Tennis players, coaches, and observers often speak about finishing or closing out a match. Some players seem to have great success in this situation and others struggle. The players who handle this scenario best tend to play “their game” despite the pressure. This means approaching each point the way they do throughout the match…
Many players who are trying to improve their game go out on a daily basis and hit balls–literally, they just hit tennis balls. This type of practice can be helpful when trying to develop muscle memory, time and rhythm, and, basically, to groove your strokes. There is a place for this but if you…
A friend asked me recently what the difference is between the very best tennis players in the world and the players who are not quite at the top of the game. I believe the one attribute that separates the best from the rest is their ability to deal with adversity. These players keep the…
Simona Halep finally overcame her past problems in Grand Slam Finals and won the French Open. She has been the number one player in the world for some time (which seems a little crazy since she had not won a Grand Slam) but has had a difficult time with that last match in the…
I started playing tennis at 10-years-old. My brother Paul started when he was five. I think it helped Paul to start at an earlier age and his playing achievements far surpassed mine. However, that is not always the determining factor and it is important to approach each child on a case by case basis….
I have seen many tennis professionals and coaches feed balls from a basket to develop the correct technique or to work on a specific shot. Feeding the ball to a player can help them get in a groove and develop some consistency with the shot while executing proper technique. Unfortunately, you cannot count on…
With the French Open about to begin, it will help players to watch how the pros use their slide to cover the court and keep their balance. The best place to start when trying to improve your sliding technique is to do some practice movements with your racquet in hand but without hitting the…
One of the most difficult situations a player may face on the tennis court is what to do when your opponent is capable of hitting a large variety of shots. This includes changing the pace, different spins, different trajectories, and different depths of shot. Your goal should be to try to hit your regular…
Almost every player has a shot that can be exploited. Initially, most players’ forehands are stronger than their backhands. If you are not sure which side is weaker, try attacking their backhand first and see what the response is. It may be necessary to hit the ball to their stronger side initially to open…
Players have always had different service motions. If you put 10 players on the baseline at once and watch them hit a serve, you will see 10 different serves. There will be similarities and there will also be many things that the best servers have in common. The toss will be consistent, the shoulder…