Coaching

Since most points end after the serve (ace, service winner, missed return or double fault), it is extremely important to get your return of serve in play and force the server to hit another shot. Focusing on the basics will make this more likely and will also give you a chance to get the server in...Read more

I know the COVID-19 crisis is going to be resolved. It may take longer than we had hoped. This is a great time to practice tennis on your own. I had not hit a ball in the last three weeks until the other day. I took ten balls and a racquet to the court. After loosening up by doing a five-minute...Read more

Tennis is one of those unique sports in that for the majority of a junior’s competitive career, the only people who consistently watch them play are their parents. Unlike team sports where the coach is with the team at practice and matches, tennis coaches often coach their hour-long private lesson...Read more

“I made it to the final of my tournament last week!” “I got a baby puppy this week!” “My AP History class is killing me!” These are just a few of the phrases I hear on a weekly basis from students during lessons/programs, and it’s easy to assume they are being talkative or only desire attention...Read more

It’s obviously very helpful to hit a lot of tennis balls if you are trying to become the best player you can be. However, there are times when this is not possible. Doing some things at home can add a lot to your skills on the court. First, make sure you have a good and simple stretching and...Read more

As everyone knows, we are in the process of being taught a lesson on our ability to control certain things in our day to day lives. That being said, there are things we can do to help the situation even though there are uncontrollable aspects to the problem. Applying this to a tennis match, you can...Read more

As a coach, I counsel many families about how much tennis children should train at different ages and whether to cross-train in other sports and it’s a common question on my podcast, The Prodigy Maker Show. The bottom line is that every kid is different. Some can play tennis exclusively from the...Read more

If you are a doubles player, you and your partner have had this conversation before: who plays which side? 75 percent of players prefer their forehand, so if they play on the deuce side, they can rip the forehand return of serve cross court. But if they play on the ad side, they have the forehand...Read more

About two years ago I went to watch one of my students play a USTA Eastern Section tournament. It was a 12U event, his opponent was a nice little player and it was a close match. However, I noticed right away that the kid kept looking at his watch before and after every point; it looked strange. It...Read more

One of the most important concepts a tennis player will learn is to take control of the point . Obviously, we cannot control everything that goes on in a tennis match. However, if you are able to control the point more often than your opponent, your chances of success greatly increase. Controlling...Read more