Australia’s top-ranked wheelchair participant Heath Davidson shares priceless 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 contains Paralympic Video games gold and silver medals, gained in doubles alongside shut pal Dylan Alcott.
Davidson has constructed a popularity as being an exquisite mentor for aspiring gamers and all the time finds time to assist the Australian juniors arising in wheelchair tennis. In our Practice with the Execs sequence, Davidson affords recommendation on methods to carry out greatest on the observe courtroom.
Do you will have a favorite time of day to observe?
Early within the morning so I can get house and play COD (Name of Responsibility).
What number of hours per week, on common, would you spend on the observe 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 photographs. I’m all the time attempting to be artistic on the courtroom. I suppose the extra I observe that, the extra it exhibits up in my matches.
Do you will have a least favorite a part of your recreation to work on?
Undoubtedly overheads, I hate them. I don’t know why I maintain going for them but it surely’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 powerful.
Are you able to keep in mind the primary skilled participant you had a chance to observe with?
Would you name Dylan Alcott a professional? (laughs) No, I used to be actually lucky that once I got here again to enjoying 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 offer me his time, as a result of I used to be rubbish once 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’ll love the chance to observe with?
Aryna Sabalenka. I feel she’s superior. She loves to bounce and has enjoyable together with her staff, so if I might get on the market with Sabalenka, it will be fairly cool.
What recommendation would you share with an aspiring participant attempting to get probably the most out of a coaching session?
Coaching is a good alternative so that you can work on how you’ll be on courtroom in a match, as all the things you do in coaching will relate to what you do on courtroom. So prepare such as you would play in a match with high-intensity ranges, push onerous, swing by way of the ball and simply maintain slugging it out.
Lastly, in case you had 5 minutes remaining in a session and will do something you would like, what wouldn’t it be?
I like doing returns, simply getting extra snug swinging by way of the returns. Returning would in all probability be one in all my favorite components of observe.
> READ MORE: From our “Practice with the professionals” sequence
Discover your option to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on courtroom and have some enjoyable!
