As the number one junior player in Canada on my way to joining Florida’s Flagler College tennis team, which had just won the National Championship, I was full of excitement and expectations. College matches are comprised of both singles and doubles matches with the same players eligible for both matches. I was shocked and…
Most players have specific serves they use when the match gets close or if it is an important point. A lot of lefthanders tend to hit their serve wide to the ad side with slice. Many right handers with a good kick serve tend to hit their serve wide to the ad side as…
Tennis is a very complicated sport which makes it difficult to put your finger on the ideas that will help in a match. My best results as a coach and a player have come when I have simplified my thoughts. The most basic and helpful thought I have used is to watch the ball,…
For many parents today, selecting the right coach is a huge and crucial decision with numerous considerations. The real key component to ask is regarding the amount of ‘care’ that the coach offers your child. Care encompasses so many key factors such as creating a dynamic environment, technical knowledge, communicational skills and, of course,…
I recently gave a group lesson to four kids. There was a five-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy, and a couple of two-year-old boys. The lesson was an hour long. I was a little skeptical about whether I could make the situation work, especially since I was unaware that I would be teaching four kids…
It’s a common question parents ask: “Should my kid play up?” The correct answer depends on the kid and depends on the situation. Over the years, I have studied with many different legendary coaches, who have differing views on the subject. Curiously, it seems the coaching world is a divided house on this issue….
Each time you hit a shot, you must recover. The “old school” idea is to get back to the middle of the court. However, in modern tennis you are better off thinking that you are going to move in the direction of the open court as soon as you are finished with your follow…
As a tennis professional and coach, I have given my students many specific ideas designed to improve the chances of a positive outcome in their matches. I’m sure your pro or coach has given you the “get your first serve in” advice. Another common idea a coach may communicate is to limit your unforced…
As a coach, I am constantly trying to get my students more interested and excited about playing tennis. This is not an easy task. Tennis is a very difficult sport with many ups and downs. There is no greater feeling than walking off the court after winning a match, but when a loss occurs,…
There are three different errors that you can make on the tennis court. You can hit your shot too deep, too wide, or you can hit the ball in the net. Hitting the ball in the net is the only error that absolutely gives you no chance of winning the point. The other two…