| I have had quite a few comments (mainly | | | | your chances of winning that match as AT LEAST |
| congratulations) about the photos of Mike and the | | | | pretty good. So we worked on trying (as much as |
| trophy he got for winning the ITF junior event in Spain | | | | possible) to get Mike into this position whilst getting his |
| a couple of weeks ago. And the number 1 question | | | | opponents not hitting their favorite shots etc. (out of |
| and comment is whether I could put my finger on any | | | | their comfort zone), because the bottom line is this - If |
| "secret" to this success? Did I build a tennis champion? | | | | he was able to do this, his chances of winning were |
| Well, first off let me say that he is not there yet and | | | | INCREASED! Or put another way, if his opponent was |
| has a long way to go - we are not talking about Pete | | | | taken out of their comfort zone, their chances of |
| Sampras (a model we used), Roger Federer or Rafa | | | | winning was REDUCED! Back to the title of this piece. |
| Nadal at the moment, but having said that his | | | | Well, I don't have some laboratory somewhere with |
| development has been great. Now I know exactly | | | | spare arms and legs lying around waiting to be |
| where everybody is coming from with their questions. | | | | attached in a Frankenstein styled attempt to build |
| They are really asking "is there anything that you did | | | | tennis players (now there's a thought!!), but the one |
| with Mike that could help me?" Well I am all for | | | | thing that was a conscious action was to implant the |
| following the trails of success so I put my thinking hat | | | | basic matchplay strategies that would hopefully allow |
| on. In terms of "the secret", if I had to single out | | | | him to win matches when all else was equal (shots |
| anything in particular it would be his ability to play good | | | | etc). At the end of the day, tennis is a win or lose |
| matches that was a big factor. Since I saw and | | | | sport. There are no draws. To improve your ranking or |
| started working with him at the age of 6 or 7 when he | | | | rating you have to win tennis matches! To get |
| stood out (along with several other kids I might add) as | | | | promoted in your division or ladder league - you have |
| being a good striker of the tennis ball, we started | | | | to win tennis matches. To go far and even win your |
| working on (at a low level because of his age) simple | | | | Club Championships - you have to win tennis matches! |
| strategies that were designed to cause his opponents | | | | To become recognized and perceived as a better |
| problems. Simple things like identifying spaces on the | | | | tennis player you have to win more tennis matches, it's |
| court and hitting the ball to those spaces were | | | | as simple as that. So if there is one thing to look at and |
| fundamental building blocks for him at 8 years old. | | | | take away from what was a story about one boys |
| Obviously this is only one example but whatever we | | | | ITF triumph in a foreign country it would be this - Learn |
| did had one overall aim - to take whoever he was | | | | more about the process behind winning tennis |
| playing OUT of their comfort zone. Because let's face | | | | matches! You can learn the exact system I used with |
| it if you are given a chance to play a match playing on | | | | Mike by going to and looking for the Special Report - |
| your terms/in your comfort zone, hitting the shots you | | | | Beat All The Tennis Players You Want. |
| want to, when you want to hit them you must rate | | | | |