Tip of the Week: Hit the Shot to the Opening-and Cover the Opening

By Steve Annacone
Most players try to win the point by making their opponent run. Hitting the ball to the opening is a very basic, yet successful idea against most players. Pay attention to your opponent's position-whichever side they are on in singles, try to hit the ball to the other side-keep repeating this...Read more

Tip of the Week: Recover and Anticipate

By Steve Annacone
Most players focus on running to the ball quickly when practicing movement. Being a fast runner is helpful on the court. However, recovering and anticipating the next shot will be much more effective than relying on your speed running to the ball. Immediately after the follow through, you should...Read more

Tip of the Week: Serving Thoughts for Better Results in Matches

By Steve Annacone
Most players know that the toss is the most important part of the serve. They understand that a smooth, consistent motion using your shoulder turn, legs, and arm together will give you the best result with the least amount of effort. However, knowing these things and getting them to happen in a...Read more

Tip of the Week: Follow the Ball at the Net

By Steve Annacone
Coming to the net these days is definitely a challenge. Most players do not have the technique and/or experience at the net to be successful. Improvement in these areas will take quite a bit of time and practice. However, there is a simple idea that can help your volleying and make it tougher on...Read more

Tip of the Week: Key Technique Idea for the Volley

By Steve Annacone
The most important technique idea on every shot is to watch the ball closely and make contact in the center of the strings. This is even more important on the volley as you are not swinging the racquet much. Watch Federer and Nadal-as the ball is contacting the strings, they are still very focused...Read more

Brought to Tears

By Steven Kaplan
Imaging playing great to get to the finals of the biggest stage in tennis. Here is your chance for immortality, your shot at striking out Babe Ruth or slamming on Michael Jordan and you get flattened over by a runaway freight train. You might just cry. Marin Cilic did and who can blame him? The...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use an Image and a Thought to Play the Ideal Point

By Steve Annacone
Keep a mental note of the point you would like to play in your head. Picture what that point is like-good serve, good crosscourt first shot and a ball hit early from inside the baseline to get the opponent in trouble or win the point. Remind yourself before the point starts what you want the point...Read more

Tip of the Week: Keep it Simple

By Steve Annacone
The more advanced the player, the more complicated our strategy seems to get. Sometimes you have to go backward to go forward. Return to the basic ideas that allowed you to improve to your current level-watch the ball, move your feet, follow through consistently, use crosscourts to set up down the...Read more

Rank Out

By Steven Kaplan
How would the best male tennis player do against the best female tennis player? The man would win. What if the man were pregnant and the woman had the superpowers of Jessica Jones? The woman would win. What if the man were ranked better than 700th in the world and he played Serena Williams? The man...Read more

Tip of the Week: Early Direction

By Steve Annacone
Many errors occur in tennis because the player makes contact with the ball late. Try hitting all balls in the early direction. When playing doubles, if you are hitting to the inside out direction (deuce side backhand for a right hander, ad side forehand for a right hander), hit the ball towards the...Read more

Tip of the Week: Get to the Ball in the Optimum Position

By Steve Annacone
The goal of your footwork should be to get yourself in a position to take a normal swing at the ball as often as possible. This means getting to the ball early enough so that you are making contact at the peak of the bounce and/or in between waist height and shoulder height whenever you can. If the...Read more

The Gambler and the GOAT of Roland Garros

By Steven Kaplan
The two big stories at this year's French Open are the coming out party of Jelena Ostapenko and the total domination of the men's field by Rafa Nadal. The 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko did more than just fill a void at the top level of women's tennis. She played with the heart of a champion and the...Read more
more articles