She nearly quit tennis last year.

Seven surgeries, constant setbacks, and a body few doctors understood.

Today, Francesca Jones reveals how she fought through doubt, pain, and pressure to break into the Top 100 — and what she’s learned along the way.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS

00:00 – “This year was supposed to be my last…”

Career crossroads, feeling stuck, and finding unexpected freedom.

03:10 – Moving to Spain alone at 10 to chase a dream

Early sacrifices, school-life balance, and building identity away from tennis.

06:20 – Toxic coaches, abuse of power & lack of safeguarding in tennis

Francesca opens up about dangerous dynamics young players face.

Episode Francesca Jones

12:40 – Becoming the CEO of her own career at 16

Learning decision-making, emotional intelligence, and firing the wrong people.

21:00 – Living with a rare syndrome & surgeries no doctor understood

How unique biomechanics shaped her challenges and mindset.

27:00 – The brutal truth: she had to stop tennis to rebuild her body

Three-month physical reset, strength work, and realizing the sport changed.

31:30 – “I’ll die on the court if I have to” — her mentality explained

Obsession, overtraining, collapsing in matches, and learning limits.

44:00 – The moment she almost quit tennis forever

Doubt, burnout, Patagonia reflections, and the conversation that saved her.

52:00 – Breaking Top 100 & what’s next

Long-term goals, redefining success, and chasing stability for the first time.

If you enjoyed this conversation, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and drop a comment telling us your favorite insight from Francesca.

Your support helps us bring more raw, honest stories from the world’s best players.

This episode is brought to you by Hologic, a global leader in women’s health — dedicated to early detection, innovation, and helping women live healthier, longer lives.

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Solana Cirstea spent 20 years chasing the biggest dreams in tennis — No.1, Grand Slams, perfection.

Now, she opens up about pressure, regret, joy, and why 2026 will be her final year…

One of the rawest mindset conversations ever on Tennis Insider Club.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS

01:40 – How her father pushed her into tennis from age 4

05:10 – Becoming a top junior and breaking into WTA at 16

07:20 – The crash after the French Open quarterfinal run

10:00 – Struggling with expectations & “learning how to lose”

11:50 – The injury that changed everything at 25

13:10 – Shifting from results obsession to joy & process

17:00 – Why knowing “why you play” changes everything

23:00 – Handling wins/losses: staying emotionally steady

25:00 – Discovering balance, friendships & life outside tennis

33:30 – Playing through pain & the mental toll

35:00 – Why 2026 will be her final season

37:00 – Making peace with not becoming No.1

43:00 – “What you’re complaining about is someone’s dream”

54:00 – Juniors vs pros: the myth of early success

56:00 – School, development & advice for parents

58:30 – Generational changes on tour

01:02:00 – How the game evolved & the new WTA level

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, drop a like, and share your thoughts in the comments.

Which part of Sorana’s story resonated the most with you?

This episode is presented in partnership with Hologic, global leader in women’s health.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you’re labelled “tennis next big thing” at just 17?

Olga Danilovic opens up about pressure, expectations, media hype, family, fear, burnout, and how she rebuilt her love for tennis.

One of the RAWEST and most relatable conversations we’ve ever had.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS

01:00 – Olga’s childhood: pressure, media, and early expectations

04:00 – Growing up as the daughter of a superstar athlete

07:00 – Winning Moscow at 17: blessing or curse?

10:00 – Handling fame, pressure & public expectations as a teen

14:00 – Guilt, sacrifice & learning to choose yourself

17:00 – Life on tour vs. the reality people don’t see

20:00 – Mental health, burnout & losing joy in tennis

22:00 – Nine months sick: the moment everything changed

32:00 – Coaching experiences: what good teams REALLY do

45:00 – Playing on big stages & dealing with intrusive thoughts

48:00 – On-court panic, fear & wanting to “disappear”

56:00 – How she sees her future: identity beyond tennis

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🤝 Partners

Hologic — advancing global women’s health.

Tennis Insider Club is a podcast where the world’s best tennis players, coaches, and insiders share real stories about pressure, mental health, high-performance habits, and life on tour. Hosted by Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán, each episode gives an honest look into the WTA and ATP circuits.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.