Anna Chakvetadze speaks with Stuart Duguid — the representative of Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka — about the behind-the-scenes world of sports, the business side of tennis, and personal stories that are rarely shared in public.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
0:26 – From lawyer to tennis agent: how Stuart entered the sports world
1:04 – How Andy Murray’s mother helped launch his agency
1:40 – Myths about the work of a sports agent
3:00 – Working at Lagardere and IMG
3:55 – What makes IMG successful
4:27 – Reasons for leaving IMG
5:12 – How EVOLVE is different from other agencies
8:14 – Robbie Williams in a cat food commercial
8:43 – Would Naomi Osaka have been more successful in tennis if she hadn’t done commercials?
10:01 – What Naomi is like in business
11:01 – Which retail platforms matter for agents
11:26 – Working with Aryna as a representative from Belarus
12:46 – How Aryna and EVOLVE started working together
13:31 – Are personal relationships with an agent important?
14:39 – Why Aryna is a good fit for EVOLVE
16:11 – Social media and agency responsibility
17:17 – Does follower count influence sponsors?
18:22 – Why EVOLVE works with female athletes
20:13 – The “Battle of the Sexes” idea: Kyrgios vs Sabalenka
21:55 – Tennis calendar and creative projects
23:42 – Kyrgios and OnlyFans
24:35 – What Nick would do without tennis
25:33 – Rumor about Nick working with the BBC
26:57 – How the sport has changed in 5 years. Has the women’s tour become more interesting?
27:39 – What should change in ATP and WTA for equality
29:11 – Advice for aspiring athletes