SI – being effective in development
View(s):In our times when the world is abbreviating aspects for communication ease, sports too have to keep up. In sports, abbreviating does not mean sporting skills acquired quickly. Although Sports Intelligence (SI) was never absent, its emphasis in player development has waned in Sri Lanka and intensified in the world.
In the top end of professional tennis, SI acquired than taught. In fact, their success depends upon their SI level. Experience is a long road; this makes early introduction is paramount for competition success. SI road should be an early coaching stream aspect.
In simple terms, you must have heard the expression, ‘think’ being imposed upon young players. In teaching tennis, SI permits sense situational changes. In matches, situations evolve all the time, demanding changes from players to register a win. Players will have to adapt physically, tactically, speed, shot selection and positioning. The thought process which leads to be competitive, is SI.
Local issue
Coming from regions where tennis is not a popular sport, a player is bound to show a distinct under development in SI. This is the reason some regions of the world with better SI has better tennis, football, cricket and athletics talents. They have inherent SI for these sports via the prevalent sporting ambience in their village, city and country.
Sports intelligence (SI) deals with decision-making to support tactics and strategies. Regions provide a ‘role-model’ to follow. As a result, coaches and players can observe SI operatives. In today’s context a players, remaining unaware and unexposed to this has a flaw in development.
Personality strait
An example from the Women’s semi-final and in final of Australian Open of 2025, American Madison Keys, not in the Top 10 of the world, outwitted WTA No.2 Iga Swiatek and No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. It was rare exhibition of SI prevailing. These three players have an array of impressive weaponry. They did exhaust each other’s arsenal making the match long and flow into personality straits than skill and strength. SI belongs to personality strait of being effective and sustaining such effectiveness in critical match situation. Hallmark of top end player.
Not courtside whispers
When everything counts and equal in skills, SI will make the difference to win. Madison Keys on those final two days of the Australian Open used her SI to win. Coaches seated on the courtside-line cannot sense the match with their hands like the player. That makes their contribution very limited in effectiveness. The SI acquired must be in player development, whispered from courtside-line will not work.
Final frontier in development
SI deals with selection of effective tactics that will win in a given situation. Players will have to dismantle opponents using SI. For this, first step on the road is to know who she or he is on court skills-wise; self before opponent approach. Good players can sustain games strong that will dismantle opponent’s strength. Outpacing and outlasting opponents optimise winning possibilities. All these are harvest of SI. Maintaining ‘self’ before opponent in mind and skill execution is SI.
Self before opponent
A status of ‘self before opponent’ attitude in tennis will not happen without training for it. Junior competition ladder has been in line with it. One could say it is a long climb between buying a tennis racquet and winning a title. Players will need selective mind of SI.
Local lineup of junior events
Present lineup of junior events can be a good road in player development and SI. ITF influence in this is consistent. There are five groups in ITF junior ranking events in the world. Sri Lanka does not possess Top 100 players of our own. We stage Group IV and V. ITF design is to accommodate locals if eligible only. The qualifying events give our players opportunity to play, most of the time good local players get wild card entry. An issue local association will have to address seriously. After all, we had Top 100 ITF ranked players 20 years ago.
Past player input
I was lucky (and I will say that again) to have the opportunity in Europe and Asia to be in charge of regional and national development. What I observed was that it is impossible a local player in Borneo Island to achieve wins over an Australian junior. Reason being, quantum jump in tennis standard is possible only when senior players of the country are in international professional tennis. Only in such situation, juniors are bound to achieve quantum jump from local standard to that of global professional standard. Effect SI has in countries dependent on local standard.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach, coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–