CONSULTING & PERFORMANCE
An Integrated Approach to Tennis Performance
Performance in tennis does not depend on a single element.
Technique, tactics, physical preparation, movement, biomechanics, visual skills, recovery and load management constantly interact with one another. When these elements are not properly integrated, a player may train extensively without being able to fully express their potential.
My consulting approach is based on this principle: to assess the player as a whole and identify what is truly limiting their performance.
The goal is not simply to add more training, but to understand what needs to be trained, why it needs to be trained, and how it should be integrated into the player’s development process.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The process begins with an in-depth assessment of the player.
Different aspects of performance are observed and analysed in relation to one another:
The goal is to identify the connections between different systems, rather than treating each problem as an isolated issue.
FROM ANALYSIS TO INTERVENTION
Once the key areas have been identified, a specific pathway is developed for the player.
There is no one-size-fits-all method.
Every athlete has different characteristics, experiences, limitations and goals. The work is therefore structured around the player’s actual needs and the needs of their team.
The consulting process can be directed at the player or integrated with the work already being carried out by the coach, fitness trainer and other professionals.
CONSULTING FOR COACHES & TEAMS
A coach does not simply need more drills.
A coach needs the tools to observe, interpret and make better decisions.
Consulting can therefore also involve direct work with the coach or the entire team, with the aim of developing a more integrated understanding of performance.
The goal is to transfer knowledge and practical tools that can be applied on a daily basis in the work with the player.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
For more than 25 years, I have worked in professional and competitive tennis, gaining experience in international environments and working closely with players, coaches and academies.
Throughout my career, I have worked with high-level players including:
Albert Ramos-Viñolas, former ATP No. 17
Lorenzo Giustino, former ATP No. 127
Marco Cecchinato, former ATP No. 16
Elena Bovina, former WTA No. 14
Olivier Rochus, former ATP No. 24
Since 2009, I have also worked as a consultant and coach educator with Gilly’s Tennis School in Malta, where I have worked with promising competitive players and organised numerous international training camps.
I have also organised training camps and educational programmes based on the Spanish Method at several Italian and international clubs, including CT Bologna, CT Aosta and TC Alessandria, as well as in Belgium and at the WTA Strasbourg tournament with Francesca Schiavone.
MY APPROACH
In high-level tennis, the difference is often not the amount of work, but the quality of the information used to decide what needs to be done.
That is why my approach begins with observation, analysis and the search for underlying causes before intervention.
Less automaticity.
More awareness.
Less work for the sake of work.
More integration.
The ultimate goal is to help the player and their team build a performance that is more efficient, sustainable and repeatable under pressure.
PERSONALIZED CONSULTING
Consulting can be delivered through on-site assessments, periods of on-court work, remote analysis, or integrated programmes developed together with the player’s team.
If you want to understand what is truly limiting a player’s performance, we can start with the analysis.
Gianluca Carbone with Coach José Maria Diaz, Lorenzo Giustino e Albert Ramos Vinolas in US Open 2019
