“I Get Nervous When People Watch Me Play” — Performance Anxiety

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“I Get Nervous When People Watch Me Play” — Performance Anxiety

A pupil says they get very nervous when people watch them play.

They’re worried about being judged, and as a result, they perform below their potential.

What the pupil is experiencing is performance anxiety — a common and completely natural challenge for competitive tennis players.

This anxiety is often triggered by perceived judgment from others. When the spotlight is on, the brain shifts focus away from the task (the game) to the audience.

That internal voice saying, “What if I mess up in front of them?” hijacks attention and undermines execution.

What Really Happens?

It’s easy to assume that nerves or anxiety mean a player isn’t mentally tough — or worse, that something is wrong with them. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In most cases, anxiety is a sign that the player cares deeply — about performing well, meeting expectations, and not letting others (or themselves) down. That emotional weight often shows up as nervousness, tension, or fear, especially when people are watching.

But without the right tools, that energy can work against them. Instead of sharpening focus, it scatters it. Instead of fueling confidence, it feeds hesitation.

Here’s what can happen when performance anxiety goes unmanaged:

  • Shallow breathing and increased muscle tension

  • Overthinking simple strokes that should be automatic

  • Loss of focus between points and during key moments

  • Defensive, fear-based play instead of confident shot-making

How To Handle This?

When a player struggles with nerves, the instinct is often to fight the feeling or hope it goes away. But the most effective approach is to train the mind just like any other part of the game.

These mental skills aren’t about pretending pressure doesn’t exist — they’re about learning to stay grounded, focused, and in control, even when nerves are high. With regular practice, these tools help shift attention away from fear and back to performance.

Mental Skills to Reclaim Focus

  • Court Focus
    Train attention to stay anchored on the court — the ball seams, the racquet strings, the opponent — rather than the audience.

  • Deep Breathing
    Use a 4-7-8 pattern: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. This calms the nervous system and re-centers the mind.

  • Pre-Point Rituals
    Develop a simple routine before each point — like bouncing the ball before serving, taking a breath, and saying a personal cue. Routines bring control to pressure.

  • Positive Self-Talk
    Replace “They’re judging me” with “I’m here to compete.” Use language that builds focus, not fear.

  • Visualization Practice
    Practice mental rehearsal — imagine playing freely and confidently with people watching. This builds familiarity and reduces threat.

Wrap

Feeling nervous under pressure doesn’t mean something is wrong — it means you care deeply about your performance.

The goal isn’t to get rid of those nerves, but to build the tools and routines that help you play your best with them.

With steady mental training, what once felt overwhelming becomes familiar — and pressure transforms from something to fear into something you’re ready to face with confidence.

Why Tennis Players Get Injuries

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Why Tennis Players Get Injuries

Ever wonder why we tend to get more injuries as we age — and blame it on “old age”?

The truth is, age isn’t the main culprit. Tennis is a sport of repetition. Every serve, forehand, and lunge loads the same muscles and joints — especially the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Point-loading areas like elbows and knees are particularly vulnerable.

External factors — like playing in the wet, battling the wind, or switching rackets — only increase the strain. Add to that overplaying without adequate recovery, and the body never gets the chance to repair. When players then rely too much on the arm alone, instead of the full kinetic chain, the body pays the price.

The kinetic chain works like a wheel in motion. The legs are the hub, driving the rotation. The hips and core carry that circular energy, transferring it smoothly to the shoulders and torso. Finally, the arm and racket are the rim — the outer edge of the wheel — delivering speed and direction. When the wheel is complete, the stroke feels effortless and powerful. But when one spoke is missing — usually when the legs and core aren’t engaged — the wheel collapses, and the arm is left grinding under pressure. That’s when overuse injuries appear.

Unfortunately, many players today are taught inefficient stroke mechanics that bypass the chain altogether. Take the “windscreen washer” forehand — a motion that looks flashy but often relies on muscling the ball with the arm instead of letting the body drive it. The result is short-term power at the cost of long-term health. As players age, those habits accelerate wear and tear, leading to injuries far sooner than they should.

That’s why the chain — or the wheel — needs to be activated the moment you step on court. Your first few minutes should focus on waking up the hub (legs), connecting the spokes (core and shoulders), and letting the rim (arm and racket) roll smoothly. A complete wheel makes tennis efficient, fluid, and far less stressful on the body.

For many mature players, skipping this step leads to a frustrating cycle: overuse injuries → reduced playing time → compensations → new injuries.

Wrap

It’s not just “getting older” that leads to injuries — it’s letting the wheel break down. Keep the chain complete, give the body recovery time, and your arm will stay loose, fast, and pain-free.

Life Lessons from Björn Borg’s Heartbeats

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Life Lessons from Björn Borg’s Heartbeats

Howie and I met Borg a long time ago at White City. We well remember him being a loner sitting in a corner. Perhaps it was cultural, or perhaps it was because his coach, Lennart Bergelin, kept him locked up in his hotel room during tournaments.

It reminded me of a USC mate of mine, George Taylor, who went to Japan to play the Japan Open. When I asked George what he saw in Japan, he said simply: “a tennis court and a hotel room.”

This glimpse of isolation makes Borg’s new autobiography Heartbeats even more striking. The “Ice Borg” who seemed untouchable on court lived through addiction, near-death experiences, broken relationships, and now a fight with cancer. And yet, at nearly 70, he says he is finally in a good place — training daily, watching his son Leo play, and enjoying family life.

During my time in Newport Beach, I was privileged to be invited to give a tennis clinic with Borg and Yannick Noah. Borg had not changed — still aloof, struggling to relate to the ladies in the clinic. Noah, on the other hand, built like the proverbial brick sh*t house with dreadlocks flowing, had the women absolutely swooning. The contrast between the two said it all: Borg carried his cool detachment even into casual settings, while Noah radiated charisma and joy.

Here are a couple of thoughts Borg’s story in Heartbeats really says loud and clear:

1. Even the Coolest Can Break

On court, Borg was the model of calm. Off court, he admits the pressure, fame, and loneliness took a toll. Perfection is an illusion. Even the strongest-looking people may be carrying invisible struggles.

2. Isolation is Dangerous

Borg recalls having no team or support when he retired. He spiraled into drugs and alcohol. We don’t thrive alone. Success without connection can feel empty, while support and community are essential to recovery.

3. Habits Can Heal or Destroy

His downfall came through destructive habits. His recovery came through structure: daily exercise, routine, tennis. The habits we choose shape our destiny.

4. You Can Rebuild at Any Age

From failed comebacks to bankruptcy, a heart attack, and now cancer treatment, Borg has had many restarts. His story proves: reinvention is always possible.

5. Legacy Is More Than Trophies

Eleven Grand Slams made him immortal in tennis, but what he values most now is family, health, and peace. True legacy is not what you win, but how you live.

Wrap

Borg once said:

“To be involved with drugs or pills or too much alcohol, that destroys, that’s the worst thing you can do. I had to change my life. I could not continue doing this.”

In the end, Borg reminds us that the truest victory is not lifting trophies — it’s lifting the weight off your own heart and finding peace within. Good luck with that battle; it’s tougher than winning Wimbledon!

Ledecky and the Art of Balance

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Ledecky and the Art of Balance: Doing the Right Things at the Right Time

Katie Ledecky is known for swimming dominance in the pool, but her secret isn’t an obsession with medals. It’s balance — a discipline of moderation that sustained her through years of competition.

When she spoke at Stanford’s commencement, she explained that her goals were never about winning. Instead, she wrote down “want times” — personal standards independent of rivals. This distinction freed her from comparison and kept her focus inward, on steady progress.

“They’re not goal times. They’re want times.” — Katie Ledecky, Stanford Commencement

Balance in Goals

Too often, athletes frame success around outcomes they can’t fully control: winning a match, reaching a ranking, lifting a trophy. Ledecky flips that on its head. She doesn’t ask, “What medal do I want?” but rather, “What do I want from myself?”

For tennis players, that might sound like:

  • I want my first serve to feel more reliable, edging closer to 60%.

  • I want my backhand to hold up under pressure, so unforced errors become rare.

  • I want to feel confident at net, turning more approaches into points over time.

These are not rigid goals but living “wants” — benchmarks you can revisit, refine, and grow into.

Small, consistent improvements compound over time. Balance in want-setting means resisting the temptation to go all in on outcomes and instead trusting daily systems.

Even a 1% improvement each day — in serve placement, footwork, or emotional reset between points — compounds into massive gains over a year. Balance means embracing that steady climb rather than chasing instant leaps.

Balance in Training

Ledecky is famous for loving the grind — but she never lost sight of moderation. She talks about enjoying school, playing instruments, and staying connected to passions outside swimming. That moderation keeps her fresh.

For tennis, balance in training means:

  • Mixing intensity: not every session should be match pace; some should focus on rhythm or feel.

  • Cross-training smartly: use strength, agility, and endurance work as complements, not obsessions.

  • Preserving joy: keep a day for casual doubles, hitting for fun, or experimenting without fear of mistakes.

This aligns with high-performance science: long-term gains come from sustainable training loads, not from burning out.

Balance in Mentorship

What Ledecky valued most as a young Olympian weren’t lectures, but small acts of kindness from veterans: a teammate passing her the medicine ball, sitting with her at breakfast, helping her feel like she belonged.

Now she pays it forward, keeping “one eye on the rookies.” For competitive tennis players, this is a reminder that:

  • Leadership isn’t overcoaching — it’s moderating your presence so younger teammates feel supported, not overshadowed.

  • Fresh energy from rookies can balance veteran wisdom.

  • Mentorship itself is a balancing act: giving guidance while remaining open to learning.

Whisperer’s Wrap

Balance doesn’t mean holding back. It means knowing when to push and when to pause. It means wants that build you up rather than consume you. It means a career that is sustainable — and joyful — for the long run.

Katie Ledecky’s greatness isn’t about doing more than everyone else. It’s about doing the right things, with the right focus, at the right time.

For tennis players chasing better performance, that’s the lesson: balance is what makes intensity possible — and success repeatable.

The Science of Sleep: Rewiring Your Game

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The Science of Sleep: Rewiring Your Game

Most tennis players think their best work happens on the court. But the truth is, your sharpest improvements occur when you’re off it — during sleep.

That’s because sleep is when neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to rewire itself — automatically does its deepest work. Think of it as your brain’s nightly software update.

During sleep, the brain decides which connections to strengthen, which to stabilize, and which to prune away. The split step you drilled, the new backhand grip you tested, the anticipation pattern you rehearsed — all of these are replayed and reinforced while you rest.

Fragile motor skills that felt shaky in practice become more reliable. Tactical choices you made under pressure are refined into faster, more automatic responses. Even emotional control circuits get sharpened, helping you stay composed when matches tighten.

In short: what you practice when awake only becomes permanent when you sleep. Your brain is doing the coaching, you just have to give it the hours it needs.

For mature competitors, this is gold. As physical speed declines, sharpness increasingly depends on a brain that can adapt, anticipate, and stay calm under fire. Sleep is where that rewiring — and your recovery — happens.

Why Science Says Sleep Is Training

Sleep is more than rest — it’s when your brain does the real training. During deep and REM sleep, your nervous system takes the raw work from practice and converts it into lasting skill. This is the stage where stroke mechanics become automatic, footwork patterns become ingrained, and tactical decisions become faster and more reliable. In effect, your body trains on court, but your brain finishes the job overnight.

  • Skill Consolidation: During deep and REM sleep, the brain strengthens neural circuits, turning footwork drills and stroke patterns into long-term motor memory.

  • Timing Matters: When sleep follows practice closely, motor memory retention improves by up to 30%, thanks to sleep spindles and neural coupling.

  • Improved Coordination: Practicing complex movements before sleep enhances accuracy and reduces error rates the next day.

Why Science Says Sleep Is Recovery

Recovery isn’t just about what you do after practice — it’s about what your body does while you sleep. During the night, every system that tennis stresses is restored: muscles repair, hormones rebalance, and energy stores refill. This is when the body transforms fatigue into freshness and ensures you’re ready to perform again the next day.

  • Muscle Repair: Deep sleep triggers growth hormone release, repairing micro-tears from intense play.

  • Hormonal Rebalance: Sleep lowers cortisol while boosting melatonin and testosterone — ideal for recovery.

  • Immune & Injury Resilience: Good sleep reduces illness and injury risk; poor sleep increases both.

  • Energy Restoration: Sleep replenishes glycogen stores and resets ATP production, fueling endurance and explosiveness.

Whisperer Wrap

Sleep is both your hidden practice court and your ultimate recovery lab. Neuroplasticity will rewire your brain automatically — but only if you give it the conditions to do so. Every night’s quality sleep sharpens anticipation, strengthens decision-making, and embeds motor skills. At the same time, it restores muscles, rebalances hormones, and recharges energy systems.

For the mature player, this isn’t optional — it’s your edge. Protect your sleep as fiercely as your serve. Schedule it like a training block, guard it like a recovery session, and remember: the player who wins tomorrow is the one whose brain and body rewired most effectively overnight.

References

  • Walker, M.P., & Stickgold, R. (2017). Sleep, memory, and learning. Nature Human Behaviour.

  • Schönauer, M. et al. (2017). Sleep’s role in motor memory consolidation. ScienceDirect.

  • Göldi, M. et al. (2024). Timing of sleep after learning shapes motor skill retention. Journal of Neuroscience.

  • Scharfen, H.-E. et al. (2020). Sleep and motor learning in sports. Springer Sports Medicine.

  • Fullagar, H.H.K. et al. (2015). Sleep and athletic performance: the scientific evidence. Sports Medicine.

  • Mah, C. et al. (2025). How athletes use sleep to improve performance and recovery. Sleep Health Network.

  • Rising Researchers (2025). Sleep’s effect on the recovery of athletes. Rising Researchers Journal.

  • Sports Minds (2025). Maximizing recovery and performance: the role of sleep in sports. Sports Minds.

Why Life Skills Matter More Than Rankings

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Why Life Skills Matter More Than Rankings

Tennis holds a unique position in the youth sports landscape. By tradition, it has been a sport of prodigies — children picking up a racket at age 5 or 6, enrolling in academies by 10, and grinding through junior circuits year-round. This culture places tennis at the very heart of the specialization debate: When is the right time to focus solely on one sport?

The reality is that the pursuit of early mastery often comes at a steep cost.

  • A study of 530 high-level junior players found that 70% had specialized in tennis by age 10, and this group was 1.5 times more likely to suffer injuries. (Read more: Breaking Injury Cycle)

  • Early specialization raises the risks of burnout, overuse injuries, and limited problem-solving skills.

  • While tennis demands technical excellence, committing too soon often means paying a long-term price in health and child development.

Why Building the Person Comes First

Before shaping a player, we must shape a resilient, adaptable, and balanced person. Childhood should be a time to:

  • Explore different sports and experiences.

  • Learn to cope with failure and bounce back.

  • Develop creativity, adaptability, and teamwork.

  • Enjoy unstructured free play that fosters imagination and problem-solving.

These qualities are not just the foundation for strong athletes — they are the foundation for strong people.

The Risks of Specializing Too Early

Burnout: Training and competing year-round from such a young age often turns tennis into an obligation rather than a passion. Many promising players lose their love for the sport before they reach adulthood.

Overuse injuries: Tennis stresses the same muscles and joints over and over, especially the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Without the balance of other sports or movement patterns, young players face chronic injuries that can derail their progress.

Limited problem-solving skills: Children who play multiple sports learn different tactics, movement patterns, and mental approaches. Early specialists may become technically sound but lack the creativity and adaptability required to handle unpredictable situations in high-level tennis.

In short, while early specialization may produce a strong 10-year-old competitor, it rarely builds the foundation for a sustainable long-term career.

The Athlete Comes Second

When the person is strong, the athlete can thrive. By the mid-teens, players who have sampled multiple sports and life experiences bring unique strengths to the court:

  • Better movement and balance from diverse activities.

  • Lower injury risk thanks to a wider physical base.

  • Greater resilience when training demands increase.

At this stage, tennis specialization becomes more sustainable, and the athlete is better equipped to handle the volume of practice required for elite levels.

Wrap

Full specialization before age 12 is a gamble with high physical and emotional costs.

Instead, prioritize building the person first — resilient, adaptable, and balanced. Then build the athlete. This approach not only protects long-term health but also creates tennis players who can withstand the demands of the sport and carry life lessons far beyond the court.

 

Movement is the Best Medicine

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Movement is the Best Medicine (Even After the Flu)

If you play tennis, you already know: nothing feels better than moving well. And it’s not just about strokes and strategy — movement itself is one of the best medicines we’ve got.

I’ve just come back from the flu (all clear now), and it reminded me how powerful gentle movement can be when you’re rebuilding.

While I was contagious, I stayed away from others and off the court — protecting mates matters as much as protecting yourself. Once that phase was over, I started easing back in, and the body bounced back faster with the right kind of activity at the right time.

Why It Works

Every time we move, our muscles release little messengers called exerkines. They calm inflammation, boost energy, and help protect against disease.

Research also shows that even light activity slows down aging — steadier balance, stronger muscles, sharper memory. Exactly what we rely on to stay competitive (and keep enjoying the game) at any age.

Rule of thumb: no court time until I’d been fever-free for a couple of days, my energy was clearly improving, and I wasn’t coughing up phlegm (a sign to see the doctor, not the baseline).

This way, I knew I wasn’t rushing — and every step made me feel a little more like myself again.

Wrap

Movement doesn’t just get the body back. It clears the head, lifts mood, and even helps the brain stay younger.

No wonder the Joy of a Hit always feels like therapy. And credit to Coach Tim for capturing it perfectly with his trademark phrase: the Joy of a Hit.

We don’t need bottles or prescriptions to recover well. The best prescription for both health and tennis is simple: keep moving, one step — and one rally — at a time.

References (for the science nerds among us)

  1. Ghosh S, et al. Exp Gerontol. 2025.

  2. Frontiers Research Topic. The Role of Physical Activity in Healthy Aging. 2024.

  3. Chen B, et al. IJBNPA. 2020.

  4. Liang Y, et al. GeroScience. 2023.

  5. Erickson KI, et al. PNAS. 2011.

  6. Di Loreto S, Murphy CT. Aging. 2022.

Reliable Second Serves Win Big Matches

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Reliable Second Serves Win Big Matches

Aryna Sabalenka retained her U.S. Open crown with a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Amanda Anisimova. While the final was packed with power hitting, the decisive factor wasn’t who struck the hardest ball—it was who trusted their second serve under pressure.

The Battle Behind the Numbers

In modern pro tennis, first serves steal the spotlight. But finals are often decided by second serves. Against elite returners like Sabalenka and Anisimova, a weak second serve is a liability.

  • Both players attacked second serves aggressively.

  • Sabalenka found ways to raise her win percentage above 50%, stabilizing after an early dip below 40%.

  • Anisimova, by contrast, hovered around 30%, surrendering control of rallies.

That shift flipped the match. Instead of giving Anisimova free looks, Sabalenka trusted placement, shape, and consistency—forcing her opponent to play one more ball.

Why It Matters

A reliable second serve isn’t about blasting winners. It’s about:

  • Neutralizing pressure: Taking pace off while using spin and placement.

  • Protecting confidence: Avoiding the double-fault spiral.

  • Shaping rallies: Starting points on your terms rather than your opponent’s.

In pro tennis, winning just 5–10% more second-serve points can decide a Grand Slam title.

Lessons for Competitive Players

If you want to translate Sabalenka’s blueprint into your own game:

  • Build habits, not hopes: Make second-serve practice obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.

  • Train under pressure: Simulate match tiebreaks where every serve must land in.

  • Footwork is key: Second serves buy time—use cross-over steps to maintain balance to set up your next shot.

  • Condition for consistency: Endurance and balance training improve your ability to repeat solid mechanics late in matches when under pressure.

Whisperer Wrap

Second-serve reliability wins matches. Sabalenka proved it again at Flushing Meadows—holding her nerve, trusting her patterns, and walking away with another Slam.

Alcaraz: A Masterclass in Taking Time Away

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Carlos Alcaraz: A Masterclass in Taking Time Away

In the 2025 U.S. Open final, Carlos Alcaraz delivered not just a victory, but a tactical blueprint. Against Jannik Sinner, the Spaniard showcased why he is the game’s most disruptive force: he turned time itself into a weapon.

Disruption as Strategy

For a rhythm player like Sinner, timing is everything. He thrives when rallies stretch, patterns repeat, and rhythm builds. Alcaraz denied him all three. From the first point, he stepped inside the baseline, took balls early, and layered disguise into his forehand. Each choice had a single aim: to steal seconds and dismantle rhythm.

Rhythm as a Fundamental

Among the three fundamentals of tennis — watching, balance, and rhythm — rhythm is often the most fragile and the most easily weaponized. Watching governs perception, balance governs execution, but rhythm governs the entire flow of a player’s game. It is the invisible metronome that lets a baseliner like Sinner repeat patterns with precision and build pressure shot after shot. When rhythm is intact, strokes feel effortless; when it is broken, even routine balls feel rushed or mistimed. This is why Alcaraz’s approach was so devastating: by stealing time, he attacked not just Sinner’s technique but the very foundation that allows his game to function.

Breaking the Match into Layers

Professional observers noted how Alcaraz worked on multiple levels simultaneously:

  1. Tempo Control – He struck on the rise, especially on returns, taking away Sinner’s setup time. His forehand varied between explosive acceleration and disguised slice, ensuring no rally felt predictable.

  2. Pattern Shifts – Alcaraz refused to play into Sinner’s baseline groove. Instead, he inserted drop shots, wrong-footers, and quick directional changes, constantly interrupting the Italian’s preferred cadence.

  3. Positional Compression – His aggressive return stance and forward court positioning shrank Sinner’s angles. With rapid prep steps, Alcaraz balanced early contact with recovery, a rare combination that left Sinner reacting instead of dictating.

  4. Psychological Pressure – The cumulative effect of stolen time was mental erosion. Every rushed forehand miss chipped away at Sinner’s confidence, amplifying the feeling that Alcaraz was always one shot ahead.

Why This Was a Masterclass

Most players attempt to rush opponents with pace alone. Alcaraz elevated the idea. He applied fourth-order disruption—tempo, patterns, space, and psychology—so that Sinner never had time to breathe, let alone build rhythm. It wasn’t just athletic superiority; it was tactical artistry.

Wrap

This match will be remembered not just as Alcaraz’s sixth major, but as a textbook demonstration of how to dismantle a rhythm player at the highest level. He didn’t just hit through Sinner—he took time away until rhythm itself no longer existed.

Rhythm wins rallies, but time wins matches — and Alcaraz proved the greatest weapon in tennis is the ability to steal both!

The Joy of a Hit on Lord Howe Island

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The Joy of a Hit on Lord Howe Island

A Passport Called Tennis

I never thought I’d play tennis in the middle of the Tasman Sea — but there Pam and I were, on idyllic Lord Howe Island, 420 miles northeast of Sydney, with a court tucked away among the palms.

Legend has it that the court at PalmTrees Resort was laid by JC himself (no, not THAT JC, but the Manly one). That Sunday afternoon, we borrowed a pair of old Prince rackets, scraped together a few dead balls, and had what I can only describe as the pure joy of a hit.

Apparently, a fresh case of new balls had yet to arrive on the Island Trader — a supply ship whose name needs no translation — but we made do.

⸻

First Lessons on the Island

Soon, a couple of staff, Chiara and Rosi, wandered over, curious to try. With Coach Pam’s encouragement, we found ourselves giving what may have been the first-ever tennis lesson on LHI.

Watching newcomers laugh their way through their first rallies, framed by mountains and sea, was as memorable as any tournament win.

⸻

The Island Champion

Every April, the island hosts its annual LHI Championships, fiercely contested but always in good spirit. The reigning champ is Fran, a warm-hearted Chilean and now a two-time winner.

I had the joy of hitting with him two days later. By island standards, Fran is still a “newbie” — he’s only been here six years — but his game and generosity have already made him part of the island’s fabric.

Just as much a part of that fabric is Dillis, his partner — a charming English lady with a quick wit and kind heart. Together, Fran and Dillis embody the spirit of the island: Fran with his energy on the court, and Dillis with her warmth off it.

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An Island of Stories

Lord Howe has a fascinating history. The first settlers arrived in 1834 — George Ashdown, James Bishop, and Chapman, along with their Māori families. A few years later, men like Owen Poole, Richard Dawson, and John Foulis expanded the settlement, while the Andrews family became known for cultivating the island’s famous Lord Howe Red Onion. Their legacy still lingers in the island’s character today.

Owning property here? Harder than a Manly real estate auction. Leaseholds are rare treasures.

But the people make the island. Friendly, welcoming, country-town kind of warm. Our little United Nations of friends at Pine Trees — Lindy, Chloe, Caroline, Abbie, Ellie, Chiara, Greta, Fran, Rosi, Dillis, Michael, Aleks, Julia, Rosalie, and more — turned a casual tennis hit into a gathering of cultures, laughter, and stories.

⸻

Why It Mattered

In the end, it wasn’t about strokes, serves, or who won the points. It was about connection. A mismatched group of locals, travelers, and staff, bound by a shared love of the game, on one of the most beautiful islands on Earth.

Sometimes tennis is about tournaments, strategy, and footwork drills. But sometimes, it’s simply about the joy of a hit — especially when you find it somewhere you least expect.

⸻

Wrap

Tennis is more than a sport. It’s a passport — one that opens doors to places, friendships, and experiences you could never plan.

Lord Howe Island is now stamped in my tennis passport — not for the scores or the strokes, but for the laughter, the people, and the pure joy of a hit in the middle of the Tasman Sea.

 

Lord Howe Island

The Science of Failure: Anisimova’s Masterclass in Failing Forward

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The Science of Failure: Anisimova’s Masterclass in Failing Forward

At Wimbledon, Amanda Anisimova endured one of the harshest defeats in Grand Slam history — a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Świątek in the final. Just 57 minutes on court, and a lifetime of work seemed to collapse in front of the world.

But 53 days later, at the U.S. Open, Anisimova defeated Świątek to reach the quarterfinals. In doing so, she demonstrated the full arc: how to fail forward, how to turn devastation into momentum, and how growth looks when it is lived out in real time.

That’s not just sport. That’s life.

From Tears to Triumph

In her post-match Wimbledon interview, Anisimova displayed honesty and composure. She praised her opponent, thanked the fans, and acknowledged her own struggles with fatigue and nerves. Most importantly, she reframed the experience:

“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m going to keep putting in the work. I always believe in myself so I hope to be back here again one day.”

Less than two months later, she made good on that commitment. By reversing the result against Świątek in New York, Anisimova showed how failure, when processed constructively, can be a foundation for resilience.

Intelligent Failure and Growth

Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, in Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well, distinguishes between basic, complex, and intelligent failures. Intelligent failures occur when individuals take on new challenges, pursue meaningful goals, and learn from the outcome — even if they fall short.

Anisimova’s loss at Wimbledon fit this category. It was not the product of negligence but of competing under extreme pressure at the highest level. By naming the factors that held her back and maintaining belief in her work, she converted the experience into progress.

What Athletes Understand About Failure

Elite athletes often point to defeats as critical inflection points. Pete Sampras described his 1992 U.S. Open semifinal loss to Stefan Edberg this way:

“When I lost to Edberg, it didn’t hurt at the time. But later it hit me — I didn’t fight hard enough. I promised myself I would never let that happen again. That match changed me.”

That realization fueled a career that produced 13 more major titles. Anisimova’s journey follows a similar pattern: Wimbledon was the pain, the U.S. Open the pivot.

As a coach, I remind my students that growth rarely comes from easy wins. When they tell me they are “just having fun,” I caution them: if it doesn’t hurt to lose, you won’t feel the urgency to change.

The Broader Lesson

For those outside elite sport, the same dynamics apply. Failure is not a final judgment but part of the learning process. The path forward is practical and measured:

  • Name the truth. Be clear about what went wrong, without excuses.

  • Reframe the experience. As Marianne Williamson notes, pain can either diminish you or help refine you.

  • Build systems. As James Clear explains in Atomic Habits, sustained success comes from consistent routines and habits rather than single goals.

  • Think long term. Growth is rarely immediate; the value of intelligent failure comes from what it makes possible over time.

Cultural attitudes toward failure also influence how we approach this process.

In the United States, failure is often framed as part of the entrepreneurial and athletic journey — a necessary step toward eventual success. The language of “failing forward” is widely accepted, and resilience is celebrated when setbacks fuel growth.

In Australia, by contrast, there is often a more reserved approach. The cultural emphasis on modesty and the “tall poppy syndrome” can make open discussions of failure less comfortable, with mistakes sometimes treated as reputational risks rather than opportunities to learn.

Bridging these perspectives means fostering an environment where failure is seen less as a verdict and more as a process — aligning with the principle that growth requires the courage to risk, to stumble, and to continue.

Whisperer Wrap

Amanda Anisimova’s path from a painful loss at Wimbledon to a meaningful victory at the U.S. Open illustrates how setbacks can become turning points. Her willingness to acknowledge the disappointment, reflect on its causes, and continue her work transformed the experience from defeat into growth.

This lesson extends beyond sport. Different cultures frame failure in different ways — in the U.S., it is often viewed as part of the journey, while in Australia it can carry heavier social weight. Anisimova’s example suggests a universal truth: failure should not be treated as a verdict, but as a process that creates the conditions for improvement.

As the line from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel reminds us:

“Everything will be alright in the end. If it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”

Progress, in sport or in life, comes not from avoiding failure, but from using it well — whether in New York, Sydney, or anywhere else.

Sofie Makes Final in ITF Debut at Camden

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Sofie Makes Final in ITF Debut at Camden

This weekend at the ITF MT200 in Camden marked Sofie’s first appearance in an international singles main draw — and she made it count. With two hard-earned wins, she advanced to the final round, showing tactical awareness, resilience, and a level of composure beyond her experience.  Congrats Sofie!

A Final to Build On

In Sunday’s final, Sofie faced Alison Crealy — an assertive, experienced player with a strong serve and a clear game plan. Crealy pressed forward behind her serve in nearly every game and executed with confidence at the net. Her deep backhand slices and short cross-court variations posed a constant challenge, especially on return.

Despite the 2–6, 2–6 result, Sofie extended multiple games to deuce and remained tactically engaged throughout. She navigated unfamiliar patterns, made in-match adjustments, and showed mental clarity under pressure.

“It was a great day of tennis. Lots to debrief on and lots to learn,” Sofie reflected.
“Many of those games could have gone either way.”

Lessons Learned

Tactical Insight: Sofie demonstrated strong awareness in identifying her opponent’s strengths — particularly net pressure and varied slice depth — and worked to adjust her positioning and shot selection accordingly.

Competitive Presence: Despite sustained pressure, she maintained composure and responded with structured, purposeful patterns of play.

Growth Mindset: Her ability to reflect critically and constructively post-match reflects maturity and a clear readiness to evolve her game.

Wrap

Reaching the final in her first ITF singles tournament is a significant achievement!

The experience — particularly against a high-quality, attacking opponent — provides a clear reference point for the level and adjustments required at this stage.

Sofie leaves Camden with confidence, clarity, and a solid foundation for the next phase of her development.

Well done Sofie!

What AI Teaches Us About Tennis Fundamentals (Yes, Seriously)

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What AI Teaches Us About Tennis Fundamentals (Yes, Seriously)

I’ve been writing a few articles for Pam’s site about AI in the workplace. Wild stuff. AI is everywhere right now—huge potential, big buzz. It’s already changing how people do research, write reports, and make decisions.

But here’s the thing: most AI still only handles the basics—what you might call first-order stuff. It tells you what’s out there. What happened. What exists.
What it doesn’t do so well is second-order thinking—helping you figure out what actually matters, or what to do next.

And that idea—understanding what really matters—got me thinking about tennis.

Are You Practicing the Right “Basics”?

We all hear the same tennis fundamentals repeated: ball watching, balance, rhythm, timing. But how often do we stop to ask: which of these comes first? Which one drives the others?

Not all fundamentals are created equal. Some are first-order skills—the raw inputs your game depends on. Others are second- or third-order outcomes. They only show up once the foundation is strong.

Here’s how they rank, in terms of cause and effect:

First Order: Ball Watching
Everything starts with the eyes. If you’re not tracking the ball closely and early, your body doesn’t have the information it needs. Your movement, decisions, and stroke execution all depend on accurate visual input. Miss this, and everything else suffers.

Second Order: Balance
Once your eyes are doing their job, your body has to respond with control. Balance gives you the ability to set up your shots, stay consistent, and recover quickly. It’s the physical anchor for everything you do on court.

Third Order: Rhythm
When you’re seeing the ball and staying balanced, rhythm starts to appear. It’s the smooth coordination of steps and strokes. Rhythm makes your game feel fluid. But it can’t exist without solid inputs from your vision and posture.

Fourth Order: Timing
Timing is the result of all the above. It’s not something you drill directly. When ball watching, balance, and rhythm are aligned, timing shows up automatically. Chasing timing without the foundation is like trying to decorate a house with no walls.

Why We Train This Way on Sundays

If you’ve been to our Sunday sessions, you know we don’t start with casual “service line to service line” rallies. There’s a reason for that.

Those warm-ups are too passive. Players might be hitting the ball, but they’re not truly seeing it or training their balance under realistic pressure. It looks like warming up—but it’s not building the foundation.

Instead, we begin with drills that isolate and train first-order skills: visual tracking and postural control. Once those are solid, the rest of your game has something to stand on.

Whisperer Wrap

Don’t chase timing and rhythm as if they’re skills you can practice in isolation. They’re not. They’re outcomes.

Instead, train the inputs that create them. Focus on your eyes. Lock in your balance. Build from the ground up.

You might be surprised how much better your game gets—without changing your strokes at all.

P.S.  Measured in terms of orders, AI still has a long way to go before it can match the kind of layered expertise it takes to truly master tennis. The human game runs deeper—for now.

Dehydration: The Silent Performance Killer

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Dehydration: The Silent Performance Killer for Older Athletes

Hydration is the foundation behind the three keys of great tennis—ball watching, balance, and rhythm. Without it, your eyes track slower, your body wobbles during movemeny, and your timing falls out of sync. Even the best technique can’t survive when the system runs dry.

For many of us still grinding it out in Badge or weekend comps, the real opponent isn’t always across the net—it’s inside our own body. Dehydration is a silent performance killer, and as we age, the risks rise dramatically.

Why Dehydration Hits Harder After 60

Aging bodies hold less water in muscle and connective tissue, meaning older players start matches closer to the dehydration threshold. Add heat, long rallies, or even a couple of drinks the night before, and the impact multiplies:

  • Muscle elasticity drops, raising the risk of strains and tears.

  • Balance and coordination decline, making quick steps and safe recovery harder.

  • Cramping becomes more likely, as electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium get flushed out.

For players already battling slower recovery and tighter tissues with age, dehydration acts as an amplifier.

Accelerating Impact of Alcohol

Alcohol compounds these risks. Research shows it affects every organ system—muscles, blood vessels, digestion, heart, and brain. With age, those systems are already under strain. Older players typically:

  • Have less muscle mass and water retention, so blood alcohol levels rise faster.

  • Show memory and coordination deficits at lower levels than younger players.

  • Face a greater risk of falls and injury—especially troubling since tennis demands balance and quick directional changes.

Even “just one drink” can impair working memory, slow reaction time, and compromise balance—the very skills we rely on for safe movement on court.

Signs You’re Playing Dehydrated

Many players think they’re just “sluggish” or “getting older,” but the warning signs are often hydration-related:

  • Dry mouth or sticky saliva

  • Dark yellow urine (pale yellow is ideal)

  • Headache, dizziness, or mental fog

  • Heavy legs or sudden cramps

  • Faster heart rate than usual for your effort level

  • Footwork suddenly feeling clumsy

How Long Does It Take to Recover?

Recovery depends on severity:

  • Mild: A few hours with steady water + electrolytes.

  • Moderate: Often 24 hours before you’re truly back to baseline.

  • Severe (>5% loss): Can take days, sometimes requiring medical attention.

For older players, recovery is slower because tissues don’t retain water as efficiently. That’s why a Friday night out + Saturday Badge is a dangerous combo—you’re starting in deficit before the first warm-up ball.

Hydration and Cramping

Cramping is one of the most common on-court issues for aging players. Alcohol raises the risk in two ways:

  • It acts as a diuretic, flushing electrolytes needed for muscle contraction and relaxation.

  • It dehydrates tissues, making them less resilient under long rallies or hot conditions.

Even moderate intake the night before a match can leave you depleted, increasing the chance of those painful late-set cramps.

Dehydration in Much Older Players

For players in their 70s, 80s, and beyond, dehydration isn’t just a performance dip—it can be a safety hazard. At these ages, the body holds far less water, kidney function declines, and the thirst signal is blunted, meaning you may already be under-hydrated before stepping on court. Even mild fluid loss can cause sharp drops in balance, reaction time, and coordination—magnifying fall risk during quick directional changes. Recovery also takes longer, as tissues rehydrate more slowly and muscle water reserves are reduced. For this group, hydration isn’t optional—it’s the foundation for safe movement, clear thinking, and simply enjoying the game.

A Practical Hydration & Recovery Checklist

To stay ahead of the curve:

  • Hydrate steadily the day before a match, not just on game day.

  • Sip water  during play, especially in heat.

  • Avoid alcohol before/after matches, when the body most needs hydration and tissue repair.

  • Listen to your body—foggy thinking, sluggish movement, and cramps are warning signs, not “just aging.”

Wrap-Up

Dehydration steals performance quietly—slowing reaction time, draining energy, and increasing injury risk. For older athletes, the margin for error is razor-thin.

Tennis always comes back to the three keys: ball watching, balance, and rhythm. Protect your hydration, and you protect them. Lose it, and the game unravels one step at a time.

How Title IX Built US Women’s Tennis

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How Title IX Built US Women’s Tennis

For decades, US women have carried the Grand Slam torch, and in 2025, the trend is more alive than ever. Gauff, Keys, Pegula, Anisimova, and Navarro headline a wave of US women who dominate the game’s biggest stages. Four straight Slam finals have featured a US woman. Two Grand Slam winners.

That strength shows up in the 2025 US Open draw: six US women are seeded, more than any other nation. Gauff (#3), Pegula (#4), Keys (#6), Anisimova (#8), Navarro (#10), and Kessler (#32) form the deepest national presence at the tournament.

But this dominance didn’t happen by accident. It traces back more than 50 years, to Title IX, the landmark US law that required equal opportunity for women in education—including sports.

What Is Title IX?

Passed in 1972, Title IX prohibited sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools and universities. While its language never mentioned “sports,” its ripple effects transformed athletics in the US. Suddenly, high schools and colleges had to create programs, scholarships, and infrastructure for female athletes.

That meant more courts, more scholarships, more coaches—and most importantly—a cultural expectation that girls would play sports just as boys did.

How It Shaped Tennis

Tennis was already unique: it was one of the rare sports where women could earn prize money and media attention, especially after Billie Jean King’s 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” win. Title IX supercharged that pipeline.

  • College tennis as a development weapon: Navarro, Kessler, Stearns, and Collins all sharpened their games in NCAA competition, a luxury few European or Asian players have. That system exists because Title IX forced universities to fund women’s tennis scholarships.

  • Access to coaching and resources: Players like Anisimova and Kenin benefited from USTA programs, but their early opportunities—public courts, travel teams, scholarships—flowed from a Title IX culture where female athletic dreams were legitimate.

  • Role models and representation: Without Title IX, Serena and Venus Williams may have remained outliers. Instead, they became cultural icons in a system designed to nurture and multiply talent. Gauff and Keys are their direct heirs.

Why the US Leads the World

Many countries have talented female players, but few have the same critical mass. About 35% of US girls play sports regularly between ages 6–17. That’s unmatched globally.

The result? Depth. The US has Slam champions (Gauff, Keys, Kenin), Slam finalists (Anisimova, Pegula), rising stars (Navarro, Krueger, Stearns), and teenage prodigies (Jović). Title IX built not just one star, but a production line of champions.

The US has proven what happens when a country commits to equity in sports. Fifty years on, Title IX’s fingerprints are all over the US Open draw sheet.

Wrap

Title IX gave US girls permission to dream—and the resources to chase those dreams. The next US Slam champion won’t just be a product of talent and hard work. She’ll also be a child of Title IX.

P.S. In the spirit of full disclosure… Pam and I have six granddaughters. So yes, I may be a little biased when it comes to celebrating the future of girls’ sports