Meet the Professionals: Brad Stine on what tennis coaching really takes

If you’ve ever watched a player problem-solve mid-match and wondered who helped build that blueprint, this episode is for you. Brad Stine is one of those behind-the-scenes forces in tennis that casual fans might not clock right away, but his fingerprints are all over multiple eras of the sport. He coached Jim Courier in that early 90s prime, and he’s been in Tommy Paul’s corner as Tommy has developed into one of the most dangerous all-court players in the game. 

What I loved about this conversation is how clearly Brad explains the job. Not just the hitting and tactics, but the real day-to-day reality of coaching an individual athlete. It is preparation. It is decision-making. It is communication. It is knowing when to put the “coach hat” on and when to just be a steady presence on the road. He breaks down how that balance changes depending on the player’s age and maturity, and why the best relationships become more collaborative over time.

We also get into the big question fans debate constantly right now. What does modern coaching do to the product of tennis? Brad is honest about the pros and cons of coaches being more visible, with cameras in the box and microphones picking up everything. He also makes a strong case for why tennis should do more to recognize coaches publicly, the same way other sports treat head coaches as part of the main event. It’s a fascinating lens on how tennis is evolving, and what still feels behind compared to the NBA or NFL.

Brad closes with advice that fully matches the Ground Pass ethos without us even prompting it. If you want to understand tennis, go see it live. Go to any level of tournament you can reach. Learn the scoring. Then let the speed, the movement, and the problem-solving pull you in for real.