Former ATP pro and Venezuelan Davis Cup player David Souto joins Steve Smith, Dave Anderson, and Coach Andres to unpack a player’s journey from Caracas to the Orange Bowl finals, Argentina, and Spain, and the hidden costs of trying to make it fast. He reflects on what he would change: do not rush development, invest in the little things such as mobility, recovery, and mental skills, and build fundamentals that hold up across surfaces and stages.

The conversation expands into culture and leadership, including the changing meaning of Davis Cup, accountability in modern tennis, and why many players skip steps without even knowing the steps. Souto also shares how he is building TenniSapien to raise standards in Venezuela through coach education, structure, and professionalism, creating a bigger universe of athletes and a clearer pathway for long-term development.

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson revisit foundational habits that shape long-term success in tennis and life. Drawing from Stephen Covey’s principles and decades of coaching experience, they explore proactivity, prioritization, win-win thinking, and the importance of beginning with the end in mind. Episode 288 connects these ideas directly to player development, character, and building resilient competitors.

They also dive into awareness on the court, managing mistakes, body language, breathing, rituals, and the mental toughness concepts popularized by Jim Loehr. Along the way, they share stories from Brookhaven, Ave Maria, and the broader tennis community, emphasizing that growth comes from fundamentals, reflection, and daily habits that build confident, self-reliant players.

Coach Florian Kuehne joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to share his tennis journey. From starting at seven and competing in Tennis Europe and German club leagues, to earning his German C and B licenses by 19 (then the youngest German coach to hold a B license). In episode 287, Florian breaks down what shaped his coaching lens in Europe and why those developmental environments create adaptable, fundamentally sound players.

Now based in the U.S., Florian discusses building players in a different system while personally coaching nationally recognized juniors, including a top-50 U15 boy and a rising 6th-grade girl ranked No. 2 in the nation. He also connects tennis to leadership and resilience from his executive role in global manufacturing and why Brookhaven mornings keep his competitive edge sharp and his coaching energy high.