Let’s begin with a scene—perhaps drawn from memory, perhaps imagined. A 13-year-old has just lost a match, 6–1, 6–0. He walks off the court smiling, his racket bag slung over his shoulder. His coach stands stone-faced. His parent looks away. The scoreboard told one story. The child’s spirit seemed to tell another. This moment, seemingly…
The conservation of angular momentum means that in a spinning object not acted upon by an external force, the momentum will remain unchanged. So if we reduce the radius of movement, the object will compensate to retain its momentum by spinning faster so that its net torque remains zero. If we flex our elbows, our…
Anxiety is a tough opponent. It doesn’t hit forehands or serve aces, but it can derail even the most talented tennis players. Whether it’s pre-match nerves, fear of failure, or the pressure to perform in front of coaches and peers, anxiety is a real mental hurdle. Fortunately, today’s players have more tools than ever to…
I have been playing tennis for almost 57 years. It is still a baffling sport. I never really played golf as a kid but started attempting to in my 20s, and I’m here to tell you, it is even crazier than tennis. Why is it so difficult to hit a golf ball that is just…
With twenty Grand Slam titles and a career that defined elegance and longevity, Roger Federer is widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time—not just for his results, but also for his approach to the game. His skill, curiosity, and balance have set him apart for over two decades. The Fence, the Fun, and…
I heard a well-known coach say, “We have to remember that many great coaches say things very wrong in terms of sports science, but it’s how they communicate and motivate that makes them great. The more I learn about sport science, the more this is apparent to me. Just see them as great artists, not…
Sometimes when tennis coaches talk too long they sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher. Of course I’m probably guilty of this at times also but to drive home my point, I’ll find myself using these tidbits. You are in battle and your forehand is the sword and your backhand is the shield. Like some of the…
This season I started teaching a four-year-old boy named Gavin. A private lesson for an entire hour is too long, but that’s what we have been doing. It was supposed to be a half hour session for him, and then a half hour lesson for his mom, who I have been playing with for a…
I read the other day that it all starts with, “An attitude to train harder, harder and even harder.” It doesn’t. Tennis effort is like driving in the snow. With too little effort we go nowhere; with too much effort we spin our wheels and dig ourselves into a rut. It’s the delicate balance of…
It is extremely important to watch the ball all the way from your opponent’s racquet contacting the ball, through your strings contacting the ball. After you hit your shot, shift the focus to what your opponent is doing-watch them. If they are on the run, pushed back or having to react very quickly to your…