Stay tuned to Baseline throughout Indian Wells for more from Tracy and the Academy Issue.

We now bring you episode number two of “Talking Tennis with Tracy,” a show intended to greatly enhance your life as a recreational tennis player—touching on everything from tactics to training, competition to camaraderie, your matches, and ways you can learn from those played by the pros.

Our latest edition goes straight to the heart of a frequently held assumption: You improve only by playing versus better players. Is that true?

In conversation with Joel Drucker, Tracy offers a big picture answer, providing insight and guidance. She explains the nuances of pressure and the range of lessons players of all skill levels can learn from many competitive situations.

To help address this topic, Tracy also draws on the experiences that made her a Hall of Famer. First as a rising junior competing in tennis-rich Southern California, all the way to life on the WTA Tour, where Tracy rapidly had the chance to see where she stood versus such formidable opponents as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. From juniors to adults, singles to doubles, Tracy’s ideas have value for all.