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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

Manly 7 Valiant in Defeat in Badge Final

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Manly 7 Valiant in Defeat in Badge Final

Manly 7 fell 5–2 in their Badge Final on Saturday at Sydney Boys High, battling on an away blue hard court that felt far from their comfort zone.

Match Highlights

Barnaby & Isaac

  • Dropped their first set in a brutal tiebreaker (8–6) after serving for the set at 5–4 with three set points. Finals pressure kicked in, and playing “not to lose” into a stiff wind proved costly.

  • Down 1–6 in the breaker, they rediscovered their patterns, fought back to 6–6, but narrowly lost.

  • With their rhythm restored, they took the second set. (One Love’s top player later admitted he was intimidated by Isaac’s net presence.)

Bilal & Joel

  • Locked in two tight, deuce-heavy sets but couldn’t convert opportunities, falling in straight sets.

  • Equipment drama: Bilal broke his only racket, forcing Joel to lend him his spare.

Momentum Shift

  • Barnaby & Isaac carried their momentum into the turnaround, securing a third set win.

  • Bilal & Joel, facing the opposition’s top pair, pushed them deep. Joel earned the ultimate respect when they adjusted into tandem formation to counter his cross-court returns. Still, they lost another deuce-heavy set.

Closing Stage

  • In the final set, missed chances finally wore Barnaby & Isaac down. As Coach Tim put it: “Finals tennis is brutal — but it’s a great teacher.”

Positives to Take Away

  • Team fightback: rallied from 15 points down at the start of round two to get to the final.

  • Found their doubles identity: rediscovered magic diamond patterns travel well to any surface.

  • Serving & returning under pressure: remarkable execution in fierce wind and final-round pressure.

Areas to Build On

  • More match play for experience in pressure scenarios.

  • Strengthening regular doubles partnerships.

  • Sharpening tiebreak and pressure-play skills.

  • Across the board, volley improvement.

Wrap

While disappointment stings, this was a powerful learning experience. Manly 7 showed grit, flashes of brilliance, and plenty to build on. Finals tennis exposed the gaps but also revealed their competitive edge.

A loss on paper, but a huge step forward in development.

Ah! Doubles Really Is a Different Game

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Ah! Doubles Really Is a Different Game

At this year’s U.S. Open mixed doubles, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori reminded everyone that doubles is not just singles with four players jammed on the court—it’s an entirely different sport.

The Italian specialists—last year’s champions—are back again, dismantling some of the biggest singles names. Rybakina and Fritz? Gone. Rublev and Muchová? Outclassed. And with only a semifinal run so far, Errani and Vavassori have already pocketed more money than they earned winning the entire event last year.

The irony is sharp: the event was packaged as a showcase for singles stars, but it’s the doubles masters who are writing the story and cashing the checks.

Why Doubles Specialists Dominate

  • The Magic Diamond – Picture a diamond laid over the court, linking the four players. That diamond marks out the key sections where nearly 80% of balls are played at every level. Great doubles teams shift the diamond with each shot, always covering the hot zones, closing seams, and shrinking angles. Singles players often miss it—and leave space that doubles experts devour.

  • Craft Over Power – Singles stars try to blast their way through. Doubles specialists rely on placement, anticipation, and sharp angles.

  • Net Control – In doubles, the net is everything. Vavassori’s wingspan and Errani’s timing turn floating balls into easy winners.

  • Partnership as Choreography – Doubles isn’t improvisation. It’s synchronized movement—like Torvill and Dean on ice, only with rackets.

Badge Lessons

The same story unfolded last Saturday with two Manly teams in the Sydney Badge semifinals.

  • In Division 1, two young singles guns came out banging from the baseline. Nick and Rimmo stayed calm, worked the diamond, and took charge at the net. Result: four sets won, match sealed.

  • In Division 10, Issac and Barnaby committed fully to the diamond, keeping themselves anchored in the right zones every point. The payoff: three sets, including the clutch decider that delivered the tie.

Different divisions, same truth: doubles is a different game.

A Crowd’s Education

At the U.S. Open, fans came for the franchise names. Ticket prices were trimmed to fill the stands.

What the crowd got instead was a masterclass in doubles.

It wasn’t just tennis—it was Torvill and Dean on a court: precision, timing, and coordinated movement. The fans expected fireworks. They walked away talking about geometry, poaching, and anticipation.

How to Play Winning Doubles

To win in doubles, stop playing singles with a partner. Start playing doubles:

  • Play the Diamond – Shift with your partner on every shot. Protect the middle, close the angles, and make opponents hit the low-percentage ball.

  • Serve & Return With Purpose – Serves should feed your partner. Returns should be crosscourt, low, or lobbed to disrupt formations and keep the net player honest.

  • Stay Mentally Sharp – Keep your eyes outward on cues and patterns. Use quick rituals—like a simple ball squeeze—to reset and stay calm under pressure.

  • ABC: Always Be Closing – Move forward behind deep shots, poach the floaters, and keep opponents under constant net pressure.

Whisperer Wrap

This year’s U.S. Open mixed doubles was designed as a showcase for singles stars. Instead, it has become a clinic on the geometry and psychology of doubles. Errani and Vavassori—last year’s champions and already richer semifinalists this year—are proving the point.

From Flushing Meadows to Sydney Badge, the lesson is the same:

Doubles really is a different game. And those who master the diamond, the net, and the partnership—always win.  

And of course, it helps if you have a consistent volley!

Source: Getty Images

PS: Errani and Vavassori didn’t just make the semis — they won it in classic doubles fashion: 6/3, 5/7, 10/6 in the match tiebreaker. Another reminder that when the pressure’s highest, the doubles specialists know exactly how to finish the job.

The Underarm Serve: Errani’s Masterstroke

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The Underarm Serve: Errani’s Masterstroke

Most of Howie’s midweek group are appalled at Errani’s serve.  They are purists, to say the least. Some even question whether it’s legal.

But the results speak for themselves: Sara Errani, at 38, remains a force on the pro tour, a Golden Slam-winning doubles specialist who has mastered a serve few dare to try.

Sara Errani stood at match point in the Billie Jean King Cup semifinal, staring down Iga Świątek, one of the world’s best. Then, she served—underarm.  What followed was not a gimmick or an act of desperation. It was a masterclass in adaptability, executed by a player who has turned a perceived weakness into one of the game’s more potent weapons.

Michael Chang: The Original Underarmer

Long before Sara Errani brought the underarm serve into the women’s spotlight, Michael Chang executed one of the most famous underarm serves in tennis history—on match point, no less. It was the 1989 French Open, and Chang, just 17 years old, was battling severe cramps in a fourth-round clash against world No. 1 Ivan Lendl. Barely able to move, Chang pulled out an underarm serve late in the fifth set. It caught Lendl completely off guard. Chang went on to win the match and ultimately the tournament, becoming the youngest male Grand Slam champion in history.

Reframing Weakness into a Weapon

Errani’s story is unique. Standing at just 5’5”, she lacks the height and power of today’s big servers. For years, her serve was mocked, criticized, even meme’d. But instead of hiding from it, she embraced the challenge, building a tactical repertoire around placement, variation, and surprise.

The underarm serve wasn’t born from whimsy—it was born from necessity. When her regular serve began collapsing under pressure—most notably with severe yips in 2019—Errani made a radical decision: she would serve underarm entirely during a tournament in Paraguay. The reaction was brutal, but the outcome was revealing: she reached the final.

A Strategic Statement, Not a Trick Shot

While players like Nick Kyrgios and Alexander Bublik deploy the underarm serve for flair, Errani does it with a surgeon’s precision. Against Świątek, it wasn’t about showmanship. It was about starting the point on her terms—controlling tempo, rhythm, and positioning.

As she explained:

“I don’t try to make winners. I just try to make kick, make slice… sometimes is better for me to serve not that fast, because if you serve fast the ball is coming back faster.”

Is It Legal Under the Rules?

Yes—the underarm serve is completely legal under the rules of tennis. The only requirement for a valid serve is that the ball must be hit before it touches the ground and must land in the appropriate service box. There is no rule that requires the server to strike the ball overhand. As long as the motion is continuous and the ball is not thrown and allowed to bounce, the underarm serve is fair game—even in professional play. That’s what makes it such a disruptive, underutilized weapon.

Why It Disrupts Timing

What makes the underarm serve so difficult to return is that it fundamentally breaks the rhythm most players rely on. At every level of tennis, returners are trained to read toss height, racquet swing, and body rotation to time their split step and initiate their backswing. The underarm serve removes all of that. It comes slower, lower, and earlier than expected—often before the returner has even completed their split.

This plays havoc with players who “quick hit” the return—those who rely on the ball’s pace to time a sharp, early contact. Suddenly they’re forced to generate their own power on a floating ball that arrives below knee height, with no predictable trajectory. The result? Mis-hits, awkward footwork, or mistimed aggression. Even top pros like Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz have been caught out by Errani’s underarm, proving that disruption can be just as deadly as power.

Expect Scorn

Even so, if you decide to use the underarm serve, be prepared for derision and scorn. Tennis purists often view it as unsportsmanlike or beneath the standards of “proper” play. You might face eye-rolls, muttered comments, or even outright ridicule—from opponents, spectators, and yes, even your own teammates. But as Errani has proven time and again, winning changes the narrative. If you’re confident in your intent, unbothered by tradition, and smart about when to deploy it, the underarm serve can be a bold, effective answer to pressure—not a sign of weakness.

From Panic to Process: The Psychological Shift

Errani’s journey with the serve reflects the essence of mental resilience. Her coach advised her to serve underarm for a full tournament to liberate her mind. That decision echoes the “Practice Under Pressure” and “Adaptive Strategies” discussed in sports psychology: face the fear head-on, and reclaim control.

She also leans on breathing routines and visualization, managing match-day nerves that once crippled her ability to toss the ball.

For Competitive Players

The underarm serve isn’t a shortcut. It’s a reminder that tennis intelligence can outplay raw firepower.

Errani’s decision to lean into discomfort turned her serve into a disruptor—a shot that rattled Świątek, flummoxed Fritz, and helped Errani secure a Golden Slam in doubles.

Want to Try It? 

  • Practice under pressure. Don’t save it for matches. Test it during high-intensity drills.

  • Pair it with variety. Mix it with slice and kick serves to create unpredictability.

  • Use it selectively. Against deep returners or when protecting a second serve.

  • Own the moment. Confidence is everything. Commit, don’t hesitate.

Wrap

The underarm serve isn’t weak—it’s wise.  Errani didn’t just revive a controversial shot—she redefined it.

The Art of Hard Court Doubles

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Has Hypnosis Been Applied in Tennis?

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Has Hypnosis Been Applied in Tennis?

Rachel asks whether hypnosis has been used in mental conditioning in tennis.

The answer is yes—tennis professionals and sports psychologists have explored hypnosis techniques to enhance mental focus, reduce anxiety, and improve performance under pressure.

Notable Examples:

  • Tennis legends including Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, Jimmy Connors, and Martina Navratilova have publicly credited mental conditioning, including hypnosis or visualization, for their success (Village Hypnotherapy).

  • A review in Frontiers in Psychology supports hypnosis as an effective mental training method for managing stress, enhancing focus, and boosting performance in sport (Frontiers in Psychology).

Mixed Evidence:

  • One study evaluating hypnosis and progressive relaxation in tennis training found no significant performance improvement compared to standard coaching over the long term, suggesting effectiveness depends on context and implementation (Academia.edu).

Tennis Ball Squeeze: A Scientific Parallel

One of the most validated and comparable tools is the “tennis ball squeeze” method, developed by Professor Jürgen Beckmann.

While not traditional hypnosis, this neuromuscular priming technique—a form of embodied cognition—alters brain function to reduce performance anxiety. The method involves squeezing a tennis ball with the left hand for 10–15 seconds before serving, which has been shown to stabilize performance under stress by calming the brain’s motor control center.

Hypnosis and Guided Imagery in Sport

Hypnosis and guided visualization techniques have long been employed in elite sport to help athletes:

  • Enter relaxed, focused states

  • Visualize successful performance outcomes

  • Reinforce confident behaviors

  • Regulate emotional arousal

In tennis, these tools can be critical for:

  • Mental recovery between points

  • Handling momentum shifts

  • Sustaining focus and intensity throughout a match

Complementary Mental Conditioning Techniques

To maximize effectiveness, hypnosis or guided imagery should be integrated with:

  • Visualization

  • Breathing routines

  • Pre-match rituals

  • Mindfulness techniques

When combined with behavior design principles like those from Atomic Habits, these strategies can support the creation of mentally resilient, high-performance routines.

Wrap

Hypnosis in tennis isn’t just a theoretical concept—it’s a proven tool used by champions and backed by psychology.
While results can vary based on individual receptivity and application method, it remains a valuable option for players looking to strengthen their mental edge.

Lessons from the Badge Semi-Final

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