Tip of the Week: Return of the All-Court Player

By Steve Annacone
After Pete Sampras won the U.S. Open in 2002, the game of tennis had evolved into more baseline play and less movement towards the net. However, that has begun to change, and I believe that the recent success of Carlos Alcaraz will be the catalyst to turn things back in the direction of the...Read more

Tip of the Week: Keep Hitting Your Shot, Even When You Miss

By Steve Annacone
Confidence is a big factor when you are playing a match. We have all seen players at the professional level suddenly have problems making a specific shot after an error. Often, the serve seems to be the most common trouble area. However, your forehand, backhand, volley or overhead can all succumb...Read more

Tip of the Week: Carrying Yourself Well on the Court

By Steve Annacone
Things are not always going to go right on the tennis court. Even so, it is a great idea to tell yourself something positive between points or just before starting a point. Phrases like “let’s go”, “you’ve got this”, “come on”, “yes” are all good, short positive self talk ideas. If you make an...Read more

Tip of the Week: It's All Mental

By Steve Annacone
Tennis is a multifaceted sport. Putting everything together is not easy. Once you get to be a good striker of the ball and understand the combinations of shots that can help win the point, the outcome of the match basically comes down to the mental aspect. The best players are great at experiencing...Read more

Tip of the Week: Playing Novak Djokovic

By Steve Annacone
It is hard to argue against Novak Djokovic being the best player of all time. His accomplishments are amazing and at 35-years-old, he is once again the No. 1 player in the world. Rafa and Roger are right there as well, but Novak seems the strongest and is most likely to continue adding to his...Read more

Tip of the Week: Like Rafa, Play Every Point the Best You Can

By Steve Annacone
It is hard to believe that Rafael Nadal can continue to have the success he has had over the past 20 or so years. The style of tennis that he plays takes its toll on both the body and the mind. There are not many "free points" and winning the point usually involves a lot of moving and running. The...Read more

Tip of the Week: Focus on Reacting to the Direction of the Ball

By Steve Annacone
Being able to run fast on the tennis court is helpful, but many of us are never going to be able to "run fast". Paying more attention to reacting quickly to the direction that your opponent has just hit the ball, will help give you a better chance to get there and have a good swing at it. Try...Read more

Tip of the Week: Be a Student of the Game

By Steve Annacone
There are so many resources available these days to help you improve your tennis game. Lessons, clinics, and practicing with other players are all good ways to continue to get better. However, watching other players hit or compete can also be very helpful. There is unlimited video available on the...Read more

Tip of the Week: Put Your Training and Match Play Together

By Steve Annacone
Many players just don't understand why they play so differently in an actual match compared to what they do in practice. One of the problems is that it is extremely difficult to simulate an actual match situation in practice. Some small adjustments to your practice may help this. Try doing your...Read more

Tip of the Week: Make a Note of the Points You Win and Do It Again

By Steve Annacone
It seems obvious that we should try to repeat a successful point in a tennis match. In the heat of the match, this might not be the first thought that comes to mind. Often, our tendency is to panic or worry about the points that we lose. We try to prevent those from happening again. It is much more...Read more

Tip of the Week: Learn From Nick

Nick Bollettieri speaks to a group of kids and tennis players at the 2019 New York Tennis Expo.
By Steve Annacone
Nick Bollettieri was the most successful tennis coach in the history of the sport. He was not always a fan favorite; he wasn't trying to win a popularity contest. He often did and said things that people on the outside did not like or disagreed with. However, the players he coached understood what...Read more

Tip of the Week: Practice Your Technical, Physical, Tactical and Mental Skills

By Steve Annacone
There are so many different areas of focus when trying to develop a great tennis player, and this is true for improving at all levels of the game. Technical, physical, tactical, and mental skills are all a part of the game of tennis and should be focused on when practicing and training. Technical...Read more