Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

  More and more matches today hinge on just a few special moments, such as a loose shot that your opponent can take advantage of or one player pulling off a miraculous winner from almost nowhere. These situations occur frequently in today's highly competitive environment. It is becoming less about a technical or physical problem and more about a player's shot selection during important moments of the point. “…today…(losing the point) is becoming  less about a technical  or physical problem…” I’ve begun to see two distinct types of groundstrokes players are being asked to play during a point. I’m beginning to call these two types of groundstrokes the “Dynamic” and the “Set & Unload” options. Characteristics of a Dynamic Groundstroke: A Dynamic Groundstroke is any ball that doesn’t allow you time to set up and will be mostly hit while on the move or when you're at a disadvantage. If you are compromised in any way, you're  playing a Dynamic Groundstrok...

The term footwork is meaningless unless a player understands what the feet must do. Once the goal of footwork is understood, players will be much better equipped to execute better court movement, be more balanced in their strokes, and recover faster to the next ball. A tennis mentoring channel for advanced coaches and players: The Competitive Tennis Players Notebook     / @biggerbettertennis  

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.

"The Dynamic Tennis Game". Whether you're a tennis coach or player, shifting your present approach to tennis technique, movement and mindset towards a more dynamic one will pay huge dividends. Paul show's you how to transition your game towards a more natural way of playing and learning tennis in this easy to follow video.

Is the tennis one-handed backhand one of the most beautiful things in all of sport? Paul takes you through the three essentials to combat a lack of strength on the one-hander and helps you to hit each backhand cleanly and consistently. Watch more of Paul's tennis instruction video's here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL71FX9hqGs1p2FyoCVgkNyc9W5L-eGzMo

Paul breaks down 3 key techniques needed to master the Return of Serve. These three essential elements will enhance your ability to react quickly, change grips, and control the ball even on the fastest serves. The video gives you with on-court examples, and guides you through the process step-by-step.

  It turns out that power and timing come from the same source and can be utilised through a single simple to use technique - The Contact Foot

The Volley is the most misunderstood shot in tennis. Here are my steps to master and understand the volley better.

THE DROP-SHOT IN MODERN TENNIS The drop shot has evolved from a rarely used tactic a few decades ago to now being an essential weapon in a player's arsenal. By employing it, players can exploit their opponents' being  either  of f balance or standing too deep in the court.  The primary objective of the drop shot is to take advantage of your opponent's court positioning. When executed well, it forces the opponent forward and, if timed correctly, leaves them scrambling to reach the ball and again out of position for the next shot.  To execute the drop shot well, you'll need a combination of the following; THE TIMING You have to execute the drop shot at the right time during the point. If the timing is wrong, your opponent will end up at the net with an easy put-away. The best time to execute the drop shot is when your opponent is deep off the baseline or off balance running the wrong way. You'll need to train your observation skills as you play points so that you make...

As tennis coaches, we constantly strive to improve our skills. We must be part teachers and parents, often helping to motivate and inspire our students. Central to our job is the art of teaching, which requires more than just imparting knowledge— it demands active engagement, reinforcement, and ongoing development. Teaching tennis is not simply about sharing what we know . Effective teaching goes beyond merely providing information; it also involves setting up the opportunity for learning . It requires fostering an environment that encourages active participation and critical thinking. I'm convinced that most students understand only a small percentage of what you teach them. They hear you, but filters in their heads block the clear transfer of that information. If you don't believe me, give them instructions, wait for 2 minutes then ask them to repeat the instructions! You will be horrified by how often the instructions have not registered with them at all. In most cases, stu...

You often hear the phrase "take the ball on the rise" in coaching. It's used to encourage the player to step in and take the ball with some weight transfer, and "taking it on the rise' seems  to help the player time the ball better. But what happens when the player can't achieve "stepping in"?  I coach advanced players and relative beginners. If I told an advanced player to "step in" and take every ball "on the rise", they would see me as crazy. At an advanced level, stepping in and taking the ball on the rise every time is impossible. The speed and depth of the ball mean that often, the ball dictates what you do, not you, so stepping in and taking the ball on the rise is simply impossible.  Likewise, telling a beginner to take every ball on the rise will only lead to frustration. They can only do it on some balls. The problem with trying to teach the "ideal" technique is that  there is no  such thing as the "ideal...

So much time is spent by players working on their groundstrokes, yet in my opinion the Return of Serve is a bigger factor in winning matches. If each player is dominating with their service games during a match, it's up to the Return Of Serve to create the break of serve to  win the  match. The Return of Serve is the key to unlocking tight matches.                                       THE GOAL WHEN RETURNING SERVE Your goal when Returning Serve is consistency. You want to get as many balls back to start the rally as possible.  Put yourself in the Server's shoes for a moment. You've been serving really well and landing lots of first serves, but your opponent keeps making their returns and forcing you to engage in the point. What should they do? Do they change something or continue to play the same? Whichever course of action the Server takes, you have managed to get into their ...

Poor footwork will significantly impact your ability to hit your ground stroke targets accurately, and y our ground stroke game will never reach its full potential if left untouched. There are two main components involved in the relationship between your Footwork and your Ground strokes: THE TECHNIQUE To achieve consistency and accuracy in your ground strokes, you must set up the ability to hit each ball with balance, timing, and inertia. Achieving these three elements allows the racquet-head to work through the ball uninhibited and without contamination.  This is all hitting great ground strokes involves, but each element is fundamental to achieving a controlled and powerful stroke. Let's break each element down separately; Any lack of balance creates contamination because if you are falling uncontrollably during the stroke, the path of the racquet is affected (contaminated). A solid platform allows you to execute the stroke smoothly and consistently. Any lack of timing during t...