Vic Braden (1929 -2014,) fully Victor Kenneth Braden Jr., was an American tennis player, instructor, and television broadcaster for the sport. One of the most influential people in the history of tennis and one of the sport’s great innovators, he spread his cheerful disposition via camps, clinics, books, and national television appearances.
Born in Monroe, Michigan, Braden graduated from Kalamazoo College. He also obtained a Master’s Degree and PhD in Psychology from California State University-Los Angeles.
Braden taught innumerable players in the United States, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and China. He even taught world number ones such as Tracy Austin and Hollywood stars such as actresses Lana Turner and Debbie Reynolds. He applied science to the sport—he introduced high-speed cameras and computers to examine the minutiae of the sport. He established that a ball touched the court for three milliseconds and stayed on the racket for a full six inches during a swing.
Braden helped tennis star Jack Kramer promote the fledgling professional tour, which eventually inspired the Grand Slam tournaments to open their draws to amateurs and pros.
Braden frequently appeared on NBC and made instructional videotapes. His eight books include Mental Tennis: How to Psych Yourself to a Winning Game (1993,) Tennis 2000: Strokes, Strategy, and Psychology for a Lifetime (1998,) Tennis for the Future (1977,) Laugh and Win at Doubles (1996,) and If I’m Only 22, How Come I’m 82? (2012.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Vic Braden
Losers have tons of variety. Champions take pride in just learning to hit the same old boring winners.
—Vic Braden
Topics: Practice, Failures, Simplicity, Mistakes
The moment of enlightenment is when a person’s dreams of possibilities become images of probabilities.
—Vic Braden
Topics: Foresight, Dreams, Forethought, Vision
Learn to think like a winner. Think positive and visualize your strengths.
—Vic Braden
Topics: Thinking, Thoughts, Winners, Thought, Winning
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