There are many ways to get the tennis ball to go in a certain direction. Hitting the ball early or late, adjusting the angle of your racquet face, and positioning your body and shoulders are the most common. Based on my experience, using your shoulder position is the most reliable way to direct the shot ..read more

As a tennis player, I often think about what happens to tennis balls once they lose their pressure. When I’m playing with these balls, I’ll just be like, “Yeah, they’re dead balls,” and throw them to the side but what really happens after that. The truth is that recycling tennis balls is very challenging, and ..read more

I have been involved in tennis since I was 10. It has always been special to me. Tennis has taught me a lot about myself, about life, and about what it means to compete. There have been many ups and downs, successes and failures, and a lot of learning. Sounds like life… We need to approach ..read more

Every player has a different service motion. The motion can be long and smooth, short and quick, or somewhere in between. They also all tend to have a different routine before serving. This presents a problem for the person trying to return serve. It takes some time to get used to what you are dealing ..read more

Taking time away from your opponent in a tennis match is one of the best ways to draw errors. These days, most players are doing this by hitting their shots with a great amount of speed. Another very effective way to rush your opponent and take away time is to hit your shot more on ..read more

Hitting the ball to a big target area is a great strategy. Many of the pros are using this idea on the return of serve and during a rally by hitting the ball right down the middle. This takes the angles away from the opponent and allows them to make more shots. Refining this idea ..read more

Being a tennis coach for a very long time helps me understand a lot of the things that go on in the tennis world. Even so, there are some things that I just don’t get.  I have been on both ends of the hiring and firing coaching line. This has taught me to be patient ..read more

Here is a list of things that can help you win your tennis match. These are listed in order of importance. The more of these things that you execute in a match situation, the higher the chances of success. Tackle these one at a time! Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone ..read more

Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in North America for three years running, with a whopping 36.5 million players in the U.S. alone and a paddle market topping $150 million. And it’s not just for kids and older folks—the biggest group of players is young adults aged 18 to 34.  But there’s a catch: while there are almost 14,000 places to play in the U.S., the demand for indoor pickleball courts is still skyrocketing. Pickleball enthusiasts want to play year-round, rain or shine. That’s where your facility comes in. Finding the right indoor space for pickleball, however, can be a ..read more

Tennis can be a lonely sport. Until recently, even the pros were completely on their own during their matches. Although coaching is allowed on tour these days, the players still have the most control of how the match is played, as well as the outcome.  Self coaching can be extremely helpful on the court. If you hit a poor shot, try to pick one or two basic thoughts to make a correction. Tell yourself to watch the ball, recover and get ready, or follow through before you play the next point or rally. This will give you a great chance to improve on what just happened.  If you play a po ..read more