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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.
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Toby Samuel
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.
In 2025 he 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 NTC.
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
Toby’s experience competing at the US Open
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
COVID, a few months away from the sport, and the reset that may have saved his tennis
Why British players no longer set themselves ceilings
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."
Tennis Athlete
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
