Justin Gimelstob Unfiltered: Talking Tennis, Second Acts and the Agassi Story

Matt and Paul are back with another great interview, this time with former ATP Pro and one of the most connected insiders in tennis today, Justin Gimelstob. From winning mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and French Open with Venus Williams, to playing Davis Cup and now working across the business and storytelling side of the sport alongside Andre Agassi, Justin has seen tennis from every angle. The guys kick things off with their signature “big serve” question, if your life depended on one ace, who’s hitting it? Justin breaks down the difference between “serve bots” and true clutch servers, why John Isner gets the nod, and what really separates power from precision under pressure. They also touch on his playing days, what it was like competing in front of Johnny Carson and why some players thrive in the chaos of Davis Cup while others never quite find that gear.From there, the conversation shifts into Justin’s long-standing relationship with Andre Agassi, from being a teenage practice partner, to facing him on tour, to now working together on the business and creative side of the sport. Justin shares how that friendship evolved, what they connected on post-career, and why Agassi’s story, told in his bestselling memoir Open, remains one of the most compelling and cinematic in all of sports. The guys dive into the ongoing efforts to adapt Open into a film, the upcoming Andre Agassi documentary on Apple TV and Rally, a scripted tennis drama in development at Amazon. They explore the themes at the core of Agassi’s story, identity vs image, control, reinvention, and why that journey feels more relevant now than ever in the social media era.The conversation also takes a broader look at why tennis still hasn’t produced its definitive movie. What films like Challengers, King Richard get right, where they fall short and what it would take to finally crack the code. Justin offers his take on the current state of the game, including who could break through to win a Grand Slam outside of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. It’s a candid, thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation with one of the sport’s most insightful voices, covering tennis, storytelling, business and everything in between.Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.Hosts: Matt Ferrucci & Paul RuehlFollow, Subscribe & Watch the Show on:Watch Episodes on YouTube!Instagram: @beatlapodcastTikTok: @beat.la.podcast Email the show at: [email protected] Matt Ferrucci on Instagram: @matt_ferrucciFollow Paul Ruehl on Instagram: @llruehljWebsite: https://www.beatlapodcast.com/