The Myth of the Marathon in Tennis Development
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Tennis is sprint AND a marathon
What I mean is that long-term development is important—but how fast you get to the highest level also matters.
The RATE of your development matters. If a player can get to a world-class level by 16 or 18, that is better than languoring until 23 or 24.
This is true because pro tennis is a business, and a player will have much more earning power cumulatively when starting younger.
So I am tired of coaches justifying slow progress or player development stagnation by throwing out the old chestnut, “Tennis is a marathon, not a sprint.”
It’s true that development can be like a marathon, but you want to sprint that marathon in 2 hours flat if you can; don’t accept that greatness has to be a slow paced endeavor.
The greatest players of all time hit the big time when young—very young.
They sprinted that marathon.
Chris Lewit
Chris Lewit, Prodigy Maker