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.

Maria Sharapova Imposes Her Will to Win at the US Open

Maria Sharapova showed us the power of attitude in her 4th round match at the US Open versus Nadia Petrova. In a back and forth match, Petrova split sets with Sharapova and went up 2-0 in the third set. Petrova was on a run and Sharapova was in deep trouble. The US Open has not been her best tournament. Sharapova has a history of losing earlier at the US Open than in other Grand Slams. This includes memorable matches where she was a huge favorite like her defeat to Melanie Oudin.

With a history of first week losses at the US Open weighing on her like a 500-lb. gorilla Sharapova refused to give in. She was fortunate that the rains came and gave her a chance to refocus and talk to her coach. Her coach and father told her to keep fighting. And, that is exactly what she did. Sharapova came out of the one-hour rain delay with energy, intensity, and purpose. She was striking the ball clean and immediately broke Petrova to 2-1. Sharapova would roll from there and win the match. She can thank her comeback to her legendary focus and tough-minded attitude.
 
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