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The GreatBase Tennis Podcast
The GreatBase Tennis Podcast is a weekly audio show presented by Steve Smith and associates. Information, ideas, and insights are provided to help those connected to the game of tennis.
Episodes
305 episodes
A Thousand Little Jobs
This episode is a practical, on-the-ground conversation about what it actually takes to run a college tennis program. With Johann Frühling reflecting on his experience as a first-time graduate assistant coach at St. Leo, and Pol O'Callaghan pre...
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The State of College Tennis
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by NC State women's tennis coach Dave Secker and Spanish visitor Pol O'Callaghan for a deep dive into the rapidly shifting landscape of college tennis. Secker walks through the transfer portal, NIL, reve...
Two Lifers Talk Tennis
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by AJ Chabria and Craig Bell, co-hosts of the At the Net podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation covering a lifetime of experiences across all facets of the racket sports industry. The four dig into the...
Back To Basics: The Overhead
This episode is a deep dive into the overhead, one of the most avoided and undercoached shots in tennis. Steve and Dave break down the mechanics, the mental barriers, and the drills needed to build confidence and competency at the net, making t...
Back to Basics: The Volley
This episode is a deep dive into the volley, a shot Steve and Dave argue is quietly disappearing from the game. They break down grips, ready position, swing path, and the drills needed to build real net instincts, making the case that if player...
The Richmond Hill Reunion
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by three special guests for a Richmond Hill reunion on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast. Richard Hernandez, Miron Mann, and Patrick Jeffrion Amorin, three directors who have ...
Hatrick Mistakeikno
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson mark episode 300 of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast with a mix of shoutouts, reflection, and sharp commentary on the state of American college tennis. The episode opens with congratulations to Dave on his induction in...
Back To Basics: Grips
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to one of the most fundamental and overlooked topics in tennis teaching: grips. Responding to listener requests to go back to basics, Steve works through ...
The Madagascar Connection
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to an exciting new chapter for the organization, a formal partnership with the Malagasy Tennis Federation in Madagascar. Steve walks through the backstory...
Bridge Sports and Blind Spots
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson cover a wide range of topics on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, from submarine parenting and the three phases of truth in tennis teaching, to shoutouts for Dave Fish, the Bryan brothers, and the...
The Rebuttal and the Reality
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson pick up where they left off on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, turning their attention to Patrick McEnroe's official rebuttal to Wayne Bryan's open letter. Written during McEnroe's tenure as gen...
Wayne Bryan's Wake Up Call
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to a deep dive into Wayne Bryan's now-famous open letter to the USTA, a document that was written over a decade ago but reads as urgently relevant today. ...
The Lost Art of Attacking
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson cover a wide range of topics on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, from the Korda family's remarkable multigenerational tennis legacy to Iga Swiatek's recent struggles and the revolving door of coa...
Tennis Comsumer Insight
On episode #293 of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson offer a candid look inside the world of tennis academies, drawing on their time at the Seguso Bassett Tennis Training Center in Boca Raton to cut through the noise f...
Rebuilding American Tennis
Steve Smith is joined by Dave Anderson and Andy Fitzell for a wide-ranging discussion on player development, coaching education, and the direction of American tennis. The conversation centers around Craig Tiley’s leadership, accountability in c...
Lessons From the Trenches
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss the news of Craig Tiley becoming CEO of the USTA, reflecting on their early days together in the Tennis Tech program and the foundation of coaching education that shaped his career. They explore what leader...
Building Locker Room Power
Tour coach and author Dave Sammel joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to unpack what “locker room power” really means, how players create an aura opponents can feel, and why advancing in tennis is driven by winning streaks, not perfection. He s...
Discipline is Non-negotiable
Former ATP pro and Venezuelan Davis Cup player David Souto joins Steve Smith, Dave Anderson, and Coach Andres to unpack a player’s journey from Caracas to the Orange Bowl finals, Argentina, and Spain, and the hidden costs of trying to make it f...
Habits of Winning Players
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson revisit foundational habits that shape long-term success in tennis and life. Drawing from Stephen Covey’s principles and decades of coaching experience, they explore proactivity, prioritization, win-win thinking, a...
Tennis Culture: Europe vs America
Coach Florian Kuehne joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to share his tennis journey. From starting at seven and competing in Tennis Europe and German club leagues, to earning his German C and B licenses by 19 (then the youngest German coach to...
How Points Are Built
Steve Smith and Dave Anderson preview the Australian Open semifinals through a GreatBase lens, stressing that skill must come before strategy. They revisit court geometry, targets, and why understanding space, margins, and shot production is es...
Team Luke: Lessons That Last
Former pro doubles standout and longtime Texas Tech head coach Tim Siegel joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to trace his tennis path from junior doubles titles in Louisiana to competing at the majors, then into college coaching, then 23 years...
Mentors, Moments, and Memories
Matt Davis joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to discuss his journey from Palmyra, New York, to becoming Director of Rackets at Park Ridge Country Club in the Chicago area. He reflects on early technical training at Midtown Tennis in Rochester...