The drill Segura and Connors did for hours, to spread the dimensions of the court. See also below.
Coaches are the missing link between inquiry and understanding – none more so than Pancho Segura, the Hall of Fame coach and player who was ranked number one in the world for three years.
In the last installment of Caroline Seebohm's amazing series on Segura's life and career, she discussed his long-term relationship with Jimmy Connors and how he helped influence the development of Connors' game, leading to victories at Wimbledon and the U.S.Open in 1974, as well as other triumphs. (Click Here.)
In this exclusive article for Tennisplayer, I share the strategy that Segura imparted to Connors and hundreds of other players, based on both numerous interviews and my own experience working with him on court. This includes one of the ultimate drills ever devised for developing the skills and confidence required to play the style of game Pancho believed was most effective.
Joel Drucker is one of the world’s best known tennis writers, having written for years for Tennis and many other publications. He is a consultant and background researcher working with some of the top commentators for the Tennis Channel. Joel is also the author of the book "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life." He lives in Oakland, California and plays regularly at the Berkeley Tennis Club.
"Jimmy Connors Saved My Life"
"Jimmy Connors Saved My Life" is a unique account of the career of the legendary American champion, James Scott Connors, and how it intertwined with the life of the author in a relationship both real and imagined. The book combines the perspective of an intellectual, a devoted tennis player, a professional writer, and a student of society searching for meaning and identity in a defining period of American history, a period in which tennis became a big time, big money, and big media sport.
