Anna Tatishvili, US Open
Anna Tatishvili, The River Club, New York City
Anna is the Director of Tennis at The River Club of New York, a historic, family-focused athletic and social club in the heart of Manhattan. Before that, Anna had a successful 15-year career on the WTA Tour.
After turning pro at just 15, Anna competed in every Grand Slam and won 20 professional titles, reaching World No. 50 in singles, World No. 59 in doubles, and representing her native country of Georgia at the 2012 London Olympics.
The members at The River Club adore and admire Anna, including Tennisette readers Chrissy F. and Jane O., who said:
“Anna is a dynamo. Having played on the tour herself, she brings unique insight, and her enthusiasm and fun energy are contagious. She inspires EVERY level of player to keep improving (no matter our age!).”
Here’s Anna on the secret to making tennis easier and more fun, and her number one tip for recreational players…
What’s special about The River Club?
There’s a huge amount of tennis history at the club: we have members who won Wimbledon and who established tournaments, and you can feel it: they really love tennis! The atmosphere is kind and friendly, which makes my work feel fun.
What are your best tips for recreational players?
Fundamentals are key. The better your technique, the better you will play. This is the one thing I would tell everyone to focus on. Many club players just want to play points or games. But to improve, you need to focus on technique. This is often why things go wrong. Take a lesson and ask your pro where you can improve; the bonus is that the cleaner and simpler your technique, the easier and more fun the game becomes.
Consistency, consistency, consistency. Everyone should practice consistency to cut down unforced errors. The worst mistake in tennis is hitting balls into the net: drill yourself in practice so that you don’t do this.
Say yes to everything. To improve, you must do it all: lessons, clinics, and matches. Enter all the tournaments, too. Get as much practice under pressure as you can: meet your own fears.
Play with every type of player. A lot of people only want to play with better players, but that’s not the right mindset: everyone plays their best against better players! You should be able to play with players at every single level: in matches, you will often get a ball you don’t like from the type of player you don’t like. Practice with players of all levels so you can learn to adjust and manage every situation.
It’s never too late to improve! At the club level, people often think they can no longer improve, but that’s not true! However, you do have to step outside of your comfort zone—and maybe be prepared to get worse initially—before you get better.
How should players deal with pushers and lobbers?
Don’t lose patience when you’re playing a pusher. Focus on building a point: their ball won’t have pace, so you will have to generate it. It’s easy to slow down, but you actually need to double your movement while you’re waiting for slow balls.
Use angles: a lot of the time, pushers want to stay at the baseline. Use angles to move them around and bring them into the net where they’re uncomfortable. Stay patient, accelerate on the right shots, and don’t get frustrated.
Take it out of the air. When you’re playing lobbers, it’s very effective to take their balls out of the air; this takes time away from them and puts you back in control. To prepare, practice hitting swinging volleys and overheads.
What’s the best piece of tennis advice you’ve ever received?
Never, ever give up. When I was four years old, my father, who was a scientist and played soccer in the juniors, told me to never ever give up, no matter what. In my pro matches, if I lost, it was not because I gave up, but because my opponents had to beat me.
My dad also taught me that you must be able to start again the next day, clean, with the same focus.
How should players manage pressure during a match?
When you’re nervous, it’s a good sign because it shows you care. Accept it and know it’s a good thing.
Don’t obsess over needing to win; instead, focus on your tactics and distract your mind that way. For example, simply tell yourself: “I’m going to hit this return cross-court.”
And don’t forget your legs: we often stop moving when we’re tight. Bounce on your toes and keep your legs moving!
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