Hi Team Stony Tennis,

I wanted to share a quick coaching insight that’s made a huge difference to many players I work with…. mastering topspin on groundstrokes.

I remember working 1-to-1 with a player who struggled with consistency from the baseline. They could hit hard, but balls were often flying long or breaking down under pressure. We didn’t change their swing dramatically but instead, we focused on how they used topspin.

Once they learned to brush up the back of the ball, trust the net clearance, and accelerate through contact, everything changed. Their shots started dipping inside the lines, rallies became longer, and confidence grew almost immediately.

What surprised them most was this:

Topspin didn’t just add safety, it added control, depth, and pressure on their opponent.

With solid topspin, groundstrokes:

• Stay in play more consistently
• Push opponents back behind the baseline
• Higher bounce to make it hard for the opponents to judge
• Allow you to swing freely without fear

This is exactly what we focus on in our sessions to build reliable, repeatable topspin that holds up in match situations, not just during drills.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re hitting “well” but not getting the results you want, improving your topspin could be the missing piece.

If you’d like to work on this personally and see the difference for yourself, just reply to this email and one of the coaching team would be delighted to help.

Happy tennising!

John Cavill
​
Director of Tennis

Hi Team Stony Tennis,

I wanted to share with you something that’s come up a lot on court recently…the lob.
So often, players see the lob as a “panic shot,” something you hit only when you’re in trouble. But used at the right time, it can be one of the smartest and most effective shots in your game.

I see great opportunities for a lob when an opponent is pressing the net, when you’ve been pulled wide, or when you want to slow things down and reset the point. Instead of forcing a difficult pass, a well-timed lob can turn the tables completely.

A good lob does a few important things:

• It makes your opponent turn and run
• It forces awkward overheads
• It pushes players back and opens the court
• And most importantly, it makes opponents think twice before coming forward again

Once someone knows you can lob well, they hesitate and that gives you control.

Players need to work on recognizing the right moments to use the lob, improving disguise, and placing it deep rather than just hitting it high. It’s a small adjustment, but it can make a big difference to how many points you win.

Next time you’re on court, don’t be afraid to look up and use the space behind your opponent and you might be surprised how effective it can be.

Happy tennising!

John Cavill
​
Director of Tennis

Hi Team Stony Tennis,

I wanted to share something a bit special with you today.

Some nights, while I’m on court running our coaching sessions, I often get the chance to chat with parents and players about their experiences. This week, one conversation really stuck with me, and with permission, I wanted to share it with you.

These are Toli’s words – Toli is our Men’s Team Captain and trains in our Monday night Team Stony Tennis session. He’s also a dad who has looked around plenty of clubs locally before finding his home here.

“When we were looking around for clubs in Milton Keynes, honestly, I wanted to choose a place that has a real impact on kids’ tennis and their manners. I wanted somewhere where coaches are engaged and passionate about what they do.

Team Stony is the best club in Milton Keynes, no doubt. The difference is huge. From the start, they’ve been so professional, yet incredibly approachable and natural.

The coaching here is just incredible. My son has so much fun, and the coaches are amazing at keeping the kids engaged, making it really amicable and amusing. They’re teaching him the fun of playing a sport and also, importantly, how to be a good human being with his peers and adults.

I honestly can’t think of a better club for my kids to learn tennis and all those great life lessons. Can’t wait to see Alcaraz’s face when my kid beats him at a major wearing his Team Stony T-shirt!”
Reading this made me smile for all the right reasons.

What Toli describes is exactly what we work so hard to build at Team Stony Tennis – a place where:

Kids love coming to tennis

Parents feel confident in the environment their children are in

Players learn skills for life, not just forehands and backhands

Coaches genuinely care, engage, and enjoy being on court

Whether you’re here as a parent, a player, or someone who simply loves tennis, thank you for being part of this community. Helping people grow on and off the court is what drives us every single day.

And who knows… one day we might see a player in a Team Stony T-shirt ready to take on Alcaraz :)

Happy tennising!

John Cavill
​
Director of Tennis