Analyzing matches of tennis professionals is a great way to improve your coaching.

The key though is to know what to look for.

I often see tennis drills and practices done in a way that does not really resemble real match situations.

Sure, there are parts of tennis training where you need to do that – for example changing technique or stabilization of the stroke or just working on a specific playing pattern.

But in my view really difficult situations in tennis are not trained enough – and that’s why the players don’t play well when they are pushed out of their comfort zone. (more…)

One of the main reasons why you lose games and eventually matches is because you don’t give 100% of effort all the time.

You may feel down, frustrated or disappointed (you’re in a low activation state) or you may feel angry, upset or nervous (you’re in a high activation state). In either case, you’re not giving 100% of effort at that moment.

You may also feel somewhat tired and your body’s natural response is to save energy. If you’re not mentally strong enough to overcome those impulses, you’re again not giving 100% of effort. (more…)

I have a more general question and is related to training. As is obvious Europeans, in particular Eastern Europeans, have been excelling far greater over the years than Americans.

How are these younger players, in particular young girls, training? Are they working on either physical training 2/wk, and on their tennis skills 3/wk, or are they training on tennis every day?

Also do you have any suggestions for training a G12? Currently, we balance out my daughter by receiving lessons only 2/wk for an hour, so she can do other activities like girl scouts and soccer.

I have heard on serious tournament players are working everyday. We are realistic on our daughter’s tennis ability and only want to give her the tools she needs to be the best that she can be.

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Hello, I have been playing tennis on and off for a few years, but now I want to start playing with more decision.

My goal is to win a “class 4″ category in Italy this summer. I have already written down all the dates and I have been practicing every day.

I still have not found a coach with whom I really get along with. Don’t you think that a coach should help his student to “think big” rather than just “being realistic”?

Yesterday I asked my coach what I have to do to win a class 4 tournament. He told me that to win a class 4 tournament you have to be a 4.1 or 4.2 ranked.

I am not even ranked because I have never played any tournaments. In everything I do I think big.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

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My son is fourteen years old, and he plays a lot of tournaments. He does o.k.

He does great at practice, but at tournaments he gets angry, or just tries to hit too hard and win all the time.

I have tried to talk to him many times, telling him to play smarter – he does all the hard work at practice and training and cannot play the best he can at tournaments.

Do you have any ideas for me? Thanks

Here’s where we adults get stuck with teenagers:

a) We want to change them – we want them to behave differently.

b) We don’t want them to suffer.

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I often talk with tennis parents about their children and how they want to find the best coach for them.

But so many times the parents have no clue what makes a good tennis coach.

Most of the times they rely either on:

• word of mouth
• past successes of the coach (his name)
• how she looks and behaves (nicely dressed, working hard on court)
• where the coach works (if she works in a tennis academy or this prestigious club THEN she must be good)

All these factors are too superficial and can be very deceiving in your judgment and choice of a good tennis coach.

Here are 5 factors you need to check with your potential tennis coach to determine whether he is the right choice for your child: (more…)