Week 7
July 28-Aug 2, 2025
This week was laser-focused on kitchen play, working on dinks, flicks, rolls, and counters. Had some hit-or-miss moments when trying to do too much—a recurring issue I need to address—but my counter game is improving with better anticipation. Skinny singles showed dramatic progress; what used to be a mental challenge keeping the ball in bounds is no longer a confidence issue.
Brad Douglas
August 4, 2025
Focus Areas
What I Worked On
This week was laser-focused on tightening up our kitchen game. We did revisit some forehand-to-forehand drives, but the real emphasis was on all aspects of play at the non-volley zone — dinking, flicks, rolls, and counters. It was definitely hit or miss for me. I could feel when I was trying to do too much (a recurring issue I need to address), but my counter game is improving each week. I'm staying in there, anticipating better, and returning with more confidence.
We also put in solid work on skinny singles, which has shown dramatic improvement since we first started. While I still need to get to the kitchen more consistently, the points feel much more fluid now. What used to be a mental challenge — just keeping the ball in the skinny court — is no longer a confidence issue. I still miss some shots, but that particular worry has disappeared from my game.
What I Learned
Kitchen Game
This week was all about tightening up that kitchen play, and it was definitely a mixed bag.
- I could feel when I was trying to do too much — a recurring issue I need to address head-on.
- My counter game is improving each session. I'm staying in there, anticipating better, and returning with more confidence.
- The biggest lesson: It's not about power — it's about placement. That's starting to shift how I approach each shot.
Dinks & Attacks
My dinking is feeling more consistent, but I'm still battling with:
- Knowing when to flick, roll, or just keep dinking
- Taking too many balls after the bounce when I should be volleying
- Sometimes "mushing" balls into the net when I let them bounce
Skinny Singles Progress
Looking back to when we first started, our skinny singles games have improved dramatically:
- The points feel much more fluid now
- I still need to get to the kitchen more consistently
- What used to be a mental challenge — just keeping the ball in the skinny court — is no longer a confidence issue. I still miss some shots, but that particular worry has disappeared from my game.
What Still Needs Work
- Trying Too Much: I can feel when I'm overplaying at the kitchen — a recurring issue I need to address head-on. When I simplify and focus on placement rather than power, everything flows better.
- Kitchen Consistency: My counter game is improving each session, but I still need to work on staying patient with dinks. I'm getting better at anticipating and returning with confidence, but need to trust the process more.
- Kitchen Positioning: While my skinny singles game has improved dramatically, I still need to get to the kitchen more consistently. This is holding me back from controlling points the way I should.
Win of the Week
Had a breakthrough moment during a live point at the kitchen line this week. After all that kitchen work with Cam, I finally strung together a sequence where I stayed patient, countered three shots in a row with good anticipation, then executed a perfect flick winner when the opportunity presented itself.
It was one of those rare moments where everything we've been drilling actually clicked in real play. The counters felt natural, I wasn't trying to do too much, and I picked the perfect time to be aggressive.
What's Next
Cam's out of town for the first half of the week, so we're planning to get in some solid game sessions with other players to test what we've been working on. Looking forward to his return when we'll dive back into our training rhythm—I'm not exactly sure what's on the agenda, but I know I need to come ready to work. Whatever he throws at me, I'll be there to attack it head-on.