I don't travel to tournaments as much as I used to earlier in my career, but I decided to journey with a terrific student to Virginia Beach to the Girls’ 16 Clay Court Super Nationals this past July. I was expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised at the performances of these top girls. Here…
Having respect for your sport is the most important requirement for becoming a good tennis player. The relationship between respect and value exists in every sport, but especially in individual sports like tennis. In fact, the amount of respect you have for your opponents, your coaches and yourself determines how much value you place on…
We all know that tennis is a game that requires an incredible amount of mental toughness, a test of wills and intelligence. Before continuing on with this article, I am going to make some very general assumptions and I realize that making these generalities opens up some opportunities for debate. I am not a doctor…
Nowadays tennis has evolved into a more powerful game than it used to be years ago. Lighter materials and more aerodynamic equipment allow players to hit the ball faster and with greater force. This results in a higher dependence on the players’ fitness level, thus, increasing the risk of injuries. In this article, I am…
The ineffable state known as “The Zone” is the Holy Grail of sports. Every athlete seeks it. Any athlete who has played in the zone remembers the ease, joy and satisfaction of finding this special place. The dictionary defines “The Zone” as “An area or stretch of land having a particular characteristic, purpose or use,…
Every athlete wants to achieve good results, but we have to be aware that good results don’t automatically happen because we spend hours and hours training on the court, in weight rooms or sharpening our mental training. The hours you spend have to be productive. In order to be productive, it’s important to stay focused…
As a tennis coach, I've seen my fair share of "Helicopter Parents," who nurture relentlessly and hover over their child's every move. They carefully watch each lesson, practice and match. Some are reinforcing messages, adding their own opinions and even contradicting the coaches’ information. While such behavior is timeless and widespread, it has accelerated in…
For the last few years, I have had the pleasure of working as the injury prevention coach of professional Spanish tennis player Lara Arruabarrena, currently ranked No. 64 on the WTA circuit. In a sport like tennis, being a talented player is not enough to make it to the top. Dedication, perseverance, and hard work…
We all walk onto the court wanting to win. The reality is, tennis involves winning and losing. It’s no secret that unless you are in the top five in the world, you will probably lose as much as you win. Even if you are in the top three, you will probably lose 20 percent of…
It has been an incredible year so far on the ATP Tour. There are many great up and coming players and a lot to look forward to the rest of the year. Obviously, the biggest story thus far is that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are once again near the top of the rankings and…