Pivo Meets: Tina Pisnik, Professional Tennis and Pickleball Coach

Welcome to Pivo Meets, a series where we get real and chatty with the faces of Pivo.

In this blog, we got together with Tina Pisnik to discuss her successful Tennis and Pickleball career, her transformation into coaching and the launch of her training platform.

A professional Tennis and Pickleball coach from Slovenia, Tina turned professional in 1999. Her highest singles ranking was world No. 29, while her career-high doubles ranking is world No. 63. She also won one singles title and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour.

Tina Pisnik started her Tennis brand — Smash Tennis — where she provides high quality coaching, customized to each unique player.

Read on for a glimpse of her journey, and to see how Pivo has become a part of her coaching and training career.

What inspired you to pursue a career in sports? Tell us about yourself and your tennis and pickleball background.

My name is Tina Pisnik. I am a former professional tennis player and current professional pickleball player. In tennis my highest singles ranking was world number 29 and 63 in doubles. I have played all grand slams multiple times and as a junior tennis player I was ranked #1 in the world. I also won the 18s Orange Bowl when I was 16 as a junior. 

I won one singles title and two doubles titles on the WTA tour. I have also competed in 2 Olympics, in Athens and in Sydney. My tennis career unfortunately got cut short by being in a car accident which resulted in a neck surgery when I was only 24 years old and getting closer to the top.

I started playing Pickleball in November 2022. I immediately got hooked and I have been playing this sport ever since. Last year I signed a 3 year contract with PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) and now I travel almost every weekend playing on the pro tour which is a lot of fun.

Overall, I really missed competing, so I believe this was the main reason why I got into it as much as I did. I can compete again and be the best version of myself in a completely new sport.

When and how did you discover Pivo and how has it benefited you in training and coaching?

I was contacted by Pivo in the summer of 2023 to try out their product. It looked very interesting to me since I do daily tennis videos and post them on social media. It helps a lot when I don’t have my team around to film me and when I want to make videos by myself and don’t want the video to be statuary. It helps a lot as well to just film myself whenever I’m training/playing to see what changes I have to make in my game. It’s a great device!

Tell us how you came to start Smash Tennis and what a day in your life as a coach looks like with the help of Pivo?

I always wanted to have my own boutique tennis academy (I used to own a big tennis club back home in Slovenia). I started Smash Tennis right when COVID hit and when I still lived in Chicago. It was actually a great start point for me with the academy even though the whole world stopped at that time. I started posting a lot of training videos on Instagram and people really liked that, so I continued doing that. Then I decided to move to a more tennis oriented state, Florida. And the rest is history. 

On days that I film training videos for tennis or pickleball, Pivo helps a lot since it follows me around. This is the biggest advantage in my opinion. You don’t need a person to do that.

A lot of people are turning towards online coaching lately, how does that impact the industry?

I think that the rise of online coaching has impacted the coaching industry in several ways. Online coaching has made coaching services more accessible to people worldwide. It’s very convenient, people can schedule sessions at their convenience without the need for physical travel.

Overall, the impact of online coaching has been transformative, expanding opportunities for coaches and clients, while also reshaping traditional coaching models.

There’s been a meteoric rise in pickleball, where do you see it going in the next 5-10 years?

Pickleball has indeed experienced significant growth in recent years, becoming one of the fastest-growing sports in the US and gaining popularity globally. While pickleball has strong roots in North America, its popularity is spreading to other regions worldwide. We may see increased interest and participation in countries across Europe, Asia, and beyond. There have also been discussions about pickleball’s potential inclusion in major sporting events like the Olympics.

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And tell us how you see Pivo tech being a part of the growing popularity of pickleball.

I see a lot of pickleball players who tend to film themselves use Pivo, either while playing a match or just simple training, myself included. You want to see your own progress, you want to see what you have to work on and you want to be able to do it yourself. Sometimes the phone is not enough when you set it on a stand. You move a lot on the court and you need someone to follow your movements.

While pickleball is growing, different brands with different products for pickleball are growing as well. Players often receive a lot of these products and companies want videos of their products as a return. This is where Pivo tech comes in handy.

What do you believe is the greatest challenge most athletes & coaches are facing today in tennis/pickleball?

I believe that one of the greatest challenges that athletes and coaches face in both tennis and pickleball today is striking a balance between physical training and mental/emotional well-being. Athletes need to maintain peak physical condition to excel in their sport. Balancing training schedules with rest and recovery is crucial to avoid burnout and injuries. Competitive sports like tennis and pickleball also require strong mental resilience. Athletes must manage pressure, deal with setbacks, stay focused during matches, and maintain confidence in their abilities. So us coaches play a vital role in helping athletes develop mental toughness through training techniques, visualization exercises and mindset coaching.

What motivates you the most about your profession as an athlete? What drives you everyday?

I’m a very competitive person and athlete. I love to compete at a high level, this fuels my motivation to train, perform and to reach my full potential in the game. 

Your father is a former soccer player and coach, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve gained from him?

Best advice I got from him: When you feel like you can’t go anymore, you are only at 60%.

What is one tip/advice that you’d like to give to someone beginning their tennis/pickleball journey?

Focus on building a strong foundation of fundamental skills and techniques. 

Have consistent practice, be dedicated to learning, seek guidance from coaches or experienced players. This will help your tennis or pickleball journey and set you up for long-term improvement and enjoyment of the sport.

Also, don’t forget to have fun!

Save $40 USD when you shop Pivo with Tina Pisnik. Use discount code TINAPISNIK

Connect with Tina Pisnik on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tinapisnikofficial/

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