Talking Tennis Southern Style

Want to hear a behind-the-scenes perspective from a photo shoot with Frances Tiafoe and Aryna Sabalenka? Michelle Heidbrink of Tennis Warehouse talks about being on-site with the tennis stars and previewing new clothing a year in advance. She also recommends checking out the sleek designs of Naomi Osaka and Rafa Nadal shoes. Of course, the newest racquets are available and guaranteed to boost your...

Sheryl McAlister, Senior Director of Advocacy and Community Development for USTA South Carolina , discusses their efforts in promoting tennis during National Tennis Month. She highlights their advocacy work, increased grant applications and the enthusiastic involvement of staff and volunteers. Sheryl also addresses challenges in providing quality public tennis courts and their initiatives to engag...

USTA General Manager, Player Development Martin Blackman, discusses the growing crop of Americans showing their grit on the French Open's terre battue. Among the players highlighted are Danielle Collins and Frances Tiafoe, along with Southerners Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro, Alycia Parks, Tommy Paul and Christopher Eubanks. Another hot topic is the Summer Olympics, which will be played at Roland Garro...

In this episode, we sit down with Bill Oakes, the former tournament director of the acclaimed ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open  and Senior Associate Athletic Director of  Wake Forest University . Bill shares his thoughts on innovative tournament formats, the significance of college tennis, and reflects on the upcoming last year of the  Atlanta Open , which he also ran.

We applaud anyone playing tennis in a driveway. But, realistically, 99% of tennis is played on courts. Paul Pittman, the long-time dominant force of tennis in Florence, S.C., is now chairing USTA Southern's push to protect and increase the number of our tennis courts. Pittman speaks to grassroots tennis advocates who are working to ensure that new tennis courts are improved and built, and not turn...

In this episode, we chat with Bobby Reynolds, Auburn Men's tennis head coach, a former No. 1 collegiate player at Vanderbilt and a former ATP player. He shares insights from coaching in the SEC and offers advice for aspiring players aiming for college and pro success, along with tips for competitive coaching. Reflecting on his pro tour days when he topped out at No. 63 in the world, coach Reynolds...

Join us for an insightful episode featuring Bob Willis, President of the Louisville (Ky.) Area 10 & Under Tennis Association . Willis will host a National Tennis Month "Bring A Friend" lesson on May 25 at Charlie Vettiner Park . He recounts last year's experience with a successful NTM event. Don't miss out on Willis's valuable tips and strategies for drawing new players to the sport with impactful...

Kristie Flowers hosted a Cardio Tennis session during 2023 and plans more sessions next month during National Tennis Month (NTM). She gets people active at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center in Florence, S.C. Flowers has had as many 50 participants get their heart rates up. She cites USTA Southern Board Member Ernie James for promoting NTM events.  

How do you expand tennis in your state? A strategic focus of USTA is increasing the number of providers like parks and recreation departments, coaches, teachers, tournament directors and grassroots tennis associations. Tyler Strong is using his knowledge of Junior Team Tennis to make connections with coaches and facilities. A nearly 10-year veteran of USTA Tennessee , Strong also celebrates tennis...

Andrew Krasny is best known for his post-match interviews on court for Tennis Channel . This week he is the host and emcee of Credit One Charleston Open , a tournament he considers among the best in the world for featuring the brightest women's stars in the game. Over his storied career, Krasny has been one of the faces you've seen at Indian Wells , the Miami Open and Cincinnati , connecting TV vi...

Arianne Hartono, a Dutch professional tennis player ranked No. 140 in WTA singles, made history at the University of Mississippi by winning the 2018 NCAA Women's Singles Tennis Championship , the first Dutch player to do so. She also received the 2018 Honda Sports Award for top female collegiate tennis player. Hartono is engaged to her coach Jason Ontog, a former USTA Tennessee staff member and UT...

Elizabeth Henderson's life in tennis started by being No. 1 in numerous junior age levels in USTA Southern before being recognized as an All-American at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga . She started her collegiate coaching odyssey at the University of North Carolina, followed by her first head coaching job at William & Mary . That led to a four-year stint as women's head tennis coach at th...

We chatted with John Cox, whose volunteer work covers many areas of tennis, including numerous posts in USTA Southern . Still, he has a soft spot for the students  of Bayou Academy in Cleveland, Miss., where he began coaching the tennis team in 2017. His goal is to make tennis "cool" and get players on court and practicing. Winning two state titles and being awarded the 2023 USTA Southern No-Cut C...

We talk with the 2023 USTA Southern Local League Coordinator of the Year Anna Martin. She is a veteran of more than 23 years of promoting and organizing USTA League, providing a rich history of tennis in Wilmington, N.C. She now supports nearly 200 adult recreational teams. Martin highlights the importance of playing against players with similar skill levels for the Greater Wilmington (N.C) Tennis...

Interviewed are two podcasters: Chris Godby & Chad Young of the awarding-winning "Game Set Match Kentucky!" After more than four years of uploading a two-interview podcast every other Thursday, the new "Talking Tennis Southern Style" plans on showcasing a single interview every Tuesday or Wednesday. Chris Godby & Chad Young produce " Game Set Match Kentucky! " Their podcast won the 2023 USTA South...

George "Ged" Schwing was honored with the Slew Hester Male Player of the Year for top adult player. Schwing has been a member of Team Louisiana for the Callen Cup and served as a captain the last few years, along with competing on the winning Southern team at the 2022 Keith Donoff Cup. Ozaki-Hastings Junior Sportsmanship Award winner Ryan Cozad was recognized at the USTA National Clay Courts Champ...

With the number of tennis players growing in the last five years, more tennis courts are needed. While some courts are being converted to pickleball courts, the USTA Southern Advocacy Task Force is enabling grassroots advocates to make the case for adding, and not reducing, the number of tennis courts. Former Board Member Paul Pittman chairs the task force and explains the advocacy tools provided...

It's a new year and time for our Grand Slam correspondent to preview American and Southern players. USTA General Manager, Player Development Martin Blackman calls in from Down Under with high hopes for players with Georgia roots: Coco Gauff, Taylor Townsend, Ben Shelton & Christopher Eubanks. Yolanda "Yola" Ramírez Ochoa won mixed doubles and finished as a singles finalist twice at Roland Garros....

Finishing our fourth season, "Talking Tennis Southern Style" wraps up 2023 with compelling excerpts of eight of our favorite interviews. We are proud to highlight insightful conversations with these guests: Michelle Curry of the Althea Gibson CTA Tennis memorabilia collector and USTA Kentucky Past President Mike Eden USTA Chairman of the Board and President Dr. Brian Hainline USTA Georgia's Darren...

Jane Preyer made her mark as an All-American at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill before succeeding in the WTA Tour. She reached No. 43 and defeated some top players including Evonne Goolagong. Later she took to coaching and led the Duke University women to four ACC championships. Keith Richardson is now inducted into his fifth hall of fame. His career began with achievement at Appala...

Marshall Happer headed the Men's Tennis Council from 1981-89, making him the only unofficial commissioner of men's professional tennis. He draws upon his extensive tennis background – including USTA Executive Director, USTA Southern President & CEO and Southern Tennis Hall of Fame inductee – in writing " Pioneers of the Game ." The 871-page history documents the 40-year trek of men's professional...

Wheelchair tennis is booming and Zane Goodwin is riding the crest to the top of the game. The 16-year-old Birmingham, Ala., resident is the top junior wheelchair tennis player in the country and winner of the Cincinnati Wheelchair Open . Zane talks about his dedication to the sport while his mom, Lara Polk, describes how she loves traveling to tournaments nationwide.  USTA Southern recently hosted...

In a remarkable achievement, Manny Diaz, the veteran men's tennis coach at the University of Georgia, will be inducted into the prestigious Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, this January. Diaz reflects on his illustrious career, during which he achieved a remarkable SEC-record of 767 wins for the University of Georgia men's tennis team. He takes pride in his associations with renowned former American...

Tennis is the sport of a lifetime and a former Atlanta Falcon wide receiver Brian Finneran is now excited about playing and watching tennis. He was wowed by the speed and athleticism of pro tennis players at the Atlanta Open . Brian can be heard on air on 680 The Fan , an Atlanta sports radio station. Andrew Walker worked four years at USTA Kentucky while rising in the ranks of tennis officiating....

Omar Alcaino has been at the helm of seven straight USTA Mississippi Junior Team Tennis champion teams including winning a Southern 10 & Under Intermediate title this year. Embracing his Chilean heritage, he reflects on his journey, which led him to excel as a Sun Belt singles champion at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and thrive as a dedicated tennis coach. Brenda Carter achieved the imp...