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Player Development

The development library — anticipation, athleticism and the pro pathway, from the author of Maximum Tennis.

Player developmentHow to improve your UTR — properlyA coach's guide to raising a UTR: how to schedule matches the rating can read, what actually lifts level in a season, and why gaming the number backfires.Read the guide →
Player developmentThe ITF junior circuit, explainedWhat the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors is, which players it genuinely suits, what the travel really costs a family, and when a junior should stay home instead.Read the guide →
Player developmentJunior tennis tournaments in Florida: how competition worksHow the Florida junior calendar works — USTA Florida, level-based UTR events and ITF juniors — and how to build a real season instead of entering everything.Read the guide →
Player developmentMental toughness in junior tennis: what it really isMental toughness in junior tennis is not stoicism — it is making good decisions while uncomfortable. What builds it, what parents do that undermines it.Read the guide →
Player developmentNutrition for junior tennis playersGeneral nutrition guidance for junior tennis: eating enough, carbohydrate as fuel, hydration in Florida heat, and a practical tournament-day framework.Read the guide →
Player developmentPreventing tennis injuries in junior playersJunior tennis injuries are usually overuse, not accidents. General guidance on load, warm-ups, rest and the red flags that mean stop and see a professional.Read the guide →
Player developmentRed, orange and green ball tennis, explained for parentsWhat red, orange and green ball tennis is, why the progression exists, how competition works at each stage, and the two mistakes parents make with it.Read the guide →
Player developmentStarting tennis as a teenager: how far can you go?Starting tennis at 13, 15 or 17 — what a late starter has going for them, what is realistically achievable, and how to compress the learning curve.Read the guide →
Player developmentTennis equipment for juniors: what actually mattersWhat junior tennis equipment actually matters: racquet length and grip size, strings and a matched second frame, shoes by court surface, and the bag.Read the guide →
Player developmentTennis for beginner juniors: the first yearA coach's roadmap for a child's first year in tennis: what the first sessions should look like, the skills that matter in order, and sizing a racquet right.Read the guide →
Player developmentTennis training by age: what to work on, and whenA coach's map of junior tennis development from under 8 to 18 — what to prioritize at each stage, what parents get wrong, and what good coaching is building.Read the guide →
Player developmentThe tennis parent's guide: how to help without hurtingA coach's guide for tennis parents: your job versus the coach's job, courtside behavior, the drive home, handling losses, and the warning signs to watch for.Read the guide →
Player developmentUSTA junior rankings, explained for parentsHow USTA junior rankings work — sections, tournament levels, sectional versus national standing, age divisions — and why a ranking is a tool, not a goal.Read the guide →
Player developmentWhat is a good UTR rating?What UTR actually measures, what the bands mean in practice for a junior, why comparing two children's numbers misleads, and how to read a rating trend.Read the guide →
Player developmentAnticipation drills that actually transfer to matchesSeven runnable anticipation drills for tennis — caller and shadow drills, serve reads, constraint games and charting — with setups and the mistakes to avoid.Read the guide →
Player developmentAre tennis lessons worth it?A career coach's honest answer: what tennis lessons genuinely change, when they are not worth it, and how to get real value out of every session you pay for.Read the guide →
Player developmentHow many hours should a junior tennis player train?How many hours a junior should train, by stage — honest ranges from young starters to full-time players, overtraining red flags, and why quality beats volume.Read the guide →
Player developmentHow to prepare for a tennis tournamentHow to prepare for a tennis tournament — the training taper, sleep and hydration, scouting at junior level, between-match routines, and the review afterward.Read the guide →
Player developmentPrivate lessons vs group clinics: what actually develops playersA veteran coach's honest answer: what private tennis lessons do uniquely well, what only group play can build, and how to mix both so a player develops.Read the guide →
Player developmentWhat age should kids start tennis?There is no single right age. A veteran developmental coach on ages 4–6, the 6–10 golden window, why 11+ is not too late, and what matters more than age.Read the guide →
Player developmentAnticipation in tennis: the skill that separates levelsWhat anticipation in tennis actually is, the four types — positional, pattern, technical, situational — and the drills that train each one, by Nick Saviano.Read the guide →
Player developmentHow to become a professional tennis player — the honest versionThe realistic pathway to professional tennis from a coach who played nine years on the ATP Tour and has helped train 50+ players who reached the pro tours.Read the guide →
Player developmentThe physical qualities good tennis players needThe physical qualities tennis really demands — first-step quickness, deceleration, agility, aerobic base, rotational power, balance — and how to build them.Read the guide →
Player developmentWhat makes a good tennis playerThe real answer from 45 years in world-class tennis: technique that holds under pressure, an athletic base, game identity, competitive skills, intangibles.Read the guide →

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