Senior Tennis Tips: Winning Tennis Strategies for Players Over 50 I Kevin McCarthy

Senior Tennis Tips: Winning Tennis Strategies for Players Over 50 I Kevin McCarthy

Author: Mike Rogers - Founder of Senior Tennis Unpacked December 30, 2025 Duration: 28:28

In this episode of Insider’s Playbook, we dive into the world of over 50 tennis with Kevin McCarthy, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Senior Tennis Tips. Kevin, a 4.5 player, shares how he transformed his frustration on the court into a passion for helping senior tennis players improve their game smartly and effectively. We explore his tennis evolution and the strategic, mental, and tactical changes he made to enhance his performance over 50. If you're seeking actionable insights and winning tennis strategies tailored for tennis over 50 players, Kevin's story will inspire and guide you to elevate your game.

 

Contact Kevin McCarthy:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seniortennistips

Heady Tennis: https://amzn.to/3VUIlwm 

Key takeaways for senior tennis players

·      You can win more without changing your strokes—by changing your decisions

·      Recording matches is a game-changer for self-awareness and growth

·      Smart, repeatable patterns beat flashy shots in senior tennis

·      Frustration is often the first clue you're close to a breakthrough

·      Creating content can sharpen your own learning and help others along the way

·      Mindset, simplicity, and clarity are the foundations of better play after 50

Chapter Timeline:

00:00 – Intro: Why Kevin started Senior Tennis Tips
01:25 – From 3.5 to 4.5: what changed in his game
03:40 – “I was doing all the right things—and still losing”
05:05 – How frustration led to recording his own matches
06:40 – The moment he realized he needed to play smarter
09:20 – The tactical shift that helped him win more
11:15 – Senior tennis players often try to fix strokes instead of strategy
13:10 – What he's learned from watching hours of his own footage
14:50 – Why he focuses on mindset, patterns, and simplicity
16:30 – Building the Senior Tennis Tips YouTube channel
18:00 – What keeps him motivated to share insights with others
19:10 – The value of documenting your journey (even if no one watches)
20:05 – Where to follow Kevin and keep learning

About Senior Tennis Unpacked
Senior Tennis Unpacked brings you three ways to stay sharp and inspired on court:

·       Changeover — weekly articles with insights, stories, and strategies for senior players

·       Insider’s Playbook — expert interview series with coaches, champions, and performance pros

·       Gold Ball Tennis — my personal journey chasing national titles and sharing what I learn along the way

Explore it all at SeniorTennisUnpacked.com


For competitive tennis players over fifty, the game evolves. The desire to win remains sharp, but the path to victory requires a different map. Insider's Playbook: Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50 is that essential guide. Hosted by Mike Rogers, a seasoned senior tournament competitor and the founder of Senior Tennis Unpacked, this podcast digs into the nuanced realities of competing later in life. You won't find generic tips here. Instead, each conversation is a deep dive into the specific strategic adjustments, physical maintenance, and mental conditioning that give seasoned players a tangible edge. Mike brings on elite coaches who understand the senior athlete, national champions who are still dominating their age brackets, and performance experts focused on longevity. They unpack real, actionable strategies for everything from point construction and recovery to managing pressure during a tight third-set tiebreak. This is for players who analyze their matches, who know their strengths, and who are looking for that next piece of the puzzle to outsmart and outlast their opponents. Tune in to hear candid discussions that feel like a locker room talk with the most knowledgeable players and minds in senior tennis, all dedicated to helping you compete longer, smarter, and with more success.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 31

Insider's Playbook:  Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50
Podcast Episodes
Calm Your Brain, Crush the Next Point I Brent Abel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:21
How do you handle pressure when everything’s on the line? In this episode of Insider’s Playbook, Mike Rogers talks with 21-time gold ball champion and senior tennis legend Brent Abel about performing under stress in tieb…
How to Mentally Handle Playing Better Opponents I Brent Abel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:57
When you're facing a stronger player—on paper, in the draw, or in your head—how do you keep from losing the match before it even starts?In this episode of Insider’s Playbook, senior tennis legend Brent Abel (21 national…
Coaching Across Ages and Levels I Stephen Bourne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:45
In this episode of Insider’s Playbook, host Mike Rogers talks with Stephen Bourne, founder of One Minute Tennis, former professional player, and creator of one of the fastest-growing tennis YouTube channels of 2023.Steph…
Grunt Smarter: Relax Your Body While Powering Your Shots | Mark Vines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:09
In this unique episode of Insider’s Playbook, senior tennis legend and mental-performance coach Mark Vines returns to explore one of the most overlooked tools in the tennis arsenal: the grunt. Far from being just a noisy…
The Best Warm Up Routines I Ben Wolfe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:54
In this episode of Insider's Playbook, host Mike Rogers speaks with performance coach Ben Wolfe about the essential warm-up routines for senior tennis players. They discuss the importance of dynamic stretching, engaging…
Managing Nerves and Performance Anxiety I Brent Abel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:39
SummaryJoin host Mike Rogers on "Insider's Playbook" as he sits down with tennis legend Brent Abel, a senior player with 21 gold balls and a wealth of experience. In this episode, Brent shares his journey from tournament…
Simple Ways to Improve Your Game Even at 55+ I Ben Wolfe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:23
In this episode of Insider's Playbook, host Mike Rogers dives into essential winning tennis strategies for players over 50 with Ben Wolfe, founder of Wolfe Tennis Performance. They focus on senior tennis and the unique c…
Insider's Playbook Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:54
Welcome to Insider’s Playbook — your blueprint for smarter senior tennis. Hosted by a fellow senior tennis player, this interview series features elite coaches, top competitors, and mental performance pros who know what…