Tennis Elbow

By Steven Kaplan
Newsday.com just published an article entitled "Get to Know 11 Home Remedies for Tennis Elbow," and it is likely advice that you already know like "ice the area," take aspirin," "use compression," and "rest." Tennis elbow or "Epicondylitis" is a painful condition that can cause pain, swelling and...Read more

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

By Steven Kaplan
I have a natural skepticism of many things, and two of my personal favorites are the social crusades of celebrities and tennis politics. When these forces mix, the results can range from the sublime to the ridiculous. The watershed moment between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of...Read more

Leander Who?

By Steven Kaplan
He is the holder of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and recently became the oldest Grand Slam winner at the age of 40. Pete Sampras had a losing record against him in singles too. He has old school volleys in the age of power with great precision, a deft feel, uncanny anticipation and incredibly quick...Read more

Points for Play

By Steven Kaplan
The Internet is abuzz about the USTA considering ranking points for high school tennis matches. The talk is that this will encourage top players to join the school team. It won't. Instead, it's a way for the USTA to boast membership numbers. Here's why ... Top players usually choose to focus their...Read more

Equal Play for Equal Pay

By Steven Kaplan
Stacy Allaster, head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) , just announced that the WTA player's are "ready and willing" to play five sets at Grand Slams. "All you have to do is ask us." The ongoing debate over the match format was heightened by Andy Murray, as well as by French player Gilles...Read more

A Great Dual

By Steven Kaplan
Rafael Nadal won his 13th Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open over Novak Djokovic last Monday and is now just four Grand Slams behind Roger Federer and catching up fast. While the speed and power of the game was astounding, it was equaled by something very special. I have never seen a level of...Read more

Billie Jean King and the Battle of the Sexes

By Steven Kaplan
Forty years after Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes," new reports have surfaced that the match was fixed and Riggs tanked it to pay off mob debts. This is a plausible story as it was just an exhibition match, albeit a landmark event. I say, who cares how that match was...Read more

The Practice Diaries

By Steven Kaplan
When dieters keep a log of everything consumed for a week or two, they are often surprised at how many empty calories appear. Try keeping a tennis training diary and be highly detailed. You might not be optimizing your time. I'll bet most junior players, even those spending long hours on the court...Read more

Talk of His Demise Might be a Little Premature

By Steven Kaplan
It was just a short time ago that Roger Federer was the number one player in the world. Today, many tennis experts have said his days look numbered, and they could be right in saying that the best player to ever swing a racket is slowing down. His best chance for one more Slam is this year's...Read more

Membership Has Its Rewards

By Steven Kaplan
The most exclusive achievement in Men's professional tennis is membership in the career Grand Slam club. Just five players in the modern era, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have won the Australian, French, U.S. Opens and Wimbledon in their career. The likes of...Read more

Splitting Headaches

By Steven Kaplan
While much has been written about split steps as magical movements unique to tennis, split steps in functional performance are just another way to describe simple " stops and cuts." More specifically, split steps are the transition movements from linear or straight acceleration to multidirectional...Read more

Happiness is a Fuzzy Yellow Ball

By Steven Kaplan
While it's not news to hear that tremendous focus and attentiveness to detail helps you play better tennis, it is a little surprising to learn that it also makes you happier. Recently, a fascinating study at Harvard University found that people are most happy when they are fully engaged in...Read more
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