Coaching

There is no one "best" way to play tennis. Some players win by keeping the ball in play and running down as many shots as possible. Others have big weapons like their serve or forehand, and can use those shots to get their opponent in trouble or win the point. There are players who are capable of...Read more

I have always thought my math skills were pretty good. My grades in every math related class I ever took were A's; except for geometry (C). Ironically, one of the best things I do on the tennis court is to use angles to win the point…weird. Tennis is really all about math. If you can make a high...Read more

“Necesito el ritmo,”—“I need (the) rhythm”—is a common phrase heard on the tennis court in Spain, both from players and coaches. Rhythm, cadence, timing, and control are essential aspects of the Spanish style of training. What is rhythm and why is it important in Spain? How do you achieve good...Read more

Tennis professionals and coaches all have their own way of communicating. However, there are many words of wisdom coming from your instructors that have been repeated so many times, they get taken for granted and are often overlooked in a match situation. These can be your most helpful ideas out on...Read more

This summer, Glen Oaks Country Club will have a new Director of Tennis, as Ricky Becker will now be in charge of the club’s tennis events and programming. Becker is a Long Island native who has been involved with the tennis scene here for decades. Growing up on Long Island, Becker was one of the...Read more

Tennis has changed. The balls are traveling much faster than ever before. Even at the club level, it is difficult to sustain a longer rally due to the lack of time in between shots. This change means that players need to be able to hit their shots from many different positions on the court. Even...Read more

Sometimes stating the obvious doesn’t seem as important as some complicated strategy or game plan that the experts promote. In Brad Gilbert’s Winning Ugly , he basically encourages the player to make shots, especially at the beginning of the match. Most players are not at 100 percent mentally or...Read more

Effective coaches use words strategically so that their message has the greatest positive impact and throughout my career, I have looked to find a better cue or phrase to coach with clarity. Sometimes the improvements that I have found are subtle yet they can be meaningful. I've developed a better...Read more

There are usually a couple of days each year that you go out to play a tennis match and everything works well—your movement is great, your shots feel solid and your strategy is working to perfection. When you play a match on any other day, it is important to learn how to compete so that you give...Read more

One of the most difficult things you will encounter on the tennis court is the interference that your mind inadvertently causes when the match gets close. The best players in the world seem to be able to overcome this by reminding themselves of the successes they have had, and letting habit and...Read more