On the Beyond the Baseline Podcast, Sports Illustrated executive editor, Tennis Channel commentator and host Jon Wertheim takes fans between the lines with tennis commentary and exclusive interviews with the top players and newsmakers on the ATP and WTA tours.
On this week's episode, Wertheim talks with Marcus Willis, the now-26-year-old No. 401-ranked British player who became the fairytale story of Wimbledon last year. After considering quitting tennis altogether, Willis ended up in the Wimbledon pre-qualifying draw, won three matches to make the qualifying draw, and played his way into the main draw, before beating then-World No. 54 Ricardis Berankis in straight sets to reach the second round of the tournament. His next opponent? Roger Federer, on Centre Court.
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Willis joins the podcast from Vero Beach, Fla., where he is playing in the ITF charity tournament, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships, as the No. 2 seed. On the podcast, he recalls his time at Wimbledon and with Federer and explains how it altered his career. Wertheim and Willis also discuss how he finished the remainder of 2016 and continued on after such a high point in his career, how he dealt with injuries, what it's like being a father and more.
Also on the podcast, Willis talks about his plans to move to the U.S. and what he's expecting for this year's Wimbledon tournament.
Listen below and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher.
Check back next week for another episode of Beyond the Baseline.
