April 1, 2017
Down 3-1 in the fifth set in Melbourne…he escapes and beats the ultra warrior Nadal. Trailing Berdych in the third set tiebreaker in Miami…he finds a way. Kyrgios is leading 3-1 in the deciding tiebreaker in the semis…Roger Houdini again comes out on top. The guy is from another planet. Enjoy it while you can […]
March 31, 2017
If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality. Norman Cousins
March 31, 2017
The commentators were discussing what separates the top four players from the next tier of up and coming stars like Kyrgios and Zverev. One comment was telling. It had nothing to do with serve, ground strokes, or ability to cover the court. The two players noted above excel in all of these areas and more. […]
March 26, 2017
“Once you find that peace, that place of peace and quiet, harmony and confidence, that’s when you start playing your best.” Roger Federer 18 Time Grand Champion Baryshnikov in Black
March 24, 2017
My best tennis happens when: * I limit distractions on the way to the match. Driving slowly, I breathe deeply and enjoy the quiet with no radio or cell phone. I feel relaxed and confident knowing I can sustain this feeling of positive expectancy when the match begins. * I begin the warmup with a […]
March 18, 2017
Gwyn is a 4.0 league player who loves playing singles for her USTA team. She’s a step or three slower than the twenty somethings recruited by many teams to play their singles spots. Recently, Gwyn learned that she has been referred to as a ‘pusher,’ and was stung by the comment. The term has been […]
March 17, 2017
Heidi worked really hard in her lesson this morning. Evidently, she was inspired having just returned from a week at The BNP Paribas Open. Impressive to her was the doubles play of Martina Hingis and the quickness exhibited by all of the singles players. Heidi is a former dancer so exposing her to ideas relating […]
March 15, 2017
The great Rod Laver was seated in the front row tonight as Roger Federer played Rafa Nadal. It was their first meeting since their epic five set marathon at The Australian Open. Late in the first set, the camera panned to Laver who was just smiling and shaking his head. What he, and the rest […]
March 14, 2017
Remember this name…Kayla Day. The lefty is 5 ft. 8 in. and hails from Santa Barbara, California. The seventeen year old was ranked 175 in the world coming into The BNP Paribas Open. She defeated Australian Open semi finalist Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the first round and played valiantly in a three set loss to former […]
March 12, 2017
The split step. Call it an air hop if you prefer. But don’t underestimate its importance in helping you play your best tennis. It has been around since tennis was invented and players realized they could get a jump on the ball if they timed it just right. If you google Bryan Brothers Volley warmup, […]
March 11, 2017
Should my youngster learn a one handed backhand volley even though most of the ones I see from the pros are ‘big swing’ two handed slug volleys? If you can get your kiddos’ opponents to sign an agreement that they will present her with only high volleys, then she does not need a one handed […]
March 10, 2017
Call it a ‘gravity’ step…a drop step, or a sprinter step whichever you like. This is how tennis pros get to drop shots when it looks like they have no chance. What are the components? A foot drops to the rear which moves the center of balance forward. The significant other arm drops off the […]
March 9, 2017
The fans at The BNP Paribas Open were subjected to another spiritless match today by Australian Bernard Tomic pictured above. Bjorn Frantangelo had to be wondering what planet his opponent is really from. The score was 6-2, 6-2 and the effort by Tomic was a disgrace. It was similar to that of The NBA All […]
March 9, 2017
What’s a simple way to improve your return of serve? Watch closely The BNP Masters tournament for the next ten days. Notice the message being sent by all of the best receivers. Their look is one that shouts ‘I mean business!’ Thomas Berdych knows that anything less than this energetic state of readiness will not […]
March 7, 2017
The reasons for hitting up the middle in doubles are many. Watch a pro doubles match on TV and it’s easy…like this picture, to see the confusion this creates. You really cannot be criticized for playing this shot. Some other considerations are that the net is lowest in the middle, your opponents will rarely angle […]
March 4, 2017
The tennis world awaits the return of Maria Sharapova who will be back on court this spring at The Madrid Masters tournament. The collective hope of tennis fans is that during her fifteen month ‘vacation’ she has toned down her screaming at contact. If not, there’s always the mute button which has proven to be […]
March 2, 2017
Who could fault Jimmy for his aggressiveness in going all out on this volley? As former American Idol judge Randy Jackson would say, ‘Dawg,you are surely in it to win it!’ If you examine this photo closely, you’ll understand why a very young cowboy cautions players not to play high volleys too far in front. […]
February 26, 2017
A sincere handshake after the match is a time honored tradition in tennis. It’s the chance for one to say…’nice match, you were just too good today.’ The winner honors the effort and sportsmanship of the opponent and they head to the patio for drinks and snacks. Here’s hoping your adult league and tournament matches […]
February 25, 2017
Mikhail Youzhny was not struck by a backhand bullet from Nicholas Almagro. No, this wound was self inflicted. The lesson…before hitting yourself in the head repeatedly with the strings of your racquet, remember Billie a Jean King’s advice. Say the word ‘next’ so you let the last point go and focus on what’s important. Wise […]
February 16, 2017
There have been many players in tennis who have looked effortless on court. Miloslav Mecir (The Big Cat) was a top ten player twenty years ago and made it look so easy. Google him if you’d like to see poetry in motion. It’s been said that Mr. Federer’s footwork is so graceful that it’s like […]
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