Racket Sports Weekly

On this episode of the Racket Sports Weekly podcast, Ian sits down with Jaime Sullivan and Alli Barnes of Tennis IQ to discuss how their platform is combining technology and mental performance training to reshape tennis development at every level of the sport. The conversation covers: Why the mental side of tennis has historically been overlooked How Tennis IQ is using AI and personalization to he...

AI is rapidly changing the future of racket sports coaching, player development, and performance analysis. This week on the Racket Sports Weekly podcast, Ian Rapport is joined by Lauren Pedersen, co-founder and CEO of SportAI , to discuss the platform uses AI and computer vision to bring real-time coaching, biomechanics analysis, and player feedback to tennis, pickleball, and padel players around...

Ryan Redondo has become one of the most influential operators helping shape the future of racket sports in America. The CEO of Barnes Tennis Center and Youth Tennis San Diego sat down with Racket Sports Weekly host Ian Rapport to talk about how he’s transformed Barnes into one of the country’s premier multi-racket sports facilities by bringing tennis, pickleball, and padel together under one ecosy...

On this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , Ian sits down with Tennis Social founder and CEO Tyler Kelly to discuss how simulator technology could reshape the future of tennis and racket sports. Tyler shares the story behind Tennis Social, why tennis can be difficult for beginners to pick up, and how gamification could help make the sport more accessible, social and fun. The conversation also covers...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian sits down with Steve Shpilsky, CEO and founder of Los Angeles Padel Club , to discuss what it takes to build LA’s first premier padel club.  Steve shares how his background in hospitality, real estate, and hotel development shaped his vision for a club built around community, player development, networking, and a high-end hospitality experience. The con...

POP Tennis has been around for more than a century, but it’s now starting to find real momentum. In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , Ian sits down with Mitch Kutner, President of the International POP Tennis Association, to break down what POP Tennis actually is, why the sport rebranded from paddle tennis, and how it fits into today’s rapidly growing racket sports landscape. They also discus...

This week, I sat down with Claude Okin (CEO and founder) and Joe Siegel (SVP and SMD) from SPORTIME , one of the largest racket sports club operators in the country. We go deep into what it actually takes to run a successful racket sports club today with an honest take on the challenges they are facing within the industry. 🎾 What we cover: Why racquet sports have shifted from court rentals → prog...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , I sat down with Emiliano Abramzon , co-founder and CEO of Racquet 360 , live from RacquetX . We talked about how Racquet 360 is taking a full-ecosystem approach to growing padel in the U.S., from events and clubs to leagues and retail, and why Emiliano believes the biggest opportunity is still ahead. We also got into the bigger picture around racket sports...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian Rapport sits down with tennis journalist Tim Newcomb to discuss the changing world of tennis gear, footwear, apparel, and media. Tim shares how he built his niche covering tennis equipment and sports aesthetics, what brands are standing out right now, why strings are often overlooked, and how tennis products are evolving to match the modern game. They a...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , host Ian Rapport sits down with Callum Beale, Head of Game Expansion at Tennis Australia , to discuss how one of the sport’s leading governing bodies is embracing the rise of pickleball, padel, and other emerging racket sports. Rather than viewing these sports as competition, Tennis Australia is taking a different approach. It is using them to grow overall...

In this week’s episode of Racket Sports Weekly , host Ian Rapport sits down with Tennis Channel founder and TYPTI creator Steve Bellamy to break down one of the most talked-about new sports in the racket sports industry. After more than 30 years developing the concept, Bellamy officially launched TYPTI, a short-court racket sport blending elements of tennis, badminton, and pickleball. Viral social...

Pickleball’s rapid growth has reshaped the racket sports landscape with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) at the center of that expansion. In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , host Ian Rapport talks with APP CMO Tom Webb about why pickleball’s growth is unlike any modern sport, and how accessibility, community, and global expansion are reshaping its landscape. Webb discusses: Why st...

Pickleball’s global expansion is accelerating and ⁠ TOPSERIES Pickleball ⁠ wants to play a major role in shaping what comes next. In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , I sit down with Adel Aref, CEO of TOPSERIES Pickleball , a new premium pro and amateur tour focused on building a structured competitive ecosystem across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Aref brings a unique background to th...

On this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , we sit down with Santiago Gomez, Founder & CEO of Padel Haus , to talk about how he’s built the leading premium padel club. We discuss: • Why New York was the perfect launch city • The difference between “build it and they’ll come” and real community building • Why some padel clubs won’t survive long-term • Why design, location, and hospitality matter...

Leading up to the MGM Slam, we caught up with some of the top names in the game for a series of quick conversations. In this episode, hear directly from Tommy Paul, Casper Ruud, João Fonseca, and Lorenzo Musetti as they share their thoughts on the event. These are short interviews from the players, offering a glimpse into how players are thinking about the MGM Slam. The MGM Slam will take place at...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, we sit down with former World No. 8 Diego Schwartzman to discuss his move into the business side of tennis as a partner in INTENNSE , a new team-based league rethinking how the sport is played and consumed. We get into why tennis may be due for innovative new approaches, what newer formats can unlock for fans and players, and how INTENNSE is creating new op...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, we sit down with Ben Nichols, Founder & CEO of Padel 22 , to break down how padel is being built, branded, and taken mainstream in the U.S. and around the world. Ben shares his journey from Wimbledon, the ATP, and WADA to launching a global PR agency focused entirely on padel. The conversation covers: • How padel is being positioned to media and new aud...

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly , we sit down with U.S. Blind Tennis Association President Murray Elbourn to explore how blind and low vision tennis is being built in the United States. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of tennis, accessibility in sports, and how inclusive models can unlock entirely new communities of players. The episode also covers this week's headlin...

This week on Racket Sports Weekly , we’re joined by Daniel Quinones and Jeff Contreras, co-founders of ⁠ Pickleball Power Play to break down their new approach to pickleball tournaments that is catching on across the country (8:45). In this week’s headlines, we’ll cover: The global reach of padel’s Hexagon Cup Pickleball Kingdom’s expansion into the EU The emergence of AI in fan experience at the...

This week on Racket Sports Weekly , we share our biggest news yet with the official launch of racketsportsweekly.com. We’re also joined by Alessandro Bennett, co-founder and CEO of Pura Padel , for an in-depth conversation on building a padel club in Los Angeles and what the sport needs to truly break through in the U.S. In this episode: Alessandro Bennett on opening a padel club in LA, attracting...

This week on Racket Sports Weekly, we have American tennis star Tommy Paul on to talk about the MGM Slam on March 1. We’ll also touch on some of the biggest stories shaping the business of racket sports. In this episode: Tommy Paul joins us to talk about the MGM Slam, how it feels to play his best friend, and what he looks for when partnering with a brand The Pro Padel League makes a big splash wi...

This week on Racket Sports Weekly, we break down the biggest stories shaping the business of racket sports. In this episode: Kate Daggett , Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer of CourtsApp , joins us to explain how her platform is modernizing court booking and club operations across racket sports Major sponsorship deals make splash in pickleball and padel as brands race to capitalize on the s...

This week, we’re breaking down the hottest racket sports business predictions for 2026 . Tune in to hear what’s ahead for the rapidly evolving world of tennis, pickleball, padel, and beyond, in addition to where the biggest opportunities are emerging. We also sit down with award-winning padel leader Marcos del Pilar (8:07) to discuss the current state of padel in the U.S., the sport’s biggest grow...

This week, we break down the biggest stories shaping the business of racket sports: • Interview with Cassandra Toroian and Tracy Thomas, cofounders of Volleybird and Ruley • Naomi Osaka makes a surprising move, leaving Evolve • Racket-sports platform Playtomic raises roughly $6M • Elon Musk and Tesla jump into pickleball with a limited-edition Selkirk paddle • And more! Whether you're a player...

This week, we break down the biggest stories shaping tennis, pickleball, and padel: • Ben Shelton launches a behind-the-scenes YouTube docuseries • DUPR takes center stage with two partnerships. One with CourtsApp , a newly launched AI-powered court booking and marketing platform, and another with USA Pickleball • The MGM Slam announces its elite field for the $1M Las Vegas event • WTA strikes a h...