Tennis is a very complicated sport which makes it difficult to put your finger on the ideas that will help in a match. My best results as a coach and a player have come when I have simplified my thoughts. The most basic and helpful thought I have used is to watch the ball,…
While most sports recognize the importance of a cohesive coaching team, tennis culture maintains that multiple coaches will confuse and bewilder the fragile psyche of students. It’s the height of irony to protect players from the perils of diverse ideas while seeking to teach them to become master problem solvers in a complex game. An amusing analogy against…
I recently gave a group lesson to four kids. There was a five-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy, and a couple of two-year-old boys. The lesson was an hour long. I was a little skeptical about whether I could make the situation work, especially since I was unaware that I would be teaching four kids…
It’s a common question parents ask: “Should my kid play up?” The correct answer depends on the kid and depends on the situation. Over the years, I have studied with many different legendary coaches, who have differing views on the subject. Curiously, it seems the coaching world is a divided house on this issue….
Each time you hit a shot, you must recover. The “old school” idea is to get back to the middle of the court. However, in modern tennis you are better off thinking that you are going to move in the direction of the open court as soon as you are finished with your follow…
As a tennis professional and coach, I have given my students many specific ideas designed to improve the chances of a positive outcome in their matches. I’m sure your pro or coach has given you the “get your first serve in” advice. Another common idea a coach may communicate is to limit your unforced…
As a coach, I am constantly trying to get my students more interested and excited about playing tennis. This is not an easy task. Tennis is a very difficult sport with many ups and downs. There is no greater feeling than walking off the court after winning a match, but when a loss occurs,…
There are three different errors that you can make on the tennis court. You can hit your shot too deep, too wide, or you can hit the ball in the net. Hitting the ball in the net is the only error that absolutely gives you no chance of winning the point. The other two…
There is not one specific coach for all players. Every player is different and will respond to instruction in their own unique way. A good coach can figure out what type of player and personality they are dealing with and make adjustments to their approach accordingly. Some players need to be given very specific…
Hitting volleys on the tennis court these days is definitely challenging. The balls are going faster with more spin, and it is difficult to get into a good position at the net. I have always been a big advocate of hitting volleys with an angle. The easiest way to do this is to hit…