Marc Sophoulis
. He’s been coaching tennis for two decades at the highest level — the perfect guy for the job.
PTV: Hey Marc, what should I eat before a game? I really like dim sims.
Marc:
Actually, a Quarter Pounder meal from Macca’s became a routine I had after winning a big match one day and as all tennis players will attest, once you find something that works then stick to it.
Not the best advice I know, as I say to my current players, do as I say, not as I do!
In actual fact, if you want to fuel the body for success it’s important to follow these rules:
Night Before Match
at least 1/3 of your plate should contain starchy carbohydrates.
Breakfast the morning of the match
high carbohydrates to fuel the muscles and brain
Lunch
igh carbohydrates to re-fuel the muscles and brain.
During the match
1-2 bites of carbs every change of ends.
Hydrate
2 x 750ml water per day.
How should I deal with nerves in case the opponent’s mum is watching?
Depends if you want to have a fiery opponent’s mum watching, but the best way to deal with an opponent’s mum is to ask her what she is cooking you for dinner once you beat her child.
Once you break the ice you are able to focus on what really matters, WINNING THE MATCH.
Actually, probably best to avoid focusing your energy on anything that doesn’t matter and that you can’t control. Just focus on yourself and your own actions. Let’s leave your opponent’s mum out of the equation.
How do I deal with pressure in case MY mum is watching?
Ask her to sit in the car and scroll through Instagram for a few hours whilst I get the job done, then I can just play without stress!
Kidding. Mums are always our biggest supporters and protectors. They only want what’s best for us, even though at times it can come across as being hard on us. In my experience, I have always found it easier on the player if the mum has a role to play on match day. Give them something to look for in the match or get them to take data/stats so it keeps them involved and not allowing them to get too emotional.
Parents are emotionally attached to their kids and can sometimes act on impulse. So, by giving them an active role in the coaching process they can stay present and calm and give relevant feedback post-match.
What’s the best way to intimidate the umpire, and how loud should I yell when they get things wrong?
As we know, umpires are being phased out of the game for a reason, because they can’t get things right and AI technology is taking over. So, yell as loud as possible to be heard!
Well, if you didn’t detect the sarcasm, I apologise.
To all our wonderful umpires and volunteers, you do a fantastic job and the game is nothing without your time, effort, and expertise. Without umpires and officials, our game does not function.
Respect is the key to getting your way. The more abusive or obnoxious you are to someone, the more they won’t give you the benefit of the doubt, it’s human nature. As players make mistakes on the court, so do umpires. Deal with it and move on. Umpires never change their decision once made so there’s no point getting shirty with them.
How often should I train and how should I train? I want to be able to beat Nadal by the end of the year.
Here is a basic rule of thumb for the loads needed to play at the highest level:
What do most beginners get wrong?
They begin! Once you start in this game you’re hooked. It consumes you. Once a tennis player, always a tennis player. Tennis becomes entrenched in your blood. You eat, sleep, live and dream tennis all day.
Nah, let’s be serious, even though being serious is not really who I am. Without tennis, I wouldn’t have an identity. It’s who I am, it taught me more than I learnt in any classroom or any book. It taught me more about life than life itself. I wouldn’t change beginning this wonderful sport for anything.
I’ve made some mistakes in both my playing and coaching journey. But if I had my time again as a player, I would follow the following steps.
Get the right team. Choosing your team will either make you or break you.
Volume, volume, volume. Tennis is a volume sport, if you lack it you don’t develop at the necessary rate.
Holistic training is paramount. Develop all areas of your game, technical, tactical, physical, mental, perceptual, and decision-making.
Compete. Play competitive matches as much as possible and have a well-planned tournament schedule. If you don’t know how to compete then your journey in the game will be short-lived.
What’s the best way to cheat without getting caught? In your opinion, for the readers, of course, I would never.
Tennis is known as a “gentleman’s” sport. Not in a sexist way, but in a respectful way to your opponents. The most important value in life is respect.
Respect yourself first and your opponent at all times. Just watch how Rafael Nadal is admired by so many, not for his wins and amazing forehand, but by how he treats others.
Say I throw sand in my opponent’s face, what kind of ban am I looking at? Two weeks? A month? Not a lot of sand, but enough.
I guess it depends on the level of intent, whether it was high levels of force or low, whether the opponent got injured, did the opponent require an injury time out etc. If no damage is done to the opponent, then I believe it’s fair game.
On a serious note, the only time a player would get suspended is if clay was thrown at the opponent. It’s more expensive to throw clay than sand, therefore the club would impose a two-year ban.
But actually, don’t throw anything, again it comes down to respect for everyone and everything.
What’s the best piece of tennis advice you have ever received?
The best bit of advice I was given was from my dad when choosing a pathway in sport and life. Without knowing the exact wording, it went something like this:
“Choosing what you want to do for a living is your choice. All you need to remember is that you need to choose a job that you love. You will work your entire life and you need to make sure you find a job that is your passion and you will never work a day in your life.”
I chose to be a tennis player and then a tennis coach.
I got this advice when I was 17, and I’m now 41. I’ve coached at grand slams, worked with the world’s best players, travelled the world, coached against the world’s best players, created amazing connections and friendships and I can honestly say I’ve never worked a day in my life.
Thanks dad.
All this tennis talk got you feeling like a hit? Head to
play.tennis.com.au
to hire a court today. It’s super easy to book a court online — no membership needed.
:
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: h
:
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On-Court Training: minimum 1 hour for every year of age per week. Example: 12-year-olds should be practising up to 12 hours per week “on-court” if they want to pursue a career in the game. Volume is king.
Physical Training: for every year of age = 0.5 hours per week of off-court training.
Mental Training: daily and as much as possible! Every thought creates an action so this is critical to development.
Tournaments: this is the most important one. Build your training around your tournament schedule, not vice versa. Play between 80–120 matches per year to develop tactical awareness and mental disciplines and ensure the level of matches you play keeps you progressing.
PTV: Hey Marc, what should I eat before a game? I really like dim sims.
Marc:
Actually, a Quarter Pounder meal from Macca’s became a routine I had after winning a big match one day and as all tennis players will attest, once you find something that works then stick to it.
Not the best advice I know, as I say to my current players, do as I say, not as I do!
In actual fact, if you want to fuel the body for success it’s important to follow these rules:
Night Before Match
at least 1/3 of your plate should contain starchy carbohydrates.
Breakfast the morning of the match
high carbohydrates to fuel the muscles and brain
Lunch
igh carbohydrates to re-fuel the muscles and brain.
During the match
1-2 bites of carbs every change of ends.
Hydrate
2 x 750ml water per day.
How should I deal with nerves in case the opponent’s mum is watching?
Depends if you want to have a fiery opponent’s mum watching, but the best way to deal with an opponent’s mum is to ask her what she is cooking you for dinner once you beat her child.
Once you break the ice you are able to focus on what really matters, WINNING THE MATCH.
Actually, probably best to avoid focusing your energy on anything that doesn’t matter and that you can’t control. Just focus on yourself and your own actions. Let’s leave your opponent’s mum out of the equation.
How do I deal with pressure in case MY mum is watching?
Ask her to sit in the car and scroll through Instagram for a few hours whilst I get the job done, then I can just play without stress!
Kidding. Mums are always our biggest supporters and protectors. They only want what’s best for us, even though at times it can come across as being hard on us. In my experience, I have always found it easier on the player if the mum has a role to play on match day. Give them something to look for in the match or get them to take data/stats so it keeps them involved and not allowing them to get too emotional.
Parents are emotionally attached to their kids and can sometimes act on impulse. So, by giving them an active role in the coaching process they can stay present and calm and give relevant feedback post-match.
What’s the best way to intimidate the umpire, and how loud should I yell when they get things wrong?
As we know, umpires are being phased out of the game for a reason, because they can’t get things right and AI technology is taking over. So, yell as loud as possible to be heard!
Well, if you didn’t detect the sarcasm, I apologise.
To all our wonderful umpires and volunteers, you do a fantastic job and the game is nothing without your time, effort, and expertise. Without umpires and officials, our game does not function.
Respect is the key to getting your way. The more abusive or obnoxious you are to someone, the more they won’t give you the benefit of the doubt, it’s human nature. As players make mistakes on the court, so do umpires. Deal with it and move on. Umpires never change their decision once made so there’s no point getting shirty with them.
How often should I train and how should I train? I want to be able to beat Nadal by the end of the year.
Here is a basic rule of thumb for the loads needed to play at the highest level:
What do most beginners get wrong?
They begin! Once you start in this game you’re hooked. It consumes you. Once a tennis player, always a tennis player. Tennis becomes entrenched in your blood. You eat, sleep, live and dream tennis all day.
Nah, let’s be serious, even though being serious is not really who I am. Without tennis, I wouldn’t have an identity. It’s who I am, it taught me more than I learnt in any classroom or any book. It taught me more about life than life itself. I wouldn’t change beginning this wonderful sport for anything.
I’ve made some mistakes in both my playing and coaching journey. But if I had my time again as a player, I would follow the following steps.
Get the right team. Choosing your team will either make you or break you.
Volume, volume, volume. Tennis is a volume sport, if you lack it you don’t develop at the necessary rate.
Holistic training is paramount. Develop all areas of your game, technical, tactical, physical, mental, perceptual, and decision-making.
Compete. Play competitive matches as much as possible and have a well-planned tournament schedule. If you don’t know how to compete then your journey in the game will be short-lived.
What’s the best way to cheat without getting caught? In your opinion, for the readers, of course, I would never.
Tennis is known as a “gentleman’s” sport. Not in a sexist way, but in a respectful way to your opponents. The most important value in life is respect.
Respect yourself first and your opponent at all times. Just watch how Rafael Nadal is admired by so many, not for his wins and amazing forehand, but by how he treats others.
Say I throw sand in my opponent’s face, what kind of ban am I looking at? Two weeks? A month? Not a lot of sand, but enough.
I guess it depends on the level of intent, whether it was high levels of force or low, whether the opponent got injured, did the opponent require an injury time out etc. If no damage is done to the opponent, then I believe it’s fair game.
On a serious note, the only time a player would get suspended is if clay was thrown at the opponent. It’s more expensive to throw clay than sand, therefore the club would impose a two-year ban.
But actually, don’t throw anything, again it comes down to respect for everyone and everything.
What’s the best piece of tennis advice you have ever received?
The best bit of advice I was given was from my dad when choosing a pathway in sport and life. Without knowing the exact wording, it went something like this:
“Choosing what you want to do for a living is your choice. All you need to remember is that you need to choose a job that you love. You will work your entire life and you need to make sure you find a job that is your passion and you will never work a day in your life.”
I chose to be a tennis player and then a tennis coach.
I got this advice when I was 17, and I’m now 41. I’ve coached at grand slams, worked with the world’s best players, travelled the world, coached against the world’s best players, created amazing connections and friendships and I can honestly say I’ve never worked a day in my life.
Thanks dad.
All this tennis talk got you feeling like a hit? Head to
play.tennis.com.au
to hire a court today. It’s super easy to book a court online — no membership needed.
The post I Asked A Pro Tennis Coach To Help Me Level Up My Game So I Can One Day Beat Nadal appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
