Here is my podcast with the David Goggins of Tennis, Thomas Alm. Thomas is a Swedish coach with 20 years of experience coaching players on ATP and WTA tours.
If you don’t know about David Goggins, he is an ultra-marathon athlete famous for taking on outrageous physical challenges and going through them. His motto is: Stay hard! And it is not a shock that he was once a Navy seal.
Thomas Alm was never a Navy seal, but he really focused hard on mental and physical strength in tennis. He wants to see a full commitment from his players and doesn’t believe in being tired. You have to be all-in to succeed in professional sport.
I very much enjoyed my conversation with Thomas. Some might find him controversial or harsh, but I like his blunt approach.
You can listen to the podcast in the embedded player below or on audio platforms like Spotify and Apple.
Time stamps
00:00 Intro
00:27 What’s up in your life?
02:55 The importance of personal chemistry between player and coach
05:51 Tennis coaching culture and finances
11:49 What went wrong with Swedish tennis?
18:42 The money on the pro tour
24:24 Physical vs Mental coaching
32:06 Celebrity coaching and other approaches
43:24 Making technical changes as a pro
47:24 Dealing with losses
53:24 The importance of data in tennis
1:01:10 Are people softer today?
1:06:18 Passion for running
Let me know what you think about the Tennisnerd podcast and if you have ideas for guests or questions for Thomas.
