from Connor Smith’s days at Ohio State to the traditions of junior tennis—to underline why competing fully matters more than ever. The conversation highlights how playing matches, regardless of the outcome, builds resilience and experience that no shortcut can replace.

The discussion then shifts to creative scoring, situational drills, and charting as essential tools for player development. From handicapped scoring systems that level competition to drills that demand awareness under pressure, the coaches offer dozens of ideas to make practices purposeful and fun. They also touch on broader topics like adult beginners, the need for a “master plan” in coaching education, and how tennis can compete with sports like pickleball by emphasizing fundamentals. Packed with humor, history, and practical takeaways, episode 263 is a roadmap for players, parents, and coaches striving to improve.

On the 173rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Sujay Lama. Steve's guest was formally educated in his native Nepal, India, and the US. His education in tennis is also very diverse and complete.

By listening one will learn of his father's passion for tennis and the influence of his siblings, especially his brother Raj.  Sujay's journey in tennis has taken him all over the world and one will find out that he is equally excited about running a tennis camp for kids as he was with traveling and coaching top players in the world. 

His career is filled with highlights, one being part of a championship culture at the University of Florida. The veteran coach, husband, and father is now leading the women's tennis team at Arkansas State. 

Sit back and enjoy listening to Sujay's story. One is sure to add golden nuggets to their tennis treasure chest. 

On the 172nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Mark Hamlin. The two are just a few months shy of having known each other for sixty years. They initially talk sports and life but then focus primarily on tennis.

Mark was a member of Vic Braden's staff at Coto de Caza in California and at multiple sites in Germany; where he has lived the last forty-two years. In addition to being a true Bradenite, he has a diversified background that ranges from club ownership to representing the Professional Tennis Registry in Europe.

By listening, one is assured a few laughs. Most importantly, the basics are reviewed.

On the 171st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith talks tennis with Joel Drucker. To make an understatement, Steve's guest knows tennis backwards, forwards, and upside down. Joel is a walking tennis encyclopedia. 

Joel is an author, telecaster, producer, and consultant. As an award-winning writer, he has covered the full gamut. He knows the details of tennis instruction, instructors' past and present, players' past and present, tennis history, and on and on. His tennis well, like his passion for the sport, runs deep, very, very deep.

Anyone who loves to learn more about tennis will, no doubt, thoroughly enjoy listening to Joel.

On the 170th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Alex Terzic talk tennis. Along with a few others, Steve and Alex recently spent a day at a Challenger event.

Like always, we hope our listeners will find at least a few golden nuggets for their tennis treasure chest by enduring our long format.

Please keep in mind that GreatBase Tennis Education (GBTE) has other platforms that provide free educational content. There are 15 years of daily GreatBase Tennis Facebook posts, 500+ Instagram videos, and five free courses on the GreatBase Tennis website (www.greatbasetennis.com).

On the 169th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozerets talk tennis with Nick Nemerof. He is the Director of Operations for Court 16, Inc. His organization offers all-encompassing instructional programs at multiple sites in New York City.

Nick loves tennis, tennis teaching, and studying the Big Three. 

If one wants to learn more about Roger Federer, Rafael, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic they need to listen to Nick. The man has done his homework and is a walking encyclopedia specializing in three of the greatest players in the history of our game. We are confident that our listeners will appreciate the information and insights that he shares. 

On the 168th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Alex Terzic assist Dave Anderson. Anderson, a frequent guest on our podcast, presents a list of 10 do's and 10 don'ts for tennis parents.

David, a longtime associate of Steve Smith, has had a long and successful career developing tennis players. He and his staff have produced over 500 college players.

For an upcoming episode, David will prepare a list of do's and don'ts for tennis teachers and coaches.

We are confident that our listeners will find some golden nuggets for their tennis treasure chest in this episode. 

For the betterment of tennis, thank you.

On the 167th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Alex Terzic. The native of Belgrade, Serbia talks about the conditions in his homeland during the Bosnian war; the place where his passion for tennis began. He and his family immigrated to Canada when he was a young teenager. He continued to play tennis on a limited basis. His priorities were learning a new language, completing school, and helping his family make a new way in a new country.

He completed a college degree in marketing and eventually started a career in sales, where he progressed from knocking on one door to the next. Steve and Alex talk about the importance of acquiring salesmanship skills.

Alex currently lives with his Russian wife, Inna, in Toronto. His desire to have a life in tennis never left him. He shares the steps he has taken to become a tennis teaching professional and the circumstances that led him to customize a five-week internship under Steve's tutelage. 

By listening one will be inspired and informed. 

Raven Klaasen returns as a guest on the 166th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast. Steve Smith congratulates the 40-year-old on his career and discusses the options he can explore now that he has retired from the tour.

By listening to Raven, one will discover that the role of a tennis educator is quite apparent. To make an understatement, tennis would greatly benefit from his input.

On the 165th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast two senior citizens, Steve Smith and Mark Costello, have a conversation. They have known each other since 1964, so theoretically, they should have some wisdom.

When asked, the old tennis coach and the old hockey coach agreed that their chat might be best to hit the editing floor. However, the producer of the GreatBase Tennis podcast (Ivan Ozerets) insisted that worthwhile and meaningful points were made. 

On the 164th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and fellow teaching pro, Ethan Matthews, discuss one of the most revered coaches in all of sport. Ethan is a diehard Green Packer fan and Steve grew up in the '60s when Vince Lombardi's 'Be Brilliant with Basics' approach ruled professional football. 

Steve and Ethan review the why's and how's to Mr. Lombardi's success. Their conversation will appeal to anyone who thinks a teacher and a coach should go beyond their sport and address values and principles for building character and life skills.

Some say that the Lombardi way is wrong for today's society, others say what is wrong with society today is we have forgotten the Lombardi way. Listen in and decide for yourself.

Steve Smith hosts a wide-ranging conversation with Ilya Semyonov, Andy Fitzell, and Dave Anderson, diving into common cures for problems in tennis. The discussion kicks off with mixed doubles and its controversial format changes, before branching into broader reflections on the state of the sport. From professional events and scheduling decisions to the lessons coaches can draw from doubles specialists, podcast 262 emphasizes how tennis needs both innovation and tradition to thrive.

The coaches then shift to core player-development issues—covering lost arts like the underspin backhand, net play, and approach shots, as well as technical pitfalls such as high tosses, wristy forehands, and oversized backswings. Through humor, anecdotes, and references to coaching pioneers like Vic Braden, they share practical solutions rooted in fundamentals, biomechanics, and player psychology. Whether you’re a coach, parent, or competitor, this episode offers diagnostic tools and timeless insights to address common flaws and accelerate improvement.

On the 163rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Paul Wardlaw. Paul is a veteran college coach with over 35 years of diversified experience. His teams have won three national titles and produced numerous All-Americans.

The author (Tennis Pressure) is best known for his work called Wardlaw Directionals. His contributions to tennis as an educator have helped literally thousands of players, parents, teachers, and coaches.

By listening to our podcast, one will quickly realize that Coach Wardlaw is a deep thinker and a premier student with an all-encompassing base of knowledge for tennis that far exceeds just the concept of directionals. The wisdom he shares is golden; it should be written down and thoroughly studied.

On the 162nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Dave Anderson. Coach Anderson has been associated with Steve since 1985. He is the director of player development and pro-education at the Brookhaven facility in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Dave has become a regular guest on our podcast because of his ability to bring clarity to key points pertaining to tennis education. The purpose of each podcast is to share information, ideas, and insights that will help everyone connect to the great game of tennis. 

Thanks for listening and thanks for telling tennis people about our free educational content (www.greatbasetennis.com).

On the 161st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith & Ivan Ozerets cover fundraising, their recent broadcasting of the US Open singles finals, simple stats pertaining to the singles finals, and a general review of ten chapters of core subjects for player and coach development.

Additionally, Steve makes brief comments about the type of daily text and e-mail messages he receives. One message for parents and coaches connected to little kid tennis, the trophy is enough. Point being, too much attention creates problems. Steve expounds upon other typical mistakes made when trying to take a tennis player down the road of becoming a competitive player. Ivan, also, shares key points that are worthy of being written down and shared.

On the 160th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith chats with Dave Secker and Spencer Johnson.

Dave is the associate head women’s tennis coach at North Carolina State and Spencer is a UCLA-bound tennis player.

A highlight of the podcast is the advice the college coach gives the incoming freshman. Of course, there are other nuggets for tennis enthusiasts to add to their tennis treasure chest.

On the 159th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Jensen Rideout. Jensen is a twenty-one-year-old tennis teacher from Salt Lake, Utah. 

Steve stated that posting Jensen's podcast during the US Open is appropriate and significant. Steve's point is simple, American tennis needs more upcoming young tennis teachers with Jensen's values, knowledge, and communication skills. US tennis needs young coaches teaching young students with integrity and competency.

As an added bonus, Jensen sings America's national anthem at the end of the podcast. Wow!

On the 158th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Dave Watts and Steve Smith exchange questions.

Dave and his family live in San Antonio. He is the head men's and women's tennis coach at Our Lady of the Lake University. He is also the head professional at the Blossom Athletic Center. To make an understatement, Dave Watts loves tennis.

Like always, there are a number of golden nuggets from this episode to add to one's tennis treasure chest. There are also a few laughs over a hypothetical dinner party to address ways to improve American tennis.

The 156th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast is a milestone. We have presented a weekly podcast for three years.

We aim to help tennis, and on this podcast, Steve Smith and Ivan Ozerets ask for financial help.

GreatBase Tennis will continue to provide free educational tennis content. We would like those who find our content beneficial to consider contributing a minimum of $10 on a recurring monthly basis.

Besides starting a financial campaign with this week’s episode, Steve and Ivan discuss several relevant issues that would be of interest to those genuinely concerned about tennis' growth and welfare.

On the 155th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Constantinos Alevizopoulos. The two have never met in person. The young tennis coach from Greece first met Steve by studying a technical training tape and then thoroughly studying the free educational content provided by GreatBase via the Internet.

The bulk of their conversation is about Stefanos Tsitsipas. Constantinos has an experience that so, so few have in tennis. He experienced being around a top-five ATP player during the player's formative years. After all, perhaps only a percent of a percent of a percent climb the ladder of pro tennis to such an elite level. Both Constantinos and Stefanos were taught by Giorgos Fountoukos, who used Vic Braden's educational materials as a resource. 

We are confident that players, parents, coaches, and general tennis enthusiasts will benefit by listening. Words starting with the letter P prevail. Stories of passion, persistency, perseverance, and precision are healthy medicine for those connected to a player with competitive goals.

On the 154th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Greg Patton. Coach Patton is 70 years young and has 50-plus years of experience to share. In a perfect world, Greg's passion and love for tennis is placed in a bottle and everyone drinks the Patton Potion. The liquid is magical and gets everyone fired up about tennis.

The human spirit, altruism, team building, family, top juniors, college tennis, world team tennis, and much, much more are covered. 

Listeners will love to listen to Greg. Tune in, sit back, and enjoy. 

Steve Smith, Costas Alevizopoulos, Dave Anderson, and Andy Fitzell join forces to share coaching wisdom drawn from decades of experience. Together, they explore the systems, habits, and mindsets that form the foundation of great player development. The 261st podcast conversation blends humor, storytelling, and practical guidance, offering value to players, parents, and coaches at every stage.

They also highlight the role of mentorship, community, and adaptability in a player’s journey, showing how clear communication and structured training accelerate progress. Drawing from personal anecdotes and timeless coaching principles, the hosts provide a roadmap for building better players—both in skill and character. Whether your focus is competition, coaching, or lifelong learning, this episode delivers lessons that resonate beyond the court.

On the 153rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Dave Anderson and Andre Barbosa join Steve Smith. Collectively, the three have over a hundred years of tennis teaching and coaching experience. 

Their conversation covers the gamut; touching upon a wide variety of topics. 

We are confident that our listeners will be able to add at least a few more golden nuggets to their tennis treasure chest by tuning in.

On the 152nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Jim Rogers. The Canadian from Winnipeg, Manitoba has expertise in three sports: hockey, tennis, and golf.

Their discussion covers the benefits of learning on red clay, the golfer's mentality towards technique, accountability in tennis coaching, the differences between European and North American tennis, chirping from the hockey culture, playing club tennis in Germany, and much more.

Steve is excited to bring our listeners Jim's gems. Listen for comments such as: suck it up buttercup, activity does not equal achievement, Junior Wimbledon is a junior tournament, and much more. The stories go back almost forty years when Steve and Jim first met.

On the 151st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Nicole Erickson. She is a Mental Performance Coach and is based at the FM Performance Center in Boynton Beach, Florida. She has worked with numerous players and coaches associated with Steve and the results and, therefore, feedback has been outstanding.

The focus of their conversation is directed toward her new online project, "The Parents Championship Course." 

We would highly recommend parents contact Nicole (nicoleeric@gmail.com), register, and complete her course. The course will help parents help their players and themselves. Ideas, thoughts, and concepts are shared that can be and should be difference-makers.

On the 150th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast,  Steve Smith has a conversation with Dave Secker.

The Englishman gives us an update on his team. To make an understatement, the Wolfpack have gained a tremendous amount of respect based on their rapid climb from obscurity to reaching the NCAA team final at the end of the 2023 season.

Dave also shares thoughts on Diana Shnaider, who played for North Carolina State this past year. The nineteen-year-old Russian entered college as the number 3 junior in the world and, as of this writing, is ranked 88 among WTA professionals.

As always, we hope to add golden nuggets to one's tennis treasure chest and strongly believe listening to Dave Secker is a sure way to do so.

On the 149th episode of the GreatBase Tennis Education (GBTE) podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Dave Anderson, a long-time associate, and highly accomplished coach. Steve asks David questions with the purpose of reviewing technical and tactical information. Other pertinent points regarding player development are covered.

Thank you for supporting and sharing GBTE. Our goal is to contribute to the growth and welfare of tennis. Our free educational content includes 15 years of daily Facebook posts, 500+ Instagram clips, 5 free courses, and nearly 150 podcasts. One of the courses, Tennis Intelligence Applied, is 25 hours long. Our web site www.greatbasetennis.com.

On the 148th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith talks with Stuart Van Horn. They talk about the playing and teaching career of Stuart's father, Welby Van Horn. His record as a player and teacher is nothing short of elite.

In his era, Welby played against the best and beat the best. In 1939 at the age of 19, he was the youngest US Open finalist until Pete Sampras broke the record. His playing career was cut short by World War II and an asthmatic condition, yet he played professionally for a decade and was in the top ten in the world numerous times.

Following his playing career, he taught tennis on four courts in San Juan, Puerto Rico and only taught the members' children. In the 1960s, he developed more US junior national champions than the state of Florida. He created his own systematic approach which was primarily based on balance. 

Tennis leaders around the world should embrace Welby's approach to starting beginning players. If so, more entry-level players would stay with tennis, and the game of tennis would enjoy increased participation.

Under the leadership of their head coach, Claremont-Mudd-Scripts's women's tennis team has won the national championship in three of the last four years. Dave Schwarz also led Middlebury College to two national championships. He is the fifth coach in college tennis history to win national titles with both the men's and women's teams. He was the first tennis coach to win national titles at two different schools.

We are confident that our listeners will enjoy Dave's story because he is humble, and honest and had to earn his position the good ole' fashion way. Simply put, as a player and coach, he figured out how to add up his different and diversified experiences to be successful. The interview produced numerous golden nuggets for one's tennis treasure chest.

Our GreatBase Tennis Education (GBTE) offers 15 years of daily Facebook posts, 5 educational courses, 500+ Instagram clips, and nearly 150 podcasts for free. (www.greatbasetennis.com).

David Schwarz's Website: https://www.daveschwarztennis.com/

On the 146th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Andres Barbosa talk tennis. Andres is a veteran tennis coach who lives and works in Miami and understands our curriculum's history and depth. 

GreatBase Tennis Education (GBTE) aspires to help educate tennis players, parents, coaches, and administrators. In addition to the podcast, GBTE offers numerous articles, five online courses, five hundred plus Instagram posts, and fifteen years of daily Facebook posts. 

GBTE's educational content is free. Thank you for sharing our content.

On the 145th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson have a conversation pertaining to the outsider's criticism of their work. They plan on collaborating on more episodes to review core tennis information; which has been requested by numerous listeners. 

Dave Anderson has led the tennis instructional staff at the Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas for over thirty years. In doing so, he and his staff have developed approximately 500 college tennis players. 

GreatBase Tennis Education (GBTE) aspires to help educate tennis players, parents, coaches, and administrators. In addition to the podcast, GBTE offers five online courses, five hundred plus Instagram posts, and fifteen years of daily Facebook posts. GBTE's educational content is free.

On the 144th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Andres Barbosa discuss their thoughts on the role of the sparring partner. Like anything, there are numerous interesting points to discuss. 

The term sparring comes from boxing; where one practices techniques and tactics to enhance performance. The sparring partner in boxing typically wears protective headgear, a mouth guard, and does not have a speaking part. 

The opposite occurs in tennis; where quite often the sparring partner in tennis takes on the role of also being a talking technician. The complexities pertaining to a sparring partner are of great significance because, without successful practice sessions, one will simply not become a successful player.

Celebrating five years, the GreatBase Tennis Podcast brings together Steve Smith, Costas Alevizopoulos, and Dave Anderson for stories from the Kalamazoo Nationals, colorful memories of coach T.J. Tisdale, and reflections on building strong player programs. Anecdotes from decades of coaching are blended with insights on training habits, competitive mindsets, and the importance of creating ambassadors within a tennis community. 

A central theme of episode 260 is documenting development through video and charting—whether analyzing strokes, reviewing match play, or tracking push-up form. The hosts outline practical systems to measure errors, strategy, and self-management, while drawing on lessons from Vic Braden and other mentors. The result is a lively mix of humor, history, and actionable advice for players, parents, and coaches.

On the 143rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Ricardo Acioly. To make an understatement, Ricardo's background is truly exceptional.  The expression, 'you name and he has done it', applies to his journey in tennis.

Ricardo, who grew up just outside of Rio de Janeiro, acquired his passion for tennis from his parents and older brother. As a player and coach, he represented Brazil in both Davis Cup and the Olympics.  He traveled the world,  competed in all the majors, and experienced playing against the likes of McEnroe, Sampras, Agassi, and Becker.

Mr. Acioly has worked as an ATP officer, ATP tournament director, TV commentator, and academy owner. As a coach, he has worked with icons, former number ones, outstanding juniors, and elite college players.

Currently, he resides, with his wife and two children, in Boca Raton, Florida; where he works as the Director of Strategic Development for the Evert Academy. The podcast is filled with pearls of wisdom and golden nuggets for players, parents, and coaches to add to their tennis treasure chest.

On the 142nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis (GBT) podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Stephen Baccari. Our guest is highly educated; having received an undergraduate degree in marketing from Bentley University and two master's degrees from Northeastern University, one in finance and the other in accounting.

Stephen's full-time position is working at Mass Bay Community College as a comptroller. He completed GBT training online and in person. He works part-time as a tennis instructor.

By listening to Stephen, one will instantly know he has done his homework and is deeply concerned about the growth and welfare of our game. 

On the 141st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Andres Barbosa have a conversation with Steve Robertson. Their guest is a South African who came to the US nearly 30 years ago with his wife, Colleen, and their two children. 

Steve's youth was filled with playing multiple sports. Tennis eventually became his primary sport and his passion served as a vehicle for him to travel around the world working with thousands of students and hundreds of staff members connected to the world of summer camps.

Combining his experiences and intellectual curiosity, Steve became a devoted student to the various generations he was dealing with in his diversified workplace. Today he is considered an international expert and works as a consultant for companies, camps, universities, and professional sports teams.

After listening to Steve, we are confident that our listeners will want to read his book, "Gen Z, Aliens Among US."  Steve Robertson's heartfelt, deep, and, insightful advice will help everyone with an overall understanding of how to improve day-to-day situations.

On the 140th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Lenny Schloss.  Mr. Schloss is the founder and president of the Billie Jean King Eye Coach. The goal of his team of associates is to help all levels of tennis by researching the connection and function between the eyes and the brain.

Lenny, an All-American at the University of Tennessee, played in all four majors. He was ranked in the top ten among US pros.  Following his playing career, he owned and operated retail shops, all-encompassing tennis programs, and indoor clubs. 

Throughout the different phases of his life in tennis, being a player, coach, businessman, and educator, he has always been passionate and intrigued by finding the difference makers in human performance. 

On the 139th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Andres Barbosa. They discussed the Pickle Ball Slam with Agassi, McEnroe, Roddick, and Chang. They also touched upon pro tennis, junior tennis, and other related topics. 

As always, GreatBase Tennis continues to share free educational tennis content with the hope of helping tennis players, parents, and teachers. In addition to podcasts, GreatBase has 5 online courses (www.greatbasetennis.com), 15 years of daily posts on Facebook, and 500+ video clips on Instagram. 

On the 138th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith interviews Ry Tarpley.  Steve feels strongly that Ry's story is inspirational and should be heard by older players who need to make technical changes in their games. Ry had already weathered through the competitive trenches of junior, college, and pro tennis before he completed an assessment with Steve. Upon reviewing the inefficient aspects of Ry's technical foundation, Steve asked Ry if he would like to be ranked number one in the US in the 35s.

Ry was in his late twenties and, at the time, was discouraged to finally hear the rationale that brought clarity to his on-court troubles. Ry has a great passion for tennis and continues to work on his game. He was too busy with his new profession to play national 35's but he did earn the #1 ranking in the national 40s; proving it is never too late to go back to the drawing board and work on basics.

On the 137th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Andres Barbosa, discuss a fictional friend, Rocky Balboa, who has inspired people for nearly 50 years. "Yo Adrian, you be walking down the street and you will be breaking hearts, you know what I mean."

They also reinforce basics by reviewing the fundamental foundations of Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz. 

Lastly, the two discuss, Steve recovering from his recent ten-day visit to a hospital; where he discovered he was 68 and not 28.

On the 136th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Ivan Ozerets reviews the strokes that were covered in previous episodes of the podcast. Short clips are shown from previous podcasts that have Steve Smith and Andy Fitzell talking about the solid fundamentals for the basic strokes.

The strokes are reviewed in this order: the serve, the forehand, the volley, the backhand, the overhead, the one-handed underpin backhand (slice), and the return of serve.

On the 135th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Ivan Ozerets reviews the eight pillars of the GreatBase. Short clips are shown from previous podcasts on the mentors and teachers behind the GreatBase Tennis curriculum.

The pillars of the GreatBase are reviewed in this order: Jim Verdieck, Welby Van Horn, Bill Jacobson, Dr. Jim Loehr, Peter Burwash, Mr. Harry Hopman, Dennis Van Der Meer, and Vic Braden.

On the 134th episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith (SS) has a conversation with Steve Campbell (SC). SS & SC studied tennis together in the '80s and, most importantly, both worked for the late Vic Braden.

SC and his wife, Colleen, have a wealth of tennis wisdom to share. They currently work together at the Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen, Virginia. Steve serves as the tennis director.

Starting this summer, parents, players, coaches, program directors, and club owners can visit the beautiful mountainside resort to learn a mountain of tennis information, insights, and ideas.

Perhaps the most talked about program in US tennis is the USTA's player development program. During the episode at hand, number 259, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss the popular topic and the challenge of improving tennis in America.

Points from previous podcasts are repeated and reinforced. Perhaps no people in a position to make major changes will hear this podcast. On the other hand, anyone and everyone who listens will hear numerous ways to improve the growth and welfare of our game.

On the 133rd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith's guest is Jacob Hansen. The two tennis teaching professionals discuss the life and career of the late Peter Burwash.  Jacob worked for  Peter Burwash International (PBI) for ten years. 

The native of California currently leads a junior development program in Utah and is in the process of building a tennis club near Salt Lake. Jacob, who has a degree in economics, has grown to appreciate the tennis math that supports the GreatBase tennis curriculum. 

Steve was excited to have Jacob share his experiences with Peter and PBI because he firmly believes Peter's work should never be forgotten.

On the 132nd episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith has a conversation with Andres Quijada. The Venezuelan is the director of the high-performance players at the Brookhaven Tennis Academy in Dallas. Prior to joining the private sector, Andres and his wife, the former Stephanie Wooten, spent years coaching college tennis.

Andres grew up in Caracas under the tutelage of his father, a teaching pro. Andres found his way to the US to play college tennis and he eventually earned ATP points. 

Tennis needs to have more young tennis leaders like Andres. Our listeners will appreciate his input. I think people will agree that one must have the character to help others build character. 

On the 131st episode of the GreatBase Tennis podcast, Steve Smith and Andres Barbosa discuss the 2023 Australian Open men's final. Perhaps Novak Djokovic was not 100% because of his injury. Perhaps Stefanos Tsitsipas could have played the one set point he earned in a different manner. 

Perhaps this and perhaps that was discussed for students of the game to wonder and ponder.

As the final analysis, we all should be grateful to watch such a splendid event and such outstanding tennis players.