Ask a Coach: Prep to Peak at Big Tournaments

As players gear up for the L3 Closed Texas Slam, Coach Dave Licker, High Performance Director at Lakes Tennis Academy in Dallas, provides essential advice on preparing for the demanding tournament schedule in the Texas heat. We asked Coach Licker to share his professional feedback as it pertains to physical training, mental training, nutrition, rest and recovery, along with general quick tips to getting players through their touch matches. Dave Licker is a USPTA P1 Pro, USTA High Performance Graduate, and USTA Certified in Competitive Player Development.

Physical Training 

USTA Texas: Leading up to a major tournament, what on-and off-court physical training advice do you give your players? What are your key physical training recommendations for players before a big tournament?

Dave Licker: Week-long tournaments demand consistent peak performance. Both on-court and off-court conditioning are crucial, not just for enduring long matches but also for recovering effectively from consecutive tough days. On-court drills with a 2:1 work-rest ratio, like hitting or playing points, are beneficial. For off-court, prioritize low-impact cardio such as the assault bike, VersaClimber, or swimming. In the gym, focus on injury prevention through strength and mobility work.

Mental Conditioning 

USTA Texas: What are your recommended approaches for players to navigate the mental side of competition, and what solutions do you propose for handling mental difficulties that surface during matches?

Licker: Matches will always have mental challenges, so writing down different challenges that could occur during a tournament and how you intend to deal with them helps you rehearse what could happen and make you more prepared when they do. 

Mental training begins with a daily mental practice. Before your tournament, write down tactical and mental goals you want to improve. A helpful daily routine is to write these goals before each training session and then evaluate your performance on them afterward. Examples include tactical goals like using positive angles or more variety in points, and mental goals like using your between-point routine in drills and staying resilient.

Nutrition 

USTA Texas: Regarding pre-tournament nutrition, what are your "dos" and "don'ts" for food and beverage intake?

What specific foods and beverages do you suggest to maintain energy levels during extended, challenging matches? What are your key post-match nutritional recovery strategies for players?

Licker: Nutrition is a huge reason why players maintain their level during week-long tournaments with tough matches. This process should be most of the time in everyday life, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Proper meals for an athlete should be a standard for players with a ratio of 80% of the time being mostly healthy and 20% of the time having some junk and sweets. 

The week before, hydration becomes huge. For all training sessions, you should have water, electrolytes, and sugar to fuel yourself for training sessions. Drinking water and electrolytes before bed also helps, so you can stay ahead. 

Eating something during a training session is advised, like you would during a tournament match. You don’t want to start the tournament already depleted nutritionally. During tournaments, make sure you eat a good breakfast regardless of nerves. Monitoring meals based on your match times will help you not be too full or too hungry going into your match. Planning is key. Always eat something during matches, you need the calories. A bite of a bar, fruit, apple sauce, etc,. every other changeover is a good start. If you only eat when you split sets, it’s too late. 

Drink water, electrolytes, and sugar (WES) during the matches to keep blood sugars as level as you can. After the match, eat a good meal and drink your WES for recovery. Don’t slack on any of this during your doubles match later, keep up your same nutritional routines as you are getting ready for the next day, the minute after you finish your singles match, and that includes during your doubles match. 

Rest and Recovery

USTA Texas: What would a sample daily or weekly schedule look like that effectively integrates rest, training, and recovery for your players? What kind of things or tools do you recommend players use to help their bodies recover both daily and after the demands of a tournament?

Licker: The ideal weekly schedule in the two weeks preceding your tournament involves a structured progression. Start with two daily 2-hour tennis sessions and a 1-hour fitness session on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Mid-week and Saturday offer lighter half-days, consisting of one tennis session and one fitness session, with a focus on recovery. 

The initial tennis session should be dedicated to building tactical proficiency in a controlled setting, fostering confidence. The subsequent session then allows you to implement these tactics in match play. Consider a combined 3-hour session as an alternative. As the tournament draws nearer, transition to a single 2.5-hour session centered on match play and targeted post-match work, along with a fitness session. Ensure you're getting ample sleep, as it's the primary method for bodily recovery.

Quick Tournament Tips

USTA Texas: What would be your top-5 tips for helping players navigate a tournament?

Licker: Stay disciplined with your pre-, during, and post-match routines. That includes nutrition, hydration, warmups, sleep, and stress management.

Avoid excessive socializing in the heat during breaks. It can significantly impact your stamina in later tournament rounds.

On days with just one singles and one doubles match, make time to practice specific skills you want to develop throughout the tournament. Winning is important, but your long-term improvement is the bigger priority.

Don't let ratings or rankings become a distraction. Every match, make your game plan and mental routines your top priority.

Understand that your performance will vary from match to match. Each match will present unique obstacles you'll need to overcome. True mental growth in tennis is about handling these challenges well during tournaments.