In this episode of Beyond Tennis, Johnny sits down with British tennis legend and 2015 Davis Cup champion James Ward to trace his career from picking up a racket at 9/10 in North London to training at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s academy in Spain, grinding through Futures and Challengers, and eventually cracking the ATP top 100 around age 28/29. Ward shares what the lonely lower-level tour is really like, why Davis Cup team environments brought out his best tennis, and relives his biggest moments—beating Sam Querrey away in the USA and coming back from two sets down to beat John Isner 15–13 in the fifth in Glasgow. He also discusses his Ted Baker match shirts, a Queen’s Club semifinal run, knee surgery, COVID’s impact on his late career, and his post-retirement coaching work abroad, plus plenty of Arsenal talk and quickfire Q&A.

00:00 Lonely Tour Grind
00:48 Meet James Ward
01:17 Arsenal Nerves
02:02 Picking Up Tennis Late
03:03 Training Routine And Costs
05:13 Spain Academy Leap
08:20 First ATP Points Grind
13:19 Back To London NTC
15:31 Breaking Top 100
17:00 Davis Cup Rise
20:06 USA Tie Upset Win
24:18 Glasgow Isner Epic
26:22 Iconic Match Shirts
27:21 Queens Club Breakthrough
28:53 Ranking Rise and ATP Qualies
29:12 Retirement Decision and COVID
30:53 Coaching Abroad and LTA Gap
33:22 Arsenal Talk and Title Pressure
35:43 Dream Arsenal Five-a-Side
37:57 Run-In Predictions and Transfers
42:13 Match Tie Break QandA
49:22 Coaching Rule Debate
51:03 Biopic Casting and Farewell

Johnny interviews renowned tennis strength & conditioning coach Matthew Little, who recounts starting tennis as an enthusiastic but average junior at Sutton before committing at 16 to S&C and spending a decade grinding through academy and LTA roles, including Loughborough and the NTC, to reach the pro level. Little describes mentoring influences, the importance of on-court learning for trainers, and the “soft skills” needed to build trust and avoid undermining team members, lessons central to his long stint with Andy Murray (from 2007), initially assisting Jez Green before leading S&C from around 2014. He details Murray’s brutal preseasons, meticulous fueling (including 6,000-calorie days), match-week routines, the 2016 run to year-end world No.1, and the later injury years culminating in hip resurfacing and a remarkable comeback. They also cover Great Britain’s Davis Cup journey under Leon Smith, current work with Katie Boulter, and Little’s Tortoise Performance program and book.

00:00 Exhausted Match Moment
00:16 Meet Matthew Little
01:05 Late Start Tennis Love
02:11 Choosing S&C Path
02:51 First Coaching Roles
03:55 Mentors And Influences
04:59 Into The Pro Ranks
06:04 Junior Training Philosophy
07:41 NTC Grind And Tough Lessons
09:48 Advice For Young S&C Coaches
12:33 Ten Years To Team Murray
13:02 Joining Team Murray
14:57 Trust And Soft Skills
19:14 Taking Over Lead Role
21:28 Brutal Miami Preseasons
26:49 From Peak To Rehab Years
28:42 Training Week Vs Slam Week
31:50 Matchday Arrival Routine
32:09 Warmup Shots Ritual
32:54 Wimbledon Corridor Chaos
33:44 Postmatch Recovery Marathon
34:03 2016 Chase to Number One
35:47 Managing the Winning Streak
36:30 Lendl Locker Room Message
37:55 Hip Injury Breaking Point
40:02 Resurfacing Documentary Reality
41:28 Metal Hip Comeback Wins
44:23 Davis Cup Team Culture
49:21 Pressure Moments and Mindset
52:16 Working with Katie Boulter
55:03 Rapid Fire Match Tiebreak
58:14 Tautus Performance and Book
01:00:39 Final Wrap and Signoff

In this episode of The Beyond Tennis Podcast, host Johnny Delgado sits down with the man who revolutionized British tennis, David Lloyd. David provides a candid look at his "colorful" history with the LTA, his obsession with changing the grassroots system, and the creation of the legendary Slater Squad that produced stars like Tim Henman.

David opens up about the business of tennis, the importance of university sports, and the relentless drive it took to build his global leisure empire. He also shares a masterclass in entrepreneurship, detailing how he turned a dream into reality and why he believes tennis is currently missing a trick in schools.

Episode Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Intro & The Mission: David discusses his desire to make tennis the most popular game in schools.
• [00:05:42] The LTA Conflict: A raw look at David’s outspoken and "anti-LTA" stance during his early years.
• [00:12:15] Building the Slater Squad: How David hand-picked 10 boys, including Tim Henman, to become future champions.
• [00:22:30] The Business of Sport: Transitioning from the court to building the David Lloyd Leisure empire.
• [00:35:10] Grassroots & University: Why British tennis needs to look at the American collegiate model for success.
• [00:48:55] Entrepreneurial Advice: David’s formula for business: adding 20% to expenditure and taking 20% off income.
• [00:54:40] Final Words: "Don't let anyone in the world persuade you not to do it."