Tip of the Week: Smooth is the Key

By Steve Annacone
Ever since I heard the news that Roger Federer is retiring after the Laver Cup, I have been trying to come up with a way to use his approach to the game as a tool to help tennis players who are striving for improvement. Obviously, we are not going to be able to play like Roger Federer. However,...Read more

Tip of the Week: Adjust Your Court Position

By Steve Annacone
Adjusting your position on the court can be the difference in a match. Most players prefer to stand in close to the baseline or way behind the baseline. In both cases, it is important to adjust according to how the point is going. If the opponent is hitting the majority of their shots very deep,...Read more

Tip of the Week: Serving and Returning Serve Determine the Outcome of the Match

Photo Credit: Simon Bruty/USTA
By Steve Annacone
Statistics are becoming a big part of coaching tennis players. First serve percentage, points won on first serve or second serve, and percentage of return of serves in play are often compared when analyzing a match. There are still crucial points in a match which may influence the outcome. However...Read more

Tip of the Week: Learn How to Hit the Ball In Front of Your Opponent

By Steve Annacone
More and more players are standing farther and farther back in the court these days. Daniil Medvedev has brought this to a new level, showcasing his amazing defensive skills and returning serves from almost the front row of the stands. The increased speed and spin on the ball has played a big part...Read more

Tip of the Week: Always Believe That It Is Possible To Win

By Steve Annacone
Tennis is an amazing sport. It is incredibly difficult to predict who will win a match, even if there have been many previous encounters and one player has had a lot of success. This is true at all levels but is especially the case at the very top of the game. Since 2005, someone named Federer,...Read more

Tip of the Week: Play Every Single Point

By Steve Annacone
Recently, I asked my brother Paul how Rafa continues to be so successful at age 36. His answer was something that we all hear over and over when coaches give advice to their players: he plays every single point as if it were match point. This sounds like an impossible idea to execute and for most...Read more

Tip of the Week: Use Your Serve and Return of Serve to Get Control of the Point

By Steve Annacone
It is extremely important to get your first serve in and to get your return of serve in play. However, one of the keys to winning a tennis match is to get control of the point more often than your opponent. In addition to making your serve and return of serve, try to get the opponent in some...Read more

Tip of the Week: Keep a Calm Mentality in the Heat of the Match

By Steve Annacone
Most players are much better off leaving their emotions on the sidelines when a match gets tight. There have been a few such as John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Illie Nastase and more who have actually played better at times after getting wound up. However, staying calm and keeping your focus on the...Read more

Tip of the Week: Play the Ball, But Pay Attention to Your Opponent

By Steve Annacone
Most coaches tend to scout and find out their opponent’s weaknesses, and then tell their player how to play based on that information. But it is better to know your own strengths and weaknesses, play your game, and focus on the ball. Pay attention to what the opponent is doing and make slight...Read more

Tip of the Week: Tennis is Crazy

By Steve Annacone
Whenever two players step on the singles court for a tennis match, there is a favorite. Usually, the favorite is the person who is ranked higher or has the better career results. However, there is a very strange thing that happens in tennis, more than any other sport: the better player does not...Read more

Tip of the Week: Why Your Attitude Makes a Difference

Photo courtesy of Getty Images
By Steve Annacone
It’s hard for us to understand how our attitude can play such a big role in the outcome of a tennis match. Most players believe that if they hit the ball well, use the right strategy, and take advantage of their opportunities, they will win. However, if the other player is matching your hitting...Read more

Tip of the Week: Ready, Couple of Steps, Swing

By Steve Annacone
Tennis needs to be automatic, instinctive, and repetitive. Unfortunately, the thoughts going through your head when you are playing make it very difficult for any of those things to happen. Keeping the most simple ideas in your head can help get your reactions to become less complicated from all...Read more
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