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Tennis Rankings and How to stay on track towards the Top of the Game

With 12 Books to my name and 11 of those that have specifically noted the ‘how’ behind developing a Top 10 tennis ranking alongside Grand Slam Championship wins to ‘how’ to win that maiden Slam to achieve replicated success, if there’s something remarkable to achieve across the tennis landscape there’s a very good chance I’ve researched it, investigated and compiled the data, put in the hard yards, used various analytical models developed over the past twenty years, and delivered on these outcomes.

You don’t get to be at the Top of the game as its leading scientist and authority behind these key metrics without putting in the work. Truth be told, the likes of Swiatek to Alcaraz and their respective ascension to the Top of the game was all noted by these predictive analytics. And whilst I’ve previously shared this, it’s an incredibly important reminder that what has been uncovered — this new wave of data and insights, really does deliver what no Academy and/or Club across the world really does — on repeat.

Sure, you’ve got Serena’s former coach and their Academy. You’ve got various ones here in Australia. Next you’ve got Ferrero to Henin and Clijsters, plus Nadal’s and there’s definitely a two dozen others across the landscape — then ten-fold. By all accounts, you primarily only hear about two or three of them essentially because these coaches are on the ATP tour (primarily) working with Top 10 players. That said, Serena’s former coach did not develop Rune from scratch nor Halep — they’d already peaked.

Ferrero and Alcaraz are a unique story. Same applies for Swiatek and even Jabeur to Rybakina and Sabalenka. That is to say, the WTA has done the hard work and these are not from “big name” Academy’s (at the time) — and that’s the point.

If anything, it’s about the journey and finding those who are willing to be with you on the way to the top. From inception — a new feature on AM8 International I’ve developed to help guide players and coaches, in cohesion, through to delivery-centric outcomes — that Top 10 tennis ranking and more, there’s really a lot more to it than meets the eye.

The funny thing is hundreds if not thousands of potential players are based at these Academy’s around the globe with some Clubs bigger than others. The irony here is that they’re not privy to this data nor have they repeated their results at scale. That’s the difference between them and AM8 International — I let the data do the talking. Which essentially means names from De Minaur to Ostenpenko — Top 10, Collins to Dimitrov who are having stellar seasons and one has already landed back inside the Top 10 with the other on their way, have been tracked in alignment with our data to indicate that these are by no means surprise results.

But promises are a funny thing. A romance of sorts between the dreamers to desires and bringing them to life. But can they really? Try not to fall into the trap unless they have PoW (Proof of Work) and your ranking continues to ascend alongside your performances. Granted, one can be great, but without the two you’re lopsided — you’re missing a key piece to the puzzle. And that’s okay given that 50% of the current Top 10 are missing these key metrics and are lagging so far this season.

But it starts at the foundations. The same applies for time off with injuries and how to mitigate these. But guess what? It comes down to your technical metrics and these technicalities if you may have been built and designed by yours truly — and are attributed to these ranking milestones and their respective achievements. If your coach is not privy to this ‘new’ wave of technical prowess, that Top 10 status is behind the eight ball. Alas, that’s why I designed the 8 Keys to ensure each and every player and coach has access to become the best in the world and join the next generation of play.

The catch? There is none, not really. It simply requires consistency and hard work. The commitment to learn the 7 Keys before the 8th Key runs your game home. And where’s home? Well in this context, comfortably inside that elusive 8% — inside the Top 10, opposed to the 2% that will regress each and every season (as a baseline).

If you’re not inside the Top 10 sure enough you have a long way to go. But that’s what The Long Game was built for to ensure you have a Pathway to follow without getting lost in all the jargon and over promises. For real, to bring dreams to life in contrast to letting them go due to injury and/or underperforming.

Oh, the best part? It’ll also save you ten-fold in the long run. Why? Quite simply I wanted to ensure AM8 International remained affordable and accessible for all which means irrespective of your socioeconomic background, there’s a PoI for you and a place you can go to for guidance and advice whilst keeping you up to speed with the latest insights behind progressing towards that Top 10 tennis ranking — ranked inside the WTA or ATP Top 20 or Top 10, or at the other end of the spectrum — developmental and/or a current high performance player, there are inroads to take (and tackle) step by step.

The best part? The epitome of the tennis world awaits and we’ve got the data to support it. But if anything, today’s lesson really is about caution — not everything you are told is always the truth. As in life, ulterior motives are a truth so if those dreams are as dear to you as my commitment to delivering on our promises, take a few minutes (or an hour, to be thorough) and sieve through AM8 International — then track back in a few week’s when our new upgrade becomes available. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. If anything, you’ll be more informed and better understand the more intricate details that go on behind the scenes and where to get started — irrespective if you’re Top 500 and/or Top 50 on the WTA or ATP tour, we’ve got a place for you to ensure those dreams become a reality.

To learn more about our data, predictive analytics and how to optimise your own performance, head on over to AM8 International. To learn more about AM8 International check out our selection of Books and/or options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 80+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking with new episodes each week. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.

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How a Tennis Ranking is NOT the whole Truth of Top 10 Tennis Players

Alcaraz won Indian Wells. Sinner won Miami. Medvedev showed up in the Finals and Semi-Finals respectively. Djokovic fell in the 3rd Round of Indian Wells and opted out of Miami. Sinner fell to Alcaraz in the semi-finals of Indian Wells whilst Alcaraz fell to Dimitrov in the Quarter-Finals of Miami. Dimitrov made the Finals in Miami and fell to Medvedev in the Round of 16 at Indian Wells. Zverev made the Semi-Finals in Miami and the Quarter-Finals at Indian Wells.

Swiatek won Indian Wells and fell in the Round of 16 at Miami. Sabalenka fell in the Round of 16 at Indian Wells and the 3rd Round in Miami. Gauff made the Semi-Finals in Indian Wells and fell in the Round of 16 at Miami. Sakkari made the Final at Indian Wells and fell in the Quarter-Finals to Rybakina in Miami. Pegula lost in the 2nd Round at Indian Wells and made the Quarter-Finals in Miami. Rybakina opted out of Indian Wells and made the Finals of Miami. Collins fell in the 2nd Round to Swiatek at Indian Wells before winning Miami. 

Are you keeping pace? By simple deduction, the rankings are wrong.

The truth of the matter is that when we narrow our focus on the current crop of Top 10 players they simply are not holding their own on a consistent basis. These cyclical performances that afford pre-conditioned peak performance outcomes are off the mark for many. But these primary players offer a glimpse into these fluctuations — back to back performances and their subsequent results. A very simple snapshot of the Top 4 to 5 players on the ATP and WTA tours at this moment in time.

But there’s more than meets the eye. Recall the 8% and those susceptible to regressing — denoted by the 2%. And here, it’s a small window that affords a glimpse into these rulers that govern the best tennis players in the world.

And that’s important. It’s a snapshot of this period of the calendar year. After all, Sabalenka won the opening Grand Slam of the season and hasn’t been able to live up to the hype. Swiatek on the other hand has continued to outperform and gain further traction with her ranking. The Australian Open Finalist — Zheng, has yet to showcase the same level of play despite her Top 10 ranking. This is one of many snippets that show a current flaw in the rankings. Meanwhile, Collins is outside the Top 10 and almost inside the Top 20 after her Miami title and yet continues to outperform 50% of the Top 10. 

Go figure. Numbers don’t lie. But also only tell half the truth.

Alcaraz has been backing it up with Top 2 to Top 8 performances or greater. Sinner is Top 2 and Top 4 respectively, or greater. Djokovic is out of the equation when considering these metrics. Medvedev is Top 2 and Top 4 but does’t receive as much hype as deserved. Zverev is Top 4 and Top 8 whilst Dimitrov is Top 2 and Top 16. And that’s the reality of the cutoff. Both Rudd and De Minaur are Top 16 and Top 16 — just scaling inside.

Swiatek is Top 2 and Top 16, or greater. Sabalenka is Top 16 and null (given that 16 is the marker here for inclusion if coupled with a greater performance). Gauff is Top 4 and Top 16. Sakkari is Top 2 and Top 8. Pegula is null and Top 8. Rybakina is null and Top 2. Collins is null and Top 2, or greater. Navarro is Top 8 and Top 16.

Therefore the ATP tour is led by Sinner who is followed by Medvedev, then Alcaraz, Zverev and Dimitrov before Rudd and De Minaur. That rounds out the Top 7 followed by Djokovic simply because he deserves inclusion. And remember, Sinner won the Australian Open and Medvedev was the Finalist. Both are living up to the hype.

The WTA tour is led by Sakkari followed by Swiatek. However, there is reason for slight caution here as Sakkari has only recently found her Top 10 form again whereby Swiatek has been a trailblazer ever since her early exit at the Australian Open. On this basis, there’s greater leverage to note Swiatek — alongside her current ranking, to be followed by Sakkari (although in reality, Sakkari would sit closer to 5). Gauff follows before Navarro if consistency is the name of the game. Rybakina, Collins, Pegula and Sabalenka follow. However, there is a significant level of ambiguity here as other players ranked outside the Top 10 did make the Round of 16 or greater but only the mentioned players are 1) inside the Top 10, or 2) made the Finals and/or 3) had Top 16 or greater results in back to back tournaments. It’s a tough bar but reasonable for someone with the caliber of a Top 10 player.

But why aren’t all Top 10 players included?

By deduction, Swiatek, Sakkari, Gauff and Navarro are the most consistent players across both events. In contrast, that’s 4 WTA players who have consistently been performing — 3 inside the WTA Top 10, whereby 7 have been consistently performing on the ATP tour with 5 inside the ATP Top 10 before and after these events, whereby Dimitrov is now ranked back inside the Top 10, De Minaur was and now has been pushed outside the Top 10.

On the WTA tour, Pegula (5), Jabeur (6), Zheng (8), Vondrousova (9) and Ostenpenko (10) round out the Top 10. With Rybakina’s Finalist result coupled with her performances so far this season, although she trails Swiatek, both of these players have a level of play that exceeds their fellow Top 10 on a consistent basis. Sakkari has the recent results but it’s a matter of consistency. Ostenpenko did have the results but has not performed the past two events to her new baseline (capacity). Pegula follows whilst Jabeur, Zheng and Vondrousova have not lived up to their respective rankings this season with the exception for Zheng with her Finalist result.

On the ATP tour, Sinner has earned his place as the new No. 2 whilst Djokovic undoubtedly holds onto the No. 1. Alcaraz is then firm at No. 3 and is closely followed by Medvedev. Both 2 and 3 will continue to be interchanged unless Medvedev claims another Grand Slam and/or Djokovic takes a hiatus for a few months. Zverev holds his place at No. 5. Rublev, Rune and Hurkacz round out the Top 10 and these players have not been living up to their ranking expectations over this snapshot — period in time (as in now, 2024 — primarily the month of March).

Interestingly, the ATP has a more consistent level of play in the Top 5 whereby the WTA holds true to its Top 4 with Sakkari still inside the Top 10. There are null newcomers to consider on the ATP with standout wins (per the set inclusion). In contrast, the WTA has Collins with the Miami title and Navarro with a greater level of consistency than >50% of the current Top 10 — again, over this snapshot.

The truth therefore is not entirely in the rankings.

But rankings take time and consistency. I’d argue then (along with the data) that if the Top 10 was placed on a performance scale with room for slight fluctuations and a Round of 16 result a prerequisite 75% of the time — or greater, for a Top 5 ranking, 50% of the time for a Top 10 ranking — as a minimum, we’d see something quite different. But, a few seasons ago this was the case for the true rankings and results. At this point in time, to see and understand the whole truth it has become a matter of deduction and not all Top 10 players are living up to these expectations.

It’s hard, but it’s truth. So much so, a player does not garner traction for inclusion in our data (extensively published) unless these Round of 16 results become a reality — at the Grand Slam level. It’s one thing to win significant tiles alike Indian Wells and Miami, but another to play at the same level or greater at a Grand Slam. But this is where it starts and yet if the Australian Open is anything to go by, the ATP tour has been living up to its key expectations whilst the WTA simply has not with the No. 1 — Swiatek, finding her feet again and surging, whilst Sakkari finds a new lease on her game — for how long we’ll soon find out.

To learn more about our data, predictive analytics and how to optimise your own performance, head on over to AM8 International. To learn more about AM8 International check out our selection of Books and/or options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 80+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking with new episodes each week. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.

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How Does a Tennis Player NOT get Injured and Know the Difference?

A topic that is probably as old as it is has been asked — for decades and then some more. Then add a little extra. A question that essentially remains the catalyst from my playing days — forever getting injured from my earlier years before my later transition into coaching — how to help tennis players to not get injured, before pushing it a little further — a Masters in this very area before eventually tackling my PhD. In other words, no page was and/or has been left unturned. If there is someone who knows the answer to this in the tennis domain — here I am.

In equal merits, these answers have been pulled across multiple fields as my doctorate was and remains incredibly diverse. Whilst being responsible for uncovering a scientific first and for the tennis player and coach, this was by no means an easy task. After all, the very nature of a doctorate is to fill a void in the literature and to contribute something ‘new’ to our understanding of the world and/or those who live in it. Incredibly broad to accommodate the varying fields, my doctorate was based between not one but two schools — Allied Health (think High Performance, Sports Science, Biomechanics and more; and Education (think Human Behaviour/Psychology, Communication theory, Learning theory and more) — then you’re starting to understand the depth of how far I had to go to really find the answers to this worldwide unknown.

But that’s what 12 x Books and my doctoral thesis have dived into to most recently my new release: How to Develop a Top 10 Tennis Ranking and, Beyond Top 10 Tennis — a Podcast designed to address these very queries including our latest episode that includes both Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

Although that’s not why we’re here. By all accounts, to really understand the nature of this question and its breadth to its corresponding endpoint — a Top 10 tennis ranking to achieving Grand Slam success, that’s where these respective publications come into play. So, eat them up and get started.

For a quick run down on this predominantly unknown, let’s start with the basics: coach education. Unfortunately, how coaches are educated and continue to be educated does not account for this overriding question. Rather, a coach is performance based to optimise a player’s playing capacity in contrast to safeguarding them. This concept of protecting the player is not in the nature of a coaches “learned” pedagogy — rather, their pedagogy is one that is taught through various providers, simply because the essence is in the performance and results in contrast to knowing how a player can reach the pinnacle of play and stay without being derailed. There is a reason why most tennis players that are accepted into a national tennis academy and/or its adjoining federation and its respective pathway — do not achieve a Top 10 tennis ranking let alone Grand Slam success. In Australia nonetheless, this is incredibly rare for good reason. Universally, the odds are not in a player’s favour if they align with such national bodies.

Why? Because put simply, safeguarding is not the name of the game — results are.

Funding and grants come from noise which is attributed to results that shout — over and over again. But there’s a reason why a tennis player’s body in their adolescent years is able to peak over and over again due to a greater pliability at this age in contrast to the tennis player that matures into a young adult and no longer has this level of elasticity on their side. Sure, there’s much greater ‘give’ for a 20-something in contrast to a 30-something but the damage has been done in these earlier developmental years that often halt a player’s progress towards the Top 100 and ultimately the Top 10 for the simple fact that the technical parameters a player’s game is comprised of are not aligned with the key technical properties attributed to not simply a Top 10 tennis ranking — but longevity at the top.

Put simply, these technical properties remain unknown to 92% of the tennis playing cohort. How do I know this? Revisit the earlier paragraphs. That leaves 8% with this knowledge — but there’s a catch. These percentages are merely representative of the Top 100 on the WTA and ATP tours. This means that these percentages are much MUCH smaller on a global scale. The knowledge of these principles is scarce — minute. How do we overcome this? That’s a good question. A big reason why I put pen to paper in a manner of speaking and have published 11 specific Books in this area — to educate tennis players and coaches on a global scale to have access to what it really takes to develop a Top 10 tennis ranking and to maintain this level of play at the top of the game.

You see, my research was lucky enough at the time to be in sync with the peak performative results of Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Interestingly, but by no means surprising, is that Djokovic was the one to trail the initial three at this time — but, if he followed the findings and continued to implement these key properties in his game (which he already was at the time), he would be able to maintain his course and overtake the likes of Federer and Nadal — leading at the time, and eventually, Serena herself. Fast forward a decade and we all know what has transpired.

This is why I love science — the data, the work, the unfolding. It’s super cool. Why some are surprised the by the ailments of Nadal, I am not one of them. The same goes with Federer on his comeback that wasn’t to be and why Serena wasn’t able to regain that peak performance she was so use to recapturing after time away from the training grounds. Djokovic however, that’s another story.

But there’s equal merit in why it has taken so long for new players to rein at the top of the game. From Swiatek to Alcaraz there’s a reason why no other player in the last few seasons has been able to successfully hold their own at the top of the game and overcome their fellow Top 10 with such ease — although Medvedev was there first. Sure, there’s the odd fight here and there but the percentages are in their favour. The same can be said for Sinner and then Sabalenka — although her percentages do fall behind. But that’s no what this is about.

It’s fair to say that in answer to ‘how does a player not get injured and know the difference’ is precisely where the 8 Keys come into play. Don’t know them? Odds are you’ll get injured. Know of them and are actively integrating them into your game? Odds are you’re following The Pathway and embarking on The Long Game towards a Top 10 tennis ranking. Want to know the difference between getting injured and not getting injured? Ask your coach if they’re not simply aware of the 8 Keys (start with the initial 7 Keys), but also for the tennis player — if they’re actively integrating them into your game. The same applies for a Top 10 player to achieve Grand Slam success and a Top 900 player looking to ascend towards the Top 500 inside the next 1-2 seasons or sooner.

But you’re still at the Club and/or Academy level? That’s okay. If you don’t want to get injured, get to know the 7 Keys as your starting point. How do I know the difference? That’s simple. Check with your coach — for the players, if they know the 7 Keys before integrating the 8th Key. And if they don’t? That’s simple, too. Together, actively work on them and integrate them into your game.

Any coach worldwide — yup, that’s a big call, that promises a tennis player ‘Gold’ at the 2024 Olympics to future Grand Slam success and does not have their finger on the pulse with these specific publications available at AM8 International (or Amazon for that matter), is letting you know what you want to hear — without the factual (*scientific*) truth. And trust me, I’ve been in your shoes and was promised the same results. But for that, I’ll leave to another time. Most importantly, because I’ve walked in your shoes — players and coaches alike, I wanted to make the road to the top quite literally possible and within reach for both of you. Not just the player, but the coach, too. Why? Because it truly does take a team and by both player and coach working together with the 7 Keys followed by the 8th Key, that is quite simply how a tennis player does not get injured whilst knowing the difference on their way towards claiming that Top 10 tennis ranking.

To learn more about AM8 International check out our selections of Books to options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 75+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.

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How does a Tennis Player overcome a Stagnant Performance?

No one likes a stagnant performance. Frustrating to disheartening to somewhere in between is typically descriptive of various emotions that are felt at the multitude of stages that occur within this spiral to the feeling of being ‘stuck’ with a near combustion of sorts to move beyond these current confines to burst free. Sound familiar?

Whether you’re that tennis player of tennis coach — or coach and/or athlete for that matter, this is essentially universal irrespective the sport you play. That’s one of the best parts of my work in that it is what I term cross-sectional as it traverses across countless sports and not just tennis. However, tennis is my bread and butter and the sport that has been in my DNA throughout my personal to professional career and forms the baseline for this work with a greater bias towards the ‘tennis’ landscape. Back to it.

These varying emotions that are by no means pleasant present a barrier to be broken — to be knocked down and stomped on to move past with gusto and ascend towards that next level of performance. What I term your baseline of play and/or performance — something I’ve harked on about and shared a multiple of times on Beyond Top 10 Tennis, is a measure of your current state of play that is to be built up through various stages of peak performance cycles. Sound familiar? I hope so. If not, check back to our episodes.

But where am I going? A stagnant performance is colloquial in a manner of speaking for a performance plateau whereby a tennis player becomes stuck at a given level.

This level is typically correlated with a player’s given ranking at the time on either the WTA and/or ATP tour with varying ranges. Whether that is Top 300 to Top 200 or between the ranking range of 150 to 100 — hovering on the brink of ascending inside the Top 100, countless players go through these ‘plateaus’ for the simple reason that there are only 100 given ranking places on either tour. Essentially, that’s 200 collectively and room for no more. Which means, you either have a baseline equipped with holding that level of play that is correlated with a Top 100 ranking and/or you quite simply do not.

Oh, but no way is it that easy? I hear a lot of that and fortunately it just isn’t true. Countless newcomers break into the Top 100 near on every week and on the flip side, countless other players regress outside the Top 100. And it isn’t just this ranking range. Performance fluctuates and these baselines are no more. They either remain stagnant — not as bad as it may seem, in contrast to a regression; however, a progression is most favourable and what we’re really after.

In order to overcomes this hurdle of being ‘stuck’ with the noted consequence quite literally more probable to regress outside your current ranking range — be that Top 10, Top 50 or Top 100, your baseline needs to become more solidified and robust to give you a fighting chance to progress. And if you’ve been listing to Beyond Top 10 Tennis and putting time aside to read these Blog pieces on a weekly basis, then you’re incredibly familiar with the key terms assimilated with these perofmrnaues that begin to correlate with not only a Top 10 tennis ranking, but the kind of performances that garner Grand Slam success — on a rolling basis.

It’s pretty unreal to say the least. But just to be sure, it’s all backed by science which makes it even more mind-blowing.

So what is a tennis player to do when their ranking hovers and those progressions are near whimsical and their ranking is on the brink of slipping backwards? Remember those 7 Keys — it’s time to take action. Recall my latest release: How to Develop a Top 10 Tennis Ranking: the Power of the 8th Key? That’s your calling. From 7 ‘metrics’ to the 8th ‘metric’ that unites them all, these eight rulers are guideposts for your performance. And the best part? You guessed it — 100% backed by science.

Now I know education gets a bad wrap and not every tennis player and/or coach wants to pop on open a book for fear that maybe there really is something they’re yet to learn or know, but sadly there is somewhat of a stigma for WTA and ATP tour coaches of ‘knowing’ everything already which is really disheartening for the tennis player. After all, most players rely on their coaches to up-skill and be the bedrock — responsible for passing down that knowledge. So please, don’t hold your player back by fear of learning something new that perhaps you don’t yet know or don’t really understand — the understanding will come over time, that’s something I can promise you.

But it’s not as easy as it always seems for good reason.

By learning or up-skilling or enhancing your education — irrespective where you’re at, this is what is needed if not demanded for a tennis coach to progress their player and to move them out of that stagnant zone and/or that performance plateau. But first things first is one book at a time until you reach the latest climax that runs it all home.

Ah, but you want all the answers right here and now? Sure, I can understand that. But as I’ve previously shared, by doing that would be a disservice to you and your player. Why? Quite simply, that’s what the data has said over the last 12 Years and counting and when we look at human behaviour to learning schematics and an assortment of behavioural psychology, all of this continues to run true. But per design, if you take the steps to learn through the framework depicted at AM8 International — from The Pathway to The Long Game you will snap out of the plateau and your current baseline will begin to shift.

Even better? The more the 8 Keys become solidified into a tennis player’s game, that Top 10 tennis ranking is not simply within reach, but so too is Grand Slam success. And I’ll end on that there’s a reason why it has been scientifically established that 92% of tennis players and coaches on the WTA and ATP tours do not know what it takes to ascend to and maintain a Top 10 tennis ranking, and why 8% do know but at the same rate, 2% of the Top 10 will lose their grip on their baseline each and every season. 

It’s a cutthroat world and tennis is no different. Use the 8 Keys to your advantage.

To learn more about AM8 International check out our selections of Books to options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free to access 75+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.

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Open Ed: Simona Halep and a Callous Team

Let’s make no mistake here, what Simona Halep’s coaching team has done is destroy her career over the best part of the past 18 months — perhaps momentarily but those 6+ Grand Slams are gone when Help was at one of her peaks and a genuine contender to claim additional Championships wins. I mean, it’s not like Halep is in prime condition to win Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics but if she maintained her trajectory from prior to the well known anti-doping judgements, she may have very well have been positioned to claim a podium position for Romania. And yet, the irony here is that her team has suffered nil consequences.

Now that is overdue. Halep’s Head Coach at the time — who I’ve chosen not to name for the simple sake of limiting addition attention he has sought over this time, was widely recognised as the Coach responsible for Serena Williams’ almighty success. Unfortunately, this just isn’t true. Rather, I’ll argue he was in the right place at the right time and was able to build a superior relationship with Serena whose fundamentals had been built long prior to this establishment. For example, remember those earlier Grand Slam triumphs when her father and/or mother was at the helm? Or what about when they stepped away and Serena’s then hitting partner took the reins? Notably, Sacha went on to take Osaka to her maiden two Grand Slam titles. As for the Coach in question? I’m quite sure he had zero Grand Slams to his name at the time when he took the coaching reins and Serena had already stacked up quite a few. In other words, Serena knew what she was doing.

But this isn’t to discount his contribution as her Head Coach. By all accounts, this Coach helped steer Serena towards her additional Grand Slam triumphs. But, has he been able to replicate this? No. Capitalising on the notoriety, business deals have come flourishing. Interestingly, for Serena’s former hitting-partner-come Coach, Sacha, this wasn’t the case. But, I’m gauging both have a  similar number of Grand Slams to their name whereas the latter opted to shout this at the rooftops and take full credit for Serena’s ascension to become the G.O.A.T. And now is responsible for derailing the career of one of her biggest rivals with zero consequences.

If you run a few numbers, this ascension isn’t true and yet the derailment rings alarm bells.

So where does Halep come into play? Well, this was the ‘best’ opportunity that had come knocking at this said Coaches door and after a trial run, Halep opted to give him a real shot. Or, so the story goes. Already with multiple Grand Slams to her name, the question was really whether or not this Coach could really add to the tally. Brutally, this was cut short. Halep was accused of intentionally doping and has been sidelined ever since. The Coach in question has used this time to ramp up his business interests and endeavour to solidify his place as the ‘best coach in the world’. I call bulls*it. Well, if we’re talking the real deal, I definitely can’t say I’ve been all too happy with this ‘Coach’ trying to take my mantle that I’ve rightfully earned with the accolades to my name.

No, I haven’t been featured in a Netflix series. Unfortunately, business in a man’s world speaks volumes. But this isn’t about me. This is really for clarity for those who are unfamiliar with ‘the best of’ and to hopefully prevent you from being naive and succumbing to the same trap many have followed in believing Serena’s success was due to this one person. Nope, not true.

Darren Cahil was Halep’s former Coach and boy did they have success. Guess who else he has coached? Agassi and Hewitt are on his honour roll. And now? None other than Sinner with all Grand Slams to each of their names and not before his arrival for the latter two. This Coach? Nope, no other Grand Slam wins to his name. Although, he has tried to pluck them out of the Top 10 to make them his — just like Halep when she was comfortably positioned inside the best in the world. His latest culprit? Rune. But that has been on again, off again, and Rune has achieved a Top 10 ranking without him.

Me? Well, there’s an argument that says if you don’t “do” then that can’t be the case. Sure, I can see how you can argue that perspective. The counter? Whilst I have worked with players for 20 Years, a significant part of the last 12 Years has been 99.9% science focused. You see, some continue to do what they do — Coach, whilst others try to change the world. The latter is me. But really, it’s the tennis world. By using data and new analytics I’ve uncovered — as a data scientist to global researcher in this space, how to actually develop the best players in the world. As such, rather than keep this all to myself and “do” I opted to share — to make this available worldwide for each  and every player, parent to coach that aspires to achieve a Top 10 tennis ranking and to go on to achieve Grand Slam success.

Sure, give me a player and I’ll get them on track to Win Grand Slams. After all, that’s what I’ve spent the past 20 Years uncovering. But at the same time, countless others miss that shot. That’s why I built The Long Game, The Pathway, the 7 Keys and the subsequent publications — for each and every one of you to follow and access. Yes, that’s including each and every Top 10 tennis player.

And where does this leave Halep? Well, her Coach has zero consequences. None. And this is wrong. If the saying that there is no “I” in Team rings true, then they should have been dealt the same penalties in contrast to flourishing their business interests and taking on new talent through to signing additional contracts. Whilst the player has suffered and remains at a loss due to their negligence, their negligence has zero consequences for thier career. Now if that’s not f*cked up I don’t know what is.

The irony? So many players have shed dirt on Halep and distanced themselves from her since the initial accusation. Shame on them. You know who stood by her? The ethical ones — including her former Coach. What Halep has gone through is incredibly unfair and awfully wrong. So I must ask, why has the Coach not suffered the same feat if not worse given that they were responsible for the said recommendation for Halep to introduce a new supplement into her training plan?

Even worse? So many players have been left ill-informed by this Coach that you bet it makes me upset. Why? Because my work has centred around two primary pillars. One, how to quite literally become the best player in the world — Top 10 tennis ranking and multiple Grand Slams achieved. And I am proud to say that I have done both, uncovered both and left an incredibly legacy for the tennis world — but I’m not finished. Two, all of these achievements are done so whilst protecting the player and to ensure these technical parameters mitigate injuries in contrast to leading towards injuring the player. There’s a big difference.

But no, as much as the idea of travelling 40+ weeks per year on the WTA and/or ATP tour could be entertaining, I also value being able to help those who genuinely want to become the best in the world. And the best part? I can help more than one or two Top 10 players in the process. And for even more Top 100 players to progress closer towards the Top 10.

Just promise me this, if you dare. Don’t believe everything you read — I mean sure, even this. Although if you do your due diligence you’ll find the truth right before your eyes. But just because someone is on Netflix doesn’t mean they did the right thing. The same applies for success — just because they were Serena’s Head Coach, doesn’t mean they were responsible for her success. Like, come on. It’s Serena. You’ve got to be kidding me if you really think Serena didn’t know what she was doing. He was there for the ride and the publicity which has served him well, and a few choice words when in need. But those Grand Slams stem from her parents and her ability to be cemented as the G.O.A.T.

As for Halep, she deserves direct entry back into the Top 10 — so, let’s see it WTA. She deserves her ranking points restored. And yes, she deserves to be reimbursed for any losses caused. That said, I hope Halep opts for a different approach — maybe she’ll even pick up “How to Develop a Top 10 Tennis Ranking” or read through “What is Your Game Missing” before the much heavier “Science of Elite Performance” and keep me on speed dial. Either way, that’s what I’m here for. Maybe I’ll venture out for those Grand Slams to Olympic glory, but you won’t find me on tour — my dogs simply would not be okay with that and I’m pretty comfortable being able to share those additional updates on Beyond Top 10 Tennis, too.

Which means for now, speed dial is limited to a select few, but those Books are designed for all. And to be clear, no Coach should recommend a supplement whatsoever unless they’re a certified MD and it has gone through clearance with anti-doping. Which means, no — I have never nor will I encourage a player to ingest a supplement of any kind unless it has been cleared and validated. On that note, let’s remember that this Coach is a Coach — not with any formal postgraduate qualifications in this area to their name. And yet, here I am as a Woman with all of those qualifications — plus more, so I’ll just patiently wait for Netflix to give me a call unless they’re waiting for the controversy to mishaps because they won’t find them here. Maybe that’s why only a few continue to Win multiple Grand Slams and the rest continue to be left behind?

Kidding. I know why, I’ve already published and written about this with the data to pinpoint these differences which means knowledge is power and those who have been prepared to learn the 7 Keys and The Power of the 8th Key are the ones to truly watch.

To learn more about AM8 International check out our selections of Books to options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free to access 70+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.