Integrated and Impactful Performance Support

Our caring and skilled LUNTA Performance Support Team are focused on supporting player development on and off-court, utilising science and medicine expertise to help players succeed

Performance Support

The delivery of high-quality performance support to our players is a fundamental part of our programme here at LUNTA. We believe the positive application of science, medicine and support accelerates our player’s journey to becoming elite international junior tennis players. Our wide-ranging team of performance support practitioners utilise a variety of experiences in different sports and environments to enhance player performance and wellbeing.

Our interdisciplinary, Performance Support Team’s aim is to strongly support the developmental objectives set by the player and coach. Our team look to understand the intricacies of tennis and apply sport-specific solutions to the player’s development from a technical, tactical, physical and psychosocial perspective.

Strength and Conditioning

a man about to lift weights in the gym

Our Physical Team aim to produce Great Movers on-court, that are repeatedly able to cover the court, and are robust athletes that can handle all the physical demands of training and competition. Our Coaches deliver a mixture of on and off-court physical sessions during training and competition to accelerate physical development during a player’s time at the Academy. These sessions are individualised based on player objectives, and our sessions also consider growth and maturation, training load, physical status.

Physio and Medical Support

Our Medical Team aim to keep our players training and competing. Through quarterly medical assessments, our Doctor aims to understand the medical needs of our players and how these link to a player’s performance plan. Our integrated Physiotherapy support identifies risk sites for injury based on a player’s programme, and works alongside our Strength and Conditioning team and technical coaches on overcoming physical blockers to a player’s performance on-court. This team lead on player assessment, diagnosis and execution of an integrated, team-wide injury rehabilitation plan and are linked to the leading specialists across the country to receive excellent medical care.

Performance Lifestyle and Psychology

Health, happiness and wellbeing is at the centre of our philosophy and is of upmost priority here at the Academy. This is reflective in the value our Performance Lifestyle and Psychology team place on supporting the players daily. Players have the opportunity for regular 1-to-1 time with our Performance Lifestyle and Education Manager and Sports Psychologist to help them to develop the skills and resources in order to thrive both on and off court.

Performance Analysis

Our Coaches work closely with our Performance Analyst in the pursuit of understanding the technical and tactical underpinnings of a player’s developmental journey. Matches are recorded, tagged and then statistics are fed through the Coaching Team during and post-tournaments to analyse performance and set direction. We aim to improve player understanding of the technical and tactical side of tennis through our Performance Analysis software Hudl & Dartfish, where players can access their recorded matches to watch back.

Performance Nutrition

We recognise that Nutrition plays a significant role in not only performance on the tennis court for training and competition, but fuels all aspects of an Academy player’s life, particularly academic performance, and general player health and wellbeing. With our ‘Food First’ approach, our Performance Nutritionist helps educate our players in both group and 1-to-1 sessions on fuelling for training and competition, eating for great health, and rest and recovery.

Kam Sodha

Head of Performance Support

The role of impactful and integrated Performance Support in the development of junior tennis players is integral. Here at LUNTA, our support in the various specialist areas underpins and is aligned to the areas we are trying to develop with each player on the court led by our coaches.

Having a team around the player presents great opportunity and experience for what life is like on the tour, allowing players to understand and apply these specialist areas to help themselves. We educate thoroughly to give players full understanding of how to do the basics well, but also how to use science and evidence to grab those marginal wins where they can.

We have a set of curious, creative and passionate Performance Support staff that leave no stone unturned when planning to help performance on and off the court. Our team aim to reduce the uncertainty of achieving the desired outcome, whether that be in rehabilitating and returning to play from an injury, or using performance analysis data in order to win a match at the highest level." 

Find out more about our Academy Support Team HERE.