Have you ever noticed the music playing while the pros warm up on Championship Court? Or caught Ben Johns dancing when a Taylor Swift song comes on during a timeout?

That’s the work of the audio-visual team. As the AV lead for the PPA Tour and MLP, Gage Sepulveda takes pride in setting the perfect atmosphere by curating the soundtrack that energizes both players and fans alike.  

“I curate a playlist prior to the event so that I have some stuff to pull from. Once I see who’s playing on Center Court, I try to play what their vibe is,” explained Sepulveda. “Luckily, I’ve been doing this for about three years now so I know most of the pros on a personal level and I know what hypes them up.”

The music played throughout the tournament is designed to keep fans entertained between points during a packed match day, but what many don’t realize is that much of it is also carefully curated with the pro players in mind.

“I try to meet the players where they’re at and keep it broad enough so that the fans still enjoy it,” said Sepulveda. “I really care about the players. I want them to know they’re being cared for. I want the music to be a good experience for everyone. If they speak a different language, I’ll try and get some of that in there, too.”

Federico Staksrud is among the select pros with his own personalized playlist, featuring some of his favorite tracks to play to on court.

While Johns enjoys a mix of classic rock and contemporary pop artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, Anna Leigh Waters’ musical preferences have evolved over the years as she’s grown up.

“When I started, she was about 15 years old and she was listening to a lot of Taylor Swift. It was that kind of bubbly gum poppy music. But as she’s gotten older, her music taste has evolved,” noted Sepulveda. “After Taylor, she listened to a lot of Coldplay. Now, she’s been listening to The Weekend.”

Waters is one of the few players who competes on Championship Court across all three divisions, and Sepulveda tailors a distinct vibe for each event.

“When she’s warming up before a singles match, I’d play some 60s or 70s doo-wopp stuff because it’s uplifting, her whole family is here, and it’s a good morning vibe,” he explained. “I think she takes a lot from her partner's music, too. For example, she and Ben’s walkout song is the K-pop song “Golden,” but when she plays with Anna Bright, it’s “Milkshakes.” It’s the duality of Anna Leigh’s music taste. She really absorbs what her partners like.” 

Now that Sepulveda has gotten to know the players’ musical tastes, have any of their song requests surprised him?

“Michael Loyd. Since he has all these piercings and tattoos, I assumed he’d be into punk rock or metal, just based on his look,” he mentioned. “Instead, he wanted Christian rock and Christian rap.”

Jack Sock is another pro who has his own custom playlist for the AV team to play.

“He’s one of the lucky ones to get a full playlist because he actually came up to me and we worked out the vibe he likes,” confirmed Sepulveda. “It’s fun because he actually reacts to the music when we play it. He’ll point up to the DJ booth and sing along. I think he feels appreciated when you curate stuff for him.”

While the pros are always going to bring their best, the right playlist can still help them lock in and get into the zone.

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