I recently had the pleasure of hosting legendary coach Nick Bollettieri as the featured speaker at my annual High School Coaches Clinic. Nick is an engaging speaker and his record of elevating the most gifted athletes to great heights is unmatched. Nick Bollettieri, like all great messengers, is inspirational and an extraordinary leader. Leadership…
The following are six easy steps to get you ready for the upcoming outdoor season … 1. Play the baseline: When we play on clay, we normally entrench ourselves way behind the baseline to play high balls and try to force the opponent’s mistake, since the court slows down the ball. On a hard court,…
Who cried after losing an insignificant match? I did, your honor … guilty as charged! I remember it as if it were yesterday. I had just lost a match in a junior team event. It was a match between two local clubs separated by a mere five miles in an average-sized town in Southern Holland….
Before my year-long hiatus from contributing to Long Island Tennis Magazine, I published the following formula on junior tennis success. It goes like this … Ten percent of junior players walk onto the tennis court for the first time with clear-cut talent. If they really push themselves to the max and go for it,…
It’s always fun to sit on the dais with some of the great thinkers in the world of tennis. I was recently invited to participate in a panel discussion at this year’s New York Tennis Expo at NYCB LIVE. The panel consisted of Steve Johnson, the California-born powerhouse currently ranked 34th in the world;…
It’s important that players understand the importance, function and movements of the split-step. When you finally “get it,” tennis becomes a very different game. Split-steps link together movements and create a brief pause allowing players to make decisions, react efficiently, see where the ball is going and change direction quickly. Split-stepping is as important…
In order to be a top tennis player in today’s day and age, it’s imperative that you have a well-rounded training regimen that goes beyond simply practicing on the court. With that in mind, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) has begun hosting Sports Vision Workshops at its facilities, bringing in Dr. Anne Hanna…
I have been treating athletes for the last 20 years, and after all this time, I can conclude that their issues fall into one of the following two categories: They will fail either out of a fear of success or due growing self-doubt. In this article, let us explore the former issue, the so-called “Fear…
As USPTA tennis professionals, we are often asked questions about strategy. What shot should I use when this happens? When should I try this tactic? I have put together some tips to help singles players better understand how and when to use certain strokes in order to achieve the best tactical benefits. Each player…
Classic volleys are shots that have a specific spin and use short arm and hand movements paired with specific footwork. Spin amounts vary, racket work is short, contained and precise. Footwork is dancelike, using repetitive patterns which adapt to different tempos and situations. When racket work and footwork sync together, you’ll have an efficient,…