Tennis Return of Serve Programs & Playlists

Recognized as one of the most adept transitional coaches in WTA history, Michael Joyce has notably propelled Maria Sharapova, Jessie Pegula, and Ashlyn Kruger from their junior beginnings to the pinnacle of tennis. With a 20-year tenure as a touring coach, Joyce has collaborated with Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin, and Genie Bouchard, while achieving a top 60 global ranking as a player with victories over top 10 opponents.

Michael's CoachLife offerings showcase innovative techniques like adjustable net targets and the reverse forehand used by Sharapova, Nadal, and Sampras. His content includes vital insights on tennis parenting, the Pete Sampras development method, and comprehensive serve return masterclasses, blending strategic gameplay with targeted technical improvements for players aiming to transcend their current levels.

Nick Saviano is a former ATP top-50 player and leading developmental tennis coach who has worked with players including Sloane Stephens, Amanda Anisimova, Eugenie Bouchard and Coco Gauff.

His CoachLife instruction draws on extensive experience developing elite players, with practical guidance on technique, movement and making better decisions in competitive matches.

John Sherwood is a highly respected high-performance junior development coach in the United States. An RSPA Elite Professional and USTA High-Performance Coaching Graduate, he has worked as a Division I player and coach, tennis parent, private coach, multi-club COO, and Academy Manager and Coach at Saviano High Performance Tennis Academy.

John specializes in building world-class fundamentals in players under 10. His CoachLife series covers the serve, return, forehand, slice backhand, volleys, drop shots and defensive lob, alongside split-step timing, grip changes, movement, positioning and tactical choices. Through clear, progressive drills, he helps young players build lasting technique, decision-making skills and confidence while offering families valuable perspective on the junior-development pathway.

Joel Myers is a USPTA Elite Professional and former Australian college standout widely regarded as one of the top 10 coaches in the world. Based in San Diego, he works daily with elite juniors and consults with top global players, blending deep technical knowledge with a practical, modern approach that works at every level.

His content covers the first two shots that decide most points, return targets, grip setups, slice technique, court positioning, and smart approach strategies — always with clear, high-percentage solutions. Joel emphasizes performance-based goals over results, and his serve and return drills are among the most creative anywhere, building match pressure and advanced tactics players can use immediately.

Justin Sherring has coached Jack Draper from age 5 to 16, developing the explosive game now making waves on the ATP tour. He also guided 5-time Grand Slam champion Joe Salisbury from childhood to the pro ranks, worked with former world number 4 Johanna Konta, and currently mentors top juniors globally.

As a Level 5 coach, Justin prioritizes shot effectiveness over technical perfection, focusing on acceptability range and point-winning capability. He emphasizes extreme defensive drills, mastering spin and trajectory, and pushing players through challenging match-like scenarios to build versatility and mental toughness for competition at the highest levels.

Australian tennis coaching legend Gary Stickler has left an indelible mark on the sport, most notably for his work with former world number 1 Pat Rafter, guiding him from junior levels through to the heights of the pro tour. Stickler's influence extends to nurturing talents like Jason Kubler and John Millman from their junior days to becoming top 50 ATP players. Having worked with nearly 20 top 200 players, Gary is celebrated as one of the greatest junior coaches of all time, known for his innovative technical teaching, coupled with profound psychological and tactical insights. He has a unique ability to instill belief in players, advocating for the value of individuality and leveraging it to cultivate champions.

His content on CoachLife encapsulates his distinctive coaching philosophy, including the adoption of a one-grip system, refining a player's unique game style, and the importance of high-percentage tennis, emphasizing that consistency involves utilizing shots that are effective 80% of the time. Additionally, Stickler shares invaluable insights on what constitutes a great coach and a champion player, exploring the reasons some talents don't reach their potential. This comprehensive approach not only highlights his technical acumen but also underscores his belief in nurturing the personal growth and self-confidence of his charges, making his CoachLife offerings essential for those aspiring to excel in tennis, whether on the court or in coaching

Carlos Santos Bosque was Carlos Alcaraz's first coach, working with him daily from age 5 to 12 and shaping the foundations that made him a future Grand Slam champion. He developed an all-court style built on variety, touch, net aggression, and creative shot-making, underpinned by elite footwork and mental resilience.

Over eight years, Santos trained Alcaraz in every facet: explosive groundstrokes with natural feel, the drop shot as a daily weapon, disguised slice, aggressive returns, and pressure scenarios from match points to tiebreakers. He fostered trust, joy, and freedom, letting creativity flourish while building a player who loved the game and thrived under pressure in any style.

Guy Fritz's legacy in tennis coaching is solidified by his unparalleled achievement of developing two top-ten players from the ground up, including his son, Taylor Fritz, from age 2 to 18. Under his guidance, Taylor developed one of the cleanest techniques in the sport's history. Additionally, Guy coached Coco Vandeweghe from ages 8 to 16, further showcasing his expertise in nurturing young talent.

A former professional player with over six decades of experience and thousands of players coached, Guy is celebrated for his mastery in technical shot shaping. His series on CoachLife stands out for offering in-depth technical breakdowns of all shots, accompanied by game-changing tips. Guy's philosophy emphasizes creating the optimal environment for development, focusing on the long-term growth of the game rather than the immediate outcomes of winning or losing. This approach is a testament to his visionary coaching style, which is vividly presented in his content.

Dejan Petrovic is one of the world's most respected transition coaches, having worked with three former world No. 1s—Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, and Jelena Jankovic. He coached Djokovic from ages 16–17, guiding him from ATP #300 to inside the top 100, and later helped Laslo Djere break into the top 100 from outside the top 200.

A former ATP pro himself (career-high No. 130), Dejan's 30+ videos on CoachLife reveal the exact drills and tactical patterns he used with elite players—covering movement, footwork, return positioning, and physicality. His content offers a world-class guide to building complete, physically dominant athletes.

Patrick Tauma, one of the world's premier tennis coaches, blends French technical brilliance with American adaptability. As former junior coach to Naomi Osaka, he shaped her championship technique and mentality while coaching top juniors and touring professionals worldwide.

His masterclasses break down complex techniques into actionable steps, from slice backhands inspired by Federer to movement patterns used by Djokovic and Osaka. Patrick's balanced approach integrates tactical preparation with technical precision, helping players adapt and reach their full potential.

Luke Bourgeois is a former ATP professional, Australian Coach of the Year and founder of Voyager Tennis. He reached ATP No. 262, trained with Roger Federer as part of his team across six Grand Slams, and was coached by Tony Roche. His player-development work includes guiding two players into the Top 100, three ITF Top 10 juniors and more than 30 national champions, while Voyager has helped over 100 players earn US college scholarships.

Luke blends implicit learning, outcome-based drills and long-term development. A former serve-and-volleyer, he emphasizes serving, returning, net play, overheads and transition skills, often working backwards from the net. His CoachLife lessons include serve and overhead progressions, the shoulder-to-shoulder volley system, the Backhand Shield, Serve +1 patterns, return drills, the Spoon Drill and tactical games—helping players not just hit the ball better, but play the game better.

Todd Widom, a former top-200 ATP player, worked alongside Pierre Arnold to develop Peyton Stearns from age 10 through 18, preparing her for college and the professional tour. Their coaching has also supported world-class juniors and high-level college and professional players.

Todd brings professional playing experience to practical training drills and strategies focused on consistency, movement and tactical decision-making that translate directly into match play.

Jonathan Stokke is one of the world's most respected tennis coaches, known for his sharp tactical insights and practical philosophies. A former All-American at Duke University, nine-time national junior champion, and two-time U.S. Open competitor, he brings elite playing experience and coaching knowledge to every session.

Jonathan's content focuses on why players win and lose—simplifying the game through better shot selection, reduced mental errors, and match-winning habits. His Stokke Six framework helps players stop giving away free points and compete with clarity, teaching you to think and prepare like high-level pros regardless of your level.

Michal Kaznowski coached Iga Swiatek from age 10 to 16, shaping her into one of tennis's greatest players through technical expertise focused on speed, footwork, and strength. His methods combined daily Theraband training for elbow positioning with active preparation drills featuring small, precise steps that became hallmarks of Swiatek's explosive power.

His CoachLife series reveals the psychological insights and zone training techniques that built Swiatek's remarkable forehand power and shot consistency. These proven methods offer coaches and players a comprehensive guide to replicating elite-level performance through systematic technical and mental development.

I'm the founder of CoachLife and a former professional player ranked 220 in the world. After my playing career, I coached beginners through to college and professional level, with multiple players reaching high-level competition. I then spent over two years traveling globally, filming and learning from 30+ elite junior coaches behind players like Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Swiatek.

My content focuses on situation-specific technique—executing the right shot based on court position, incoming ball characteristics, time available, and match situation. I specialize in the buggy whip forehand and its variations, which I consider the most important and misunderstood shot in modern tennis. Everything is designed to be practical, repeatable, and built for real match play.

Dave Bailey is a leading tennis footwork and fitness coach with 30 years of experience and more than 18,000 professional-tennis video clips analyzed. He developed the '5 R’s' movement system—Ready, Read, React, Respond and Recover—to help players improve their movement, balance, positioning and recovery with age- and ability-appropriate progressions.

Dave has worked with 21 Grand Slam players, including Emma Raducanu during her junior years, Monica Seles and Johanna Konta. His CoachLife series features 18 classes covering grounded and one-legged footwork, hip-snapping and transfer movements, plus skipping, ladders, resistance-band work and medicine-ball exercises. Slow-motion demonstrations, ball-feeding sessions with Cadence Brace and follow-along drills make advanced footwork practical and repeatable.