The Art of Coaching: Knowing What to Change — and When

One of the hardest — and most misunderstood — parts of coaching tennis is knowing how to make a technical change, what to change, and when to change it.

Because the truth is: timing and context matter.

In general, the earlier you can fix a major issue, the better — you’re building clean fundamentals before thousands of reps get locked in.

But coaching isn’t as simple as “change everything now.”

Sometimes a shot looks unusual, but it holds up under pace. Sometimes a player can handle pace, create pace, and absorb pace with their current technique — and at that point, a big change might not be necessary. And other times, it’s simply too late to make a major rebuild without doing more damage than good.

That balance — understanding what’s working, what won’t hold up long-term, and making the right call at the right time — is the art of coaching.

A Real Example: Coaching a Potential Future Champion

I’ve recently had the absolute pleasure of starting to coach a young player who I genuinely believe has the potential to become a future champion.

She has everything you look for:

• Elite athleticism, speed, and strength

• Extremely switched on

• Humble, curious, asking questions

• Wants to understand what she’s doing

• A genuinely great kid and great human being

That last part matters more than people think.

In my experience, the kids who improve the fastest are usually good human beings — open, respectful, willing to listen, and willing to learn. That’s a separate blog in itself, but it’s not a coincidence.

She just turned 10 years old.
She’s already a 5.7 UTR, one of the best juniors in the U.S. for her age.

And her forehand was her best shot.

The Forehand Looked Amazing… Until It Didn’t

At first glance, her forehand looked like a weapon.

She generated:

• Tremendous lag

• Serious power

• Heavy ball

It wasn’t something I believe was consciously taught — she simply found a natural way to generate power.

Over the last eight months, other coaches had mentioned:

• Her grip was Western

• Sometimes even borderline extreme Western

Depending on conditions, she moved between semi-Western and Western grips, especially on higher bouncing balls.

She also tried copying a Carlos Alcaraz-style straight-arm forehand because she loved watching him.

But here’s the key point:

👉 When she used the Western grip, it was her best shot.

That’s where coaching becomes dangerous.

Initial Assessment: What Actually Needed Work

My first assessment showed clear priorities:

• Volleys needed work

• Slice backhand needed work

• Serve needed major work

Her two-handed backhand was natural — no major issues for now.

These areas could improve while she continued competing. They were adjustments, not rebuilds.

The forehand, however…

Something didn’t sit right.

And unlike the other areas, a major forehand change would require stopping competition completely.

So I went to watch her play a match.

Watching the Match: The Future Problem Appears

She played great.
She won the match.

Her forehand:

• Hit winners

• Forced short balls

• Generated free points

But I noticed something important.

When rushed, the forehand broke down:

• Returns landed short

• Faster balls caught her late

• Pressure exposed flaws

This was an under-14 Level 5 event — against older, stronger players.

That’s the art of coaching:

Not asking “Is it working now?”
But asking “Will it work at the next level?”

Diagnosing the Problem (With Video)

Back at the academy, we filmed the stroke.

Key issues appeared immediately:

• Left hand under the throat instead of on the side

• Racquet tip too low

• Racquet pulled back too early

• Lag created too early

• Elbow extremely close to the body

• Grip beyond Western into extreme territory

Many players try to copy the modern “whippy lag” forehand.

But elite players don’t create lag early.

👉 They create lag later — in rhythm.

Early lag made her late under pressure.

Western Grips: Why Nuance Matters

I don’t automatically dislike Western grips.

Many elite players use them.

For example:

• Iga Świątek uses a Western grip successfully.

But extreme Western grips carry risks.

Marketa Vondrousova has dealt with wrist and elbow issues potentially linked to loading patterns.

At 10 years old, grips should not be extreme yet.

If evolution happens naturally later — that’s different.

Guy Fritz explains how Taylor Fritz was taught semi-Western and the grip evolved naturally.

Why Finish Patterns Matter (Coco vs Swiatek)

Grip and finish must match.

Coco Gauff originally had:

• Semi-Western grip

• Over-the-shoulder finish

When her grip shifted more Western, the finish became unstable.

Legendary coach Robert Lansdorp explains:

• Western grip + shoulder finish = unstable

• Western grip + lower/reverse finish = more reliable

We’ve already seen Coco adapt this — contributing to her French Open success.

But these changes take time.

This Is Where Timing Matters Most

This player is:

• 10 years old

• Elite for her age

• Winning matches now

• But showing structural weaknesses under pressure

This is exactly when change makes sense.

At 16, it might be too late.

The Decision: A Major Structural Change

We decided to:

• Move to a semi-Western grip

• Keep a bent-arm forehand

• Change left-hand positioning

• Raise the racquet tip

• Create more spacing from the body

• Introduce a lower finish across the body

This is a major rebuild of her best shot.

Which means:

• No tournaments temporarily

• No points play

• No competing through the change

Why Most Academies Don’t Do This

Most academies:

• Depend on group practice

• Notice problems but don’t fix them

• Push private lessons instead of restructuring

• Allow flaws to remain for years

At CoachLife Academy, we slow down when necessary.

CoachLife Academy — fundamentals-first, long-term development model

How We’re Structuring the Technical Change

Phase 1: Rebuilding Fundamentals

• Daily basket feeding only

• Repeat new grip, spacing, and finish

• Remove old muscle memory

• No rallying

Phase 2: Pattern Integration

• Forehand after backhand feeds

• Testing transition stability

Phase 3: Controlled Rallying

• 40–50% pace

• Still no points

Phase 4: Progressive Load

• Increase pace and depth

• Build intensity gradually

Phase 5: Return to Competition

Only after the forehand holds at full speed:

• Points reintroduced

• Then tournaments

Real technical change takes time.

Communication With Parents

We’ll discuss:

• Short-term sacrifice

• Long-term upside

• Emotional challenges

• Clear expectations

This is part of elite development.

Final Thoughts on Tennis Academies

If your child is in an academy where:

• Coaches can’t clearly diagnose issues

• There’s no structured development plan

• Training is just organised hitting

You’re probably in the wrong environment.

Most juniors don’t have margin for technical inefficiency.

This Is the Art of Coaching

Knowing:

• What to change

• How to change it

• When to change it

That’s why only certain academies consistently develop champions.

That’s why CoachLife exists — as both a platform and an academy.

And that’s how champions are actually built.