For the Late Bloomers: Your Timeline Is Not Your Limit

Tennis loves a prodigy.

Australian Junior Tennis Pathway: From JDS to ITF

For many Australian junior players and their parents, the tournament pathway can feel more complicated than the tennis itself.

Did You See My Uppercut Coming

Beyond Punches: The Ingredients of Skilled Boxers

“Show me a fighter who’s nothing but heart, and I’ll show you a man waiting for a beating” (Eastwood, 2004). Boxing is not just about heart; it is also about the mind, the body, and the skills that separate skilled boxers from the rest. Mental strength is critical in combat sports (Lorenco-Lima et al., 2025). Physical fitness, such as strength, power and endurance, forms the foundation of a skilled fighter (Cid-Calfucura et al., 2023). However, boxing also demands a wide range of technical and tactical skills, including punch selection, distance control, tactics, and strategy (Thomson & Lamb, 2016). Beyond that, boxing demands strong visual abilities because the greatest danger often lies in the punches a fighter does not see coming (Xiao et al., 2025).

Hey It's Xander

I want to be very transparent with myself and my players. I will keep it short and simple.

How My Orange Ballers Lost The Battle At Dance Dance Revolution - Develop Fitness in Young Players - Part 1.1

Okay, apologize for this very clickbaity headline.

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by Konami. In fact, I am not sponsored by anyone. HEAD! Sponsor me! ASICS sponsor me!

Be a "Lazy" Coach

Table of Contents

The Motivation

This term, I have decided to be a “lazy” coach, as in, I really don’t want to repeat myself over and over and over and over and over … again, and I have fully embraced the philosophy of “Let the drill teach the players”

Develop Fitness in Young Players - Part 1

Table of Contents

Physical fitness is key to high performance in sports, especially for tennis.

Mental Resilience in Young Players

Intro

As I grow and develop players on and off court, I notice that there are different mental aptitudes among young players. Some young players really embrace challenges and they strive under pressure. Some are less equipped to deal with challenges and pressure.

On Authority

I have had the “pleasure” of working with teenagers on many occasions, as a math tutor and tennis coach. (Sorry for the quotation mark for sarcasm, I could not help). It can be a challenging group to work with and I find the main source of challenge is: their relationship with authority and their self identity and independence.

Focus on Your Own Game

Through my experience in coaching, I have noticed that there are two broad type of players based on their focus: those who always look at others and those who always look at themselves. Excuse my generalization for discussion purpose, and let me offer my point of view.

Where Did You Get That - A Comprehensive Tennis Buying Guide

“Where did you get that?” one kid asked me when I was changing my over-grip.

Short Hair

Ever since I started coaching, I have encountered many little curious angels on court. Their inquisitive nature starts to shine as time went by and we slowly bounded. I adore all of their questions.

Start Strong, Stay Stronger: Beginner-Friendly Racquets for Long-Term Play

You may hear some coaches say “Get a light racquet” when beginner players ask about which racquet they should buy. Then, players go and buy “Lite” racquets like 270g unstrung weight and some might be happy with it and some might not be. Buying a racquet is an individual choice and everyone’s physique is different.

Rally Ready: A Beginner's Guide to Choosing Your First Racquet

If you’ve been hitting the courts as a beginner in tennis and are now ready to take your game more seriously, you might find yourself thinking, “Hmm… perhaps it’s time I invested in my own racquet instead of relying on borrowed ones from the pro shop or friends. But where do I start?” If that’s you, then this blog is here to help.

The Only Ingredient You Need for Effective Feedback

We all need feedback to grow as a professional. Feedback help us understand what we need to keep doing (positive feedback) and what we need to improve (constructive feedback). Everyone loves positive feedback but sometimes the not-so-great feedback can sting a bit. Giving feedback, especially the not-so-great kind, is a bit of an art form, and it’s funny how even burgers can come into play. 😜

What I Learned About Communication As A Tennis Coach

Tennis Australia organized a Coach Connect Summit earlier this year at the Queensland Tennis Centre. During the summit, Emma Doyle presented on the topic of communication on the 3rd day. I found the session incredibly valuable, and I’ve been applying what I learned both on the court and in everyday life ever since. I’m eager to share the insights I gained from the session and from my own experiences on the court.

From Code to Court

The past weekend was a true blessing. I had the privilege of attending a community tennis coaching course on the Gold Coast and met some amazing ladies with super doper gal pal energy.

4 Double Faults

I’ve been a sports lover. I enjoy the challenges it brings, the dopamine it provides, and the friendship it fosters. Tennis is no exception. Having been wanting to participate in such a sophisticated sport since high school, I finally got into it early last year.

Tennis Racquet Evaluation

This was the quick notes I made when I first started out to select my tennis weapon back in the days.

Xander Chu

For the Late Bloomers: Your Timeline Is Not Your Limit

Beyond Punches: The Ingredients of Skilled Boxers

The Motivation

Intro