Today was another beautiful day at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. A place where fans and players, alike, are able to be fully engulfed in the sport that they love. However, how exactly do players prepare for the big match? They train extensively and have a healthy diet, but they also have specific people who warm them up; one of them being 22 year old Manfred Brandes.

“I’m more scared that they are going to hurt me,” Manfred told NBC Palm Springs, while explaining what it is that he does.

In fact, he is a hitting partner for players at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open.

“I do what they want to do. If they want to start and then do some drills, cross court or down the line. They want you to be the best that you can be for them to practice, so they ask you to go as hard as you can.”

Manfred says that this gig is a lot of fun, but it does have its drawbacks.

“Yeah, I’m from Mexico, and I’ve been traveling all around the world to improve my game. I miss home.”

However, he assures that he wouldn’t miss this opportunity for the world.

“Everyday is a new challenge. Every day you can go into the court without knowing what to expect.”

That is to say, not only is he training with elite athletes, like tennis star Taylor Fritz, but he is also learning things off the court.

“After warming up with Taylor. We sat down and Taylor sat with me and said, can I give you some tips.So he gave me two tips on my game. To lean forward on my forehand and to go forward in my serve. It’s amazing all those extra details he sees in your game and how he improves it. Plus, school is awesome. Well, at first I didn’t know what to expect. It was my first time going to college here and it’s also very different.”

Different because now he’s shuffling tennis and business administration at College of the Desert so that he can continue improving and playing the game he loves.

“I think it’s an interesting combination between skill, mental strength, physical strength, stamina and all that combined is what makes tennis beautiful for me.”

Remember, you can always tune in to NBC Palm Springs for highlights and can catch the matches on your tv on the channels listed below.

Spectrum: Channel 406

Frontier Fios: Channel 592

Dish Network: Channel 400

Directv: Channel 217

How Pros Train For The Big Match