The ATP Tennis Radio Podcast · ATP Media

PODCAST SPECIAL - Tennis Past, Present And Future

·31 min·2 clips

A top coach reveals how racket technology has stripped finesse from modern tennis, questioning if the sport needs limits.

This ATP Tennis Radio Podcast special, hosted by Chris Bowers, explores the evolution of tennis across three decades with insights from coaches Brad Stine, Ivan Ljubičić, and Radek Štěpánek. Stine, who coached Jim Courier to world number one, argues that modern racket and string technology have increased power at the expense of finesse and nuance in the game. He specifically cites poly strings, longer rackets, and larger, lighter racket heads as creating a more linear, baseline-dominated style. Ivan Ljubičić, former coach of Roger Federer, contends the serve has "deteriorated" in importance, noting Ivo Karlović is the only current top player with a truly dominant serve. He attributes this shift to the prolonged dominance of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Federer, whose games were not primarily built on serving. Ljubičić believes stylistic contrast, exemplified by Carlos Alcaraz or Nick Kyrgios, is essential for an interesting match, warning against a homogenized style of play. Radek Štěpánek, a former player who coached Djokovic, observes that modern players are more "complete" with fewer exploitable weaknesses but often lack the creativity and net play of past generations. He notes the extreme physicality of today's game, where 40-50 shot rallies are common and even minor physical issues can hinder performance. Brad Stine observes a trend toward leaner physiques, like Djokovic's, focused on movement rather than pure gym-built muscle, and highlights the now-standard use of traveling physios for recovery. Ivan Ljubičić, in his role with the French Tennis Federation, identifies a developmental gap for French players between ages 15 and 19 as a reason for their recent shortage of top talent. All three experts express optimism about tennis's future, with Stine pointing to the depth of talent like Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev, and Ljubičić trusting the sport's complexity will always allow creative players to break through. The episode maintains an analytical and conversational tone, blending historical perspective with technical debate. Tennis traditionalists and fans interested in the sport's strategic and equipment-based evolution will find this discussion compelling. Listeners seeking only match highlights or player interviews might find the technical focus less engaging.

As heard by us

A measured look at tennis change that centers technique, mentality, and perspective.

This ATP podcast special frames tennis through past, present, and future, tracing the game from 20 to 30 years ago to the version being played now and the one that may come next.

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Why you'd press play

You get a sober tour through tennis history, the way it is played now, and where it might go next.

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