For the past three years, our development philosophy has been simple: Train. Test. Train. At NTTA, we believe in the Train. Test. Train. Method. Practice builds ability, competition reveals reality, and returning to training with that knowledge creates real improvement.
We train with purpose, test ourselves against international players, identify what is missing, then return home to train again. Every overseas tournament is not just about results or rankings, it is a valuable opportunity to study how better players compete, what makes them effective, and where our own game still needs to evolve.
That process has been one of the biggest reasons behind the girls’ development.
Seeing the Missing Piece
During the Jakarta ATF 14 & Under tournament, one area became even clearer.
Reefa has improved significantly from the baseline, but one part of her game has yet to fully appear in competition, the ability to close the net with confidence.
This is not a new topic for us. We have spent months working on approach shots, transition footwork, and volleys during practice. Technically, she is capable. The challenge has always been translating those skills into real match situations.
The missing ingredient wasn’t technique.
It was belief.
Learning by Watching the Best
One of the biggest advantages of competing internationally is that the learning never stops, even when you’re not on court.
Reefa watched the tournament’s top seed closely. Every time there was a short ball or an attacking opportunity, she moved forward decisively and finished points at the net.
There was no hesitation.
I told Reefa, “This is how your game needs to evolve.”
She understood immediately.
Sometimes, seeing another player execute something successfully creates a level of belief that hours of practice alone cannot.
The First Signs of Change
In her final match of Week 1, something exciting happened.
Reefa stepped onto the court with a different mindset.
Instead of staying behind the baseline, she looked for opportunities to move forward. She approached the net more often and wasn’t afraid to finish points with volleys.
Did every approach work?
No.
She won some points.
She lost some points.
But that wasn’t the most important outcome.
The important thing was that she finally trusted herself enough to use it in a real match.
For me, that represents something much bigger than winning or losing.
We have unlocked a new layer in her game.
Many junior players spend their entire tennis journey playing only from the baseline. They never develop the confidence to transition forward and become complete players. Seeing Reefa begin to make that change is an encouraging step in her long-term development.
The Next Stage
The next challenge is not simply moving forward.
It is learning when to move forward.
Recognising opportunities earlier, making better decisions, and trusting the transition will be the next phase of her development.
At this level, approaching the net is not about rushing in randomly. It is about choosing the right moments.
There are four tactical situations we are focusing on:
- Attack short balls – Step inside the court and move forward whenever the opponent leaves a short ball.
- Approach when the opponent is stretched – If the opponent is pulled wide or under pressure, follow the attacking shot to the net.
- Sneak forward behind high, deep balls – Use heavy, high balls to push the opponent back, then quietly take away time by moving inside the court.
- Attack and continue forward – After hitting a strong attacking shot, don’t admire it. Continue moving in and look to finish the point at the net.
The Journey Continues
This is what player development is all about.
Not just improving strokes.
Not just winning matches.
But continuously adding new dimensions to a player’s game.
Every tournament reveals another lesson.
Every lesson becomes another training block.
And every training block brings us one step closer to becoming the complete player we are working towards.