Technical – This is what most aspiring players and often, coaches, focus on. Technical mastery is the ability to hit all basic strokes (serve, groundstrokes, volleys, smash) efficiently, powerfully and accurately. There are many dimensions to this such as hitting from inside the service line (forecourt), on the baseline or behind the baseline (backcourt), hitting on the run etc. Developing technically solid strokes via repetition is at the core of our tennis development program particularly at the youth level.
Strategy – Having a clear strategy is the key to winning competitive tennis matches. Against lesser opponents, technical superiority in strokes can be enough to vanquish an opponent, but with advanced competition having a clear strategy about court positioning, how to end points (e.g. winners / inducing forced and unforced errors / managing risk / margins) are key aspects in determining the result. Depending on the strategy a player chooses to employ (i.e. overpowering an opponent vs. breaking down their strokes or fitness), he or she will need to develop other aspects including physical strength and endurance. Some intrinsic traits like confidence, concentration or problem solving can be used to pick the right strategy for the player’s personality type – for e.g. whether they should stick with a single game plan or adapt strategies based on match situations. Strategy is one of main areas of focus for our competitive players particularly those aspiring to transition to college or professional tennis.
Physical fitness – Fitness is about playing injury free – it relates to muscular strength, core strength and balance i.e. the physical ability to execute the desired game plan. It is also about the ability to hit shots off balance, change directions quickly, accelerate from a dead stop and explosive lateral and vertical movement. Finally, stretching and recovery are key factors in this area as well.
Endurance – Physical and mental endurance includes being focussed, dealing with pressure and the ability to play at a high level, for 3 sets. The physical components of endurance are improved through nutrition, hydration, muscle strength and stamina. These go hand-in-hand with the mental skills that need to be developed including the ability to cope with pressure, managing adrenaline and nerves, dealing with fatigue and in some cases, lack of motivation.
Our subsequent posts will delve deeper into each of these areas with specific tips and tricks we use to help accelerate the development of tennis players in Northern Virginia.
About Us – LTA Tennis Academy is based in Ashburn, Virginia. Our mission is to bring elite tennis player development to youth and adults in the NoVA region including Chantilly, Aldie, Sterling Vienna and Fairfax. Our head coach, Lorenzo Popescu, has trained professional tennis players globally and now brings the latest in tennis coaching techniques to players Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.