Posts

Featured Post

CAN YOU PLAY YOUR BEST TENNIS AT 3AM?

Image
Several years ago, I was on a practice court with Tamarine Tanasugarn. She was part of a team that had travelled with me overseas to compete. It was 7am, and everyone was taking time to adjust to the unfamiliar conditions. Everyone except Tamarine, that is! This was our first practice session after the long flight. Tamarine was striking the ball as cleanly as ever.   Her timing was perfect from the first ball until the last. What created her ability to adapt so well to the conditions and thrive? Later, Paradorn Srichaphan, who reached a career-high ranking of #9 on the ATP, also demonstrated the same adaptability. I began to ask myself what this quality was and whether I could actually teach it to my students on the court. I began to formulate what I called 'The 3am Theory': the ability to play your best tennis at any time, anywhere, on any surface, even at 3am in the morning.   Imagine being woken from a sound sleep at 3 a.m. and asked to play a tie-break aga...
10 comments
Read more

THE DNO THEORY;: A Simple System for Smarter Tennis

One of the biggest breakthroughs in my coaching career came with my learning the  DNO Theory.   This practical shot selection theory helps players instantly recognise whether they’re in Defence, Neutral, or Offence during a point. Master Professional and long-time mentor, the late Peter Burwash, first introduced the theory to me, and it has been in my coaching "tool bag" ever since. Instead of guessing or reacting emotionally, players begin making smart, structured decisions based on what the DNO Theory is telling them. And the beauty of this system is that it works at every level — from juniors to professionals, in singles and in doubles. The Two Rules of DNO DNO is built on two simple rules that apply to every point you play: 1. Foot Position If your feet are behind the baseline , you’re in Defence . If your feet are on or inside the baseline , you’re in Offence . The further inside the court you go , the more offensive your opportunities b...
Post a Comment
Location: London, UK
Read more

THE 7 TARGET ZONES OF THE COURT

  The 7 Target Zones: Where Smart Players Aim In a previous article, we looked at the DNO Theory — a shot selection system that helps players make better decisions by understanding whether they are in Defence, Neutral, or Offence during a point. Now, we take that one step further. Once a player knows what role they're in , the next question becomes: Where should I place the ball? That's where the 7 Target Zones come in — a simple and powerful court-mapping system that tells players exactly where to aim , based on their situation in the rally. When DNO and the 7 Target Zones are combined, players not only make the right shot selection , but they send the ball to the right part of the court — making their tennis smarter, more effective, and more difficult to beat. What Are the 7 Target Zones? The court is divided into seven distinct zones , each serving a strategic purpose. Learn to use them, and you'll build pressure, force errors, and win more point...
Post a Comment
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK
Read more

WHY YOUR PLAYERS FOLD UNDER PRESSURE—And How to Coach It Out

Image
  The Mental Trap That Stops Good Tennis Players From Succeeding Talent and hard work are not always enough in competitive tennis. Many players—some of them highly skilled—never reach their full potential because they struggle with  stress and pressure  during matches.  It’s not just nerves before a big point. It’s a mental pattern that builds up and slowly takes over: frustration after mistakes, fear of losing, negative self-talk, and panic when things go wrong. This article combines two powerful ideas that can help  coaches and players develop a healthier, more successful mindset for dealing with competition stress. 1. Tennis Is a Sport Where You Lose… A Lot Here’s a fact that surprises most people: In Novak Djokovic’s best season—when he was the number one player in the world—he  lost 46% of all the points  he played. That’s right. Nearly half the time, even the best player in the world didn’t win the point. Tennis scoring is unique. ...
1 comment
Read more

THE 8 OPPOSITES; DEVELOPING MATCH STRATEGY

Image
The 8 Opposites: Match Strategy to Outsmart Your Opponent Every tennis player has preferences. Some like the ball high, others low. Some thrive on fast shots, while others prefer slower rallies. Some feel comfortable with the ball wide, while others struggle when it's played into their body. Finally, some players like being at the net, while others are at their best when rallying from the baseline. These four opposites — High vs Low, Fast vs Slow, Wide vs Tight, and Up vs. Back — create a framework for analyzing an opponent. No player is equally comfortable with both choices in any pair. One will always be better than the other, and that's where strategy comes in.  The key to winning a match is figuring out which of these "preferences/opposites"  bothers  your opponent the most and use it to your advantage Understanding the 8 Opposites in Detail High vs. Low – Some players excel at hitting high-bouncing shots, while others struggle with them and prefer lower, sk...
Post a Comment
Location: Miami, FL, USA
Read more

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN PRACTICE AND MATCH-PLAY: Retaining and Applying Lessons Under Pressure

Image
I recently worked with a young player who had made tremendous strides in improving her ball control. She had learned to balance her powerful game with better ball placement and reduce her unforced errors.  Her progress was obvious when she won a local tournament in her age group, defeating a national team member in the final. Notably, she won both the semi-final and final in the third set, showcasing her newfound ability to handle pressure and construct points more effectively. However, last weekend, she competed in an ITF event against a higher-ranked opponent and reverted to her old erratic self. Instead of maintaining her newfound control and confidence, she reverted back to making repeated unforced errors. It was as if all her progress had vanished under the weight of higher competition. Why does this happen? And more importantly, what can be done to guard against players slipping back into old negative habits? "One of the biggest challenges for tennis  coaches is ensuring...
Post a Comment
Location: Paris, France
Read more

WHY HITTING ACES IS A MUST: They reflect your mindset

Image
  The Necessity of Hitting Aces in Professional Tennis In professional tennis, the serve is more than just a way to begin a point—for advanced players, the ability to hit aces consistently is not a luxury but a necessity. Let’s explore why delivering aces is crucial and how it impacts a player’s overall game and match performance. Dominating with your serve is a crucial part of  professional tennis. 1. Serving Aggressively: Protecting Your Service Games Losing your serve can spell disaster, and often means also losing the set. Matches at the professional level are frequently decided by a single break of serve, and recovering from such a loss of serve can feel like climbing a mountain. This is why maintaining an aggressive mindset and aiming for aces throughout the match is vital. An aggressive mindset keeps you "honest". Hitting regular aces can save energy while also sending a psychological message to the opponent, signalling that they will have few chances to break your se...
Post a Comment
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Read more