Today, I spent some time watching the first seed play at the Singapore ATF.
She lost the first set 1-6 to a very tall player, probably around 180 cm at just 14 years old. At that moment, many people might have expected the match to be over.
But what happened next was a great lesson, not just for Reefa and Raihah, but for me as a coach.
She didn’t suddenly start hitting harder.
She didn’t go for risky winners.
She didn’t panic.
She simply trusted her game.
Most of her balls went through the middle of the court. They weren’t incredibly powerful or even very deep. When she was pulled wide, she lifted the ball higher to buy herself time to recover.
Then, whenever she managed to hit a deep, high ball that pushed her opponent back, she quietly moved forward. Her volleys weren’t amazing, but they didn’t need to be. The approach shot had already created the advantage.
From losing the first set 1-6, she came back to win 6-0, 6-1.
Watching matches like this reminds me that junior tennis isn’t always won by the player with the biggest shots. It’s often won by the player who stays patient, trusts the process, and makes good decisions under pressure.
These are the kinds of lessons I want Reefa and Raihah to learn. Rankings and results matter, but learning how to solve problems on the court matters even more.
Every tournament gives us another opportunity to improve—not only by playing our own matches, but also by observing how the best players think, adapt, and compete.
Singapore ATF has been another valuable classroom for all three of us.
