A.   Dear Aggie: How long does it take to improve your track times by a second? You're asking me that kind of question. If you get back into it and you have the time and money to invest, in six months play a money tournament of the lowest level ($300 to win) and I'm sure your question regarding becoming pro or semi pro will be answered. Good luck Brad
 

A.   Hi ….. I start everyone on landing on the right foot (or walking through it) there are enough powerful acceptable variations for more powerful players with this serve. However once the player has developed and I'm confident the "launch at it" may work, it is the natural progression. Keep in mind that the launch style uses significantly more energy than the "walk through" style so if you have concerns that the player's body would find it difficult to live up to it then I would leave it alone. In my opinion there is no doubt that the launch serve is the "new age" serve but it takes a hell of an athlete to make it work over 5 sets two weeks long to win a grand slam. Often young players loose more than they gain by launching to vertical. Anyway that how I see it. ciao brad
 

Q.   Hi, my name is ….. and I'm 21 years old and have never played tennis in my life. I was a loner in high school and I never played any sports. Now that I'm older I realize how ridiculous I was. I'm starting college this August and I signed up for beginning tennis. I have 2 weeks before school starts and I was wondering if there is any type of exercise I can do at home to give me an edge when the tennis class starts? I'm overweight (which I'm working on as we speak) and I am not very fast on my feet. I have great upper body strength. I know I don't have the physique required for this sport, but I really want to eventually get on the college team. I will never be thin and fast...considering this, should I looking into another sport? What would you recommend as my sport, if I am not fit for tennis, considering my build? Thanks for any advice you can give. By the way your site is great!
 

Q.   Hi ...I'm a tennis aficionado, I have been for few years, and we play Park District In Chicago, and at this time our club is looking to purchase a tennis racket stringer, any idea where we can shop for one???? Any help will be greatly appreciated; Sincerely. Tennis fan .
 

Q.   Hi, I just started playing tennis and I am getting to know the game pretty quickly. I have been taking tennis lessons, both privately and in a camp. I love the game and it is certainly a lot of fun. I just have a few questions and I hope you can answer them for me. During a singles game, how am I supposed to rotate on the court? I should always be on the opposite side that I have served from previously and opposite to that of my opponent, correct? And on doubles, how would I rotate? I would appreciate an email back or helping me get to a website that can help me locate the information. Thank you!

p.s. If you can provide me with any websites or material that might help me and my tennis game... that would be great! Thanks again.
 

Q.   Brad, Could you tell me how I can get started playing in tournaments?. Is there a website or an association you can tell me about?
 

Q.   Hi, I live here in Guatemala; my question to you is... If a person passes the racquet over the net trying to make the point is that allowed?
 

Q.   Hello. I am currently a university student studying full time for a 3 year Commerce degree. When I eventually graduate from university I will be 21 years old. Once I graduate I would like to persuade a full time career in professional tennis. That is I'd like to play the likes of Agassi, Sampras, Rafter etc. If not as good as they are maybe be ranked 100th in the world or something.

The problem is I have never played tennis in my life before. I've never hit a ball with a racquet. My question is once I am 21 years of age and start training fresh in tennis for the first time, how long will it take me to reach the likes those top 100 players in the world?

While I train in tennis I plan to train 4 days a week 5 hours a day full time while working part-time 3 days a week to support me.

Would training 4 days a week 5 hours each day for one full year allow me to reach a professional level? If not, and I know there's no guarantee but assuming I will make it how many years would it take me to achieve it (starting at 21 years old)?

I am a male around 178 cm tall and weigh 61 kg. Most of all the world's best players are 6 ft and above and have been playing tennis since they were 5 year olds.

Once playing professional for the first time, do tennis players (very lowly ranked in the world) earn any less than $30,000 a year? When professional tennis play tournaments overseas (e.g. grand slams, APT & etc), who actually pays for their airfares and accommodation?

By reading this e-mail you would probably be thinking I'm dreaming and sounds very ridiculous and obviously mostly unrealistic. It is probably 99% that it'll never happen for sure.

Your advice and comments would be mostly welcomed and appreciated. Best regards,
 

Hi Ano. Baring divine intervention you have a greater chance winning lotto. I've heard of really good players (club / amateur tournament level) starting late, but top 100 is hard to achieve for players who play flat out for ten years like myself. My tip is to practice commerce and go to tournaments to get the vibe. Maybe get into promotions or be a player agent. Good luck and this is only my opinion. Brutal reality brad they call me!
 

hi, I'm a year 11 student doing 1+2 PE. We are doing a project on the technological advances that have improved a sports performance and participation. I have chosen tennis and  I was wondering if you could give me some information. As tennis is such a popular and large sport, there will be a lot of information, could you maybe give me a lesser amount but with good content. Thanks…
 

Hi … I don't know what angle you will be attacking this project from but here are some ideas. All the stuff is available on my links page; I've got killer links. There is racket research, a uni experiment done on motion and spin. a stack of stuff on body mechanics. You could argue that this info has helped players fine tune both training and hitting techniques together with high tech materials in rackets to maximize shot economy. The fact that you used the Internet to get info that will hopefully broaden your understanding as well as others (if they care to read what you have written) of the sport is proof that technology aids the sport some how. I hope I have been a help ciao brad
 

Hello, My name is…. I a a 19 year old tennis player. I spent my 4 high school years playing at the Chris Evert tennis academy in Fl. After I graduated high school I decided to take a college tennis scholarship. I recently finished my 1st year, and have decided that instead of school I would rather try to pursue my tennis career. I moved from Fl, to N.Y. after high school, and am now playing here. I would like to know what the next step would be for me, and where to go and who to contact to find tournaments, and which to play, and how to get into them, to pursue a professional career. Thankyou Very Much.
 

Hi…. you have lots of questions! I don't no what your expectations are but there are some realities that should be addressed. There is more chance of not making it than making it. That means making on average as much as say a doctor over a ten-year period very tough. If you're not in the top fifty in the USA in your age you should finish Uni no question!!!! What if you get injured? The average amount of tennis players that come through Australia's system and make money is about .8 of a player per year. I would suggest you go to France and play money tournaments if its the pro experience your looking for. (contact the French federation and look to get a ranking). This experience will give you a valuable look at what it takes to be a pro. different languages, money management, week in week out tennis, planning transport and reservations, budgeting hotels, different foods, different balls & courts, racket stringing, lugging bags, security. I hope you have a lazy 20 000 in your pocket because that is what it costs to live out there for ONE year if you don't win much money. If you can survive travelling as a rookie pro you can do anything that's the positive side. Call the USTA and get the list of tournaments in your area or go play a ATP satellite and that might rattle your brain cells. So that's how I see it, with no bullshit. Good luck with the decision you make and don't hesitate to get back to me for more details if your stumped. sorry if its a bit of a downer but there is only 200 guys in the whole world who make good money, but that's what pros do, play tennis to earn money. It isn't easy! Cheers Brad
 

it's [me] again, thanks for ur help last time, I entered a indoor tournament a couple of weeks back and got my but kicked, I usually play outside on the public courts, but when we played inside everything changed! the ball was a lot more bouncy and when my opponent hit it back it a weird curve on it, I was never able to hit it in the centre, what can I do to prepare myself for next time (there is no indoor court nearby). I went racket shopping a few days back and I saw a longish oval racket which they said was for leisure what's the difference between a leisure racket and a regular one? still looking forward to ur article on the western/eastern grip thanks …
 

Hi man, sorry to hear of the slaughter, the ball really fly's indoor doesn't it?. It happens to us all from time to time. you could either practice indoor or just play out door tournaments on your favorite surface. then when your doing ok branch out a bit to other surfaces and indoor. a leisure racket is made for players who have shot abrupt swings. they are usually quite light and thick. The grip article is coming up in the next bunch of articles as I stuffed up the graphics and had to do them again. See ya, Brad
 

Please help me my name is …I am a 5.0 tennis player I am 17 years old I'm planning to get a knew tennis racquet I wanted the Dunlop 300g I only problem is that there is no way to demo it but I did demo the Dunlop inferno and wow it felt great but the only problem is the reviews on it say that is only for intermediate players(2.5-4.0) if it feels nice should I get it or should I get the 300g without trying it out. Could I still use the inferno in a fast paced full swinging game how set are the racquets guide lines about player levels and who should use them? Thanks…
 

Hi … The recommendations for rackets should be taken with a grain of salt. If your a good player you should be looking at solid rackets around 350 grams. after that its just feel. I wouldn't go long body or any funky gimmicky stuff. Standard beam, standard length and heavy. check out choosing a racket for idiots on my site or for up date stuff go to www.racquetresearch.com you will then have to test them. There is NO OTHER WAY! good luck ps the 300g is a very good racket in my opinion but its just that, "an opinion".
 

Hi! My name is …and I am sophomore that has just started playin' tennis about 2 weeks ago. I am 5'9" and weigh 120 pounds, and I run track and cross country. I eat pretty healthy, and I lift weights every day and run about 2 miles. Two of my friends play tennis and they were the district champions this year. They have been helping me about 4 days a week for about 2 and a half hours. Mostly all we have been doing is on of them would stand about 6 feet away from me and toss me the ball while I hit it either forehand or backhand (they tell me which one) Then the other person will hit it back to me gently and just see how far we get. They have broken everything and every single move down for me. I'm gettin a lot better. I was wondering what other exercises you know of that would help me improve or just anything I need. By the way...I am playin doubles. Please send me anything you have that will help me. I know this is kinda late to start tennis, but I'm really enjoying it and ! I want to be good!!!
 

dear super fit super chick. It sounds like you are really throwing yourself into your sport, which is rare and fantastic. I think your doing the right thing by playing with your friends but Im a little concerned that you might not be practicing the correct technique. Its important that you don't perfect the wrong way. I would suggest you look around for your local coach and split a private lesson with your friends and then maybe move into a bigger cheaper group class where you will also pick up some drills. (go to the library and get a book on tennis drills). Its senseless for me to try to explain a couple you really need to see them. If you really have no bucks then go to your local club and just watch the coach and students to get some ideas. good luck and let me know how you went. ciao brad ps new stuff up on the site soon. www.thetenniscoach.com.au
 

Hey this is … I'm currently doing my HSC in NSW and I have to teach a tennis serve use the three stages of leaning and other aspects of learning a skill. I was hoping you might have some tips or instructions on how to best teach this skill. So if you could help that would be great the problem is i kind of need the help pretty soon. thanks heaps
 

Step one: verbal explanation. visual explanation. key points; racket path, relationship of left hand (ball toss) to right hand (take back), , weight transfer, racket acceleration. the flow of power from big muscles out through little ones. Focus on ball

Step two: Physically practice the shot. Test and coordinate movements as one. "feel-it don't steer it". critical analysis of form not result.

Step three: Automate through perfect practice. goal/target orientation continue to refine technique.

I'm no Prof but this should give you a head start. It's abbreviated - I'm tired! See ya Brad
 

Hi I am a provincial player playing for my district I would like to know I was always taught on my swing to finish off my swing basically over my shoulder I use a semi western grip but when I watch the pros there swing finishes in front of them is that because they use a heavy western grip.
 

Hi... It depends on the individual and the circumstances they find them selves that dictates there follow through. Either way is ok if the focus of the shot was acceleration through the line of the ball (and not across it). It's handy to have a place to go to finish i.e. over your shoulder. It allows you to commit to the shot under pressure, so your doing the right thing. ciao brad
 

Hi, My name is …and I am 13 years old. I have watched a lot of matches and I want to start playing. I already know how to serve and I have a decent Backhand. Do you have any tips? Thanks
 

Hi... Thanks for the note. My advise to you is to play as much as possible. find the professional in your area and get some group (cheaper) coaching. If you like the game (don't forget it gets pretty frustrating and you cant just press the "new game" button) consider getting into a club. on my site there is an article about playing on the wall, you can maybe get some ideas from there. my best tip though is, school first tennis second! good luck brad www.thetenniscoach.com.au
 

Brad,
I could really use your help. I have been playing tennis for three years now for my high school team and have been making great strides with my entire game. However, on my serves, whether it is in practice or during match play, my elbow gradually develops a sharp pain until I can hardly serve any more. It almost feels like a hyperextension. My coach has ruled out tennis elbow simply because it does not hurt during any ground strokes. Is this right? I really appreciate ANY advice you can give me. Thanks for your time, Vince.
 

Hi ... first things first "uncle brad ain't no doctor". second, I would never give you advice on such a delicate matter. Hope? yes there's hope. there are some smart people out there. Do ya home work and find the man/woman! Ps. get started at www.sportsinjuryclinic.com go to elbow on injuries menu. contact mark and tell him i sent you and he will find a "hell pro fix it man" for you. cheers brad
 

I live in Mississippi near and Memphis TN, know any coaches that don't charge much that can help me let me know pleeze cuz I wanna be on a team next year on the HS team thanks

My name is matt and I play for my high school tennis team. I play on the "B" team because I am not that good because I don't know how to serve or do a topspin or anything. Can u email me some directions on how to do these things or a link to find out how. thanks
 

Hi…. Sorry I can't help you much with this request. You could try the local uni often there are tennis team students looking for extra cash and they could help you. call the USPTA through the USTA and ask if they have a list of local coaches then shop around. The quality you get often as the so called star coaches , I went to Uni in the south in the 80s and there were stacks of top coaches around. good luck with the school team and check back occasionally to the site for more tips
 

Hi! My name is …from Austin High School. I am conducting a tennis tips web page and need some tips and pictures. I think very highly of your website and wish to use some of your ideas and pictures. I am willing to fully document and cite everything I use from you, plagiarism is enforced. I do not believe in taking something from somebody and calling it my own. Well I hope you will help me in my project, Thanks.
 

Hi …, I would be honoured if you quoted the dribble I bleat out. The more people that read this stuff the happier I am. It soothes my insatiable ego. It would be very cool if you would put a link to my site www.thetenniscoach.com.au and credit quotes as I work pretty hard on this stuff, also this permission governs articles written by me Brad Properjohn and The Tennis Coach ONLY and NO BODY ELSE as I could get problems. let me know how it turns out. ciao, Brad
 

Hi, I am 16 years old and i want to begin to play tennis seriously. I want to know if you think that I will be good enough to play for my high school team by next march if I practice hard. I am planning on taking lessons to become a better player.
 

Hi mate I cant lay down any time frames for you and your development. I can say this; I have two girls and they have been playing for 14 months. One girl was not in the top 12 players in her age group last year. This year she is the best. the other got to no 2 in the whole school after being unranked in her year. they play with me 3 to 5 hours a week and play comps and tournaments winter and summer. That costs about ten hours a week and $AUD9000 dollars a year. no guarantees, I hope that's made things clear. Cheers Brad
 

Hi my name is … , I am 15 years old and I live in …, . I used to live in the middle East and there I attended the Nick Bolitary school of tennis for about a year. Then my family migrated to Canada and I lost touch of professional coaching and have been self training for 2 years. Hopefully I will be starting coaching in the next month or so. Your site is very helpful but I have got a couple of questions:

Is there a coach you can recommend in Vancouver? What is the difference between an Eastern and Western grip? I have a very small sweet spot and I am unable to consistently hit it in the center, are there any drills I could do to improve this? I try to play tennis everyday for at least an hour but the weather here is so unpredictable and I don't have access to an indoor tennis court what should I do on those rainy days? On my second serves, should I risk hitting it hard or should I ease up on it so it goes in? How early before the match should you eat? What foods other than bananas are good for tennis? Should I drink those power drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde during a match? I know these are a lot of questions and I thank you for taking the time to help me out.
 

Hi …. I will attempt to answer your questions

I don't know of any coaches in van. as coaches move around a bit. I would call the Canadian tennis assn. and ask for the number of the Canadian tennis coaches assn. then look for guys in your area from there list. good check points are. was he ATP ranked. best over 35 years old and not over 45 because of game style differences i.e. if your older than 45 your in a continental generation of play (not always but its a safe bet). check at the local tournaments to see which are the better players who is there coach and try to make a connection that way. Eastern and western grips. I will put an article on the site soon for you to explain them. sweet spots are different on each racket. I would suggest a prince oversize or some other big headed racket. I would have to see your game to make comment (I have a video service see site column box) but hitting on the wall helps. new article next week on that next week. on rainy days go to the gym, do pulley work and wrist and hand work and go for a run.

Second serve evolves. It depends what the situation is. 0 40 maybe you can risk the big 2nd. at 30 40 just get it in. Practice the serve and try to imagine situations and play them out. You should eat about two hours before you play. Something that burns quick. Pasta, bread, not hot curry! The power aid drinks are good if they are carbohydrate based. And yes, they help put back what you sweat out. Later. . .Brad
 

Hello, My name is …, I'm a 17 yr. old tennis player in California, and I'm seeking advice on how to get professional tennis coaching to improve my game. I was looking for coaching over the internet, and I figured id give you an email for advice on the best way to further the improvement of my tennis game. Please allow me to introduce myself; I've just graduated from high school, and I'm not in college yet; I've decided to hold off on college because there are no junior colleges in my area that have tennis teams ( I've checked ), and I don't have the grades to make it to a " high class " school like Stanford, to play for their team.

I've decided to coach myself momentarily, so I purchased a ball machine, and I play 2 hrs. a day at a nearby tennis court, but its just not the same. I now realize that I need professional coaching, and I've been searching everywhere for tennis academies that don't last only 3 or 4 days, for $600-$1000. I'm now at the point where I don't know what the best step is to improving my game. I have such a passion to become a professional player within the next few years or so ( I'm a 5.0-5.5 player ); I have the talent, I just need the proper long term coaching to get me to the next step. Can you please give me some advice on how to get the coaching I'm looking for, for someone like me? I'd really appreciate it. Thank you for your time. Aspiring Tennis Pro
 

Hi …. In Australia the amount of pros that come out of each age group that make the top 100 is 0.9 players. The USA has 15 times the population that Australia has so I suppose you have 15 times .9 chances of making or 13.5 kids per age group. So if your ranking is 100 0r better with the right development maybe you could make a living. Guys around the top 100 make 100 to 200 thousand dollars a year with everything and they pay %30 tax and it costs about 40000 a year in expenses. not including a coach. the average time on the tour is about 8 years. A man who drives the trash truck makes 30000 a year in Australia. This is reality. play lots of small money tournaments, sleep in your car if need be , string your own rackets, make your own food. Get the feeling of being a pro. There is a very good money tournament calendar in France. As for a coach, call USTA and get the number for the coaches association and try some pro's. you didn't tell me your area so I cant talk individuals. I don't want to wreck your dreams but I've been through it. so if you have a couple of years and 100 grand go for it, if not think school first tennis second. Good luck, Brad
 

Dear coach,

I've been looking for a new racquet and after reading your site and doing a bit of research I think I'm interested in the Head Prestige Classic 600. The racquet that I'm looking for is one with good control. Now, they all say that this is a "professional racquet" and I'm certainly not a professional player. So will I be able to play with this racquet? My current racquet weighs about 330g on the kitchen scale so this racquet would be a little heavier (but this is good, right?). Do you have any alternative suggestions?

I look forward for your advice.
 

Hi …It's a good racket. Not the only good racket. The biggest tip I can give you is test before you buy. That means play with it not swish it around in a pro shop. Go to www.racquetresearch.com and see how other rackets stack up to the head scientifically then make the discission.
 

Dear sir/madam, my name is … and I am currently studying for my a Levels at … school for girls. The reason for contacting you today is for your assistance in aiding with my physical education course work. The area of study is based upon tennis and from looking at your web site decided to contact you. The area of study is the psychological factors of visualisation and how this prevents over arousal before a tennis serve. I realise that you are busy but I would be extremely grateful if you could supply relevant information to help me. Many thanks for your time and any information you can give. yours faithfully
 

Go through my links there are a bunch of articles by other people that could help. The Inner Game by Tim Galway (sp) may be at your library and there is one article on my website that could help.
 

I was wondering...why we say love-love in the beginning of a game? I know it means 0-0 but why love? Please get back to me...thank you!
 

It comes from the French word for egg. I Suppose an egg looks a bit like a zero doesn't it. L'ove I think is the French spelling.
 

I have just had a look at your site. Very colourful and easy to follow/navigate which is FANTASTIC!!! The coach tips/articles are really interesting, I think partly because you can definitely tell with yours that a lot of passion is behind the writing.
 

Thank you very much. Check back occasionally, brad
 

Hi my name is Snowboardgirl…, and I really need to know how to keep score and how to get points , in tennis, I'm on the tennis team at school and this girl wasn't keeping score right so I need the information bout keeping score, thank you, for your time.
 

Dear Snowboardergirl. I can understand you not being able to get a grip on tennis scoring at its pretty moronic and overstated. Any way the place to get informed is www.usta.com/rules/26.Rule.htm
 

Your article under "Equipment - strings" warns of playing with polyester strings. It never quite mentions what the problems are. I hear that strings made with polyester are durable, stiff and inflexible ( a step below Kevlar ). I happen to be a frequent string breaker and am thinking about using polyester strings. I read somewhere that Gustavo Keurten uses polyester. Can you give me your reasons to stay away from polyester?

Also, string thicknesses are listed in gauges - from 17g being the thinness to 15g being the thickness - in the US. Can you give me the equivalent in mm's?

Thanks!
 

Hi Hoi. Thanks for your e-mail. Poly strings have almost no elasticity to them. This means the shock is transferred up your stiff graphite frame and into your body. The strings really do last longer but at a price to your body. Most pros use natural gut but its true some have there little quirks that are hard to understand like how Boris played with that puma racket for all those years or maybe Guga plays with poly but I try to give info for the general enthusiast. As for thickness of string Gauge 15 = 1.38mm to 1.4mm. and 16 is 1.35mm and 17 is 1.32mm. I think these gauge stuff went out with the dino's your better of getting to know your mm's. There is a lot more variety anyway than 15 16 or 17 these days. I hope I've been some help. Ciao, Brad
 

Hallo Brad,

Thanks a lot for your answer and information. It's very useful. I enjoy your site, of course, it's interesting, but I'd enjoy there more tennis psychology - as much as possible - you know
;-)

Bye for now
 

I have playing the tennis over 25 years. Now, I am 38 years old. However, My tennis skill do not have any big improvement. Now, I am using the Eastern holding racquet method. I have got a friend whose are the Level II Coach from HKTA (Hong Kong Tennis Association) & he told me that Eastern holding grip is outdated. They told me to use Western holding racquet method. Please advise any books you will like to recommend to me to study or any TENNIS DRILL material will be available in the market. I would like to have some advice from you.

Thank you for your kind attention.
 

Eastern grips are totally ok if your a club player. They are far more comfortable than western grips that have evolved out of the higher bouncing balls from the use of top spin and the prominence of higher bouncing courts (rather than grass as in the early days). for slow motion shot analysis go to www.tennisone.com you will be able to get a good look at grips there and how they relate to their respective strokes. cheers Brad
 

My name is William and live in Puerto Rico. I am a 4.5 player and currently using the Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 racquet for a long period of time now. After playing for a couple of hours the racquet feels to heavy in my hand, I want to know what other racquets are out there in the market that I can change, but one that is similar to the pro Staff because I love its performance but one that is a little lighter.

Some people has suggest this two:

• Wilson pro Staff 6.5
• Dunlop Muscle weave 200g 95

Are these good alternatives? If you can recommend some brands I will really appreciate it. Thanks
 

If you go to www.racquetresearch.com you will find the top thirty rackets ranked on scientific ground. I would start at the top and work down. The big tip is to test before you buy.
 

I'm looking for a job. Let me know if a French coach with strong background, (Davis Cup, ATP Tour camps ,WTA Tour......) interests you In this case, I send back my resume. Wishing to hear about you Best regards
 

Dear Andre, You can send me a brief resume and if I here something Ill Get back to you. Cheers, Brad
 

Dear Tennis Coach,

Can you give me some tips on playing on Tenneco? Last time I played I had a lot of drop shots- on me. I have a skinned shin to show for it. At least I won. But, it is tough out there compared to hard courts. Do you have some good fundamentals to pass along.
 

Check out my article on synthetic grass, it has a lot of points similar to playing on clay an slippery surfaces in general. In the latest Tennis mag USA addition there is quite a good article on clay. November I think it was. Ciao brad
 

Hi brad Great site. Can you tell the difference between a nylon multifilament and a nylon monofilament just by looking at it. The feel I get from running my fingernail along them is the same leading me to think that even when string has a solid core it has fibres wrapped around it making it technically a multifilament string anyway. can you help.
 

You have to look at the core. You are right when you say that your nylon "monofilament" string has fibres wrapped around the core. To be correct have to talk of "solid core" and "multifilament core" strings, since most solid core strings have outer wrappings. ciao brad
 

Whom it may concern,

My name is Wes and I am 20yrs old. I would like to ask your advice on something if possible. I plan to do a tennis coaching course with tennis Ireland sometime soon, but sometimes I doubt my own ability, how would a person know he is good enough to become a coach, how does a person know that he would make a good coach?. I play a high standard of tennis, been playing for 15yrs & I am a strong player but sometimes end up doubting myself. If you could answer my questions or help in anyway I would be most grateful. Thank you for your time and reading this e-mail.
 

Dear Wes. There is a bunch of information out there from books to video's. Study up and work with a known coach or coaches. Anything that will help you to broaden your tennis knowledge. Its easy to be confident when you know your stuff. Good luck
 

Hello Brad,

This is Wes again, I wrote to you asking for some coaching advice, First I would like to thank you for your advice. There is a the first part of a coaching course coming up in September and I think I'll go for it. There's no point wondering what if, do it now or not at all I keep telling myself. Anyway I just thought I would let you know.
 

I am a 22 year old graduate from Exeter University England and desperate to continue playing a high level of tennis whilst in Australia. I play to very high standard having represented my University as no.1 and reached student national doubles quarter finals in 2000 (Held at Bath University.) Ideally I would like to be able to work and live courtside and be able to play regular/competitive tennis. Any information or assistance you can provide will be very much appreciated. Thank you for your time
 

That area is a little out of my area. I know there is the new Cash-Hopper complex ,and Coop's in Brizzy they are worth calling. It would be shit money but its experience. Look in OZ tennis Mag and call the local tennis schools or better just show up and intro yourself. Good Luck Brad
 

Thanks for your speedy reply. Ideally I am looking for work in either Queensland or New South Wales. As long as I get to play regular competitive tennis as well as work then that's fine. If I can work as a coach that would be perfect. Any details you can send will be much appreciated.

Thanks again.
 

Hello, I'm from Northern Ireland and I'm 14. I would love to play tennis more seriously but would need a coach! In Northern Ireland I don't know where to find one-I live in county Antrim!! Do u know anyone in Antrim who would give me a try??? Do u no how to go about finding a coach?? I am quite skilled and can volley, smash, slice, and play from the base line. I am working on my serve, backhand, and bank hand topspin! Is 14 too late to start??? Would I need to have no other hobbies and be totally focused on my tennis??? Would I need to take time off school to be coached??? I would appreciate lots of info on these topics!!!!! Thank you
 

Hi. You need to call the coaches association in your area to get an idea on what coaches coach where. There are sacrifices to be made to become a top player for sure but I would stick to school and use it to sharpen your thinking and go after your tennis in your free time. Get fit and who knows how high you'll go. Ciao brad
 

My name is Michel, I am from Barcelona (Spain) and I am 19 years old ( 1st of October... 20). I have been coaching since I was 17, working in some Tennis Academies such like FiT Competition (www.fittenis.com) and actually working in Sanchez-Casal Academy ( www.Opentenis.com ). I have coached people of all kind of levels, from Adults and kids groups to ATP players, the top one is 800 ATP. I wonder if I would have any possibility of going to coach to Australia and if you can help me with any useful e-mail direction. I can coach in Spanish, Catalan, English and Italian and I can send my CV or what you ask me. Thank you in advance for your help.
 

Hi man. Tennis in Australia is a tight business. Your best chance is to come to Australia on a visitor's visa and then get around to all the coaches and introduce yourself. The Tennis coaches association of Australia will have regional details. Ciao Brad
 

Hi my name is Nicky and I am currently studying Yr12 Physical Education at Bialik College. I was wondering whether you have any other information on technical changes that have concerned tennis. Especially in terms of the equipment. Thank you very much
 

Look up www.racquetresearch.com there is a lot of interesting info there. Ciao brad
 

I am a person from La Paz, Bolivia, South America, looking for some information about a school tennis for two kids of the age of 10 and 12 years old. They are tennis players and they all ready had the opportunity to participate in some competitions, between Clubs, nationals (In some other cities in the country) and international (with Peru). But we have to look forward and we want for theme more ability and confidence, so I have been looking for some school tennis but it is very hard from here to obtain the information of those schools, so I would very much appreciate if you could give me some information about recommendable schools, because you are related to them. Thank you very much, for your time.

Sincerely yours,
Marie Jacqueline Vargas
 

Dear Jacqueline; I don't understand exactly for where your are looking in relation to schools. The site is based in Australia though I have some contacts internationally but I need more specifics regarding your thoughts on location. ciao Brad
 

Hi Coach...I have a simple query...can you tell me the tennis rules related to accidentally hitting the ball twice? I've often seen people miss hit balls, particularly serves with a high degree of kick, and sort of scoop hit the ball. It appears to hit the strings at two different points. Would this be regarded as a double hit? Thanks for any advice, Pete.
 

The double hit is allowed for the simple reason that its imposable to tell exactly if one had occurred or not, therefore it's tough to control in spite of the fact that you are only allowed to "intentionally" hit the ball once. Double hits are not to be confused with a "carry", where the ball is caught on the strings in a type of cupping motion and then flung back, which is illegal. Cheers Brad
 

Hi I'm looking for an experienced tennis coach to train my 10 year old son. We live in the Shellharbour area ( Wollongong NSW). Do you know if there is some sort of register I could access to find a suitable coach? Thanks for your help.
 

Hi Lubie; I'm pretty sure Brett Edwards is the coach at the main tennis centre in Wollongong. He is a top class coach and has worked with a lot of famous players. I would recommend him and his wife who was also a top player. Out side of this advise I would contact the tennis coaches association in nsw for a list. Good luck Brad.
 

Hey Coach,

I have been searching the net to find someone who knows how to refresh tennis balls. I once had a HS coach who put them in the oven. I was wondering if anybody had any info or someplace I could look for more on this. I am living here in Japan and I have a basket of old balls. Balls are kind of expensive to buy here just for practice. I would appreciate any advice of where to go to look for this info or how hot and how long one should cook them. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Cheers
 

There is a new product on the market that helps maintain pressure. Its just like a ball can with pressure seals. You simply screw the can together to bring up the pressure so the balls won't leak pressure through the porous skin. There is also a new product that claims it can put the pressure back in balls with a similar concept but it's very expensive. Buy the three-ball pressure can for 15USD. ciao Brad
 

To Brad,

Hi I was just wondering a few things. I've just started up tennis again after having quit for 2 and a half years, I've started training again everyday or second day. I played for 6 years up until I quit 2 years ago and I was wondering how long it might take me to get good again. I'm 16 and started playing 3 or 4 times a week till I was 14 since I was 8. What should I do to try to improve my game?
 

Hi Bronwyn. You should get into some small group coaching with a qualified coach. play as often as possible and belt the hell out of a wall somewhere. If you did that there is a good chance you would pick up pretty quickly but there are no guarantees, that's one reason it's a beautiful sport, you just can't just push the "new game" button, it takes time. Good luck and let us know how you get on. ps 20 mins on the wall= one hour on court. Cheers brad
 

Do you know who in WA sells tennis machines??
 

Hello. Sir
I am Jason Kim.
I am Korean.
My dream is Wimbledon champion,
but I learn only 1 year.
I 17 years old.
Can you help you me.
this is my dream.
You will teach me I can practice hard and hard
tennis coach help me.
alway I wait your message,
really I can do it. Promise
 

Hi Jason. There are a fifty guys in the world that have a chance of winning a major. The road is long and hard. Its great to have dreams but set realistic goals and take one step at a time and who knows what you can achieve. Ciao brad
 

I'm looking for tan, leather grip. Do you have a source?

Thanks, Eddy
 

Try a golf shop. Look up "Fairway Grips" on yahoo as a chance.
 

G'day Brad

I was just wondering why you don't still coach at Wesley College. After you left our teams results have been poor to what they were when you were coaching at the College. Anyway see if you can come back to Wesley and take the firsts.

M P & DK
 

I would have loved to come back but "number crunchers" couldn't get it together. Very sad that one. Thanks for your kind thoughts. brad
 

I played tennis in high school but that was seventeen years ago. I am sure things have changed since then. I will be coaching a high school team so I went to a book store to purchase a book only to get discouraged on not knowing what would be the right book. Can you recommend a book for me? I know there is an official rule book but I want something more. Can you help me?
 

There are stacks of books out there. I think any book made after 1980 would do fine. It's often not the book but the interpretation of the book on a practical level that can be difficult if you have been out of it for a while. I would recommend you get in contact with your local coaches association and go a beginner / refresher course. I'm sure all the basics will come flooding back. Rules can be found on the ITF site. (check my links page) Ciao Brad