Brent Abel

I help tournament & league players close their practice-to-match confidence gap.
24 USA Gold Balls - ITF World #1 - 2023 ITF World Doubles Title
DM for details

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

I help tournament & league tennis players build a trust mindset for bridging the confidence gap between practice & the real match.

Bridging that gap is an install method of specific self-talk messages that close the gap.

DM me for details on my 14-Day Install Program.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Everyone’s got some great looking strokes in practice.

The top players separate themselves from the pack in matches with what they think about.

They bring a certainty. The pack brings doubt.

You can train certainty.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

“Ego slows you down. Curiosity speeds you up.”

Stop trying to be a DIYer with your game.

[Reads with Ravi @readswithravi]

Stay a student, always.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

@thejustinwelsh At first that feeling is stupid.
But you get through it.
And then you realize it’s not stupid, it’s just important feedback.
Now we really go …

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

It starts with a dream outcome. Without it, there’s no clear plan for Tuesday.
So dream big, trust in your work, and keep workin …

[Bob Bowman @coach_bowman]

Work backwards from the dream until it lands on what you're doing Tuesday morning.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

If you're playing tournaments or leagues ... train for adversity.

Get out of your comfy confines at least weekly.

A court with brutal shadows.
A court that hasn't been resurfaced in 20 years.
A court next to a freeway.
An opponent known for 'missing' calls.
Prep for adversity.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

How to survive the ugly.
This post from Coach Bowman is the truth for becoming world class.

[Bob Bowman @coach_bowman]

After 40 years of coaching champions to more than 30 Olympic gold medals, here are the hard truths about becoming one. 🧵

[Bob Bowman @coach_bowman]

After 40 years of coaching champions to more than 30 Olympic gold medals, here are the hard truths about becoming one. 🧵

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

How to Survive the Ugly.

Most players quit the fix the week it makes them worse.

A guy you usually beat wins.

So you go looking for a different answer. Don’t.

Stay with your one-word fix cue for 30 days. You’ll be amazed.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

We tend to rush thru good serve tech b/c we want to be ready for the return.

Trust these 2 things for pure power, spin, directional control.

#1) Finish your tossing motion w/ your arm extended up so that you put yourself into the ideal up swing set up position.

#2) Hit up.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

2 forehand mistakes most players make.

1) They can demo a perfect finish position without an incoming ball, but not with a ball.
With the ball, they focus on 'hitting & seeing' a great power forehand. That's multi-tasking. The finish position loses out.

Instead, demo that perfect finish super SLOWLY 10x without a ball & feel how you got there.
Then add an underhand one-bounce feed, slow swing, & feel the finish.

2) You start a rally with your forehand by pulling a ball out of your pocket, dropping it anywhere, & slop over a forehand.
You just told your brain ... THIS is my forehand.

Instead, pull a ball out of your pocket, turn into the perfect racket prep position, drop the ball to where you're perfectly spaced away from it, and then slowly swing out to your perfect finish position.
You just told your brain ... THIS is my forehand.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Tom Stow:

- Kid, when you master these few fundamentals, THAT's the advanced stuff.

Spend MORE time building a foundation that's grounded in pure fundamentals.

That's where confident shot choice clarity, commitment, & conviction get built.

Advanced players live there.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Dave Sivertson:

- Take the sideline out of it.

We miss way too many up-the-line shots that leak out wide b/c we think we have to thread the needle.

You don't. Your up the line target is well inside that line.

(See my post from yesterday re: the Dick Johnson target mindset.)

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Stroke technique: pare away the unneeded.

[Tim Ferriss @tferriss]

“Do as little as needed, not as much as possible.”
— Henk Kraaijenhof

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Dick Johnson:

- I take my time to hit a quality shot to a specific target.
- Since the guy over there is good, I assume it's coming back.
- That's OK. If it does come back, I'll just take it from there.

Get comfy & trust staying in the point.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

There’s a difference between “I’m not good at this right now” and “I’ll never be good at this.” @thejustinwelsh

Most players treat another missed shot as a future verdict.

They reach for the box of band aids. Another small hoped for quick fix.

Get back to putting in the boring Reps of the few real fundamentals ... as your fix.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

After 50 the ranking that matters is not your NTRP.

It is: are you out for 8 weeks with a calf, a shoulder, or an elbow?

It's not taking care of that little twinge you feel in a practice or a match.

'Playing through it' creates those 8 weeks out.

Stop & be smarter ...

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Your 1st serve is deep. Then the next 5 seconds.

"Don’t double fault.
Gotta get ready early.
Don't serve to his forehand."

The 2nd serve toss gets rushed. The finish gets cut off.

Instead ...
TARGET: Find a crease/smudge on the tape on top of the net.
Your 2nd serve is definitely going over that smudge.
Relax your grip.
Trust.
Go.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

The Illusion of your Comfy Confines Confidence.

Your club. Every Tue. 11am. Ct 4.
Same guy you solved years ago.
Not great for prepping 'trust' confidence for an upcoming trnmnt or league match.

Get out of your comfy confines.
Different guy, club, time, & problems to solve.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

A bonehead mistake we all make from time to time.

We butcher an 'easy' ball, & then decide to make up for it by going BIG on the next point.

And we butcher that one too. Oops.

We're going to miss an easy shot now & then.
Emotionally stable players accept that & move on.

[Brent Abel @TheWebTennis]

Matches aren't filled with you hitting highlight shots over & over.

Get comfy with allowing that opponent to make errors & so that you win points, games, sets, & the match.

Focus on making your 1st 3 shots in every point & then just take it from there.

You'll get the 'W'.