Steve Smith and Dave Anderson welcome Arvind Aravindhan to the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, a high performance coach, CEO of Gulph Mills Tennis Club, and Executive Director of the Julian Krinsky School of Tennis. Arvind brings a remarkable resume to the conversation, having competed as the number two junior in India and a top 75 ITF junior, coached at all four majors, and served as a board member of USTA Middle States.

The conversation covers Arvind's journey from India to the upper echelons of American tennis, his approach to high performance coaching, and what it takes to build and sustain a world-class program at both Gulph Mills and Julian Krinsky. Steve and Dave dig into his philosophy on player development, the role of culture and environment in producing champions, and what the American tennis establishment could learn from coaches who have seen the game from every angle.

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dig into the latest from Wimbledon, breaking down the singles and doubles action with their usual mix of sharp observation and strong opinions. The two discuss standout performances, emerging patterns of play, and what the results say about the state of the modern game on grass.

The conversation drifts into a broader discussion about the lost art of doubles and what the best teams at Wimbledon still do that recreational and junior players simply never learn. Steve and Dave make the case that doubles is not just a complement to singles but a critical training ground for net play, communication, and competitive instincts that the game desperately needs more of.

This episode is a deep dive into the serve, one of the most technically demanding and consequential shots in tennis. Steve and Dave break down the mechanics from grip and trophy position to pronation and ball toss, making the case that most players are leaving significant free points on the table simply because they were never taught to serve correctly from the start.

The conversation covers everything from the kinetic chain and the role of the legs, to common faults Steve sees repeatedly on court and the drills he uses to fix them. The message throughout is clear: the serve is the one shot you have complete control over, and there is no excuse for not making it a weapon.