Pieces
Science-based articles on how tennis players actually improve, and why progress sometimes stalls. Written by Erik Faneker, with sources you can check.
Latest articles
Fixes that stick
5 min read
Why Your Tennis Fix Keeps Creeping Back
You fix a mistake in your lesson, and a week later it’s back. Here is why that happens, what research says, and how to make a change stick.
Read the article →
Practice vs. match
5 min read
Why You Play Worse in Matches
You hit great in practice, then it falls apart in a match. Here is what research says about why, and how to bring your practice game to the court.
Read the article →
Beat the plateau
4 min read
Why Your Tennis Level Feels Stuck
You play regularly, but your level won’t move. Here is what research says about why skills plateau, and what to change to get moving again.
Read the article →
Drills that transfer
4 min read
Why Your Players Look Great in Drills
Your players nail the drill and lose it in the match. Here is what research says about why drills don’t transfer, and how to design practice that does.
Read the article →
Drill or adapt?
4 min read
Drill or Adapt? Why You Don’t Have to Choose
Should tennis coaches drill or adapt the task? Research suggests the answer depends on the player’s stage. Here is how to choose, and when to mix.
Read the article →
Win now, grow later
4 min read
What Wins at 12 Isn’t Always What Works at 22
Junior results and senior success are predicted by opposite patterns, research suggests. What that means for coaches building players for the long term.
Read the article →