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May Newsletter

29/5/2023

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Rome Masters Hosted Trips
Just back from a great trip to Rome and a huge thanks to all the lovely people who came from all over the globe including New Zealand, USA and Greece. We really appreciate the efforts that many made to be with us in Rome and we enjoyed your company enormously both on and off the court! We are fortunate to attract so many interesting people from around the world. Our love of tennis and Italy helps us all to gel well together.

Il Foro Italico just keeps getting better with even more courts being added. Even at its busiest it is always possible to see most of the great players up close in a practice or match environment.

We were disappointed to lose Alcaraz so early in the tournament but we were able to experience his wonderful character on the practice court and the great fun and enthusiasm he demonstrated with all the young kids watching. He is truly a great role model for the game and life in general.

Highlights/Talking Points of Rome

Best 2 players to watch - Dan Evans and Taylor Townsend were certainly 2 of the most interesting players to watch with both players having such a variety of shots. It was great to see Taylor back competing at a high level with a great win over Pegula and even though Dan lost to Carbaelles Baena, it was one of the matches of the tournament for shot making and drama. The Italians really adopted him as one of their own I think appreciating his beautiful style of play and cheeky character. For entertainment I would give both these players the top spot!
Tsitsipas - Poor attitude with kids
Unfortunately Stefanos didn't endear himself with the local kids after a practice session when he showed zero enthusiasm to sign anything or appear the least bit interested. He threw out a few pre-signed cards and left quickly. Such a shame as he is a great player but not in the same league as Alcaraz in terms of a role model. The situation with his coaching team of mum & dad maybe doesn't help his mood - who knows?
The Italian crowd
Apart from supporting the local players the Italians seemed to enjoy the more colourful characters like Bublik and Dan Evans. The local Roman crowd is fairly noisy and when you combine that with large numbers of school children (better behaved than some adults) and very loud music on the show courts it all creates a classically chaotic Italian atmosphere! When in Rome........
Relationship of coaches to players
Sitting in some of the great seats that we had near the coaches was very interesting especially as they are now allowed to communicate in a limited fashion - apart from Tsitsipas mum who was almost thrown out by Mohammed!

In my view too many of the players look like they are almost blaming their team for their own errors. Rublev was particularly amusing when he complained about his opponent hitting the lines all the time and also that his drop shots were dying on the damp front part of the court. His team sat in bewilderment not really knowing what to say. Needless to say he lost that match. I do like Rublev even if he is a little insane.

Medvedev seemed a bit calmer towards his coach than usual, maybe because his expectations were so low. He really is an interesting character and I loved his celebratory dance after beating Stefanos (in retaliation to one done by the Greek recently apparently after beating Daniil). His chat after matches is always so honest and refreshing that I find myself almost liking him again, but it's always easier when you are winning to stay calm, so let's see what happens in Paris......

The challenge of doubles and it's popularity
So much has been said and written about the place of doubles on the tour in recent times. I wouldn't claim to have the answers but after spending every day at the Italian open I have a few thoughts.

The men's game (even on clay) just doesn't have enough rallies to keep the crowd interested. The general level of serving and court coverage at the front of the court with eye formation just makes it so difficult to have more than a 2 or maybe 3 stroke rally. More players like Jamie Murray or Dan Evans would make it better to watch but even artists like these guys struggle with the ferocity of the hits.

I fear for the future of men's doubles whereas the women's game is more interesting with lots of one up and one back play and plenty of rallies and lobs.
It's more relevant to club players in the way they try to play tactically.
Men's singles players playing doubles helps, but the reality is they have little incentive to stay in the draw if they are still in the singles event and pulling out only devalues the competition.

Be great to hear your views on this if you have any? ian@tuscantennis.com

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Easter Newsletter

29/3/2023

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Why will this year's Italian Open in Rome be the best ever?
This event is now on the same level as the two American Masters 1000s events — Indian Wells & Miami tournaments..
It's now much bigger and more spectacular since the tournament draws have increased from 56 to 96 players with 12 full days of play rather than 7 (plus another two days of qualifying rounds).
One huge advantage of going to this tournament is that even with a ground pass you can access the spectacular Pietrangeli court which has to be the best grounds pass court of it's type in the world.

All the top players will have to play one more match.
With the tournament upgrade, the new draw has 128 slots (the same as Grand Slam tournaments) with the 32 seeds exempt from the first round. Thus, there are 96 players competing (including 12 from the qualifiers and 6 Wild Cards).
This means that to reach the quarterfinals, even the top seeds who start one round ahead must play and win 3 matches instead of two.

Super-Saturday: Men’s semifinals and Women’s finals (we still have spaces available for this)
And then we have the new scheduling of the final stages: what stands out most is that the women’s final has been moved forward to Saturday evening (the evening programme includes the WTA singles and doubles award ceremony), creating the basis for a truly Super Saturday at the Foro Italico on May 20: the men’s semifinals are scheduled for the afternoon and women’s final in the evening. The final day, Sunday 21st May will be all about the ATP men's singles and doubles finals.

And not only watching tennis!
Tennis Gear
In the grounds there is an incredible display of tennis shops with all of the world's top clothing, racquets and merchandise on sale. The Joma stand is particularly good as it offers great Italian designs and reasonable prices. Joma is the choice of clothing for all the staff at the event and is used by the Italian Tennis Federation.
Food & Drink
There is a wide variety of quality Italian food available plus great coffee and much cheaper than any of the other main tennis events on the tour.

Is Opelka right - should doubles be scrapped?

Reilly Opelka's (world number 138 singles) views on scrapping doubles has been the topic of a great podcast (including Jamie Murray) which is well worth a listen - click HERE to listen.

Listen to the podcast or if you don't have time here are my thoughts.
In terms of doubles and its importance on the professional tour I think that Jamie Murray made the most relevant point in stating that all tennis events require content, especially towards the latter end of an event. Without doubles there would be very little tennis to see on the outside courts as the tournament progresses.

For example, last year on singles finals day in Rome they played both the men's and women's doubles finals on the outside Pietrangeli court which gave all those with a grounds pass the opportunity to watch quality tennis.This brought in the crowds and provided a great atmosphere in the entire grounds area.
One other key point that was raised was the withdrawal of singles players from the doubles event if they progress beyond the 1st round in singles. The WTA has a rule which punishes any player doing so by not allowing them to enter the next tournament.
The general consensus was for the ATP tour to follow suit.

Improved marketing of doubles was mentioned frequently but I didn't actually hear any solutions as to how this should or could be done?

The podcast is very interesting but it would be great to hear the views of Opelka and maybe Dan Evans who has also been critical of the men's doubles tour. Opelka refused to attend the podcast which perhaps speaks volumes for his lack of conviction or perhaps ideas on how to improve it?

There is certainly work to be done in the promotion of doubles for the general public but here are a few more of the ideas that were raised:

1/ Making all grand slams best of 3 sets which has already started and there is a move to standardise in all the slams.
2/ Create more fun one day doubles events at the start of a tournament to give all the singles players practice on the courts with a likely change of ball and conditions.
3/ Make the players change ends without sitting down - Jamie was a supporter of this
4/ Be flexible with the scoring system and type of doubles events as they do in golf and cricket
My Views
There is no question that doubles plays an important part of both the competitive and social side of play in most clubs throughout the world and especially in the UK. Modern men's and women's doubles on the tour very rarely has the top singles players competing as it did in the past. The only realistic idea to get them playing (in my view) would be to come up with some fun, social doubles events at the start of every tournament as suggested by the pundits on the podcast. This could be mixed as well which is extremely popular at Wimbledon and could help with the promotion of the women's game at the same time?

Modern men's/women's doubles has improved in some respects in that there are a lot more one up and one back formats which are more relevant to many club players. However, the men's game in particular can be a bit too fast, particularly on hard courts where the rally length is lucky if it averages more than 2 shots! I don't have an answer for this - any thoughts welcome? Clay court doubles at the highest level can be much more entertaining as there are more returns made creating more of a spectacle. Last year's Italian open doubles became extremely popular when Isner/Schwartzman made the final with some entertaining rallies throughout mainly due to it being a clay court and slower.

So....if you have any thoughts on how to make doubles more popular from the fans point of view or on a marketing level please send in your ideas and I'll pass them on to Jamie Murray!

Rome
18th-22nd May
We are almost sold out for this year's Italian Open but still have a few spaces left for the final stages of the tournament. If interested please click the link below.
https://www.tuscantennis.com/rome-masters.html
You don't even need to be a tennis player for this trip to enjoy watching the tennis and stay in our hotel which is located within walking distance of the event!
If interested contact Laura asap.
laura@tuscantennis.com

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March Newsletter

16/3/2023

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Indian Wells - thoughts so far...

Medvedev is looking awesome again and is on a winning streak. He was particularly impressive in his match with Zverev when he twisted his ankle and then adapted his playing style to win the match. Mentally he is exceptional even if he has regular childish outbursts e.g. arguing with the umpire over when the balls should be changed when he is totally in the wrong! Like many tennis players he can appear unbalanced during the battle and then become calm and composed when off the court.

Cam Norrie will be extremely disappointed in the way he played against Tiafoe last night especially after his demolition of Rublev in the previous round. Just shows how difficult tennis is and every day is a new one especially there in the desert with changing conditions. Tiafoe is good news for tennis though and great to watch, so it could be an interesting match with Medvedev in the semi final? Interesting how much Tiafoe puts his improvement down to his growing maturity, but not surprising.
In the top half we have 4 of the world's top young players and all good role models with Alcaraz v Auger-Aliasime and Fritz v Sinner, so tennis is in good shape even without Novak and Rafa playing! I'd love to see Alcaraz play Fritz but any combination here for the semi will be good viewing.

Raducanu is rightly pleased with her efforts and would seem to be on the right track. If she can stay
injury-free for a decent spell, I would be surprised if she doesn't begin to make serious inroads to most tournaments. Patience is required from the general public and she will flourish, in my opinion. I love watching her style of play although I wish that she would come to the net more often as she has such good volleys and gives herself lots of possibilities to do so!

Swiatek - thoughts on Ukraine

In terms of big picture stuff it was very interesting to hear Iga's thoughts on the support that should be given to Ukraine players, especially in light of Lesia Tsurenko's (Ukraine) withdrawal from the women's singles when due to play Sabalenka (Belarus). Her withdrawal came after a panic attack induced by the lack of sympathy she received (in her view) from Steve Simon, the WTA chief executive when discussing Ukraine and Russia.“A few days ago, I had a conversation with our WTA CEO, Steve Simon, and I was absolutely shocked by what I heard. He told me that he himself does not support the war, but if the players from Russia and Belarus support it, then this is only their own opinion and the opinion of other people should not upset me. At the same time, he noted that if this had happened to him and he had been in my place he would have felt terrible.”
Swiatek contributed to the discussion with the following:
“There is a lot of tension in the locker room" said Swiatek following her last-16 win over Emma Raducanu.
"Obviously, it's going to be there because there is a war. But maybe it would be a little bit less if the WTA put some action at the beginning to kind of explain to everybody what is right and what is not.
I totally understand why she [Tsurenko] withdrew. I respect the Ukrainian girls so much because if a bomb landed in my country or if my home was destroyed, I don't know if I could handle that.
I feel there should be done a little bit more to help Ukrainian players because I feel like everything we discuss in tennis is more about Belarusian and Russian players and if they should be allowed.
I don't think that's right because we should focus more on helping Ukrainian players and providing them everything that they need. They basically have to take care of like all their families, and there's a lot of baggage on their shoulders."
Swiatek was also critical of Russian player Anastasia Potapova for wearing a Spartak Moscow football shirt ahead of her loss to Jessica Pegula at Indian Wells.
"To be honest, I was surprised," she said.
"I thought the player realised that she should not, even if she is a fan of the team, show her views in this way at such times.
I've talked to the WTA, and in a way I found out that there should be less such situations because they will explain to other players that you can't promote any Russian teams these days, which reassured me a bit."
Wimbledon and the Olympic committee now have to make their mind up soon re the participation of Russian competitors at this year's events, so the debate will continue.....

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february newsletter

3/2/2023

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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

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January Newsletter

15/1/2023

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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

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December Newsletter - Merry Christmas

7/12/2022

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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
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14th to 18th May
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18th to 22nd May
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Lucca, Tuscany
19th to 26th August
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Florence, Tuscany
26th August to 2nd September
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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

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November Newsletter

2/11/2022

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WHO WILL QUALIFY FOR THE NITTO ATP FINALS AFTER THE PARIS MASTERS?

Only two singles spots remain at the Nitto ATP Finals, with a four-way battle at this week’s Rolex Paris Masters deciding who among Felix Auger-Aliassime, Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Hubert Hurkacz will earn a place in Turin.
Felix AA and Rublev are in pole position to qualify for the season finale, which will take place from 13-20 November. But Fritz and Hurkacz, who are in eighth and ninth in the race, still have an opportunity to get there.
Fritz and Hurkacz need to make at least the final to have a chance to earn their spot in Turin. But since Fritz could play Auger-Aliassime in the third round and Hurkacz could face Rublev, they have an opportunity to knock out the contenders ahead of them in the Live Race.
Sixth-placed Auger-Aliassime, who has won titles in Florence, Antwerp and Basel over the past three weeks is in great form. Before his 13-match winning streak, the Canadian had won only one title in his career. He has 3,635 points in the Live Race, putting him 725 points clear of eighth-placed Fritz.
The only way Auger-Aliassime will not make it to the year-end championships, even if he loses his opening match in Paris, is if Fritz wins the title and defeats Rublev in the semi-finals, so Felix looks likely to be there.
It's more complicated for Rublev, since he is in the final qualifying spot. If Fritz lifts the title, Rublev must advance to the semi-finals, where he would face the American.
If Hurkacz lifts the trophy, Rublev would not be able to move past the third round as they would clash in that round. That would eliminate the two-time qualifier Rublev from contention if Hurkacz continued on to take the title.
The two players who make it will join Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Novak Djokovic, and Daniil Medvedev. in the field.
Apart from the players' efforts to reach the ATP finals there are so many interesting matches to see today, but the one I am most keen to see is Nadal v Tommy Paul tonight at 630pm which will give us an indication of where Nadal is in physical terms. I am also curious to see how Paul, the young American, matches up to the great Rafa and my feeling is that he will do well. It's so good to see Stan the Man back in the frame as he is still one of the most fluent and interesting players to watch!

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September 2022 Newsletter

10/9/2022

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We have just returned from our first special hosted week in Florence for 3 years and it was great to be back! Our location in Florence at the Match Ball Firenze Country Club has to be one of the nicest clubs in Italy regarding its facilities and just such a beautiful place to hang out in an amazing Tuscan setting.
The owner of the club Roberto Casamonti has not only donated a beautiful museum to Florence but continues to invest in the club which he took over 47 years ago. His love of art is evident throughout the grounds.
A huge thanks to all of our clients who came back on a TTH trip to Lucca after covid times and also to all of the new clients who came to Florence last week. The idea of the holiday has always been driven by my love for tennis and Italy combined, so it was once again very pleasing to see how much our clients love Italy too.

Rome
Our next planned trip will be to Rome next May for the Italian Open - click HERE for details.
A new possibility coming soon will be the chance to visit Rome at many other times of the year as we are setting up an arrangement with a local club, accommodation and one of our top coaches to allow you the possibility of short trips to improve your tennis and enjoy the eternal city at the same time!

US OPEN
The US Open is reaching the final stages and it's anyone's guess who the winners will be? Pretty tiring watching these late night matches but so glad I saw the last 2 sets of Alcaraz v Sinner. I had thought that the winner of that match would win the entire event and I will stick with that. What a match! The resilience of both players was quite incredible and the level of attacking tennis, extraordinary! I'm hoping for a Ruud v Alcaraz final but wouldn't right off Tiafoe the way he is playing or Khachanov for that matter. Tennis is the winner with these great players making their way into the final stages of a great event and we could also have a new world number 1!
The women's is also up for grabs from any of the final 4 but I think that Garcia might fulfill her shot making potential and take the crown if she can continue playing the way she has been in the past 2 weeks.

Coaching from the side
I really don't like this as I feel it detracts from the beauty of tennis which is dealing with adversity on your own and finding a way to win. I'm not too sure that it's helping players all that much as some of the players seem to be looking to their team for ideas and then complaining when it doesn't work? It's an experiment until the end of the year but I would hope that we go back to the old way of seeing who can work it out! Your thoughts?

2023
Next year we hope to be able to offer more special hosted weeks in all of our locations but it would be great to hear from our clients in regard to your preferences in terms of places and when? This would help enormously with our planning for next year.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Ian

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Wimbledon Thoughts

23/6/2022

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Wimbledon is just around the corner which is something I have always looked forward to from a very young age, but how will this year's event fare with no players from Russia or Belarus, plus no ranking points for the players!?

It's not ideal to be missing your world no 1 (Medvedev) and many other top players and I do feel sorry for the vast majority of Russians (not just tennis players), who may not be supportive of their country's actions and feel unable to protest.
Regarding the loss of points, I can't really understand any player saying that it doesn't matter and is really an exhibition. The prize money is huge which will allow many of the lower ranked players the possibility of earning money to allow them to continue with their dream. For the top players it's a great opportunity to go further in the draw with none of the top Russians or Belarusians playing. And for the few in the running to win it, this is Wimbledon! The opportunity to win the most prestigious tournament in the world is not to be sniffed at! The top players will all want another slam and especially the most famous one!

The Importance of Slice for Wimbledon

The ball really stays low on grass, and if "knifed" the ball will slide through the surface making it difficult for any player with a complicated forehand (like Basilashvili)
With serves coming at you so quickly, the slice return of serve becomes even more important. (Djokovic & Murray use this option often with big servers)
Drop shots are more effective, especially if you can get the ball to drop just over the net on softer, undisturbed grass
Slice approach stays low and flies through the court making the passing shot extremely difficult to make, and keep low over the net
Slice volleys stay low in a similar vein
Lots of defending low wide balls on grass

Looking at Berrettini winning Queens (Cinch) again reminded me of the importance of slice, especially on a grass court. Matteo's slice has always been good, but it looks like he has taken it to an even higher level.

The Best Slicers in the Modern Game

Murray, Federer, Evans & Berrettini - for the men
Barty was the best by far until recently retired and Ons Jabeur hits the most beautiful slice drop shots - for the women.

Best Slice of all Time?

For me it has to be Steffi Graf as she almost never came over her backhand and still managed to beat even the best topspin clay courters in her time with a slice (and a great inside out forehand!). I just had a look at her 6th French open win against Hingis in 1999 who struck the ball early and efficiently with great topspin precision, but Graf had a razor like backhand slice which allowed her to both defend and attack well. maneuvering her opponent before pouncing with her great forehand.

Ken Rosewall was rated as the best of his era with the slice but it didn't penetrate like Graf's, nor did he split his hands to any great degree to help generate more speed. Probably blasphemy to any old Rosewall fans, but the game has always evolved and no doubt his slice was the best of that era.

Anyone over the age of 50 will know someone with a great backhand slice at a local level - ask them for a few tips or even better put a video of them on our Facebook page.
Let's find the best slicers out there?

Top Tips To hit A Good Backhand Slice

Use a continental grip in general or a slight forehand grip for emergencies - some players would advocate a slight forehand grip which helps to generate more racquet head speed. The great Ian Barclay (Oz coach of Pat Cash) believed in this grip.
Using either of these grips make sure that your wrist stays cocked up - you should see wrinkles in your wrist
A good shoulder turn when possible is preferable, but if no time and the ball is coming straight at you off a fast 1st serve then raise your elbow to the side and hit slightly across the ball trying to turn slightly off an open stance - similar action to a body ball when at the net playing a defensive backhand volley.
Try to find the perfect contact point which isn't quite so far in front as many people think - let the ball come on to you and hit it at the side of you just slightly in front.
Splitting the arms whilst hitting helps create more force on the ball both for the slice groundie and the volley
Hitting slightly across the ball is only for the games' geniuses like Federer and Murray. Even Novak and Rafa always play a straightforward slice through the ball remaining side on throughout the swing. Practice this by hitting down the line into the tramlines.
Don't worry so much about style as we can't all look like Federer (actually no one can) and it's much more important that you can defend, attack and manoeuvre the ball with various types of slice. Graf, Barty, Federer and Murray have all utilised a great variety of backhand slices for many situations and tactical choices, especially on the grass of Wimbledon!

Final thought on the slice
The defensive forehand slice - but that's for another day....

Hopefully we will get to see Andy Murray slice and dice his way to the 2nd week of Wimbledon and then who knows..... A favourable draw would certainly help.

Would you like me or Laura to teach you the slice? If yes then join us on our special hosted week in Florence .....

27th August to 3rd September 2022
Click HERE for full info or email laura@tuscantennis.com

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French Open - Nadal is now the God of clay and no longer the King!

7/6/2022

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What can I say that hasn't been said already about the amazing Rafael Nadal? Yes he could have lost to Zverev but we will never know and that is part of the game. Nadal has had so many injuries over his career so I think it would be unfair to say that he wouldn't have won.
He lost only 23 games in the first 3 rounds before being severely tested by Auger-Aliassime in 5 sets, but found a way to win. The quarter final against Djokovic was a spectacular battle with many changes of momentum and the beauty of the long deuce games were amongst the key moments of the match. Nadal managed to adapt to the slow conditions with the cooler temperatures and once again found a way to succeed. Novak has been one of the most resilient players in the history of the game but I felt that it was the even greater resilience of Nadal that pulled him through. You can talk tactics all you like but his mental strength to compete point for point no matter what the situation, is quite something to see. As many of the pundits were saying he has to be the greatest ever sporting competitor. It's difficult to measure across the sports but the scoring system in tennis is so brutal that you must have huge reserves of determination and perseverance to pull through in a best of 5 sets match against another mental giant like Novak!
I love Nadal not because he is such a great tennis player and a serial winner but mainly because of the way he handles himself both on and off the court. Never smashing a racket or disrespecting his opponent. Never taking any match for granted. If disagreeing with officials, always in a respectful manner. As a role model it would be hard to think of anyone better.
The last question in his Spanish press conference was "is it worth it, continuing to make so many sacrifices in order to continue his career?"
His answer was along the lines of:
"Sacrifices? Are you joking? I'm so privileged to be able to lead the life I lead, to train every day and to play tennis every day. I love it. No sacrifices!"
Tennis is a game and a great one at that, but we are so fortunate to have the GOAT (in my opinion) as someone with such a great perspective on life.
I love Swiatek too, but there will be plenty more opportunities to speak about her with such a wonderful career still ahead of her.
Clay Court Tennis
I have just finished reading a book by Paul McNamee (famous Oz player and partner of the late Peter McNamara) called "Welcome to the Dance" which is about his love of clay court tennis and why everyone should learn to play on the stuff. It's a great read and Mr McNamee really gets to the heart of the beauty of Italian and other European clubs as sanctuaries where we should pay homage to the beauty of clay and its benefits to our development of our tennis skills.
I quote from Mr McNamee:
" My contention is that the gateway to mastering tennis is mastering clay, because the deep insights you gain by unlocking the mysteries of clay are completely transferable to any other surface, whether hardcourt or grass, indoors or outdoors. The reverse is not true, and I'm talking about hardcourt in particular. Hardcourt is a great leveller, the great equaliser, where both fast and slow court exponents meet in the middle, but its predominant style, based on metronomic hitting, does not replicate the range of skills asked of a player on clay."
Why not join us in Florence on clay?
We might not be able to get you playing like Nadal or Swiatek but we can certainly have a lot of fun trying and help you to explore the joy of playing on a clay court at our lovely club in Florence