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Why Constant Tinkering Can Slow Tennis Improvement What Patience Really Means in Tennis Does Tennis Really Need the Laver Cup? The Code: What Happened to “Are You Sure of Your Call?” The Best USTA League Award Swag I Have Ever Received Tennis Beyond the Headlines: September 28, 2026 What Does a People’s Choice Award Actually Measure?

Tennis Drill: T and Biscuits

On By Teresa Merklin

One of my favorite tennis practice games is a drill I call T and Biscuits. It is an effective way to practice points that wind up in a wild scramble. The player on the receiving side of the net trains opportunities to stabilize a point from a defensive position. The person that feeds the first ball in this drill practices the art of maintaining a competitive edge once it is gained in a point. T and Biscuits is a drill that can be done with two players, which is how I normally play it. However, it is also great for group settings.

Embracing the Evolution of the Tennis Ball

On By Teresa Merklin

Throughout the history of tennis, there has been significant evolution in the construction and manufacture of the tennis ball. It is a good thing, because otherwise the sport would still be played with a ball made of leather stuffed with rags and/or horsehair. I sometimes wax nostalgic about the characteristic aroma of the modern tennis ball. It lingers in the atmosphere at tennis facilities as a permanent vestige of the fleet of the ball carts and hoppers used by the resident teaching pros. I shudder to think what it would smell like if we still used the traditional balls from the earliest days of tennis. I… probably would not store tennis balls in my car if we did.

Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach

On By Teresa Merklin

I am living in fear that at some point in the near future the management at my new tennis club will wake up to the fact that giving me 24×7 access to indoor courts and unlimited ball machine usage is a bad idea. Until then, I will continue to haunt the facility in the wee hours of the morning working on my technique and consistency. This brings us to the topic of Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach.

The Tom Stow Tennis Stroke Developer

On By Teresa Merklin

Arthur Ashe started training under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Johnson in Lynchburg, Virginia at the age of 10. Before Ashe and all the other players in Dr. Johnson’s program were allowed on the tennis court, they had to first demonstrate mastery of a device known as “The Tom Stow Stroke Developer.” Levels of the Game by John McPhee provides a detailed description.

Defeating a Broken Tennis Ball Can Pull Tab

On By Teresa Merklin

Tennis can leave long lasting scars on the psyche. It can also cause physical scars. My hands bear the evidence of that fact from failed attempts to open tennis ball cans through the ages. It is a reflection of my inability to open a can of tennis balls without nicking a finger. Somewhere along the way I learned to use my non-dominant hand when opening the can. Thus, if I sliced a finger, the racquet hand remained unscathed.