Myles David is the founder of media brand Tuned Into Tennis. He regularly hosts community dialogue about the sport, reports on tournaments, and commentates for Amazon Prime Sports. Myles did the audio narration for the new issue of Tennis In Photographs focused on Coco Gauff. Below, he shares how he got into content creation and how to join the tennis conversation.
How did you get into making tennis content and hosting tennis conversations on Clubhouse, X, and your podcast?
Like the majority of people, when quarantine hit at the beginning of 2020, I had idle time on my hands. There was always a tennis bug in me, going back as early as I can remember, but it didn’t feel like there was a digital community around tennis. I took it upon myself to contribute when I saw that digital communities were growing quickly for other sports and topics.People told me I had a good voice, and even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy to do podcasts and host conversations, I could see myself doing it. And I knew it’d be from a younger, millennial perspective, which still hasn’t really hit mainstream tennis yet (besides from the players). I researched microphones and started having watch parties during the Grand Slams in 2020 and 2021, when fans weren’t allowed to be in the stands. We’d be screaming into our phones. It just snowballed from there.
You've hinted at having an amazing stash of Serena Williams matches on VHS. How and why did you start collecting the footage? How much do you have?!
So when I first saw Serena come across my TV screen in 2006, she reminded me of a classmate I had in middle school at the time. It was her personality, she seemed fun. I felt like I knew her, in a way. To this day, my grandfather is the media guy at the local church he goes to, and at a certain point, he had tons of VHS tapes. Once I found my groove of watching tennis and knowing what was going on, I wanted to record it, especially since I couldn’t watch during school hours. I picked up tips from him. I have most of the 2007 and 2008 seasons somewhere on VHS, and then I eventually transitioned to DVDs for the 2009 season. Once we got to the 2010s, everything went digital.
For a while there, I guess I was a content creator before I knew I was a content creator. I had no idea it would all come full circle.
You've also started commentating on Amazon Prime Sports. What do you enjoy about doing network coverage of tennis?
It’s still mind-blowing to me that they reached out based on my YouTube and Instagram videos. I like being a representation of what I wanted to see on television when I was finding my footing as a tennis fan. Knowing that I’m taking the knowledge I've built over years of watching, playing, and analyzing my favorite athletes, and bringing those insights in a fun way to other people, is amazing. I think there need to be voices like mine, backstories like mine, to help push tennis forward. It's getting there, but it still has a long way to go when it comes to diversifying who the sport is accessible to. Me being on Amazon Prime Sports as a guest commentator is just one drop in the bucket of that. I'm really glad to be linked to that.
What did you like about narrating the "Coco Gauff: 2023 US Open" issue compared to the other content you do more consistently?
I was thankful that someone thought of me, and I felt a connection to that moment of her winning it. Narrating it chapter by chapter, with her quotes and the great script about what it took for her to lift the trophy, was almost therapeutic. I've been part of her journey since I saw her play Wimbledon in 2019.
How would you describe the way you felt after championship point and how you feel about Coco in general?
In one word, it would be proud, because her journey didn't necessarily come out of nowhere. Her ascent to that title was very measured, and there were ebbs and flows. That's a true representation of life. She didn't just come out of nowhere, grab a trophy, and then go back into obscurity. She's still telling her story and showing us the makings of a champion. Hopefully, that means she gets to stick around more and make her own footprint in the history of tennis.
Unfortunately, some people didn't see it for her. They thought she was all hype. They didn't think she would win a Grand Slam, let alone a WTA 1000 a couple weeks before. My reaction to her winning, that I posted on Instagram, was just an outpouring of that moment. And also, it was just a really good match. She lost the first set. She could have lost the final. But she actually did it. I don't think I've been so connected to a moment like that since a Venus or Serena win. Naomi Osaka got some moments out of me, too, but Coco’s ascent to that US Open trophy was just different.
What are your goals for Tuned Into Tennis in 2024 and how can people best support you?
I’m going to be increasing my YouTube presence because there's a community there that I haven't fully tapped into. As far as people supporting me, it's as easy as a follow, a share, and a like. It sounds so simple, and we hear it all the time, but those things really help. Going forward, I would like to be in more professional tennis settings using my voice, asking players questions that don't get asked, and hopefully MCing some of the tournaments. I’d love to announce players going onto the court and do fun on-court interviews. I just want to make tennis fun again.