Brain Game Tennis

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  • Balls
  • Webinars
    • 1: Winning Singles Strategy
    • 2: Winning Doubles Strategy
    • 3: Serve Strategy & Patterns
    • 4: Return Strategy & Patterns
    • 5 FREE 2022 US Open: Alcaraz v Sinner Analysis
    • 6 Net Strategy & Patterns
    • 7: Baseline Strategy & Patterns
    • 8: The Mental Game
    • 9: 25 Favorite Drills
    • 10: Primary & Secondary
    • 11: Break Points & Tie-Breaks
    • 12: Team Djokovic
    • 13: How Not To Lose
    • 14: Forehand Playbook
    • 15: Backhand Playbook
    • 16: Serve +1 Strategy
    • 17: Return +1 Strategy
    • 18: FREE Djokovic 2023 Australia Analysis
    • 19: Drop Shots & Lobs
    • 20: Own The Net & Cover The Lob
    • 21: Serve & Volley | Return & Volley
    • 22: Run Around Forehands
    • 23: Point Score Strategy
    • 24: Andre Agassi Patterns Of Play
    • 25: Anticipation & Positioning
    • 26: ABCD Baseline Locations
    • 27: Winners & Errors
    • 28: Dynamic Defense
    • 29: Match Rituals
    • 30: Volley & Overhead Technique
    • 31: 2023 Wimbledon Alcaraz v Djokovic Analysis
    • 32: Hitting Down The Line
    • 33: First Strike Tennis
    • 34: The 8 Serve Locations
    • 35: Backhand Cage
    • 36: Make Better Decisions
    • 37: 25 Underrated Tactics
    • 38: Aggressive Returns
    • 39: Passing Shots
    • 40: Climbing The Ladder
    • 41: Opponent Awareness
    • 42: Interior Footwork & Spacing
    • 43: Depth Before Direction
    • 44: Approach Shots
    • 45: How To Build A Point
    • 46: 8 Ways To Force An Error
    • 47: Backhand Slice Situations
    • 48: Game Plans
    • 49: Position A Mastery
    • 50: Position D Mastery
    • 51: Lefties
    • 52: Playing Behind
    • 53: Pre-Match Nerves
    • 54: 1st Point Of The Game
    • 55: All Court Player
    • 56: 2nd Serve Return Prowess
    • 57: Forehand Errors In 0-4 Shots
    • 58: Serve +1 Approach
    • 59: Slice Returns
    • 60: Doubles Return Strategy
    • 61: Improve Your Serve Accuracy
    • 62: Stay On The Shot
    • 63: Two-Shot Combinations
    • 64: Attacking From D To A
    • 65: Reducing Risk
    • 66: Depth Is The Diamond
    • 67: Defensive Forehands
    • 68: Recovering For Next Shot
    • 69: Reduce Net Errors
    • 70: Closing Out A Set
    • 71: Serve +2
    • 72: Improve Your Variety
    • 73: Winning On Defense
    • 74: How To Analyze A Match
    • 75: Practice Like A Pro
    • 76: Copy Carlos Alcaraz
    • 77: Master The Fundamentals
    • 78: What Matters Most To Winning
    • 79: Best Patterns Of Play
    • 80: How To Talk To Yourself
    • 81: First Volleys
    • 82: Get Into Your Opponent’s Head
  • Strategy Courses
    • The First 4 Shots
      • The Mode = 1
      • Men: 2015/16 Australian Open Round by Round
      • Men: 2015/16 Australian Open Average Rally Length
      • Women: 2015/16 Australian Open Round by Round
      • Women: 2015/16 Australian Open Average Rally Length
      • 2015/16 Australian Open: Bullseye = 3 Shots
      • 2015/16 Australian Open: 1-7 Shots Breakdown
      • 2015/16 Australian Open: Shorter > Longer
      • Men 2015/16 Australian Open: Champion Analysis
      • North Carolina High School Tennis
      • The Serve Shockwave
      • Everyone’s Game Style = First Strike
      • Where Players Lose
      • Junior to Pro First Strike Pathway
      • Men’s College Tennis
      • Women’s College Tennis
      • Boy’s 12’s
      • Boy’s 14’s
      • Boy’s 16’s
      • Boy’s 18’s
      • Girl’s 18’s
    • Short Ball Hunter
      • Baseline v Net
      • Wimbledon Approaching 2002 – 2015
      • 2015 US Open: 2nd Week
      • 2015 US Open: Approach To The Backhand
      • 2015 US Open: Approach To The Forehand
      • Junior & College Data
      • Roger Federer Prowling
      • Roger Federer: Hitting A FH v BH Approach
      • Roger Federer: Approach to Forehand v Backhand
      • Roger Federer: Approach Situations
      • Roger Federer: SABR
      • 2015 Australian Open Men: Best Time To Approach
      • 2015 Australian Open Women: Best Time To Approach
      • 2015 Australian Open Juniors: Best Time To Approach
      • 50-50 Ball
      • Approach Middle
      • Half Court Players
      • Court Position & Time
    • 25 GR Singles
      • Foundations
      • #1 Eight Serve Locations
      • #2 Eight Serve Factors
      • #3 Serve + 1
      • #4 Serve & Volley Part 1
      • #4 Serve & Volley Part 2
      • #5 Serve Situations
      • #6 First Serves
      • #7 Second Serves
      • #8 Return Situations
      • #9 Returning 1st Serves
      • #10 Returning 2nd Serves
      • #11 Break Points
      • #12 Return Approach
      • #13 Return Winner
      • #14 A B C D
      • #15 Rally Percentages
      • #16 Sword & Shield
      • #17 Run Around Forehand
      • #18 The 2-1
      • #19 Climbing The Ladder
      • #20 Backhand Cage
      • #21 Backhand Line
      • #22 Drop Shots
      • #23 Approaching
      • #24 1st Volley Behind
      • #25 Pass Cross
    • 25 GR Doubles
      • #1 Center Window
      • #2 Where To Stand
      • #3 Forget The Lines
      • #4 Don’t Follow The Ball
      • #5 Don’t Change Directions
      • #6 Don’t Cover The Line
      • #7 Best Serve Locations
      • #8 Best Return Locations
      • #9 The J
      • #10 The V
      • #11 Volley Targets
      • #12 Two Back
      • #13 Lob Returns
      • #14 Lobbing
      • #15 Serve Formations
      • #16 Low Middle
      • #17 Assign The Middle
      • #18 Power Play
      • #19 Home Base
      • #20 Three Feet
      • #21 R. Partner Neutral
      • #22 Fake & Bake
      • #23 Beach Volleyball
      • #24 Not Hitting = Moving
      • #25 Communicate
    • Num3ers
      • 3 Types of Points – Men
      • 3 Types of Points – Women
      • Average Rally Length
      • Ideal Point
      • Be A High % Player
      • Faster Future
      • Grinding
      • Long Rallies Don’t Matter
      • The Bottom Line: Women
      • The Bottom Line: Men
    • Dou8les Num3ers
      • Building Blocks
      • 3 Types of Points – Men
      • 3 Types of Points – Women
      • Average Rally Length
      • Last Shot: Net v Baseline
      • Last Shot: Server v Returner
      • Last Shot: Winner v Error
      • Last Shot: Serving Team
      • Last Shot: Returning Team
      • 1st Serves
      • 2nd Serves
      • Unreturned Serves
      • Return Winners
      • Groundstroke Winners
      • Stephen Huss – 2005 Wimbledon Champion
    • Between The Points
      • Introduction
      • Two Matches
      • 5 Step Routine
      • 3 Opponents
      • Strings
      • Voices In My Head
      • 55%
      • Leaking Cup
      • Storm Cloud
      • Finish Line
      • Getting Tight: Sample Page
      • Federico Coria: Fear
      • Andre Agassi: Shower
      • Djokovic 2014 Wimbledon
    • Million Pts College Tennis
      • Points Won/Lost
      • Total Net Points
      • Net Points Won
      • Serve +1 FH / BH
      • Serve +1 Errors
      • Serve +1 Winners
      • Serve +1: 3 Outcomes
      • Return +1 FH / BH
      • Return +1 Winners
      • Return +1 Errors
      • Return +1: 3 Outcomes
      • 1st Serve Percentage
      • 1st Serve Points Won
      • 1st Serves Deuce Court
      • 1st Serves Ad Court
      • 2nd Serve Points Won
      • 2nd Serves Deuce Court
      • 2nd Serves Ad Court
      • Deuce Court Aces
      • Ad Court Aces
      • Double Faults / 2nd Serves Lost
      • Deuce Court Double Faults
      • Ad Court Double Faults
      • Serving: Deuce & Ad Combined
      • Return Errors
      • Return Errors – Deuce Ct
      • Return Errors – Ad Court
      • Return Errors vs 1st Serves
      • Return Errors vs 2nd Serves
      • Return Winners
      • Deuce Ct: 1st Serve Returns
      • Deuce Ct: 2nd Serve Returns
      • Ad Ct: 1st Serve Returns
      • Ad Ct: 2nd Serve Returns
    • Getting Tight
      • Getting Tight – Introduction
      • Getting Hijacked
      • Permission To Miss
      • Pre-Match 1 – Expectations
      • Pre-Match 2 – Visualize
      • Pre-Match 3 – Filters
      • Pre-Match 4 – Arousal
      • Set 1 – Adrenalin
      • Set 1 – Internally Focused
      • Set 1 Permission Slips
      • Sets 2&3 – Exhausted
      • Sets 2&3 – Survival Mode
      • Sets 2&3 – Backhand Permission
      • Match Analytics 1
      • Match Analytics 2
      • Match Analytics 3
      • Match Analytics 4
      • Match Analytics 5
      • On Court – Drop Shot
      • On Court – Backhand Line
      • On Court – Return Of Serve
      • Francisco Clavet – 1
      • Francisco Clavet – 2
      • Francisco Clavet – 3
      • Review 1
      • Review 2
      • Review 3
      • Match: Jeff 1st Serves
      • Match: Jeff 2nd Serves
      • Match: Francisco 1st Serves
      • Match: Francisco’s 2nd Serves
      • Match Intelligence 1
      • Match Intelligence 2
      • Match Intelligence 3
    • GamePlan
      • Welcome To GAMEPLAN
      • 1st Serve Percentage
      • 1st Serve Points Won
      • First Point Serving
      • The 43% Upgrade
      • 2nd Serve Points Won
      • Break Points
      • Returns: Forehand v Backhand
      • Returns: Made/Winners/Errors
      • Returns: Deuce Court
      • Returns: Ad Court
      • Double Faults
      • The First 4 Shots: Murray v Nishikori
      • Strategy Analysis 1 – Becoming No. 1 In The World
      • Strategy Analysis 2 – Climbing The Rankings
    • Dirtballer
      • START HERE — Introduction
      • Men Rally Length: 2017 RG vs US Open
      • Women Rally Length: 2017 RG vs. US Open
      • 2016 RG vs 2017 Australian Open
      • Nadal Dominance On Clay
      • Nadal Career Stats – Clay vs Hard
      • Rafael Nadal: 23 Masters 1000 Matches
      • More Lessons
  • Presentations
  • Blog
  • About Craig
    • AI Tennis Data Dashboard
    • AI College Data Dashboard
    • Match IQ: College Tennis
    • Match IQ: Pro Tennis
    • Business Speaking
    • Success Stories
    • Team Djokovic 2017-2019
    • Interviews
    • Tennis Channel Feature: Moneyball In Tennis
    • Tennis Channel One Minute Clinics
    • Tennis Magazine Feature
    • Border Mail Front Page
    • ATP Match Analysis
    • ATP Beyond The Numbers
    • Craig In The News
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  • Archive from category "ATP Tour"
  • Page 7

Dustin Brown beats Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon

Monday, 06 July 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
G’day! What an amazing victory by Dustin Brown over Rafael Nadal on Centre Court at Wimbledon! It was such a pleasure to join Scott Wittenberg on Dustin’s coaching team, and help Dustin to the biggest win of his career. I want to pass on some insights and stories from that huge day, as well as
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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How Stan Won Roland Garros.

Monday, 08 June 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
Offense toppled defense in the 2015 final. Congratulations to both Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic for playing a fantastic French Open final! Stan won the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Novak won the hearts of the crowd with an amazing extended standing ovation in the awards ceremony. Novak is hardly ever the crowd favorite or
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Preview: Djokovic v Wawrinka #RG15

Saturday, 06 June 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
Novak is the clear favorite. Stan has the weapons to win.  Let’s hope for a final to remember! Firstly, it’s going to be a little weird not watching Rafael Nadal win this thing for the 50th time. Novak will definitely go into this match feeling very confident after a good run in Paris, and a
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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What Really Mattered: Djokovic d Nadal 75 63 61

Thursday, 04 June 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
Nole gave Rafa the good news. It was a very focused, tactical match. G’day! Well, after six losses to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic finally got him. Novak’s straight sets win was dominant, and at no stage did Rafa really get his nose in front. I hope you read my pre-match post –
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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25 Keys to Nadal v Djokovic #RG15

Tuesday, 02 June 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
A match for the ages. Firstly, Happy Birthday Rafa! This is going to a big one! Bigger than Ben Hur, as we like to say Down Under. (For my live twitter analysis – follow @braingametennis) This is one of those matches where the hype, the build-up, the pre-match tension, is felt by millions and millions
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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FRENCH OPEN 1st Round – Women closing the gap / Rafa

Wednesday, 27 May 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
Roland Garros rocks. G’day, What a great start to the the French Open the past few days. I have been fortunate to coach at Roland Garros over the years, and absolutely love the smaller, tighter setup they have there. Yes it’s crowded, yes the crowds boo more than they should, but it’s definitely different –
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  • Published in ATP Tour, WTA
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Know Your Enemy

Friday, 22 May 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
SAP Rome data. You have absolutely got to know this. G’day! Good morning! I wanted to pass along a story I wrote this week for the WTA Tennis website. It contains some brand new data from SAP from the Rome tournament last week. SAP is really doing a tremendous job of bringing new tennis data
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Dubai – Roger rocks Novak

Monday, 02 March 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
How Roger beat Novak playing very smart tennis Roger Federer is having an amazing renaissance to his already amazing career. The latest highlight is a straight sets win over world #1, Novak Djokovic, in the Dubai final on Saturday. I wrote a story for the ATP World Tour, which is still on the front page of
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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G’day from the Aussie Open

Tuesday, 27 January 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
  Game plans work. otherwise knows as how to not lose 18 matches in a row to the same person. G’day from Melbourne! Well, by now I am sure you heard how badly Tomas Berdych beat Rafael Nadal in the quarter finals. It was 6-2, 6-0, 7-6(5), but not that close. I an sure in the
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Watching Roger Federer Make History

Monday, 12 January 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
  It’s a big number. Roger reaches a massive milestone… I was on Pat Rafter Arena last night to witness Roger win his 1000th match on tour – only the third player ever to do it. I want to share 10 things from the match with you. 1. It’s amazing how much Federer is loved
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Berrer def. Nadal – what a difference the right mindset makes

Saturday, 10 January 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
Berrer def. Nadal 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 One game changed everything. Did you see the stunning victory by Michael Berrer over Rafael Nadal this week in Doha? Wow! It was Rafa’s first match back, and the nerves really kicked in. He cruised through the first set and then lost serve in the middle of the second
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Why 1% Matters

Friday, 02 January 2015 by Craig O'Shannessy
And how patterns are the key to that 1%. G’day! It’s a brand spanking New Year and it’s only natural to want to attack 2015 like a bull running down the streets of Pamplona. Sounds good to me, so let’s pick a role model to copy that crushed it in 2014. Well, that person would be Roger
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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US Open Qualies Day 1

Wednesday, 20 August 2014 by Craig O'Shannessy
G’day from New York, Qualifying for the U.S. Open started Monday and it was great to walk around the courts and see all the players in action. It’s an ideal time to see young up-and-comers for the first time and get a feel for the new names and faces of the next wave of players
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Hosting a Radio Talk Show Tonight!

Tuesday, 22 April 2014 by Craig O'Shannessy
Howdy!  RADIO SPOT Well it’s been an absolutely fabulous week on all fronts! I hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter with family and friends. Tonight at 9.00pm central I will be co-hosting a tennis radio talk show which is going to be a lot of fun! Below is the link to listen to it and
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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ATP250 Los Angeles Rd32 Rajeev Ram defeats Paul Capdeville 6-3, 6-1

Wednesday, 25 July 2012 by Craig O'Shannessy
Wow that was quick! Rajeev just made his way into the quarter finals of the Los Angeles ATP250 with a straight sets W over Chilean Paul Capdeville in an hour and some change. Rajeev won 6-3, 6-1 and never faced a break point for the entire match. He broke Paul five times from nine opportunities
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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ATP250 Newport – Rajeev Ram v Lleyton Hewitt today!

Saturday, 14 July 2012 by Craig O'Shannessy
G’day, I hope everyone is doing well in their tournaments this weekend! It’s a big day for Rajeev Ram as he battles Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals of the Campbells Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, RI this afternoon at 2pm eastern (live in tennis channel). Rajeev and I had a wonderful swing through
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  • Published in ATP Tour
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Ten Tennis Strategy Products

Brain Game Tennis is the world leader researching and teaching strategy in tennis. Below are ten products to choose from to remove the guesswork and opinion from your game.

THE FIRST 4 SHOTS

The practice court is clearly broken. Here’s the proof.

Points are "front loaded". By far the majority of the action, and the winning, takes place in THE FIRST 4 SHOTS. The practice court is full of long rallies. Matches are dominated by short rallies. There is a massive disconnect occurring.

We spend too much time grinding, banging balls up and down the middle of the court – that have no real benefit to winning tennis matches.

There are 3 specific rally lengths in tennis. Here is their percentage breakdown of total points.

0-4 Shots = 70%
5-8 Shots = 20%
9+ Shots = 10%

The First 4 Shots is specifically the serve, return, Serve +1 groundstroke and Return +1 groundstroke. Those are normally the shots that get practiced the least, but matter the most to winning tennis matches.

Short Ball Hunter

The net is an extremely high percentage place to be!

If you love playing tennis for fun, spend as much time at the baseline as you like. But if you compete – if the score matters – then you must turn your attention to the net to maximize your potential.

The “herd mentality” in tennis thinks it’s too tough to approach the net in today’s game. The conversation starts with improved string technology, more powerful rackets, and finishes with stronger, faster athletes. The herd think approaching is a relic of the past. The herd is WRONG!

AVERAGE WIN %
Baseline = 46%
Net = 66%

Data from ALL Grand Slams provides the facts about approach and volley, and the data is crystal clear – it’s immensely better than staying back at the baseline, grinding for a living.

Num3ers

The baseline is a tough place to create separation. Here's how to do it.

At the 2012 US Open, only 7 men and 14 women had a winning percentage from the baseline. At Wimbledon 2016, Andy Murray won the title only winning 52% of his baseline points - and he is one of the very best at it in the world!

Num3ers deeply explores the data that rules points, especially from the back of the court. Take a "deep dive" into all three rally lengths (0-4, 5-8, 9+), and winner and errors totals from the elite level of our game. The numbers will shock you!

All 4 Grand Slams

Forcing Errors = 41% Men / 37% Women
Winners = 32% Men / 29% Women
Unforced Errors = 27% Men / 34% Women

Num3ers is very much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. It's about bringing together different data sets together to create the big picture.

Dou8les Num3ers

Doubles Numbers

Every recorded match from the 2015 Australian Open - Rd2 to the final.

There is a lot happening on a doubles court. Situations and strategies are constantly being adjusted to create mis-matches with court position. It's hard to keep track of - until now. Dou8les Num3ers is the most comprehensive analysis of doubles data in our sport. The focus is on how a point ends, and it's broken down eight ways to Sunday. Specifically, you find critical information on:

Winners rise to the #1 way a point ends (over forced & unforced errors)

- The last shot of the rally is overwhelmingly struck at the net.
- Center Window: the most important part of a doubles court to control.
- Stephen Huss: an in-depth interview on Wimbledon's Centre Court with the 2005 Wimbledon Doubles Champion.

Dou8les Num3ers leaves no stone unturned. Percentage breakdowns of how often the server or receiver hits the last shot highlight the dramatic influence of the serve. The last shot of the rally is significant, and is broken down into the following categories: volleys, overheads, passing shots, lobs and groundstrokes.

between the points

When you play a match, you actually play two matches.

When you walk out onto a tennis court, there are two matches that you are about to play. The first is during the point - a part of the match that you have spent a lot of time preparing for on the practice court. But there is a second match, that takes place in the 20 seconds between the points. This is where the mental and emotional aspects of our sport kick in.

Let's face it, there will be adversity in almost every tennis match that you play. The storm clouds are coming. How bug they are, and how long they last for, are up to you.

Between the points is very tennis specific. It provides a roadmap for the 20 seconds between the points, teaching how to handle the adversity that will surely come, and how to build on the successes that will also be present. Your mind is your biggest asset in a match, and Between the Points takes your hand off the self destruct button and stops you beating yourself.

25 golden rules of singles strategy

You don't have to be good at everything, but you have got to be good at something.

You can break tennis down into four key elements - serving, returning, rallying and approaching. Each part has specific patterns of play that consistently deliver higher winning percentages than the others. No more guessing. No more opinions. All facets of our sport are covered in this exceptional product, clearly outlining what patterns to gravitate to, and how to best construct the practice court. Data comes primarily from the 2015 Australian Open.

Building Blocks

MEN = 70% errors / 30% winners
WOMEN = 74% errors / 26% winners

Forcing errors is the best way to construct a point.
You can simply break tennis down into primary and secondary patterns of play - and they are all covered here. Primary patterns include serve and return direction, forehands v backhands, and the best way to approach the net. Secondary patterns include drop shots, serve & volley and 1st volley options. If you play tournaments, this product will greatly help you simplify the singles court.

25 golden rules of doubles

The conversation starts & ends with the Center Window.

The doubles court is like an hourglass. There are two big ends, but a small neck in the middle where all the action happens. Once you learn the power of the Center Window, where you stand to start the point will take on a lot more significance.

Doubles is a lot more about situations, with four people on the court all "dancing" with one another. Learn all the best doubles patterns, broken down for the server, returner, server's partner and the returner's partner.

Doubles Situations

The "J" - the most ideal movement for the returner's partner to attack the net.

The "V" - a better way of understanding where the server's partner should move to.

Volley Targets - there are four main areas to attack. Know which ones are higher percentage. Beach Volleyball - the idea of a "setter" and "spiker" is ideal for the doubles court.

There are certain parts of the court that the ball travels to a lot, and other low percentage areas that you really don't want to cover at all - like the alley! In general, the serving team wants to keep the ball in the middle of the court as much as possible (to help the server's partner), while the returning team benefits from hitting wider and creating more chaos in the point.

Dirtballer

Dirtballer clay court tennis course

Getting Tight

Getting Tight tennis strategy course

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