What happens when tennis breaks free from tradition?

The Australian Open is back, and this year it is doing things a little differently. From record crowds to bold entertainment ideas, the Happy Slam continues to shape its own identity within the Grand Slam landscape.

In this episode of Almost Pro, we step off the court and into the heart of modern sport to explore what makes the Australian Open unique, and why its approach to innovation matters far beyond Melbourne Park.

We talk about:

• Why the Australian Open has leaned into innovation while respecting tradition

• Naomi Osaka’s iconic centre-court fashion moment

• The new million-dollar shot format and what it reveals about fan engagement

• How elite-level innovation flows down to kids, clubs, volunteers, and communities

• What this shift could mean for the future of tennis and sport more broadly

  
  

This conversation is not about results or scorelines. It is about identity, expression, entertainment, and permission, and how elite sport quietly tells us who belongs and how we are allowed to show up.

🎧 Hit play and join the conversation.

We’re kicking off our first guest episode of 2026 with a story that captures everything Almost Pro is about: family, community, commitment, and the people behind high performance sport.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dave Jones, who shares his family’s journey through shooting, from discovering the sport to becoming deeply involved at club level, and ultimately supporting his daughters through the pathway to elite competition. Along the way, Dave found himself wearing many hats as a parent, coach, referee, fundraiser, chauffeur, and constant supporter.

This conversation goes beyond results. It explores the long drives, the tough calls, moments of burnout, the role of community clubs, and what it really means to show up for your kids in sport year after year.

If you’ve ever been part of a sporting family or wondered what happens behind the scenes of elite pathways, this episode will resonate.

Follow Almost Pro for more untold stories:

🌐 Website: almostpropodcast.com

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This week, before we kick off the stories of 2026, we wanted to take a moment with you to look back on the year that was and launch the first episode in our Best Of series — celebrating our 2025 most streamed episode.

In August 2025, we released our first-ever guest episode with Phil Stewart — an episode that quickly became our most streamed of the year and our end-of-year chart topper.

Phil’s story is the definition of Almost Pro: the moments that shape you, the pressure you don’t always see, and the reality of chasing something at the highest level.

In this conversation, Phil reflects on elite gymnastics, the challenges that come with it, and the moments that changed everything — both in sport and beyond it.

Whether you’re listening for the first time or returning to a favourite, we hope this episode lands just as strongly as it did the first time.