Prodigy Maker Show — Episode 107

A classic archive episode exploring why so many players and coaches say “UTR is God.”

We break down the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) system, how the algorithm really works, and why it has reshaped player habits, tournament choices, recruiting, and the global tennis landscape.

In this episode:

• What the UTR algorithm actually measures

• Why players are changing schedules, training, and match strategy because of UTR

• The good: accuracy, transparency, incentive to play up

• The bad: pressure, ranking-chasing, distorted development paths

• Real stories of how UTR impacts players worldwide

• What coaches and parents need to know

Chapters

0:00 Classic archive intro – “UTR Is God”

0:25 Today’s topic: UTR, tournaments and Q&A

1:02 UTR as a new “religion” in tennis

2:10 Tech, algorithms and how UTR took over

2:51 Early days of UTR and rapid growth

3:32 Parents, kids and UTR obsession

4:27 UTR app, rating addiction and development

5:22 Broken tournament structures and backdraw issues

7:05 Ducking tournaments based on UTR numbers

8:45 App addiction and unhealthy focus on ratings

9:55 Old-school ranking days vs now

12:13 Character building vs ducking competition

15:03 “Just sign up and battle” mindset

17:16 Why kids won’t use tournaments to work on skills

18:26 Fear of the algorithm and missed growth

20:12 Protecting kids from rating obsession

21:29 USDA criticism and 10U red–orange–green

24:03 Fragmented system: UTR, USTA, ITF and others

26:09 Long-term development vs chasing the number

29:04 Tennis vs pickleball (and padel)

31:12 Using UTR but managing its downsides

33:29 UTR as the SAT score of tennis

35:22 Low participation and UTR as partial solution

36:27 How parents and coaches should handle UTR

38:02 Final message: no ducking, play anyone, anytime

39:36 Tournament pathway questions (UTR, USTA, ITF)

40:05 Outro, holiday camps and Vermont summer camp promo

Whether you love it or hate it, UTR has changed tennis forever.

➡️ Subscribe for more Prodigy Maker Show episodes, tennis development insights, and archive classics.

➡️ Comment with your own experiences with the UTR system!

🎾 The Prodigy Maker Tennis Show (PMTS) explores the intersection of junior tennis development, cutting-edge sport science, fitness, health, and human performance. Hosted by world-renowned coach Chris Lewit — author of The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and Winning Pretty, and developer of numerous No. 1 juniors in the U.S. — PMTS brings together coaching wisdom, research, and technology to shape the future of tennis and human performance.

👉 Subscribe and listen on

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🌐 https://shows.acast.com/the-prodigy-maker-tennis-show/about

📖 Books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis | Winning Pretty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prodigy Maker Tennis Show EP 106

Unlock the Elite Serving Strategy used by top players around the world. In this video, we break down the key tactical elements that help both junior athletes and adult competitors build a dominant, reliable serve.

You’ll learn:

• The essential components of elite serve strategy

• Smart serving patterns for match play

• How juniors can build a champion foundation early

• Tactical serves to apply under pressure

0:00 Elite Serving Blueprint – Show Intro

0:56 Slice vs Kick – Which Serve Should You Teach First?

3:01 How Many Serves Juniors Need (and Gender Differences)

5:01 Core Strategy: Serving Wide to Open the Court

8:02 Deuce vs Ad Court – Best Serves on Each Side

11:04 Spanish Secrets: Abierto & Angulado Wide Serves

15:53 First-Serve Priorities & the “Working Serve” Concept

18:47 Building a Rock-Solid Second Serve Under Pressure

23:09 Reviewing the Serve Strategy Blueprint

24:22 Power Trap: Why Spin Can Be Tougher Than Pace

26:22 Match Targets: Double Faults & First-Serve Percentage

27:21 Adding Variety, Disguise, and Body Serves

28:59 Custom Game Plans vs Different Opponents

30:25 Final Takeaways & How to Train These Patterns

Whether you’re a developing junior, a competitive adult player, or a coach looking to sharpen your athletes’ skills, this breakdown gives you the tools to build a champion-level serve.

🎾 The Prodigy Maker Tennis Show (PMTS) explores the intersection of junior tennis development, cutting-edge sport science, fitness, health, and human performance. Hosted by world-renowned coach Chris Lewit — author of The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and Winning Pretty, and developer of numerous No. 1 juniors in the U.S. — PMTS brings together coaching wisdom, research, and technology to shape the future of tennis and human performance.

👉 Subscribe and listen on

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-prodigy-maker-tennis-show/id1456148452

https://open.spotify.com/show/3Wu0PXf9IXneu0ogrzujZN

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR2QscfBfEs9dtttR6XNhduNlWYmZIfy-

🌐 https://shows.acast.com/the-prodigy-maker-tennis-show/about

📖 Books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis | Winning Pretty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Top 4 Most Important Strategies in Tennis

In this video, I break down the 4 essential strategies every tennis player needs to win more matches—no matter your level. These core principles apply to juniors, adults, tournament players, and anyone who wants to play smarter, not just harder.

These are the foundational strategies used by top players to build pressure, control points, and take over matches. Mastering them will dramatically improve your performance—even without changing your technique.

🎾 Subscribe for more strategy, technique breakdowns, and the full Winning Pretty series!

👍 Like and comment which strategy you rely on most in match play.

🎾 The Prodigy Maker Tennis Show (PMTS) explores the intersection of junior tennis development, cutting-edge sport science, fitness, health, and human performance. Hosted by world-renowned coach Chris Lewit — author of The Secrets of Spanish Tennis and Winning Pretty, and developer of numerous No. 1 juniors in the U.S. — PMTS brings together coaching wisdom, research, and technology to shape the future of tennis and human performance.

👉 Subscribe and listen on

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-prodigy-maker-tennis-show/id1456148452

https://open.spotify.com/show/3Wu0PXf9IXneu0ogrzujZN

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR2QscfBfEs9dtttR6XNhduNlWYmZIfy-

🌐 https://shows.acast.com/the-prodigy-maker-tennis-show/about

📖 Books: The Secrets of Spanish Tennis | Winning Pretty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.