Jean-Yves Aubone on Intense Tennis and the Push to Modernize Professional Tennis

In this episode of the Best of Three podcast, Alvin Owusu and Torrey Hawkins sit down with Jean-Yves Aubone, Director of Player & Coach Relations for the Intense Tennis League. The conversation explores why a new format has emerged in response to longstanding structural challenges within professional tennis—from declining viewership to fragmented governance and unpredictable match scheduling.Aubone explains how Intense Tennis is designed to create a more accessible and entertainment-focused experience. Matches are capped at roughly 70 minutes and feature a shot clock, music during play, simplified scoring, and a unique rule where clean winners count for two points. The league also introduces in-match substitutions, fundamentally altering the strategic role of coaches and opening the door to new tactical possibilities.The discussion also examines how the format may reward a different player archetype—aggressive, versatile shot-makers capable of generating scoring bursts across singles, doubles, and mixed formats. More broadly, the group considers whether team identity and community engagement could help tennis develop deeper fan loyalty in the future.Send us Fan Mail