#217 Dan Kiernan // Control the controllables and coaching elite tennis

On episode 217 I am delighted to be joined by Dan Kiernan, a globally respected tennis coach, former professional doubles player, and the founder and Director of SotoTennis Academy in Sotogrande, Spain. Dan has over three decades in the sport as both a player and coach, and brings an exceptional blend of competitive experience, coaching insight, and passion for developing tennis talent at all levels. Originally from England, Dan’s tennis journey took him to the United States, where he played collegiate tennis for Louisiana State University and captained the men’s team before turning professional . As a player, he achieved a career-high doubles ranking of No. 150 and competing the ATP Tour, including appearances at Wimbledon.After his playing career, Dan transitioned into coaching with remarkable success. He has coached elite doubles players on both the ATP and WTA tours, including Grand Slam titles, finals and WTA Finals success. His coaching résumé features work with top professionals such as Gabriela Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe who won their second US Open doubles title in 2025. In 2010, Dan and his wife Victoria launched SotoTennis Academy a boutique performance academy in Spain. Beyond coaching, Dan is the host of the acclaimed Control the Controllables podcast, where he explores the game through conversations with players, coaches, parents, and tennis professionals, sharing insights that educate and inspire listeners from every level of the game. We discuss all things coaching, what separates the best from the rest, doubles vs individual coaching, life as a tennis coach on the road, his academy philosophy and more.Note this episode was recorded in October 2025 If you enjoyed this episode you may also enjoy the episodes with Conor Niland, former Irish tennis pro and Mike Digby - Soto Academy tennis coach Follow Dan hereSoto Tennis academy https://www.instagram.com/sototennis/Podcast https://www.instagram.com/ctc.podcast/Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels and the host Orla here: https://linktr.ee/TheSidelineLiveRecorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBandIntro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠