Is it time for a tennis coaching revolution?

Tennis is dead!

At least, that's what you'd think if you scrolled through social media or listened to certain coaches. The rise of pickleball and padel not only threatens to lure players away from tennis but, here in the UK, even takes over valuable court space.

But tennis’ biggest problem isn’t these new sports—it’s its own ego.

Tennis is often portrayed as an incredibly difficult sport to master. The size of the court, the technical demands, the high cost, the exclusivity, and the weight of tradition all make it seem like a sport reserved for the elite. If you speak to many coaches or club pros, they'll tell you: “You can't just pick up a racket and play. You need lessons first.”

The message is clear: tennis is a game for those willing to pay the price—not just financially, but in time, patience, and sweat equity. According to traditional wisdom, you must learn the basics first: how to grip the racket, how to stand, how to swing, and of course, if you’re not finishing with that textbook follow-through over your shoulder, well, you’re simply not playing proper tennis.

And there’s no room for improvisation or simply playing to figure it out as you go. No, no. To learn tennis, you need to hire a coach, an expert, someone who can walk you through it step by step. And it’s going to take a while before you can have any real fun.

So you take the plunge. You book a lesson, and your coach introduces themselves, highlighting their playing background and dropping a few big names they’ve worked with. It feels like you're in capable hands.

You hit a few balls. Your coach immediately identifies the problem: your forehand needs fixing. So, the lesson begins. You’re instructed to stand still as your coach feeds you balls, focusing only on technique. After hundreds of feeds, you’re feeling good. The coach assures you, “Just bend your knees, swing low to high, and finish over your shoulder.” Your coach seems like a wizard with the ball feeds—each one landing perfectly in your sweet spot.

This is working, right?

Then it’s time to rally. You step back into live play, armed with your “new” forehand. And… you miss. A lot.

Your coach tells you it’s a bit more difficult in a rally situation. “You need to move your feet and get your racket back earlier,” they say. “We can look at that next lesson.” Months go by, and despite the endless basket drills, you still can’t rally. But during those carefully fed balls, you’re flawless.

Then, on your way out, you notice a group of people on a smaller court playing with funny-looking paddles. They’re laughing, moving, and enjoying endless rallies. Intrigued, you ask what they’re playing.

“Pickleball,” someone replies.

“Is it easier than tennis?”

“Absolutely,” they tell you.

You give it a try, and suddenly, you’re hooked. No more expensive tennis lessons, no more technical corrections, just pure, simple fun.

This is becoming all too common in the UK. Pickleball is not a complement to tennis; it’s an exit route. But where did it all go wrong?

The myth that tennis is difficult.

Sure, tennis is played on a larger court with a faster ball, but the idea that it’s impossible to pick up and enjoy quickly is a myth perpetuated by the sport’s own ego. If only there was a way to reduce the court size and slow down the ball for beginners… oh wait, we already have that: red, orange, and green stage tennis.

And what about the supposed need to master technique before playing? That's one of the biggest cons in tennis coaching. Look at the professional tour—players like Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe are breaking all the so-called rules of "perfect" technique. They’re thriving because they’ve found their own unique movement solutions, not because they adhered to some textbook definition of a forehand.

The real issue lies in the standard lesson structure. Tennis is an open, dynamic, unpredictable game, yet coaches reduce it to something static and mechanical. They separate perception from action, drilling players in isolation, removing the critical sensory information they need to respond and adapt in real time. It's like preparing someone for a chess match by teaching them ballroom dancing—when what they really need is the fluid, adaptive skill set of an MMA fighter.

Tennis coaching is big business, but the majority of coaches don't understand the science of movement or how the brain truly works in sport. They treat the body like a computer, trying to program it through repetition and isolated drills, failing to recognize that tennis is about interaction with the environment.

It’s time for a tennis coaching revolution. In upcoming articles, I’ll dive deeper into these topics, but for now, one thing is clear: traditional coaching methods—basket feeding, shadow swings, perfecting “technique”—are hurting the sport.

Tennis can be picked up and played by anyone. You don’t need a coach or to invest a fortune to enjoy the game.

The revolution is coming. Are you ready?