It is normal to be nervous before a tennis match. The key to dealing with the nerves that you feel on the court is to focus on one or two simple thoughts. If there are too many things going through your head, the chaos that is moving through your mind will show up in…
I have written about this in the past but because it is so important, here it is again: Tennis matches can be an emotional rollercoaster. You hit a great shot and win an important point, and then lose three points in a row to be down love 40 in the next game. It is…
I have stated many times that if there were one way to do anything in tennis, all of the players would look the same. They do not. For instance, many of the players who have great forehands look very different when hitting their shots. Closed stance, open stance, western, semi-western, or eastern grips, follow…
Tennis players would benefit greatly by following the idea that each time you step on the court, things will be different. It is extremely unusual for matches to happen exactly the way they happened last time. The conditions can vary, the court surface can be different, the players can feel different, and things can…
It is so important to understand how your mind and body work together when you are playing a match. If you can remind yourself of something that will help your body correct the mistake that just happened, you will avoid making the same errors over and over again. My advice is to adjust where…
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…
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 to the lack…
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…
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 difficulty…
Watching tennis is a highly underrated way of learning the game. Each player has their own unique style and no one hits the ball exactly the same way. Developing your own shots and adjusting your technique are important learning tools that can help you become a better player. One of the best ways to…