Mark Knowles On Sinner and Sabalenka Winning The Sunshine Double + Clay Season and Coaching Pegula

Mark Knowles joins the podcast to reflect on the Sunshine Double, and review the championship performances by both both Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner in Miami to add to their trophy collections. Knowles explains how Sabalenka has refined her game and embraced the top spot on the WTA, and commends Coco Gauff for competing her way to the final in South Beach. The Tennis Channel broadcaster points out what separated Jannik Sinner from the field in Miami, and breaks down the performances by finalist Jiri Lehecka, talented Frenchman Arthur Fils, and Alexander Zverev. Knowles also discusses his tenure coaching Jessica Pegula, and goes in depth about how working alongside fellow coach and friend Mark Merklein has created an special team dynamic. The former doubles No. 1 reveals how Pegula consistently strives to improve beyond wins and losses, and goes in depth on several topics including the American's refined serve and the challenge of competing against Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. And Knowles explains the nuances of clay-court tennis as the season commences on the dirt with ATP action in Houston and the WTA event in Charleston. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Robbie Koenig joins the podcast to recap the thrilling action from The Miami Open, where Arthur Fils pulled off a stunning comeback over Tommy Paul to reach his first Masters semifinal. Koenig dives into Fils' mental makeup, how Paul will process such a tough loss, and whether Jannik Sinner will win the Sunshine Double. The commentator also dives into Jiri Lehecka's successful tournament, Alexander Zverev's aggressiveness, and Francisco Cerundolo's hot streak in Miami. Koenig also dives into the next chapter of the rivalry between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, and predicts how their upcoming match at Miami will unfold. The broadcaster assesses Coco Gauff's game ahead of her semifinal showdown with Karolina Muchova, and explains what the Czech player can do to notch her first victory over the American. Koenig gets you primed and ready to go for the thrilling conclusion to the Miami Open on this episode! Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Simon Cambers joins the podcast to react to all the drama taking place at the 2026 Miami Open, headlined by Sebastian Korda's shocking upset victory over World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Cambers analyzes Korda's world-class game when he's firing on all cylinders, and dives into the deep pool of American male tennis players that continue to push each other. The journalist also dissects Joao Fonseca's comments summarizing the different challenges that Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner face, and gives his thoughts on several ATP players such as Jack Draper, Daniil Medvedev and Arthur Fils as the season amps up. On the women's side, Cambers reacts to the big news that Iga Swiatek has parted ways with coach Wim Fissette. The reporter dives into Swiatek's struggles and how she can fix them, and also breaks down Coco Gauff's constant battle as she looks to improve her serve. Cambers weighs in on the Sabalenka/Rybakina rivalrly, Victoria Mboko's continued improvement, and Australian Talia Gibson's rise up the rankings as the Miami Open rolls along. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Robyn Duda joins the show to talk about RacquetX, the largest all-racquet sports festival and a world-class gathering that unites the leaders of tennis, padel, pickleball and more. Duda explains what goes into to putting on a weekend of this magnitude, the importance of each sport's rightful place in the event, and why there really is something for everyone in the racquet-sports sphere. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hall of Fame journalist Steve Flink returns to the podcast to recap the outstanding 2026 Indian Wells tournament, which saw two decorated champions claim their first titles at Tennis Paradise. Flink breaks down how Jannik Sinner handled the opposition and the conditions to win the men's event, and points out just how rock solid the Italian is after facing adversity. The writer also discusses how Daniil Medvedev was able to pull of a massive upset over Carlos Alcaraz, and points out what the key will be for the 2021 US Open champion to return to the top of the game consistently. And Flink reflects on the other highlights from men's side of Indian Wells, which included a coming out party for Joao Fonseca and an ultra impressive win for Jack Draper over Novak Djokovic. Flink also analyzes how Aryna Sabalenka was able to overcome her nemesis Elena Rybakina to win the women's title, in a battle that might go down as the WTA match of the year when the season concludes. The International Hall of Fame member explains why this win was vital for Sabalenka, how these two women have separated themselves from the WTA for the time-being, and why this rivalry reminds him of Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe. And the episode concludes with a lookahead to The Miami Open, the second leg of the Sunshine Double and a tournament very different from Indian Wells. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tennis Channel broadcaster and producer Geoff Chizever joins the podcast to dive into all the action at Indian Wells, which may be the early favorite for pro tournament of the year. Chizever recaps Jack Draper's epic win over Novak Djokovic and analyzes his ceiling in the men's game. The commentator also discusses Carlos Alcaraz's brilliance as an athlete, Joao Fonseca's potential, and Alexander Zverev's chances to score a big title. He also explains whether the hindrance call between Draper and Daniil Medvedev was fair or foul. And Chizever breaks down the women's draw, where Elina Svitolina stunned two-time Indian Wells champion Iga Swiatek. The broadcaster explains how Svitolina has improved, looks at Swiatek's areas of concern, and assesses how Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina continue to find success. Chizever finishes the show by previewing the semifinal round, and predicts whether all roads will lead to another matchup between Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan-Michael Gambill joins the podcast to dive into all the outstanding action at Indian Wells. Gambill looks at the thrilling performances by young players Joao Fonseca, Victoria Mboko and Learner Tien, and explains why Carlos Alcaraz can do it all on the court. The former Top 15 player also examines the game's of Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic as they prepare to faceoff, and analyzing Arthur Fils' successful run at Tennis Paradise. Gambill also highlights what Elena Rybakina is doing even better in 2026, and how Aryna Sabalenka has evolved her already outstanding tennis arsenal. The broadcaster looks at Iga Swiatek's tailor-made style of play for the Indian Wells' conditions, and recaps Mirra Andreeva's outburst after falling to Katerina Siniakova. And Gambill explains why coaching is a vital necessity in pro tennis, even if not everyone believes it. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

VSIN sports betting expert Gill Alexander joins the podcast to preview Indian Wells, with all the best players in the game flocking to the California desert yet again. Alexander looks at what to expect from last year's champions Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva, and explains why world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka could be on upset-alert. The host of the Beating the Book Podcast assesses Iga Swiatek's form, braces for a showdown between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina, and explains why he's high on Iva Jovic at Tennis Paradise and beyond. Alexander also breaks down the men's draw, where Alcaraz and Sinner are once again heavily favored over the field. The host of VSIN's show, "A Numbers Game," predicts whether Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien or another American man can have a successful runs, and debates whether Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev can find their best form. And is Novak Djokovic a contender to win his first Indian Wells title since 2016? Alexander predicts that and more on a dynamic episode. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tennis coach Mike James joins the podcast to discuss his unique journey to becoming one of the most trusted and respected minds in the sport, with a proven track-record of using analytical data to improve the very best players in the world. James details his path from coaching at an academy in Florida to working with Stan Wawrinka and his coach Magnus Norman, and explains how he ended up at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, where he established himself as a legitimate performance analyst for current future pros. The coach explains why Holger Rune has all the ingredients to contend with Alcaraz and Sinner, and recalls the Danish star's epic run at the 2022 Paris Masters. James also dives into his personal thoughts on the tennis landscape, from the best-of-five format to the concern with tennis balls on player health, as well as the types of skills needed to truly shine at the apex of the sport. The performance analyst explains how every player and coach can leverage data to benefit their own game, and shares the exciting projects he's currently working on in his new position at Orreco Tennis. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tennis broadcaster Candy Reid joins the podcast to recap her time covering the ATP tournament in Doha, where Carlos Alcaraz took home another title. Reid explains how Alcaraz was able to make quick-work of Arthur Fils in the final, and looks at how the World No. 1 continues to improve as he remains undefeated in 2026. The commentator also reacts to Jakub Mensik's upset win over Jannik Sinner, and analyzes what to make of Sinner's game after a lackluster performance in Doha. Reid also recaps Tomas Martin Etcheverry's first title in Rio that saw him play two matches in one day, and gives her take on the status of The Golden Swing. The broadcaster also discusses several stories from around the game, including Stefanos Tsitsipas' struggles, the dynamic between Andrey Rublev and Marat Safin, and the coaching free-agent that could be a huge addition to some perspective players. Hosted by Mitch Michals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.