When does a match tip? Where does the momentum swing? What factors can I influence?
Where the dice fall is decided by your PRESENCE
ETA blog article March 2025 by Klaus Rottensteiner (Head and Mental Coach European Tennis Academy)
We start with presence, because it’s the foundation of all areas. If you hear “I was asleep!” then the best technique, tactics, fitness, and even the best focus are useless. Therefore, presence is the key to victory. The more alert or present you are, the higher your awareness, and consequently, you play better and learn more easily.
To achieve optimal presence after each point, you can use the 25-second break. You don’t have to be fully present during this break; quite the opposite. If everything goes well, keep going and use the break to recover. Otherwise, first reduce stress individually, for example, with a shout or by exhaling deeply until you become calmer and have accepted the situation. Then find positive solutions, visualize an image, and activate your presence to restart, focusing on the ball and action.
Which technology variants are optimal at which moment?
Shortly before the start of the rally, we symbolically activate the grip by grabbing the ball: “Now I have access to my optimal technical resources.”
The goal of the session: Push or swing, find your natural striking motion. Do you think a lot about your technique during a match? Discover the most effective striking motions and use them in your match!
Which game plan is the most effective?
Those who know how to play with each other also know how to play against each other, but not the other way around. Therefore, the secret to an effective game plan lies in the setup, not in the winner. Additionally, competition preparation, including sleep, food, drink, etc., is worth its weight in gold.
The goal of the unit: Find your optimal balance between safety and risk. The secret recipe to make your game more effective!
Which offensive shots do I use to dictate the game?
If you unbalance your opponent and take advantage of the net, then your attack is successful. Even if you make mistakes along the way, you should continue to attack. You make mistakes on the baseline too, right?
The goal of the session: Attack with my skills. Play actively without overpowering! There’s an attacking player in everyone, you just have to find it.
How do I control the game from the defensive?
When resetting, find the right solution for each defensive situation (blocking high in the middle, slicing, counterattacking, etc.) and learn for the future by repeatedly identifying and correcting mistakes in your head. Repeating mistakes is the key to success here.
The goal of the session: Use time to your advantage. Easy strikes suddenly become difficult for the opponent. Pressure turns into counterpressure!
How do I control the game with serve/return?
Whoever gets first wins half the battle. This saying applies very well to serving and returning, as there’s a 50/50 chance of winning or losing the point! Sure, the third option is to continue, but the 50/50 chance never comes again. On the second hit, it’s only 25%,…, and on the fifth hit, only 10%. That’s why it’s important to prepare well and take advantage. During the reset, you can imagine what you can do better, believing you can handle it, and otherwise find an easier solution.
Das Ziel der Einheit: Der erste Schritt (Aufschlag & Return) entscheidet oft den gesamten Matchverlauf
Nutzen wir dieses Potential oder geben wir dem Gegner diese Macht?
How does the formula 1+1=11 become the key to victory in doubles?
TOUGH – A tough doubles team utilizes its strengths and covers its weaknesses.
UNITY – A unified doubles team discusses the game plan and understands its partner.
ACTIVE – An active doubles team complements each other and supports each other wherever possible.
TAILOR-MADE – A tailor-made doubles team finds the right position and the right shot for all game situations.
Das Ziel der Einheit: Zusammen spielen und Zusammen Spass haben
Einfache Spielzüge die dem Gegner das Tennis-Leben schwer machen!
