One of the many benefits of lecturing is that one always learns a great deal in the process. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to be invited by Long Island Tennis Magazine to participate in a panel discussion at the New York Tennis. The topic was “Taking Your Game to the Next Level,”…
Every serious athlete is familiar with the gym and all its equipment. There are treadmills, stair masters, elliptical machines, medicine balls, punching bags, dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells, balance machines, TRX rooms and much more. You work out every day, you get stronger, and naturally, you play better. This is obvious. So where on Earth is…
It was Tuesday night, the 19th of September in 1973, exactly 44 years ago when I sat in front of the TV and watched Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in a tennis match called the “Battle of the Sexes.” Fast-forward to 2017, and Billie Jean is walking the red carpet in New York…
On a flight returning from Portugal this past June, I was with 24 varsity collegiate players from the Oneonta State Tennis program. I had eight hours with my thoughts on a transatlantic journey from Lisbon to New York. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play some team exhibitions in Europe and…
Some days, you are in the zone, experiencing a state of flow. Time stops, while dopamine courses through your veins. And other days, you can’t get out of your own way. No flow. No dopamine. But it’s the same frustration. Same court. Same racket. Same opponent. Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep. Maybe you had…
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…
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,…
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…
We have all seen “It,” either as a player, coach or fan. The “It” I am referring to is a player in the throes of a slump. Maybe “It” is a tournament winless streak like Novak Djokovic is currently experiencing due to what he calls “personal issues.” Or maybe “It” is missing the last six…
I’m writing from the terrace of the players’ lounge at the Indian Wells event, where the view is incredible, and the desert mountains in the background resemble a postcard. Fernando Verdasco just finished his match, as the hot temperature reached its peak around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a tough loss … Fernando couldn’t handle…