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Knowing the Rules: When Experienced Tennis Players Get Them Wrong Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter Review The Code, Principle 14: When Doubles Partners Disagree on a Call Charlie Pasarell, Welby’s Wall, and the Value of Backboard Training Tennis Beyond the Headlines: August 24, 2026 Managing NTRP as a Complex System: Patterns, Feedback, and Adaptation The Incentive Problem Hidden Inside NTRP Ratings

How I Learned to Love the Tennis Paywall

On By Teresa Merklin

I subscribe to Tennis Channel Plus and ESPN+, the two primary paid streaming services for tennis coverage. As a tennis super fan that writes a daily tennis blog, it would only be surprising if that was not the case. Access to great matches that will never be granted a moment of airtime is a clear benefit to me. However, the matches I elect to watch are also a form of tennis activism. It sends a signal to the tennis broadcast companies on what the public might also want to see.

Hot Shots: Playing a Ball Past the Net

On By Teresa Merklin

As a lifetime tennis player and fan I have seen a lot of unusual shots. In a league match last Sunday, I successfully played a rare shot myself. For the first time in my life, I hit a winner from the opponents side of the net. In fact it is the only time I have ever been in position to even attempt such a shot. If I didn’t have such poor footwork, it probably wouldn’t have happened.

7 Days in Hell

On By Teresa Merklin

A couple of weeks ago the Monday tennis news roundup post on this site referenced an article posted by tennis.com on the “best” tennis movies. I filed the titles away for those inevitable times when I don’t have the bandwidth to read a full book. I had to take a business trip this week on very short notice, so it was the perfect time to screen one of those films on my flight out. This movie… should not be viewed in a public setting where someone else can see your screen.

The USTA Correcting Errors Quiz

On By Teresa Merklin

The USTA recently posted a fun quiz on how to correct certain types of errors that can occur during a tennis match. The quiz is a great social media engagement mechanism for educating tennis players on the rules of the game. It is also a potential vector for identification and outreach for prospective officials.

#BreaktheBias in Life and Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

International Women’s Day celebrates women’s rights and inspires people to act in the ongoing fight for gender equality. It is observed on March 8 every year. The theme for 2022 is #BreaktheBias, which highlights the importance of challenging biases and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world. Women are encouraged to share photos of themselves this year forming an X with their arms. I used my racquets.

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It’s not the Cardio, It’s the Relationships

On By Teresa Merklin

“Tennis is a healthy sport” is one of the primary talking points when promoting tennis. It is a statement that is backed up by independent research. If you were to ask people why that is the case, it is likely that the reasons listed will center around cardiovascular exercise. The fact that tennis also contributes to health by developing personal relationships tends to be overlooked and underappreciated.

The Gift of Relationships in Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

Heading into New Year’s Eve last year, I shared 12 “Gifts” that people can give themselves to jumpstart their tennis life. Each item on that list is essentially a tennis related life hack shamelessly adapted from a cybersecurity career development webinar that I once delivered. In 2022, I am taking an in depth look at each one of those items on first Friday of each month. The “Gift” for March is relationships in tennis.

Tennis and Digital Media

On By Teresa Merklin

From time to time I embark on a fruitless quest to find dynamic tennis content targeted at the tennis playing population. That particular effort pre-dates the creation of this blog. Indeed sometimes I characterize this site as the content that I would read if I could get someone else to write it. The simple fact of the matter is that there really aren’t any great tennis blogs targeted at recreational players. It is a hot take that I float out as a desperate plea: Please prove me wrong.