Tip of the Week: Always Have a Game Plan at the Beginning of the Match

By Steve Annacone
It is extremely important to walk on the court for a match with a plan. A game plan can be as simple as hitting two or three crosscourt groundstrokes and being patient at the baseline. Another simple idea is to serve and volley on all first serves, and work your way in to the net gradually on other...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use the Depth of Your Shot to Draw a Short or Weak Ball From your Opponent

By Steve Annacone
Keeping your shots deep is a strategy that most pros and coaches continuously encourage their students to follow. The reason this is such a good idea is because it reduces the options that your opponent has on their next shot. A deep ball often results in a short or weak shot from your opponent. If...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use Down the Line Approach Shots to Set Up Crosscourt Volleys

By Steve Annacone
When a player decides to move forward during the point, most approach shots should be hit down the line and volleys should be hit crosscourt. If the approach shot is hit deep and down the line to one side of the court, the player can move more towards the direction of the approach shot and cover...Read more

The Laver Cup

The inaugural Laver Cup, pitting Team Europe against Team World, was a huge success and the best idea to reinvigorate tennis in a long time
By Steven Kaplan
The inaugural Laver Cup, pitting Team Europe against Team World, was a huge success and the best idea to reinvigorate tennis in a long time. This was the tennis version of Golf's Ryder Cup, and it was fast-paced, exciting and highly-competitive. I'm no fan of tennis exhibitions, because it is not...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use Your Footwork to Take Time Away From Your Opponent

By Steve Annacone
It is natural to run to where you believe the ball will end up on the tennis court. If a player can move in that direction and also go slightly towards where the ball is (forward), this will take time away from their opponent. Try to make the last few steps a little more on a diagonal to cut off...Read more

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria(s)?

By Steven Kaplan
Maria Sharapova is back and better than ever. She is practically unstoppable. With this year's U.S. Open behind us, it's now time for the "Maria Sharapova Image Rehabilitation Tour." Maria has a tell-all, say-nothing book about the profound difficulties of being a beautiful, wealthy, incredibly...Read more

Tip of the Week: Hit the Ball Towards Your Opponent to Set Up Hitting Away From Your Opponent

By Steve Annacone
The better the player, the more difficult it is to win the point by hitting the ball away from them. Sometimes hitting the ball right towards them is a great way to draw a weaker shot, which you can then direct away from them. It is often more difficult to get out of the way of the ball than it is...Read more

Tip of the Week: Timing Your Movement

By Steve Annacone
A very important, yet overlooked aspect of moving on the tennis court has to do with when to get your feet going and when to be stopped. Whenever you, your partner or your opponent are about to hit the ball (the forward swing is starting), your feet should be set. Using the split step just before...Read more

Tip of the Week: Adjust Your Position Up and Back

By Steve Annacone
It is much easier to move side to side on the court than up and back. Try to watch the ball coming off the racquet and the height over the net. If it comes off the racquet low with the face flat, immediately take a step or two forward even if it looks like the ball may go in the net. If the racquet...Read more

The 2017 TCS New York City Marathon Will Be My Upswing

By Patrick McEnroe
This has been the hardest year of my life. My brothers, John and Mark, and I lost both of our parents this year, including my mom, Katherine, to cancer less than a month ago. I’ve turned to running as a coping mechanism, which has proven to be very healthy for my mind. It gives me time to meditate...Read more

When the Competition Is the Enemy

By Steven Kaplan
The U.S. Open is about to bring the tennis world together into our backyard, but here on Long Island, the local tennis scene is anything but cohesive and it's worth a discussion. Self-promotion is a great way to grow your program, but sadly, I see many examples of some going too far with dishonest...Read more

Tip of the Week: Three or Four Regular Shots

By Steve Annacone
Hit three or four of your regular shots in a row on as many points as possible, and there is a good chance you will win the point. Most points last no longer than two hits each and this includes the serve and return of serve. Even at the professional level, a good serve or return of serve and a...Read more
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