Tip of the Week: Always Expect the Ball to Come Back

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By Steve Annacone
It is human nature to hope that the shot you have just hit will win the point. Unfortunately, this type of thought during a match will not allow you to recover, prepare, and react if the shot does come back. One of the unique qualities of the best tennis players in the world is their ability to...Read more

Tip of the Week: How to Play a Match Against a Better Player

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By Steve Annacone
Sometimes your opponent is just better than you. This does not mean that you cannot win the match. As a matter of fact, it is likely that you have beaten better players if you have played a lot of matches. This is one of the great things about tennis. One of the measures of how good you really are...Read more

Tip of the Week: How to Play an Opponent Who Likes Pace

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By Steve Annacone
Many players these days hit the ball hard. This has produced a large number of players who actually prefer to play against the hard hitters. If it seems like the better you hit your shot and the faster you hit the ball, the better your opponent responds, it may be time to change things up. There...Read more

Tip of the Week: Coach Yourself During the Match

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By Steve Annacone
As a tennis professional and coach, I would like to think that my skills can guide a player towards success in a match. However, a player must be able to do things for themselves on the court that will increase their chance to play well. A player should pick one or two key technique ideas and...Read more

Tip of the Week: How to Coach a Player for a Match

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By Steve Annacone
There are obviously many aspects of coaching a tennis player. There are fundamentals, technique, footwork, strategy, sports psychology, etc. When a player is about to play a match, or in matches where coaching is allowed either during play or when players split sets, simple is best . Many times you...Read more

Tip of the Week: Balance Is The Key to Movement

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By Steve Annacone
Balance on the tennis court means having your weight evenly distributed over both feet. Leaning in any direction means you are not balanced. It is important to be balanced as quickly as possible after you hit the ball, as well as just prior to your opponent's hit. Many times after hitting a ball on...Read more

Tip of the Week: How To Use The Warm-Up To Your Advantage

By Steve Annacone
First of all, you will not be able to warm-up properly in the five or 10 minute warm-up just prior to starting your match. Try to get on the court before the match and hit some balls, run around, and do an extended version of the short match warm-up. If this is not possible, do some jumprope or...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use Your Off Hand on Your Two-Handed Backhand

By Steve Annacone
The two-handed backhand has become the norm these days. It is much easier to hit a two-handed backhand than a one-handed backhand when a player first learns how to play. It also results in a stronger shot for most players. The majority of tennis professionals will start players with two hands...Read more

Tip of the Week: Hitting a Shot Well is More Important than Fooling Your Opponent

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By Steve Annacone
We are always fighting human nature when playing a point in a tennis match. It is natural to try to disguise your shot so the opponent does not know what you are going to do. The problem is that even if you fool your opponent, if the shot is not hit well, you are likely to let them back into the...Read more

Tip of the Week: Playing Better on the Big Points

By Steve Annacone
As players get better, it becomes more and more difficult to figure out why one person wins the match and the other does not. The best players seem to win more of the points at the crucial times. It would be natural to assume they lift their game and rise to the occasion, therefore resulting in...Read more

Tip of the Week: Reasons to Hit Crosscourt

By Steve Annacone
Hitting the ball crosscourt is a great way to start the point, set up the point, and often to win the point. There are many reasons why crosscourt is the direction to go on most of your shots. First, the ball will usually cross the net somewhere towards the middle giving you a greater margin of...Read more

Tip of the Week: Hold On Loosely

By Steve Annacone
When I first started playing, I can remember getting advice pertaining to keeping a firm grip on the racquet. What I have learned over the years is that if you start with a firm grip in the ready position or prior to the backswing on your shots, you end up with a "death grip" on the racquet. This...Read more
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