Carlos Martinez is the coach of top 20 WTA doubles players, Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez. He also coaches WTA singles star Karolina Pliskova. Carlos was a top junior player in Colombia, where he grew up in Bogota, before playing college tennis for division 1 teams, Western Michigan and Jackson State.
Carlos is one of the best mental coaches I’ve ever been around and you’ll learn a lot from this discussion that will help you become mentally stronger on the court.
We discuss:
- The best drills and games to use in practice to simulate in-match pressure.
- How to stop worrying about outcomes and focus on your process instead.
- What to do when you get nervous.
- Off season training and creating improvement game plans for a top 10 doubles team.
![Coach Carlos Martinez at the WTA Finals](https://www.thetennistribe.com/wp-content/uploads/Coach-Carlos-Martinez-at-the-WTA-Finals.jpg)
Carlos also shares his goals for 2024, his favorite tournament, and how to grow professional doubles.
COURSE
League Doubles Training Masterclass
My proven doubles formula makes winning much easier
- Game plans for every common scenario in 3.0 – 4.0 doubles
- Nearly 3 hours of video training
- 1-on-1 strategy call
Create smarter game plans that match up your strengths vs your opponents’ weaknesses.
![Will Boucek Head Shot](https://www.thetennistribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Will-Headshot.jpg)
I guarantee this will transform the way you game plan for your next league match.
Will Boucek – ATP & WTA Doubles Strategy Analyst.
Interview Notes from this Podcast
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- Follow Carlos: Instagram
- Carlos coaches his wife, Nicole Melichar-Martinez, and her doubles partner, Ellen Perez
- He also helps coach singles star, Karolina Pliskova. During our call, he was in Tenerife, Spain helping Pliskova with off-season training.
![Carlos Martinez with Karolina Pliskova, Nicole Melichar-Martinez, and Ellen Perez](https://www.thetennistribe.com/wp-content/uploads/Carlos-Martinez-with-Karolina-Pliskova-Nicole-Melichar-Martinez-and-Ellen-Perez.jpg)
- Carlos grew up in Bogota, Colombia where he was a top junior player.
- He played Division 1 tennis at Western Michigan before transferring to Jackson State. He majored in geology and got his master’s in computer science
- For the off season, Carlos creates a week-by-week plan for his players.
- They work on technical changes and strength earlier in the off season. As the season gets closer, they do more match play and fitness.
- Carlos believes it’s impossible to fully simulate in-match pressure. However, he does create consequences during practice to try to create that emotion.
- Example: Play 5 points with only 1 serve, and if you lose the game then you have a punishment at the end like pushups, scissor jumps, or suicide sprints.
- Carlos’ favorites
- Tennis Book: Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture by Ryan A. Bush*
- Tennis Tournament: US Open
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