Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

The Serve Question That Puzzled Me for Years (And What I Finally Discovered) Two proven approaches, one surprising connection, and the insight that changed how I teach the serve By Paul Dale | 50 Years of International Coaching The Question That Started It All Throughout my coaching career, I've encountered two distinct approaches to serving technique, each championed by excellent coaches and successfully utilised by elite players. The Snap Method: Sharp wrist action with the racquet tip leading through contact.  The Pronation Method: Smooth forearm rotation with the left edge leading (for right-handers) Both produce powerful, accurate serves. Both have scientific backing. Both create champions. For years, this puzzled me. How could two seemingly different techniques achieve such similar results? Recently, I discovered something that brought it all together—and it's changed how I approach serve coaching entirely. The Observation That Changed My Understanding I was working wit...

From Practice to Pressure: 5 Tournament Coaching Strategies That Transform Match Performance By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method The gap between practice sessions and tournament success depends on how well coaches create a bridge between the two.  However, many coaches find themselves at tournaments with individual players or teams, but without a clear tennis coaching strategy. There are three main jobs for the coach at the tournament:  (1) Bring practice topics to the tournament  (2) Send the player(s) into matches with those topics (2) Give informed reviews on those topics post-match When a player is under pressure, you get the clearest reflection of your coaching program's effectiveness, as well as where the work needs to be done once you return to your base.  Match pressure sharpens both the coaching delivery and the player's receptiveness.  During tournaments,  Here are my five keys to help coaches become tournament-ready:  1. Stick to the Plan: Brin...

Visual Blocking – Dictating Your Opponent's Next Shot By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method

Applying the DNO Theory at Net    A Complete Guide for Advanced Competitive Players By Paul Dale - The 3AM Method In the heat of competitive tennis, few decisions carry more weight than when to approach the net. Make the right call, and you've seized control of the point. Choose poorly, and you'll find yourself scrambling to recover as your opponent passes you with ease. Here's a way to remove the guesswork and provide you with the tactical clarity you need to dominate at the net. The DNO Framework: Your Net Approach Decision Tree Peter Burwash, Master Professional and my early mentor, created the DNO Theory (Defence, Neutral, Offence), which provides the perfect template for understanding when and how to approach the net. Every ball you face falls into one of these three categories, and each requires an entirely different net approach strategy. Defence (D): Survival Mode - Get The Ball Back When you're in a defensive position, approaching the net is tactical su...

I'm in a Match-Now What? The 5 Elements of Match-Play You’ve trained for days, maybe weeks. You’ve worked on technique, movement, fitness, and strategy. Now, you’re standing alone on the court on match day, and it hits you — this is it . All the advice, all the drills, all the repetitions have led to this moment. But here’s the truth: without a clear plan, all that work can slip through your fingers. A player who walks into a match with a plan — even a simple one — will beat 85% of the opponents they face. So, what should your plan be? Forget complicated tactical charts and overthinking every situation. Your job on match day is to make sure five critical elements are in place from the first ball to the last. This is where your focus goes immediately. Without these five working for you, winning becomes more difficult, and at higher levels, almost impossible. The Five Elements of Match Play 1️⃣ High Percentage of First Serves Start every point with the advantage. Missing too...

The Plumber — The Mentality Every Competitive Player Needs By Paul Dale | 3AM Online Tennis Consulting “The Plumber”: A Lesson from Rod Laver’s Ruthless Mentality In the golden age of tennis during the 1960s, Rod Laver was described by his peers as “The Plumber.” He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t glamorous. But his game was ruthlessly effective. Why? Because when Rod stepped onto the court, he didn’t show off. He didn’t care about applause or aesthetics. He showed up, got the job done , and left as quickly as possible — just like a plumber working beneath the house in the cold, damp, dirty crawlspace. A place nobody wants to be any longer than necessary. He worked where no one could see him — fixing what needed fixing — then vanished. And this is a mindset more tennis players need. The Problem: Hanging Around Too Long In today’s game, too many players linger. They’ve built a lead, have momentum, and can practically see the finish line — yet they hesitate. Why? Because it’s fun. ...

Winning points in tennis is more than just hitting big shots—there are multiple ways to win points, and as a coach, your job is to help your players develop these winning options. Here are five ways to help your players earn more points in competition. 1. Take Time Away from Your Opponent Time is precious for a tennis player, and the less time your opponent has to react, the more pressure they feel. When your opponent is rushed, they are more likely to make errors or poor decisions that you can take advantage of. There are two main ways to take time away from opponents: Play Inside the Court – Encourage your players to step forward over the baseline and take the ball earlier on every opportunity. I call this " Inside Feet ". This reduces the amount of time your opponent has to react to their next shot. Playing inside the baseline also allows you to take control of the point - you're playing proactively while your opponent is forced to react to your shots.  Increase Ball ...