Brady Benning is an upcoming high school tennis player in Minnesota who loves the game and is working hard to improve. As a multi-sport athlete splitting his time between tennis and basketball, he’s been able to improve at tennis by being committed to the training plan that we have laid out for him. His goals are to develop a powerful game with his forehands and serves as his key strengths and to achieve a top 4 spot in his High School Varsity team. I’m excited to shine the spotlight on his story as encouragement to his efforts and to provide insights to other student-athletes on a similar path.
What are your current goals in the game?
I have several goals. One, I want to improve my overall fitness to allow my athleticism to better be utilized throughout long matches – I feel elite endurance is critical. Two, I want a higher consistency level in my groundstrokes and volleys. Lastly, I really want to improve the location and pace of my serving.
How has your summer training been going? What areas of your game are you working on?
It has been awesome so far! I train as often as possible, typically six to seven days per week. I am also doing some coaching with Tenicity and feel that has helped my game as well and has further stoked my passion for tennis. I am really enjoying working on my ground strokes and serving and working with the little ones as well!
What has been your favorite tennis memory?
Winning my first section match against Centennial. The team played great, and I also played well individually. It was one of our best performances that entire year.
How do you balance tennis with the other sports you play and with your academics?
I am a two-sport athlete, so at times it is challenging balancing that, as basketball requires a large commitment as well. However, when you love tennis as much as I do, you find a way to make it work because I have a strong need to achieve success in the sport and am committed to doing so.
What do you like about tennis?
I love the competitiveness of the game. Every point you simply must compete and play at a high level. I also love the mental aspect of the game. It is just you versus the other guy, and therefore resilience and mental toughness are a must in order to compete. But outsmarting your opponent is just as valuable and I take a lot of pride in that aspect of tennis.
What message would you like to share with others interested to play and improve at tennis?
Tennis is a game that takes a lot of patience. Don’t expect to get better overnight; it’s a process. Believe in yourself! Having confidence in your abilities can go a long way.
Thanks to Brady for sharing his thoughts and we look forward to his continued enjoyment and progress in the game!
Best,
Harsh
