The focus on juniors in competitive play and training is usually on singles. Singles is always the main attraction at every major televised tournament and brings with it the most prize money. Singles is at the heart of the spirit of tennis. It’s you against your opponent, one on one, the best you have against…
Let me go on record … I think every package of polyester string needs to come with this warning label due to improper usage by the general public. Is this a pretty bold statement? I believe so. Why is it a bold statement? In my opinion, the improper use of polyester string is responsible for…
Many parents have approached me over the years with questions about how early to start having their kids play tournaments and how often they should compete in them. Naturally, there are different views on the subject. The answer depends on how old the child is and how advanced a level player they are. With kids…
Tennis is about ‘singles’ and the world want it that way. This has made ‘doubles’ suffer in terms of spectator appeal. Many tournaments want ‘doubles’ out. It will not happen. The International Tennis Federation [ITF] sees it as a trend of an era. Doubles is great to watch and even nicer to play. Tennis singles…
The higher you are on the ability chart, the more you will be aware of how important your opposite hand and arm plays in hitting your strokes correctly. If you are just beginning or have only been playing a little while, you probably do not, but should. If you are in the intermediate levels, pay…
As a veteran teaching professional, the top two questions that I am asked about the serve are: “How do I get more power”? and “How do I fix my toss?” In the real world of the serve, the toss is the most misunderstood action. Players are so focused on striking the ball and the outcome…
If you are serious about any sport or activity, you’re going to have to work long and hard to get to the level you want to reach. Very often, the activity that was fun when you started can become more like a grind as your practice gets more intense. It doesn’t have to be this…
I would like to salute team captains of our league teams. From coast to coast, the largest demographic of passionate and competitive tennis players in the nation are the adult league players. The unsung hero in a no-win situation is the team captain. Whenever I meet a team captain, I never fail to get a…
Being a tennis coach necessitates a unique ability to connect with the player. Tennis is a game of skill, strength and strategy. As a coach, the challenge is to guide a player to perform their best in all of those aspects and then come back the next day reaching for more. As in any sport,…
Early in my coaching career, the following scenario would take place with me and my students repeatedly … I would work long and hard with a player and achieve a smooth, efficient stroke, only to see the shape of the swing fall apart when the player moved more than one step to the ball. I…