Serving Up Trouble

Season 2 Episode 8 Paralympic, World and European table tennis medalist Megan Shackleton joins me on Serving Up Trouble! In a packed episode, we talk about finding the confidence to be creative and express yourself on the table, the nuances of the wheelchair game and how a mix of hard work and a winning mindset took her to the podium in Tokyo 2020! Socials Follow us: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@servinguptroublepod⁠⁠...

ITTF World Parkinson’s Class 1 Gold Medalist 2021 and showcase gold medalist 2025 Jan Fuller joins me on Serving up Trouble to talk about her table tennis journey. Jan started playing TT as a young woman. A Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2012 led her to return to the sport, prompted by extraordinary research into the benefits of TT for the condition. Now she’s competed at the highest level, on the world...

Season 2 Episode 6 Mari Baldwin joins me to discuss the different stages in a table tennis player’s early career. The steps from one age group to the next can be steeper than expected! We also chat about our experiences being queer in the sport with lots of laughs along the way! Socials Follow us: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@servinguptroublepod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Mari: ⁠⁠⁠ @_mari_baldwin_ Read articles on ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠

Season 2 Episode 5 'Underspin  delves beneath the pressure that forges a champion, and the vulnerability that makes a coming of age: the crackling intensity of a match, the push and pull of first love, and the great injustices committed within our closest relationships.' Move over Marty Supreme, this week I'm joined by sports writer and novelist Emily Zhao to discuss her debut book Und...

Season 2 Episode 4 These pips don't lie! I'm joined by player, coach and content creator Agnieszka Maluszczak for a masterclass in one of table tennis' most misunderstood playing styles. 25% DISCOUNT AT CHAOS CURVE CULTURE We're teaming up with Chaos Curve Culture this Christmas with a 25% discount on all stock until the end of December! USA: Use the code SUTPOD25 at checkout UK: M...

Season 2 Episode 3 A good commentator can make you feel like you’re right there courtside, living every rally, every spin, and every smash from your living room. But what does it take to step behind the mic for the first time? How do you prepare, and what happens behind the scenes that you never hear on air? In this episode of Serving Up Trouble, I’m sharing my first experience as a commentator, m...

Season 2 Episode 2 The second half of our special podcast on America's pro league- Major League Table Tennis! We talk to Amy Wang about balancing top-level TT with her studies in neuroscience, how her playing style has developed and her love of figure skating! I also chat with Chinese newcomers Peiyu Zhu and Ge Chi, who are joining the Florida Crocs and Bay Area Blasters. Featuring: Amy Wang:...

Season 2 Episode 1 Table Tennis season is back, and so is Serving Up Trouble! To kick off the new series, I travelled to America to chat with the stars of Major League Table Tennis. Across the next two episodes I'll be talking to some of the league's top female talent as well as their teammates and the folks behind the scenes who make it all happen! Featuring: Lily Zhang: @lilyyz Kotomi Om...

Episode 16 England No. 1 Tin-Tin Ho joins me on Serving Up Trouble for the final episode of the series! We chat about Tin-Tin’s road to 7 National titles, handling pressure on the international stage, balancing a degree with top level table tennis and how she’s looking to develop her game with sights on LA 2028! Socials Follow us: ⁠ ⁠⁠@servinguptroublepod⁠⁠⁠ Follow Tin-Tin: @tintin.ho Tip of the W...

Episode 15 We are joined by Paralympic doubles bronze medalist and World Championship doubles gold medalist Fliss Pickard! Since joining the GB para squad, Fliss has had an incredible journey, battling with physical and mental barriers as she came through the ranks. I speak to Fliss about how she came to table tennis, the hurdles along the way especially following a difficult Asperger’s diagnosis...

Episode 14 We're joined by Jo Green this week to talk about what makes a great coach, advice for TT parents, how to encourage girls battling anxiety and what she’d do if she won the lottery! Socials Follow us: ⁠ @servinguptroublepod⁠ Follow Jo's Coaching Page: ⁠ RedBlackGreen - Table Tennis Coaching Follow Draycott: ⁠ @dlettc Tip of the Week: ⁠ @hey_its_naps Champion of the Week: ⁠ @_bruna...

Episode 13 The interviewer becomes the interviewee this week on Serving Up Trouble as I chat with former French international player and podcast host Marie Migot! Marie talks about how she's been able to find her game and rekindle her love of table tennis after a tumultuous time on the circuit as a young person. After feeling burnt out playing internationally aged 24, Marie took a step back from t...

Episode 12 Rebecca Savage is a high ranked player in England now working as an apprentice coach at eBaTT. We talk about playing semi-pro in Portugal, how she thinks becoming a coach has improved her game and her ideas for how to encourage more competition for high ranked female players! Socials Follow eBaTT: @_ebatt Tip of the Week: @jason.ramage Champion of the Week: @dina_alaameshref Support Reb...

Episode 11 Lisa Harwood is a qualified yoga instructor who has been running sessions with players at table tennis wales. During this episode we discuss how yoga can benefit your table tennis from flexibility and injury prevention to physical and mental strength! Watch to the end for some extra special table tennis yoga videos! Socials Follow Us: ⁠@servinguptroublepod⁠ Follow Lisa: ⁠@lisa_echoyoga⁠...

Episode 10 Former Welsh international Natasha Hurd made her senior debut aged only 11 years old! In this episode we talk about her journey to Commonwealth Bronze in 1992, what it was like training back up after a break for the Commonwealth Games 2002, playing ping in the police and some new ideas for engaging young players. Socials Follow us: ⁠ @servinguptroublepod⁠ Tip of the Week: ⁠ @colin.wilso...

This is your bonus May recap! Included in this episode: Anna Hursey Makes History at U21 European Championships Para Success in Lasko ITTF World Championships Doha ITTF Presidential Elections Follow us Instagram: @servinguptroublepod

Episode 9 Have you ever wondered what's going on in the head of a pro Table Tennis player? Multi-Slovak champion and Sports Psychologist Natália Grigelova is here to answer your questions! We talk about emotion regulation, mental exercises off the table and how to give yourself the confidence to go for your shots. Socials Follow us: @servinguptroublepod Follow Natália: @grigelka Check out Natália'...

Episode 8 It's double trouble on the podcast this week with Fusion's Tiana Dennison and Amelia Chan! We talk about training camps in China, finding friends in the sport and the life changing experience of Amelia hearing her first "cho". Socials Follow us: @servinguptroublepod Follow Tiana: @tiana.dennison Follow Amelia: @ameliachannn Champion of the Week: Sun Yingsha Find Competi...

Episode 7 Making her Serving Up Trouble debut this week is European Silver Medalist, World Para Championships doubles Gold Medalist and, more importantly, my Halton teammate- Grace Williams! By self-admission not a "sporty" kid, Grace talks about how she was encouraged to pick up a bat and the crazy journey it's taken her on since, giving us insight into life on the Para pathway and...

Episode 6 An extra special episode of the pod today as I go behind the scenes at the WTT Feeder in Manchester! I chat to top female players and coaches, getting their perspective on winning and losing, what brings them joy in the training hall and most importantly advise for the next generation.  Interviews in order of appearance: Jasmine Wong Sophie Early Tin Tin Ho Krittwika Roy Sayali Wani Silv...

A new bonus episode recapping all the biggest headlines from the table tennis world this month. Included in this episode: Hugo Calderado and Sun Yinsha take World Cup Gold in Macao New changes to the Olympic format lead to increased investment in female players American League MLTT and Indian League UTT announce draft picks for top teams Follow us: Instagram: @servinguptroublepod

Episode 5 Lyndsey Simpson has been involved in every aspect of table tennis as a player, coach, umpire and referee! In this episode Lyndsey talks about her mental health journey, the daily challenges she has to overcome and how table tennis has helped her gain strength, confidence and family. Learn more about Lancashire Mind: https://www.lancashiremind.org.uk/ TW: Mentions of suicide and self-harm...

Episode 4 Former England star and Commonwealth medalist Maria Tsaptsinos joins us on the podcast to talk about her table tennis journey from starting out to National Champion! We discuss how the friendships she formed during England camps and abroad helped her overcome challenges and find the drive to succeed on the world stage. Social Links Follow us: ⁠ @servinguptroublepod⁠ Follow Maria: ⁠ @mari...

Episode 3 I sit down with Brighton's Teresa Bennett to talk all about her experience coaching young players, the importance of positivity in the corner and how we can keep young women engaged in table tennis! Social Links Follow us: @servinguptroublepod Follow Brighton TTC: @brightonttc Tip of the Week: @leonmagician Champion of the Week: @hanaaymangoda

Episode 2 Jill Parker joins me at a recording studio in Preston to talk all about her playing career from picking up a bat at the civil service club in Slough to her 1976 European Gold medal! Jill tells us all about her iconic defending style and the importance of getting to know your players as a coach. Social Links Follow us: ⁠@servinguptroublepod⁠ Tip of the Week: ⁠ @ta_ttcoaching Champion of t...