Begin with the individual athlete’s game, training history and ambitions. Maintain demanding tennis standards while listening to her experience and making it possible to discuss health and recovery with the appropriate people.
Developing the complete player
Strength, power, coordination and tactical ownership belong in the programme. Their progression should reflect experience, maturity and current capacity. The player should understand why work is being done and have room to report how it affects her. Support should expand options rather than lower expectations automatically.
Discussing health and recovery
Energy availability, recovery and menstrual or other health concerns deserve respectful, confidential routes to qualified support. The IOC REDs consensus identifies the risks associated with problematic low energy availability. A coach should not diagnose from appearance or treat body-size pressure as a normal development tool.
Adapting to the individual
Do not impose a fixed training template based only on presumed menstrual phases. Listen to symptoms, preferences, health guidance and the athlete’s own response. Equally, avoid assuming every difficulty is hormonal. Technical, tactical, social and organisational factors still need investigation.
Final reflection
Set clear development standards and adapt the programme to the athlete’s circumstances, feedback and qualified support where needed.
Explore the related book ↗Educational information. Adapt training to the individual; health and return-to-play decisions require an appropriately qualified professional.
