Acing the Tennis World, One Grand Slam at a Time: Tennis Experts You Need to Hear

When I think of summer, one of the many things I picture are the white lines that mark out a tennis court. The expectant crowds that come dressed to the nines watching with baited breathe to see who becomes grand slam champion.

The precision, athleticism and endurance, serving ball after ball until the perfect stroke is carved into the player, requires the highest level of dedication from the players, coaches, family and supporters. It’s this sort of dedication that builds some of the strongest and highly motivated teams that we all can learn from.

So with strawberries and cream in one hand and a glass of Pimms in the other, enjoy scrolling through some of these experts  who can lend a helping hand when it comes to teamwork  and motivation .

Tennis coach, mother to Grand Slam Winners Andy and Jamie Murray, founder of Set4Sport, Tennis on the Road and Miss-Hits, there isn’t much that Judy Murray doesn’t do! With an aptitude for sport, Judy won 64 tennis and badminton titles in her career, before coaching her sons and paving their way for global success. An institution in the tennis world, she combines her experiences of business and sport (and fascinating life experiences) to share her inspirational and motivational story.

Winning his first Grand Slam title in 1979, then becoming the youngest #1 ranked male in the history of professional tennis, John McEnroe is still considered one of the greatest players of all time. His relentless pursuit of perfection combined with a technical mastery honed through years of competition made him a popular champion and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999. Currently commentating for a variety of tv networks including CBS, NBC, BBC and Australia’s Channel 7, John is available for meet & greets, hosting, tennis clinics and outings, to name but a few.

Billie Jean King won an incredible 39 Grand Slam titles during her tennis career and is a pioneer for equality and social justice. Breaking away from the tennis establishment, she paved the way for the birth of women’s pro tennis and the formation or the Women’s Tennis Association. In addition to founding the Women’s Sports Foundation, she is the author of Pressure is Privilege: Lessons I’ve Learned from Life and her story of the famous Riggs-King match has been made into a major motion picture.

Best known as the flamboyant winner of the 1987 Wimbledon, Pat Cash is a grand-slam tennis star and coach (as well as being a fellow Aussie). Being a skilful server with a fearsome volley, his career catapulted into the limelight when he was picked to play for Australia in the Davis Cup. He won junior titles at Wimbledon and the US Open, the Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and got to the Australian Open finals before retiring in 1997. Since then, he has been a tennis coach and a TV personality, often covering Wimbledon matches on the BBC.

You know the name, but do you know the story? Tennis royalty, Serena Williams is one of the most recognisable global icons in the world. Her incredible tennis achievements, with 23 career Grand Slams singles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, winning 783 professional singles matches and 185 doubles, and has 4 gold medals from the Olympics. Her tennis career combined with her off-court success in fashion and philanthropy, allows Serena to speak with authority as well as inspiring any audience. To top this off, she won the Australian Open while pregnant! An incredible woman who would be a privilege to hear from never mind watch her play!

Former British Number One tennis star, and one of the most experienced live presenters in British broadcasting, Andrew Castle has a well decorated tennis career ranked as number 1 in the UK. After retiring from tennis is 1992, Andrew moved to broadcasting as a GMTV and Sky Sports presenter. Interviewing everyone from Tony Blair to the Rolling Stones and Beyoncé, he has also led the coverage of The Iraq War and the Al Qaeda bombings. An entertaining motivational speaker and excellent choice for hosting and awards nights, Andrew will charm the crowd with anecdotes from an incredible career both on and off the court.

The first British player since Roger Taylor in the 1970s to reach the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Men's Singles Championship, Tim Henman has had a very successful tennis career. Reaching six Grand Slam semi-finals, winning 15 career ATP titles, and by rising to number 4 in the world, Tim was ranked at Britain’s number one until his retirement in 2007. Since then, he has provided commentary throughout the Wimbledon for the BBC and is involved in many charitable endeavours including the Tim Henman Charitable Foundation.

David Lloyd spent 17 years at one of the top professionals on the international tennis circuit, reaching the final of the Davis Cup in 1978 as the most successful team for 50 years. He then took up the responsibility for team selection and training when he became the Captain of the Davis Cup team. Post his tennis career, David founded the David Lloyd Leisure Group, the largest sport and leisure group in Europe. Named as Entrepreneur of the Year, he took the teamwork and motivational skills he developed in the sporting world and applied them to his new managerial job.

Tennis player extraordinaire who took women's tennis to a new level with her speed, determination and agility, Martina Navratilova is a force to be reckoned with. Winning the Wimbledon women's singles title a record 9 times and was famously described by Billie Jean King as "the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived." Since her incredible tennis career, Martina now spends her time broadcasting for the BBC, Tennis Channel and BT Sport.

One of the most recognisable tennis players the game has seen, Boris Becker stamped his mark when he claimed the 1985 Wimbledon title at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to ever win the prestigious Championship. A six-time major singles champion, including three Wimbledon titles, he is considered one of the most intelligent and shrewd sportsmen in the world today with his book, Boris Becker’s Wimbledon, a memoir for others to enjoy. Sharing his fascinating viewpoint on the game, its status, its characters and its traditions, Boris inspires and captivates audiences.

A name easily recognisable, Andre Agassi has an incredible 21-year career that included 60 career singles titles including the likes of the US Open, the French Open and the Australian Open. Post tennis, he founded the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation which has raised over $60 million for at-risk children in Southern Nevada. Sharing insights and experiences from his incredible career and experience founding his highly-regarded charitable foundation, he will impress any audience.

Former British tennis champion and one of the best-known British sports personalities on television today, Annabel Croft retired from professional tennis at 21 before starting her career in broadcasting. Continuing  to play an integral role in the coverage of Wimbledon for the BBC, Radio 5 Live, LBC and GMTV, Annabel is also a key member of Fox TV's coverage of the Australian, French and US Opens. Entertaining audiences with a light-hearted look at her tennis and media experiences, she is a perfect edition to an after-dinner event.

With a combination of Grand Slam titles enough to last a lifetime, these tennis stars unleash magic on the court for the world to witness. With the tennis season in full-swing, now is your time to experience their magic right in front of your eyes.

For further information or to book one of our speakers, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070  or email  info@speakerscorner.co.uk .

Newsletter Sign Up

If you liked this article then why not sign up to our newsletters? We promise to send interesting and useful interviews, tips and blogs, plus free event invites too.