Starting to Play with the Pros

Key Points

• Early Transition to Professional Tennis: Casey strongly believes that once a young player is physically strong enough, regardless of gender, they should transition from junior tennis to professional tennis as soon as possible. This early exposure is crucial for their development
• Limitations of Junior Competition: Junior tennis allows players to get away with shots and strategies that won’t work at the professional level. Casey emphasizes that continuing to play in juniors can give players a false sense of confidence, as they may think certain shots are effective when, in reality, they only succeed because the opponents are not skilled enough to counter them
• Learning from Professional Play: By playing against professional opponents, juniors quickly learn what does and doesn’t work at higher levels of competition. This exposure forces them to adapt and refine their skills much earlier, avoiding the redundancy of relearning techniques later on
• No Age Barrier: Casey advocates for young players, even as young as 14 or 15, to start competing in professional tennis if they are strong enough. He believes this is the best way for them to understand the demands of professional play and what they need to improve to succeed at that level or in high-level collegiate tennis