We preview the Nexo Dallas Open’s second year as an ATP 500 with tournament director Peter Lebedevs. Peter and I discuss court speed and ball consistency on tour. We also dive into what he learned in year one at the new Dallas Open facility and what changes fans can expect in 2026.

Peter is an excellent coach as well, so I asked him how he would help a club player improve their game this year.

• How court speed is measured and targeted for fairness
• Why balls feel different despite standardization
• Venue upgrades that fans and players asked for
• How to predict the Dallas Open doubles champs 😉
• Peter is implementing a new, never-before-done, college doubles wildcard at this year's tournament
• Early singles and doubles field highlights
• Format experiments like US Open mixed and one-point slam
• Actionable advice for club players on consistency and shot selection

Go to DallasOpen.com to get your tickets.

Learn more about Peter & follow:

• Peter on X/Twitter
• Dallas Open on X/Twitter
• Dallas Open on Instagram
• Buy tickets, volunteer, or find more information about the tournament at DallasOpen.com

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Jonathan Stokke is a former D1 player at Duke who played doubles in the US Open in 2001 & 2002. He has over 100k Instagram followers, a growing YouTube channel, and a podcast. My episode with him from 2024 is still one of the most downloaded episodes of all time.

In this conversation, we share six lessons we learned in 2025 that will help you win more in 2026. We focus on poaching, timing, balance, smarter formations, technique, and more.

• Timing for an effective poach
• Net play as the highest ROI for club players
• Poaching technique - balance and centered head position
• When to poach based on score and patterns
• Reps, discomfort, and burning through bad attempts
• Australian and I-formation to force favorable matchups
• Tennis coaching as a restaurant menu
• The one thing Jonathan wants you to NOT do in 2026

I highly recommend checking out Jonathan's content as well as his doubles camps below.

Links:

• Previous Episode: Jonathan on the Stokke 6 Errors
• Video Lesson: The Two Doubles Habits That Are KILLING Your Net Game
• Stokke Tennis Coaching & Camps

Learn more about Jonathan & follow:

• Wikipedia
• Instagram
• YouTube

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course

Sem Verbeek is the #36 doubles player on the ATP Tour. He made the Australian Open semifinals and won the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title in 2025. As a result, Sem has been nominated for Amsterdam athlete of the year. Vote for Sem here.

I love watching Sem for his positive energy on the court, and that's where we began this conversation. We trace Sem's path from Amsterdam to Grand Slam runs, focusing on the mindset, structure, and choices that turned steady progress into breakthroughs. The conversation blends practical tactics with mental principles that you can use for yourself

• Where Sem's infectious positive energy comes from
• College at Pacific and his four-year growth plan
• The importance of urgency, scheduling choices, and his Miami run
• His "hunting" mindset during the 2025 Australian Open semifinal run
• Wimbledon mixed title with Siniakova and team chemistry
• Off-season redesign with functional training and neurology
• Simple routines, mantras, and visualizations
• Vision for doubles: longer partnerships, better fan stories

My favorite podcast interviews are when the guest makes me think more deeply about different topics, and Sem did not fall short. Be sure to watch him on the ATP Tour in 2026!

Links:

• VOTE for Sem before January 5! Amsterdam Athlete of the Year
• Check out ADV Tennis Bags
• Highlights: 2025 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Final

Learn more about Sem & follow:

• ATP Profile
• Wikipedia
• Instagram

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**Join the #1 Doubles Strategy Newsletter for Club Tennis Players**

• New doubles strategy lessons weekly straight to your inbox

**Become a Tennis Tribe Member**
Tennis Tribe Members get access to premium video lessons, a monthly member-only webinar, doubles strategy Ebooks & Courses, exclusive discounts on tennis gear, and more.

• Learn More & Sign Up Here

**Other Free Doubles Content**

• Serve Strategy Cheatsheet
• Return Strategy Cheatsheet
• Serve Strategy 101 - Video Course