“In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.”Donny Miller

Technique – Technical/Mechanical Evaluation
Fitness - Physical Evaluation
Strategy – Tactical/Strategic Evaluation
Mind – Mental/Intellectual/Theoretical Evaluation

Evaluation of a Tennis match:
1. Placements
2. Patterns
3. Progressions
4. Shot Selection
5. Strategies
6. Analytics
7. Statistics
                          

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”- George Eliot

Basic Game plan (Back-up plan):

1. Rally heavy balls either to the centre of the court or play cross court.

2. Low risk – Low Reward & high percentage Tennis.

Basic Rally strategy:

You always wait for your opponent to either :

1. miss

2. hit the ball short or

3. change direction.

You can win every rally & every point if you don’t make an unforced error and if you can rally the ball deep into the court. The only way you lose a point in this situation is when your opponent plays exceptionally well, which is not possible for any opponent to keep doing it for all the points in the match.

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”- Samuel Beckett

Theoretical Tennis

Sports psychology is often quoted as being making the difference between someone who is good and someone who is a champion, giving you that little extra edge to put you ahead of your opponent.

All good sporting performances come from being well prepared, mentally as well as physically. To be the best requires you to use the skills that you have as effectively as possible.

Often athletes who are fit and talented do not achieve their best possible performances because they have not developed the necessary mental skills. Maybe their concentration lapses at vital moments; they lack motivation or find it hard to perform under pressure.

Sport psychology is about helping athletes tap into their potential and achieve the performances they dream about. Setting goals is an important starting point. All good athletes set goals and develop targets and plans to achieve their goals. Effective goal setting comes from making your goals positive, specific, actionable and flexible. The goals also need to focus on what is important, and involve short and long term goals. You have to focus.

“Insecurity comes from lack of fully understanding.”

Tennis Curriculum

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

  • Technical Curriculum
  • Fitness Curriculum
  • Tactical (Strategical) Curriculum
  • Mental (Mind) Modules

    “Behind a one second decision is one million seconds of practice.”

  • The Basics and foundation of learning a Tennis Stroke.
  • The importance of Efficiency – Probability – Consistency in Stroke Technique.
  • What is Unit Turn Theory?
  • What are the various Tools and weapons in Tennis.
  • What is Hitting zone and the contact point theory.
  • The significance of Kinetic chain and Body weight transfer.
  • What is the path of a Groundstroke.
  • The Theory of Shot selection.
  • Maintenance of Stroke Technique.
  • Biomechanics of each stroke progression.
  • How to improve RPM on the ball.
  • What are the different spins that a player can impart on the Ball while playing. Their advantages and disadvantages.
  • What are the attributes associated with the Tennis ball that a player should know?
  • What are moving parts in a Tennis stroke? What parts should move and what shouldn’t.
  • The Progression of Ball Travel after the ball is struck.
  • Path Dependency of a Tennis stroke.
  • The different Grip positions, their significance, advantages & disadvantages.
  • The different angles of the Racquet and Racquet face.
  • The importance of shadow practice.
  • The importance of Wall practice.
  • What is the Straight line Ball theory.
  • What are the components involved while hitting the ball.
  • The Importance of Kinesiology in Tennis.
  • The Theory of Ball path, timing of a Tennis stroke and its placement.
  • What is Muscle Tension and how to avoid/overcome it.
  • Tennis is a Rotational sport, Tennis is a Linear sport. What do you understand by this?
  • What are Constants and variables on a Tennis court.
  • Racquet positioning before hitting any Tennis stroke.
  • Long, smooth acceleration vs short, violent acceleration of the racquet.
  • How to Study a particular stroke in different situations – cross court, down the line, inside out, low ball, high ball.
  • How to self evaluate strengths and weaknesses.
  • First serve % and the progression of winning points on first serve.
  • Split step – the Solid base .
  • What are the different types of Tennis serves, their advantages and disadvantages and application scenarios?
  • The importance of Pronation in different Tennis strokes.
  • What are the priliminary movements and force producing movements in stroke production?

“Lets do what we love and do a lot of it.”- Marc Jacobs

  • The Significance of follow through.
  • Open stance vs closed stance position in stroke production.
  • Working hard vs working smart.
  • The prominence of Repetition in Tennis.
  • Serve and Volley masterclass.
  • The importance of approaching the net and transition game.
  • Which weapons will win you matches effortlessly.
  • How to be solid in different areas of the game.
  • Penetration shots vs Top spin shots.
  • How do you get penetration in your shots.
  • The importance and advantages of taking the ball early and in front of you.
  • How do you regain lost rhythm during a match.
  • What is the optimum height of meeting the ball for different Tennis strokes (Serve, groundstrokes, Approach shots, volley etc.)
  • Understanding stroke path, swing path and body path.
  • The importance of calf muscle in Tennis serves.
  • Loading, unloading and exploding of different muscles involved in Stroke Production.
  • How to Improve range of motion in your strokes.
  • Tennis serves and class of levers. Class 3-2-1 levers, Load effort fulcrum.
  • Top spin vs Forward spin vs side spin vs back spin.
  • Progression of Service motion.
  • The importance of focusing on the ball and contact point.
  • Wide serve vs Down the T vs Body serve. Advantages and Disadvantages and application scenarios (When, where and against which type of players).
  • How do you finish off a service motion.
  • The advantages of earning forehand on the first ball after serve.
  • How to win points faster when serving.
  • How do you calculate shot tolerance/Rally Tolerance and how to improve it.
  • What does leading with the elbow mean.
  • The importance of using body weight and gaining more efficiency and acceleration on serve.

“There is no way around the hardwork, embrace it.”- Roger Federer

  • Approaching the Net - Tips on Approach shots, first volley and overhead.
  • What does ‘Less is more’ strategy teach.
  • The Advantages and disadvantages of introducing change in the ball/game/strokes.
  • When should you lob, the advantages and disadvantages of lob.
  • The importance of being smooth and fluid.
  • What happens to the Tennis ball at the point of contact.
  • Drills to practice specific problems/weakness.
  • Single handed backhand vs Double handed backhand.
  • Wide stance serve vs closed stance serve.
  • Serve – Toss. Learning how to Toss the ball better.
  • Serve progression and the Trophy pose.
  • Understanding the tweener.
  • Understanding the dropshot.
  • Understanding court positioning in different situations.
  • Straight arm vs Elbow bent at the point of contact.
  • Understanding the Physics of Tennis.
  • Understanding the science of Tennis Coaching.

“Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”- J.J. Marine

We are all unpolished diamonds, we need to polish ourselves so much that the most precious diamond inside us comes out. Compare it to the number of hours of practice , that the stroke gets cleaner.

  • What are the 7 Fitness streams?
  • The importance of Fitness in Tennis and what kind of Fitness do you need at different levels of play.
  • Footwork – The base of any Tennis Stroke.
  • Momentum – Energy – Intensity and how are they related to each other.
  • The Significance of Agility.
  • The best way to warm up before practice/Match/ Tournaments.
  • The Significance of Flexibility and Mobility.
  • The importance of dynamic stability.
  • The importance of dynamic stretching.
  • The importance of Theraband exercises.

Sometimes things don’t go according to the plan, but we always have to fight and never give up.- Rafael Nadal

  • The significance of Strength and conditioning.
  • The Significance of Endurance in long Tennis matches.
  • How can you improve your speed getting to the ball? The prominence of Speed on the court.
  • How do you improve your athleticism on the court.
  • The importance of Body Balance.
  • The importance of weight training in the Gym.
  • How do you make a Fitness plan.
  • Diet plan for Tennis players.
  • How to deal with specific injuries in Tennis.

The harder you work, the luckier you get.- Samuel Goldwin

“Focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Nothing from the past can be changed. Its always one point at a time.”

Rule #1 – Keep the ball inside the court, style and speed come only if you obey Rule #1.

  • Risk vs Reward Relationship.
  • SWOT ( Strength-weakness-opportunity-threat ) Analysis.
  • What is Match Tempo.
  • PPP: Placements – Patterns – Progressions in Tennis.
  • ABCD game of Tennis – A game B game C game D game.
  • The ABC’s of a Tennis court.
  • The significant “7 Singles strategies”.
  • Gameplan – How to play different players.
  • What is Corrective methodology
  • Basic assumptions in Tennis.
  • What is 16 seconds cure?
  • How to start a Tennis match.
  • The ‘Expect Nothing’ Theory.
  • The ‘one-point at a time’ Theory.
  • Analyzing State level, National level, ITF and ATP Tournaments and what keeps getting better at each level among players.
  • What are point ending situations.
  • The only 2 ways to win a point in Tennis.
  • Basic Lesson: Learning how to compete better.
  • Basic Gameplan in Tennis – The Default plan to win any point/rally/game/match.
  • How to set practice goals: short term & long term.
  • The prominence of Aggressive consistency play.
  • How to control match tempo.
  • Relaxed balanced mindset – The ultimate winning secret. What does this mean.
  • The Basic Analytics, Statistics, Strategies in Tennis.

Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do. – Bruce Lee

  • The three modes of rally ball return: Aggressive – In play (neutral) – Defensive.
  • The Importance of Percentages in Tennis - Percentage of points, Percentage lines, Percentage posts.
  • The importance of focus and practicing on ‘one’ thing at a time.
  • How to dictate play in a Rally/Game/Match.
  • The concept of buying time in a point.
  • How to Breakdown any match into simpler parts.
  • What are the 4 ways to attack your opponent.
  • What is mistake management? How to learn from your mistakes.
  • How to study and analyze a live match on TV ?
  • What is the Primary target and secondary target in a rally.
  • What to look for in your opponents in the first 4 or 5 games and how to identify their weaknesses.
  • How to overcome panic mode during a match.
  • How to progress from D game to A game during bad days.
  • What are the different patterns in a Tennis match.
  • How to control mental aggression.
  • What are Green light points and what strategy do you need to apply for such points.
  • The three modes of rally ball return: Aggressive – In play (neutral) – Defensive.
  • How to study & identify strengths and weakness of opponents.
  • The importance of Rituals in Tennis.
  • The Magical ‘Refresh’ button in Tennis.
  • Best way to Recover after a long rally.
  • If you are not playing good, how can you play simple and smart.
  • Counter puncher, Pusher, Attacking player – Their characteristics.
  • How to gain control of the rally and the match.
  • Flashy game vs solid game.
  • Style vs Technique.

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces. – Will Rogers

  • The different Doubles strategies in Tennis.
  • Evaluation of the Easiest shot in Tennis vs the most difficult shot in Tennis.
  • Aggressive play vs Conservative play.
  • The significance of Chances, Opportunities & Calculated risks.
  • Keep it simple smart. How can you make the game easy for yourself and difficult for the opponent?
  • The most important thing to focus on – The present point.
  • Emotions vs strategy. Doing what the player wants to do vs doing what he needs to do.
  • The importance of Time sense in Tennis.
  • What is logical opening and how do you cover the logical opening?
  • ‘Mental fitness is directly proportional to physical fitness.’ How are they related.
  • Short Term memory vs Long Term memory – The importance of both in matches and which scenarios are each of them useful.
  • Winning strategy vs change. How are they related.
  • ‘Change’ and its effects on the game and style of play. Changing direction in rally, vs changing strategy.
  • Reactions and response, how to react and respond to various situations in Tennis.
  • Playing well, playing bad, and playing better than your opponent.
  • The Fight vs Flight mode.
  • In the zone, comfort zone, uncomfortable zone.
  • Strategy – Time & Distance relationship.
  • Strategy – We have to understand positively – at any given point of time, what is the most important thing to get done right now. To make progress faster.
  • Point play – Above all, know how to construct the point and take chances and calculated risks.
  • The advantages & disadvantages of getting self conscious. When should you and when should you not get self conscious. Self conscious vs sub-conscious.
  • The applications of conscious and sub-conscious mind in Tennis.
  • The strategies for the sub-consious mind and conscious mind.
  • When to think mechanically and when to think strategically.
  • How do you stabilize the mind and stay neutral in different situations.
  • How and when should you stop getting self conscious (mechanical reciting of the strokes).
  • Think about how you can dictate play.
  • Learning how to play different players.
  • How to handle losing in tournaments.

Tennis is all about winning more percentage of points. Figure a way to win more percentage of points. Every single point is important.

  • The basics of anticipation.
  • What is grinding game, physical game, and rally game.
  • Making the opponent run side to side vs wrong footing the opponent.
  • The concept of Percentage Tennis. (Winners, Forced errors and Unforced errors).
  • What are the best strategies to apply when your opponent approaches the net.
  • How to form a gameplan, assess opponents strengths and weakness.
  • Playing on your Terms & overcoming opponents playing terms. Your comfort & opponents discomfort. How do you achieve this.
  • How does the Score affect Strategy and emotions?
  • What is the best winning strategy in Tennis.

 The greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Confucius

  • The Progression of winning points on serve starting from Ace.
  • The importance of returning the ball deep.
  • Red –Yellow-Green – The Traffic light Tennis court.
  • What is Lendl grid on a Tennis court.
  • Offensive – Neutral – Defensive regions and positions on Tennis court.
  • How to use your toolbox and when to use your weapons.
  • How to indentify your weapons.
  • The importance of weapons in Tennis.
  • How can you compare your strokes to Firearms - understanding tennis strokes better.
  • Going for winner vs making your opponent play one more ball. Which is better.
  • The advantages of winning the first 2 points in the game.
  • Holding the Line. What does it mean.
  • Analysing favorite spots while serving.
  • Talent vs skill. How do they influence anyone’s game. Which one Prevails.
  • Strength vs Athleticism. Their relation and importance.

Always be a winner, stand for something, Always have class and be humble.

  • Mental Energy vs Physical Energy in Tennis – Attacker vs Counter puncher/Pusher.
  • When and how to pull the Trigger in a rally.
  • The importance of past – present – future in a match.
  • Selection between Topspin/Slice/Flat shot, when to use which shot.
  • The backhand cross court play and why is it so important.
  • Serve and Volley, Chip and Charge: Advantages and Disadvantages.
  • How to think positive while losing.
  • What is Hitting zone/ striking zone for any Tennis shot.
  • Backswing & Forward swing in a Tennis Stroke.
  • The most important assumptions in Tennis.
  • The best patterns to win in Tennis.
  • Best methodologies to follow in Tennis.
  • How to control thoughts and emotions in the game.

Two things define you, your patience when you have nothing and your attitude when you have everything.

  • The importance of adapting to comfortable grips.
  • What is the difference between a master and a beginner.
  • Building blocks in the game of Tennis – 30 days 30 Bricks. The 30 day game construction.
  • When opponent hit flat & when they hit heavy, how should you change your game.
  • How to overcome anxiety and gain confidence in a Tennis match.
  • During a match, how to level up your game and how to level down the opponents game.
  • What are the only 3 ways a player can make errors.
  • Statistics of a Tennis Match - Which points and how many points do you have to win in a match to secure victory. Do you have to win all the points?
  • Points winning percentage vs match winning percentage – Their relation and statistics.
  • Best place on the court to hit a passing shot.

Sometimes by losing a battle, you find a new way to win the war. – Donald Trump

  • How to level up mental effort and physical effort consecutively.
  • What are siphon and dampening methods? Where are they useful.
  • How to self rate your game. Technique, Fitness, Strategy, Mind.
  • How to access an error in a match. Is it a physical error, Technical error or a mental error.
  • Mistake manangement and how is it important for success.
  • Best way to Recover after losing the court to the opponent in a rally.
  • The importance of crossover step.
  • Should you bring your game up or should you bring your opponents game down.
  • How to improve focus during changeovers.
  • How can you regain yourself from absent mindedness (lost focus/concentration) in a match.
  • How can you overcome nervousness?
  • How to stop letting your mind fluctuate.
  • How can you improve your discipline, dedication and determination in the game.
  • How to be more courageous to take your shots in a match.
  • What do you have to do when the game gets boring and you lose the zeal/enthusiasm mid match, how to make it more interesting.
  • How do you stay passionate for Tennis in the long run.
  • How to recite the mechanics of the swing when you lose rhythm.
  • The secret of winning clay court matches.
  • How to have a dominant attitude on the court.
  • How to control physical things mentally in Tennis.
  • How to play efficiently when you are outside your comfort zone.
  • How to play crucial points and fine margins.
  • Things to remember mentally before you go into a match/ practice.
  • Its about how to simplify the game & how to simplify the match.

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. – Albert Einstein

Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. – Jamie Paolinetti

  • What is Work ethic and its importance.
  • What are the 5 things that are always in the players control.
  • Mastering Levels – How to Master your own level first and level up from there.
  • Reasons vs Results.
  • The importance of Reading books to improve your game.
  • The best books to read to improve your wisdom.
  • The importance of having a Tennis notebook.
  • The importance and advantages of playing more tournaments.
  • The two attitudes in Tennis - Being Interested vs Being Committed.
  • The different Emotions that play for or against a player in a match.
  • The importance of Preperation.
  • How can preparation overcome failure.
  • What is Self Destruction.
  • The importance of Knowledge and wisdom in Tennis.
  • The importance of Hardwork, dedication, continuity and consistency.
  • Understanding the science of Tennis Coaching.
  • 5 habits to improve your mental game.
  • The concept of playing within yourself.
  • The Body – Mind – Soul Theory.
  • Difference between pro’s and club players.

Don’t ever let someone tell you, you cant do something, You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people cant do something themselves, they’re gonna tell you, you cant do it. You want something, go get it. Period. – Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happiness)

  • How does preparation get over the panic mode.
  • How to master Positive Thinking.
  • How to improve mental endurance (Perseverance)
  • Good pain vs Bad pain in Tennis.
  • The impacts of Anxiety & fear in a Tennis match
  • Progression of ‘Clarity’ in learning anything in Tennis.
  • What is Right and wrong in Tennis? Importance of Perception.
  • Physical laws, laws of nature in Tennis – Gravity, Forces, Momentum, Inertia, acceleration, Newtons first law, second law, third law etc.
  • What are the three levels of a players mind. How do you level up.
  • Basic Success criteria and tips for success.
  • Most important things in life associated with Tennis.
  • Being Emotional vs Being sportive. The two different thought process.
  • The 2 different attitudes - Winning vs not losing. Similar yet different.
  • Pros &cons of winning and losing.
  • How much should you care about something.
  • How much should you be afraid of something in Tennis?
  • Toughness and Greatness. How are they related to each other.
  • How to deal with Adversities?
  • Situation vs reaction? How do you deal with them.
  • Complaining and finding excuses - The worst mindset.
  • Fear vs Danger. The comparison.
  • The significance of Patience, Perseverence and Endurance in Tennis.
  • The prominence of “never give up” and “Fighting attitude.”
  • Humility vs pride.
  • How to overcome self pity and gain self esteem.
  • Losing vs not trying.

Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing to do. But to hold it together when everyone else thought you’d fall apart.. That’s True Strength.

  • Limits & challenges in Life, Tennis, Fitness etc.
  • Motivation and its flavours.
  • Nerves and how to eliminate them.
  • Respect vs Fear on opponents.
  • Pain of discipline vs pain of Regret.

The pain of discipline is nothing compared to the pain of regret. – Justin Langer

  • Comfortable being uncomfortable. What does it mean.
  • Being Average - Best of the worst vs Worst of the Best.
  • How to get things done. Well done is better than well said.
  • Attitude and altitude - how are they related.
  • Preparation vs panic.
  • The different choices – survivor or victim, Tough or soft, hardworking or lazy, maximum effort or excuses.
  • Stability vs adapting.
  • Thoughts and emotions in the game.
  • Master vs Beginner.
  • Hope vs Faith. ‘Hope is not a strategy.’
  • Superior Technique vs Superior Fitness.
  • Peak emotional engagement – confidence.
  • ‘not to lose’ attitude and ‘to win’ attitude.
  • Learning how to stand for yourself first – Nobody cares.
  • The Importance of sacrifices in Tennis & Life.
  • Hunting prey or Being Hunted. Animal in the zoo vs Animal in the jungle – How can you relate that to the game of Tennis.
  • How to develop killing instincts in the game.

Strong people don’t put others down, they lift them up. – Michael P. Watson

  • Tennis journey vs Tennis Destination.
  • How to present a good body language on the court.
  • How to handle various emotions on the court.
  • How to motivate yourself.
  • Humility vs Pride.
  • What does it take to be a champion? Its about how you React and Respond to various situations you face.

Two types of clubs.

  • ME – Maximum effort vs My Excuses.

2. Doing something vs being told to do something.
3. Survivor vs victim. Two types of people.
4. 2 Types of characters- Tough , Soft.
5. 2 Types of work ethic – Hardworking, Lazy.

 How to overcome Excuses.

  • Developing the hunger to improve.
  • Virtues and qualities that a player requires mentally.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Michael P. Watson

Mental Qualities of a player and their maintenance:

Sportsmanship for me is when a guy walks off the court and you really can’t tell whether he won or lost, when he carries himself with pride either way. – Jim courier

  • Discipline
  • Dedication
  • Determination
  • Confidence
  • Courage
  • Concentration
  • Focus
  • Endurance
  • Patience
  • Perseverence
  • Hope
  • Faith
  • Humility
  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • Anger
  • Pride

Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching. – C.S.Lewis

  • Work ethic
  • Mental Stability
  • Mental flexibility
  • Self esteem
  • Self Pity
  • Positive Thinking
  • Negative Thinking
  • Balanced Mindset
  • Effort
  • Laziness
  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Depression
  • Nervousness
  • Mental Tension
  • Relaxed mind
  • Attitude
  • Emotions
  • Preperation
  • Affection
  • Love

The greatest things in life don’t come from comfort zones.
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. – Neale Donald Walsch

  • Body Language
  • Mental fluctuations
  • Absend mindedness – Lapse of concentration.
  • Situation – Reaction. Reaction to winning and losing.
  • The different Excuses
  • Dominance –Dominant Attitude.
  • Motivation
  • Inspiration
  • Taking things for granted
  • Mental hunger
  • Playing outside comfort zone
  • Time sense
  • Toughness

It ain’t about how hard you can hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. – Rocky Balboa

“Tough times never last, But Tough People do.” – Robert Schuller