Welcome to the TennisWorthy podcast presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, diving deep into the mindset of champions and uncovering the unique, special characteristics that define tennis legends and Hall of Famers on and off the court. The inaugural episode features Class of 2021 inductee and Australian great Lleyton Hewitt. Esteemed tennis journalist Chris Bowers and Lleyton discuss the unrelenting drive, intensity, and ‘never say die’ attitude that he credits for his immense success on and off the court. From Lleyton’s early beginnings as an athlete (in a different sport than tennis), to his mentality on the biggest stages and the Aussie traditions he holds dear, learn about the qualities and values that helped build his Hall of Fame career. Lleyton Hewitt is a Wimbledon champion, US Open champion and two-time Davis Cup champion. Known for his competitiveness, he is the youngest player to ascend to the ATP Tour’s world No. 1 ranking, which he achieved at age 20. He won 30 career singles titles and remains dedicated to his country’s tennis legacy as Australia’s current Davis Cup team captain. For more information on today’s episode and the TennisWorthy podcast, visit tennisfame.com/ podcast.

Tracy Austin remains the youngest US Open champion in tournament history at just 16 years old, but her story actually begins much earlier, with a young girl dreaming to reach the sport’s highest heights. In Episode 2 of TennisWorthy, Tracy details her immersion in the sport from her earliest days, her innate ability to push herself, and the importance of taking small steps. Tracy Austin is a former world No. 1 women’s singles tennis player, with three Grand Slam titles to her name. Austin’s mature game, exceedingly advanced for a player so young, led her to win two US Opens over the game’s premier legends – Chris Evert in 1979 and Martina Navratilova in 1981. In 1980, Austin teamed with her brother John to win the 1980 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Championship, the first brother-sister combination to achieve that feat. In 1992, she became the youngest person (29 years old) inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. For more information on today’s episode and the TennisWorthy podcast, visit tennisfame.com/ podcast.

What drove one of the most consistent careers in tennis history? Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl credits his success to consistently showing up, believing in himself and putting in the work. In Episode 3’s conversation with Chris Bowers, Ivan opens up about how absorbing experiences on court – such as being a ball kid for his Czechoslovakian countryman Jan Kodeš – led to mastering the intricacies of the sport. Despite the slew of major titles to his name, Ivan considers his learning experiences and versatility to be his greatest achievements. Ivan Lendl is an eight-time Grand Slam champion in singles, former world No. 1 player and winner of 100 professional titles. Cumulatively, Lendl spent 270 weeks atop the mountain as the best player in the world during a championship-laden 13-year span. For eight straight years (1982-89), tennis fans couldn’t tune into a US Open men’s singles championship match without seeing Lendl as one of the two finalists. He reached 19 major singles finals (third best all-time), won eight of them, including three at the US Open, three at the French Open and two at the Australian Open. For more information on today’s episode and the TennisWorthy podcast, visit tennisfame.com/ podcast.

As the youngest American to ever turn pro at the time, Mary Pierce’s entrée into tennis is the stuff of a Hollywood film. But it was her perseverance and belief that generated sustained results over the course of a Hall of Fame career. In a wide-ranging and revealing conversation, Mary tells her story from how fate led her to pick up a racquet at age 10, to how she continues to give back to the sport today. Episode 4 of TennisWorthy details how Mary’s desire to be the best she could possibly be in everything she did and ability to focus on what she could control led to a positive focus. Mary Pierce is a four-time Grand Slam champion, and the most recent French person, man or woman, to win the singles title at Roland Garros. In 2000, in addition to lifting the singles trophy, she teamed with Martina Hingis to win the French Open doubles title. She finished her career with 18 WTA singles titles and 10 doubles titles, and reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 3 in the world. In 2019, she became the fifth Frenchwoman inducted into the Hall of Fame. For more information on today’s episode and the TennisWorthy podcast, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Gigi Fernandez is one of the most successful doubles players in the history of the WTA Tour, but before she became known for her doubles mastery, she was joining her family on court growing up in Puerto Rico.

On the island, she carved a path to play through determination, eventually becoming a collegiate champion and turned professional. Following her playing career, she became a sought-after coach in both skills and mental toughness. In today's episode, she reveals insight on positive self-talk, improvements to make to your game, and her greatest achievements.

Gigi Fernandez is a 17-time Grand Slam champion in doubles, which she captured alongside three different Hall of Famers. She is a two-time Olympic Gold medalist for the United States in doubles (1992, 1996), and owns 69 career doubles titles. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside doubles partner Natasha Zvereva in 2010.

For more information on the TennisWorthy podcast and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Pam Shriver was half of an unstoppable team alongside Martina Navratilova during her playing career. In today's episode of the TennisWorthy podcast, Pam talks about that partnership, and how she was uniquely positioned from a young age to capitalize on her natural gifts. Pam lifts the curtain on what made her teamwork with Martina so unique, and candidly talks about the relationship with her coach, Don Candy, that she revealed in 2022. She also reveals some of her favorite memories competing for the United States, how it naturally ties in with her birthday.

Together, Pam and Martina amassed 74 doubles titles, 20 of which were Grand Slams. Their partnership included a 109-match win streak from 1983-85. As a singles player, Pam reached six major semifinals, the final of the 1978 US Open, and a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world. Today, she's best known for her broadcast work with Tennis Channel, ESPN, and more, and as a coach.

For more information on the TennisWorthy podcast and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Stan Smith is much more than just the man behind the legendary Adidas sneaker. Learn his backstory, from how he became a star tennis player despite it not being his first focus, to pulling double duty with military service during his career, and much more.

A seven-time major champion, Stan Smith is a former world No. 1 player and standout on the Davis Cup stage for the United States. Stan won his first singles major title at the 1971 US Open and captured the Wimbledon crown in 1972. He discusses the importance of character, confidence, how he reached four specific stated goals, and his shoe with host Chris Bowers in the TennisWorthy Podcast.

For more information on the TennisWorthy podcast and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.

Vijay Amritraj is one of India's most successful tennis players. He's also the only person in history to play a match at Wimbledon in the morning, and end up in James Bond movie in the afternoon.

In this episode, Vijay and Chris discuss how he overcame significant health issues to become a professional player, his experiences as a representative of India on the international stage, and of course, his role in the 1983 James Bond flick Octopussy.

During his extensive career as a top-20 player, Vijay broke barriers and popularized tennis across more than half the world’s population throughout the Asian continent. Following his fruitful tennis career, he became an actor, commentator, and most notably, humanitarian, through his role as United Nations Messenger of Peace (2001-06) and through The Vijay Amritraj Foundation.

For more information on the TennisWorthy podcast and full episode transcriptions, visit tennisfame.com/podcast.