The Tennis Files Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Episode Summary:

On this solo episode of the podcast, Mehrban dives deep into one of the most transformative lessons he’s had in years — a session with his coach Hayan that revealed the power of small grip adjustments across every major stroke.

If you’ve ever felt like your serve lacks pop, your volleys aren’t stable, or your slice just floats — this episode is packed with actionable tweaks that can give you more power, spin, and control instantly.

• How a subtle grip alignment shift—moving the index knuckle and fat part of the palm directly onto the continental bevel—unlocked more power and stability
• Why choking up on the racket (leaving one finger’s width at the bottom) provides better control and maneuverability
• The surprising benefit of spreading your trigger finger from the rest of the hand—and why pros do it
• How these grip changes impacted Mehrban’s:
• ✅ Volleys: More bite, stability, and precision (especially on the backhand volley)
• ✅ Serves: More effortless racket drop and improved kick serve using a “toss-to-the-back-of-your-head” cue
• ✅ Forehand: Shorter backswing, increased racket speed, and more relaxed contact
• ✅ Slice Backhand: More consistent, low returns and tougher shots for poachers to handle

1. Grip Shift: Align both the index knuckle and fat part of palm with the center of the continental bevel.
2. Choke Up: Leave ~1 finger width at the bottom of the handle for added control (especially on volleys).
3. Trigger Finger Spread: Separating the index finger enhances stability and feel.
4. Open Face Volleys: Slightly cock the racket back and keep a compact stroke—no wild swings.
5. Kick Serve Toss: Imagine the toss landing on the back of your head to find the right contact point.
6. Racket Drop Cue: Use a “bicep curl” visualization to feel a natural and relaxed drop.
7. Loose Grip = Fast Racket: Tension kills power; loosen your grip to unlock effortless whip.
8. Test and Tweak: Every player is different—adjust incrementally and evaluate what works best for you.

Pick ONE tip from today’s episode—maybe a grip tweak, a serve cue, or volley technique—and test it in your next practice session. Let Mehrban know how it goes by tagging him on Instagram @tennis.files!

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• 📲 Follow Mehrban on Instagram: @tennis.files

[From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2022]

On Episode 405 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with tennis coach Mike Digby about how he prepares for intense practices, develops consistency, and the keys to improving your serve.

Mike is currently coaching at Soto Tennis Academy in Spain. He is a former US collegiate tennis player and he graduated in 2019. He worked as a full time hitting partner with top tennis players such as Federer, Tsitsipas, Nadal, Halep, Djokovic and more.

On the show, you’ll learn how Mike prepares for practices with top tennis pros, the best pieces of advice he learned from his practice sessions, how Mike transitioned to coaching at an elite tennis academy, the biggest keys to win more matches, how to be a problem solver on the tennis court and much more!

I hope you enjoy my interview with Mike! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

Mike’s Instagram

Soto Tennis Academy Website

Soto Tennis Academy Instagram

Winning Ugly - Brad Gilbert

Nadal’s Autobiography

Steven Gerrard - My Story

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On Episode 396 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I interviewed coach Tom Allsopp about the secrets to power and consistency in tennis.

Tom Allsopp is a tennis coach and the founder of TPA Tennis, a popular YouTube channel dedicated to helping players of all levels improve their tennis technique. With a passion for breaking down complex concepts, Tom offers in-depth tutorials on everything from footwork and ball control to mastering advanced strokes. He has worked with players of all ages for over 20 years, on three continents: England, Australia, and America. Although he has USTA and LTA qualification, he learned the most about coaching by having Keith Reynolds as his mentor. Tom’s approach combines technical expertise with practical tips to help players develop a more effective and efficient game.

On the show, you’ll learn the key elements of a proper forehand grip for different types of shots, how to increase backhand depth and consistency, how to add more spin to your serve, how to improve reflexes and anticipation, and much more!

I hope you enjoy my interview with Tom! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

Geau Sport - Get 10% off using code TennisFiles10

TPA Tennis - Youtube

TPA Tennis Website

Stroke Analysis

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On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, Jeff reveals the keys to mastering your mind that include technical and tactical adjustments in the most common pressure situations to play looser and more relaxed tennis…and he answers questions live from the audience! 

Jeff is an internationally recognized sport psychology consultant, licensed psychotherapist, and the author of the 3rd best-selling tennis psychology book, The Best Tennis of Your Life and Fearless Tennis. Jeff has been helping athletes and professionals through his personal coaching, seminars, book, and audio programs for the past twenty years. Jeff was ranked No. 1 in the world in the men’s 35 age division, is a two-time ITF World Champion and former ATP Tour player and has been inducted into the Northern California Hall of Fame.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Jeff! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

Fearless Tennis

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On this episode of The Tennis Files Podcast, 17-time Grand Slam Champ Gigi answers your questions on strategy, the mental game, technique, the pro game, and more!

Former world #1 Gigi Fernandez is widely considered to be one of the best doubles players of all time. She is a Hall of Famer, winner of 17 Grand Slam doubles titles with various partners, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals with Mary Joe Fernandez. In 2000, Gigi was named Puerto Rican Athlete of the Century. Gigi now spends her time coaching adult players how to excel at doubles and developed the Gigi Method of doubles. 

I hope you enjoy my interview with Gigi! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

thegigimethod.com

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On Episode 304 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Paul Annacone reveals his top secrets to getting the most out of your game and answers questions from the audience.

Paul is a former professional tennis player and one of the world’s leading coaches and commentators. During his 14 years on tour as a player, Annacone won three ATP titles and reached a career high ranking of No. 12 in singles. He won the 1985 Australian Open doubles title and finished his career with 14 doubles titles. Annacone has worked with some of the most accomplished players ever to pick up a racket, including Federer, Sampras, Henman, and Sloane Stephens. He currently coaches ATP top 15 Taylor Fritz.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Paul! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

Coaching for Life - Paul’s Book!

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On Episode 303 of The Tennis Files Podcast, coach Jeff Salzenstein will reveal how to achieve optimal performance and decrease stress.

Jeff broke the top 100 in the world for the first time at the age of 30 (reached #100 in singles) and #69 in doubles on the ATP Tour and is the founder of Tennis Evolution. Jeff is also a USTA High-Performance Coach, USPTA Elite Professional, and highly sought-after mental performance coach. He has recently made a transition to keynote speaking and corporate coaching.

On the show you’ll learn the biggest detractors to optimal performance, a simple routine to help with optimal performance, where stress comes from and why do some people deal with it better than others, how to turn stress into a positive attitude, and much more!

I hope you enjoy my interview with Jeff! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

JeffSalzenstein.com

Tennis Evolution

Jeff's Instagram Page

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On this episode of the podcast, Dr. Kovacs answers questions on the most important tennis fitness concepts that every competitive adult player should put into practice. He covers strength training, endurance, mobility, recovery, and much more to help you gain the edge and outlast your opponents!  

Dr. Kovacs is a performance physiologist, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes. He has trained many top professional tennis players, including John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Sam Querrey, Donald Young, and Melanie Oudin on peak performance. Dr. Kovacs founded the Kovacs Institute and the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA).

On the show, you’ll learn how we should adjust our training when we have physical limitations, how to modify fitness drills for senior players, the best recovery methods, how to develop power that transfers to your tennis game, and much more!

I hope you enjoy my interview with Mark! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

And be sure to subscribe to Tennis Files to receive the latest tennis content to improve your game straight to your inbox!

Kovacs Institute

International Tennis Performance Association

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On Episode 301 of The Tennis Files Podcast, you'll learn how to master your mindset and excel under pressure.

On the show, you’ll learn the need to have a growth mindset, the two of the biggest detractors to optimal performance, how to set intentions and how to prioritize them, how to train with pressure games, how to practice your decision making on the court, and much more!

I really hope you enjoy this episode! Let us know what you think about the episode in the comments below!

Join Summit Waitlist for when I open it back up, I’ll email you. Go to tennisfilessummit.com/waitlist!

Tennis Summit Waitlist

Tennis Files Podcast

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Today's episode is a very special one! We are celebrating 300 episodes of The Tennis Files Podcast by featuring clips from 10 of the most downloaded interviews and discussions over the years on the show! 

Here's the list of tennis experts, coaches, and players you'll hear from in this special 300th episode of The Tennis Files Podcast:

• Claudio Pistolesi (TFP 208)
• James Ludlow (TFP 210)
• Steve Smith (TFP 214)
• Dean Hollingworth (TFP 218)
• Karue Sell (TFP 223)
• Dr. Mark Kovacs (TFP 235)
• Brad Gilbert (TFP 270)
• Peter Freeman (TFP 271)
• Nick Saviano (TFP 280)
• Jonathan Stokke (TFP 282)

I really hope you enjoy this 300th celebratory podcast episode that we put together for you!  

It’s nearly three hours long, so if you don’t listen to the whole thing in one sitting I won’t blame you 🙂

Let me know what you think about it in the comments below! 

Thanks for all your support! :O)

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