Tag Archives: mental tennis

Tennis Training Off the Court

Posted on December 19, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

QUESTION: What is drive time training?

Frank: In Southern California, I’m seeing most top juniors that I train spending upwards to two hours a day driving to coaches, trainers, practice sessions, their academy and/or tournaments. A solution is “Drive Time Training”- the training strategies of educating, strength training, motivating, and visualizing while held hostage in that comfortable passenger seat. Taking advantage of the time spent traveling is a great way to handle the frustrations of downtime spent in the car. Below are a few meaningful exercises your junior player will enjoy in the car.

Benefits of Drive Time Training:

Educating

There is a huge variety of tennis CD’s and instructional DVD’s available on the market. (Visit: USPTA.org) Topics include stroke production, tactics and strategies, movement & fitness as well as our favorite the mental/emotional sides of competition. (www.MaximizingTennisPotential.com offers a series of junior tennis workbooks.) And of course, YouTube is a wonderful place to seek free advice on almost any topic.

Strength Training

“How do they strength train in a car?”  Most junior players lack upper body strength. Building the upper body will assist them in enjoying more powerful serves, stronger slice backhands and crisper volleys. Remember the old formula for power is: Mass x Acceleration = Power

More importantly, training the upper body will help prevent injuries. Prevention of injuries is a critical factor in high performance tennis. Consider leaving bands under the passenger seat and/or light dumbbells stored away in the trunk and check with your athlete’s trainer to customize your routines.

Motivating

Listen to motivational iTunes/YouTube/CD. Some are so powerful they are literally life changing! My favorite motivators include Jack Canfield and Anthony Robbins. Check the Internet and read the reviews.

Visualization Exercises

Take their head phones off and ask your player to close their eyes and visualize perfect primary and secondary strokes. Then visualize the variety of their flawless patterns used to beat the different styles of opponents. Lastly, visualize walking through changeover and between point rituals. If your child has difficulties beating retrievers here’s a visualization exercise. I call it mental imagery: Ask them to visualize “mock” rallies to 20 with you as you drive. Again, turn off the radio, iPods, video games…etc! The goal is to rehearse focusing on a single topic for a set period of time.

Try this exercise as you drive to your child’s next tournament. They say hit, they then visualize a slow, high arching stroke leaving their racquet, crossing their service line, crossing the net, crossing the opponents service line, landing deep into the opponents court,  bouncing high,  pushing the opponent back. Now, the parent says hit and they repeat the visualization of the slow, high arching ball passing the opponents service line, passing the net, passing their own service line, bouncing deep on their child’s side. Next, they say hit as the slow moonball rally continues up to twenty. If they can’t focus on a pretend moonball rally, cut them some slack. My bet is that you can’t either. (You’ll laugh because, your mind will wander all over the joint).

SPECIAL NOTE: If they can’t focus intently on a few pretend 20 ball rallies how are they ever going to apply the actual focus skill to do it for a three hour match?

As tennis parents, it is your job to select how and when they program their minds and bodies. Positive programming to and from tennis will lead to increased knowledge, increased power, increased motivation, increased enthusiasm and increased calmness on court. Use drive time training as you enjoy secretly preparing better than all of your child’s rivals.

The Secrets Behind Nadal’s Success

Posted on December 16, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

QUESTION: Should my son copy Nadal?

Frank: Before I answer this question, let’s review some of the facts I love about Rafael Nadal…and you should too.

His Uncle taught him how to play. They’ve stuck together as a team. That’s respectful. At 14, The Spanish Federation invited him to train in Barcelona, essentially, taking over his training.  He already had a great team so he declined. That’s loyalty.

As a youngster, his emotions were like a volcano, so his uncle made him play with dead balls and inferior gear to teach him how to deal with adversity. That builds character.

Nadal has an entourage: His coaches, trainers, hitters and agent has been with him for the long haul. That’s smart!

Nadal has a pre match routine that he uses before every match: He gets to the site a few hours early to warm up on a side court; he showers, eats, then gets taped up; he plays the match in his head (visualization) a half hour before it begins; he puts on his favorite Spanish pop music and then The Phantom of The Opera on his iPod; he jogs, jumps in place and builds a sweat while visualizing his performance goals. Great preparation- that’s admirable!

Nadal’s focus is on the need to improve versus the need to win. Rafa was quoted as saying “To improve you have to make mistakes.  That’s the problem with improving, you have to accept this.” That’s intelligent!

In early 2008 at #2 in the world, Uncle Tony decided that Rafa needed to improve his offensive court position to win major hard and grass court events. For months, they worked on positioning on the baseline, taking balls early and stealing volleys.   He went from being a retriever to a counter puncher, to an attacker. Rafa’s insight, knowing he could still improve, yielded him an Olympic gold, a Wimbledon Championship and the world’s #1 ranking. That’s brilliant!

Rafa has had more than his share of injuries yet comes back stronger than ever.  That’s character!  (2004- A stress fracture took him off the court for 3 months; 2005- a mysterious foot injury sidelined him for months; 2009- knee tendentious took him out for 2 months… the list goes on.)

Rafa is a well-rounded person who has outside interests and hobbies. He can be found enjoying golf and fishing on his days off. He also champions his own charity foundation called Fundacion Rafa Nadal.  That’s honorable!

Rafa is disciplined. The next step after motivation is discipline. He does what he has to do when he has to do it.  No excuses, no procrastination. That’s commitment!

So, should your son copy Rafa? You Bet!

Below are tips your child can implement to attain Champion Skill Sets like Rafa Nadal:

  • Hit the gym to gain tennis-specific strength.
  • Commit to improving with unrelenting determination.
  • Develop the mental side of shot selection to master offense, neutral & defensive skills.
  • Schedule time to strengthen their speed, stamina, and agility.
  • Revise their between point rituals to enhance their “clear headedness” of shot selection on big points.
  • Upgrade their ability to apply spin.
  • Cultivate the competitive attitude. Do this by adding simulated stress with every drill. We call them “stress buster drills.”
  • Perfect the ability to live in the moment (producing precisely what the moment calls for) by rehearsing closing out sets. Replace the need to win with the love of the battle.
  • Reform their calmness under stress, by simulating those intense moments.

FUN FACT: Average ball rotation off Agassi’s forehand: 1800 rpm’s, Federer’s forehand: 2500 rpm, Nadal’s forehand: 3200 rpm’s

The mental and emotional strength of being a fierce competitor and a respectful human being is a learned behavior and is a factor in player accountability. 

SPECIAL NOTE: No one can outperform their self-image. Due to their work ethic, perseverance and consistent discipline, athletes like Rafa, have inner strength and inner excellence. They truly believe in themselves and their abilities because they’ve earned the belief.

Breaking Through a Rut

Posted on December 12, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

QUESTION: My daughter is losing to players she use to beat. Can you help?

Frank: The quickest way to break through a rut and go up a level is to challenge your child to focus on improving versus winning. Rekindle your daughter’s confidence by adding new tools to her game. Ask your youngster to compete only against herself.  This is a sensational way to progress without the stress. To illustrate this point, I’ll be using a student of mine from New York. Her name is Kaitlin. She was also in a rut. Below I have listed three of Kaitlin’s issues and her customized solution.

Issue #1: Negative Emotional Outburst

Challenge: We have asked Kaitlin to focus on reducing the sheer number of negative outburst by 25 % each match for the next month. The parent’s role is to chart the number of times the Kaitlin displays the undesired response. If she hits her mark and decreases her negative emotional outburst by 25 percent, she is a winner!

Issue #2: Serving Second Serves to the Opponent’s Forehand

Challenge: Stop feeding the forehand. Kaitlin serves 80 percent of her second serves to the opponent’s strength. Her challenge is to serve 80 percent of her second serves to the opponent’s weakness. The parent’s role in this case is to chart each serve in match play. If Kaitlin can improve her second serve and place it 80% of the time to the opponent’s weaker side, she is a winner!

Issue #3: Beating a Retriever

Challenge: To change the way Kaitlin and her dad think about retriever/pushers opponents. The first challenge is to assist them in understanding that they have been misled- thinking retrievers die out in the 12’s! In my experience, retrievers are one of the most prevalent styles in women’s college tennis.

The second challenge is to ask Kaitlin and her parent’s to switch their focus from grooving fundamental strokes to understanding and developing the patterns used to pull those crafty retrievers out of their comfort zone.

A great place to start when rekindling confidence is to list the four main components of the game. Agree to a radical shift in training. Let go of the old comfortable methods and simply choose one key element in each component to focus on in the next month.

Kaitlin’s Challenges Include:

Stroke Mechanics: Developing her second serve. (Power, Spin, Placement, Consistency)

Mental: Choosing to hit the shot the moment demands. (Shot Selections)

Emotional: Performance anxieties. (Handling Pushers)

Athleticism: Improved fitness. (Speed, Agility, and Stamina)

“Athletes who practice with a deliberate, customized approach usually produce greater benefits in 2 hours than those who invest 6 hours of mindless hitting.”

Taking back control requires taking concrete actions. Replacing past unproductive behaviors with new proactive actions is key to rekindling growth.

Letting Go of Perfectionism

Posted on December 10, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

QUESTION: How can my daughter let go of perfectionism?

Frank: Begin by discussing how striving for perfection is a demoralizing proposition. Studies show that the obsession of being perfect doesn’t lead to any substantial gains. Studies also show that given the same level of intellect and skills- perfectionists perform under par versus their less stressed out counterparts. The reality is that with a sport like tennis, a calm, relaxed state of mind is essential for peak performance.

Successful tennis players are satisfied winning about 66 percent of the points in each match. That’s simply 2 out of 3 points. Doing so allows imperfection. It also allows the opponent a little glory as they lose the match. This provides a critical distressing environment where playing at peak performance is possible. The following is a list of behaviors perfectionist need to address:

Controlled Aggression

Unfortunately for most perfectionists, the fear of losing is so great that they fall into the trap of “playing not to lose.” Pushing and playing safe is often caused by fear. The fear of missing is often the cause miss hits! Champions continue to attempt the shot the moment demands.

Unrealistic Expectations

Top nationally ranked juniors enter, on average, 30 tough tournaments a year. If they win three of those events, it’s a great year. That mean they go home losers 27 weeks a year! Perfectionists, if you are winning 70 percent of your matches, you are ahead of the curve.

Self-Critical Behaviors

Perfectionists, it’s ok to have a Gatorade stain on your un-tucked shirt. Your hair should be messy. It’s ok to shank a few winners. Play slow and decrease ball speed. Give the opponent what they hate versus what you think looks like “good” tennis. Allow yourself to miss some. It doesn’t have to always be pretty. Often, perfectionists would rather lose than win ugly.

Focus on Executing Rituals

Studies show that about 75-80 percent of the time you’re on court; you are in between points. Perfectionists would be wise to focus on the process of proper internal change over and between point rituals instead of berating themselves over every mistake.

Self-Trust

Perfectionists overthink things to the point of confusion. For some, trusting their gut instincts isn’t a valid processing system. Decisions come after every factor is overanalyzed to the point of exhaustion.

Attitude

Understand that you choose your attitude and perfectionism is an attitude.  This means that you have the freedom to change it. If your athlete is planning to play tennis in college, this is a major issue. I call it attitude versus aptitude. College coaches are searching for players with an optimistic positive attitude. A team player with a positive attitude is a pleasure to help. A pessimistic perfectionist with a horrible attitude is every college coach’s nightmare.

Focus on Getting the Win…Not the Double Bagel

Define a new, more reasonable goal. In any given round of any given tournament the objective is to get the win and progress to the next round. The purpose isn’t a perfect 6-0, 6-0 score without missing a single ball. The purpose is to simply get one thing accomplished and that’s the result.

Parents, educate your perfectionist to accept excellence versus perfection. It’s a healthier state of mind.

Perfectionism and Performance

Posted on December 3, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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QUESTION: I believe my son’s perfectionism is interfering with his performance.  Can you help?

Frank:  In my opinion, the age-old motto of trying to playing 110% in competition is dead wrong. Athletes who constantly attempt to force perfection over press and play tight. Perfectionist should simply be asked to aim for an excellent performance versus a perfect performance. In match play, the athlete should try 90% instead of 110% and learn to accept a few minor errors along the way to victory.

Parents and players who are perfectionists are so stressed about being perfect that it often stunts the actual growth they seek, and leads to misery for everyone around them. The coach should encourage their athlete to seek the courage to let go of unrealistic and damaging beliefs like athletic perfectionism and enjoy the journey.

Assisting a perfectionist to get the most out of their talent requires designing a new belief system. Perfectionism afflicts some of the most naturally gifted players I’ve ever seen. In my opinion, needing to be perfect 100 percent of the time has been a major stumbling block for those that have chosen to neglect emotional training.

The Top 8 Signs of a Perfectionist:

1) Perfectionists believe that there is only one way to do it right.

After hitting a great shot, a perfectionist may say, “Yah…I hit a winner but didn’t you see it? My follow through was 6.5 inches too low! Why can’t I do it correctly?”

2) Perfectionists obsess over basics.

Perfectionist parent’s often say “I can run a Fortune 500 company and control 2000 employees but I can’t get my daughter to control her #@*%+… ball toss!”

3) Perfectionists love to share their inflicted disease.

Perfectionist not only spot their own errors but enjoy spotting yours and everyone else’s flaws as well. Then, of course, they love to share it with you.

4) Perfectionists demand perfection in others.

Perfectionist parent’s often say to their children, “Honey, I know you’re only 7 years old but you should be able to get more kick on that second serve. Dinner will wait, do another basket.”

5) Perfectionists find things to worry about.

Junior perfectionists often say, “What if it rains, I checked the forecast every 15 minutes last night…I could end up playing Zoe if we both get to the 4th round. She’s the world’s biggest pusher! What if I play Kelly, everyone knows she cheats. Remember when she cheated me in sectionals? Hey Dad, I heard there’s a hurricane off the coast of Florida, do you think the wind will be a factor? …”

6) Perfectionist’s over-think.

Due to their deep need to always be right, perfectionists often over think in matches. Teaching professionals call it paralysis by analysis. They live in their analytical left brain. This is where constant editing and judging takes place. Unfortunately for them, true “in the zone” tennis is played in the right hemisphere of the brain. The exact over analysis a perfectionist thrives on is what’s enabling them from enjoying peak performance in competition.

7) Perfectionists constantly second guess themselves.

Junior perfectionists in a match are often thinking, “Oh, here comes a short ball, I should go in, no maybe not, it’s possibly a trick, I better wait and analyze the situation, oh, look at that…too late…”

8) Perfectionists often blow 5-2 leads.

The match is comfortably under control and your little perfectionist misses an easy sitter. Instead of shaking it off, they blow it completely out of proportion and begin to panic.  Now, thanks to their perfectionism, their defeated opponent sees their instability and begins to believe that they can beat this crazy person.  Once again, that comfortable match is now a 5-5 dog fight.

If your child refuses to accept anything short of perfect, ask them to research Perfectionism via google. This psychological profile offers both positive and negative traits. I’m a huge fan of the positive effects that stem from this personality profile. However, I worry about the players who feel that they’re only satisfied by obtaining unobtainable goals.  Being satisfied exclusively by achieving unrealistic goals just sets the player up for consistent disappointments. Without intervention, these athletes most often quit the sport.

QUESTION: How can we assist our son in decreasing his unforced errors? Part 2

Posted on November 20, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

Situation #8: Our player wins the first set 6-2. Upon the start of 2nd set, the opponent shifts from his hard-hitting baseline style into a conservative, retrieving style of play.

Jason: Spots the change in style and counters by simply adapting to the “New Look.” Since he is no longer receiving FREE points, Jason begins to work his selection of patterns.

Jack: Does not spot the shift in style. He begins to get frustrated by the fact that the opponent is not missing the second or third ball anymore. Without even knowing, Jack begins to panic and play faster and hit harder. Jack is trying to force winners left and right. Jack implodes once again and breaks another brand new racquet!

Situation #9: The Easter Bowl (Palm Springs, Ca.) is famous for its windy conditions. Often, players have to cope with 30-40 miles per hour wind speeds. The result is that most often, cautious, consistent retriever style of play gets rewarded. The elements play a critical role in shot selection.

Jason: Adapts his offensive baseline style to a safer style of play. He looks for ways to use the wind to his advantage. He applies more spin on the ball and aims four feet inside the court on every shot. He understands that going for winners in these “crazy” conditions is an almost impossible proposition, so he buckles down and uses his “B” plan. This plan consists of letting the opponent “self-destruct.”

Jack: Begins the tournament with the expectation that the conditions are unfair and he cannot play in the wind! He conveniently forgets that he has had many opportunities to practice in the wind in weeks prior to the tournament, but, he cancelled his lessons because he believed it was pointless to practice in windy conditions. (Jack lives in Southern California and Santa Ana winds are present many times a year.) Guess who lost first and first this year at the Easter Bowl?

Situation #10: The opponent starts off on a hot streak. Within 15 minutes, he is up 4-0.

Jason: Understands that controlling and managing both sides of the net is a critical factor. Since he spots that he is clearly not in control. He takes a bathroom break. Is this legal? You bet it is! He is looking for two things to happen: One is to take enough time to actually devise a new plan of attack. Two is to act as a “Cooler.” He knows that he has to give the opponent’s fire a chance to burn itself out. We call this a shift in momentum.

Jack: Says “I know bathroom/trainer breaks are completely legal …but they’re for “sissies.” What kind of player takes a legal bathroom break? The answer is… smart ones!

Situation #11: Our player’s opponent is a terrific retriever. He positions himself 10-15 feet behind the baseline and seems to get every deep ball.

Jason: Considers the opponents preferred style. He monitors both players’ court positions and elects to incorporate drop shots and short angle shots to pull the opponent out of his comfort zone.

Jack: Is super talented. He can hit all four short ball options (kill, approach, drop, or short angle), but elects to simply kill every short ball as hard as he can. This plays right into his opponent’s spider’s web. Frustrated once again, Jack walks off the court in record time, breaking a few more racquets on the way.

Situation #12: Our last opponent is an old school net rusher. His weapons are power and intimidation. He is coming in and everyone knows it!

Jason: Understands that simply spinning in his first serve is not as macho, but it serves a critical function: It keeps the net rusher from using the second serve as an approach shot. Also, Jason does not go for outright passing shot winners from the first pass, he resists and elects to dip the ball soft and low at the on-rushing players feet. This makes the player choosing to volley earn the winning shot, while giving Jason a higher percentage shot at actually passing on the second ball.

Jack: You know Jack by now…Jack bombs away at his monster first serve. He hits his typical first serve percentage of 30 percent in. Because of the fragility of his second serve under pressure, he is attacked relentlessly on his second serve.

Like most of us, Jack is uncomfortable being attacked. He feels the pressure and goes for huge passing shots as soon as he sees the opponent begin to come in. Most of his passes land closer to the back fence than in the court. After the match Jack takes his racquet bag and shoves it into the trash can and walks to his car.

The solutions to improving an athlete’s shot selection choices are found in live ball sparring sessions. I recommend finding a suitable partner and book two back-to-back, hour-long lessons with a USPTA, USPTR or ITF certified teacher.  Both families can pay for an hour as the athletes enjoy two hours of training under observation. As live points are played, the high IQ coach will ask the athletes to identify the cause of the error as well as the best percentage solution. This is a great example of practicing in the manner in which you’re expected to perform.

QUESTION: How can we assist our son in decreasing his unforced errors? Part 1

Posted on November 18, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

QUESTION: How can we assist our son in decreasing his unforced errors? Part 1

Frank: In my opinion, decreasing unforced errors always starts with the identification process. On numerous occasions, I have asked parents and coaches to chart players utilizing The Cause of Error Chart. (Found in Match Chart Collection at Maximizingtennispotential.com). The results were very interesting.

While the majority of the international coaches solely focused on stroke production year in-year out, the main cause of errors were consistently shot selection and NOT form.

Upon analyzing The Cause of Error Charts with high performance athletes, the leading cause of errors were Mental-Shot Selection, followed by Movement-Spacing, a very close third was Emotional-Performance Anxieties…and last on the list Technical-Stroke Mechanics!

Because poor shot selection is the leading cause of errors at the higher competitive junior levels, let’s focus on that aspect. Shot selection starts with understanding that in between each shot in a rally, there are only about 2 milliseconds of actual decision-making time. So, how much can you analyze in that small amount of time? The answer is not much.

This means that most shot selection options are learned behaviors acquired on the practice court. That is right. These tools must be wired into a player’s game way before the tournament begins. Pre-setting offence, neutral, defensive and directional options is mental training.

“High Percentage shot selection is mental readiness.”

To explain the importance of shot selection, we will use two of my students: Jack and Jason (brothers that couldn’t be more different). Jason has chosen to focus on the mental/emotional sides of tennis early in his development, while Jack was and still is too cool to listen to this silly stuff. Below are a dozen shot selection scenarios.  Let’s see how each brother chooses to handle the situations.

The Tale of Jack and Jason

Situation #1: It is add-in. Holding serve means a comfortable 5-2 lead.

Jason: Selects to serve a big kick serve wide to the opponent’s weaker side. He runs a boring, successful pattern to close out the game.

Jack: Selects to go for a huge ace down the center (Like the one that he made once in tornado liked conditions back in 2014.) He misses, gets angry and rushes into a double fault.

Situation #2: Our player just hit an offensive shot and has the opponent on the dead run, stretching and lunging at a low slice backhand.

Jason: Spots the visual clues like the defensive court position, body language, open racket face and defensive strike zone of the opponent. He moves in, takes away the opponent’s recovery time and steals an easy volley winner.

Jack: Didn’t bother to learn to spot these clues, so he stands at the baseline and lets the opponent float the ball back and he re-starts the rally. Jack just missed an important opportunity to win the point.

Situation #3: The opponent hits a deep cross-court ball.

Jason: Hits a neutral building shot 4 feet over the net and back cross court.

Jack: Tries for a screaming net skimming half volley winner down the line and creams the ball into the bottom of the net.

Situation #4: The brothers are in a vulnerable position running fifteen feet behind the baseline retrieving the opponents terrific shot.

Jason: Throws up a deep, high, defensive lob to push the opponent back and gain valuable recovery time.

Jack: Goes for an offensive, down the line pass that lands near the back fence…Then screams…AAAHHHH!

Situation #5: Our player gets to the ball late. He is off balance and ends up striking the ball down by his socks.

Jason: Quickly dials his offensive shot selection down to neutral and elects to simply keep the opponent from taking an offensive position.

Jack: Is still in full flight and goes for a topspin rip off of his shoelaces. The ball rips into the net.

Situation #6: Our player is winning comfortably 6-3, 4- 1.

Jason: Continues to do the exact same, boring shot selections. He closes out the match in routine fashion. He realizes the importance of saving physical and emotional energy for the next round.

Jack: Gets bored with such a lead. He begins to throw in a bunch of more exciting, yet low percentage new things. In essence, Jack has changed the shot selections that have gained him a comfortable lead. Now the set is 5-5 and Jack is so angry that he is acting like a Crazy Person; throwing his racquet and yelling, “I Hate Tennis.” His situation is a result of his wandering mind.

Situation #7: Our player is down 1-4 but is actually controlling the court and the points. His hard-hitting baseline style is working, but he is simply missing the put away balls by a few inches.

Jason: Spots that the style is working. He adapts by staying with the hard-hitting style of play and chooses to apply more top spin to his shots and simply aim three feet inside the lines.

Jack: Is so upset that he is missing, that he does not spot that fact that he is actually controlling the points with his hard-hitting baseline style of play. So, he changes his hard-hitting style and stands flat footed and pushes every shot. Jack’s slow, short balls are now “Sitting Ducks” and the opponent has a field day hitting winner after winner. After the match, Jack says, “He was too good.”

The Science of Match Day Preparation- Part Three

Posted on November 12, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

THE SCIENCE OF MATCH DAY PREPARATION

PRE-MATCH WARM-UP RITUALS

Before each PGA tournament round, Tiger Woods warms up every club in his golf bag, just in case he needs it. In the high-performance tennis world, players who routinely warm up both their primary and secondary strokes have a major advantage in tightly contested matches. Grooving fundamentals before a match is important, but let’s go deeper.

A first-set tiebreak can often come down to a player executing a winning secondary stroke such as a swing volley or topspin lob.  Confidently perform secondary shots at crunch time, without hesitation, stems from properly warming them up before the match. Players who neglect their secondary strokes have a very different mind-set when faced with the same exact situation. Instead of instinctively moving forward to hit the swing volley to take the tiebreaker, they hesitate and are caught thinking, “I don’t remember the last time I hit one of these? Can I make it? Should I go for it?”  Now guess who misses the easy shot, gets upset and blows another breaker?

Obviously, any stroke has to be developed on the practice court long before tournament competition begins. Once developed properly, it should be placed into your match day tool belt and warmed up before competition.

“A smart tennis player has developed and then systematically warms up
every secondary stroke before competition.”

If your athlete is still holding on to the “old school” fundamental stroke warm up routine, I highly suggest keeping it for comfort’s sake but also begin to warm up in the manner that they are expected to perform. This includes, whenever possible, taking extra time to warm up the below list.

6 Different Forehands and Backhands:

1) Primary Drive Ground Strokes

2) High and Heavy Ground Strokes

3) Short Angle Ground Strokes

4) Defensive Slice

5) Drop Shots

6) Defensive Lobs

3 Different Serves:

1) Flat Serve

2) Slice Serve

3) Kick Serve

3 Different Volleys:

1) The Swing Volley

2) The Drop Volley

3) The Transition Mid-Court Volley

2 Different Overheads:

1) Stationary, Service Box Overheads

2) The Turn and Run, Overhead with Movement

The 2 Different Approach Shots:

1)Traditional Approach to Volley

2)Spot a Vulnerable Opponent and Steal the Volley 

NOTE: Customize the warm up whenever possible. For example: If your athlete’s next opponent is a Moonball retriever, it might be wise to warm up their swing volleys, side doors and drop shots.

“Often, what separates two talented players is the time and
energy put into properly preparing for battle.”

PRE-MATCH VISUALIZATION AND IMAGERY

Warming up doesn’t stop at the physical. Players need to build up their “wall of defenses” in preparation for the continuous onslaught of mental and emotional challenges that competitive tennis encompasses. What we think about often dictates what we create.

A mental, emotional no-no is to obsess about the next opponent’s past success, ranking or seeding. Winning tough matches begins with a winning mind set.

“A winning mind set is a performance-based plan.”

In the nights leading up to a big event, a great way to preset a positive mindset is to re-live a past peak performance experience. Set aside 15 minutes a night for three nights in a row to allow your athlete to re-experience the feelings of coming through under pressure. This is known to calm nervousness and quiet fears. It also has been linked to motor programming the skills of applying the appropriate responses with little or no cognitive processing. It has been proven to improve the player’s physical, mental and emotional performance on game day.

Positive visualization includes the athlete imagining their strokes working to perfection, their tactics and strategies working like clockwork and their emotional state of mind calm and relaxed.

Pre-match visualization topics are unlimited, but some of the best visualization exercises include the following:

1) Perfectly executed primary and secondary strokes.

2) Top seven favorite perfectly executed patterns.

3) The three pillars of between-point rituals.

4) Successful patterns of play against the three main styles of opponents.

5) Preset protocols for common emotional issues. (Gamesmanship)

Ask your athlete to begin their pre-match visualization by arriving on site early enough to set aside 20 minutes to mentally rehearse the performance goals they’ve been rehearsing on the practice court.

Start this self-hypnosis by seeking out a quiet area away from other competitors and distractions- with closed eyes, ask them to take several deep relaxing breaths. Then create a vivid mental image of numerous tasks being performed successfully. Let’s call this your positive movie.

To build confidence and reduce pre-match stress, ask them to mentally re-run the “movie” several times to reinforce the positive thoughts.

“Positive constructive visualization actually trains a player to perform the skills imagined calmly, without hesitation.”

The Science of Match Day Preparation- Part Two

Posted on November 4, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

THE SCIENCE OF MATCH DAY PREPARATION

OPPONENT PROFILING

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.

NOTE: Whenever possible, as I coach players from the 12’s to the ATP and WTA pros, I apply the below profiling topics.

Opponent Profiling Scouting:

Primary style of play.

Preferred serve patterns (especially on mega points).

Preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns.

Favorite go-to rally pattern.

Dominant short-ball option.

Preferred net rushing pattern.

Stroke strengths and weaknesses (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones.)

Movement, agility and stamina efficiencies and deficiencies.

Frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability.

Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. Intelligent athletes even jot down notes regarding the opponent’s game on their post-match match logs. This is used as a reminder for the next time the two meet.

Looking Past Strokes:

During the warm up, the uneducated player, parents and coaches often think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness. Player A may have great looking fundamental strokes but “hidden” flawed mental and or emotional components. Player B may have average looking strokes, but an incredible proficiency in their mental game. Hence, giving player B the edge due to his ability to isolate weaknesses or exert emotional intelligence at crunch time. 

MATCH DAY STRETCHING

Preparing the body for the upcoming competition should be a major priority. Serious players seeking peak performance and injury prevention should incorporate a customized stretching routine.

“Current sports science research suggests that elevating the core body temperature is recommended before dynamic stretching begins.”

Pre-Match Stretching Routines

Customizing their routines is a great way to assist your athlete in being accountable. If your player does not have a fitness trainer, I suggest asking them to formulate their very own dynamic stretching routine by using Google: YouTube dynamic tennis warm up routines.

Pre-match warm-up routines will be an important part of your athlete’s match day stretching regiment. Dynamic stretches help warm-up and elevate core body temperature.

Pick two lower body dynamic, mobile stretching routines. (These are tennis-specific movements aimed to prepare your lower body for the actual demands of match play.)

Pick two upper body dynamic stretching routines.(These prepare your shoulders arms and core for the demands of a high-performance match.)

Post-Match Stretching Routines

Post-match static stretching routines are used during the cool-down phase. While standing or sitting still, elongate muscles and hold the position. This allows the muscles to be stretched farther in order to increase range of motion.  Once again, assist your athlete in being accountable. I suggest asking them to customize their very own static stretching routine by using Google: YouTube static tennis warm up routines.

Pick two lower body static stretching routines.(These are tennis-specific rituals aimed to cool down their lower body after the actual demands of match play.)

Pick two upper body static stretching routines.(These cool down their shoulders, arms and core after the demands of a high-performance match.)

Benefits of Stretching:

Improves range of motion

Reduces the risk of injuries

Reduces post-match soreness

Reduces fatigue

Increases power

“Part of an elite players entourage is an off-court tennis specific trainer. Consult a certified trainer to customize your athletes’ stretching routines and rituals.”

The Science of Match Day Preparation- Part One

Posted on November 1, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

THE SCIENCE OF MATCH DAY PREPARATION

The expression, “success is found when proper preparation meets opportunity” would seem to have been written for tennis players.  Sadly, most unsuccessful junior competitors are ill-prepared to compete, yet blame their poor results on bad luck. Truth be told, growth and success on court, is a result of months of deliberate customized training and systematic game day routines and rituals. Success on and off the court doesn’t happen by chance…it happens by choice.

There is often a very fine line between competitive success and failure. A poor start, an initial lack of focus or a bout of wavering confidence can cause a seemingly winnable match to quickly slip away. The will to properly prepare for competition usually makes the difference. For players to achieve consistent positive match results, their preparation must include ritualistic, inflexible routines. A player who is ready to compete creates an impenetrable wall that keeps the human elements of fear at bay.

“Spectacular achievements are preceded by spectacular preparation.”

Players who disregard pre-match rituals often unknowingly start a downward spiral that inevitably results in a loss. Their lack of self-discipline leads to self-doubt, a condition that fuels nervousness and then causes a lack of confidence and low self-esteem. These negative forces have a way of fostering a lack of self-control on match day.

“Although not preparing properly for competition may provide short-term fun, it comes with long-term consequences.”

Getting geared up for a match involves a type of self-hypnosis. Top players use a series of internal processes to spur a metamorphosis in preparation for competition. This involves putting on their “game face” as they prepare their physical, mental, and emotional components for competition. Confidence is high and all energy is devoted to the task at hand. This section of the book contains information to help players of all levels find the state of readiness that enables players to transform from a normal person into a tennis warrior.

Morphing into a warrior isn’t reserved for athletes. Game day transformation is done by every world-class performer. Preparing physically, mentally and emotionally for their role is a mandatory learned behavior. To demonstrate this point, let’s look at an elite professional Broadway actor’s pre-show preparation.

Broadway Actor’s Pre-Show Preparation:

On a nightly basis, the actors transition through a metamorphosis. They go from being a normal person with their own issues, emotions and agendas to morphing into the characters they play on Broadway. Real life issues (car problems, relationship issues, dog ran away…) must be dismissed and their mindset must shift into character they play on stage. The actual metamorphism is specific to each actor, but generally the actors will review their lines, quietly mediate, rehearse their movements, etc. Once on stage, the curtain rises and great actors transform into their character- making the audience believe.

Socializing prior to matches often pulls competitors away from their pre-match routines and rituals. Remember, a transformation should take place before each match. Your athlete simply cannot transform from a normal person into a warrior if they are hanging out with friends or bantering with friends over texts.

“Physical, mental and emotional readiness is a skill set your athlete must master.”

EQUIPMENT PREPARATION

The day before the match, review their Match Day Equipment Essentials List with your athlete. In case you need to run to the store to pick up an essential item or if their lucky shorts aren’t washed. Remind them that they may also want to pack their perishable Match Day Essentials the night before and keep them refrigerated and/or frozen and ready to go- ice, food, drinks etc.

“Waiting until the last minute is a common blunder and adds un-needed stress that can steal everyone’s emotional energy before even getting to the tournament.”

Match Day Equipment Essentials: (For Competitive Athletes)

1) Three- four rackets freshly strung and re-gripped.

2) Extra sets of strings (your brand and gauge) and extra vibration dampeners.

3)A first aid kit composed of Band-Aids, athletic tape, elastic bandages, appropriate pain reliever, plastic bags for ice, sun screen, liquid Band-Aid, hair ties etc.

4) Extra shoelaces, socks, shirts and a fresh towel(s). (You may need an extra towel to soak in ice water to cool you down in very hot temperatures.)

5) Water, sports drinks, electrolyte powders, easily digested fruit (banana), and energy bars/gels to be used as quick energy and/or to bridge between meals.

6) Performance goals and match notes. (Reminders) Examples include how to beat moon-ball/pushers, opponent notes, match performance goals, etc.