CityTennis
For those who play tennis in San Francisco
TENNIS PLAYING TIPS
We are gathering tennis tips from everywhere and if you have any sites or tips please email us
VISITORS
If you are visiting our city and looking for a tennis game contact John Cervantes and he will attempt to find you a partner or game during your stay in the city.
The National Center for Sports Safety is focused on keeping your athletes safe both on and off the field. In celebration of April as Sports Safety Awareness Month, the NCSS Team has put together Top 10 List of Sports Safety Tips.
1. Have a plan in place should there be an injury or emergency. This is the first step to being prepared. Steps on setting up an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) can be found in the NCSS PREPARE course.
2. Always warm-up and stretch prior to activity. The warm-up helps blood flow to loosen the muscles. Stretching will help to decrease injury.
3. A cool-down period and stretching is also recommended. A cool-down aids the body in returning to its resting state. Stretching at the end may help to decrease soreness.
4. Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration occurs faster than you think and can happen while exercising in the heat and in the cold. Hydrating is an important part of any activity.
5. Dress appropriately for your environment. Certain materials can actually be a barrier to the body trying to use its own cooling mechanism properly. Lighter weight and cooler clothing materials are recommended when outside in the heat.Thin layers that can be removed or added are best for cooler temperatures.
6. Always wear the proper equipment for the sport you are participating in. Make sure the equipment is in good repair. This is essential to reduce the risk of injury in sports at all levels. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) is an excellent resource to determine appropriate standards.
7.Medications can affect health and hydration - adjust activity and fluid intake accordingly. Sometimes medications, such as allergy or cold medicine, can dehydrate the body. If engaging in exercise, be mindful to stay hydrated.
8. Rest is a treatment! Proper rest encourages the body to recover. Following an injury, strenuous workout, or competition, the body may need time to recover. Returning prematurely to activity may impair the healing process.
9. Remember R.I.C.E. following an injury:
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•R - Rest Rest encourages the body to heal.
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•I - Ice Ice helps reduce pain and swelling.
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•C - Compression Compression holds ice in place and reduces the area of swelling.
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•E - Elevation Elevation uses gravity to assist in draining blood and fluid from an injured area.
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10.Participating in sports should be fun! Enjoy!
McEnroe’s Book Reveals USTA Changing Davis Cup Strategy
Patrick McEnroe has revealed that the United States Tennis Association’s desire to exert power over players, and a subsequent backlash, could have resulted in Andy Roddick’s decision not to play Davis Cup this year.
McEnroe’s revelations come in his new book “Hardcourt Confidential: Tales From Twenty Five Years In the Pro Tennis Trenches” that the United States Davis Cup captain of the last ten years co-wrote with the veteran American tennis journalist Peter Bodo.
Until this year Roddick’s service in the cause of his country had been exemplary since making his debut against Switzerland when aged just 18 back in 2001. He had played in 23 ties, scoring 31 singles victories from his 42 rubbers, a record that leaves him second all time in US Davis Cup history to McEnroe’s esteemed elder brother John.
In January Roddick announced he would not be available for Davis Cup selection this year as he sought to overcome injury problems that saw him miss the year ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London and make a more concerted effort at the Grand Slam titles after performing so admirably to finish runner up to Roger Federer in an epic Wimbledon final.
However McEnroe writes that by the end of 2009, Roddick “was growing a little tired of the extraneous demands of Davis Cup.”
The causes were not on-court issues and the demands of playing. Rather economic issues and budgetary restraints on the team that a little over two years earlier had won the cup for the United States for the first time in 12 years.
“He was pissed by the way the USTA started nitpicking the players’ phone bills, or insisting that Mike Bryan’s girlfriend take a cab and pay her own way to the airport when she had to leave a tie a day early,” writes McEnroe, whose Davis Cup deal is due to expire next year.
“It was petty stuff, easily averted, and a transparent attempt by the USTA to show who’s in charge. But the reality is that the USTA has to be careful not to alienate the top players.”
In September the United States team, presumably still without the services of Roddick, will play to preserve World Group status for the first time since 2005. With both Roddick and James Blake opting not to play in February and Mike Bryan ruled out by illness, McEnroe was forced to rely on youngsters John Isner and Sam Querrey with the team losing 3-2 to Serbia on indoor clay in Belgrade.
Bob Larson’s tennis tips
Today’s Tennis Tip
Today’s playing tip comes from Oscar Wegner. To learn more about Wegner, go to www.tennisteacher.com.
The Jim Courier forehand
Jim Courier had the strongest forehand of his time. It was a combination of power and topspin that took him to No. 1 in the world in 1992. He won two Australian Opens (1992-93) and two French Opens (1991-92).
The particular aspect that made his forehand such a strong but simple shot was his racquet position in regards to the ball. He would follow it as if he was going to stop it in front of his face with the palm of his right hand.
From there, it was easy. As soon as he felt the ball was within his grasp, he would release the strongest swing possible, across to his left.
Even his body would shift to the left, aiding this huge punch.
His trademark was his confidence in this relentless attack. He would hammer mercilessly every forehand ball.
A particular drill that would help you understand this type of stroke would be to have someone feed you slow, high balls to your forehand side. Meanwhile you keep your hand and racquet pointing up and in front when the ball starts coming to you, and you look at the incoming ball through the strings, as if you would be looking at the back of your hand, not your palm.
This is an exaggerated drill. Don't take it as if you would have to look at the ball through the strings in a match.
After the bounce, just find the ball well, preferably near shoulder height, and hit it quite hard, as naturally as you can, with topspin and sidespin, going to your left (for a right hander).
You'll notice your wrist will get used to this cocked position, giving you plenty of power, but also maximizing control.
Do not force your wrist nor tighten up too much on your grip, which is one of the causes of tennis elbow. This stroke may be helpful, but if it causes you any physical trouble, it may not be for you.
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“What’s Next?”
By Chris Howard
Wood racquets are now gone, long skirts and trousers – gone, white tennis balls, 100 percent cotton tennis shirts, leather grips. . . . pretty much obsolete; racquet presses, natural gut strings, hand changed score cards at tournaments, even how you might pick the next group of potential professional tennis players has become much more scientific than it used to be.
Times have changed and with each new generation of ideas and research, our streamlined-fast paced life, space-aged electronics and new materials keep giving us more of an edge with and in the game of tennis and the modern world we live.
Now more than ever the evolution of our society is at a crossroads to new breakthroughs in all kinds of physical, material and mental information.
Major Wingfield would never have guessed how the game of tennis would grow throughout the world and develop in so many great ways.
The winding road of tennis and its humble beginning got started with the advent of the lawn mower in 1830, followed by Charles Goodyear’s vulcanized rubber in 1843. The industrialized time of the latter 1800’s created more time for socialization and reasons to come up with fun games of interaction for mixed genders, thus the Major and his patent of tennis in 1874.
Racquets have changed from the common material of wood to metal, to aluminum to different composites, to graphite. Strings have progressed from natural gut (cattle/sheep intestines) to synthetic strings made of nylon, polyester and Kevlar. Grips have gone from wooden grooves, leather, to rubber/sponge, and every kind of over-grip based on the weather at hand.
There have been some wonderfully insightful people who have helped change life on the court and certainly with clothing and equipment through the decades, too many to mention in this short column.
Susan Lenglen got rid of some of the heavy women’s clothing that prevailed for years. Gussy Moran wore the first lace panties that dress designer Ted Tingling made for her which in turn got him fired from his Wimbledon Committee job. Jack Kramer was one of the first men to go from long trousers to tennis shorts; and from that point on, tennis clothes became more colorful, sporting and now light and breathable.
Rene Lacoste was known in many circles, as a player, businessman and inventor who came up with a tubular steel racquet that was produced by Wilson named the T-2000. It went along very well with his polo shirt that had the alligator on it.
Howard Head designed the first over-sized tennis racquet called the Prince Classic in 1967 which changed the game of tennis; the governing bodies changed and added a few rules, Jimmy Van Alen’s tiebreak at 6-6 in games, no-ad tennis scoring for doubles with third set tiebreaks, which leaves us on a roll of new expertise in jump-starting the game for the 21st century.
The new technology continues with Hawk-Eye where high speed cameras create a picture of where the ball lands for umpiring matches; computer chips in racquets to stiffen the racquet frame as needed; air-conditioned handles and grips; computer chips in shoes that relays information to your iPod on calories spent, amount you’ve run and more. It’s absolutely mind-boggling and there’s so much more just around the corner.
A gentleman by the name of Jon Niednagel is researching a project called “Brain Typing” which shows what behavior traits/designs you’re born with. This can help many people determine easier ways to learn and what sports and life endeavors each might be better geared for.
Computer chips are being implanted in people brains to help them with spinal cord injuries.
Tennis wise what will take place next? Glow in the dark tennis balls? Tennis courts that don’t crack with patch material that lasts 5 years? Racquets with computers in the handle that record your shots and movements? A small monitor on the racquet that tells the speed of your serve or a brief message/video to show you good form? An empty flask in the handle for a quick drink or maybe a robotic tennis ball retriever?
No matter if it’s an upgrade in our equipment, clothing or mental/physical training, we certainly have become aware that changes sometimes take place in small and major ways and on occasion even undermine things we were told scientifically to believe only years before.
Guess that’s life in the big city.
Chris Howard is a local USPTA Tennis Professional with over 35 years in the racquet and fitness industry. He can be reached at 928-445-1331 or choward4541@q.com
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today’s tennis hint:
Communicate in doubles between every point. This helps you and your partner stay on the same page and also make sure that the communication is positive as you should always talk with your partner never at them as you are only as good as the two of you together not individually.
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They Wrote It
Matt Cronin noted on tennisreporters.net: "Serena (Williams) has played four ties in the last 11 years and has contested just one match of serious significance (in 1999). She is the least committed Fed Cup player in U.S. history."
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Did You Know. . . ?
Tennis Tip of the Day:
In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. He has coached 10 players who have reached No. 1 in the world, including Andre Agassi, Boris Becker and Martina Hingis. To learn more about you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
Practice Your Volley's On the Move
How do most people practice their volleys? One player will stand at the net while the other hits balls to them from the baseline. This is great, except for one thing, seldom are you ever in a stationary position when volleying. Most of your volleys will be hit while moving forward toward the net. Practicing the volley from a stationary position is great to perfect your technique and develop some ball control, but you must also learn to approach, volley, and hit overheads while in motion. Here's a way we like to do it.
The idea is to work together and keep one ball in play as long as possible. Both player A and B start on opposite baselines. Player A will feed a short ball to player B. Player B hits an approach shot back down the middle to Player A, then moves into the net. Player A returns this ball to Player B for a volley. Player B volleys the ball back to player A. Player A then hits a lob to Player B who hits the overhead back to player A. Player A takes this ball as an approach shot and moves into the net while Player B remains on the baseline and gives Player A a volley and then an overhead. Then Player B will move into the net off of Player A's overhead and the drill keeps going as long as the ball stays in play.
This drill is fantastic for footwork, balance and ball control. In the beginning you should keep the pace slow. The more advanced you become the more the pace can be increased. Also, if you are getting tired too quickly you may add volleys to the drill to slow it down. So instead of coming to the net and hitting one volley before moving back for the overhead, you may hit two, three or even four to slow the movement down. Remember, you are trying to work together to keep one ball going. This drill may also be done crosscourt to practice the movement and balance for doubles. When this drill is done correctly, it is a great cardiovascular exercise and many professionals use this drill to get a workout.
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Tennis Hints of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hints. Keep them in mind when you're down 0-30 and really need that next point.
* When in a defense situation at the net – for instance someone having a short overhead against you in doubles – get low and be prepared to hit a backhand volley. That way you can defend yourself if the ball should be hit at you.
* When poaching generally hit the ball in the direction you are moving as this allows your partner time to cover the court you just left. Also, you are hitting toward the short side of the court which gives your opponents less time to react.
Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Know what statistics are meaningful and which are not. Three big ones to be aware of are points won on your own second serve, points won returning second serves and total points won. In these times of information overload you can get statistics for virtually anything but a lot have no relevance to how the match went or what areas a person needs to improve on.
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Tennis Tip of the Day:
In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. He has coached 10 players who have reached No. 1 in the world, including Andre Agassi, Boris Becker and Martina Hingis. To learn more about him you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
Playing on Clay
By Nick Bollettieri
Characteristics of clay – The clay court surface is considered “slower” than the hard court surface. Because of the softness and gritty texture of the court, the ball will bite and bounce up more on a clay court than a hard court. This slows down the speed of the ball when it hits the court and gives players more time to set up for shots, thus the term “slower”.
However, a clay court's speed can change throughout the course of a day or even a match, whereas the speed of a hard court will remain constant. When a clay surface is moist or damp, the court is softer and the ball will bite more into the court, slowing down considerably on impact. Clay courts can dry out throughout the course of a day or even a long match, making the court surface harder which will not slow the ball down as much on impact. This can be a big advantage or disadvantage for some players. For example, a serve and volley player or a player that hits a hard flat ball will enjoy playing more on a day when it is sunny, hot and dry making the court play faster. While baseline players with heavy spin will prefer to play on cloudy, humid days (or even a slight drizzle) to keep the court moist and slow.
The different movement on a clay court is also interesting. Because the court has a layer of loose clay (which you may call sand or dirt) on top, being able to slide and keep your balance will be a huge advantage. The Europeans and South Americans are masters of this movement, which is why they are so dangerous when playing on clay. The ability to change directions, recover and slide on clay has a major impact on your foundation when hitting, which is why mobility plays a major role in the success of clay court players.
Tactics and Strategy on clay – You must be more patient on clay because of the speed of the court. Pounding winners from behind the baseline is not the best idea. You must be more patient, however, this is easier said than done. Your body and mind must be ready to stand tall and be prepared for a long battle. The better shape you are in physically, the better chance of success you will have on clay because you will be able to withstand the long, grueling rallies.
You must add spin and height to offset the aggressive power and flat groundstrokes of hard court players. You cannot take as many one-shot winner chances because the risk will be greater than the return on the softer surface. If you are a net player, do not be afraid to come to the net on clay. You may want to be a little more selective about which balls you come in behind however, because clay courts will slow down that approach shot giving the opponent more time to set up to pass. So be patient and wait for the right time to come in.
Stay aggressive with your serve but more with placement and heavy spins to keep your opponent guessing and off balance on the return. Serving a higher first serve percentage will keep opponents from being offensive with the return.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Know your choices. If you win the spin or coin toss you have four choices. You can choose to serve, choose to return, choose the side or choose to have your opponent choose. Any of the choices could be the correct one depending on the conditions of the court, weather and your own playing style.
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In Wednesday's Variety, Nick Bollettieri looked at playing on clay courts. Today, he offers his insight on hard courts. To learn more about Bollettieri, you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
Playing on Hard courts
By Nick Bottettieri
Typically speaking, hard courts are “faster” than clay courts. This means the ball will slide more and stay lower when it impacts the court, rather than biting into it and bouncing up such as it does on clay, and therefore reach the opponent more quickly. However, in today's tennis environment, governing bodies are doing their best to slow this surface down in order to facilitate longer rallies and add to the enjoyment in playing as well as the entertainment value of watching top level tennis. They do this by adding sand to the mixture of actual court surface before it is applied to its concrete base. This gives the court more of a sandpaper texture which prevents the ball from sliding as much through the court and giving the player more time to strike.
But as I said before, typically speaking, hard courts are faster than clay. So this surface will help the big servers, such as Pete Sampras, and baseliners that like to play the ball hard and flat like Andre Agassi. What this means for most players is that the preparation must be quicker and simpler, taking the racket back early and having your feet in position to hit faster than you would on clay. You must also use your legs. Remember this ball will not bounce up quite as high, so you must utilize your legs in order to get under the ball.
The movement on a hard court is also monumentally different than clay. Unless your name is Kim Clijsters there will be no sliding into shots on this surface. From the baseline you will see a lot of shots that would come back on clay turn into forcing shots or outright winners on the hard court. Conversely, it is easier for net rushers to attack because they will be able to change directions more quickly and cover the net more effectively. So many passing shots that find their way by a net rusher on clay will come back when the surface is more conducive to rapid changes of direction.
Conventional wisdom tells us that serve and volleyers and big baseline bangers have the advantage over the grinders and heavy topspin clay-courters on a hard surface. However that trend is slowly changing as the organizers make the surfaces slower and slower. It is understandable with all the new racket technology and the strength training that players do these days that the game needs to adjust to these changes. After all nobody wants to watch two players hit only serves for five sets. But in the process we are seeing true serve and volleyers become a thing of the past. Where is the happy medium?
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Learn to angle off high balls at the net. Most players get too excited on a high volley or short overhead and focus on pasting the ball rather than placing it. High balls should be angled off the court rather than blasted deep as they will generally be returned regardless of the pace if you allow your opponent to touch them.
Tennis Tip of the Day:
In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. To learn more about you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
By Nick Bollettieri
"There is no substitute for movement...you can't hit what you can't reach!"
Footwork linked with Strategy? Players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Vera Zvonareva not only define what it means to play aggressive tennis, but they also reveal to us what one of the main ingredients is to their recipe of success, offensive footwork. As a coach focusing on your player's strategy, you must first understand the difference between offensive and defensive footwork. Let's start by introducing you to one of the most important offensive moves.
If you spend some time with me on court you might hear him refer to one of the offensive moves as the “hop and skip” step, also known as the “hop step,” or even “skip step.” This is my choice of footwork when players need to move forward on a low and short ball. The hop step allows players to hit topspin on a ball they may surrender to with a defensive slice. In addition to being able to get underneath the ball and hit the topspin, players also use it as movement for transitioning into the net.
From world-class professional athletes to beginners, the hop step is an athletic move that everyone can learn and benefit from. Below are some key points to remember when using this footwork:
The first steps to the ball are referred to as “power steps.” These are the initial explosive, powerful movements toward the ball. Often the player makes the mistake of initially shuffling to the ball, which takes away time from preparation.
Prior to exploding forward with the hop, the player uses small adjustment steps, rhythm steps, to accurately establish their set position for the shot.
In a neutral stance, the player then rolls off the front foot with a little hop and steps down.
Being able to get in the right position and chose the optimal footwork allows you to strategically play aggressive tennis. Always remember: There is more to the game then just hitting the ball.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Many players have difficulty generating power or spin because they simply hold the racket in a death grip. On a scale of 1-5 most players hold about a 7 while the preferred amount of pressure would be about 1.5 -2. Relax your grip and swing freer, faster and better. If you are unsure of the sensation try hitting a few shots or serves with you pinky off the racket to get the sensation of looseness but then put the pinky back on so you don't need a new racket everyday.
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Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's playing tip comes from Oscar Wegner. To learn more about Wegner, go to www.tennisteacher.com.
Tennis and Martial Arts
Quotes by Bruce Lee – Tennis Comments by Oscar Wegner
“Art is the expression of the self. The more complicated and restricted the method, the less the opportunity for expression of one's original sense of freedom.”
“Though they play an important role in the early stage, the techniques should not be too mechanical, complex or restrictive. If we cling blindly to them, we shall eventually become bound by their limitations. Remember, you are expressing the techniques and not doing the techniques.”
Furthermore, the first things you learn in a sport (or in life) are the most marking, affecting future computations. Typically, tennis beginners are taught restrictive procedures and movements to be adhered to systematically. For example, players are taught to move in a certain pattern and assume certain positions for hitting, rather than letting the person accommodate to what they feel most comfortable. Another blight is preparing early, while pros stalk the ball. These techniques are significantly different from the style of the pros. Tennis is perhaps the only sport where teaching the way the pros play is shunned by teachers. The end result is that most people end up limiting their tennis performance.
“. . . He is actually becoming a slave to a choice pattern and feels that the pattern is the real thing.”
“One must be free. Instead of complexity of form, there should be simplicity of expression.”
“Do not be tense, just be ready, not thinking but not dreaming, not being set but being flexible. It is being "wholly" and quietly alive, aware and alert, ready for whatever may come.”
The goal of a tennis coach, whether coaching professionals or teaching beginners, is not to add more to the complexity of the tennis technique. Your goal should be to simplify it, have the student appeal to the his or her instinct, move less, and still achieve the same or even better effectiveness of the student's shots.
“Each one of us is different and each one of us should be taught the correct form. By correct form I mean the most useful techniques the person is inclined toward. Find his ability and then develop these techniques.”
Overall, this is what Oscar Wegner's Modern Tennis techniques are all about. Efficiency. Natural, powerful moves and strokes, a delicate guidance of the student to help him or her find out, by themselves, what feels good and what does not.
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Tennis Tip of the Day:
How should I train with regard to muscle strengthening for tennis?
By Dr. Jack Groppel
There are tonic muscle fibers which use oxygen and there are phasic fibers which are anaerobic and do not use oxygen (It is probably also of importance to note that there are other fibers gradated between these two extremes). Both fiber types are found in basically all skeletal muscles, just in different proportions. The muscles of the body that react very rapidly are composed mainly of the phasic fibers (or fast twitch) with only a small amount of the slow twitch or tonic fibers. Conversely, the muscles that respond slowly, and usually with a prolonged contraction, are made up mainly of the tonic fibers. The large calf muscle (gastrocnemius) has a predominance of phasic fibers for jumping and pushing off, whereas the smaller calf muscle (soleus) has a higher amount of tonic fibers and is used more for prolonged lower leg activity.
The tonic fibers are usually smaller with a more extensive blood capillarization thus enabling them to use oxygen. They are used abundantly in slower and more continuous type of exercise. These slow-twitch fibers provide endurance over many minutes up to hours of exercise. The phasic fibers are much larger for greater strength of contraction and a less extensive blood supply. Since these fibers do not require oxygen for contraction, they are used more effectively in short explosive movements such as those used in interval training. These fast-twitch fibers can deliver extreme amounts of power for a few seconds to a minute or so. So, if you run long distances at a steady rate all the time, such as a five-mile jog at a continuously steady pace, you are recruiting the tonic fibers and you will actually train your body to call upon them on demand.
On the other hand, if you run in intervals, where you are using short bursts of power in windsprints, followed by intermittent recovery, you are employing the phasic fibers more effectively. Again, it is theorized that you can train your body to call upon the fibers you employ the most.
There has been a plethora of research examining this phenomenon. Studies have depicted that we may have a fixed number of the various fiber types but, through training the right way, we can enhance the firing of certain ones. It is important to note that you CANNOT change the relative proportions of fast twitch and slow twitch fibers regardless of how hard you try. We all have a fixed amount of the different fiber types but we also have different proportions. Marathoners, for example, have been observed to have a ratio of 82% slow twitch fibers to 18% fast twitch while sprinters have been seen to have 63% fast twitch and 37% slow twitch fibers.
The key point of training is to understand that improved fitness and specificity of training to the particular activity enhances muscle development and contraction, as well as blood flow. You want to train in such a way that you ENHANCE what you already have and facilitate the movements required by your activity's demands. You would not want to train in a counterproductive way that goes against the requirements of your sport.
Dr. Jack L. Groppel is the co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and the vice president of the USPTA National Board of Directors. To learn more, visit www.corporateathlete.com.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
When slicing the backhand avoid getting the racket to high on the backswing. Generally it should never get higher than the shoulder on the slice as the swing should not be straight down but more subtle and forward. This will allow for a more driving slice.
Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's tip is provided by Daniel Linley, a teaching professional at the Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club in San Francisco.
There is a relationship between the upper and lower body in every tennis stroke. When you incorporate your legs you can use your upper body more efficiently. Your legs generate power and stability and are as important to hitting a solid volley as they are to thumping a huge inside out forehand. More importantly, the volley isn't about power as much as it is about early contact, which gives you control and consistency.
The more you use your legs on the volley the easier the shot will be. If you find yourself missing a lot of easy sitter volleys, pay attention to your lower body weight transfer. Focus on the crossover step to get your body to the ball, after the split step, of course. Keep the racquet stable with a slight shoulder turn.
Maintain a shortened swing (or punch) path as clean as possible and keep the shot simple. Use your legs for timing and consistency and your upper body for control and those volleys will make you a threat at net.
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Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's playing tip comes from Oscar Wegner. To learn more about Wegner, go to www.tennisteacher.com.
This week's tip on timing is very simple, but powerful.
Fact number one: players of all levels have good days and bad days.
Fact number two: most players, including professionals, are not certain on how to fix a bad day and make it a good one. They don't know the underlying cause, and they may blame a bad performance, from player to player, on many different things.
Fact number three: on bad days, 99% of the time it is your timing that is throwing the rest off.
People either tend to rush or they do too much too early. That is, 99.9% of the time the player is not tracking the ball long enough before hitting it.
Fact number four: it is easy to fix a bad day. You just have to correct the mother of all errors, the one underlying cause: bad timing. After that, everything starts feeling better and you can trust your strokes as much as on a good day.
Therefore, when you are in trouble, check your timing and apply the solution: track the ball longer and longer, waiting as much as possible, tracking it with your eyes, your racquet, your hand. You may be running to reach the ball, but your hand is stalking it, still in front. Forget about having to be perfectly positioned, forget about racquet preparation, forget about thinking at all. Just track the ball as if you were going to catch it with your hand or to stop it with the racquet, then give it your usual whack!
You may lose some power in the process, but you'll be confident that the ball is going in the court.
Then you can go for power again, increasing the amplitude of your swing. If your timing is still good, you'll feel wonderful: your power strokes are going in and in.
Most players, including pros, may think this is too easy a solution, and don't believe in miracles. I'd like to insist: if there are some possible miracles in your tennis, this is one of them.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Use your non-dominant hand as a counter weight on a one-handed backhand or one-handed backhand volley. Typically, however far your dominant hand releases forward your non-dominant hand should go that same distance backward to help with balance and control.Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's tip is provided by Daniel Linley, a teaching professional at the Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club in San Francisco.
The overhead is one of the most exhilarating shots in tennis. It often comes at the end of an exciting point. It's thrilling to watch and to hit. This is the kill shot of the point. Hit to win. I tell my students, “A returned overhead is not an overhead. It's a missed opportunity.” Too many players are focused on hitting the ball too deep or too hard.
As a result, the potential winner goes long, is shanked, or dumped into the net because the player put their head down to look at the target. The overhead is a great chance to win the point so why make it difficult? Instead of going for the lines, get your contact point up and forward. Smash the ball down the middle of the court, over your opponents head.
Going for the deep shot can back fire if your opponent gets their racquet on the ball. Instead, go for the big shot in the big part of the court and try to bounce the ball right over the fence.
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Ann Marie
The following item was submitted by Chris Kretchmer, the head teaching professional at the Carmel Valley Athletic Club in Carmel, Calif. If you have an interesting story or commentary on anything involving tennis you'd like to share, let us hear about it. Email steve@tennisnews.com.
For some time at our club I taught lessons on a court next to a backboard. One spring I began noticing a tiny, white haired woman of perhaps 90 who struggled out to the court and spent half an hour trying in vain to hit tennis balls against the backboard. She was very frail, limped badly and always wore the stark white outfit of a nurse. This went on for perhaps a month. One day not long after, I was talking to the physical therapist who had an office at our club. He told me that she was in his care and that she was a doctor. She had been in a terrible car accident and her ankle had been crushed. She was 89 and her goal in life was to get well enough to play tennis. I suggested to the therapist that she schedule a tennis lesson with me as I could get the ball to her.
The next week he scheduled a lesson for her. At the appointed hour she struggled down to my court. She spoke few words but with a big smile and a heavy Austrian accent she introduced herself and told me that she also had Parkinson's disease as well as the crushed ankle.
We stood at the service lines and I tossed the ball to her for a half an hour, with little communication or instruction other than my encouragement to move and complimenting her when she managed a step to the ball. As we hit I realized in addition to huge physical limitations and a passion to play she had decent hands. With a little work she knew the center of the string, she knew contact point, and she knew where the strings pointed. What she didn't have was any speed, mobility, fear, or self consciousness or doubt.
Over the course of the next few years our lesson expanded from half an hour to an hour twice per week. Slowly she gained a tiny amount of mobility but not enough to really matter. We had rallies for 10, then 20 then 30 hits on a routine basis. Over the course of the next few months she confided in me that not only was she in physical therapy for her automobile accident and had Parkinson's, but she told me that she had a pacemaker, an artificial hip, a rod in her leg and she had beaten two different kinds of cancer. She proved to be kind, caring, and she thanked everyone in her path for everything.
Did she care about how she looked? No. Was she self conscious? No. Did she get frustrated? No. Did she complain about her situation? No. She wore her physical and life scars like a badge with pride as a survivor. She arrived week after week. Rain or shine, hot or cold, she arrived happy to be out in the sunshine and alive.
In the last 30 years I have taught an estimated 25,000 lessons, fed 11.5 million balls and had the opportunity to share the lives and dreams of nearly 10,000 people. In that time I have taught Olympians, professionals, kings and queens, the captains of industry. During that time I have coached national champions from age 8 to age 85. In that time nobody has impressed me as much as Ann Marie.
Will Ann Marie ever be a champion? No. Will she ever play a game with anyone? No. But Ann Marie is truly a warrior of the highest order and a champion in my eyes. She has demonstrated as much guts, perseverance, work ethic, patience and discipline as any student I have ever had the opportunity to cross paths with. We could all learn a great deal from Ann Marie.
***Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Train for recovery. Since tennis has a lot of high intensity bursts followed by periods of rest the person who can get their heart rate to get back to normal after a long point has a distinct advantage. Look to do interval training to help with your anaerobic recovery.
Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's tip is provided by Daniel Linley, a teaching professional at the Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club in San Francisco.
The Running Man
A favorite drill of mine for juniors is called Running Man. It's a two-on-one drill. The two baseliners are hitting down the line, the singles baseliner is hitting crosscourt. This is fantastic drill for building stamina, understanding the difference between offense and defense and also for developing forward thinking anticipation.
Running Man challenges each player differently. Everyone is working on changing the direction of the ball, one of the most difficult but most important tactics in tennis. The forehand and backhand players need to develop the ability to hit confidently down the line. Considered difficult by most, maybe even more so when coming from crosscourt.
The singles player needs to stay steady and focus on depth and what I call “Aggressive Defense”. The player is trying to get back to the center mark before their crosscourt shot lands. While the 2 “down the line” players are trying to prevent him from getting set up. When done well, this drill is really fun and challenging. Grab a couple of friends and give it a try.
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Commentary
Dr. Allen Fox recently read Andre Agassi's new book “Open” and shares the following thoughts. A former U.S. Davis Cup player, Fox is a distinguished player, coach and author. He was a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon in 1965 and coached the Pepperdine men's tennis team for 17 years. He is the author of “The Winner's Mind: A Competitor's Guide to Sports and Business Success”. Allen and his wife Nancy currently reside in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
The Agassi book is a sports psychologist's dream. It is the most analytic, insightful, and detailed autobiography I've read in a sports book. Agassi obviously tries to be honest. And it sounds like he is – mostly. The only parts where he seems to be stretching it a bit is where he spends too much time trying to turn Steffi Graf in to a Goddess and paragon of all things good. Maybe he actually sees it that way, but the passages are somewhat overdone and, worst of all, boring. His other overdone and dull passages relate to his charity work. He goes into too much grinding detail and I have the urge to say, “OK, OK, already Andre! You are a good guy and a benevolent soul, despite the bad things you have done. We get it, so stop talking about it before we all go to sleep.”
The book is also an excellent example of how an over-the-top, abusive parent can create the drive to turn a kid into a champion, but how the kid ends up twisted, emotionally unstable, unhappy, and badly in need of love and comfort. He finds it in Gil Reyes (who comes out looking awfully good), Brad Gilbert (who comes out looking very smart and also good), Steffi (Stephanie, as she wishes to be called) Graf, and a couple of old friends. Mostly, however, Agassi hates everybody and everything.
He is more naturally antagonistic than I had previously thought, although this is a trait common in very good tennis players. Many of them are “we vs. they” kinds of guys, meaning they are generally suspicious of people but have their group of trusted friends to whom they are strongly loyal. This would include the likes of Jimmy Connors, Pancho Gonzales, Brad Gilbert, John McEnroe, et al. and, to a lesser extent, me. Gilbert is a great example. I coached him when he was on the Pepperdine tennis team and found him to be a ferociously loyal person. He will never say a bad word about players he's coached (Agassi, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray), any of his old friends, or me, and he will defend us all if somebody else says something negative.
Agassi is also a lot smarter than I thought. I had heard from Gilbert that he was very smart, but his public utterances didn't sound all that smart and, besides, I knew the loyal Gilbert would say this even if he wasn't. Agassi's book is filled with self-analysis, constantly trying to solve the puzzle of his own mind, but with limited success. He tries to atone for his aggressive, mean side by his generosity and charitable works.
This also stands to reason. All of us like to think well of ourselves even though we may do things of which we are not proud. Doing good works for others feeds our needs for empathy. It leaves us with a warm feeling and this counteracts the nasty, negative, mean emotions we get when we fight with other people. Whatever bad things Agassi may have done (taking drugs, hating his father, hating tennis, hating Boris Becker, hating Jimmy Connors, holding grudges against Jeff Tarango for giving him a bad call when they played in a 10-and-under match, tanking tennis matches, treating people badly, etc.), his charitable works prove to him and everyone else that he is not all bad. And in my own opinion this is a good enough reason. The good works are getting done and helping people, whatever the motivations may be. I just don't want to hear about it too much.
In the end it is a cautionary tale for parents. His father may well have thought that he was doing his best for his son by driving him relentlessly, giving him little or no warmth or love, and generally treating him harshly to toughen him up. (Adolph Hitler may also have thought he was doing his best for Germany). But the result of it was a person who was emotionally unstable throughout his tennis career and who probably still is. As a player he went along for periods of time motivated, relatively uplifted (for him) and productive, but then some incident would completely derail him. A miserable, steep, downward spiral would result until he hit bottom, wallowed for awhile, and finally something or someone would turn him around and start him back up. All in all, in spite of his great talent and many successes, he led a pretty miserable existence, and, as a father myself, I would never want such a thing for my kids. Success is admirable and useful, but not at this price. I'm not saying that parents should coddle their kids and tell them they are great when they aren't. Some negative reinforcement is necessary and useful. But Agassi's dad clearly went too far.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Bruce Gullikson provides today's tennis hint:
Stay active between hits. World class players tend to take 10-12 steps between every shot and as the level of play lowers the number of steps lessen accordingly. Since more time in playing is spent not hitting the ball than hitting the ball it is wise to be active and use that time to your advantage. Not only do one's shots falter when the feet slow down but a person tends to be less mentally strong when that happens as well.
Tennis Tip of the Day:
In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. He has coached 10 players who have reached No. 1 in the world, including Andre Agassi, Boris Becker and Martina Hingis. To learn more about him you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
The Slice Backhand
By Nick Bollettieri
The slice backhand can be a great tool for many different reasons. It can be used in transition to approach the net or when keeping the ball low and allowing time to get into a good volleying position. It can also be used to mix up the pace during a rally to throw off the opponent's rhythm and force an error or a short ball. And it can be a fantastic tool on defense to buy enough time to get out of trouble and back into a point. For all of these reasons, having a slice in your arsenal is a big advantage when you go into battle.
The backhand slice technique can be tricky because it requires a certain amount of touch and feel. The traditional grip for a backhand slice would be a continental (the same as for the volley), but some players will vary this slightly depending on what they are more comfortable with. Turn your shoulders and bring the racket up with the hitting surface of the racket open. Be sure that the elbow is bent and you are not too stiff when executing your slice. This is a common problem and can lead to frustration when trying to learn the slice. From this position swing the racket forward and slightly down to the ball, sliding the face of the racket under the ball.
Don't make the swing pattern too steep, or you will look like you are chopping down a tree as your slice bounces 2 feet short of the net. Swing more out to the ball. Contact should be slightly forward of your front foot. If you are too early the ball will go straight up and if you are late the ball will most likely come off to flat and sail long or wide. The finish should be with your hand about shoulder high and your racket completely open. Be careful that your body stays turned throughout the stroke. It is common to see some inexperienced players finish the slice with their body completely open and parallel to the net. You should try to remain turned until the slice is finished.
Don't expect great results on your first few tries. As I said, this takes a certain amount of touch and control. When learning the slice, practice short on a wall or from service line to service line with a partner, going slowly and learning to feel the ball. As you begin to feel comfortable, slowly move back until you are hitting from baseline to baseline. If the ball is coming off too spinny (or thin as we call it), try getting more of the ball on the strings on contact and make sure you are not chopping down on the ball. If the ball is too flat off your strings, be sure the face of the racket is open and slides under the ball on contact. Another common problem is the ball going to high. If this happens, try speeding up the racket head slightly on contact. This will help the ball “grab on” to the strings, and keep the ball from going stright up after contact.
A coach can be a great help with your technique, but the only way to really get the hang of the slice is too practice it over and over. A coach can teach many things, but they cannot teach feel, that is something you must master on your own. Someone once said “repetition is the mother of skill”, and it is never more true than when learning the slice.
***Tennis Tip of the Day:
Today's playing tip comes from Oscar Wegner. To learn more about Wegner, go to www.tennisteacher.com.
Backhand Volley
The notion that you can volley effectively without changing your grip at all between your forehand and backhand volleys is somewhat inaccurate.
Although many professionals volley without rotating the grip between the thumb and forefinger, there is some change at the heel of the hand.
On the forehand volley the racket grip is usually aligned with the life line of your palm, while on the backhand volley the heal of the hand is a bit more mounted on the grip.
This rotation is instinctive and born from practice, with the player adopting, by feel, the most efficient way to hit the ball.
The best backhand volleys are hit across the body, rather than forward, slicing the ball quite a bit. They are a very short motion, and they firm up at the impact with the ball.
While on groundstrokes it is best to get below the ball and hit up, the opposite is true on volleys. You should hit down, as if your racket was going to the bottom of the net, but with a short and chopping hit.
The racket face should be open, according to the height of the incoming shot. What works best to learn to copy the top pros on the backhand volley is to advance the butt of the racket across the body, from left to right, as if you were elbowing somebody out of the way.
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Tennis Hint of the Day
Today's tennis hint comes from Rick Macci, who currently runs his academy out of the Boca Lago Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla. To learn more about Macci you can check out: www.rickmacci.com.
When serving remember from a strategic standpoint it becomes a guessing game, especially as your skill level is higher and technique is set. Where you served it last time, what you did last time, what is your opponent thinking, how bad did he miss last time, how solid did he execute last time, all goes into the serving equation. Remember it is not just wide, into the body, down the tee. Think what he is thinking based on earlier patterns, tendencies, whether he made the return or not. Just like a pitcher, it becomes a guessing game.
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Anne Marie 2—True Mental Toughness
The following item was submitted by Chris Kretchmer, the head teaching professional at the Carmel Valley Athletic Club in Carmel, Calif. If you have an interesting story or commentary on anything involving tennis you'd like to share, let us hear about it. Email steve@tennisnews.com.
A television weather program once declared that Carmel, Calif., has the most temperate daytime temperatures in the continental United States. Due to the proximity to the Pacific Ocean we are moderated, normally we have the best weather for tennis on the planet. For all but a couple months each year our temperatures are most always between 65 and 75 degrees. Hotter than that and the fog rolls in, cooler than that and the sun warms us. However for a couple months each fall we get a few “Indian Summer” days. The wind shifts from west to east, the fog rolls back and temperatures soar. Ninety-degree days are normal and 100-degree days happen. When those Indian summer days arrive even the most ardent players shift their games to cooler times and cancel their reservations. By midday the courts are deserted.
This is true of my student body as well. One particularly hot day in the fall with the temperatures baking even my most competitive students had all cancelled their lessons I was left with but a single hour. In the idle of the afternoon at the hottest hour of the day my 89-year-old Parkinson's remissive, cancer survivor with the crushed ankle, shuffled out to my court with a smile just as she always did. After a simple greeting she took her place usual place.
Unable to move, not strong enough to hit the ball more than a few feet she settled in at the meeting of the service lines in the center of the court where she happily spent her lesson time each week. I tossed from across the net and she swung and sometimes she hit. For Ann Marie though it hardly mattered with the struggles she had been through just to be alive and outdoors and standing up swatting at tennis balls was bliss for her. This particular day after perhaps 10 balls in she stopped, raised a finger to let me know that I should stop feeding the ball and she wanted to come to the net to have a talk with me.
This was very unusual. Normally she would grind her way happily for an hour before stopping. I was worried. Was she ill? Were her many maladies getting to her? Or maybe it was simply just too hot for her today. She shuffled to the net, and she drew me close and she stated, “Its hot today.”
“Yes it is”
Before I could offer her the option to quit she added, “Better that I not think about it.” Ann Marie shuffled back to her spot and we continued on strongly through the heat for the rest of the hour at a strong clip. It was the best she had played in weeks.
Ann Marie could teach my competitive players a great deal about mental toughness.
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Tennis Tip of the Day
Today's tip is provided by Daniel Linley, a teaching professional at the Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club in San Francisco.
Second Serve
Everyone wants a huge serve. Few things are as gratifying as crushing aces and we all love the BANG! accompanying a giant serve. But at the high school and club level, those missed huge first serves are often followed by powder puff second serves. Hitting the ball hard is easy. Hitting under pressure is difficult. Second serves are about pressure.
Like the lob and drop shot, the second serve is not practiced as dedicatedly as the groundies and volleys. A solid, aggressive, reliable second serve will put less pressure on the first serve and hopefully make it more difficult for the returner to attack. Stand slightly sideways to the net, toss the ball more over your head, and swing upwards to impart topspin. Accelerate up and through. Aim for a righthander's backhand. A nice round arc means topspin which will add depth and control which will make up for decreased power and speed. Remember, no one has ever lost a point by missing a first serve. But miss a second serve and that's it.
**Tennis Tip of the Day:
In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. To learn more about him you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.
Chip and Charge
By Nick Bollettieri
The chip and charge is a long lost and forgotten art form. For you youngsters who may not know what that is, it refers to when the returner chips or slices the return and follows it in to the net. The list of great chip and chargers gets smaller every year and we may have seen the last player to have that ability vanish when Tim Henman retired.
The reason for the decline in this tactic is simple, the serves are just too big on the pro tour to be able to do it effectively. But for the club players, weekend warriors and doubles league specialists, this tool could prove invaluable.
The advantages of the chip and charge are many. It forces the server to think about their serve, knowing that the opponent is coming to the net on the return. This forces a lot of missed first serves and double faults. But why chip? Why not knock the tar out of the ball and follow that in? First, it gives more margin for error. What I am looking to do is put pressure on my opponent. That's not going to happen if I hit the fence on the fly with my return. Second, it gives the returner more time to close into the net for a better volleying position. And third, the ball will stay low, forcing the opponent to hit up on the passing shot. Which should give me an easier volley to handle.
Should I chip the ball down the line or crosscourt? Obviously, if my opponent has a glaring weakness, I will chip to the weak side whether it be their forehand or backhand. Barring that, move the ball around. Keep them guessing by going crosscourt, down the line and even take the angle away from them by approaching down the center sometimes. Just be sure whichever way you return, as you come in, you follow the path of the ball to the net and cover the line. Also, do not be afraid to hit a short chip when coming in. Becker did this phenomenally well and you can see Federer use this short chip to Roddick's backhand again and again. It is difficult for many two-handed backhand players to move forward and get under a short, low chip with the added pressure of having to hit a passing shot.
A good tip to begin learning the chip and charge is to stand a little closer on the return. Move in and try to take the ball a little earlier. You may say to yourself “but then my opponent knows I am coming in”. Exactly! Let them know you are coming and let them think about it for a second. Keep the backswing a little more compact than on a normal slice and get into the net quickly for good volleying position.
This tactic takes some practice, and may pay handsome dividends. It is equally effective in doubles as long as your opponents don't do a lot of poaching. Be sure your opponent has a serve you can handle before attempting this. If the server has a big delivery, then this may not be the right tactic for that day. Good luck.
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