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Friday, February 1, 2013

Andre Agassi on Problem Solving in Tennis

“In tennis, there’s no coaching, no passing the ball. It’s problem solving at its purest,” Andre Agassi once said.

Tennis is a great sport for many reasons and one of those reasons is exactly what Agassi is implying in this quote. When you are on the court you are forced to solve problems. You cannot rely on a teammate or a coach. You have to do it.

The problem solving that is inherent to tennis can create many headaches for developing players. Coaches and parents are constantly scratching their heads at junior tournaments trying to figure out why their junior went for a slap winner down the line from behind the baseline or approached cross court to the opponent's strong forehand.

To become an expert in tennis these failures in judgment are part of the process. You have to fail - make poor decisions and suffer the consequences. Those junior players that can learn quickly and not become despondent with their failures will be able to go farther in the game.