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Mind games are part of the core test that tennis offers, whatever level you’re playing at. Bluff, counter-bluff, these are table stakes. But what about the Cheeky Changeover, the Hooker and the Revenge Caller?

Do you ever do the Slow Roll or the Switch-Up? If you listen to this podcast, you’ve definitely been Al Pacino’d and dealt a Michael Chang or two, whether you know it or not.

This week we’re joined by Sam Tapsell, founder and host of the Absolute Football Podcast. He's also a father of two little ones and a top 10 player from Division Two in the Apsley League. Where does he find the time?.

Who better than a tennis/football crossover to help us examine the Dark Arts of tennis. In this show we compare our top five mind games, including the acceptable stuff with a little bit of Beast Mode thrown in for when things start to get off the rails.

There are also 14 Apsley fixtures to look back on from August 1-2, and eight more to come this weekend, as long as the Amber Heat Health Alert ends at 10am on Saturday like it’s supposed to.

Meanwhile all hell breaks loose with the government’s new emergency alerts on our phones. Who’s setting off fireworks while we’re all sitting on a giant island full of dry grass? Sheesh.

The barbecuing I get... don't they do that in Manchester too?

Check out Sam Tapsell’s Absolute Football Podcast on YouTube at @absolutefootballpodcast

You can find Sam himself on Instagram at @samabsolutefbl

Michael Chang talking about his underarm serve against Ivan Lendl at the French Open: https://youtu.be/u0NkCiZsAJ4?is=Hgy0zm9PyiDzNvMz. (to think all these kids think it was invented by Kyrgios!)

The conversation about Cam Norrie on The Tennis Podcast taken from “Does Sinner’s injury open US Open door?” Published on August 10, 2026.

Thornden’s coverage of the solar eclipse from their tennis courts is worth a watch: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db9CitoN6um/?igsh=bDYwbGhwbmk3dDc0

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