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The Cliff Drysdale Tennis Method

We believe in a holistic approach to tennis development. Each and every player in our program is given a pathway for success that is individualized to best suit their style of play and personality. The key elements in our method are:

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  • Technical Foundation

  • Tactical Awareness

  • Mental Strength

  • Physical Fortitude

  • Competitive Spirit

  • Nutrition

  • Video Analysis

Technical Foundation

Technique and stroke development are key not only for maximizing potential and consistency, but also for physical strength and injury prevention. We refine our players technique on a daily basis so that they are able to understand and execute all shots and build the foundation for a well-rounded game. Additionally, we develop confidence in our players with their technique so that they are able to reproduce and execute naturally under all match scenarios.  We believe it's equally important to develop our strengths and while improving our weaknesses.

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Tactical Awareness

To succeed in tennis, you must not only know how to hit the ball, but also understand, anticipate and be aware of tactical patterns in each match. We constantly educate our players through drills, rally, live ball and point play scenarios. We challenge and support them in this process so that they become self aware in tactically managing their matches.  Additionally, The Santa Ana Tennis Academy utilizes Playsight technology and data to give our players unique insight into what works best for their game against opponents. 

Mental Strength

Being able to weather the challenges of an individual sport like tennis can be very challenging. We believe mental toughness starts on the practice court and behind the scenes. We work with our players on setting good routines on and off the court, and focus on sustaining these routines so that they become habits that translate in matches and tournaments. We put our academy players through rigorous mental training sessions each week.

Physical 

Fortitude

More than ever, tennis players are amongst the best athletes in the world. To succeed on an international level, you must have the physical toughness to play long points and outlast your opponent. Our dedicated fitness trainers help our athletes build core strength and speed specific to the demands of tennis players. We educate and prepare our athletes for peak performance and recovery.  We prioritize injury prevention through pre-habilitation and re-habilitation exercises. Our trainers work to provide all the tools and training necessary for our players to grow in a healthy lifestyle.

Competitive 

Spirit

Our academy athletes all embrace healthy competition. Our methodology does not focus on results, but rather the ability to fight and compete to the last point. We instill these values through experience in team competitions, matchplay and tournament experience. 

Nutrition

Taking care of our athletes bodies is paramount, and that starts off the court by providing a healthy nutrition plan to supplement their busy schedules and workouts. Our dedicated nutritionist Karina Arrazola Castro provides individual plans for all of our full time academy players as well as group workshops for consistent learning and education. 

Topics include:
 

-Nutrition for Peak Performance

-Making good choices when eating out

-Recovery foods

-Hydration best practices

Video Analysis

We review and analyze not only our players strokes, but also their matches to better understand tactical approaches. Each academy player receives a full session breakdown of their matches at select times through the year.

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