Conversation 25/43 If your player already knows what is coming next, they are not learning to recognise when the opportunity emerges. Many tennis practices prescribe the entire pattern: Attack the short ball down the line. Move forward. Volley into the open space. Win the point. The player may execute the sequence successfully—but the coach has already made the important decisions. The player knows which ball will be short. They know where they must hit. They know when to move forward. They may begin organising their movement before the relevant information is even available. That can create the appearance of successful performance without requiring the player to use the information that would regulate the same action during a match. In competition, nobody announces: “Here comes the short ball.” The player must detect changes in ball flight, speed, depth, opponent position and available space. They must recognise the emerging opportunity and adapt their movement accordin...