Play Tennis Like a Horse …

Jesse Owens, the great Olympic champion in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, was taught by his coach at Ohio State to run like a horse. What he meant was, look straight ahead when you run, with a singular purpose of getting to the finish line first. Just the way a horse runs.

Have you ever seen a horse looking to his side or behind him to see how the competition is doing? No, that is ridiculous. A horse just runs straight.

That’s the way we need to play tennis. No looking behind, thinking ahead, worrying about the outcome or anything like that. Keep your mind free, put on the blinders, play with a singular purpose and sprint to the finish line … just like a horse!

Centercourt
USTA NTC

January/February 2024 Digital Edition