Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

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...

Driving Your Success in Tennis: Why Strategy and Mentality Trump Perfect Strokes Imagine planning a long road trip to another state and you've never made this particular trip before. Your car is ready, but what are the real essentials you'll need for the trip?  A map to guide you, and the ability to navigate highways, follow routes, and drive within the stressful environment of the motorway.  Getting to your destination requires knowing where to go and driving skills In tennis, many competitive players and their coaches obsess over perfecting their strokes, believing flawless technique is the key to winning matches. That's like polishing your car in the driveway at home every day and expecting that a clean car makes a difference in getting where you want to be, but of course, it doesn't. Similarly, great strokes don’t suddenly translate to great results. Just like a spotlessly clean car doesn’t guarantee that you will reach your destination, classic strokes won’t win...

If you’re a junior tennis player or coaching junior players focusing on the right skills can make all the difference. Let’s explore three essentials that can make all the difference to a junior career and set you up for your next step in tennis. 1. The Value of Underspin Underspin is one of the most useful tools in tennis, but it’s often overlooked by young players and their coaches. Underspin keeps it low and controlled. Mastering underspin gives you a significant edge in several parts of the game: Approach Shots:  The art of moving forward in the court and putting pressure on the opponent is missing from a lot of junior games. However, if you can't move forward to the net when the opportunity arises later at the professional level your game will be severely limited. Underspin keeps your approach shot low and forces your opponent to hit up, giving you an easier volley and making it harder for them to pass you at the net. Volleys: When volleying, underspin helps you create fee...

So many players are finding that under the spotlight of an actual match, all their pre-tournament preparation seems to amount to nothing. Are we approaching "practice" all wrong?

"Most practice sessions before competition  often  revolve around  perfecting strokes  and gaining confidence." The biggest misconception among players and their coaches is that practice sessions should create a sense of comfort. Most practice sessions prior to competition often revolve around perfecting strokes and gaining confidence. However, relying on comfortable practice conditions and seeking to develop confidence during practice sessions will later hinder performance in real match play. In this article, we will explore the significance of making practice uncomfortable and focusing on mental toughness, decision-making, and adapting to unpredictable situations to achieve success on the match court. The Illusion of Comfort: Many advanced players approach practice sessions with the goal of making their strokes feel good and comfortable. They believe that by grooving their strokes in ideal conditions, they will automatically transfer that confidence into match pla...

Gael Monfils, his tennis shirt stained with clay from numerous falls during this nearly 3-hour match, is bent over his racket, looking like he can't go on. Will he continue? Can he even run to another ball? You bet he can! During his long career, Gael Monfils has been involved in many matches like this. Gael Monfils employs the classic " wounded duck " strategy often and successfully. Imagine that you've worked your way back into a match after losing the first set and have continued to control the momentum by dominating the 2nd set.  At the start of the third set, everything feels under control. Your opponent is making uncharacteristic errors and physically and mentally looking like a beaten player. You have established momentum in the match but is everything as it seems? During a match, momentum can be with you, with your opponent, or in a neutral state whereby both players are trying to wrestle control of it. Players who adopt the wounded duck strategy are ultimatel...

I've always taught strategy to players early in their development. For me, strategy is an integral part of a competitive player's toolkit along with stroke technique, fitness, and movement.   When teaching strategy to beginners, you'll need to tailor your instructions to suit the age and level of the player(s), but the teaching of strategy should be done early and not left to later.  I have recently been involved with college tennis in the US and have seen firsthand the lack of any prior introduction players receive on the topic of strategy.   Most of the players I have watched competing at college level have had difficulty implementing even elementary strategy in their matches.  The problem starts when, early in a players career, coaches believe that if a player has perfected their stroke technique, that will naturally transfer into savvy match-play. That certainly is not the case.  The fact is that college coaches are left to deal with this neglecte...