Jake Rowland

Win one point in tennis and the scoreboard jumps to 15. Win another and it leaps to 30. One more gets you 40—and then, somehow, the next point might not win you the game at all. If tennis scoring feels like someone started counting normally, got distracted, and made up the rest, you’re not alone. … Read more

You miss a routine forehand, stare at the mark, and start replaying the mistake before the next serve has even left your opponent’s hand. Suddenly your shoulders are tight, your breathing is shallow, and the score feels louder than the ball. Sound familiar? The point is over—but your mind is still stuck inside it. A … Read more

Forty-all. The crowd goes quiet. The server bounces the ball, glances at the service box—and one point suddenly feels enormous. Win it, and you’re one point from the game. Lose it, and the whole thing snaps back to square one. That little pressure cooker is advantage scoring, and it’s one of tennis’s simplest rules to … Read more

One tiny brush of the net can mean “play that serve again”—but the very same net contact a second later might be part of a perfectly live rally. That little difference can flip the mood of a point, frustrate a receiver, or give a server another shot at a big delivery. So when does a … Read more

A tennis player wins a match, posts a celebration from the locker room, and suddenly strangers know which hotel they are staying at, who is travelling with them, and perhaps even when their home is empty. That is the uncomfortable gap between sharing a career with fans and handing over the details of a private … Read more

There’s nothing quite like watching a tennis pusher turn your big forehand into one more ball to hit. You swing harder, they send it back. You go for the line, you miss. Suddenly you’re down a break, wondering how a player who barely seems to attack has taken over the match. Here’s the reset: you … Read more

A tennis player can win a match on Centre Court, collect a cheque worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and still have a very expensive month. The prize money looks enormous—until the coach, flights, hotel, physio, taxes and next week’s tournament have all had their turn. And unlike a regular salary, tennis income can swing … Read more

Your serve keeps floating gently into the net, and your volleys feel like you’re trying to catch a fast-moving frying pan. Sound familiar? The fix may be hiding in the way you hold the racket. The continental grip can make both shots feel more natural—but at first, it may also feel awkward. Stick with it. … Read more

A two-handed backhand can feel like a brick wall—or like two arms arguing over one racket. The difference is rarely brute strength. It’s usually a few small things: a grip that lets both hands work together, contact made out in front instead of beside your hip, and a finish that lets the racket travel through … Read more

Imagine being Rod Laver in 1963: you’re one of the best tennis players on Earth, but the sport’s biggest stages—the Grand Slams—are closed to you because you’ve turned professional. Then, in 1968, that wall finally cracks. Professionals walk into major tournaments, amateurs meet them across the net, and tennis begins its transformation from a divided … Read more