Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

  Why “Playing On” in Practice is Hurting Your Match Performance In many tennis practice sessions, whenever a player hits the ball out they “play on,” believing that the goal of practice is to hit as many balls as possible—prioritizing volume over accuracy. This mindset creates a dangerous disconnect between practice sessions and match play. The Problem: No Consequences in Practice In a real match, every mistake has a consequence. A missed shot could mean losing a crucial point, a break of serve, or even the entire match. But in practice sessions, many players ignore errors and keep hitting, assuming that "playing on" and sheer repetition will make them better. They're seeking comfort in their practice. Unfortunately, this approach leads to a (mentally) painful realization when they step into a competitive match: suddenly, every mistake matters, and the mental adjustment can often be overwhelming. The transition from practice to actual matches will  become a lot easier f...

  Breaking Old Habits and Embracing New Ideas For 64 years, I didn’t drink coffee. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it—I’d just decided at some point that coffee wasn’t for me. It became part of my identity: I was someone who didn’t drink coffee. I never questioned it; it was just the way things were. Then, one day, something changed. I decided to try it. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was the challenge of stepping outside my comfort zone, but I gave coffee a chance. And to my surprise, I loved it. Now, having a cup of coffee is one of my favourite things to do each day. I look forward to it, and I’m genuinely happy that I broke the mold of who I thought I was. But here’s the thing: it wasn’t easy to change. I had to let go of an attachment to my old way of thinking—of the story I’d told myself for so long. I had to open my mind to the idea that I could enjoy something I’d always dismissed. And by doing that, I found something wonderful. What Does This Have to Do with Coaching? As co...

Tennis matches can be won or lost on how well you can control your unforced error count. In this video Paul talks about how to take control of your unforced errors through self discipline so that they don't end up destroying your chances in competition.

This video deals with the biggest problem for competitive players worldwide: combating mental issues during matches. Paul gives you four steps to better identify and manage your mental struggles during competition.

While strokes, movement, and strategy are crucial, the true battle often lies in the mind. In this insightful video, Paul reveals three powerful techniques to enhance your "Mental Arm Wrestle" and elevate your performance in competition.

  To play your best match these 5 elements must be present, or your game will not function