Tips From The Coaching Team

POINTS ANALYSIS TABLE - PAT

PAT is your points feedback assistant helping identify patterns of shot selection and areas to train!

Decide where the particular shot in the point that you're interested in fits in the categories below -

BRILLIANT
Successful calculated risk and/or tactical variation ‐ played at an appropriate time.

BEST
Successful Core Tactics to neutralise, pressurise or win a point, maximise safety margin and maintain good court positioning. Both good technical and tactical execution.

GOOD
Good tactics with a mistake or good technique without tactics. Keeping the ball in play.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Neutral or defensive play when you could pressurise. Tactical error.

MISTAKE
Unforced (focus) error or technical/physical breakdown error that allows your opponent to pressurise or win the point.

BLUNDER
'Easy Winner' ‐ point lost with an easy winner opportunity or giving your opponent an easy winner opportunity. In both cases, due to any combination of ‐ unforced (focus) error, technical or tactical error.

__________________________________________

All categories could be in a defensive, neutral or attacking position in the point.
Some categories may apply at the same time ‐ e.g. Good/Missed Opportunity, Good/Mistake.
Point win or loss could be down to your opponent and out of your control - PAT only applies to your play and the things you can control.

Many thanks to Assistant Coach Josh for helping to transfer feedback language
from Chess.com to tennis and creating PAT!
Pete*

Team Players - Mental Skills Checklist

Focus Pocus!
Relaxed Focus is the Holy Grail.
Inner Game principles - understanding Mental Interference and
Non-Judgemental Awareness. Observation v Trying Mode.
State Management and Between-Points Routines.
Supporting your partner!

Team Players - Tactical Checklist

BEST (from the PAT Categories above) ‐ Club Doubles Core Tactics to neutralise, pressurise or win a point, maximise safety margin and maintain good court positioning.

If some of the Tactical Checklist leaves you with more questions, come along to a coaching session or ask one of the coaching team. Also, look out for more explanations and examples of the Checklist which are in the pipeline!

PLAN A ‐ Make The Wall! The Wall beats 1-up-1-back - 1st chance to move in!
4 Starting Positons related to The Wall.
Default is Serve & Volley / Return & Volley ‐ PLAN A!
Set-up Zone (Priority Homebase)/ Pounce Zone (Going for a winner)/ Stepping Stone (Moving in) / Baseline (Looking for 1st chance to move in).
Set-up (90%) or Pounce/Win (10% - wait for an easy opportunity).
Cross-court Set-up (Server & Returner, All-4-up).
Set-up or Defend away from the Net Player - hit to the player who is further away.
Pick, Pick, Pick & Pounce!
Low & Slow is the way to go! Set-up or Defend against the wall ‐ target the middle or cross-court for safety.
Safety Margins ‐ Aim for the Singles Court / Middle of back quarter / Safe Winner Targets (middle or shoeshine at nearer player safer than wide angles).
Cut down angles for Set-up (angles give angles) - Save angles for winners (Pounce Zone).
Serve Targets - Default Body / T Serve 2nd / Wide 3rd.
Intercept in middle and move on - interceptor's position tells partner where to go. HIDO (Hit It and Drive On)! Be ready for the rebound!
No retreat from Volleyland!
Overhead/High Volley and get back in!
Lob = Approach!
Ghost in to Stepping Stone after good lob in case they lob the lob!
Against S&V or approaching player, Shoe-shine! (Or target the outside back quarter of service box).
Get back if in trouble (PLAN B)!
If opponent's target the middle against The Wall ‐ decide on strategy (both go, forehand goes, stagger).
Server's Partner - watch the line if serve is wide.
Eyes on immediate threat!

Team Players Technical Checklist

Ball Awareness
Tracking the ball well - Bounce-Hit!

Body Awareness
Give yourself space - race to the base!

Split when they hit (on nearest Homebase is best)!

Relaxation and breathing.

Waiting not rushing - Smoothness.

Racket awareness (path, angle, speed)
Volleys - Squeeze & Freeze! Look at racket after hit - has it Stopped / Still pointing at target / Slightly tilted up (open).

Lag & Snap! (For volleys from further back, or if you have more time).

Groundstrokes - Clean swing path, short backswing to manage opponent's fast shots.

Open Racket skills - If less comfortable (rushed or squidged or stretched), bump it up!

Serves
Magic Box!
Edge2Face!
Relaxed speed - Loose & Fast.
Rhythm - Slow & Fast.
Add power boosts ‐ racket drop, open shoulder, body rotation, legs. Different spins ‐ racket path, angle at contact point.

Junior Academy Checklist

Here are your goals to keep working on with your training!

Give yourself a mark out of 10 for where you think you are with each skill
and see how far you can get in a short/medium time frame.

Pete and Helen

Mental Skills

Positive Body Language!

Head up, Racket Up, immediately after the end of every point or practice rally.

Choose Your Focus!

Decide on one thing you're going to focus on for the next point.

Win Or Lose You Learn!

Make Learning Super-Important so you keep improving win or lose!

Technical Skills

Serve – Safe & Fast!

Edge To Face with Continental / Chopper / Hammer grip.

More reliable Topspin second serve with height, spin and speed.

Squeeze & Freeze!

Watch your racket after the hit on the volley to check your freeze!

Freeze your racket until the ball bounces!

Tactical Skills

Cross-Court Consistency – Baseline Warrior!

Height over the net, Safety-Margin Target, Topspin Shape.

Get To Volleyland!

Take the first chance you have to get to the net.

Physical Skills

Split when they hit!

Split step every time your opponent / practice partner hits the ball.

Race to the base!

Know your Homebases and Split Step on the Nearest Homebase as much as possible.

Pete's Tennis Awareness Checklist

By popular request - thanks Natalie!

These are the awareness areas that I often guide players through.

I like to build the habit by using them as we go through the extended warm-up routines, but they can of course be useful during practice drills and points play as well.

The trick is to observe what is happening for each item on the checklist, without 'trying to get it right' - without judgement.

Relaxation
Breathing
Bounce-Hit
Hands-in-front
Contact Point
Racket Awareness (Path / Angle / Speed / Finish)
Breathing and Finish Combined
Split-step
'Race to the base - Give yourself space'

Mindfulness is -

Paying attention

On purpose

In the present moment

Non-judgementally

Jon Kabat-Zinn