Tennis Unlocked is a new series with one of Ireland’s most experienced coaches, Peter Farrell. In tennis, the unpredictable nature of each match is what makes the sport so captivating—and challenging. For club-level players, understanding the unique dynamics of tennis can transform how you approach both practice and competition. This piece marks the beginning of a series designed to build your knowledge, helping you navigate the complexities of match play more effectively. Let’s start by exploring the basic nature of tennis and how it differs from other sports.
Tennis is the ultimate open sport.
What Does This Mean?
All sports can be classified on a scale that runs from closed to open.
EXAMPLE 1: When a gymnast performs her routine on the beam:
- There is no opponent trying to influence the process.
- The gymnast does the exact routine as practiced many times.
- They do not have to make any decisions.
- They know how long their performance will be.
- The environment – an indoor hall – remains relatively constant.
This means that we are talking about a closed sport.
EXAMPLE 2: When you play a tennis match:
- Your opponent is trying to make things difficult for you.
- You cannot have practiced exactly what you will do in the match.
- You have to make several decisions on each shot – in a very limited time.
- You do not know how long the match will last.
- The environment can change – different weather conditions in the same match, various court surfaces in different matches.
This means that we are talking about an open sport.
What Does This Mean For Your Tennis?
In tennis, you never play two shots in exactly the same way. The ball arrives from a different place than before, to a different spot on your end, at a different height, with less or more power and spin than previously. You reply with a shot that is different from your previous shots.
So, when you go on the practice court, prioritise exercises that mimic what happens in a match. Embracing the open nature of tennis means embracing the unexpected. Emphasise live rallying, where the balls coming at you have lots of variation.
By focusing your practice on live, dynamic rallies, you can sharpen your decision-making and adaptability—skills that will set you up for success on the court. In this type of exercise you decide what to do, then implement your decision, rather than receiving a predetermined shot and sending it to a predetermined target.
Stay tuned as we continue to build this library of insights to enhance your game, one shot at a time.
