Brain Game Tennis Blog
Learn tennis strategy, read analysis of pro matches, and more from the Brain Game Tennis blog. All posts are written by ATP tennis strategy coach & analyst, Craig O'Shannessy.
How To Handle A High Kick Serve To Your Backhand
Wednesday, 09 November 2022
G’day from Milan, I arrived onsite at the NextGen ATP Finals early today and saw 20-year-old Jiri Lehecka warming up for his afternoon match. He was working on serves and returns. Jiri was hitting the ball very clean! I pulled out my iPhone, recorded a few minutes of practice, and was lucky enough to capture
- Published in Jiri Lehecka, NextGen ATP Finals
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My 25 Favorite Drills – A To A Defense
Wednesday, 26 October 2022
G’day, Where are most forehand groundstroke errors made? Glad you asked! 🙋🏼♂️ I want to share one of the drills from a recent webinar = 25 Favorite Drills & Progressions. It’s all about forehand groundstroke errors. The first thing to understand is the four areas at the back of the court – Positions A, B,
- Published in Drills
Nick Kyrgios 2022 US Open: 10 Compelling Match Stats
Tuesday, 06 September 2022
G’day, Nick Kyrgios is through to the quarter-finals of the 2022 US Open and takes on Karen Khachanov this evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Should be an amazing atmosphere! Here’s Kyrgios’ tournament to date. Rd 1 def. Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) Rd 2 def. Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Rd 3 def. JJ
- Published in Daniil Medvedev, Nick Kyrgios, US Open
Nick Kyrgios Is The Antidote
Monday, 05 September 2022
G’day, Nick Kygios played one of the best matches of his pro career last night to defeat No. 1 ranked Daniil Medvedev 7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open. It was a spectacular match with some incredible shot-making. Big game on the big stage. Kyrgios served lights out,
- Published in Court Position, Daniil Medvedev, Nick Kyrgios, US Open
The Art Of Winning 2nd Serve Points
Wednesday, 10 August 2022
G’day, Is your second serve a strength of your game? I can say with almost certainty that it is not because it’s not for almost everyone on the 🌏. Consider these numbers from recent US Open tournaments for both men and women. MEN US Open: 2nd Serve Points Won The first thing to consider is
- Published in 2nd Serves, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open, Webinars
Serve Webinar: The Eight Serve Factors
Monday, 08 August 2022
G’day! You always play two matches when you step onto the court to compete. During the point. Between the points. We have all heard how tennis is such a mental game. Staying focused on your game plan and the opponent is a crucial element of that. The August 18th webinar (Serve Strategy: Patterns, Percentages
- Published in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serve Webinar, Serving, Stefanos Tsitsipas
Doubles: The Winning Key To Being The Returner’s Partner
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
G’day! Where you stand on the court to start the point in doubles really, really matters!!! FOCUS: Positioning of the Returner’s Partner. The Returner’s partner is by far the most challenging position to play on the doubles court. The other three players all get to hit the ball before they do. The Returner’s Partner will
2022 Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic Tournament Stats
Monday, 11 July 2022
G’day! Novak Djokovic has done it again! The Super Serb won his seventh Wimbledon yesterday, which includes the last four in a row. Stunning numbers any way you want to slice them! The following breakdown combines all seven matches in one data set. Those 2022 matches were: Rd 1 def. Soonwoo Kwon 6-3, 3-6,
- Published in Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic, Rally Length, Serve And Volley, The First 4 Shots, Wimbledon
Nick Kyrgios’ Serve. Unreadable. Unhittable. Unstoppable.
Saturday, 09 July 2022
G’day, Is Nick Kyrgios a legitimate chance to upset the Novak Djokovic apple cart 🍎🛒 in the Wimbledon men’s singles final on Sunday? Anything is possible, but the Super Serb is looking to win his fourth Wimbledon in a row and seventh overall. Djokovic has experience to burn. This will be his 32nd Grand Slam
- Published in Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic, Serving, Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal: Roland Garros Serve/Return Analysis
Thursday, 02 June 2022
G’day, Rafael Nadal is through to the semi-finals of Roland Garros, chasing an unprecedented 14th title in Paris. Here’s the road he has taken so far: Rd 1 def. Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 Rd 2 def. Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 Rd 3 def. Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 Rd 4 def.
- Published in Rafael Nadal, Roland Garros
2022 Roland Garros Preview: 25 Match Metrics For Nadal & Djokovic
Monday, 30 May 2022
G’day from Paris, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will play for the 59th time in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros on Wednesday. Overall, Djokovic leads the head-to-head 30-28. Djokovic won their last meeting, which was at Roland Garros in 2021. All of that will be water under the bridge when they do battle in the
- Published in Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Rally Length, Roland Garros
Emma Raducanu Has A Forehand Problem.
Wednesday, 25 May 2022
G’day from Paris, Aliaksandra Sasnovich took it to Emma Raducanu today at Roland Garros, winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. I watched the match, anticipating a victory by Emma. Didn’t happen. Here’s why… Emma has a forehand problem. Not a good problem to have when you are battling for Grand Slam glory. Emma
- Published in Emma Raducanu, Roland Garros
It’s Déjà Vu in Paris: Nadal & Swiatek Roll
Tuesday, 24 May 2022
G’day from Paris, The road to Roland Garros glory has always gone straight through the baseline. Players must be dominant from the back of the court if they want to take home fresh French silverware. Through the first two days at Roland Garros this year, there is a strong sense of Déjà vu resonating through
- Published in Iga Swiatek, Match IQ, Roland Garros
The Brilliance Of Novak Djokovic In 10 GIFs
Wednesday, 18 May 2022
G’day From Paris, You see something different when you watch something many times instead of just once or twice. You see the same thing happening again & again & again. You learn more. You appreciate the subtleties and nuances that you never really picked up on before. The last week I have been putting some
- Published in Novak Djokovic
Rome 2022: Return Serve Position Analysis
Sunday, 15 May 2022
G’day from Roma, You can break down what happens in a tennis match into four simple categories. Serving Returning Rallying Approaching Different players are going to employ different strategies, but in general, you are going to find minor variations in the patterns of play because players know what works and what doesn’t from playing hundreds
- Published in ATP Tour, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Return Of Serve, Rome
Should You Hit More To The Middle? Alcaraz Does.
Friday, 13 May 2022
G’day, Carlos Alcaraz rose to a career-high ranking of No. 6 in the world courtesy of winning the Madrid Masters 1000 last week. What makes this 19-year-old so special? What does he do a little bit differently than other players? Here’s one thing that stood out to me, and I bet it will help with
- Published in ATP Tour, Carlos Alcaraz, Madrid
The Rumble in Roma: Shapovalov vs. Sonego
Tuesday, 10 May 2022
G’day from Roma, This match was an old-fashioned tennis brawl – with the partisan Italian crowd right in the middle of it! Denis Shapovalov defeated Lorenzo Sonego 7-5(5), 3-6, 6-3 in an emotionally charged encounter on Grandstand here in Rome yesterday. I have worked with the Italian Federation for several years and was courtside (front
- Published in Denis Shapovalov, Lorenzo Sonego, Rome
Rafael Nadal Simulcam & Stromotion Forehands
Thursday, 28 April 2022
G’day Watching two Rafa’s spank forehands instead of one is simply mesmerizing! Stromotion and Simulcam are two very cool tools in the Dartfish suite that I don’t typically use a lot. But these videos of Rafael Nadal practicing in Rome in 2021 seemed like a good idea! The Simulcam tool puts two Rafa’s on the
- Published in Rafael Nadal, Rome, Simulcam
Rafael Nadal: How He Thrives From A Ultra-Deep Return Position
Tuesday, 26 April 2022
G’day, Thanks to Rafael Nadal, we are in the age of the ultra-deep returner. Rafa started the revolution of standing wayyyy back near the back fence to return, and now other players such as Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, and more are following suit. What’s the benefit? Glad you asked! The end game for Rafa to
- Published in Court Position, Rafael Nadal, Return Of Serve, Rome
Five Areas Djokovic Must Improve In Belgrade
Tuesday, 19 April 2022
G’day, In the first three and a half months of 2022, Novak Djokovic played just three matches. Dubai def. Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 Dubai def. Karen Khachanov 6-3, 7-6(2) Dubai lost to Jiri Vesely 6-4, 7-6(4) Last week in Monte Carlo, he played another one: 4. Monte Carlo lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Published in ATP Tour, Monte Carlo, Novak Djokovic