New concepts and technology for coaching Tennis - Wearables

What would I do if I were returning to tennis coaching after a multi-year hiatus.

Tennis is becoming technology-driven, and more player-focused than ever. In the '70s and '80s we considered ourselves high-tech when using video cameras for analysis. While video is still useful with more up-to-date technology, I'd look at integrating advanced tools like AI and wearables while prioritizing mental and functional training, and adapting to new rules like off-court coaching. 

Tennis wearables have become integral to modern coaching and player development, offering real-time data and analytics to enhance performance, technique, match analysis, health monitoring, and injury prevention. These include racket attached sensors and wrist worn wearables. You might add these to your previous teaching methods so you can align with modern trends.

Novak's Secret - Mental Resilience

 

 

Mental Resilience

Raducanu early exit from injury

It's easy to judge someone at a distance. I remember when Fed and Novak were beset with problems that caused them to quit playing a match. No one would call either of them wimps now with justification. Her problems started with coaching changes that were from advice she took based on her age and inexperience. Hopefully, she'll begin to trust her own counsel.

 

 

Raducanu out

Racket Smash Memorial - Nick Kyrgious

This may signal the end of any thoughts that Nick Kyrgious might win a slam or will ever be a #1 player.  I wanted him to get past his demons. It looks unlikely. It's a sad waste of talent. At least he can still earn a great living. I see now that his "I don't care" approach might be his best coping mechanism for making great money and still never reaching his potential due to this kind of outcome. It still seems good for tennis, either way.

 

Eurosport - Video

 SI.com

They need a racket smashing box where no penalties are assessed and it won't ding up the court surface. They could take bets on how many smashes it takes the player to wear themselves out. Post Match - it should be part of any interview where maybe the winner gets to make observations on the technique involved. They could also have a shredder there for those not inclined to damage their arm smashing a racket on the court.

If a student loses a match and wants to take a tournament off, what to do.

Each person develops a method for coping successfully with loss and challenges. One weekend tournament off won't change the long view outcome for her or anyone, or it shouldn't. I'd use it as a training opportunity and would be hesitant to push someone who may already know what works for her.

Why Did Novak Lose to Rafa at the French Open in 2022

 “There are known knowns, things we know that we know; and there are known unknowns, things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns, things we do not know we don't know.”

― Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown 

 In this case, we have a combination of all three in play.   

We know Novak was knocked off stride by the AO debacle and that Rafa is near impossible to beat on clay.

We don't know the issues that caused the splitting with his longtime coach and we don't know the extent of Rafa's injuries, only what we've been told.

The Unkown Unknowns are the reasons Novak played as he did, since he may not even know them.  And the same goes for how Rafa can play with pain injections and seem normal in movement because we don't even know if Rafa is human to be able to do that if what we have been told about his injury is accurate.

It seems that most of this situation consists of things that we don't know and and those we don't even know we don't know.

Dealing with a problem Top Player on a Team

Example: The top player may be able to get past fellow team members but let down the team due to whatever psychological limitations and ego issues impede success.  How do you handle it.

Solution: Often a top spot team member needs a reality check to understand their place in the tennis world, and needs to be broken of this spell and rebuilt or sent downward on the ladder. One thing I've done in the past is to find an unlikely nemesis, an older player, that will breezily demolish them in a demo match in front of the team. You can do it yourself if you can and use junkball to finish the job especially if the player feels above dealing with that style of play. If the player won't take direction after that, the ball is in your court as to what you choose to do with their place on the team. *This is just my opinion and may not conform to a soft-touch way of dealing with problem students or team members.* 

*This is just my opinion and may not conform to the current soft-touch way of dealing with problem students or team members.

Ethics in Tennis. - A Strategy?

 Here is an interesting take on why ethics on the tennis court matter and how to approach it.

Brain Sports Dot Coach

This information rings true.   If you play tennis with a strong code of integrity and follow the rules of etiquette you'll likely find your career in tennis more enjoyable.

I always told my students that once we walk onto a tennis court, we choose to operate on a higher plane were we leave politics, personal drama, and our daily concerns outside the fence and focus on the joy of tennis.  Taking this approach and applying ethics to your conduct and behavior out there will leave you happier regardless of the outcome.  Plus as the video describes, you will "deserve to win."

Frustration on the court - Is Novak any worse than others - I say not.

Why is there so much judgement against Novak Djokovic when it comes to his behavior on the court? 

 

 I've seen many players display it in other ways including Federer and even Laver who I thought never did that.  

Recently, I found an old video on Youtube of a match between Borg and Laver in the '70s that I had never seen. Laver was frustrated that his best wasn't working against Borg and he was getting passed at the net and hitting winners that turned out not to be winners. I could see his frustration mounting. The tell-tale sign of his mounting frustration he started to try drop shots from the baseline, never a good plan especially against someone like Borg. After losing a game and maybe the set, he fired a ball off of his racket up into the stands. I was surprised because I had never seen Laver act out. Frustration and stress can get to anyone.

Does tennis represent single combat?

There's combat and then there's mortal combat. 

Tennis allows for the psychological strains of one-on-one combat minus the threat of annihilation or permanent physical injury, though I've seen psychological injuries result at all levels. Some are never the same after a certain loss. 

 

Martial arts can be to the end, but primarily it is just pain or possibly permanent injury at risk. Then there is actual mortal combat with loss defined as death. None of the rest truly compare.

Handling a Pusher

Make them do what they don't like to do. That usually means bringing them up to the net on your terms. Once at the net you can pass or lob them depending on their skillset and yours. Short angle shots are also an option. 

 With serving, always think of body serves. Pushers tend not to like being forced and this may give you midcourt returns you can attack. 

When receiving most pushers have no strong serve or they wouldn't rely on defense only.   Try stepping in on their serve before they begin their motion so that they can clearly see you standing well inside the baseline to attack.  If they are really weak on the serve, I've seen players standing a foot behind the service line as a challenge and it can rattle a server.

 While in the heat of the struggle, I'd keep trying new things. Find one weakness and attack it relentlessly. As a group, pushers are risk-averse and mentally strongest when frustrating their opponent. You need to frustrate them. For instance, if they have an iffy low backhand since pushers tend to play well behind the baseline, keep going to it with angle and backspin. Isolate their weakness and focus on it. 

 As a proviso: If they are good at handling all of these things then they just might be better than you and your options may decline down to learning from your loss.  

Narcissus - I need to be more selfish

 Tsitsi says I need to be more selfish

 

I didn't mean to pick on Tsitsi but he comes up with some off-the-wall-stuff. I like his game but he needs to mature just like Novak did over time. If wanting to win is just being selfish then I think most every tennis player is guilty. I do remember that Jimmy Connors said that his friendship with Nastase prevented him from beating him for a while until he figured out that Nastase used it on him. You have to separate the individual on the other side from your purpose. Jack Kramer said that he temporarily hated his opponent on the other side of the net no matter who. Like the Mob said, it's just business, nothing personal. I like that Novak and Med can fight it out on the court yet retain a friendship and mutual respect. I hope it stays that way. They could all take a lesson from the Aussies of the '60s and '70s. I don't remember any bad blood among them or against other players they faced.  I'm sure there were some personality differences but most players back then were congenial and respectful of each other.

 

Peterson on What Beckons you Forward

 

Nick has nothing left to prove - talking early retirement

 No, you could say that he's proven himself quite clearly.  As for early retirement, that's a matter of opinion.

Adios Nick until next year - "I have nothing left to prove."

Evert on Osaka

Finding a Safe Space 

Anger Management on the Court

 To me, anger on the court usually indicates external issues that we carry out there, and most of us have experienced it.

 If playing matches against even friends is no longer fun, I'd just stop doing it. Find practice partners that will be happy to hit and play points without the competitive pressure. Unless you're playing for big money there is no reason to submit yourself to something you no longer enjoy.

 Tennis can be enjoyed in many ways other than just playing games and matches.

Tennis skills are Perishable

 Most skills have a shelf-life. There is probably a ratio of time versus skill loss for most things just like physiological decline after physical training stops that can be graphed. For tennis, I'd put it at 5-10% per week down to 60%, and then it declines at a slower rate. Just a guess. Somebody has probably done a study.

If you find a study I'd love to see it.

Philosophy in Training

 Wabi-Sabi -  Perfect Imperfection

The Right Way to Strive  

Rather than focus on the final outcome maybe think of your training process as the end in itself.

How you approach training may allow you to become consistent in your effort which over time will often give you the most gains.  Rather than intensity, often it's the regular and consistent spaced repetition that will insure the best results.

Coffee Naps for Health and Effectiveness

This is a great concept.  The trick is to time coffee intake just prior to your nap so that by the time it kicks in you're done with your nap.  A 15 minute nap seems to be what they're talking about and I doubt that you could make it an hour unless you're really exhausted to the point where a caffeine hit won't pull you out of slumber.  I'm going to try this myself especially if it's a day where I got no sleep.

Coffee Naps - Interesting Concept

Life on Reset thanks to CoronaVirus Pandemic

I did a personal reset a few years ago thanks to a major health challenge. It looks as if many others are bound for the same reality as a result of this life-changing event. Life is tenuous and you really only need enough to live without an endless struggle toward some distant goal, especially financial. Find some happiness in your existence.