Control the Controllables

Fifteen months ago Toby Samuel was ranked 1,870 in the world, injured, out of college, and unable to get into the qualifying draw of a 15K.
This month he broke into the ATP top 100, made his Davis Cup debut at the Copper Box and won the first rubber for Great Britain to help them qualify for the Davis Cup Finals.
In 2025, Toby won 62 matches and climbed further up the rankings than any other male player in the world. He did it without fanfare, without headlines and by his own admission, still staying in the bedrooms at the National Tennis Centre.
This is a conversation about the mental side of the game more than anything else, and Toby's answer on competing is one of the best things we've had on this podcast. If you have a junior in your house, play them that bit twice!
In this episode:
The Davis Cup call-up he wasn't expecting, and the most nervous he has ever been before a match.
Losing the first set and finding a way back, and why that is now a pattern rather than a panic.
"Everything is a choice." Toby on how he transformed the mental side of his game.
What he says to his coaches before every single match, and why it has nothing to do with how he is hitting the ball.
Why he has always preferred being the favourite, and what that has cost him against the top guys.
Going from 1,870 in the world to the top 100 in fifteen months
The bone bruising injury that wiped out his ranking, and the ATP Accelerator wildcard that turned it around
Choosing South Carolina over Florida State, the decision that changed his career.
What NIL money has done to college tennis, and why he thinks it needs a limit
How he actually uses data, and the six-monthly meeting that shapes his development
His honest view on the proposed ATP doubles changes
The Quickfire Round

"I don't know how I'm going to be hitting the ball on the day, but I can always choose to compete and be tough"
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Two Retirements. Two Incredible Careers.
This week on Control the Controllables, we're marking the retirement of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, two of the finest doubles players of their generation and two of the most generous guests we´ve had on the show.
Between them: 6 major titles each. 4 men's doubles crowns together, including the Australian Open in 2020 and that remarkable US Open three-peat in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Joe became only the second British man ever to reach World Number 1, holding the position for 23 weeks. Rajeev picked up two Olympic silver medals, 32 ATP titles, 9 Masters titles.
Then this year, with barely any matches between them, they made the US Open semi-finals from nowhere. Form is temporary. Class is permanent.
We've gone back into the archives to pull out the moments from their episodes that we think every player, coach and parent should hear.
In this episode:
Joe on the gap between belief and confidence, and why the two are not the same thing
Rajeev on walking away from singles at 56 in the world to become a doubles specialist
Following your heart when the decision is genuinely difficult, from college to retirement
Why 11 partners in one year is the hardest way to build a career
What Rajeev saw in Joe before anyone else did
Joe on what he wants his legacy in British tennis to be
Dan's challenge to British tennis: what happens when the Louis Cayer era ends?
The Rajeev Ram Instagram post that everyone in this sport should read

Listen to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury´s full episodes on CTC:
Rajeev Ram - Multiple Grand Slam Champion
Joe Salisbury - Double US Open Champion!

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What a US Open! We saw two new champions crowned in New York, plenty of our pre-tournament predictions were ripped up, and both draws gave us lots of storylines.
In our final Grand Slam Review episode of 2026, Host Dan Kiernan is joined by our panel:-
Denmark´s Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, Freddie Nielsen
Sports broadcaster and former CNN anchor Candy Reid
Coach, podcaster and former agent Johnny Delgado
Kieron Vorster, Fitness Coach to Tem Henman, Dan Evans & Wayne Ferreria

As ever, this isn’t just a review of the results. The panel gets into the realities behind elite performance: handling pressure, managing expectations, coping with defeat, the role of parents and coaches, and what players at every level can learn from the very best in the game.
In this episode:
Alexander Zverev finally gets his US Open moment beating Shelton in the final, and his emotional on-court speech about his mother and managing Type 1 diabetes.
Ben Shelton´s breakthrough run to his first Grand Slam final
Could 2027 give us a new “Big Three”? The panel discusses whether Zverev can now consistently challenge Alcaraz and Sinner.
Rafael Jodar’s shock first-round exit despite being a dark-horse pick off the back of a career-best summer.
Elena Rybakina defeats Aryna Sabalenka. Why Rybakina’s balance, composure and first-strike tennis caused Sabalenka so many problems in the final , and the panel discuss how the best players handle nerves differently.
Serena Williams skipping press conferences again and the panel's take on tournaments letting stars off the hook.
The strength of the women's draw: Zheng Qinwen's run through qualifying, Iva Jovic, Mirra Andreeva and Coco Gauff's continued dominance on and off the court
The Djokovic debate: a first-round exit, falling out of the world's top 10 for the first time in over two decades, and whether he can still go deep in a Slam at 37.
Wheelchair tennis: GB´s Alfie Hewett, Tokito Oda and the extraordinary standard at the top of the wheelchair game.
Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison's men's doubles title, and the debate around the future and recognition of doubles tennis
Katerina Siniakova keeps making history! Her continued dominance and double Golden Slam achievement.
What happens next? The panel looks ahead to the remainder of 2026, including the race for year-end No.1, Holger Rune’s return, the Next Gen Finals and the WTA Finals.

There are plenty of disagreements, predictions and laughs along the way, but also some brilliant takeaways for players, parents and coaches on pressure, resilience, expectations and what really separates the very best when the biggest moments arrive.
🎧 Sit back and enjoy our US Open 2026 Review!
This episode is brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/
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Train Smarter Anywhere: Strength & Conditioning for Tennis Players On the Go 🎾
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US Open 2026 preview. Dan is joined by Freddie Nielsen, Denmark Davis Cup Captain and 2012 Wimbledon doubles champion, Candy Reid live in New Yorks, and first-time guest Johnny Delgado, coach and podcaster.
In this episode:
Are both the men’s and women’s draw wide open?
Qinwen Zheng, Paris Olympic champion, coming through qualifying despite elbow surgery
Stan Wawrinka getting a wildcard at the last minute and why the panel loves it
Alcaraz, will he even make it to the court on day one and how far can he realistically go
Men's and women's dark horse picks and winner predictions
The Djokovic debate: can he recover match after match at nearly 40 and go deep in a slam?
Debate around the future of doubles tennis

TennisAthlete provides age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit sototennis.com/tennisathlete
Brought to you by Novellus: https://novellusfinance.com/uk/

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You've drilled the technique. You've done the fitness. And still, in the match or the tiebreak, when you have chances to close out, something else takes over. That's not a skill you're missing. It's something that's never actually been measured, until now.
Click the link here for a FREE diagnostic: https://clutchquotient2026.scoreapp.com/

Ingrid Neel

Ingrid Neel was one of the most decorated US juniors of her generation, winning every Little Mo age group, a 10-and-under world championship in France, and the deciding match in the NCAA finals. Then came a slipped disc in Tokyo, wrist surgery, two and a half years away from the sport, and a ranking that dropped to zero.
A year on, she made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, which was her best-ever Grand Slam result. On the court she loves most.
This episode is one of the most honest and warm conversations we've had on Control the Controllables. Ingrid speaks about injury, identity, friendship, family and what it really means to keep going when you've lost your relevance, your ranking and your answer to the question of who you are without the sport.
In this episode:
Wimbledon quarterfinalist, reflecting on her best ever Grand Slam result a year after wrist surgery
Being present at Wimbledon and the US Open while injured and not competing, and why it helped
How she genuinely celebrated others' success while struggling herself
Can you have true, real friendships in an individual sport and still be the ultimate competitor?
The back injury that nearly ended her season in Tokyo, and how she won the tournament anyway
The wrist surgery that made her question whether she'd ever play again
Growing up in Minnesota, the Bollettieri Academy and Nick giving her open access
Being a prodigy, winning every Little Mo age group and a 10-and-under world title in France
Did the values her parents instilled help her, or hold her back?
Self-worth, identity and who you are when the ranking says inactive
Choosing to represent Estonia and the story of the grandmother she is named after
The Quickfire Round

TennisAthlete provides age-appropriate, research-backed strength and conditioning programmes from proven S&C coaches. The platform Dan recommends for physical development. Visit sototennis.com/tennisathlete