April Blog 2025
Well, well, well.
In the last blog I wrote that I was hoping to talk more about tennis this month, since Leandro was supposed to be back on court. And that’s exactly what’s happening right now. “Let’s get ready to rumble” sounds a bit dramatic, but we sure are getting ready to compete again. Let’s not get it twisted though — the way from no tennis allowed to playing matches is long and tricky. In this entry, I want to share some training/coaching insights – and why planning is key.
But first, there’s something else I absolutely want to share: this month marks exactly one year since launching this blog! I’m equally thankful for every reader and supporter, as I am excited about where this journey keeps taking us. So far, I haven’t promoted the blog much — writing is still just a hobby for me, and it shouldn’t feel forced on anyone. But if you do enjoy reading it, I’d be grateful if you shared it with friends or family who might be interested. In case you didn’t know, you can subscribe to the blog on the website under “contact” — it just means getting one short reminder email on the first Friday of each month when a new entry is out. Plus, you can send feedback or even comment below each entry directly on the site.
Alright — enough about websites and blogs, let’s get to the tennis part.
After getting the green light from the doctor at the end of March, we set up a five-week training plan to get Leandro ready for his first tournament in May — his first in eight months. Five weeks don’t seem that long, but believe me, once an athlete feels physically ready from fitness work and (almost) 100% pain-free, they get impatient to compete again. The problem is: “pain-free” doesn’t mean ready for heavy tennis load. And gym-fit” doesn’t mean tennis-fit.
In other words: you can’t rush the work that has to be done on a tennis court – with a tennis racket. The body has to get used to the specific physical load of the sport again. I think Leandro had to learn that the hard way from me. In every session, we could’ve done more, could’ve played longer — but I didn’t let him. Not because I didn’t want to push him, but because it wasn’t the time to test limits. Not this time. I was definitely the party pooper, and I was fine with that. I stuck to the five-week plan we’d built with the team. And we’re on track — more than that.
When Leandro told me after a week that he felt tired but good, that was exactly what I wanted. Not more, not less. Here’s an example why: let’s say we do a 30-minute serve session on Monday — no pain, no fatigue, everything fine. But keep in mind, he hasn’t served for months. There’s a good chance his shoulder or wrist will be sore the next day. That means we’d have to cut back on serving the rest of the week instead of gradually increasing volume. This is just one small and simple example of why less is sometimes more — even if in that moment, you could do more. It’s working smart instead of just working hard. (Obviously, you still need the hard-working part — but I think you get the point.)
Now, with volume and intensity rising each week, another challenge arises: After so many weeks of training and progress, you start to only accept perfection as your norm, which helps to thrive for improvement, but is also dangerous if it turns into negativity. Having high standards but low expectations is a beautiful balance if you ask me — One that is not easy keep. So right now, with many hours spent on the tennis court and competition around the corner, we talk a lot more about mental aspects again, rather than technical ones.
Next week is the fifth and final practice week before it’s action time. With my exams coming up, Thiemo is taking over to give me space to study. Most of Leandro’s preparation is done — now it’s about fine-tuning details. And once we’re back in competition, we’re in for a ride.