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

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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.

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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

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with another tennis fan who needs to hear this conversation.

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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.

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What happens when reaching the Top 100 and entering the Grand Slams main draw doesn’t make life easier, but harder?

Eva Lys opens up about pressure, identity, mental health, and rediscovering joy in tennis.

One of the most honest conversations ever on Tennis Insider Club.

KEY MOMENTS:

02:00 – When reaching Top 100 made everything harder

05:00 – Identity, results & why losing can break you

08:30 – Growing up in a tennis family & emotional sensitivity

12:00 – School, structure & the “non-normal” life of junior tennis

16:00 – Building life outside the tennis bubble

19:00 – Self-worth, relationships & losing matches

23:00 – Australian Open run, pressure, and losing the joy

28:00 – Qualifying mindset: “I only qualified when I stopped caring”

33:00 – Balance, discipline, fun & the stigma on female athletes

39:00 – Resetting goals, psychologist, and returning to the roots

55:00 – Living with an autoimmune condition as a pro athlete

1:02:00 – Social media hate, protecting mental health & blocking people

1:12:00 – Why tennis needs more empathy & honesty

BROUGHT TO YOU BY HOLOGIC, a global leader in women’s health. Visit hologic.com to learn more

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and leave a comment — it really helps us grow and bring more players on the show.

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At just 29, Garbiñe Muguruza—2x Grand Slam Champion and former World No.1—made the shocking decision to step away from tennis. In this raw, emotional conversation, she opens up to Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán about pressure, burnout, family sacrifice, and finding peace beyond trophies.

Key Moments:

01:00 – Growing Up in Venezuela & Family Sacrifice

06:00 – Strict Parenting and Losing Childhood Innocence

12:00 – Breakthrough Moment at Miami Open

15:00 – Winning Roland Garros Against Serena Williams

19:30 – “No One Cares About the Finalist”

23:00 – The Dark Side of Perfectionism

33:00 – After the WTA Finals: Relief, Burnout, and Self-Discovery

37:00 – Making Peace With Stepping Away From Tennis

45:00 – Life After Tennis: Becoming WTA Finals Tournament Director

49:00 – Advice to Her Younger Self

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and comment your favorite moment! It really helps us bring you more authentic tennis stories.

This episode is brought to you by Hologic.

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From being told she’d never make it… to lifting the Wimbledon trophy. 🏆

Marion Bartoli opens up on her fight against doubt, pain, and anorexia — and the moment she proved everyone wrong.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Overcoming doubt & proving critics wrong

02:00 – Childhood in France and discovering tennis

07:00 – The first Wimbledon final vs Venus Williams

13:00 – Training with her father and breaking the rules

17:00 – The reality of parent-coach relationships

21:00 – Life on tour: obsession, exhaustion & sacrifice

25:00 – 2013 Wimbledon: how everything finally clicked

33:00 – Serving for the match: the moment of destiny

37:00 – Relief, validation, and proving everyone wrong

50:00 – Judged for her body & media pressure

54:00 – The darkest chapter: anorexia and recovery

CALL TO ACTION:

If this inspired you, subscribe for more honest stories from the world’s top players.

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What does it take to go from a kid in Sweden to becoming an Australian Open champion… and later coaching stars like Maria Sakkari and Kei Nishikori? 🎾

Thomas Johansson opens up about his journey, struggles, and lessons learned both on and off the court.

Timestamps / Chapters:

00:00 – Millimeters between glory and disaster in tennis

02:00 – Johansson’s childhood obsession with tennis

07:00 – Breaking into the ATP Top 100

13:00 – The unforgettable run to the 2002 Australian Open title

19:00 – Key differences coaching men vs women

22:00 – Life-changing aftermath of winning a Grand Slam

26:00 – Battling career-threatening injuries

28:00 – Facing Federer, Nadal, Djokovic & two eras of tennis

34:00 – Toughest moment: being forced to retire

38:00 – Transition into coaching & first steps with Caroline Wozniacki

45:00 – Building confidence as a coach and helping players mentally

49:00 – Coaching Kei Nishikori: challenges & humility

53:00 – Mentoring the next generation of coaches

1:02:00 – Advice to his younger self

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support the channel and never miss future tennis stories!

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At just 1m65, Justine Henin defied all odds to become World No.1 and win 7 Grand Slam titles. Behind the elegant one-handed backhand and the trophies, her story is one of resilience, loss, and an unshakable belief in herself.

In this intimate conversation on Tennis Insider Club, Henin opens up about:

• Growing up in a small Belgian town and finding her place in the family after tragedy.
• The role of her brothers, father, and late mother in shaping her character.
• Why she resisted pressure to change her iconic one-handed backhand.
• The painful years after losing her mother at 12, and how tennis became both an escape and a fight.
• Her complicated relationship with her father and the courage to leave home at 17 to pursue her dream.
• What it really takes to beat bigger, stronger opponents like Serena & Venus Williams.
• The pressures of early success, burnout, and why she retired at 25.
• Why she believes academies and parents must work together to protect kids from becoming “broken players.”
• Life after tennis: motherhood, running her academy, and finding happiness outside the spotlight.

🎙 Hosted by Caroline Garcia & Borja Durán

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#JustineHenin #Tennis #WTA #GrandSlamChampion #TennisPodcast #UsOpen #LaverCup #ATP #RolandGarros

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She won the US Open at 19… then came injuries, pressure, and doubt. But Bianca Andreescu is still fighting—with powerful resilience—to return to the top.

In this powerful episode of Tennis Insider Club, Bianca opens up like never before. She shares the emotional weight of early success, the loneliness of repeated setbacks, and the inner work she’s done to rediscover her purpose. From visualizing her US Open win years before it happened, to nearly quitting the sport during a dark mental health spiral, Bianca's story is raw, inspiring, and deeply human.

Keywords: Bianca Andreescu interview, tennis mental health, US Open champion, tennis comeback, tennis podcast

Highlights:

06:45 – 2019: The Year Everything Clicked

12:23 – “I Was Done With Tennis”

18:10 – Therapy, Spirituality & the Journey Inward

25:38 – Redefining Success After Hitting Rock Bottom

32:17 – Lessons from Losing—and Learning to Let Go

39:05 – The Comeback: Playing With Joy Again

44:31 – Advice to the Next Gen: “Don’t Rush Your Path”

48:52 – New Season, New Intentions

Enjoyed this episode? Watch next:

🎙️ Ben Shelton: Rising a Champion the Right Way → E35: Bryan Shelton

🎙️ Jessica Pegula on Late Blooming & Mental Resilience → E34: Jessica Pegula

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