TennisWorthy

TennisWorthy

TennisWorthy, a podcast presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, seeks to uncover what it takes to become a Hall of Famer and the greatest...Full Bio

Induction Day in Newport Featuring Kim Clijsters, Tracy Austin and Stan Smith

Gabriela Sabatini: Reflecting on Positives and Passions

Argentina's Gabriela Sabatini was a rising star as a junior, and she lived up to her early expectations. After becoming the youngest player to ever win the Orange Bowl (at age 13), she reached the semifinals of the French Open and the top 10 of the WTA rankings two years later. It wasn't all smooth sailing, though - her well-documented struggles with shyness made duties off the court difficult.

Gaby credits working with a sport psychologist and the global exposure tennis gave her as helping her become more outgoing, and take her game to the next level. After reaching five major semifinals and the final of the US Open, she broke through with the 1990 US Open title over No. 1 Steffi Graf. She credits her depth of experience on the major stage, and adjustments she made with her coaches, for her victory. Gaby details her passions outside of tennis, including charity work, and shares her advice to aspiring players to pursue balance beyond the court.

Gabriela Sabatini is a two-time major champion, former world No. 3 in singles and doubles, and Olympic sliver medalist. In 2019, she was awarded the International Tennis Federation's highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for her achievements on court and in giving back through charitable causes. She became the second Argentinian inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Conchita Martinez: For the Love of the Game

Many tennis players start by hitting a ball against a wall - but Conchita Martinez took that early pastime to a new level. Watching her brothers and father play on the courts outside of her apartment as a child gave her spark to try, and she "loved it from the very beginning".


Her imaginary matches against her heroes caught the eye of local coaches, and soon Martinez moved full-time to Barcelona at age 12 to train. Despite dealing with homesickness, the payoff was quick as she captured her first WTA title at age 16 and reached the fourth round of Roland-Garros. She details her mindset in big moments on court, and how her naturally relaxed personality paid dividends. She shares her love for playing for her country in Fed Cup and the Olympics, why clay gave her more time to "express herself" and how it came to be that a grass tournament - Wimbledon - gave her a career triumph.


Conchita Martinez won Wimbledon in singles in 1994 and reached the finals of the Australian Open and Roland-Garros. She captured 33 WTA singles titles, and is one of Spain's most successful players on the team stage with three Olympic medals and five Fed Cup titles. Martinez has captained Spain's Fed Cup and Davis Cup teams, and currently serves as the Tournament Director for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.


Michael Stich: The Desire to Improve

Over the course of a year during 1990-91, Michael Stich went from being the 400th ranked player in the world to sitting inside the top 10, and winning Wimbledon. It was a steep and relatively quick ascent for a player who called himself a "terrible" juniors player. But for Stich, he credits his immense love for the sport as the reason he chose to continue, and make a career of tennis.


Family is a key factor in Stich's development, and he is quick to thank his parents for letting him try to live his dream - and also put him in his place when needed. Before winning Wimbledon in 1991, he had only captured one previous title on the ATP Tour, but Stich was uniquely prepared for the championship match. He details how he attacked it as any other match, despite playing countryman Boris Becker, his memories of meeting his heroes after and how he was ready for the next stage of his career. Stich was a proud competitor for Germany alongside legends in Davis Cup, Hopman Cup, and the Olympics and won 16 more titles before retiring in 1997.


Michael Stich is a Wimbledon champion in singles and doubles, Davis Cup champion, and Olympic gold medalist in doubles. He reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 2 in the world, finishing his career with 18 titles and finals appearances at both Roland-Garros and the US Open. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018.

Margaret Court: Developing Talent through Persistence

Margaret Court captured an all-time record of 64 major titles during her esteemed tennis career, including 24 in singles, 19 in doubles and 21 in mixed doubles. As one of the greatest players of her era, there were several aspects of her life and training that she credits to pushing her game to the next level, which she details with Chris Bowers.


Court began tennis as a matter of proximity, growing up near grass courts and fostered by coaches who recognized her talent at a young age. Aside from her on-court skills, she credits her passion for training - running and lifting weights - as the keys to her consistent success and relatively injury-free career. Her arrival at the top of the game was sudden, winning the Australian Championships at age 18, and began a sustained career she covers in depth. Court speaks to the tumult of the early years of professional tennis, her mentors in the men's game and what she enjoys about today's tennis.


Margaret Court owns the fourth-best singles winning percentage of all time (91.69). She is one of only three players in history to have won the Boxed Set, consisting of every major title (the singles, doubles and mixed doubles) and is the only player to ever complete a double Boxed Set. Court was year-end No. 1 a total of seven times during her career.

Cliff Drysdale: Making an Impression in All Efforts

Cliff Drysdale is a preeminent voice in tennis broadcasting, but his commentary skill on television is just the latest chapter in a career that touches all aspects of the sport. Starting at a very young age in South Africa, Drysdale was a self-taught competitor who played alongside and claimed victories against some of the best in tennis history.


In 1968, Drysdale became one of the founding members of World Championship Tennis known as the Handsome Eight. With host Chris Bowers, he discusses the early days of professional tennis, and how it was firstly an opportunity for him to continue playing the game he loved. When the ATP began in 1972 as representation for the growing body of professional players, Drysdale was named President, and talks about how he stumbled into the role. For him, the start of the pro era was less about consciously changing the game, and more about the common sense of including players in decisions.


Cliff Drysdale captured the 1972 US Open title with Roger Taylor, and was a finalist at the 1965 U.S. Nationals in singles. He captured 23 career titles in singles, rising to a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in 1965. As a member of World Championship Tennis, he advanced to three WCT Finals, and was a leading figure in the ATP's Wimbledon boycott in 1973. He has commentated for ESPN for more than 30 years, since the network's first tennis broadcast in 1979. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the Contributor Category in 2013.

Rosie Casals, Judy Tegart Dalton & Ann Jones: Pioneering Women's Professional Tennis

In 2021, the International Tennis Hall of Fame inducted its first group of contributors simultaneously: the Original 9. Together in 1970, these nine women broke from the established tennis landscape to sign $1 contracts with promoter Gladys Heldman, creating the first women's tennis tour. The early years of professional women's tennis were challenging, defiant and ultimately, hugely successful in creating equity and a platform for women in sports.


Two members of the Original 9, Rosie Casals and Judy Tegart Dalton, along with fellow Hall of Famer Ann Jones, discuss those early years. With Blair Henley, Casals and Dalton share why they risked their careers to break the status quo and why timing in the 1970s was key to gaining momentum. They share memories of playing with and against each other, and the lesser-known hard work behind the scenes of growing women's tennis.


Later in the episode, Jones tells Chris Bowers how the camaraderie between the women's players fueled progress in the early years of the Virginia Slims tour. Jones shares how solidarity between the players, regardless of nationality, helped foster a key sense of purpose in making tennis a sustainable career.

Tommy Haas: Competition Mindset and the "Inner Dog"

Tommy Haas reached the world No. 2 ranking in singles in 2002, and then endured a series of injuries that delivered setbacks. Despite the obstacles, he persisted in his career, remaining at the top of the game for another decade-plus and winning two ATP Comeback Player of the Year awards.


With Chris Bowers, Tommy discusses his journey from winning tournaments as a small child in his native Germany to getting the invite to train with Hall of Fame coach Nick Bollettieri in Florida. He details Nick's impact on his career and how he worked to grow on small successes as a junior. Throughout his injuries, he remained positive, and shares how a "why not?" mentality kept him pushing for more.


Tommy Haas is a four-time Grand Slam semifinalist in singles, former world No. 2, and an Olympic silver medalist. He captured 15 career singles titles on the ATP Tour. His final victory as a professional player on tour came against Roger Federer in 2017 at age 39. In 2016, Haas was named the Tournament Director for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, and continues in the role today.

Kim Clijsters: Finding Balance and Cherishing Connections

Kim Clijsters mastered the art of the comeback during her tennis career. After first retiring at age 23 to become a mother, she returned to the sport two years later and captured three of her four singles Grand Slam titles in her second act. Through it all, she was able to find the balance needed to be both a mother, daughter, friend and elite athlete.


With Brett Haber, Kim discusses a wide array of subjects from her career to her life in retirement. She shares her mental secrets to success, her rivalry with Belgian countrywoman Justine Henin, and her deep love for the sport. In reflecting on some of her greatest moments, she remembers the friendships she developed and the constant support of her family.


Kim Clijsters is a three-time US Open singles champion, Australian Open singles champion and doubles champion at both Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. She is a former No. 1 in both singles and doubles, and was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017. She currently gives back to the sport as the President of the Hall of Fame, serving as an ambassador and working behind the scenes to grow the Hall's mission to preserve, celebrate and inspire.

Esther Vergeer: Forging a Path in Disability Sports

Esther Vergeer's career accomplishments and statistics are mind-boggling: 42 Grand Slam titles, 407-match win streak in singles until her retirement, 668 weeks at world No. 1. Her story of illness as a child, to discovering tennis and shattering records, stands unique amongst the sport's legends.


With Blair Henley, Esther details how she became an athlete after becoming paralyzed at age 8 and set her sights early on becoming a Paralympian. Once she reached the top, she continuously found ways to remain motivated and find a new edge, working with legendary coach Sven Groeneveld to make each other better. Esther shares her story of motherhood, induction into the Hall of Fame and her steadfast mission to grow exposure for disability sports in the Netherlands and beyond.


Esther Vergeer is a 21-time major champion in singles and doubles, seven-time Paralympic gold medalist, and winner of 169 singles titles in her career. In 2023, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She is the tournament director of the ABN AMRO Open, Chef de Mission for Team Netherlands, and the founder of the Esther Vergeer Foundation, which provides young people with physical disabilities and chronic conditions the opportunity to exercise regularly, like any other child. The Foundation aims to strengthen self-confidence and self-reliance in participants through sport.