Women's Singles Final
What a shame that Jabeur wasn't able to sort out her emotional control to be able to perform on the biggest stage in tennis. As Billie Jean King said "she needed to focus on the process and anyone who can't do so will find tennis very difficult." I do hope that she recovers from this and uses this painful experience to come back stronger next time. She seems to be a lovely person and an important role model for women in Tunisia and Africa.
It really was a psychological car crash, but to be fair Vondrousova held her nerve and played well when she must have been aware of the meltdown on the other side of the net. Closing the roof was a definite advantage for her as she loves playing indoors as was demonstrated in previous rounds when it was closed for rain. Not sure about the all England club's decision to close the roof for wind as this is supposed to be an outdoor event and surely wind is a part of playing tennis? (Strangely enough they didn't ask my opinion but more importantly the players weren't consulted either!) This definitely wasn't in Jabeur's favour.

Men's Singles Final
It's difficult to know where to begin when trying to sum up this match and it's importance. Before I begin to eulogise over King Carlos I have to say that Novak handled himself extremely well in defeat and gave a lovely speech.
The match itself just grew in quality after the 1st set when Alcaraz had a bit of a nervous start and Novak made only 2 unforced errors. The 2nd set was the key to the match and Novak will be upset at missing the 2 backhands at the end of the set which he just never does. This allowed Carlos the chance to get into the match which he took full advantage of in the 3rd set when he also made some tactical changes by slicing more and changing the height and speed of his forehand. The use of the drop shot certainly worked better as the match went on and became crucial at the end. These 2 players showed why they are number 1 & 2 in the world and I only hope we have the pleasure of seeing them in a few more finals before the joker retires.
At the start of the 4th set Alcaraz took his foot off the pedal after an early break and Novak made him pay for that with a ruthless exhibition of consistent, hard hitting tennis. At the beginning of the 5th set it really was difficult to predict who was going to win as they were such gladiators, trading mental and physical blows like heavyweight boxers. The point Carlos won to break for 2-1 was quite incredible which was when Novak smashed his racket. The level of athleticism from both players at this late stage was amazing and I think that Alcaraz helped Novak to appreciate what all the other players have felt playing him over all these years in terms of his retrieval skills. Just how do you beat this guy?
And finally it came to King Carlos having to serve out the match at 5-4. It felt a bit like when Andy Murray had to serve out for his 1st Wimbledon title (just a little bit - did you see Andy Murray in the crowd?). Apart from the 1st point when he played a poor dropshot Carlos stayed so cool to finish off the match as Novak commented upon in his speech. The hardest part of any close tennis match is finishing it off and our new King did so in style.
As you may have gathered I am a huge Alcaraz fan and not only for his tennis playing ability and swashbuckling style. This guy is a fantastic role model for kids throughout the world and adults too. In fact anyone who competes at tennis at any level could learn so much from this young man's humility, ability to enjoy the tense moments and his wonderful smile when in the heat of the battle. If you watched him walk through the Wimbledon corridor after the match he said hello to everyone as apparently he always does! I have seen him up close when the cameras are not on and he is just so much fun, friendly and charming with everyone he comes across.
Yes, all hail the new King! He is still the world number 1 ranked player and the first player in 20 years to break the dominance of Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray at Wimbledon! Looking forward to the US Open already.

Other Wimbledon news
Huge congrats also to Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski in winning the men's doubles, plus Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewitt winning their 5th Wimbledon crown which was their 18th grand slam title in total. What an amazing effort! The AELTC did get the scheduling right in the wheelchair event, especially in the semis when they put the match on court 1 at a time when it was jam packed. Well done Jamie Baker who I believe was instrumental in arranging this and helping to raise the profile of these great players.
And we also have the first boys under junior Wimbledon winner since 1962. Unseeded 17 year old Henry Searle with a 134mph serve beat the Russian Yaroslav Demin 6-4 6-4 on court number 1 in front of a buoyant crowd. Only four players who won the boys singles title have gone on to win the men's - Federer, Borg, Cash and Edberg.
In the boys' under-14 singles there was victory for Mark Ceban, who beat Slovenian Svit Suljic 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 before Britain's Hollie Smart missed out on the girls' under-14 title in a 6-3 6-1 defeat by Serb Luna Vujovic.
Later, Hannah Klugman and Isabelle Lacy missed out on the chance to become the first all-British pairing to win the girls' doubles title at Wimbledon, losing 6-4 7-5 to Czech pair Alena Kovackova and Laura Samsonova.
All comments welcome!

Photos courtesy of June Campbell & Fiona Fraser

It's been a difficult week for the players and spectators with all the rain delays but that's all part of any British tennis event - Maybe they will consider covering court 2 as well?
Highlights/Talking Points of the Week
1/ Andy Murray's match with Tsitsipas for me was the highlight of the week. It's such a shame that Andy couldn't get over the line and we can see how gutted he was. However, I believe that this was one of the greatest efforts of his entire career if you are to consider all that he has been through.
The mental resilience he demonstrated in the first 3 sets of the match was quite incredible when you consider the level of tennis that Tsitsipas was playing. It's a pity that the match wasn't able to continue but even more of a pity that Andy didn't challenge with Stefanos serving at 4-4 15-30 in the 4th set when the umpire convinced him not to! (and the ball was in!) That could have made all the difference in a match of such small margins? Time for electronic scoring?
Andy continues to be an inspiration to so many tennis fans throughout the world and the game will be a much poorer place without him. Obviously, he will need to decide if the pain is worth the gain in terms of continuing for another year but selfishly, I really hope that he does and has one more go at Wimbledon.
2/ Stan is still the man! Wawrinka showed once again that his A game tennis is too good even for Novak as it was in the past. Yes, I know he lost but in the 3rd set he began to show that his best tennis was always better than anyone else including Roger, Rafa and Novak. It was great to see and I hope that he can also continue for at least one more year.
3/Jabeur is a joy to watch - Her variety of play and wonderful personality make her a crowd favourite. It's also good to see Andreescu back on form as the women's game needs players with her exciting type of tennis and courageous play.
4/ Who saw Rublev's squash shot after diving against Bublik in one of the biggest points of the match? He said it was lucky but I reckon it showed his determination to get the ball back and great hand skills. Have a look if you didn't see it - an incredible shot.
5/ Look out for Mirra Andreeva from Russia who is a real talent and only 16 years old. She lost, after being a set and 4-1 up against Keys, who has been playing so well and such a clean striker of the ball. Keys could play Sabalenka in the quarters.
6/ Novak certainly looks like the best player in the men's draw but his bottom half of the draw is perhaps easier than the top half for Alcaraz. Carlos has already had a tough one with Jarry and now has to play Berrettini. His potential opponent in the quarters could be Rune and then Medvedev or Tsitsipas unless there is an upset. Novak has Rublev in the quarters (if he beats Hurkacz) and then likely to be Sinner which is a tough one but overall an easier run to the final.
7/ A great match between Svitolina and Azarenka last night spoiled a bit by some elements of the crowd booing Azarenka as she left the court. It was most unfortunate that they didn't realise that she was trying to avoid any awkwardness with Svitolina as she knew that there would be no hand shake. The pimms brigade had maybe one too many as suggested by Azarenka? I'd love to see Svitolina go far, but she will now have to overcome Swiatek.
8/ Doubles - well done to so many of the British doubles players led as ever by Jamie Murray. So many great victories and in particular Glasgow's Maia Lumsden and her partner Bains who are now in the 3rd round. Connor Thomson and Jacob Fearnley also from Scotland have both won matches, losing today in a good match to the experienced pair of Bopanna and Ebden. Jonny O'Mara is still in the mixed. The influence of Jamie Murray and the doubles coaching guru Louis Cayer have made a huge impact on the progress and self belief of many of our players. And we shouldn't forget the work done by Toby Smith (of the fabulous Smith brothers - Leon, Gary & Toby), who works hard behind the scenes to help many of these aspiring young tennis players. So many lesser known coaches don't get the recognition they deserve, like Toby.
9/ Looking forward to seeing how Eubanks will do against Tsitsipas. So good to see a player developing his game relatively late in his career especially with such a great game to watch and a lovely personality.
10/ What's happened to "Today at Wimbledon"? No more studio comments from McEnroe, Navratilova etc which was always so much fun and informative at the same time. Be interesting to see if it stays like that next year?
So, who is going to win the singles events?
For the men I suppose we should ask who is going to win if Novak breaks his leg on the slippy grass. (Not out of the question and a discussion for another day)
So, leaving aside the Serbian terminator, I would take the winner of Alcaraz and Berrettini to take the title. Matteo's best chance would be if the roof is closed as it then becomes an absolute server's court and his serve is ridiculous! The same could be said of Hurkacz last night but he didn't have Berrettini's forehand to finish off the match!
In the women's event I'd be surprised if Rybakina doesn't win again as she is just too strong on the grass. Apart from her, my heart wants Svitolina or Jabeur to win but my head says Pegula. Grass suits ball strikers like Pegula who hit the ball clean and early. Having said that Swiatek may now have more self belief on grass after saving match points last night with Bencic?
Looking forward to week 2 and hope it stays dry!

The draw for Wimbledon has just been made and I'm so excited about this year's event especially as Andy Murray is still playing , Alcaraz is looking like a threat to Novak and the mens doubles has now gone to best of 3 sets! (more on that later)
Andy Murray
I think Andy Murray has a decent draw as he is up against the popular Brit Ryan Peniston (wildcard - 267 in the world) in the 1st round and he could play Tsitsipas in the 2nd round, but only if Stefanos beats Dominic Thiem. I'm hoping that Tsitsipas may also be distracted by his new relationship with Paula Badosa?
At the beginning of the tournament when the courts will still be green I don't think that anyone would like to play Andy Murray and I'd love to see him in the 2nd week, fully warmed up and ready to show these upstarts how to play on the Wimbledon grass!
Will Novak win Grand Slam number 24?
The pressure is on Novak obviously because if he wins he will tie with Margaret Court at 24 Slams. and he will be only one Slam away from doing the calendar Grand Slam again! He could at the same time put a bit of distance between himself and Rafael Nadal to come after him and actually threaten his [Slam] record,
On grass I can't see too many players comfortable enough on the surface to beat Novak ,but I do think that if Alcaraz can get into the 2nd week on a firmer, slower grass (hard) court he might be the only player to challenge the Serbian. I would hope that Carlos has learned a lot from his defeat in Paris thereby reducing the possibility of cramping again.
Tennis needs the best 2 players in the world battling it out in the Grand Slam finals.
Men's/ Women's Doubles
So pleased that it is now best of 3 sets which will keep it in line with all the other slams and maybe help people stay more involved with the doubles world. Lots of Brits in the dubs but look out for the Scot Jacob Fearnley who together with his partner Johannus Monday,they recently won an ATP tour doubles event and have been given a wild card. Good luck to them plus of course Jonny O'Mara from Scotland who is playing with Liam Broady. And not that I'm in any way biased but I really hope that Jamie Murray and Michael Venus can make a good run. They were so close in Rome on clay and I think that the grass courts will suit both of them even more plus they won't have the lottery of the 10 point match tie break decider!
In the women's doubles we have yet another Scot, Ali Collins who is now 110 in the world and is at the bottom end of the draw who could play the no 2 seeds Gauff & Pegula if she can win her 1st round match together with her partner Freya Christie (GB) against the experienced Alize Cornet (France) & Udvardy (Hungary) We seem to be quite good at doubles in Scotland and in the UK in general - We just need to work on our singles players!
Women's Draw
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina starts her defence of the women's singles title against American Shelby Rogers.
Rybakina, 23, is seeded third and goes into the same half of the draw as Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka, meaning they could face in the semi-finals.
Rybakina and Sabalenka, who first plays Hungary's Panna Udvardy, have been put into the bottom half of the draw.
This half is filled with players who have excellent an record on grass courts, including last year's finalist Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, Czech two-time champion Petra Kvitova, and the Czech 2021 runner-up Karolina Pliskova
Top seed Iga Swiatek has never gone past the fourth round at Wimbledon and starts against the highest-ranked opponent she could have faced. The 22-year-old opens against China's world number 33 Lin Zhu but, otherwise, has a favourable looking draw as she aims for a fifth major title.
American seventh seed Coco Gauff - a prospective quarter-final opponent for Swiatek - faces 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, who came through qualifying after falling down the rankings.
A standout match in the first round pits American five-time champion Venus Williams, 43, against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, who was a semi-finalist in 2019.It's great to see Venus continuing to compete and she will no doubt have the crowd behind her.
All comments appreciated, Ian
ian@tuscantennis.com

Oz Open Review
I suppose all we learned is that if Djokovic is in decent physical shape (which he wasn't in the first couple of matches) then he wins without too much trouble. His level of tennis is quite astounding. As Ivanisevic said, "he's from outer space".
Apart from Nadal on clay it's hard to see anyone beating him in a slam unless he is injured. I do hope that Alcaraz comes back soon to become a serious challenger and I do feel that Sinner is getting very close. Rune is almost there too and physically very impressive. He just needs to make some mental improvements which is the challenge for the majority of all the players.

For me the highlight of the tournament was Andy Murray's efforts and mental resilience. He has firmly established himself as one of the greats of all time and perhaps on a par with Nadal as a competitor?

In the women's event Sabalenka showed great mental fortitude in overcoming Linette in the semi final and stuck to her style of lights out tennis. This was her first Grand Slam semi final win in 4 tries.

Sabalenka: "I didn't start really well, and then in the tie break, I kind of found my rhythm and started trusting myself and going for the shots"

How did Sabalenka find her rhythm?

Sabalenka: "(Linette) was moving really well, putting everything back. I felt a little bit under pressure, which I expected. But, yeah, then, like, I start telling myself that I have to move a little bit better. I try to focus on my movement. As I start focusing on my movement, I start feeling the rhythm better"

Focusing on the feel and rhythm of the game can help you stay more in the moment and listening to players like Sabalenka who have struggled in the past is a great learning opportunity for anyone who tries to compete in the tennis world at any level. It's difficult, if not impossible to be an alien like Novak but we can all relate to someone like Sabalenka and strive to succeed like she has done despite all the setbacks in the past.

What we can learn from Lionel Messi in terms of resilience and attitude?
There are always parallels in the world of sport which can also resonate at club level in my opinion.
A quote from Messi after winning the world cup - "It doesn't really matter how many times you fall, what matters is having the willpower to get up and keep trying. Maybe I will, maybe I won't, but I will try and try. I think this is the best example kids can have." - Adults too I would argue! People who succeed at something really difficult have usually failed many times. Is Messi the GOAT of football? If humility is one of the main criteria I would give it to Messi, and Nadal for tennis. I'm already looking forward to a fit Nadal at the French Open!

​
GB Davis Cup Tie in Columbia
​
Britain will play hosts Colombia at the Pueblo Viejo Country Club, Cota and on clay without former world No 1 Andy Murray and brother Jamie in captain Leon Smith's team but British No 1 Cameron Norrie and doubles world No 1 Neal Skupski have made it. GB last won the Davis Cup in 2015.
A tough match at 2,500 metres above sea level using Tretorn pressureless balls and on clay! The Columbians have a strong doubles pairing of Cabal & Farah (and we have Skupski & Sailsbury - no slouches) but the British singles players like Norrie, Evans and Draper should still be strong favourites to come out on top, despite the conditions and balls being used. Leon Smith will have them ready and prepared I'm sure.

The schedule is as follows and can be seen on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and the Tennis Channel
​Today (play starts at 8pm GMT)
Match one: Dan Evans (GBR) vs Nicolas Mejia (COL)
Match two: Cam Norrie (GBR) vs Nicolas Barrientos (COL)
Tomorrow (play starts at 5pm GMT)
Match 3: Neal Skupski & Dan Evans (GBR) vs Juan-Sebastian Cabal & Robert Farah (COL)
Match 4: Cam Norrie (GBR) vs Nicolas Mejia (COL)
Match 5: Dan Evans (GBR) vs Nicolas Barrientos (COL)

2023
Special Hosted Trips
As you will see below Rome has only a few spaces left and Lucca/Florence are filling up with only a few places available.

Sardinia
Our sincere apologies for those people who are interested in the Sardinia week from 16-23 September, but we are still hopeful that our rental agencies there will come up with some nice apartments sometime soon. If we are able to confirm the accommodation and all the people who have declared interest confirm then this week is actually full, but we would be happy to have a waiting list for any others who may wish to come?
 
Rome Masters
3 Special Hosted Trips 
​
10th to 14th May 
(SOLD OUT)

14th to 18th May 
(2 spaces left)

18th to 22nd May
(7 spaces left)

Lucca, Tuscany
19th to 26th August
(8 spaces left)

Florence, Tuscany
​26th August to 2nd September
​(6 spaces left)

Sardinia
16th to 23rd September - to be confirmed soon

Australian Open
Men's Draw
There are just so many potential awesome matchups in the men's draw. The stand out 1st round match is Nadal v Jack Draper which will be the best chance Draper will have to beat a legend in my opinion. Their lead up campaign couldn't be more different with Nadal hardly winning a match and Draper winning lots and improving all the time. I'd be surprised if this isn't a real tough one for Rafa but if we remember last year, just how did he manage to win the entire event?? Never write off a legend! 
Nadal v Draper is on at 330am for those who can't sleep! With Kyle Edmund v Sinner at midnight tonight!

Andy Murray meeting Berrettini 1st round is a bummer for both players, but similar to Nadal, write off Andy at your peril.

The potential 3rd rounds of the men's singles is just outrageous with possibilities like Korda v Medvedev, Musetti v Sinner, Norrie v Coric, Rublev v Evans, Kyrgios v Rune, etc etc. All of these matches could easily be ATP 500 finals!

Apart from Djokovic who is the obvious favourite to win, if he doesn't then I could see any one of 10/12 players who could be the winner, such is the strength in depth of the men's game.

Women's Draw
The main interest for me in this draw would be if Raducanu and Gauff win their 1st round matches, they would then play each other. A pity they meet so early but 2 of the young contenders for the future of the women's game. Gauff, even though she hasn't won a slam is ahead of Emma in terms of matches won and experience, but I feel that the women's game could do with both of them becoming a major force in women's tennis as they would attract a wider audience and bring lots of young girls from different backgrounds to the game (as they already have done). For Raducanu if she can keep a more settled team around her for at least a year I can see no reason why she won't be amongst the top players on a regular basis. Jez Green is a great trainer (ex Andy Murray and currently also with Thiem) who will spend some of the year with Emma and has already put in place a strong training programme.                   

Swiatek is, like Novak, the obvious favourite and then I could see any one of Gauff, Garcia, Sakkari, Sabalenka or Pegula taking the crown.

Break Point - Netflix Series
I'm sure that many of you will have watched some of this new behind the scenes look at the tennis tour from both a male and female perspective during 2022. I've watched a few of them and certainly have enjoyed hearing the thoughts of some of the players and the insights of the great tennis minds like Paul Annacone, Chris Evert and Andy Roddick.

It's no great surprise to hear that the winning and losing comes down to mindset. Many of them look to Nadal as the greatest competitor of the game and it is fascinating to hear how players like Fritz and Berrettini hold Rafa in such high esteem from a mental point of view. Paul Annacone considers him to be the best ever at handling the pressure of the big moments and he has worked with a few of the game's greats. 

In the same theme, Berrettini made a very interesting point saying that his greatest weapon is not his serve or forehand, but his mindset. It was almost as if he had just realised this after beating Alcaraz in a 5 set victory at last year's Oz Open. He was 2nd best until it mattered most when they played a 10 point tie break at 6-6 in the 5th set! Being good when it matters most is how you win the majority of tennis matches.

The 1st episode focused on Kyrgios but didn't leave me feeling any warmer towards his personality. I totally get his appeal to the masses and overall I accept that he makes the average sports fan interested in the game. However, these are also the type of people who would video a car crash. Hearing Kyrgios and Kokkinakis reminisce over their drinking, parties and surviving on 3 hours sleep a night makes me weep for any enthusiastic kids watching and the majority of mere mortals who need to work so hard to even be decent at tennis! 

Looking forward to seeing all the other episodes.

Special Hosted Weeks
Here is an overview of the spaces left or our special hosted weeks which are filling up. We are working hard behind the scenes to make the Sardinia 16-23 September week happen with the difficulty being the speed at which our agency partners in Sardinia release accommodation options. We already have a few apartments confirmed and hope to be able to confirm that this week will go ahead before the end of January.
 
Rome Masters
3 Special Hosted Trips 
​
10th to 14th May 
(2 spaces left)

14th to 18th May 
(4 spaces left)

18th to 22nd May
(11 spaces left)

Lucca, Tuscany
19th to 26th August
(8 spaces left)

Florence, Tuscany
​26th August to 2nd September
​(6 spaces left)

Sardinia
16th to 23rd September - to be confirmed soon
 
(Click on the location for more info)
Should those dates not suit we can tailor a tennis trip to suit your requirements!
https://www.tuscantennis.com/tailor-made-holidays.html
Or just get in touch - laura@tuscantennis.com

​My top tips on how to improve your tennis in 2023? 

Movement and when to hit the ball

1. Improve the timing of your split step - many players either don't split step or get the timing wrong. This is fundamental to help you move better and react to the oncoming ball. It's not just for volleys but every shot. Work specifically on timing your split step just before your opponent hits the ball. Video this from behind to see if you are splitting at the right time. Done correctly you will land on one foot and then the other depending upon which direction you need to move to.

2. The decision on whether to hit the ball on the 1/2 volley, at the top of the bounce, or on the way down depends upon how much time you have, where you are on the court and your level of play. The choice you make here can impact a great deal on your consistency, but it is almost always a personal choice related to your style of play. Do what suits you best!

3. In general letting the ball drop is easier but may require better footwork to get you in position to do so. 1/2 volleys are a great shot to learn not only for advanced players but also for anyone (like me) who can't run a fast as they used to! If playing on a slow court then letting the ball drop can be useful for all levels of player as it also allows you to use your legs more to drive up through the ball. Many top players use this tactic when returning 2nd serves and especially in the modern game where most players don't serve & volley.

Shot selection & tactics

1. Okay so you have now done a good split step, got behind the ball and chosen to hit the ball at a particular time, so where do you then hit the ball? 

2. Lower club level - aim to target your opponents weaker shot most of the time - simple!
Everyone else - do the same assuming that you have worked out their weaker shot!

I always remember looking at the stats of Nadal v Federer at the French Open on 2nd serve % to the ad side. Nadal would hit 100% of his serves to Fed's backhand over the entire match. Even at that very high level it doesn't matter if your opponent knows what you are going to do if it's a shot they prefer less.

When Andy Murray played Djokovic he would generally target his forehand in the big moments as the Novak backhand is an impenetrable wall!

3. If playing someone who is equal on both sides then mix up serves, and in rallies play mainly crosscourt or through the middle. If in doubt hit the ball in through the middle reducing angles for your opponent and giving you a bigger target area.

4. Keep your tactics very simple e.g. if your opponent can't volley or smash very well (like most players), then bring them into the net! Lots of variations on this theme if you can work out what they don't like but only if you have the tools to bring out your opponent's weaker areas. 

Technique

Good technique (whatever that is) is so overrated. You could pick holes in many top players if applying a technical model, but I would say that you need to look at what a player (you) does to the ball and where they can get it to land on the other side of the net. There are so many ways to hit the ball including various types of slice, topspin and flat shots. You will no doubt have your favourite method and I would advise sticking to it. What we can all try to improve is our timing, feel and balance e.g. when attempting to serve better work first on your rhythm and timing of the swing before you even think of any technical changes. When volleying work on the split step and the timing of your move always from the outside leg and then transferring your weight through the shot. When hitting forehands and backhands try to hold your follow through in a balanced position for 2 seconds before recovering for the next shot - this can be done as part of a slow warm up every time you are on the court. Keeping your head steady through contact like a golfer will help enormously with balance and fewer miss-hits.

A lot of coaching tends to focus on technical changes but if we can improve our timing, rhythm and balance on our shots with the inherent style that suits us then I firmly believe that we will make quicker improvements.

Mental Skills

There is a strong argument to say that most people who attempt to play competitive tennis should focus mainly on the development of their mental skills. The scoring system in tennis is genius and was possibly invented by a psychopathic mass murderer with a sadistic streak! This area is just huge but here are a few key tips that might help you deal with the mental challenges that our wonderful sport produces. 

1. Please respect the scoring system and remember that the most important point to win is the last one. This will help you to never give up and accept the ups and downs of any tennis match. The great news is that we can make lots of mistakes but only if we learn to recover our focus for the next point. Positive self talk and routines can help here enormously.

2. Never make excuses for losing after a match. Be prepared and take responsibility for your preparation which is all you can do.  "Control the controllables" is one of the best and most often used quotes for high level sports performance. The winning and losing is not always in your hands as there is an opponent trying to win as well! Roger Federer said that when he learned to "accept the possibility of losing" that only then did he learn to relax , stay in the moment and truly compete.

3. Learn the extremely important skill of breathing out when you make contact with the ball on every shot. At the beginning you may need to grunt just to make sure it's happening and again at the right time (on contact). I can't remember one shot when Federer didn't obviously exhale when you saw a slow motion of his shots and this has now become common for the vast majority of players. Not only does this help with a more relaxed execution of the shot but can help distract you from the huge desire to win in the most important moments of a match. This could be a good tip for the England football team if they need to take penalties against France? I'd put money on Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray converting a penalty under pressure! 

4. Read one of your favourite mindset books and adapt your learning to the game of tennis. The importance of what we say and think about ourselves in everyday life has a serious impact on our confidence. Try to become more aware of what you say to yourself before, during and after any match that you really want to win and where necessary make changes to your thoughts and words. Most club tennis players only practice their physical skills but without a serious effort to improve our mental skills we will always be in difficulty. This is not only for tennis but is a valuable life skill. Who wouldn't like to improve their self belief and confidence?

Finally - use the medium of tennis to help develop your self-confidence and increased level of humility e.g. always give credit to your opponent if they win and even if you've played badly. Just listen to Nadal whenever he loses - he always praises his opponent and generally talks about improving his own level by training hard and not giving up. This is a true competitor and more importantly a decent human being!

To finish .....

Who to look out for in 2023?

Next year could be really exciting with so many new young players already making an impact in the slams and master events. I would also say that we are in a great place with so many good guys as positive role models for young players at the moment. Humility seems to be spreading amongst the younger generation which is great for the sport and we still have one or two "characters" to keep the tabloids happy! Amongst the younger players Alcaraz, Rune, Sinner, Musetti, Ruud, Aliassime and hopefully Jack Draper will all be at the forefront of all the main events next year I'm sure. And then we have the more established ones like Berrettini, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Rublev, Tiafoe, Norrie and I think Coric, Kyrgios and Fritz will also be in the frame. I sincerely hope that Nadal will continue to win the French Open if his body survives yet another season or at least part of it and Novak has shown at the ATP tour finals in Turin that he is still the man to beat. The Oz Open will be extremely interesting to say the least especially now that the joker is allowed back! Marmite he may well be to many people but tennis is better with him in the big events.

I will miss Federer terribly but he showed such class in his farewell event at the Laver Cup even if it made for a more tearful ending than any sad movie I have ever seen. Roger and Nadal holding hands trying to cope with the moment was just too much for me to watch. (Yes I'm a softie!)

My big hope for 2023 is that Andy Murray manages to get to the latter stages of the slams as I just love watching him compete even with a metal hip! He brings something to the game with his variety of play that very few modern players are able to do.                                      

In the women's game we really need to see some new characters breaking through and I would love to see Raducanu become more consistent and prove all the doubters wrong. She is a fabulous all court tennis player and with her new, improved physicality helped by Jez Green (great guy and ex trainer of Murray & Zverev) I'm sure that 2023 will be a great year for her. I would expect Swiatek, Jabeur, Garcia, Pegula and Sabalenka to be the main contendors but I also hope that Gauff can go far in the big events as she is a great character. At the recent Billie Jean King event in Glasgow all the ball kids said that she was the nicest by far. The importance of good role models cannot be under estimated.

​TTH special hosted trips in 2023 are filling up!
 
Rome Masters
3 Special Hosted Trips 
​
10th to 14th May 
(5 spaces left)

14th to 18th May 
(4 spaces left)

18th to 22nd May
(13 spaces left)

Lucca, Tuscany
19th to 26th August
(8 spaces left)

Florence, Tuscany
​26th August to 2nd September
​(7 spaces left)

Sardinia
16th to 23rd September - to be confirmed soon
(Click on the location for more info)

As you can see our hosted weeks are filling up so please contact Laura if interested. I hope that you all have a great holiday season and make sure to keep working on your tennis in the off season using some of my tips. Looking forward to helping you with your game in 2023 somewhere in Italy and a glass of wine too!!

Merry Christmas & Best Wishes!

Ian & Laura