seeks to uncover what it takes to become THE GREATEST CHAMPION.
Featuring Hall of Famers and tennis legends, these wide-reaching conversations go beyond on-court results, and reveal the mindsets, habits and perseverance of the sport’s legends. Hear from the greats on what it takes to set yourself apart.
SEASON 3 SYNOPSIS
Tenacity with Pete Sampras and Hana Mandlíková: Patrick McEnroe and Chris Bowers bring two stories from Hall of Famers Hana Mandlíková and Pete Sampras. In reliving two key moments from their careers, Mandlíková and Sampras focus on their mental resilience and tenacity in overcoming challenges.
Pat Rafter on how his tenacity led to career-defining moments: Hall of Famer Pat Rafter sits down with Patrick McEnroe in Melbourne during the Australian Open to reflect on how his style of play required tenacity, reliving some of the great matches of his career.
Boldness for Changing History: A retrospective on the careers and incredible influence of Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson and Dr. Robert Johnson, Patrick and Chris share moments that link boldness with Black History Month, and how they demonstrated boldness in some aspect of their careers. The ITHF thanks the Arthur Ashe Legacy Project at UCLA for their contributions to this episode.
Reliving Arthur Ashe's Barrier-Breaking 1975 Wimbledon Title: Hall of Famers Charlie Pasarell and Richard Evans explore Arthur Ashe's strategic brilliance, the challenges he faced as a Black athlete and share personal stories about their friend and colleague to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ashe's title at Wimbledon.
Cliff Drysdale's Insight into Professional Tennis' Past, Present and Future: From his early days as a top-ranked player to his role in founding the ATP, Hall of Famer Cliff Drysdale shares behind-the-scenes stories about the fight for player rights and the evolution of professional tennis.
How the Original 9's Independence Revolutionized Women's Tennis: In 1970, nine courageous women, led by Billie Jean King and Gladys Heldman, signed $1 contracts and risked their careers to revolutionize women’s tennis. Facing discrimination and a male-dominated tennis establishment, their bold move laid the foundation for professional women’s tennis and equal prize money.