Served with Andy Roddick – "Martina Hingis on World No. 1 Pressure, Peyton Stearns’ Title & More | Love All w/ Kim Clijsters"

Date: March 4, 2026
Hosts: Kim Clijsters, Blair Henley
Guest: Martina Hingis

Episode Overview

This episode of "Love All" features Hall of Famer Martina Hingis in a lively, in-depth conversation with host Kim Clijsters and co-host Blair Henley. Together, they discuss the unique pressures of being World No. 1, draw parallels between their own tennis upbringings, analyze the state of women’s tennis, and share laughs about their off-court experiences. They also recap recent WTA events (including Peyton Stearns' big win), debate the role of variety and anticipation in tennis, and touch on parenting, coaching, and the future of the game.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. Tennis Headlines & Light Moments (01:06 - 10:33)

• Middle East Tensions Affect Tennis
  Blair opens with serious world news: US and Israel attacking Iran, with fighting spreading to other nations, causing travel chaos for players (01:54).
• Serena Williams Comeback Watch
  Discussion of Alicia Parks practicing with the legendary Serena, who "does not look like a player who hasn’t been out on the court practicing since 2023" (04:13). Blair: “All signs point to the fact that we’re going to be seeing Serena back on a professional tennis court probably sooner rather than later” (05:49).
• Arena Sabalenka’s New Puppy
  Sabalenka’s King Charles spaniel, “Ash”, is named for Arthur Ashe (06:15).
• Ball Kids & Towel Debate
  Coco Gauff weighs in suggesting towels in baskets for players (08:05). Kim and Blair reminisce about the old standard, with Kim joking: “My house looks cleaner than ever [without Instagram]” (08:44).

2. Kimformation Segment: ATX Open, Peyton Stearns, and Christina Buksha (10:33 – 18:59)

• Peyton Stearns Wins ATX Open
  Stearns defeats Taylor Townsend 7-6, 7-5 for her second WTA title, with both co-hosts analyzing her strengths and inconsistencies. Kim: “Winning events like this will definitely help with her confidence and will, you know, point out those kind of strengths and weaknesses” (13:55).
• Christina Buksha’s Rising Profile
  Buksha wins in Merida (singles & doubles) and is coached by her dad, a former Moldovan Olympic biathlete. Kim emphasizes the mental advantages: “It’s… the mental side that he’s been able to transfer over” (16:12).

3. Martina Hingis Interview (19:36 – 75:25)

Beginnings, Family, and Off-Court Life (19:36 – 26:24)

• Hingis in Athens, on ‘vacation gig’
  Shares about enjoying sun compared to “cold Switzerland” (19:52), and skiing with her daughter.
• Parenting in Sport
  Martina involves her 7-year-old daughter Leah in skiing, biking, and horseback riding: “As soon as she could sit on the horse, I put her up in front of me” (24:05).
• Horses and Random Meetings
  Kim tells of running into Martina in Belgium when Martina was buying a horse: “Shows your love for the sport” (26:00).

Tennis Tactics, Variety & The Game Today (27:24 – 38:57)

• The ‘Sunshine Double’ and Life on Tour
  Kim voices her long-standing admiration: “I’ve always been fascinated with your brain” (24:24).
• Approaching the Power Game
  Hingis reflects on playing power players, then and now:

  “When people ask me about the power and the difference today, I say, hey, we’ve had all these players you just mentioned… So it was already like the power game on at that time. What changed, I think, is the material, the strings...” (29:07)

• Strategy vs. Raw Hitting
  Hingis on facing hard-hitters:

  “If I would want to play a Sabalenka, I would try to get into her head. That’s my thing… Try to give her a different ball every single shot” (29:59).

• On Tennis IQ
  Kim: “Not many players could do that, especially now… You hit the slice, you could change the patterns—throw them off their rhythm. That was so fun.” (31:37)

Anticipation, Player Development, & Early Training (37:16 – 44:01)

• On Anticipation and Court Smarts
  Blair: “Is that something you can learn or are you born with it?”
  Hingis: “I play so many matches and points when I was a kid… my mom always prepared me for the match and I had a strategy and a plan. And I think when you learn that as a kid... it’s much easier later…” (37:30)
• Training Stories: Crowded Courts, Tiebreaks, Group Practices
  Martina recalls:

  “40 kids on five tennis courts… we end up playing lots of doubles as well.” (40:41)
  Kim on today's over-protective training: “A lot of girls… get so protected from losing to a worse player in practice. With us, it was just, we had to figure it out.” (41:17)

Parental Influence, Pressure, & Growing Up in the Spotlight (44:01 – 53:46)

• The Mother-Daughter Coaching Dynamic
  Hingis credits her mother with being disciplined but fair:

  “If I had matches where I won in three sets, didn’t play my greatest… we’d go hit some balls. If I lost but played my best, she’d say… ‘You did everything you could.’” (44:17).

• Feeling Protected While Rising to No. 1
  Blair: “You were growing up in front of the world... How tough was that for you?”
  Hingis: “No, I mean, I think it was the best time that I had, actually. Especially when you are young and you have nothing to lose… You don’t feel the pressure at that time because every time I stepped on the court I felt like, hey, if I don’t win today, I have 10 years to go” (48:31).
• On Missing Out as a Young Star
  Kim: “People ask me now, don't you feel you missed out on childhood? I feel so privileged… I wanted to play tennis, I wanted to travel the world” (49:57).

Indian Wells Memories & the Mental Side of Losses (53:46 – 58:59)

• Atmosphere at Indian Wells
  Martina: “Travel to beautiful places… now everything is much more built around it” (55:45).
• What Sticks: Wins vs. Losses
  Martina:

  “Honestly, if you ask me, I don’t even know who I beat in the final… It’s more the losses that stand out, which is horrible. You know, the ones I was supposed to win and I didn't” (56:25).

Coaching, Player Development, and Doubles Dominance (58:59 – 71:29)

• Coaching on Tour?
  Martina: “People more or less know that it’s impossible with Leah, with school. The only thing that would kind of work out is if they come here to Switzerland… Being as a consultant, yes, but to travel year-round… impossible” (59:22).
• Will we see another dual No. 1?
  Blair notes only six women have achieved No. 1 in both singles and doubles. Martina: “It’s probably a little bit harder… Maybe it’s impossible” (66:29).

Reflections on Training Variety & All-Around Athleticism (61:23 – 65:52)

• Both advocate for diverse sports in development:
  “I think that’s the key to success. I mean, you would never be able to put me in a gym 24/7…” (Martina, 61:24)
  Kim describes myriad activities (football, mountain biking, squash, rowing): “Just to keep the mind off, to do something different, which is something that throughout my career I always wanted to have…” (62:24).

Fun & Tactical Risk-Taking: The Famous Underarm Serve (71:33 – 74:25)

• Underarm Serve Against Steffi Graf
  Kim asks about Hingis’s underarm serve:
  Martina:

  “That one was a little bit more out of hopelessness… But usually I did it in the last game of the match… Still, I probably would use it more today than back in the day” (72:25).

Camaraderie, Friendship & Farewell (74:25 – 75:29)

• Both reflect on their friendship, legends events, and sharing parenthood and tennis life after the tour.
• Hingis, on their Legends tandem:

  “Sometimes I felt like we connected… it’s like a brain of a true champion that you don’t need words sometimes, you just know what to do” (74:36).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Facing Power in Tennis:
  "I wish I had a chance… if I would want to play as a Balenca, I would try to get into her head… Give her a different ball every single shot."
  —Martina Hingis (29:59)

• On Their Shared Training Upbringings:
  “We were all brought up in a system where, you know, the overall becoming an overall tennis player… was very important.”
  —Kim Clijsters (35:51)

• On Parent Coaching Balance:
  “She [my mom] was always there. I also felt very protected by her.”
  —Martina Hingis (45:34)

• On Being No. 1 at a Young Age:
  “You don’t feel the pressure at that time because every time I stepped on court I felt like, hey, if I don’t win today, I have 10 years to go.”
  —Martina Hingis (48:31)

• On Group Practice vs. Private Lessons:
  “40 kids on five tennis courts… you have to make up some of the exercises because there is no space.”
  —Martina Hingis (40:41)

• On Legendary Doubles Teams:
  “We should have played a few more together. I’m sure we would have been good.”
  —Martina Hingis (27:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:06 – Opening, headlines (Middle East situation, Serena update)
• 05:49 – Blair: Serena’s return likely
• 10:33 – "Kimformation": Peyton Stearns’ ATX Open title
• 14:31 – Stearns analysis; importance of winning under pressure
• 16:12 – Christina Buksha’s story, mental strength
• 19:36 – Martina Hingis joins: Swiss life, parenting, horses
• 27:24 – Tennis strategy, how Hingis would play today’s power players
• 31:37 – Value of variety & creativity in tennis
• 37:30 – Anticipation learnt or innate?
• 40:41 – Group practice and early training environment
• 44:01 – Relationship with her mother as coach, lessons from upbringing
• 48:31 – On pressure & joy as a young No. 1
• 53:46 – Indian Wells memories
• 58:59 – Coaching and mentorship
• 66:29 – Rarity of dual No.1s in singles/doubles
• 71:33 – The famous underarm serve: mindset and tactics

Episode Tone and Takeaways

The conversation is warm, nostalgic, and loaded with tennis wisdom. Both Kim and Martina graciously share stories about competing at the highest level while maintaining friendships and a sense of humor. Listeners are treated to not only tactical and technical insights but also an honest look at the pressures, joys, and unique lifestyles that come with being a tennis prodigy and champion. Hingis’s and Clijsters’s passion for the sport—and for developing the whole person, not just the player—shines through.