Johan Kriek Should Be Consulting ATP and WTA Players!

With playing experience and coaching acumen, former two time Australian Open champion Johan Kriek should be consulting ATP and WTA players. Just read this flurry of tennis wisdom below by Kriek, who operates a junior academy in Palm Beach, FL

It is kinda rare to have a person like Roger Federer come along once in our tennis lifetime who has so many tools to draw from…..

He has the perfect tennis physical body, a very cool (developed over time..) mindset, tools in shotmaking which at times even baffles the best that ever were. He has an ability to “read the play” faster than anyone out there and he is at the very top of tennis since 2006! He in effect “has it all”… no weakness.

Simply amazing……and he is 37 years old…. astonishing!

Then we have super talented guys like Kyrgios, Tomic and others to name a few current ones that have tremendous physical abilities and shotmaking abilities but lack the “brains” to put it all together…..weird but not unusual! Seen it since the ‘70’s when I played. Seen this in many players…

Now and then their brilliance in physical shotmaking intersects almost by “chance” with a proper mindset and they blow our minds with their “total package” but it never continues…..it never lasts and leaves the spectator frustrated and hungry for answers. But there are none! If they haven’t changed by now they never will. It is what it is. Unable and unwilling to change….that’s it!

Second point….

Sometimes I see a kid with tremendous talent and variety in their shotmaking make poor choices and lose to a “lesser“ talented player. They and their parents and coaches are left pulling their hair out! In effect a “minimalist” player wins simply because they stick to their best little pattern! They win many times more than a “shotgun” approach to matches by trying too many shots or strategies.

Very interesting subject matter in tennis. I always tried to find my “abc” way to win. Simplistic tennis is comforting….simplicity even in a very complex game like tennis works best but one needs to have the flexibility “upstairs” to be able do “both” when called for.

Patterns have a lot to do with it but also how “comfortable” you are in changing when you are starting to “take punches”….

So, if you can win with just a few patterns, stick with them! Don’t go using the “buffet” of your tennis arsenal unless you are pushed to do so. Remember the biggest weapon lies in the 6 inches between your left and right ear. Control that and you are a real warrior.

*****

Underachieving players like Tomic and Sock should be consulting Kriek weekly. Nick Kyrgios should be consulting Kriek DAILY!

Johan Kriek

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