SI Tennis Podcast: Jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch

In this week's episode of the SI Tennis Beyond the Baseline Podcast, host Jon Wertheim talks with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch.

In this week's episode of the SI Tennis Beyond the Baseline Podcast, Sports Illustrated executive editor and host Jon Wertheim talks with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch.

Hersch, described by Vanity Fair as “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade,”​ talks with Wertheim about the parallels between tennis and jazz music. Particularly, Hersch talks about improvisation, both in music and on the courts, and how body mechanics in both play a role in how successful an artist or athlete can be. Wertheim and Hersch also talk about Roger Federer, Serena Williams and other players and how their free-flowing play, footwork and ability to create shots can be both advantageous and detrimental to their games. Hersch also discusses the role of silence and pauses and gender in both music and tennis, what tennis fans and players can learn from a jazz pianist and composer and more. You can listen to a clip from the eight-time Grammy nominee's new album Solo in the podcast and see Hersch at one of his upcoming performances. 

Listen to the SI Tennis Podcast below and to listen to more episodes, or other Sports Illustrated Podcasts, click here.