Tag Archives: opponent profiling

Opponent Profiling

Posted on December 11, 2017 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

OPPONENT PROFILINGjelena

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.

NOTE:  Whenever possible, as I coach players from the 12’s to the ATP and WTA pros, I apply the below profiling topics.

Opponent Profiling Scouting:

  • Primary style of play.
  • Preferred serve patterns, especially on mega points.
  • Preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns.
  • Favorite go-to rally pattern.
  • Dominant short-ball option.
  • Preferred net rushing pattern.
  • Stroke strengths and weaknesses. (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones.)
  • Movement, agility and stamina efficiencies and deficiencies.
  • Frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability.

Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. Intelligent athletes even jot down notes regarding the opponent’s game in their post-match match logs. These notes are used as a reminder for the next time the two meet.

 

Looking Past Strokes

During the warm-up, the uneducated player, parents and coaches often think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness. Player A may have great looking fundamental strokes but “hidden” flawed mental and or emotional components. Player B may have average looking strokes, but an incredible proficiency in their mental game. Hence, giving player B the edge due to his ability to isolate weaknesses or exert emotional intelligence at crunch time.

 

 

 

OPPONENT PROFILING

Posted on February 21, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 black_ebook_design2

OPPONENT PROFILING

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.

NOTE: Whenever possible, as I coach players from the 12’s to the ATP and WTA pros, I apply the below profiling topics.

 

Opponent Profiling Scouting:

  • Primary style of play.
  • Preferred serve patterns (especially on mega points).
  • Preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns.
  • Favorite go-to rally pattern.
  • Dominant short-ball option.
  • Preferred net rushing pattern.
  • Stroke strengths and weaknesses (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones.)
  • Movement, agility and stamina efficiencies and deficiencies.
  • Frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability.

 

Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. Intelligent athletes even jot down notes regarding the opponent’s game on their post-match match logs. This is used as a reminder for the next time the two meet.

 

Looking Past Strokes:

During the warm up, the uneducated player, parents and coaches often think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness. Player A may have great looking fundamental strokes but “hidden” flawed mental and or emotional components. Player B may have average looking strokes, but an incredible proficiency in their mental game. Hence, giving player B the edge due to his ability to isolate weaknesses or exert emotional intelligence at crunch time.

Contact Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

OPPONENT PROFILING

Posted on October 27, 2015 by in The Tennis Parent's Bible

GREETINGS,

Just last week while watching 60 Minutes, I was reminded of how important pre-game preparation truly is for the high performance successful athlete.  The show interviewed Darrelle Revis, NFL’s highest-paid corner-back.  I was in awe of his incredible dedication to his physical, mental and emotional athletic skills. Not only did he work on his athletic skills, he spent hours and hours reviewing high speed videos of all the opposing teams’ wide receivers during actual game play. This excellence does not come by chance- it comes with resiliency, hard work, dedication and a growth mind set. Darrelle’s dedication to opponent profiling makes him one if the highest paid corner-backs in the NFL.  How is your child’s opponent profiling skills?

The following is an excerpt from the second edition of
THE TENNIS PARENT’S BIBLE COMING SOON!black_ebook_design2

OPPONENT PROFILING

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.
NOTE:  Whenever possible, as I coach players from the 12’s to the ATP/WTA pros, I apply the below profiling topics.

Opponent Profiling:

  • Make an effort to scout an upcoming opponent beforehand.
  • Scout opponent’s primary style of play.
  • Scout opponent’s preferred serve patterns (especially on mega points).
  • Scout opponent’s preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns.
  • Scout opponent’s favorite go-to rally pattern.
  • Scout opponent’s dominant short-ball option.
  • Scout opponent’s preferred net rushing pattern.
  • Scout opponent’s stroke strengths and weaknesses (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones.)
  • Scout opponent’s movement, agility and stamina efficiencies and deficiencies.
  • Scout opponent’s frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability.

Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. Intelligent athletes even jot down notes regarding the opponent’s game on their post-match match logs. This is used as a reminder for the next time the two meet.

Looking Past Strokes:
During the warm up, the uneducated player/parents/coaches often think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness. Player A may have great looking fundamental strokes but “hidden” flawed mental and/or emotional components. Player B may have average looking strokes, but an incredible proficiency in their mental game. Hence, giving player B the edge due to his ability to isolate weaknesses or exert emotional intelligence at crunch time.  

Benefits of Opponent Profiling

Posted on September 16, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from the NEW Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible- Coming Soon!  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Frank Giampaolo

 

Opponent Profiling

At the advanced levels, every player has efficient strokes. In tournament competition what often separates the champion from the field is their mental and emotional skill sets. This includes paying attention to why points are won and lost. They manage the score, their strategies and their performance anxieties as well as their focus control. Winners enjoy adapting to the ever changing challenges of closing out sets and matches. Winners maintain their poise under stress because they are one step ahead of the opponent by opponent profiling. I encourage both the parents and the coaches to begin to develop each athlete’s mental and emotional “muscles” at an early stage.

 

“In any sport, experts don’t simply see where the action is… they can see where the action is going to be in the very near future.”

 

Opponent profiling is essentially paying attention to the opponent’s patterns and tactics and applying the appropriate counter tactics.

Benefits of Opponent Profiling:

  • Controlling the tipping points and energy of the match.
  • Shutting down the opponents preferred play. Forcing them to shift to their less comfortable patterns at crunch time.
  • Gaining the critical mental/ emotional edge in tiebreakers.
  • Inflating their own confidence while systematically deflating the opponents.
  • Intimidating the opponent by out-thinking them-staying on top of their preferred patterns.

Just as I urged players earlier in this mental chapter to design and rehearse their “Top 7” patterns (2 ball shot sequence), I also have high hopes that your athletes will progress one step further and apply the art of spotting the opponents favorite shot sequences.

Identifying the Opponent’s “Top 7” Categories:

  • Top serving pattern to the deuce side.
  • Top serving pattern on the ad side.
  • Favorite return pattern and position versus a big first serve.
  • Favorite pattern and position versus a weaker second serve.
  • Favorite rally pattern.
  • Favorite short ball option.
  • Favorite approach shot pattern.

“Forcing talented opponents out of their comfort zone requires your athlete to identify and systematically shut down the opponent’s favorite strategies and tactics.”

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate

Understanding Opponents

Posted on June 9, 2015 by in Match Day Preparation

The following post is an excerpt from Match Day Preparation.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo0623P_4547

Looking Past Strokes

Player A has great stroke components but flawed mental and/or emotional components.

Player B has average looking stroke components, but an incredible proficiency in spotting and attacking mental and/or emotional flaws. (This is an example of profiling an opponent during play.)

During the warm up, the uneducated player/parents/coaches may think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness.

ASSIGNMENT:

List 3 reasons why knowing an opponent’s preferred patterns of play is a critical mental component necessary to tip a close match in your favor.

1.

2.

3.

(One example: Spotting and shutting down the opponent’s “go-to” preferred shots /patterns and force them into attempting to beat you with an un-grooved, unproven and un-sure style of play.)

 

Common Question: “Is it ok to look at the draw or not?”

The answer depends on what you do with the information! Looking at the draw is a terrific way to use the above opponent profiling tools.  This information will assist you in organizing your performance goals and game plans. But if looking at the draw only pulls you and your entourage into an outcome oriented frame of mind, it can be detrimental to your game.

 

Ignorance is not an excuse. Knowledge is power!
(That is why your parents bought you this book.)

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate 

 

OPPONENT PROFILING

Posted on June 8, 2015 by in Match Day Preparation

The following post is an excerpt from Match Day Preparation.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloFrank Giampaolo

Opponent Profiling(*)

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.

NOTE: Opponent profiling prior to match is not always possible.

Answer the following questions with a simple Yes or No.

  1. Scout an upcoming opponent beforehand? Yes/No
  2. Scout opponent’s primary style of play? Yes/No
  3. Scout opponent’s preferred serve patterns (especially on mega points)? Yes/No
  4. Scout opponent’s preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns? Yes/No
  5. Scout opponent’s favorite go-to rally pattern? Yes/No
  6. Scout opponent’s dominant short-ball option? Yes/No
  7. Scout opponent’s preferred net rushing pattern? Yes/No
  8. Scout opponent’s stroke strengths and weaknesses? (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones)? Yes/No
  9. Scout opponent’s movement, agility and stamina strengths and weaknesses? Yes/No
  10. Scout opponent’s frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability? Yes/No
  11. Do you continue to scout (pay attention to) these critical clues during the match? Yes/No

 

(*) Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. A smart player is continually looking for a crack in their opponent’s game. This includes the physical, mental and emotional components of the game.

 

 

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo

FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate