Australia’s top-ranked wheelchair participant Heath Davidson shares helpful recommendation in our “Practice with the Execs” sequence.
Melbourne, Australia, 13 September 2024 | Jackson Mansell
Heath Davidson is likely one of the world’s greatest quad wheelchair tennis gamers.
The 37-year-old from Melbourne is a four-time Grand Slam doubles champion and has been ranked as excessive as world No.1 in doubles and world No.3 in singles.
His spectacular resume additionally consists of Paralympic Video games gold and silver medals, gained in doubles alongside shut good friend Dylan Alcott.
Davidson has constructed a fame as being an exquisite mentor for aspiring gamers and at all times finds time to assist the Australian juniors developing in wheelchair tennis. In our Practice with the Execs sequence, Davidson presents recommendation on the way to carry out greatest on the follow courtroom.
Do you will have a favorite time of day to follow?
Early within the morning so I can get residence and play COD (Name of Obligation).
What number of hours per week, on common, would you spend on the follow courtroom?
I can’t give away my secrets and techniques on that one, but when I’m being sincere, not as a lot as I ought to.
Do you will have a favorite a part of your recreation to work on?
I like hitting drop pictures. I’m at all times making an attempt to be artistic on the courtroom. I assume the extra I follow that, the extra it exhibits up in my matches.
Do you will have a least favorite a part of your recreation to work on?
Positively overheads, I hate them. I don’t know why I maintain going for them nevertheless it’s actually onerous to regulate in a wheelchair to an overhead. As soon as the ball will get that tiny bit too excessive or the wind takes it, it’s robust.
Are you able to keep in mind the primary skilled participant you had a chance to follow with?
Would you name Dylan Alcott a professional? (laughs) No, I used to be actually lucky that after I got here again to taking part in tennis – me and Dylan we’re so shut, we’ve recognized one another for 23 years – so, I used to be straight again onto the courtroom with him. He was beneficiant sufficient to present me his time, as a result of I used to be rubbish after I got here again. However six months later, one thing clicked, and I began to play tennis once more.
Are there any gamers on tour you’d love the chance to follow with?
Aryna Sabalenka. I feel she’s superior. She loves to bounce and has enjoyable along with her group, so if I may get on the market with Sabalenka, it could be fairly cool.
What recommendation would you share with an aspiring participant making an attempt to get essentially the most out of a coaching session?
Coaching is a good alternative so that you can work on how you’d be on courtroom in a match, as every part you do in coaching will relate to what you do on courtroom. So practice such as you would play in a match with high-intensity ranges, push onerous, swing by the ball and simply maintain slugging it out.
Lastly, in the event you had 5 minutes remaining in a session and will do something you would like, what would it not be?
I like doing returns, simply getting extra comfy swinging by the returns. Returning would most likely be one in all my favorite elements of follow.
> READ MORE: From our “Practice with the professionals” sequence
Discover your solution to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on courtroom and have some enjoyable!
