Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

Why Elite Players Depend Mostly on Defence (And Win More Matches) By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method The Hidden Truth About Success in Professional Tennis Picture a tennis iceberg. Above the waterline— the crushing forehand winners, explosive serves, and down-the-line winners  that make highlight reels. But beneath the surface lie the most significant parts of your game that determine your wins and losses: keeping good depth on the ball during the rally , great anticipation, consistent return of serve, low unforced error rate, and the unglamorous art of staying in points. Here's the truth about achieving wins in high-level elite tennis: Winning is less about the 40% offensive part of your game—and more about the 60% defensive effort you put in. The Professional Tennis Reality Check Let me pose a question that should reshape your tennis coaching strategy: If your player were stepping onto the court tomorrow to face Jannik Sinner, what aspect of their game would you prioritise toda...

I Need Players Who Empty Their Tank:  The Mindset That Separates Champions By Paul Dale The 3AM Method The Message That Woke Me Up I was jolted awake by the persistent buzzing of my watch. A series of messages were coming through from Joy, one of the players I work with. She'd just finished playing in a doubles final—a match that hadn't gone her way. The messages came in quick succession: updates about the match, frustration about missed opportunities, analysis of what went wrong. But it was the final message that stopped me cold:  "I hate losing." Three simple words that revealed everything about what makes a true competitor. The Tale of Two Players As I sat there in the dim light of my room, those words echoing in my mind, I couldn't help but think about another player I'd been working with. This player had talent—real talent—but when matches got tough, when the pressure mounted, something entirely different happened. Instead of fighting harder, they ...

Teaching "Loading" Alone Is Ruining Your Players' Timing (And What I Teach Instead) By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method Every coach knows the importance of ground reaction forces in tennis. We teach players to "load"—bend their knees and thrust upward to create racquet-head speed. It's fundamental to every powerful groundstroke, serve, return, and overhead. However, here's the problem: teaching players to  only  load the ground creates  more timing issues than it solves. The Loading Trap That's Destroying Player Development Loading refers to a player interacting with the ground by bending their knees and thrusting out of that position to create greater racquet-head speed. While this happens on all good shots, the instruction to "just load" is backfiring for most players. Here's what typically happens: A coach tells a player to load. The player dutifully bends their knees—precisely what the coach wants to "see." For a small p...

  Master the Two-Handed Backhand: 4 Essential Tennis Techniques for Control and Power By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method Complete guide to developing a versatile two-handed backhand with professional-level control, spin, and directional accuracy The two-handed backhand can be one of tennis's most reliable and powerful strokes when executed with proper technique. However, many tennis players struggle with consistency and versatility because they focus on rigid grip positions rather than understanding the fundamental mechanics that create control and power. These five essential elements will transform your two-handed backhand from a defensive liability into an offensive weapon. By mastering hand positioning, power generation, and directional control, you'll develop the backhand versatility needed for competitive tennis success. 1. Bottom Hand Positioning: Controlling Your Contact Zone Length The bottom hand grip position directly plays a part in the length of your two-handed bac...

Why Tennis Players Fail in Matches Despite Perfect Practice (The Hidden Transfer Problem Every Coach Will Face) By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method How the 3AM Method solves the practice-to-match performance gap that affects most competitive tennis players I was watching a junior tennis tournament last month. A young player was hitting absolute rockets  during the warm-up,  perfect tennis technique, incredible power, shots landing exactly where intended. Her practice partner could barely keep up. Then the match started. Within three games, this same tennis player was struggling to keep balls in the court. The powerful groundstrokes that looked so impressive ten minutes earlier were now sailing long or finding the net. Her confidence was gone entirely; she looked like a different player. This scenario unfolds in courts worldwide every day, revealing a crucial aspect that many tennis players and coaches overlook about the relationship between tennis practice and competitive perfo...