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PODCAST

Tennis IQ Podcast

Tennis IQ Podcast

Ninety percent of tennis performance is mental and that"s what makes the sport so difficult. Sport psychology professionals Brian Lomax and Josh Burger share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. Whether you want to learn more about the mental game in tennis or you just have an interest in the sport, this is the podcast for you. Send your questions to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com

sports tennis

All Episodes

00:43:18

Ep. 265 - Motivational Interviewing Part 2 - RULE

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/10/10

In this second episode on Motivational Interviewing (MI), Brian and Josh discuss the acronym RULE which stands for resist the righting reflex, understand the patient’s own motivations, listen with empathy, and empower the person. The co-hosts review how these four guidelines can be helpful for sport psychology practitioners, coaches, parents, and players.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you

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01:16:09

Ep. 264 - The Daily Champions Mind with Dr. Jim...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/09/20

In this episode, Josh and Brian talk to Dr. Jim Afremow and Phil White about their new book, The Daily Champions Mind: 365 Days of Mental Toughness Training with the World's Greatest Athletes.Jim Afremow, PhD, is a sport and performance psychologist, licensed professional counselor, and the bestselling author of The Champion’s Mind, The Champion’s Comeback, The Young Champion’s Mind, The Leader’s Mind, and The Creative’s Mind. His books have sold more than 225,000 copies in English editions

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00:32:22

Ep. 263 - Motivational Interviewing and Behavior...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/09/11

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss part one of a three part series on motivational interviewing (MI). In this first episode, they review the acronym OARS (Open ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summarize) as a means of understanding a person's motivation to change. The co-hosts examine how sport psychology practitioners, coaches, parents, and others can use these skills in various situations as well as how people can use motivational interviewing strategies with themselves.To

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01:20:40

Ep. 262 - The Focus on Character in Little Mo...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/08/31

Cindy Brinker Simmons is a Dallas-based businesswoman, philanthropist, author, and longtime leader in junior tennis. She is the daughter of legendary tennis champion Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly Brinker. Cindy was a nationally ranked junior player, ranked No. 1 in Texas in her age division. She attended the University of Virginia, where she was a four-year varsity tennis letter winner and team captain. She is President of the Maureen Connolly Brinker (MCB) Tennis Foundation, carrying forward her

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00:48:48

Ep. 261 - On Court Exercises For Concentration And...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/08/21

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss four concentration exercises from the book Mindset: A Mental Guide for Sport by Jackie Reardon and Hans Dekkers. The co-hosts described the four exercises: feeling (internal + narrow focus), zooming (external + narrow focus), scanning (external + broad focus), and the serve exercise (switching between focus types), and their benefits for improving attention and concentration on the court.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology

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00:41:44

Ep. 260 - On Becoming Antifragile

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/08/12

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of fragility, and how tennis players can learn to become antifragile. Various Stoic principles connected to fragility are examined including controlling the controllables, anticipating and expecting difficulties, and not letting events and results become your identity. The co-hosts also review how tennis players can utilize various mental skills, strategies and new perspectives to become more resilient and eventually antifragile over time.To learn

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00:40:25

Ep. 259 - "I'm way better than my rating!"

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/07/29

Whether it's UTR, WTN, NTRP, or some other rating system, it's likely that you believe you're a better player than the rating suggests. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss this common belief and why players think that way. They also review how obsessing over ratings and rankings actually makes you a worse competitor.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the

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01:11:51

Ep. 258 - Dr. Sue Jackson and Flow in Tennis

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/07/19

Dr. Sue Jackson is a performance psychologist and leading expert in the psychology of flow – the state of deep focus and full absorption where people perform at their best and experience their work and life most fully.She works with high performers across sport, business, medicine, and the arts, helping them access flow under pressure and turn stress into focus, clarity, and effective action.Sue co-authored the influential book Flow in Sports with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the founder of flow theory,

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00:52:48

Ep. 257 - How To Create More Clutch Moments In A Match

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/07/03

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can generate more clutch moments in their matches. The co-hosts review research from multiple sports about the conditions that lead to a greater likelihood of clutch moments, and offer practical suggestions that players can use during pressure moments. Additionally, they describe various mental tools that players can use to help prepare for these moments including visualization/imagery and pre-performance routines.Research article (Rising to

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00:36:24

Ep. 256 - "Every time I lose, it's like the end of...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/06/22

"Every time I lose, it's like the end of the world." This is what Mirra Andreeva said after losing the final in Madrid in May of this year. Josh and Brian discuss this quote from a psychological point of view. Although much of the discussion centers on Andreeva, she represents what a lot of players go through when they lose. Her subsequent victory at Roland Garros showed significant growth in her game, her emotional regulation, and her maturity.

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00:47:34

Ep. 255 - A Mental Performance Look at Roland Garros...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/06/13

Roland Garros 2026 has wrapped up with Mirra Andreeva winning the women’s singles title over Maja Chwalińska 6-3, 6-2, and Alexander Zverev winning the men’s singles title over Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the women’s and men’s singles championships, and review sport psychology themes that led to the successes of the champions and finalists.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to

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00:47:36

Ep. 254 - How to Use Patience in a Match and in Your...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/06/02

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the virtue of patience and its importance both within a point and match (micro) as well as throughout a player’s career and tennis journey. Various mental skills are discussed that players can work to help them to develop patience within the micro and the macro.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental

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01:04:40

Ep. 253 - Lisa Stone of ParentingAces | Helping...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/05/21

Lisa Stone is the founder and creator of ParentingAces, a podcast and digital platform dedicated to junior and college tennis parents and coaches. Lisa is a lifelong tennis player and UCLA graduate, she grew up in Louisiana and raised three children, one of whom developed into a highly competitive junior and college tennis player. It was that firsthand experience navigating the junior tennis world that inspired her to launch ParentingAces.com, initially as a blog, to share what she was learning with

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00:43:58

Ep. 252 - A Tribute to Jim Loehr | A Pioneer in Sport...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/05/12

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the legacy of Dr. Jim Loehr. The episode is divided into four sections: 1) Dr. Loehr as a pioneer and “the first one out there” in the field of sport/performance psychology within tennis, 2) the legacy and importance of the 16‑Second Cure, 3) his shift in focusing on winning to helping athletes build character, and 4) personal reflections and final thoughts.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to

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00:46:46

Ep. 251 - The Paradox of Outcomes and Cameron Young

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/04/28

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss an article about Cameron Young from the PGA Tour and the paradox of outcomes. They talked about how acceptance of his self-talk, staying present, and taking things one shot at a time ultimately led to his success at The Players Championship. The co-hosts examined how tennis players, coaches, and parents can learn from the successes of professional athletes in tennis and in other sports to understand what strategies and mental skills can improve

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00:36:07

Ep. 250 - Finding Your Natural Style of Play

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/04/19

In this episode, Brian and Josh review an article about Emma Raadacanu losing her “natural” playing style and trying to find it again. They discuss the issues with coaches teaching a ‘one size fits all’ approach to tennis and advocate for players to build their game based on individual strengths and preferences instead. Lastly, they examine which characteristics tennis players can build to help themselves utilize their “natural” playing style including self-belief and trust.Article:

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00:40:43

Ep. 249 - Understanding First Round/Match Anxiety

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/04/09

The first round of a tournament or the first match of a league/conference championship weekend can lead to more anxious feelings for tennis players. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss research on first match anxiety to help you understand it better, and take practical steps to handle it better.Psychophysiological stress in tennis players during the first single match of a tournament: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030645300800228XTo learn more about Josh and Brian's

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00:38:50

Ep. 248 - The Benefits of Using Constraints

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/03/27

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can benefit by taking a constraints led approach. They talk about constraints that tennis players can establish in practices and matches, and differentiate between preclude and promote constraints. Although it may seem that constraints take away the freedom to choose, they actually give tennis players far more structure to make high-percentage and helpful decisions.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology

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00:53:21

Ep. 247 - Rethinking The Origins Of Greatness

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/03/14

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the origins of greatness in performance, and whether early specialization increases one's chances of becoming truly elite. They review research that showed 90% of top performers were not the top juniors and, conversely that 90% of the top junior players did not become top pros. The implications of this research is discussed, and Brian and Josh offer practical suggestions for how tennis players can benefit by participating in multiple sports and activities

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00:36:36

Ep. 246 - The Impact of Mental Fatigue on Performance...

Tennis IQ Podcast ·

2026/03/04

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the impact of mental fatigue on tennis performance. Research on this topic includes a systematic review from 2024 which looked at mental fatigue in various racquet sports, as well as a 2025 Turkish study which showed that mental fatigue impaired precision/accuracy. The co-hosts also examined the impact of junior players using social media before matches, as well as the impact of a full workday before an adult league or tournament match.To learn more about Josh

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269 results

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