Since most points end after the serve (ace, service winner, missed return or double fault), it is extremely important to get your return of serve in play and force the server to hit another shot. Focusing on the basics will make this more likely and will also give you a chance to get the…
I know the COVID-19 crisis is going to be resolved. It may take longer than we had hoped. This is a great time to practice tennis on your own. I had not hit a ball in the last three weeks until the other day. I took ten balls and a racquet to the court. After…
I have several emotional scars from being cheated during my junior tennis days. Even though I recently turned 50 (what?!), I can remember two situations like it was yesterday. On both occasions my opponent blatantly cheated me, and both times I did not handle it well. I turned into a hopeless mess and suffered…
“I made it to the final of my tournament last week!” “I got a baby puppy this week!” “My AP History class is killing me!” These are just a few of the phrases I hear on a weekly basis from students during lessons/programs, and it’s easy to assume they are being talkative or only…
It’s obviously very helpful to hit a lot of tennis balls if you are trying to become the best player you can be. However, there are times when this is not possible. Doing some things at home can add a lot to your skills on the court. First, make sure you have a good…
As everyone knows, we are in the process of being taught a lesson on our ability to control certain things in our day to day lives. That being said, there are things we can do to help the situation even though there are uncontrollable aspects to the problem. Applying this to a tennis match,…
As a coach, I counsel many families about how much tennis children should train at different ages and whether to cross-train in other sports and it’s a common question on my podcast, The Prodigy Maker Show. The bottom line is that every kid is different. Some can play tennis exclusively from the start while…
In 2013, my article “Get A Grip” examined why poor grips are often “correcting compensations for movement dysfunction” because they offset poorly linked movements. Today I’d like to explore grip changes. You may not want to read further unless you’re brave as grips are the mysterious enigmas of tennis shrouded by esoteric names like…
One of the most important concepts a tennis player will learn is to take control of the point. Obviously, we cannot control everything that goes on in a tennis match. However, if you are able to control the point more often than your opponent, your chances of success greatly increase. Controlling the point can…
One of the quickest ways to elevate your club doubles game is through proper positioning, strategy and tactics. Club members are often out of position and struggling to get to balls and marvel how advanced players seem to know where the ball is going before it is struck by the opponent. Anticipation is the…