RoundGlass Tennis Academy (RGTA)

A new North Indian hub for serious tennis

RoundGlass Tennis Academy sits in Mohali, part of the Chandigarh tri-city area, and it approaches player development with a clear promise: train with intent, track progress with science, and support the whole person. Launched in 2021 under the RoundGlass Sports umbrella, the academy has moved quickly from an idea to a working pathway that scouts talent, offers scholarships, and pursues measurable improvements for juniors on the national and international circuit. It is not a factory that treats every player the same. Training plans lean on live-ball drilling, tactical games, and careful monitoring of growth, strength, and mindset.

Founding story and purpose

The academy’s founding vision was simple and practical. India needs performance environments where a 12-year-old can learn fundamentals that still hold under pressure at 22. RGTA set out to build that bridge. The mission combines Indian realities such as school calendars, domestic travel routes, and the constraints of a seasonal climate with global best practice in technical coaching, sport science, and mental skills. Rather than copy European or American templates wholesale, the team designed an Indian-first model that can scale without losing quality.

From the outset, the academy integrated support services that many players in the region only encounter at the national team level. Coaches, physios, nutritionists, and sports psychologists share information and shape one plan per athlete. That plan is built around clear targets, regular testing, and transparent feedback so that parents and players always know what is improving and where the gaps remain.

Why Mohali matters

Parents often ask if the setting will help or hinder year-round tennis. Mohali offers a practical blend of access, climate, and competition. Chandigarh International Airport connects directly to major Indian hubs, which simplifies travel to tournaments in Delhi, Mumbai, and beyond. Being in the tri-city area means ready access to local match play and a community that understands sport.

The region gets a true range of seasons. October through March brings clear mornings and mild afternoons that favor longer blocks of on-court work, conditioned runs, and match play. April through June is warmer, so the academy pushes more early-morning and evening sessions, increases hydration protocols, and shifts strength and mobility work into shaded or indoor spaces. The summer monsoon requires flexible scheduling, which the staff plans for with contingency fitness sessions, video review blocks, and classroom tactical sessions. The net effect is a training year that promotes adaptability, a quality that shows up in away matches.

Facilities and training environment

RGTA operates as part of a larger RoundGlass sports ecosystem, which means tennis athletes do not train in isolation. Players have access to a campus set up for incremental progress rather than one-off hero days:

• Outdoor hard courts with lights for early and late sessions.
• A strength and conditioning gym built around junior athletic development, with platforms, free weights, medicine balls, and movement lanes for speed work.
• An in-house sport science and medical team that tracks growth, screens for asymmetries common in tennis, and coordinates corrective work with physios.
• A nutrition unit that designs fueling plans for training blocks, travel days, and tournament weeks.
• Sports psychology support focused on routines, composure, and attention control before and during matches.
• Video analysis for technical checkpoints and pattern tracking, including regular filming to map the evolution of key strokes over time.
• Professional equipment support through a formal partnership with Babolat, which streamlines racquet and stringing choices and keeps players on consistent setups.

The academy’s logistics are built for progression and for travel. Match charting, tournament scheduling, and exposure to national and select international events are woven into each athlete plan. Families can expect guidance on school coordination and living arrangements. Some players commute from the tri-city area. Others come from farther afield and work with the academy on boarding support through vetted housing options rather than a one-size-fits-all dorm. A study corner and quiet recovery spaces help athletes balance academics and training, while simple touches such as ice baths, compression sleeves, and mobility stations make daily recovery routine rather than occasional.

Coaching staff and philosophy

RGTA’s coaching group prioritizes the realities of modern tennis. That means high-repetition live-ball work rather than endless feeding lines, and it means tactical constraints that force players to solve problems at speed. A few pillars stand out:

• Game styles are built around the player’s physiology and psychology. Coaches account for wingspan, foot speed, temperament, and preferred patterns before prescribing technical changes.
• Long term athletic development guides the physical plan. Younger players build fundamental movement, elasticity, and coordination, then add strength and power as they mature.
• Mechanics are taught to reduce strain. Coaches stress efficient kinematics for serves and groundstrokes so players generate pace without fighting their own bodies.
• Mental skills are trained like physical skills. Routines for between-point resets, clear intention on big points, and productive self-talk are practiced daily.
• Video and goals make progress visible. Each player’s season plan includes checkpoints, stroke libraries, and metrics that define what improvement should look like at 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

The tone on court is competitive without being theatrical. Coaches demand effort and focus, stop sessions to make pointed corrections, and restart quickly to keep learning tied to the next live ball. Off court, players sit with staff to review patterns, scout opponents, and work on nutrition and recovery.

Programs for every stage

RGTA offers distinct tracks rather than a single catch-all program. The result is a pathway that makes sense whether a player is 10 and building a foundation or 17 and chasing ranking points.

• Elite Full-Time Program. This is the year-round engine of the academy for nationally ranked juniors and early pros. Weekly microcycles combine on-court themes, dedicated serve and return blocks, strength and conditioning, mobility, and mental skills. Tournament travel is planned to target ranking goals without burning players out. Schooling is coordinated through online curricula or local institutions based on family preference.

• Junior Development Program. For serious 10 to 14 year olds, this track builds footwork patterns, ball controls, and fundamentals for a future jump to the elite group. Parents can expect clear homework: shadow swings, rope work, and match play goals each week.

• Transition to Pro Squad. Intended for players aging out of junior events who need the right mix of volume and quality sparring, this squad emphasizes rally tolerance at speed, first-strike patterns, net closures, and doubles instincts that pay off in prize money events.

• Seasonal Intensives. During school breaks the academy runs focused blocks that compress a month of learning into a few high-quality weeks. Video baselining, grip and contact checks, and serve rebuilds are common targets here.

• Adult performance clinics. When schedules allow, the academy operates short-format clinics for adults who want a performance tune-up. Emphasis falls on serve and return frameworks, fitness that translates to court movement, and clean contact under pressure.

• Talent ID and Scholarships. The academy regularly scouts across Punjab and beyond. Players selected through tryouts may receive coaching scholarships that include access to fitness training, nutrition, sports science, and mental conditioning. This policy has already widened the intake and brought in athletes who might otherwise have been priced out.

How the training fits together

Technical work is not isolated from tactics. A representative week links themes so that footwork patterns, ball controls, and decision making stay connected:

• Monday. Directional forehand and backhand controls, serve targets at 70 percent pace, aerobic base run, and a mental session on intention setting.
• Tuesday. Neutral ball tolerance, transition patterns, return plus one, and lower body strength with injury prevention accessories.
• Wednesday. Situational point play from 30–30 and deuce with serve and return constraints, followed by mobility and soft-tissue recovery.
• Thursday. Serve and first ball for both sides, net finishes, footwork ladders, and video check-ins on the toss and shoulder line.
• Friday. Extended practice sets with charting, then a classroom review of patterns before a light flush and stretch.
• Saturday. Tournament simulation or actual local matches, depending on the schedule. Sunday is recovery or travel.

To make progress measurable, coaches track weekly hitting volume, first serve percentage, depth tolerance, short-forehand conversion, and return games won. Conditioning is audited with repeat sprint ability and a simple readiness score. Players keep journals that log sleep, soreness, and mindset so that staff can adjust workload before fatigue becomes injury.

Player development in depth

• Technical. The academy focuses on contact quality before backswing style. Players learn to shape the ball with intent, adjust spacing under pressure, and find height over the net that buys time without losing court position. On serves the priorities are a stable base, an efficient shoulder line, and a toss window that allows multiple targets without obvious tells.

• Tactical. Practice sets are designed around situations. One morning might anchor on return plus one patterns against a big first serve. Another might rehearse protecting the backhand corner with width and depth, then recognizing the short ball. Coaches chart patterns that create free points and those that leak errors.

• Physical. Strength sessions progress from movement literacy to force production, then to power and elasticity. Young players learn landings, deceleration, and hip control. Older athletes lift heavy enough to matter, then always link the work to acceleration and change of direction.

• Mental. Players rehearse routines for between points, pre-serve intention, and response to adversity. Coaches normalize pressure by introducing consequences that matter, such as a scoreboard goal or an agreed standard for body language.

• Educational. The academy teaches players how to practice without a coach. That includes setting a micro-goal for each basket, calling lines fairly, building ball tolerance gradually, and using video to self-correct.

Alumni and early impact

Within a short window, the academy has supported or been associated with Indian standouts who show what the pathway can produce. Senior pros training through the academy environment have lifted trophies, while junior athletes have earned wins in International Tennis Federation junior events and national competitions. Spotlights on players such as Karman Kaur Thandi, Yuki Bhambri, Karan Singh, Hitesh Chauhan, and Yuvan Nandal reflect a range from women’s singles to men’s doubles to rising juniors. For families, the key is not the headline but the process behind it: structured planning, measurable improvements, and match results that trend in the right direction.

Culture and community life

RGTA is part of a broader RoundGlass sports community. That creates daily cross-pollination with football, hockey, and other academy athletes who share the same sport science and wellbeing support. The culture is friendly but demanding. Morning sessions run on time, water bottles and journals are not optional, and match days feel like business. Players learn to be independent, to prep their own bags, and to manage energy across a long day. Parents are included through regular updates rather than sideline coaching.

The academy also leans into wellbeing. Yoga and breath work help with recovery and nerves. Group discussions around sleep, phone use, and nutrition build habits that last longer than any single tournament. The environment is competitive, but it is also protective. Staff step in early when they see burnout signals and shift training patterns so players rediscover joy while still progressing.

Costs, access, and scholarships

The academy prefers to place players in the right program after an on-court assessment. Pricing varies by program and length of stay, and the staff will quote specifics after a trial week or tryout. Scholarships, including full coaching scholarships for selected athletes, are awarded through formal talent identification drives. Families should budget for travel to tournaments, equipment, and any boarding arrangements if the player is relocating to Mohali. The academy can advise on schooling options and time management for online or hybrid education. International families considering a training block can expect support with local logistics so that the athlete’s focus stays on the work.

How RGTA compares across Asia

Families often compare options across the region before committing to a long-term plan. If you are weighing setups in southern India, it is helpful to look at the structure and match play cadence at the Baseline Tennis Academy in Chennai. Those in Bengaluru might explore the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy model to understand how doubles-specific habits can complement a singles pathway. For a broader view of integrated support inside a multi-sport campus, the Aspire Academy approach offers a useful point of comparison. RGTA fits into this landscape as a North India base that uses sport science and live-ball intensity to accelerate decisions on court.

What makes RGTA different

• An Indian context from day one. The academy is built around realistic travel routes, tournament calendars, school demands, and climate. Players learn to compete in the environments where they are most likely to play.
• Live-ball bias. Training puts decision making at the center. Technical work happens, but it is always tied to winning points.
• Integrated support. Nutrition, sports psychology, and physiotherapy are not bolt-ons. They sit inside the weekly plan.
• Pathways and accountability. Every program comes with clear goals, regular testing, and honest feedback. When a player moves up a group, it is because the metrics say they are ready.
• Equipment continuity. The Babolat partnership helps players stay on setups that match their game style and development stage.

Future outlook and vision

The academy’s early years have been about building a pipeline from grassroots centers across Punjab into a serious elite program. The next phase is scale with standards. Expect broader scouting, deeper tournament calendars that include targeted international swings, and continual upgrades to analysis and recovery processes. The aim is to produce Indian players who can hold their own at the Grand Slam and Olympic level while staying healthy and grounded. That requires patience, deliberate practice, and careful athlete management. RGTA is investing in staff development so that coaches keep pace with the sport and so that the academy can support more athletes without diluting its culture.

Is it for you

Choose RoundGlass Tennis Academy if your junior thrives in a disciplined, feedback-rich environment and wants a plan that links daily training to real tournament outcomes. It suits families who value sport science, mental skills, and long-view development as much as immediate wins, and who are comfortable with a schedule that adapts to North India’s seasons. If you want a quick-fix technical makeover without the repetitions, or if travel for tournaments is not in the cards, you may find a local club a better match. For motivated players who want to build a complete game and a sustainable competitive mindset, RGTA offers a clear and supportive path in Mohali.

Bottom line

RoundGlass Tennis Academy brings a performance mindset to a region ready for it. The daily rhythm is purposeful, the plans are transparent, and the support staff care about long-term progress as much as short-term results. For families seeking a serious environment with structure, measurable goals, and people who listen, this Mohali base is a compelling choice.