Presented by Fabio Molle, The Functional Tennis Podcast is a downloadable audio show featuring weekly interviews with players, coaches, trainers, tennis parents and experts working at the highest level of tennis.
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Ryan Peniston left his family at just 13 years old to move to France and pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player. After five years there, he moved to the United States to play college tennis at the University of Memphis spending nine formative years away from home. In this episode, Ryan reflects on the sacrifices involved and whether he would make the same decision again. He also…
College tennis has never been stronger on court… but behind the scenes, major changes are happening. In this episode, I’m joined by ITA CEO Dave Mullins to break down what’s really going on in US college tennis right now. We discuss NIL deals, players getting paid, why some universities are cutting tennis programmes, and whether the current system is sustainable long term. We also chat about: Why…
While at the Italian Open in Rome with ASICS, I got the chance to sit down with Luciano Darderi for this mini episode of the Functional Tennis Podcast. Luciano talks about growing up between Argentina and Italy, being coached by his dad, and why his family sacrificed so much to help him pursue professional tennis. He also shares what changed as he climbed the rankings, what separates the very best…
In this short episode from the Italian Open in Rome, I sit down with Mattia Bellucci for a quick chat about his journey from an average junior career to breaking into the ATP Top 100. Mattia talks about growing up in Italy, being coached by his dad, why he decided to stop focusing on juniors and jump into Futures events early, and what changed once he started competing at ATP level. He also shares…
What does it actually take to compete at the top level in under-12 tennis today? In this episode, I’m at the IMG Future Stars in Greece, where some of the best young players in the world come together to compete, learn, and experience life at a high-performance event. I sit down with Sebastian Lavie to get his perspective as a coach on what’s changed over the last few years, what stands out at…
I tried something new. For a long time, I’ve talked about starting a YouTube channel where I get back on court and test myself against players better than me. The reality is, I never really had the time to do it properly. Now I’ve finally started. In this first video, I take on one of Ireland’s best players, Sinead Lohan, to see how I stack up and to explore the level difference. This is the first…
Over the past 12 months, I’ve been working with biomechanics researcher Dr Nick Busuttil to better understand one simple question… Does the Functional Tennis Saber actually improve your game? In this episode, we dive into the findings from that research and what really happens when players train with a constraint racket. We discuss how the Saber influences stroke mechanics, why players may…
Marc Polmans is now ranked inside the top 60 in doubles after making the Australian Open doubles final but he still sees himself as a singles player. In this episode, we talk about the reality of balancing singles ambition with doubles opportunity, and how one Grand Slam run can shift your season financially, mentally, and strategically. Marc shares: From not being in the draw to Aussie Open…
Justin Van Malderen from Luxilon is back on the Functional Tennis Podcast. At the 2025 US Open, 55% of the Top 100 were using Luxilon strings. In this episode, we discuss why. We talk about falling string tensions on tour, how modern powerful rackets are changing string demands, and why today’s aggressive baseline game requires more durability and control than ever. We also dive into why I chose…
In this episode of the Functional Tennis Podcast, I’m joined by Yuhi Tanigaki , Product Manager for Tennis Footwear at ASICS, to go behind the scenes of the new Solution Speed FF4. Yuhi plays a central role in shaping ASICS tennis shoes, working closely with designers, researchers, professional athletes, and recreational players to turn feedback into real on court performance. We cover what…
