Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance

by Mark Kovacs, W. Britt Chandler MS, T. Jeff Chandler EdD

Filled with action photographs to illustrate the exercises and techniques, this book distills contemporary scientific research into easily accessible principles for designing and implementing tennis training programs. Sample programs provide a highly targeted, efficient, practical, and individualized framework for every competitive level, including junior, collegiate, professional, adult, and senior. Science is brought to the court with clarity and precision, informing and transforming on-court performance.

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Dr. Kovacs is a performance physiologist, researcher, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching athletes and elite performers. He is a founder of the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA), which is the worldwide leader in tennis-specific performance enhancement and injury prevention education and certification (www.itpa-tennis.org). He formally directed the Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning and Coaching Education departments for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and was the Director of the Gatorade Sport Science Institute. He was an executive with Pepsico. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the iTPA. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles and abstracts in top research journals, in addition to presenting workshops and keynote addresses on five continents and well over 100 presentations. Along with his academic and scientific background Dr. Kovacs is also a coach and former professional athlete. He was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion in tennis at Auburn University. After playing professionally, he completed his graduate work at Auburn University and earned his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from The University of Alabama. Dr. Kovacs is a Certified Tennis Performance Specialist (CTPS) through the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a certified Health/Fitness Specialist through the American College of Sports Medicine, a United States Track and Field Level II Sprints Coach and USPTA-P1 Certified Tennis Coach. He has published five books including Dynamic Stretching and Tennis Training: Enhancing On Court Performance. In 2010 he was awarded the prestigious Plagenhoef Award for sport science achievement (youngest ever recipient) and in 2012 he was the youngest ever International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award winner. He has worked with more than two dozen top professional tennis as well as dozens of top professional athletes in the NBA, NFL and MLB. His expertise has been retained by major corporations, academic institutions and media outlets including Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Southern California, University of North Carolina, New York University Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pepsico, Gatorade, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, ESPN, NCAA, National Athletic Trainers Association, National Strength & Conditioning Association, American College of Sports Medicine, International Tennis Federation, Association of Tennis Professionals, Women’s Tennis Association among others.
Follow Dr. Kovacs on twitter for the daily information on all aspects of sport science and human performance @mkovacsphd

Reviews

[Hank · Rating 5 out of 5]

With most of these very specialized books, kowing the reviewer's background (me) is critical in understading the review. I am a tennis coach both private and high school and I have been doing it for about 5 years.

This book is phenomenal for just about everything I want to do on the court. I had picked up via other books or word of mouth or other coaches, most of what was in this book but nowhere was it all packaged in a single handy reference. I had checked this out of the library but once read, I promptly bought it for my kindle. From nutrition to non-static warm up excercises to on court drills this book covers it. A must have for any coach hoping to make their planning easier/simpler.

[BarbaraAllison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent actionable information.