Tennis, a sport of finesse and power, has been a favorite of audiences, largely because of its dynamic gameplay and intense rallies. While physical prowess undoubtedly plays a significant role in a player’s success, the strategic and tactical aspects of the game are equally crucial. And behind every successful tennis player stands one of the most important stakeholders in any sport: the coach. In fact, the complexities of a game emerge from their mind, because they’re the ones analyzing opponents, brainstorming the best strategies (and adapting them in every situation!) and of course, helping the player play to their full potential – with all their strengths on their side, and their weaknesses accounted for.
It all starts with technical expertise – mastering every single move. Coaches work with players to develop diverse serving arsenals,including flat, slice, kick, and topspin serves. These strategic techniques play an important role in dictating play, setting up advantageous positions and sometimes even directly winning points. Equally important is the return, of course, where a player has to anticipate serves from their opponents and make sure to strike a balance between strategy and aggressiveness. A coach will also help with court positioning, determining where it’s prudent to use an offensive or defensive approach (each with their own advantages).
Plus, they emphasize the importance of shot selection, teaching their athletes to assess situations quickly and choose the most appropriate strokes. And coaching doesn’t end only at practice sessions; the best coaches are constantly vigilant during matches, identifying patterns and trends to inform strategic adjustments. This may involve altering serving patterns, targeting the opponent’s weaknesses, or in some cases changing court positioning to disrupt their rhythm.
There’s a lot of lessons to be learned from iconic tennis coaches – not just about the sport, but also about life. Sven Groeneveld, who coached the legendary Maria Sharapova, speaks a lot about how essential it is to loosen up and relax, that the mind-body connection is crucial for success. And he’s not the only one who’s waxed eloquent about the mental game: Johan Kriek famously said “You may be a level 3 player, but when you get emotional, you revert to a level 1 player.” Every athlete worth their salt is aware of this – the need to have mastery over one’s emotions and to be able to handle pressure when the going gets rough. It’s always going to be a balance between slow and methodical play and quick decision making, technical skill and mental resilience, and coaches serve as the guiding light with these choices.
Sources:
https://capsportacademy.com/blog/strategies-and-tactics-that-make-a-difference-in-tennis/
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