Patrick McEnroe chats with Katrina Adams in this all-new episode of the TennisWorthy Podcast, exploring the month's theme of leadership. Adams, a former top player and two-term USTA president, discusses how leadership has shaped her career, from playing number one as a freshman at Northwestern University to becoming a number three ranked doubles team on the WTA Tour.

She shares her journey to becoming the first African-American and first former player to serve as USTA President. Adams reflects on "leading with a purpose," focusing on being intentional and impactful. She also discusses her book, Own the Arena, and navigating controversies, such as the 2018 US Open Women's Final. Finally, she highlights her passion project, the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program, which gives kids an opportunity to be champions in life.

Katrina Adams is the first African American to head the USTA, serving as Chair and President from 2015 to 2018 and as the first former player in that role. Under her leadership, the USTA opened the National Campus and transformed the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center while promoting tennis in underserved communities. She won 20 doubles titles on the WTA Tour as a professional player, and currently serves the International Tennis Hall of Fame as Chair of the enshrinement committee.

After defecting from Czechoslovakia to the United States and leaving her family behind in 1975, Martina Navratilova made her first return to her home nation as part of the United States' Fed Cup team in 1986. Fellow Hall of Famers Pam Shriver and Hana Mandlikova join Martina in recounting the emotions, her drive and the courage needed to reach her potential.

This episode is part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's TennisWorthy short-form series. View more TennisWorthy stories at tennisfame.com/tennisworthy.

For October's TennisWorthy theme of Leadership, Patrick McEnroe and Chris Bowers focus on the attributes of leadership in tennis, both on and off the court. This all-new episode features interviews from former world No. 3 and Roger Federer's former coach, Ivan Ljubicic, and renowned Canadian doubles coach Louis Cayer.

Ljubicic discusses leadership in the wider tennis world, emphasizing the importance of getting information, listening, understanding, and then making decisions. He shares lessons from his time on the ATP Player Council and Board, noting that players need to be explained the reasoning behind decisions on and off the court.

Cayer, who currently coaches many successful British doubles teams, explains his leadership model for doubles partnerships. He discusses the roles of tactical and energy leaders, often suggesting a leader to the team. The energy leader provides "unconditional high positive energy," acts as a role model, is vocal, and helps a partner stay in the present. Cayer also encourages communication between partners, including using a "three-second rule" after a point to team up.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of fame. For more information and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Hall of Famer Tracy Austin reflects on one of her earliest coaches, Hall of Famer Vic Braden, who brought many firsts to the sport of tennis. His unique skillset of combining humor, science and the developing world of video analysis made him one of tennis' most sought-after coaches, teaching a generation of legends how to perform at their best.

This episode is part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's TennisWorthy short-form series. View more TennisWorthy stories at tennisfame.com/tennisworthy.

Hall of Famer Richard Evans discusses his fascinating career as a tennis journalist, which led him to the International Hall of Fame as an inductee in the Contributor Category. He reflects on the qualities that make a Hall of Famer, emphasizing achievement, personality, and character.

With his longtime colleague Chris Bowers, Evans recounts how he got his start in tennis journalism at the age of 21, ghostwriting columns for tennis champions like Althea Gibson and Jaroslav Drobný. He shares a pivotal moment when he took Gibson to the Wimbledon Ball, highlighting the subtle discrimination she faced as a Black woman. Evans also talks about the role of tennis designer and player liaison, Ted Tinling, and his efforts to introduce color into Wimbledon's all-white dress code

The Hall of Famer delves into his time as the European Director for the ATP, where he worked to professionalize tennis and advocated for players' rights against outdated amateur officials. He concludes by discussing his close relationships with players like Rod Laver and John Newcombe, and his belief that the modern game has lost something due to the disconnect between players and journalists.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. For more information and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

On the 55th anniversary of the Original 9's signing of the first professional women's contract in 1970, we're sharing an insightful interview with one of women's tennis' early professional pioneers, Hall of Famer Ann Jones.

With Chris Bowers, Jones discusses her career and the evolution of the sport. She recounts how she, along with a small group of players, fought for women's rights in tennis by establishing a professional circuit, and demanding better prize money. Jones views her off-court contributions as being just as significant as her on-court achievements, and her belief that the pressures on players haven't lessened, only evolved.

Jones recalls competing against icons like Billie Jean King and Margaret Court during the transition to Open tennis. She shares her experience of playing both table tennis and lawn tennis, and the challenges of being a professional in the amateur era, and how she navigated the world of sports despite coming from a modest background.

United States Billie Jean King Cup Captain and Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport reflects on one of the most impactful experiences of her career: playing for her country at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Davenport shares how an honest assessment from her own legendary captain pushed her to achieve her full potential on the grandest of stages.

This episode is part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's TennisWorthy short-form series. View more TennisWorthy stories at tennisfame.com/tennisworthy.

On the 35th anniversary of Gabriela Sabatini's 1990 US Open victory, she recalls reaching the top of the mountain to claim her first major singles title. Gaby remembers facing the toughest of opponents - top-seeded Steffi Graf - and her tactics to capture the win. The feeling of finally winning a major tournament was unmatched, especially as the first Argentinian woman to do so in singles.

This episode is part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's TennisWorthy short-form series. View more TennisWorthy stories at tennisfame.com/tennisworthy.

75 years ago this week, Althea Gibson broke the color barrier at the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Championships, becoming the first Black player permitted to compete. Her boldness set the stage for continued change, opening the door for Arthur Ashe's groundbreaking Wimbledon title and her own three major titles in the years to come.

We revisit several seminal moments in tennis history in this episode of the TennisWorthy podcast, original published in Feburary. Chris Bowers outlines these change-making moments and the forces behind them, and shares more about the mentor who supported Althea and Arthur along the way - Hall of Famer Dr. Robert Johnson.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame thanks the Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA and Oral History Director Yolanda Hester for contributions to this episode:

Mark Mathabane, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Sept 4, 2020, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California.

Donald Dell, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, Feb 10, 2020, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California.

Owen Williams, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, March 5, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California.

The TennisWorthy Podcast is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. For more information and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.