Austin Tennis Academy

Focus is not never becoming distracted. That creature probably lives beside the unicorn.

The trainable skill is recognizing when attention leaves and returning before the next task begins. A missed shot, a score, frustration, or something outside the fence may pull attention away. The quicker a player notices it, the sooner they can come back ready.

An opponent who exposes a weakness is providing information that comfortable tennis rarely supplies.

They may take away a favorite pattern, change height or pace, attack an uncomfortable space, or simply refuse to miss when politely requested. Those moments reveal what a player can already solve and what still needs training.

There is something worth appreciating in an opponent who makes the game more complicated.

A player’s job does not end when the ball leaves the strings.

Every shot changes the geometry of the point. Where did the ball go? What response is now likely? Which space matters next?

Purposeful repositioning begins when players stop treating movement as a return trip and start treating it as preparation for the next problem.

Yesterday in New York City, ATA CEO and Head Coach Jack Newman had the opportunity to speak at the USTA Coaches Open, held in conjunction with the US Open.

For more than three decades, Coach Newman has helped shape Austin Tennis Academy around a clear belief that developing tennis players means developing people, coaches, and environments that allow growth to take place. It was meaningful to see that experience and perspective being shared with coaches from around the country on one of tennis’s biggest stages.

Here’s a short clip of Coach Newman being introduced before his session. Congratulations, Coach, and thank you for representing ATA and our community so well in New York.

Sometimes progress appears as a better shot. Sometimes it appears as a better explanation.

When players can describe why a point unfolded differently, what they noticed earlier, or why one decision worked better than another, they are developing more than ex*****on. They are building understanding they can carry into the next situation.

Not everything that happens during training deserves to become a habit.

When a player finds a response that works, the next task is to recognize it and repeat it with intention. Repetition becomes valuable when players know what they are trying to keep, rather than simply collecting another bucket of balls.

Good responses are easier to access under pressure when players have already decided what they want them to look like.

Before training begins, choose something specific: prepare earlier, reset after mistakes, compete through uncomfortable points, or stay committed to the intention of the drill. Confidence grows when the response is practiced deliberately instead of invented in the middle of the problem.

Save the date, ATA family! The 2026 AASF Scholarship Shootout is coming October 30-31, and we’re already looking forward to a great weekend of tennis, energy, and community. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for more details in the weeks ahead. We can’t wait to see everyone out there!

Visualization does not have to be a movie in which everything goes according to plan.

Picture the unexpected ball. The opponent who changes tactics. The mistake at an uncomfortable score. Then picture yourself noticing what changed and responding deliberately.

Confidence is not believing the match will cooperate. It is building a picture of yourself remaining capable when it does not.