Ask the Experts
Training Talk with Paul Pisani
by Marc Lucero, 8 August 2008
Right now the stars are aligning (both literally and figuratively), and the trend seems to be to get on board with supporting American tennis. Patrick McEnroe has taken over as the head of Player Development. Nick Bollettieri, arguably the greatest talent developer of all time, has recently pledged to do his part and work together with the USTA. A period of unprecedented cooperation between the heaviest hitters in American tennis is approaching. There is no doubt that it is an exciting time to be involved with American tennis - especially if you are a young American up-and-comer.
Amer Delic with Pisani, postmatch, U.S. Open
courtesy, Paul Pisani
One person who has been steadfastly helping young American talent for years is
Paul Pisani. Pisani is a fitness trainer based in Amelia Island, Florida. He has developed a niche working with up-and-coming American players, helping them reach their fitness and tennis potential. The current and former client roster of professionals Pisani has worked with contains quite a few familiar names, among them Ashley Harkleroad, Amer Delic, Robby Ginepri, Sam Querrey, Justin Gimelstob, Marissa Irvin, Robert Kendrick, Alex Kuznetzov... the list goes on.
Having traveled extensively on tour, Pisani is very familiar with the athletic demands of today's game and how to help players meet these demands.
"A tennis player has to be fast, strong, and able to last," says Pisani. "I use a mixture of weight training, cycling, running, plyometrics, stretching, and massage to help a tennis player reach their potential. You need to be really fit to play high-level tennis."
