The Sock Tan Society: Recent Episodes
Jackson
I'm Jackson Varney, a former pro tennis player and current high performance tennis coach. I currently work with a number of players who profess the dream of making it to the highest echelons of tennis, they have all the determination in the world but are very misinformed about the road ahead and what being a top 100 player really entails. Through interviewing current and former pro and travelling players, current and former coaches, parents of athletes and anyone who has been a part of the tennis players journey, I aim to provide insight for aspiring tennis players, their families, tennis coaches and fans of tennis, into what it actually takes to become a top 100 tennis player.
Jona Segal is currrently the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis. But prior to this Jona was the S & C Coach for North Melbourne Football Club for 20 years.
Our conversation wanders through what it's like supporting athletes and getting the best out of them, comparing his time doing the same with a football team, balancing training and rest on tour, and what has really struck him as some of the stark differences between the top players and the rest.
I was very much looking forward to this conversation as I find the shift in dynamic from a professional contact team sport to an individual sport which takes one international across a myriad of surfaces each year, and for Australia's top tennis players sometimes 8-10 months of the year.
I had the immense pleasure of working closely with Jona personally in Melbourne with some junior tennis players in his first few months transitioning on to the court from the footy field. Now he's travelling a good portion of the year with Thanasi and in his first few months with Thanasi winning Aus Open doubles. Having just been to Roland Garros and Wimbledon, this conversation takes part while they were in Atlanta, Kyrgios and Thanasi had just had a ripper win against Vasselin and Mahut.
Abid Akbar was a professional tennis player travelling all over the world, played for his home country Pakistan in Davis Cup alongside top 10 doubles player Aisam Qureshi, played as a Div. 1 College tennis player and has been Head Coach at 2 renowned Div. 1 Universities for tennis, University of Idaho and University of Nevada.
He now lives in San Francisco, working in Marketing at a tech company managing relationships with pro athletes .
Abid is one of my favourite people in this world, an absolute gem of a human being and extremely intelligent player. I had the misfortune of playing him for my first ATP point and was beaten up pretty good. Originally from Rawalpindi, Pakistan I first met Abid as he was on my team at the University of Idaho and was training to go on tour and play Davis Cup for his country. The dynamics of our relationship have changed numerous times over the years, as subsequently after he became my Coach at the university of Idaho, a training partner and travel buddy on the pro tour, I hosted him at my apartment in Germany, and he hosted myself and my partner where I met his family in Pakistan and now I consider him one of my best friends.
Enjoy this discussion between mates as we chat about the unique and unforgettable experiences, memories, friends, and pathways tennis has brought us, about the going to US College on an athletic scholarship as a pathway to the pro tour, and stories from a boy from Pakistan who has travelled the world chasing fuzzy yellow balls.
Michael Logarzo is a WTA tour coach for professional Australian tennis player Zoe Hives whom recently after 3 years of injuries and illness qualified for Wimbledon coming up 1st round against No.5 in the world Maria Sakkari. Michael is a former pro player himself, top 200 ATP doubles and around 600 singles. He currently coaches in Melbourne and works with many up and coming juniors helping them achieve their respective goals; some include Enzo Aguiard - top 10 U.S. Div 1 College Player and Jett Leong who recently won his first ITF tournament in Darwin.
In this episode Michael and I dive into his experiences at grand slams, on the tour and what separates the up and coming players in Australia from the players in the top 100 ATP and WTA. We discuss professionalism, what it's like being on tour and a coach of a professional player, as well as the roles of parents and other's involved in the athlete's journey.