Doubles Only Tennis Podcast

Preparing for the French Open Quarterfinal with Coach Calvin Betton, Sander Arends, & Luke Johnson

• Will Boucek • Episode 238

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0:00 | 21:48

Sander Arends, Luke Johnson, and Coach Calvin Betton offer a behind-the-scenes look at their preparation between matches during their French Open quarterfinal run.

They shared thoughts on their R3 victory, off-day schedule, pre-match routines, and more.

  • How they reset mentally after the momentum shifted in their R3 match
  • Coach Calvin's approach to supporting from the player box without micromanaging
  • The importance of team identity and consistent playing style in doubles
  • How players structure their off-days during a two-week tournament
  • Detailed pre-match routines, from sleep schedules to practice timing
  • Player superstitions, including Sander's preferred French Open meal
  • The scouting process and how data informs match strategy
  • Treatment of doubles players at major tournaments compared to singles

Calvin also discussed the doubles crowds in Paris. You can stream their quarterfinal match on MAX.

Listen to my previous conversations:

Learn more & follow:

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Speaker 1

Today you're going to learn what it is like to prepare for the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. This conversation is with coach Calvin Betten and the doubles team of Sander Ahrens and Luke Johnson If those sound familiar, I've had Calvin on earlier this year at the Australian Open. I also had Luke on about a month ago after he and Sander won in Madrid on the clay. This conversation is between their third round and quarterfinal match at the French Open. I caught up with them on their off day. We talked about their third round win in a third set, how they were able to reset after losing the second set. We also discussed what the next 24 hours will look like as they prepare for their quarterfinal match. Calvin shared some insights into how he goes about scouting, how he views his role in the coaching box. They also shared what they prefer for their pre-match meals, how long they warm up for a lot of specifics in terms of preparing for a big match.

Third Round Win Analysis

Speaker 1

This is the first time they've made the second week of a Grand Slam, so it was really generous of them to be able to hop on the podcast for a short time. It is a pretty brief conversation because I wanted to be respectful of their time. These players are so focused and so busy during these tournaments that they really don't have to do this. It was really generous of them to be able to do this. I'm going to try to get this released before they play their quarterfinal match so that you can listen to it and then watch them. They play their quarterfinal match so that you can listen to it and then watch them. Hopefully, as you're listening to this, it is before the match which is going to be held on June 4th. So, without further delay, enjoy this brief conversation with lots of great insights with Coach Calvin Betten and Sander Ahrens and Luke Johnson. Hey, everyone, Welcome to the show. Today we have Coach Calvin Betten on with Luke Johnson and Sander Ahrens. Guys, welcome, hey, thanks for having us.

Speaker 1

So y'all are into the quarterfinals tomorrow at the French Open. You've had a couple of close matches, luke. I guess I'll start with you. How has the time in Paris been so far, and what did you make of the match yesterday, specifically?

Speaker 2

I mean the time in Paris has been great. I mean, whenever you're still in the tournament halfway through the second week, that seems to be a a good, a good tournament. But yeah, I mean, the match yesterday was was difficult. We knew, um, we knew the sort of game style that lloyd and julian play. They're both great servers and great they take care of their service games so well. Um, that sort of puts pressure on on the opponents and we knew that we were going to have to hopefully, like, take care of our own service games and then try and break and maybe get a few opportunities, um, where we can, which is maybe a little easier on the clay than some other surfaces. Um, and then the end yeah, it came right down to the wire, saving a match point and then playing a good tie break and being able to sort of just get over the line there. It was a close matchup.

Speaker 1

And Sander, I want to hear from you. So you won the first set in this match, lost the second 6-2. What do you do between a second and third set like that, to kind of reset and retake momentum a bit?

Speaker 3

um, as you said, reset, reset and uh, yeah, I mean it's, it's very important to have the right mindset and the right energy at the beginning of the third set. So, um, yeah, it was good just to take a little bit time off, reset, like just to find the right way, the right strategy, and I think we came out very strong in the third set, which helped us, yeah, to get the victory in the end of the day.

Speaker 1

Is there a process you have for resetting like that? Like do you all like to just take a little bit longer bathroom break or like go through maybe some uh strategy or just kind of cool yourself off? What specifically do you do to kind of reset both mentally and physically?

Speaker 3

um, I think it's very personally and depending on the situation. So for everyone, I think for everyone it's different. Um, like most of the times you just stay on court and and you, I mean I don't like to use too many like toilet breaks yesterday we did once, but I mean on clay it's, it's uh, it's a bit better to do it because they have to sweep the court and to put one on the court anyway, so you're not delaying the game too much. Um, but yeah, I mean for me it's about I I'm trying to do is I'm trying to raise my energy to move a little bit, to get some tension on the legs, maybe scream one or two times to get like everything out. So yeah, I mean this kind of things are helping me. And then for other players, maybe they have different things that work for them yeah, is there anything you'd add to that?

Speaker 2

luke that maybe you like to do that sander didn't mention or doesn't do, uh, no, I think it is very much dependent, um, on the situation and and the match.

Speaker 2

Like sander said, they sweep and they, they water the court on the clay. So it's it's a chance there, rather than sitting um on the court, you maybe you can go to the bathroom. I mean, you obviously go to the bathroom, but it's just you have like a a fresh mind coming back on the court because you've not just been sat on the court for the whole time. I mean, I, I don't as a team, we don't generally um, we don't generally take bathroom breaks, but um, but yeah, I mean for for me, I think I like to use the word reset and I think that's probably the best way and just try and almost you go over like it's almost a new match starting. You sort of just clarify the tactics or clarify the certain things. It's almost you use it as like a pre-match chat again, but you do it between sets. So you sort of figure out what you're trying to achieve, what tactics you want, what energy you want from the team and really use it as a fresh start.

Speaker 1

And Calvin, what about from your perspective? You're in the player box, obviously after they lose the second set. Maybe there are some adjustments to be made. What are you kind of looking for?

Coach's Perspective on Match Dynamics

Speaker 4

and I think it varies. I mean, I think yesterday there wasn't anything tactically to do anything different. What we know from Luke and Sander is that their game style and their identity is that they're a high-pressure team. They keep putting pressure on opponents, with a returning especially, and it's just making sure that that is maintained and they don't drop off from that level. The one thing I know with with Luke and Sander from having watched them over the past year, is that they they just keep coming and you've got to as an opponent, you've really got to put them away, because they'll just keep on coming again with pressure on return games. They'll take care of their serves and they'll just keep on putting pressure and they don't lose many matches themselves. Teams have to beat them and you know, yesterday it was an impressive factor for me that after the second set there was no let up. They just came back fully firing in the third and broke early in the third set.

Speaker 1

Do you so your role in the box? Do you feel like it changes for luke and sander versus harry and henry, or do you are you kind of looking for the same things, have your same kind of process?

Speaker 4

um, no, I mean, I think during a match it's limited what we can do anyway that there might be. Occasionally there's some little tactical changes that we can try, but in the heat of a match and that kind of thing, you're not giving many sort of technical changes or that kind of thing. They just want to see some belief and some high energy. I think it's always important, especially in doubles, that the energy is kept high and they need to see that, and me and Stefan who's um sanders, coach and physio that we're always sort of keeping the right, um, the right image to them when they look over to us, and that's one of being positive and calm and and fired up and ready, ready to compete again.

Off-day Routines Before Quarterfinals

Speaker 4

Um, but you know what, like I say, one of the things that the lads have done is they've really developed their identity as a team. They know what they're doing. That's the thing with Luke and Sander. They really do, I think, almost as well as any team. They work in tandem on all the points and they know what they have to do and they basically challenge opponents to beat that and if they can, then fair enough. But not many have managed to do that recently.

Speaker 1

Luke and Sander. So today's an off day, then you've got a match tomorrow. How did you spend your off day? I know it's not quite over yet, but it's about five o'clock there, and is there anything specific you like to do in your off day to kind of get away from the tennis? Or are you spending most of the day kind of thinking about tomorrow's match? How do you handle that?

Speaker 3

Yeah, I mean, I think for both of us is different, and also depending on what kind of day like. So far we're getting deep into the second second week, so we are already here for almost two weeks, so it's really important to get those refreshments and everything that you yeah, that you are recharged for tomorrow. So today we had a very light hit, like 30, 40 minutes, like taking it easy, have some fun, but let's move the body, hit some balls, get some feel, and then get out and get a massage or like stretch, or get to the hotel room, you know, like those things. And earlier on in the week we could say like no, we're going to play some practice points because we feel we want to work on a few things, and so it really depends again on the situation.

Speaker 3

I think pro tennis is all about feeling what you need in what kind of specific moment, like in a specific moment, and it can vary. And if you're getting older and if you're getting more experience for yourself and with each other, then it's good. It's more fluently, you know, you can say like okay, now I don't feel it today like this or I feel like that, and then you can just go on from there luke.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I think. I think it's the thing about Grand Slams and it being our first one that we've we've made into the second week is that they are just by nature of being the biggest tournaments. They're emotionally and mentally probably more tiring tennis. Why, physically, I would say I know we play a full third set, but physically it's not a massive issue the difference between a full third set and a third set tiebreak but it's more of the mental and emotional toll that the matches take on you. I think that's the biggest thing we're trying to really take care of.

Pre-match Preparations and Routines

Speaker 2

On a day off we play a little bit of tennis, but then we try I know I've tried to spend little time at the courts today, not really doing too much thinking towards tomorrow. I mean a little bit later tonight I'll probably start switching the thoughts to tomorrow but really trying to give myself almost a day since we finished yesterday, 24 hours since the end of our match yesterday, just to sort of regenerate the mind so I I think y'all don't do you have a match time for tomorrow for the quarterfinal match?

Speaker 1

not yet, no, not yet okay. So let's, um, let's say it's at noon. What would the next 24 hours, or or 20 hours or so, look like? What time would you go to bed, wake up, eat breakfast, hit before for a noon match?

Speaker 2

I mean I could go for me. I would say noon, let me, you're gonna, you're gonna see me working through. I'll start at noon and work backwards, I guess we'll. We'd probably we like about an hour from um, our pre-match hit, finishing to playing. So I'd say we maybe hit 10 30 to 11, then we do our pre-match chat at 11.

Speaker 2

So then 10 30 I leave the hotel at 9 30, I'm up at 8 30 um. So then that means I then need to go to sleep at 10 30 though. Yeah, there we go. I've got that, I've figured it all out there. So try and go to sleep at 10.30. Give myself a chance to get a full 10 hours sleep. Unlikely I'll get it, but at least I'll be in bed at that point. And then before 10.30, just dinner.

Speaker 2

And Calvin does a great job. He does a lot of the scouting for us. Obviously we've played Roger Vassilan and Nice individually and together we played them earlier this year. So we have an idea of what they're going to do. But Calvin does a lot of the data, or gives us a lot of the data. So he'll give us that later today and then we sort of read it and have our own thoughts and then in the pre-match chat an hour before the match, we'll sort of uh, we'll, we'll all get together and do it from there do you have any specific like meals that you eat the night before or the day of a match?

Speaker 2

I don't, I'm, but I'm fairly relaxed. I try to fairly relaxed, I try to keep it healthy and it would be something like some sort of pasta or something I would say would be the most common, or like a burrito bowl if I'm in the States, okay, got it, but maybe yeah, I'm not Sander might have something different.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I can see him smiling, so maybe he has a good answer to this.

Speaker 3

Yeah, I'm smiling because Luke says says yeah, I'm pretty relaxed and like, yeah, I'm also relaxed, but I have certain ways how to prepare and to be in the right shape. Like I like to have things fixed like, for example, if I take a shower in the beginning of the week, then I will take that shower the whole week, but I'm not. I'm not like, if it's occupied I'll take a different one. Like I'm not gonna wait for another 10 minutes to until it's free, but uh, yeah, so far. Um, uh, before the first three matches, I made three orders with lasagna the day before, so I guess tonight's gonna be lasagna for the fourth time.

Scouting Process and Tournament Experience

Speaker 1

Awesome, calvin, talk about how you prepare for a match. So obviously you had two teams in the quarterfinals, so I'm sure you've been working a lot. How do you go about preparing for this quarterfinal match tomorrow?

Speaker 4

What's your kind of process for that? I mean, tonight I will do like Lukeke said. I'll generally do some scouting. We have a lot of data, um, in british doubles from matches that our opponents have played previously and we can like stuff on serve directions, moves that they like to make and that kind of thing. So I'll I'll sort of send the lads a scouting report based mainly on data and then often some notes afterwards about what I've noticed when I've seen those guys play before and that kind of thing, just usually like five or six bullet points that we can expect that maybe aren't covered in the data, and then I'll normally send that to the lads about nine o'clock at night, depending when I get back.

Speaker 4

I've been so busy with having two teams here it's sometimes been a little bit later. I'm basically sleepwalking at this point and just watching tennis and looking at diagrams of tennis courts and numbers. For about the last seven weeks, I think the lads won in Barcelona, luke and Sander won in Barcelona and I've not had a day off since the day we started before that. So that was, I think, seven weeks ago. It was a while ago.

Speaker 4

Yeah, but yeah, and then tomorrow morning I'll usually see they can do their warm-up. They don't need me standing in the gym while they do their pre-match warm-up, Like a lot of players. Coaches seem to think that they need that, but they don't need me there to do that. So then I'll usually sort of get there just before we go to the court and then we'll do pre-match. But yeah, just making sure that the lads are comfortable and ready. Me and Stefan will do that.

Crowds and Tournament Treatment

Speaker 4

And then I think it's important both, like, for example, tomorrow, to treat it like any other match, while also having the knowledge that it's a Grand Slam quarterfinal. So you know, it needs sort of that managing, but it's still just a tennis match. That is the same as we could play Nice and Roger. Like Luke said, we played Nice and Roger Vassiland in an ATP 500 earlier this year. It's just a case of taking every ball on its merit and treating every match on its merit as well, and making sure we're ready to play and the lads will be ready to play and we'll be ready in the box, ready to give them what they need during the match so last question uh, how have the doubles crowds been in paris and how do you feel like rolling garris treats the doubles as compared to maybe some of the other grand slams or tournaments?

Speaker 1

uh, on tour.

Speaker 4

I think. I mean for me, I think the crowds have been excellent throughout, different sort of crowds. I know in the first match we played Jarry and Demolina and there was quite a lot of sort of South American energy there and that kind of thing. And then in the next round, I guess, even though there were no real local fans, I think we still had quite a big crowd, didn't we lads there on the same court, yeah, and then yesterday seemed a decent crowd.

Speaker 4

I think the actual crowd, the French crowd, the French Open crowd, have been excellent for doubles. They're getting into it. They're watching almost every match I've watched, even in the latter stages of this week, and normally at slams you normally get a lot of people watching at the start and then there's less grounds passers, so there's generally less people watching doubles, but from what I've seen there's still loads of people in the ground and loads of people watching doubles. So from the crowds I would say 10 out of 10. The way the tournament treats the doubles players could be a bit better, just in general, I think, in terms of I mean, it's this tournament last year where I tried to book a practice court for Henry and Harry and I was asked are they players or doubles? Which was quite an interesting question to have to answer, oh my gosh, that is insulting.

Speaker 1

Okay, all right, we will hop off there guys. Good luck tomorrow. Thanks a ton for doing this. I know y'all are super busy and I really, really appreciate the time.

Speaker 2

No, thank you. Thanks a lot.

Speaker 3

All right, all the best, thank you.

Speaker 2

Thanks.