Inside Curtis Tennis Academy: Coaching with Precision

At Curtis Tennis Academy, training is as much about building smart habits as it is about sharpening technique. On a recent visit, head coach Casey Curtis and assistant coach Asad Siyyid gave Florida Tennis Magazine a behind-the-scenes look at their methodology while working with rising international players Miruna Scarlat (Romania), Andrea Andrade (USA), and Noa Cakaric (Croatia). 

Casey Curtis on Volleys and Court Awareness

During a live drill session, Casey Curtis focused on enforcing winning habits when Scarlat’s at the net while paired against Andrade. His approach was equal parts technical and tactical:

• Move forward – Curtis preaches the importance of developing an excellent transition volley which is normally hit in the area of the service line. “Even though I asked you to start here, I still want you to move forward,” he told Scarlat. “You don’t want to be standing around. You hit your volley and you carry on going forward,” Curtis said, reminding his players that volleys are not static shots but transitions to close the net.

• Use angles: Curtis encourages angles at net to keep the opponent on the move. "Go ahead and drop in a short angle once you get up there close, right? You don't wanna really go deep on that, you wanna go short, once you're in close." 

• Read opponents – A subtle lesson came when Curtis when he pointed out how an opponent's racquet positioning gives away shot intention. “If you see them here, they’re probably slicing the ball,” he explained, urging players to read visual cues in order to cut off the subsequent volley.

Above: Coach Casey Curtis coaching the volley to player Miruna Scarlat. Photo: Florida Tennis.

The drill shifted from controlled cross-court volleys to play-out-the-point scenarios, encouraging Scarlat and Andrade to open up the court with creativity—whether lobbing, passing, or closing with short-angled volleys.

The “Curtis Serve” with Asad Siyyid

After Coach Curtis drilled at the net, assistant coach Asad Siyyid introduced what he called the “Curtis Serve,” a philosophy rooted in relaxation and simplicity.

“In Canada, when you saw a player starting with the racquet at eye level, with the hitting side of the racquet pointing up, it was almost certain they had been coached by Curtis—or by one of his former students,” Siyyid explained with a smile. The "Curtis Serve" technique emphasizes the following:

• Relaxation over force – “The less that we do, the better. Racquet head speed is everything, and staying relaxed is the key.” It may be counterintuitive, but relaxation ultimately helps add pace.

• Start the motion at eye level – Players were instructed to begin high, level with the eyes, then let the arm drop (using gravity) and swing at the ball in a relaxed, easy manner. When in the “trophy” position, Siyyid emphasized that the hitting side of the racquet—think of the palm of the hand—should point toward the court.

• Stay big – “Remember to stay relaxed and get big,” Siyyid reminded Scarlat and Cakaric, noting that tension reduces speed and control. When players get stiff during their serve, it looks crowded. In contrast, staying big means keeping both arms moving away from the body through the service motion.

Above: Coach Asad Siyyid explains the famous “Curtis Serve.” Photo: Florida Tennis.

It’s no coincidence that this philosophy helped produce the game’s iconic serve of Milos Raonic. Coach Curtis taught him these serving fundamentals early on, every day for nine years, and this service motion ultimately became his trademark.

Siyyid and Curtis both utilize a sharp tactical eye and place a significant emphasis on technique. It's no wonder the academy has become a destination for ambitious junior players worldwide looking to level up. 

For players and families seeking high-performance training, Curtis Tennis Academy offers a personalized and proven path to improvement. Located at South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, the academy welcomes committed athletes of all levels.

To learn more, schedule a visit, or watch instructional videos, visit www.curtistennis.com or follow @CurtisTennis on Instagram.

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Written by Associate Editor Osvaldo Godoy and Assistant Editor Alex Binstok.