Coaching

There are several beautiful aspects to tennis. The graceful swings, the elegant clothes, and the trophy ceremonies at the end of a competition. Tennis is supposed to be a gentleman’s game, a sport of high culture and affluence, but it has an ugly side. This is a side we have all seen. People whine...Read more

Below is the text of my talk at the Second Annual New York Tennis Expo. It was a great day, with record-breaking attendance and a great time had by all. Many thanks to Long Island Tennis Magazine and New York Tennis Magazine for organizing an amazing event. Also, thank you to eight-year-old Taylor...Read more

I was stringing a tennis racquet for one of my clients when I noticed the letters “P.I.N.R.W.C.I.O.” handwritten on the white grip of the racquet. I instantly knew it was a reminder of some sorts, and was curious to find out what it stood for. “Pressure Is Not Real, We Create It Ourselves,” Tim Sr...Read more

I was recently working with a group of skilled tennis players at Sea Island and we were in game mode. These players were of different age and skill levels, but all were tournament players. A doubles game I like to play is what the Jensen Brothers call "Bump the Chump.” It is a number of variations...Read more

As parents, how many times have you asked your child, “How was your day?” The response is usually a one word answer, “Good!” Of course, this only leaves you wanting to hear more. Whenever I hear that response, I ask a follow-up question, “Huh, I see … ‘good’ can mean a lot of things to different...Read more

Question: Tonny … I am just not playing well today and don’t know why. In my ongoing quest to teach my students about one-on-one competition I have to deal with this statement all the time. My first response is always: “Compared to who?” The moment you are comparing yourself to an imaginary...Read more

Everyone wants to win. It’s much more fun than losing. But learning lessons from losing can be the key to turning the percentages in your favor. I once heard the saying: “There is no failure, there’s just feedback.” In other words, when we don’t succeed at a task, there’s always a reason. And if we...Read more

Anything that has been around for years probably has a pretty good story behind it. Well, Port Washington Tennis Academy (PWTA) has been around since 1966, and boy did I learn a thing or two recently about it. You probably know that they’ve had some great players pass through its doors in the past...Read more

If you have been following my columns, you should know by now that you have to advocate for yourself in life and on the tennis court. Recently at SUNY Oneonta where I serve as head tennis coach, I was asked to lecture on the topic of “Personal Responsibility and Making Change.” So let’s transform,...Read more

We love to hit with better players because we play better. It's a universal tennis experience and it's more than just ego and motivation that makes us feel this way. We hit harder, crisper and crush the ball effortlessly, while sparring with a bigger hitter. While you may take comfort in knowing...Read more