Do NOT Copy the Pros!!

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playing tennis

It was 2003… the year I earned my tennis teaching certificate.

Despite my playing experience and theoretical understanding of teaching tennis, there were still so many gaps in my knowledge about how to actually coach people.

My students were all unique individuals – each with their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities.

As a young coach, it took me a while to learn that I had to adapt to every single student I encountered.

Once I became a certified tennis coach, I assumed that the methodology I learned from this esteemed tennis teaching organization would provide me with a “one-size-fits-all” formula that would suit every student who entered my tennis court.

I was wrong!!

Only when I learned that people are unique and they each had to be approached according to their personality, did I begin improving as a tennis coach.

Tennis is not a one-size-fits-all sport.

You were born with certain personality traits which are reflected in the way you strike the ball, the way you move, and the way you make decisions on the court.

A skilled coach can help you discover the basics of how to play tennis in a way that complements your own unique playing style.

Don’t try to be like the pros!

Be yourself and play tennis in your own way…

The way that feels right to you.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Serve Problem. Here’s How I Fixed It…

by | Tennis Tips Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Here’s how I fixed the serve problem of one of my students.

This particular lady used to take lessons with me a couple of years ago.
She called me on a Wednesday afternoon saying that she was lacking consistency and did not know what was the problem with her serve.

We met the next morning after my usual 8:30-9:30 am class, and after she warmed up, I made a few steps away and looked at her while she was delivering most of her serves long, just a foot beyond the service line. Over and over…

I soon noticed the problem:
She was releasing the ball very early and then lowering the tossing arm right away.
This caused a loss in balance and low contact with the ball.

So here’s what I did to fix her serve consistency within a few minutes…

I asked her to continue serving focusing on one thing only: keeping the tossing arm up and extended towards the sky after releasing the ball until she sees it coming down.
She got her balance back and made contact a lot higher.
The result: more power and… more serves landing inside the service box.

There are a few technical elements that players need to be aware of in order to deliver the serve with consistency and power. These elements can make a big difference in someone’s game.

If you want more information about tennis technique, or drills for consistency and accuracy, as well as tactics and strategies for winning against different tennis opponents, you’ll find all this in the Tennis Mastery course.

If you are a tennis coach or a parent of a child who wants to learn how to play tennis, you should definitely check out the My Daddy / My Coach and the 10 Lesson Plans / How to Teach Tennis program.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Second Serve / Spin, Tactics, and Mental Tips

by | Tennis Tips Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

preparing to serve

Second serves are the ones that you cannot miss.
The pressure is on you and your opponent knows it (if they are a savvy player, they will prepare to attack your second serve).

1. Before you toss the ball up, tell yourself what you intend to do with your second serve:
– if your opponent shows an intention to attack it, consider slicing it (brush sideways). That will keep the ball low and difficult for your opponent to go for an aggressive shot.
– if your opponent stays back most of the time, a simple kick serve should do it to dip the ball over the net and make it bounce high off the ground.

2. Everything you’ve learned in practice… forget about it. This is not the time to think about your technique. You should just let your habits take over your movements. Toss the ball up and hit it after you previously told yourself what you’d like to accomplish (see the previous point).

3. Hit your second serve with confidence. It is easy to let doubting thoughts cripple your mind, therefore training your mind to stay on the positive side is crucial for delivering consistent second serves.

 

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Teaching Professional

Visit the Training, Coaching and Kids Tennis sections at WebTennis24 – lessons, tips and drills for players, coaches and tennis parents.

6 Ways to Add More Power to Your Serve

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Are you looking to add more power to your serve? While there are countless videos on the internet that promise to help you hit “killer” serves or add “15 extra miles per hour” to them, the truth is that there’s no magic formula for improvement other than practice.

To help you on your journey, I’ve put together a checklist of six things to consider when trying to improve your serve:

1. Proper technique, timing, and body flexibility are essential for a fast serve.
2. To add power, use your legs by bending them during the toss and then springing into the shot.
3. The toss should be further in front and not too high. A high toss can create friction on the downfall against your racket, resulting in more spin and less power.
4. Keep your tossing arm up longer for better balance.
5. Use a continental grip, which allows for more wrist action, and keep your grip relaxed.
6. Lower string tension provides a trampoline effect, resulting in added pace to your serve.

Remember, the key to improvement is practice. Get out on the tennis court and put these tips into action. Have fun and keep working at it!

 

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

First Steps of the Serve Return

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tennis serve return steps

Many variables must go together in putting the ball in play against your opponent’s serve, but in this short article, we’ll only focus on preparation and footwork. If you get these two right, the rest should follow. 

Serve Return Preparation
– Get the most comfortable ready position grip – the one that allows you to switch quickly between forehand and backhand (I am not going to advise you in this regard because you will have to find what grip works best for you).
– Bodyweight should be evenly distributed on the balls of your feet.
– Pay attention to your opponent and try to figure out (based on their toss and racquet path) what kind of serve (spin-wise) they intend to deliver.
– Position yourself in a place that is halfway between your opponent’s possible angles, or open up your strong side to invite the server to deliver toward it (this could be a tricky one and you should be ready to quickly cover it if the serve goes there). 

Serve Return Footwork and Body Balance
– As the server begins tossing the ball, you should make a “comfortable” step forward followed by a split step.
This initial step-up will get the body moving into the incoming ball and the split step will get you balanced and ready to spring into the direction of the serve.
– Right after the split step, you should load the foot closer to the trajectory of the incoming ball, even stepping into it with the other foot to cover the distance. 

There is so much more (mentally and physically) that goes into a successful return of serve but for now, go out on the tennis court and practice these tips.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Serving With Confidence in Tennis

by | Tennis Tips Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

preparing to serve in tennis

I’ve always found that my tennis serve delivery depends on my mental attitude.

As I prepare to hit the second serve, thoughts of “I’m going to hit it into the net”, “My opponent will attack me” or “I’m going to miss” often distract and impede me from hitting it with confidence.

It took me years of playing and analyzing to realize that what was happening on the court was the result of what was going on in my mind.

You see, when we get ready for the first serve, most of the time there’s just the excitement of hitting the ball hard or placing it strategically. But when the second serve is about to be delivered that’s when the nerves take over. It is then that you must be in control of what happens in your mind.

One must understand that the serve is very sensitive to negative thinking: your racquet becomes heavy, the hand is tense, and the whole body gets shaky…

To avoid these feelings when you are about to serve (second serves in particular) practice these:

1. Think positive thoughts (“I know I can”, “I have confidence”, “I can do this”).

2. Visualize positive outcomes (ball going over the net and inside the desired service box).

3. Have a ritual (bounce the ball a certain number of times, etc.)

4. Relax your body (exhale slowly).

5. Take your time… Position your feet, adjust the grip and hold the racquet in the most comfortable way. Take one more look toward your opponent’s position and the service box that you are about to send the ball to.

“If you believe you can, you might. If you know you can, you will.” ― Steve Maraboli

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.