So you've been watching the tennis stars at the US Open, wondering how Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, or Novak Djokovic pull off their magic, and if any of that can rub off on your weekend game. The good news is you can steal a few pages from their playbooks. No, you won’t hit 130-mph serves or sliding winners overnight. But these three champions each excel at specific technical skills and mental approaches that beginner and intermediate adult players can realistically apply to win more matches. In this laid-back guide, we'll break down 2–3 key things each of these pros does well, and how you can do it too. Grab your racket and let's dive in!
Jannik Sinner: Controlled Power and Calm Composure
Jannik Sinner may be only in his early 20s, but he's already known for his controlled baseline power and cool head under pressure. What can rec players learn from this young Italian phenom?
Turn Your Serve into a Weapon
Sinner's coach Darren Cahill emphasized early on that Jannik needed to beef up his serve to reach the next level: “I immediately told him that his serve had to improve to move to the next level. He was a 190 cm tall player and it was essential that his serve became more powerful and unpredictable”. While most of us aren't 6’3” like Sinner, the lesson stands: improving your serve) pays huge dividends. If opponents can attack your serve easily, “you'll have to work a lot harder to win the points”.
Depth Over Flashy Winners
One thing Sinner does exceptionally well is hitting deep, heavy groundstrokes that push opponents back. In a key match, his strategy was “to hit every single groundstroke with deep, heavy, penetrating depth,” which robbed an aggressive opponent of angles and forced errors. The takeaway for recreational players: you don’t need to paint the lines with crazy winners to win rallies. Focus on consistently hitting the ball deep into your opponent’s court. By trading a bit of power for depth and safety, you’ll find your opponent scrambling and more balls coming back short or as mistakes. Simple shot patterns can help.
Stay Cool and Embrace Pressure
Despite his firepower, Sinner is remarkably calm on court. He reminds himself that tennis isn’t life-or-death: “You have to enjoy the pressure because it’s not like we are doctors doing surgery... We just win or lose and next week you have another chance”. In other words, keep perspective! Sinner's calm mindset in tight moments helps him think clearly and play the right shot. As a rec player, you can emulate this by taking a deep breath on pressure points and remembering it’s just a game.
Carlos Alcaraz: Joyful Variety and Fearless Creativity
Carlos "Carlitos" Alcaraz burst to the top of the game with youthful energy, variety, and a big smile on his face. The reigning phenom from Spain shows that having fun and mixing it up can be a winning formula. Here’s what adult players can borrow from Alcaraz:
Mix Up Your Shots and Be Creative
Alcaraz isn’t a one-speed player, he can blast a forehand, then surprise you with a feather-light drop shot. Even as a junior, his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero noticed “a boy that plays different. A lot of drop shots; going to the net; dynamic on the court. Like freedom, very free on the court.”. That willingness to use variety is a huge asset. For club players, the lesson is not to be too predictable. If you’re a baseliner, try throwing in a slice or drop shot occasionally; if you mostly rally cross-court, sneak in an approach to the net on a short ball. Alcaraz often confounds opponents by changing the rhythm, one rally he’s hitting heavy topspin, the next he’s at net with a volley.
Play with Joy and Positive Energy
Perhaps Alcaraz’s most infectious trait is how much he enjoys competing. He literally smiles during the toughest battles. “I’m winning all the time because I am smiling,” he said during Roland Garros, adding “smiling for me is the key of everything”. This upbeat attitude not only relaxes him, it also wears down opponents. Stefanos Tsitsipas even said Alcaraz’s positivity and charisma on court inspired him to adopt a more positive outlook. For recreational players, the message is clear: have fun out there! If you’re tight and grim-faced during a match, you’re more likely to get nervous and play poorly. Instead, take a page from Alcaraz, find the joy in running down a tough shot, high-five your doubles partner, smile after a great rally.
Fight for Every Ball
Along with the smiles, Alcaraz has a warrior's heart, he chases down every ball with relentless hustle. He’s famous for never giving up on a point, no matter how unlikely the get. While most of us don’t have his sprinter speed, we can channel that never-say-die attitude. In your matches, make your opponent hit one more shot whenever you can. You’d be surprised how often a seemingly lost cause ball comes back, or your opponent misses the “easy” put-away because you made them hit an extra volley. Alcaraz’s willingness to grind sends a message: you’re in for a battle. If you adopt that same mindset, you’ll win more of those gritty, long points and establish yourself as a tough competitor. Effort is free, use it liberally.
Novak Djokovic: Consistent Defense and Mental Toughness
Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is the master of turning defense into offense and thriving under pressure. While we can’t all return like Novak, we can certainly learn from his consistency, strategic smarts, and iron mindset.
Make the Return (and Every Shot) Count
Djokovic is widely hailed as the best returner in the world, even big John Isner admits “He’s the best returner I’ve ever faced, for sure”. What makes Djokovic’s return so effective isn’t just flexibility; it’s his focus on simply getting the serve back deep. Unlike some players who go for broke, “Djokovic rarely lashes clean winners, but his accuracy is second to none. Depth, not sheer power, is Djokovic's silent weapon”. This is pure gold for club players: on service returns, prioritize accuracy and depth over trying to blast a winner. Block or chip the ball back deep and make the server play a tough first shot. By consistently putting returns in play, you instantly put pressure on your opponent. In your matches, adopt Djokovic’s mindset that every return is an opportunity to start the rally on equal footing. Even beyond returns, consistency is king: Djokovic forces opponents to hit an extra ball, often baiting them into errors.
Turn Defense into Offense
Djokovic is a wall when on the run, his athletic sliding defense often neutralizes the attack and even puts him in control of the point. While we mortals can’t slide into splits like Novak, we can copy the idea of effective defense. When you’re stretched out wide or back on your heels, do what Djokovic does: aim deep with a high margin shot. A high, heavy lob or a deep cross-court floater can reset the rally. Novak often uses height and depth to buy time and get back in position, frustrating opponents who thought they had him on the ropes. Rather than going for a miracle passing shot on the dead run , send up a high defensive shot and recover. You’ll win more points by prolonging rallies and giving the opponent a chance to miss.
Master the Mental Game
Perhaps Djokovic’s greatest weapon is above the shoulders. He has an uncanny ability to stay focused and clutch in the big moments. “Tennis is a mental game. Everyone is fit, everyone hits great forehands and backhands,” Djokovic has said, highlighting that the difference at the top often comes down to mind and heart. One of Novak’s famous mottos is “Pressure is a privilege, my friend... Without pressure there is no professional sport. If you are aiming to be at the top of the game you better start learning how to deal with pressure”. Now, you may not be gunning for Wimbledon, but the sentiment applies to that tiebreak or league final you’re nervously awaiting. Embrace those pressure moments as opportunities rather than threats. Djokovic has trained himself to stay present and not fear the stakes, “I feel I have enough experience to know how to step on the court and play my best tennis” even with huge expectations. For you, playing your best under pressure comes with practice: put yourself in competitive situations, learn breathing techniques, develop a between-point routine to anchor yourself. Most of all, never give up.
Conclusion
You may never hit a forehand like Alcaraz, a backhand like Sinner, or return like Djokovic, but you don’t need to. By focusing on the principles these champions demonstrate, you can level up your own game in realistic ways. Remember, even for the pros it’s often the simple things done exceptionally well: a consistent deep shot, a clever change of pace, a positive attitude when the going gets tough. Next time you’re on court, channel a bit of Sinner’s steady aggression, Alcaraz’s joy and variety, or Djokovic’s steely consistency. Not only will it make you a better player, it’ll make the game more fun, and that, ultimately, is what keeps us coming back for more. Enjoy your tennis out there, and go get that next win! Want to learn more about tennis, check this out!
