A coach develops an understanding of the true personality and hidden nuances of the student. This description is not intended to diminish the value of an instructor, who plays a vital role. But the road to exceptional, out stand individuals who took to the road without a coach.
My perfect athlete would win far more often than lose. No one wins all the time—not Michael Jordan, not Muhammad Ali, not Roger Clemens. But my perfect athlete does not lose often. He or she plays to win.
When my perfect athlete wins, he or she would win fairly and graciously, abiding by the written rules and the unwritten ones, neitherantagonizing nor demeaning the opponent. When my player loses, he or she would lose with equal grace, would lose by being outplayed, not by failing to give total effort. My athlete would congratulate the opponent and not look for excuses.
the next time.
perfection. He or she would be an observer and a listener, learning by watching and by listening to advice.
My perfect athlete would love the game, its history, its intricacies, and would be a credit to the sport and to his or her family and friends, not an embarrassment. My player would be its spokesperson, by actions even more than by words. He or she would be its eternal advertisement, yet my player's interests and persona would transcend the game.
My perfect athlete would remember how to be a true champion and would confident, but not arrogant. He or she would share knowledge, techniques, and insights with others. My player would inspire and tutor the next generation and be, automatically, a role model.
My perfect athlete could be male or female, tall orshort, black or white. He or she would have a lot of Arthur Ashe inside, a lot of Wayne Gretzky, alot of Bart Starr, alotofBillBradley, alotofMartinaNavratilova.
their time captured our attention and consumed our imagination.
Who can forget the fire, the passion, and the mastery of John McEnroe? His gifts come along only once in a while.
When I think of a competitor, a fighter, someone who refused to quit, someone who even today think she canbeat everybody, I think of Jimmy Connors. I love watching him fight, and Ican'tim a gine tennis without him.
still hitting winners as a television commentator.
give, promote, and elevate.
Wayne Gretzky'sre cent retirement solidified his position as one of the most respected athletes of alltime.I'llneverforgeta comment he made at a could all learn from his attitude.
C-T.
Who can forget Bjorn Borg? His focus and concentration allowed him to win Wimbledon six times as a baseliner. Unbelievable!
I could not end my list of almost perfect athletes without the name of Arnold Palmer. He is a standout performer, the quintessential gentleman, and a fine model for all of us.
My sincere thanks to Mark McCormack and Bob Kainof International Management Group for allowing me to remain"Nick Bollettieri"after the purchase of my academy They, like myself, have worked tirelessly towards helping the game of tennis. To Betsey Nagelsen McCormack, you are an unbelievable person inside and out. Thank you.
I would like to thank and acknowledge Human Kinetics for their patience and professional approach to producing this edition of my book.
sincere appreciation to my team. These people have spent hundreds of hours editing this edition of my book: Pat Dougherty, Geoff Lance, Louise Lus com be, and Peter McCraw. A sincere thank you must also go to the many others who provided valuable input that led to the completion of this work.
Allen Wheat Richard Williams Marylou Whitney and family and family and John Hendrickson
’‘‘My initial success in the tennis business was due, in large part, toDr.
Klauber's support and confidence in me. From my beginnings at the Colony as one of the finest in the world. Thanks, Doc!
The following individuals have given of themselves self les sly to me for 20 years or more. It is only through their devotion and dedication that we have succeededbeyondallexpectationsandhavebeendubbedbyThe New York
Special thanks to an old friend, confidante, and collaborator, Mike DePalmer
Sr. Mike is the individual who guided my footsteps to the Bradenton area.
theveryfirstBollettieriAcademy.Thanks,Mike!
lives to their work, family life suffers at times.
And to the fans, media, and players of our wonderful game, you have continued to support me, seek my advice, attend my academy, and otherwise provide motivation to me for more than four decades. Over the years, you have become a source of strength and an extended group of family and friends.
I also want to recognize many of the pioneers of the teaching profession, upon whose shoulders I stood to develop my own skills: Harry Hopman, Dennis Vander Meer, Vic Braden, and John Wilkerson, and for those coaches whose names this senior moment has permitted me to overlook. A special thankstoEugeneScott, editorofTennisWeek magazine, who always has the courage to stand up for the truth, to hold in equi ties up to the sunlight for all to see. Thanks to the USPTA and the USPTRfordoingtheirpartstrivingfor excellence and to all the other tennis academies that, like mine, recognize the the lives of hundreds and thousands of players.
IamalsoveryexcitedaboutthechangestheUSTA is making to its programs.I am looking forward to working more closely with them on some very exciting projects in the years to come.
Nick has workedwiththefollowingPro Tour players on a personal basis, or
Mike DePalmerJr.
walks of life.
In the earlystages of my career, I realized that if I worked longerand harder than anyone else and surroundedmyselfwithloyal, committed people,
I could be somebody. I realized that if I learned from my defeats and had the support of my friends, often part of a family recreation complex that might salons. Today'stennis pro needs an understanding of business to survive. Just as important, today's pro needs to understand that many club owners must diversify to make their clubs financially profitable.
physical, technical, tactical, mental, nutritional, dentswill work on and off court on techniques, the cal development of your body and how to use it no matter what happens.
Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key, Florida. The idea for the academy camefromMikeDePalmerSr., aclosefriendofNick's. The academy began training junior tennis players onthe weekend for$35per session. At first, the academydrewstudentsonlyfromSarasota-Bradenton. Word soon spread program. To accommodate as many students as possible, six to eight juniors wouldsharearoomattheColony.
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, that he was opening a school in Sarasota. The school would offer tennis instruction and room and board. That summer, he lined up 20 students to start in September, even though board ing facilities were not yet available. During the first few years, halfthestudentslivedinNick's house and the others were scattered among the homes of the teaching staff.
drivers.
girlfromWestVirginianamedAnneWhite. Anne is bestknown for the shocking form-fitting white body suits he wore in her first-round match at Wimbledon in 1985. Her challenge to traditional etiquette put her photo on attentiontoNick'snewacademy.
Later that year NBTA had the first of its many growth spurts. By now the academy was overflowing with students. Court space and housing capacity were inadequate. To solve the court problem, Nick teamed up with Mike DePalmer Sr. to purchase a tennis club located on 75th StreetNW in Bradenton. The facility, christenedtheDePalmer-Bollettieri Tennis Club, stilloperatestodayastheNickBollettieriTennisCenter.
The housing situation was solved by purchasing the Man a tee Court West Motel, located at 6300 Man a tee Avenue West. The motel was converted into the world'sfirstboardingtennisacademy. From this central location, students could walk to the academic school, Bradenton Academy. From there, they we relat erb used to either the colony or the club.
This was the beginning of the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. The tuition ranked in the top 10 in the world.
But this was not enough. Nick felt he needed a new facility for the kids. He imagined a larger, self-contained facility complete with courts, dorm it or ies, a kitchen, and a dining hall. The dream had begun!
In 1980 Bollettieri decided it was time for another move. With his partners he boughtalOVz-acre tomato field on 34 thStreetWest. There he built 22 courts, 32 condominiums, a dining hall with kitchen facilities, and a swimming pool. Initial enrollment at the academy was 100 students over seen by 22 staff members. The rooms were designed to accommodate four students per room, but by the time construction was completed, the academy'senrollmentrequiredNicktocrameightstudentsintoaroom.
success. It was time to dream again.
In 1982 Nick purchased 13 acres adjacent to the academy, on which he built 22 morecourtsandthefirstindoortenniscomplexsouthofAtlanta. Many said that Nick had lost his mind because he built indoor courtsinFlorida, but Nick knew he needed a more complete facility to attract more and better players.
semifinals of theU.S. Open. Jimmy'ssuccess and Nick'svi sion for the future began to attract players with higher rankings and greater potential.
addition of 16 more dorm it or ies, the academy was able to increase its enrollment to 160 students.
In 1986 the academy added an adult program to increase enrollment. This meant adding more courts, bringing the total to 54(14 clay,4indoor, and 36 stadium hardcourts). By this time, NBTAwasrecognizedasthepremier tennis academy in the world. Nick coached and trained many of the topranked players. Before 1990 NBTA would produce three world no.1players on the professional tour(Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, and Monica Seles). The academy was featured on such television shows as 20/20( ABC),60Minutes
(CBS), and the NBCEveningNews(NBC).
sold NBTAto IMG. He felt that if the academy were to continue to grow and expand, itneededtheexposureandfinancialbackingofIMG. Nick agreed to stay on with the academy as president and founder.
off-court training were built.
WiththesuccessofNBTA, Nick, Ted Meekma, and CEOGregBreunich decided it was time to dream again. In 1990 they duplicated in other sports what Nick had accomplished with his teaching and training methods in that Nick used in tennis would now be offered in other sports programs. This idea would mark the first attempt to train multiple sports at one facility.
Critics said it couldn'tbedone.
three new sports, NBTA becametheBollettieriSports Academy(BSA). With anywhere.
In 1996 BSAcompleted the International Performance Institute (IPI) for multisport straining, regardless of weather, and is equipped to accommodate virtually every sport that uses a ball.
to the public, the center employs fully licensed sports therapists. Throughout the year, top pro athletes from various sports frequent the therapy center.
In 1997 BSA became home to the Eddie Herr Junior Invitational, one of the world's most prestigious events in amateur athletics. This year was the most players from 87 differentcountries participating. Among the competitors were 130 ranked no.1nationally and 88 ranked no.2nationally in various age divisions.
BSAnowhasmorethan 400 full-time students from over 40 countries. Summer camps and vacation weeks see more than 500 at a time. Withthe completion of the first 10 buildingsoftheBollettieriVillas, the academy can now meet this increasing demand. Current cost for a sports program for the academic year(September to May)is approximately$28,000, plus school. BSAalsohasalimited number of scholarships available for those who need financial assistance or those with exceptional talent.
BSAhascomealongwayfromhavingatennisstaffof 22 doing all the work. The academy currently employs 250 people in 25 departments, including tennis professionals(adult and junior); golf, baseball, soccer, reservations; house keeping; a full kitchen; sports psychology; fitness; research anddevelopment programs; and more.
The Man a tee County Chamber of Commerce estimates that the academy puts more than$20million into the local economy each year. BSAhashad tremendous local support. Local residents agree that the academy is a modern success story and are proud that it has remainedinBradenton. Nick has had many opportunities to relocate to sites that are more accessible, but he likes the community and feels at home there.
0 The Bollettieri Sports Academy, now known as the IMG Academies, has a lot in store for the future. The Bollettieri Resort Villas have proven to be a tremendous success and now also include a clubhouse /conference center and pool. TheownedandleasedlandcontrolledbyIMGAcademiestotals basketball and cycling camp academy programs.
Nick Bollettieri, IMG, andtheIMGAcademiesteamlookforward to continuing to set the standard by which all others in the multi-sport training business are measured, well into the 21 stcentury.
We make a big distinction between teachers and coaches. Weare coaches and educators. Coaching involves setting challenging tasks to improve players' knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The secrets of our coaches are the following:
practice has structure and a logical progression. There are no quickfixes. The performance permanently. Our system is an educational process.
lesson, backhand the second, and so on. But the player will not encounter this sequence of situations in a game, and the student will not learn motor skills. Our coaches are knowledgeable about the principles and steps by which people learn motor skills.
according to where they are on the court, and we train them how to identify purpose of each exercise.
• presentations by guest speakers.
class and plan for the next phase of the program.
NBTAhasbeenproducingtopplayersforthelast 20 years. Our record of accomplishments peaks for itself. Our success has not come by accident.
• Stages of development; strengths and weaknesses; technical, tactical,
All these factors determine acoach'scourseofaction. Each student is different.
NBTA was the leader in teaching an individual sport in a group setting. This was contrary to the conventional wisdom of the day that one-on-one teaching was the only way to go. Coaching in groups has many advantages. Students learn from each other, and they push each other to higher levels through motivation and competition.
At the academy we have been very successful in using the farm-system approach. We place students in groups according to match results. Students play challenge matches and move to higher or lower groups based on match results. We emphasize competition and learning how to win. Playing singles and doubles every day is essential. In special cases we consider gender, age, years of playing experience, and so forth when forming groups.
history of the academy, our system has been flexible enough to adjust to the developmental needs of many players. Not surprisingly, players'needs are level of play.
Students become sparring partners for the dozens of pros that live or train here. Forexample, in December 1997 Xavier Malisse won the prestigious Eddie Herr International Junior Tournament. He bypassed the Orange Bowl elsewhere. In 1997 and 1998, while still a junior. Tommy Haas practiced with
Boris Becker. Haas and Becker continue to work out together. Martina Hingis trained at the academy in November 1998 in preparation for the WTA Tour had the opportunity to hit with her. Venus and Serena Williams, along with Jimmy Arias, beat up everyone in the academy when they train here.
this type of experience!
Chase Championships. While here, she spent two hours a day practicing with my best young students, who couldn'tbelievethey statistics give you an idea of the competition level at the academy.
Jackson was ranked no. 1 inthe16 andundersintheUnitedStatesat age 13.
Maria Sharapovaatage 13 wontheprestigiousEddieHerr16 andunders.
similarities between this group of girls and the group of boys he had back in the late 1980s(Agassi, Courier, Wheaton, etc.).
In the boys, we have Todd Reid and Adam Kennedy who are the no.1and
2 ranked boys in Australia. Hor i a Tecau was the semifinalist in the 1999 boys unders. Dong Choi, who won the 12 and under Orange Bowl in the boys 12s
Chirico is ranked no.2 inthe United States boys 14 sand his brother
Christopher is ranked no. 1 inthe12 andundersintheUnitedStates. Each group has a coach who is responsible for the student'sprogram, sible for communication with parents.
Parents play a vital supportive role in any athlete'scareer. Most great players have had the support of their mother or father. Parents know their children well. They understand their mood swings, what makes themtick, their fears, and so forth. Parents, coaches, and students must learn to work together and must maintain good relationships. Parents can be a powerful force not only during the junior career butalso during a pro career.
One of the most difficult parts of coaching is dealing with parents. Through the years we have had the opportunity to work with many parents. As coaches, we believe that one of our main jobs is to educate parents onthe importance of their involvement in a supportive role. Parents can become involved in both positive and negative ways. For instance, many parents have lost their child through their actions on or off the court. Parents can becomedictators who try to control every second of the student'slife. They for their children. Parents often try to live their unrealized dreams of success through their sons and daughters. Tennis becomes a nightmare for the child, and the parent becomes the enemy. It is nearly impossible to live every second under such pressure. A coach will find it difficult to communicate with a child whose parents have imparted continual criticism. Players often want their parents to be mom and dad, not coaches.
Andrea Tam is vary and Mary Pierce are just two examples of players whoseparentsagonizedovertheirkids. In retrospect itseemsthatthese parents couldn'tdecidewhentoletgo. As a result their relationships with their daughters suffered. Tam is vary and Pierce experienced difficult times with their parents, and each eventually went her own way. Both players broke into the top 10 and won many championships, including Grand Slam children! Is this the way to go? Not in my book!
goals, monitoring, evaluating, and motivating. The key was communication among all parties. The player was the captain of the ship, and all members stands, sayingthatAaroncouldn'tserveorhitaforehandandwasslow.
his son onthe way to the locker room. He congratulated Aaron and gave him a hug to express how proud he was. He told his son that his opponent had outplayed him and that Aaron could have done nothing more. Dr. Krickstein wasabletobreakawayfrombeingacoachandfocusonbeingafather. He relationship.
Mr. Seles was a little different. He and I were the coaches. Mr. Seles was involvedineveryaspectofMonica'straining. From the beginning 1 suggestedthatMr. Seles talk about tennis only oncourt. Once they left academy grounds they should not discuss tennis again. Mr. Seles was able to follow my advice, and Monica and her father built an unbelievable relationship. Many parents are unable to separate on-court and off-court life. The families go home, and the parents keep talking about the forehand\'olleythatlostthe tennis lives.
•The best way to help their son or daughter is to communicate through the coaches and trust the coaches to do what is best for the student.
• Their role in the support system is extremely important.
•They should give their children positive feedback and lots of love.
• Topics related to tennis are addressed through the coaches.
• All parties(parent, student, and coach) must understand the player's goals and the system that will be used to reach them.
gra ted to ensure we are developing both a complete player and person.
Periodization NBTAwasfirst in the use of periodization to train tennis players. Periodization is the means of planning short-and long-term training and competition by optimizing content, volume, intensity, and frequency of preparation to cycles or time segments. Each cycle has a specific proportion of time, and each cycle is proportional to the others.
•The athlete reaches peakperformance at the crucial time.
•Work is more efficient.
• Goals are clear and defined.
•The work-rest plan is specific for short and longterm.
• Variety in practice prevents boredom.
•The risk of overtraining, overuse injuries, and burnout is reduced.
• Match-play area(IVz hours)—33 courts available including the indoor and clay courts
*This section by PeterD. McCraw.
Each group meets with the mental conditioning department on Monday, and the coach reinforces the theme for the entire week.
microcycle.
The annual plan for tennis forms the foundation of the training year. The macrocycle is a specific period that outlines personal training, focusing on work versus rest periods. Our macrocycle is nine months long, beginning whenstudentsarriveinSeptemberandendingwhentheydepartinJune. During this macrocycle we use multiple periodization. To accommodate the tournament schedule, the annual cycle requires highintensity and a relatively high volume of training all year round. During multiple periodization we frequently introduce breaks to prevent overtraining, overuse injuries, and burnout.
Tennis Annual Plan -General Squad September 6,1999 -June 5,2000
The seven-week cycle is divided into one testing and acclimation week, three five days of active rest. Further monitoring takes place by dividing the phase into microcycles, which are one weeklong. Our mezocycleis divided into four different microcycles: technical, precompetition, competition, and rest.
0 AccI Testing Active Rest ^Pre-CompetitionHTechnical HHome 0 Competition
0 Sept 6 13 20 27 Oct4 11 18 20
Microcycles Wedividethemezocyclesintomicrocycles, which are mini cycles or weekly workouts. Microcycles are instruments for controlling and optimizing shortterm adaptation, or how the students are reacting to the daily training loads. Each coach identifies the training load for the group during a microcycle, planning.
Each microcycle forms the blueprint for the week'straining. All that is left are the daily details—the minute by minute plan of how each group is to spend their time. Given the size and layout of the academy, our daily drill sheet is very detailed indeed.
the drilling and matchplay rotations. In technical microcycles the volume is high—90to 100 percent. Length of rotations are 90 minutes long. As we move into precompetition microcycles the volume decreases to 70to90 percent. Rotation times are also decreased to 75 minutes to offset the increased percent, with rotation times varying from 60to75 minutes.
percent are trained in competition microcycles to replicate the actual matchplay environment. Intensities of 80 to 90 percent are trained in precompetition microcycles, and intensities of 70to80 percent are trained in technical microcycles. The 60 percent intensity is used for recovery, flushing, and active rest microcycles.
100% 160-180bpm 90^0 140-160bpm
70«o 120-140bpm 60^0 100-120bpm
• Daily loading. The daily loading determines the percent of time spent training and the length of each drill in the drilling and matchplay rotations. Based on a 90 minute rotation(drilling or matchplay)ona heavy day, groups spend 80 percent of the90 minutes actually drilling. The rest of the time is wise the progression follows on medium days,70percent, and light days,60 percent.
Integrating the weekly volume, intensity, and daily loading provides the means by which we vary the training load on the students over the nine month training year. This ensures optimum adaptation to all students and avoids burnout, overtraining, and injuries.
tigue and slows the restoration process. By changing the workloads(level of adaptation) we allow our players to begin the next workout fully recovered.
the volume and intensity of workouts are not uniform. One day can bea hard day of practice, the next can be medium, another can be light, and still loading are followed by one or two days of rest.
Adaptation is how students assimilate the training. If students can't adapt to the training load and intensity, we introduce anew training load to enhance adaptation. Microcycles are the most easily controlled units of training during the annual process. Coaches can make quick adjustments when required. Microcycles provide flexibility.
optimum short-and long-term adaptation to training. We believe that nothing promotes more improvement than sport-specific training.
When designing, sequencing, and implementing our weekly microcycles, we observe these principles: skill before speed, speed before power and and strength before endurance.
of strokeproduction.
• Drills are slow(lowintensity).
lots of repetition.
• Students develop muscular endurance and cardiovascular capacity.
• Players work on lower-body strength.
•We do lots of videotaping of the students'strokes.
tions and will be heavy and slow during this time.
percent).
•Week of technical fundamentals and foundation work. Heart rate range 120to140 bpm.
• Rest intervals—3 minute max, or when heart rate is less than1 00 bpm.
•The objective of this second phase of training is to fine-tune the student for competitive performance.
• This is the final stage of technical, tactical, physical, and mental preparation before competition.
• During this period emphasis is placed on tactics and strategy.
. to play the points according to the score.
nesses of performance. Evaluation helps us optimize the student's on-going preparation.
• It is important to work with the student'sstyleofplay. The exercises must be specific. Students should hit every ball with a purpose.
•Our program is designed toreplicate the conditions in competition to maximize specific adaptations and performance.
are exposed to all competitive conditions during training. During matchplay, students are given different situations. For example, they tiebreakers only with the results counting for ranking, they play with someone else'sracquet, they stop for 15or30 minutes to simulate a rain delay, and so forth.
step with exercises mixing power and speed.
• Every Tuesday and Thursday we work on tennis-specific plyometrics. These drills make students stronger and faster.
• Faster tempo week 80 percent volume—75minute rotations.
•Week of precompetition drills/point play and sets. Emphasis on change of direction, style of play.
• Overall heart rate range=130to 150 bpm.
• Serving and recovery jog 5:00-5:30p.m. each day.
• 1:30-2:45P.M.
• 2:45-4:00P.M.
•The objective of this phase is to reach the maximum level of play.
about 80to85 percent of training is sport or event specific.
• Although the student may still improve in technique and fitness, most of the progress will come from experience, modeling from other ity.
• During this phase players will expand their knowledge of what works for them. Examples include warm-up, cool-down, strategies, match.
• Inthe"Training to Win"phase the main components of training and performance include maintenance of the existing physical capacity, taper and peak, mental focus, and recovery and regeneration.
priority.
skills and capacity play a dominant role in performance. But if the student has not fully developed fitness, technical ability, and tactical competence, psychologicalskillscannotmakeachampion.
player should focus on strategy, tactics, and mental discipline.
regeneration.
short-and long-term goals.
• To maximize training and performance, players and coaches must be able to see the big picture.
• 5 days of competition—Grand Prix#1.
•Round Robin Day1 and2 to decide seedings for single elimination tournament.
• Doubles to replace singles consolation. Sign in Wednesday, first round Thursday.
• 3 outof 5— Noadscoring, tiebreaker at 4-4.
• Style of play.
•Gameplan—Strategy and tactics as per style of play.
• Emphasis—Warming up, being organized, on time, and prepared.
• Play to win.
will determine the length and sequencing of this cycle.
•The rest cycle allows students to recover fromthe physical and mental stress of the workouts.
• Rest can be of two types—total rest and active rest. Both are important in achieving maximum levels of performance.
• The level of work torest should be determined by the body'snatural rhythms and by the patterns evident when the student is improving or has become stagnant at the same plateau.
• During active rest the student works easily for 30to90 minutes with no sets. We also recommend cross-training with other sports in which we promote competition in a more relaxed atmosphere. During cross-training the body works but the mind rests.
that the student take long walks.
competition.
• Active rest week—Light training very lowintensity and volume.
• Non-tennis-specific training.
• Rest and regeneration activities.
• Watch Eddie Herr Invitational Tournament at academy.
Students who are fortunate enough to visit the Academy on a full-time basis are required to send an application tothe Admissions office. We also admissions conducts a phone interview with the applicant to determine if he or she is a candidate whowill fit into the program.
order, we send a letter of acceptance to the applicant and obtain a deposit. Our full-time semester generally begins in late August; however, we accept students at anytime during the school year.
Upon arrival at the academy, all students check in with our reservations department. We arrange an orientation. They tour the academy and meet the sports directors, nurse, and director of student services, all of whom will be involved with their training and life at the academy.
participate in one of our six sports programs in the afternoon and on Saturday morning. School is from 8:00a.m. to 12:30p.m. Students then return to the academy for lunch.
installments; however, the price is lower if the fee is paid all at once.
After dinner all players attending academic school attend a study hall. We havea coordinator who works withthe schools to ensure that our players are doing well academically. Students who need extra help can remain at school cost for students requiring extra help with their studies.
the academy for lunch and the afternoon sports program, and then return home for dinner and to sleep. They are also welcome to participate in our extracurricular activities. Although we make some exceptions, we generally require players who have finished high school and are over 18 years of age to live off campus.
theirareastidy, bedsmade, and soon. A house keeping staff does the major cleaning. Wefurnishaneveningsnackinthecafeteriaforallourboarding students. Laundry is collected at specified times each week for our board ing students and returned at a specified time.
arise. They may help younger board ers in getting their laundry together and overcominghomesickness. They deal with roommate issues and manage everything about living on campus. The dorm staff also make certain that students observe all rules, and they report to the director of student services when a problem arises.
sport. If a roommate situation is not working, we are open to changing rooms to request a particular roommate.
We plan extra activities for our participants, such a strips to the beach, local malls, theme parks, movies, and various other activities. Dances are period i players to and from planned activities, doctor appointments, and so forth.
Although we do not allow our participants to leave the academy grounds unattended by a staff member or a person designated by a parent or for dinner. They must remain there for pickup at a designated time. Although we are open 365 days a year, the breaks for our students coincide with those of the academic schools. No one is required to leave during the holidays, spring break, or winter break, and we provide a sports program for an extra fee for those remaining at the academy.
Each student has a bank account held and maintained by the academy. The international wire transfer. Our bank is open each day at specified times. We furnish a copy of a child'spersonal account at anytime to the parent or guardian upon request.
Spanish, and some French, we can overcome some of those barriers. Through experience, we have learned to deal with other languages as well. Sometimes we need an inter preter, and we seek out players'parents who are staying locally.
maintain a good working relationship withthe Pendleton School, Bradenton Academy, and St. Stephen'sSchool. The director of admissions acts as a liaison between NBTA and the schools. To keep our relationships amicable, we act promptly should a problem arise.
must apply separately to the academic school of their choice. Bradenton AcademyoffersanESOL(English for Speakers of Other Languages)program that makes it possible for international players to study in an American school. Once a student is accepted to school and the first semester is paid, the
American embassy in the home country so that the passport can be stamped witha study visa. Once the student arrives at NBTA, all passports and airline travel agency is available to assist in travel bookings for our students.
furnish all prospective students with an application to our program and encourage them to complete it and return it for our filesshould their situation change. IMGpreparesascholarshiplisteachyearforplayersthey wish to sponsor. NBTAmaintainsa list of scholarship recipients as well.
full-time participants. This discussion includes the director of students, the dormstaff, and the sports director or coach if necessary. A student handbook, provided to all players attending our full-time program, outlines rules and regulations.
policy form, which is part of our registration packet. We will not condone use of any controlled substances. Use of controlled substances will result in immediate dismissal from the academy.
specialhelponSaturday mornings from 7:00a.m. until 8:30a.m. Inaddition, students who are making major changes to their technique are offered special help during the week. The student receives one-on-one training for 30 minutes, with emphasis on improving only one aspect of his or her game, lesson.
Once again after reviewing the 2000-2001 program, Nick and Gabriel Jaramillo(Program Director)will adda complete new program for the fall of 2001.
stationed on courts 1,2, and 3. They will see on a daily basis individual groups and their coaches working on technique and drills. All of their a copy at the end of the year.
At the same time these three courts are in progress, the director coach of each court will select students experiencing difficulty and send them to the stadiumcourttoreceivehelpfromGabrielandNick.
directors of the three courts and the student's daily coach. This system allows the entire team, including coach and student, to know exactly what has taken place.
Any student who feels injured or sick is responsible forgoing to the nurse. The nurse will evaluate the student and recommend a course of action. No student is allowed to return to his or her room during practice sessions. If the student has suffered a minor injury, he or she may return to practice doctor'sofficewilloccur if the nurse feels it is necessary or if the parent course of action is determined based on the recovery process.
the issues the student is dealing with. If necessary, we contact a parent to help the student through this trying time.
country, or world. A tournament may include both genders of all age groups area will cost more and take more planning. At least one coach accompanies of play.
review.
coach who works with that student on a daily basis). Note: Short tennis, summer campers can also request this type of lesson.
Any student mayrequestalessonwithNickfor an extra fee. Nick will either work with the student on general aspects of the student'sgameorfocuson the student ranks compared with other players. Nick'scourthasacomplete video analysis setup to record every aspect of the lesson. He uses this system to provide a review medium for the student. Each recording is duplicated. We keep one copy on file and send the other home to the parents.
What do Walt Disney World and the Bollettieri Tennis Academy have in common? A mousewithbigears? A duck that can talk? Cinderella waiting for the stroke of midnight? None of the above. WDWand NBTAhave made fantasy and real life in one stop."
a person. AtNBTAwehavegonethroughsomegrowingpainsandhave learned from each of them.
that they can experience the life of a professional athlete while visiting NBTA.
*This section by Chip Hart and Ken Merritt.
WehavesomerealcharacterswhoworkascoachesoftheNBTAtennis program. These professional coaches can make or break the visit of the short time guest. ThecoachesatNBTAarehardedged, but they provide an atmosphere conducive to learning and training. NBTAcoachestreatevery student, young or old, like a potential professional athlete. Much small talk occurs between the coaches and the customer-students. But all the talking and yelling is healthy and fun loving, done to provide an atmosphere dedicated to education and fun.
passion, can be seen and felt on a daily basis. Typically, when the guests start scared, so the coaches spend a great deal of time getting to know them. But by Wednesday morning, lookout. It is the toughest morning of the week.
optional beach trip that afternoon.
himself, Nick Bollettieri. When in residence, Nick is on court everyday working his magic, withoneeyeonhisstudentsandoneeyeoneverythingelse.
Sometimes he has a top professional player on his court, like one of the Williams sisters. Tommy Haas, or Max Mirnyi. Other times he is sneaking up behind the courts to watch an 11- year-old, visiting for only a week, playa match. He has the ability to make anyone play better just by being around.
Ireallyfeel that every guest at NBTA wants to be discovered to become Nick coach. Til take you to another level of excellence."
then explore the 190 acres of our athletic training facility.
An orientation meeting is mandatory for every new arrival at7p.m. every Sunday evening. This gathering gives the guests a chance to learn what to expect that week, from campus rules to the "Don'tforget your sunscreen and water bottle"speech.
Monday morning: Did anyone really sleep last night? Nerves can be cut witha knife. The evaluation is about to begin. Everyone is quiet and attentive. This is the last time the coaches will see them like this all week. The frustrating to see a player start at the top court only to be sent from one court to another until the player finds his or her peers.
me, after all the years, how the coachesatNBTA can tell the real players from group orientation meeting. They exchange names, hometowns, and lengths of stay. Then the work begins.
When the bell rings at 8:00a.m. every coach starts the daily chore of turning ings are committed to the techniques of the Bollettieri Killer Forehand. At the same time the students are becoming accustomed to the way our coaches catch the racquet at the top"and"Accelerate the racquet head."
Monday afternoon: Guests put their newfound knowledge to the test with matches against group peers. From an intensity point of view, Mondays are what we call medium-heavy days.
Tuesday: Tuesday morning is spent covering the techniques of the Bollistic Backhand one-handed, two-handed, and two-handed with a one-handed follow-through. The intensity declines abit from Monday simply because we know our guests are tired and a little sore from the previous day'swork.
Sonic Serve and a Right-back-atchaReturn.
Wednesday afternoon: NBTA offers a beach trip for those who want to go.
going.
Thursday morning: This time is spent improving volleying skills, overheads, and general transition games. Wait a minute. Everyone says that
Bollettieri doesn'tworkonthevolleys. But the fact isthatNickandthe coaches spend hours improving the guests'net games.
Thursday afternoon: This is where guests have the opportunity to play matches. Players go head-to-head with the group either directly above or below their own. The team spirit and camaraderie is exhilarating. The pressure is unbearable, but the atmosphere is fantastic. And they say tennis is not a team sport.
star.
Saturday morning: Now it is time to review. Each student gets one final chance to clean up a particular stroke before heading home to win his or her club championship.
The highpoint of the week is having Nick in residence. He sees the group students'questions. Nick does the same with the adult program.
The tennis court is why guests come to NBTAinthefirstplace. They all want is why they continue to comeback.
Keeping the holiday or summer break in mind and making it a major part of the experience is what brings and holds memories. Once their sport programs are finished for the day, they can act like kids at summer camp. Let me set the scene for you: approximately 400 boys and girls, from over 40 trying to decide what they are going to do that evening and with whom they are going to do it. They have tons of choices with between seven and nine buses going to the movies, mall, arcade, go-carttrack, stores, museums, and party, talents how, musicjams, art classes, Ping-Pongtournaments, or pool tournaments.
Toachieve the maximum result from your effort, no matter what task you are undertaking, you have to be focused. You cannot step between the lines and hope to give your best when your thoughts and concerns are elsewhere. No oneunderstandsthisbetterthanNickdoes. He can watcha student walk the way the athlete carries himself or herself, whether the student is focused and ready to go or whether the student has something standing in the way of total commitment. Because he understands this so well, Nick emphasizes what we callourStudentLifeprogram. The clear understanding is that ability. If they are not happy they will not be focused or committed on court.
happiness and no success! Attitude is the keyword to successor failure.
The activities coordinator is an essential part of the development of the mind and spirit of the student bodyattheBollettieriTennis Academy. We have six shift. The difference between our program and similar programs on a college these chronological and biological age differences.
This area of student-athlete development is really the only opportunity for the student to make a choice with the daily schedule. Students are told what activities give them a chance to say no or a chance to choose what they want todo.
Without our activity program, students would have no life other than their sport. Below is a list of activities anda sample calendar of events for students at the academy.
Intramural leaguesandtournaments We offer and encourage participation from each student or staff member on campus in several sports activities.
Because of our relationship with the community, we are able to offer educational and enjoyable activities for the more culturally minded students.
classesforcreativestudentsattendingNBTA.
basis livens up the place at night.
cat i on with every student on campus, thus creating themes and campus wide activities throughout the normal day of training and living.
Trips We schedule trips to meet the everyday needs of the student.
parts. The system results not from the elements added together but from the her direct family, and the NBTA support staff. Without interaction there is no system. The main function of the dorm staff is to recognize these elements and guide our students to the best of their abilities. The main goal of a healthy extended family system is to have key staff members in place so that all students feel safe and free to communicate on all levels.
What will our students take away from NBTA when their stay ends? More than anything, it will be relationships—relationships with support staff, with coaches, and, more directly, with fellow students, friendships that may experiences. Any family system is composed of connecting relationships.
vidualdreams. This factor links our students in a common goal—the love of functioning. Staff who listen and talk to students understand what the students are going through mentally—the joy of winning, the agony of defeat, the struggle of dealing with injury and recovery. When the boy or girl is away from the support of Mom or Dad, it is up to the night staff to be someone to listen to, relate to, and talk to. The night staff are the key if NBTA their dreams and goals in life.
All families have rules, some more, some less. Nevertheless, parents understand that all kids need guidance! There is no way around this. When applying to NBTA, parents are always happytohear about our firm policies enthusiastic. We understand that parents have entrustedtheir children to us, and we take this as our most serious responsibility. Parents are asking us to possession. Wow! Tell me that is not some serious responsibility. The commonthreadthatlinksthehomefamilystructurewiththeNBTAextendedfamilystructureisthe existence of family rules and the consequences associated with breaking them. The reason for rules in both instances is to help keep the child pointed in the right direction on the trek to adulthood. Although most families are concerned about the common good of a family of four or five, weare concerned with providing a common ground for about 200 students who live with us fulltime. To do this, we needed to develop a system that was workable for this number of students. The system had to provide clear direction to students while not appearing to be unbearable. A natural tie-in with the student's schools that had been in existence since the 19 thcentury. We saw no need to reinvent the wheel when these schools had been perfecting systems for over
100 years. All the schools had systems in which students earned either merits students would earn or achieve points based on their own choices. We call our version of this simply the point system. The system requires that each student achieve a certain standard each weektoparticipateinextracurricuto maintain a certain level of behavior each week in order to go out to a dance on the weekend or to a movie with friends. If the behavior does not meet a gains more freedom. It is up to the child to determine if the activities are important or not. This system sets up the need for young adults to make rules may include restriction to campus, work details, and, in extreme cases, suspension from sport or school. All of this means nothing if the people who oversee the family rules are not firm and fair.
Full-time dorm life at NBTAisameltingpotof cultures, personalities, skills, and interests. Although students choose to attend NBTA because of its sports programs, those who live on campus face unique challenges away from their chosen fields. Students, perhaps for the first time, are away from home, living on their own andinteractingincloseproximitv with others who may of students' wants, needs, and wishes. This is not an easy task, nor is it always tion amongroommates and dorm staff. This openness gives the students the students will get along with each other, nor even accept differences. What we tolerance and understanding of these differences.
present room versus room or dormversus dormsituations. Differences tend to fade to the background when members of a group must rely on each other to reach a goal. The more common goals we can set, the more students tend to rely on each other in spite of their differences.
driving courses toSATpreparationcourses, from lectures on personal hygiene to taking a student to church.
graces to academic success, NBTAstaffarereadytohelpguideandmold tomorrow'swinners, on or offcourt.
One of the most difficult tasks we face when working with full-time students athletes. Some of these students are under the mistaken impression that school doesn'tmatterbecausetheywillmake millions on the athletic field and beset for life. In all the years of the existence of this academy, just one student failed to heed our academic advice. He needed remedial work to be accepted into college. He simply didn'trealizethateverydayhedidn't spend making academics a priority was another day spent later digging out of a hole.
We understand and reorganize erratic thought processes and take extra precautions to provide our students with a first-class academic support team. We take the academic portion of the student'slife so seriously that we extra help andorganizesScholastic Aptitude Test(SAT)preparation classes. These are the main points of support we provide in conjunction with the schooling at The Pendleton School, Bradenton Academy, andSt. Stephen's. College preparation for seniors is another major undertaking by our staff.
Besides being offered SAT preparation courses, seniors are educated on how to write college essays, fill out applications, write letters of interest to specific athletic and academic scholarships. That'sse rio us money!
varied as one can imagine. Some come from well-to-do families. Others from families that have scraped their pennies together by selling or remortgaging homes, by changing jobs, or even by up rooting households—all to give their child a chance to chase a dream.
be mentally tough, physically fit, spiritually sound, and financially stable. For some of the top juniors it could mean right now. For others developing their should use college tennis as a springboard into the pros. It buys players time to work on weaknesses and allows youth to prosper,” Texas A&MUniversity today.
on a regular basis then you can make the jump.
have utilized the collegiate ranks. Ashe performed consistently in tour ship. In 1966, after he had won the team and individual championships, Ashe began playing full-time on the tour. In 1968, he won his first of three grandslam crowns at theU.S. Open. Ashe, one of tennis’all-time greats, was professional tennis ranks. McEnroe made massive waves prior to his freshmanyearincollegeasheadvancedtothesemifinalsofWimbledon.
before declaring himself pro. StanSmithplayedatUSCfrom 1966-1968 and wontheNCAAsingleschampionship in 1968. After school Smith also prospered on the pro tour, winningtheU.S. Open singles championship in
1971 andtheWimbledonchampionshipsingles in 1972. In more recent being ranked 81 in the world. She lost in the second round of the Australian Open before starting the spring season. Matt Anger had similar results at use. He made the third round of the Australian Open before returning to college tennis can enhance a professional career.
benefit is the coaching.“College, much liketheAAAleague in baseball, student-athletes learn the values of time management and discipline. Other also gain a college education.
college. Only after two years of collegiate competition and physical development did he turned pro and achieve a career high ranking as no.12.
stages. The range of a professional tennis career spans from ages 15to 35. Competing at the highest level on the ATP and WTA tour requires perfection.
to improve many facets of his game and began dominating all of his peers.
This type of success encouraged his decision to turn pro.
situations. Do you want to play the beginninglevel pro tournaments oncourt #28 inIndonesiaforoneATPpointortraveltoSpainweedingyourway through the plethora of up and coming players on red clay?
legemanyhavegoneon to become successful tennis professionals.
tion of talent, heart, commitment, and sacrifice.
assets. There are not many competitive venues in the world that spend so much time on fundamental doubles. There are many doubles strategies that return[lobs, slice, down the line, and crosscourt], playing the first volley deep off the serve, how to communicate in between points, and how to poach the middle effectively. Strategy in doubles becomes scientific because there is less court space. Less space creates fewer variables and increases the importance of your opponents’strengths and weaknesses.
finish team workouts with doubles. There is on-court coaching for singles and doubles matches. Doubles is a major momentum swing putting is common.
increased the quality and allowed many players to go on and have successful careers on the tour.
Chasing the dream takes on different forms depending on which student you speak to. The dream usually ranges from want to be no.1inthe world" part of the process is not the child'sabilitylevelbut whether he or she has a dream and is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to chase it. Many people who are not familiar withthe academy believe that weare only about creating tennis champions. Those familiar with the academy and its goals understand clearly that world champions, those who can make a career out of playing the sport, are rare. What really takes place on a day-to-day basis is preparing our students to be future champions in life. Most students will be affected as much by what happens off the field of play as by what happens on it. Our real goal is to produce successful, well-rounded people!
as it does to any other human endeavor.
These words apply to athletics, coaching, raising children, going to school, or just getting out of bed on a cold, dreary morning. The dreams attached to any athletic contest cannot be manifested without discipline.
time.
1. For the forehand, players used the eastern forehand grip.
2. For the backhand, players used the eastern backhand grip. The majority of players were one-handed.
running around when choosing to hit a forehand or backhand.
time there was a choice of which stroke to use was when the ball came down the middle of the court.
5. At contact and recovery, players had to finish the stroke, avoid to recover and return to the center-court position.
6. Players were expected to meet the ball in front of the lead foot.
Harold Solomon and Eddie Dibbs were hitting two-handed backhands at the is now clear that the grips of Solomon and Dibbs were ahead of their time. At the same time Jimmy Evert was teaching his daughter, Chris, a twohanded backhand.
basic principles seem to be eternal. When I first started teaching the game, my knowledge was limited. Today, I realize that the lack of technical knowledge contributed to both my successes and my failures. I looked at students and let them do what was natural.I knew almost nothing about the volley, but somehow Brian Gottfried, one of my students in the early 1960s, became one of the best volleyers in the game. Accidents happen.
In 1996 Bjorn Borg visited the academytogetreadyfortheSenior 35 Tour.
naturally. I came to understand that his fantastic career was a result of working with natural talent and instinct, especially his western grip. He would run for every ball(his trademark). He hit with heavy spin, looped backhands with two hands, and at times would hit with two hands and followthrough with one. He was unique. Those who said that he couldn't
, ... Borg knew how to win. I weaknesses; you must blend thought the same thing them for success! when Isaw Martina Hingis atage 11. Her strokes were somewhatiffy, but she knew what to do with the ball! Her mom deserves a Golden Ball award for not letting someone else teach her.
During Borg's few months'stay at the academy, he told me he liked to play rather than just hit; he simply liked doing what felt natural to him. Bjorn wouldalsorundownanythingthatwasn'tnailedonthecourt. This is the philosophythatItrytoimplantinall my students. Two students that come tomindareJimmyAriasandAndreAgassi. Both of their dads told them simply to"hit the hell out of the ball."
Basic rules are necessary no matter what type of player you work with. But you must remember that all players are different. Evenwiththefundamenhittingaballisnotenoughtoreachone'spotential. Every player has assets and liabilities. Life is built on strengths and weaknesses; you must blend them for success. Lew fundamentals can be put aside if a player is to reach higher levels.
In the end, people will usually play in a fashion that is consistent with their personalities. Take Aaron Krickstein for example. He is a quiet and introspective player. During matches he would play exactly like that, although he was extraordinarily competitive.
Another example is Monica Seles. She is extremely quiet in practice sivenature. She is almost Jekyll and Hyde in contrast.
aggressive but used a style that won people over to become fans.
Jimmy Arias has an unwavering personality. He will bet on anything and is always coming at others, both on and off the court.
in his words and actions. Oncourt, however, he was relentless and often enjoyed punishing players by keeping them on the court much longer than he had to.
a smile.
simplified by reducing it to its basic elements. My experience has shown that at its simplest level, tennis can be divided into three sections: technique, mental ability, and physical conditioning.
ing characteristics, and testing to determine size, nutr i tie’)n, and soon.
Before we get into grips, swings, and other intricate parts of the game, let's discuss key expressions used by coaches when teaching, by commentators when calling a match, and even by parents as they speak to their children.
the goal of hitting the ball overthe net one more time than the opponent does.
Impatient players may want to go for a big shot early. Coaches can allow this,
1. Keep the ball in play but don'tpush.
2. Keep the ball in play for a certain number of strokes, then go for the winner without waiting for margin of error.
3. Keep the ball in play until the opponent misses.
• Hit to a certain spot or location(placement)—The first priority is keeping the ball in play. The next challenge is to place the ball to selected areas.
control. The player must achieve depth early in the development of a point. Adding more height clearance over the net will produce deeper balls.
• Action on balls(variations of spin)—Hitting the ball the same way all the time may not be enough to beat a good opponent, especially ifthe opponent tunes into the player'ssinglestyleof play. Adding spins to the ball can create a major weapon!
• Power, or better,"controlled power"—Players must understand that power does not come about by sheer physical energy. Marcelo Rios is only five-foot-nine, yet he generates great power on serves and groundstrokes.
This power comes from lots of practice, with timing and increased racquet head speed being the primary ingredients.
isnot much different, and most people you meet would like to be successful application. If you want to be the world'sbestsalesperson, you had better know more than how to knock on doors. Before you can sell anything you must understand the art of selling. To succeed, you must understand that knowledge, dedication, and hard work go into it.
The same understanding applies to tennis players, who basically want to hit the ball over the net one more time than their opponents do. The more the player learns about the ball before making contact, the more success he or she will have in controlling the return.
children in any sport by first allowing them to have fun while they develop the in motor skills, their confidence, and an understanding of how and why object of the sport, be it a ball, a puck, the water, or even a horse. This rhythm, this idea of becoming one with the ball, teaches the discipline needed to succeed at a game, a project, or a career. Children are sponge sand acquire most of the knowledge of their lives in the first three years of existence.
the court. Rather, they should learn how the ball feels, how it bounces, and what it can do.
This simplicity is evident in beginners and advanced players. The beginner should focus on contact rather than the construction of the shot. Consider the student can perfect the shot, he or she must first know its bounce, its changing direction, about moving forward or backward, and the rationale behind hitting a slice.
a practice session that will spill over effectively into matches. My most profound advice is to get to know the ball. It'simpossibletohavesuccess with any sport, car, computer, mathematical problem, whatever, until one is completely at ease with the fundamentals. For instance. Dale Earnhardt, one of the best race-car drivers in the world, had a staff possessing the best mechanical expertise money can buy. Still, Earnhardtcould tell you the amount of air in his tires and how the engine worked. It'sthe same story with
Micro soft chairman Bill Gates. He can discuss every aspect of his business, from invention to sales.
With tennis I play simple games with my students. I ask them to see the ball as soonas they can and react to it.
or her side.
2. A solid intermediate player reacts to the ball as it crosses the net.
racquet.
opponent's body position—can anticipate with accuracy what type of ball will cross the net and where it is likely to go.
quality makes him among the best in the world.
1. Players should know what type of ball they will be receiving and where in the court they will receive it.
usually play their shots and what their patterns of play are.
Every player has a certain style. Sampras hits the forehand relatively flat. Onthe backhand he can hit flat down the line and crosscourt with some spin.
at any lesser level it should be a snap to anticipate ball direction.
1. Check the book on the opponent'spreferencesbeforethematch.
2. Observe the opponent'sposition, stance, and preparation.
3. Note the angle of the, racquet.
4. Notice whether the swing is low to high or high to low.
5. Note the speed of the swing.
Several indications can help the player anticipate early on the return of the
1. Height of the toss. Does it vary with certain serves?
2. Direction of the toss.
3. Variety of leg use.
4. Amount of hip and shoulder rotation.
By looking for these clues, the player will be able to pick up the ball earlier. Baseball scouts are ahead of the field in this art. In an effort to anticipate what type of ball the pitcher will throw, they videotape pitchers and look for small differences on each pitch.
It'sthe same for quarterbacks or backfield men in football. Running backs may setup in a different way if they are to block rather than carry the ball. By observing multiple repetitions, opponents or scouts can detect the little moves one makes without the ball.
Ina 1997 playoff game, the New England Patriots picked up on the signals of Dan Marino. They sacked him repeatedly or intercepted him. Result: Miami lost.
1. Never think you can'treachaball. If you try for every ball, even the impossible ones, you'llreachballsyouneverthoughtpossible.
2. Never let the ball bounce twice in practice. If you train yourself in this manner, you will learn to pickup the ball earlier.
The ready position, the first step to the ball, adjustment steps, the first recovery step, shufflesteps, the splitstep, speed, balance, and power are all key elements to movement.
is fast, strong, and balanced, leading the player to the shortest
4. Recovery—must be part of the swing so that at the end the player ends up in a balanced position for the first step back to the center
3.
6. Shufflesteps—steps that put the player into good position to mov^ein any direction and usually end in a splitstep just as the opponent makes contact ball early off the opponent'sracquet.
feet. There is no alternative. Countless simple routines can improve physical does the player recover? The process is move, balance, contact, and recover.
During my early years of teaching, including hearing and watching players and other coaches, I learned that the recovery could not be overemphasized.
back to position for the return of the next ball.
fielder must not only glove the ball butalso throw it to one of the bases. With shortstop takes a few steps, executes the throw to firstbase, anc i then recovers to second base if needed. I think of a tennis player performing the same kind of movement. Ihave my players on the run take an earlier step or two after contact and use the extra step for a push back to position for the next ball. Look at Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Venus Williams and you'llseethattheynotonlytakeanextrastepbutalsoleavetheirfeet during the contact point and finish in the direction of recovery.
Aplayer will hit some outright winners, but the majority of balls will come back to the player. It is infinitely more important to learn how to hit and sisters)embrace this rule whenever possible.
stronger and faster athletes using advanced racquet technology have developed powerful new weapons. With this in mind, players should find a recovery point that favors their style of play.
In almost every area of human endeavor, people are reluctant to change and may even fight it. The mere suggestion of change indicates that something accepting. Changing the status quo maybe unacceptable, especially for people who have had some success. More important, almost everyone is comfortable with the status quo.
If you ask someone to change, you must first beaware of the fear that change engenders. From a coach'spointofview, allow us to share our experiences.
A change in the grip, forexample, will definitely be uncomfortable. No one knows if the change will be successful. As in all changes, much depends on the eagerness and determination of the one making the changes. But, as take the challenge and face the risk. With most students, you must be prepared to deal with the student and their parents.
so that the student isn'tevenawarethatchangesarebeingmade. A good model is the dentist who distracts the patient when administering an uncomfortable shot. That is, you can prevent your student from thinking about the big changes by making small but gradual changes.
Some students are fearful of any change. With these students, youcan accomplish major changes only if you are willing to do someancillary work.
eastern grip.
•A loss of power will occur. The extreme western grip offers the feeling racquet closing very quickly.
ball will probably go high and out. The eastern grip may be too much change to effect in one step because strength issues, lack of racquet including balls going high, deep, and far out of play.
will occur.
•The process may take along time. You as a coach must realize the change could require changing the student'spracticesets and tournament play. The two options are making the change all at once or making the change in small segments to limit the trauma tothe student.
For instance, Pete Sampras accepted the wisdom of Dr. Fischer, a far older coach. Fischer advised Sampras that to compete at the top of the world some day, he needed toaugmenthisGod-given talents. Primarily, he had to worth it.
technicalities of change. You might need help from an outside source.
particularly when the student fears change or is satisfied with success, is one accepttheirintransigenceasafactandtoworkindirectly.
notice that onthe run he has difficulty hitting a forehand crosscourt. The first
• Define the situation.
• Besure that both player and coach agree that a problem exists.
• Determine the recommended solution.
• allowing movement to upset timing.
begins. In doing this, the student needs only to swing forward to hit crosscourt. This invariably increases the chance of making the shot.
Having All the Information My teaching career began in the late 1950s. Techniques were the main part of the lesson.
/ • Contact—slightly in front of the hitting foot or out in front of the body
• Follow-through—a swing through the ball witha long follow-through to the target, no extra motion withthe body, and no extra step with the back foot
As the game increased in popularity in the 1960 sand1970s, we made additions to our teaching techniques. One of the reasons for the academy's continued success is our ability to evolve with the sport. New thinking, new options, and new facilities keep the academy at the cutting edge of teaching.
the game'stechniquesandtactics. The building of points in long rallies has given way to taking the ball early and pounding winners from anywhere on
1950s we took tennis players and attempted to make them athletes. We now tion, statistical video reports, longer and more powerful racquets, and soon.
Scouting reports come in many forms: computer reports that show statistics and patterns of play, complete video of matches, or prematch information suchas player profiles and previous results.
takes away from natural playing instincts. The player may come to rely too
If you treat your players like his or her own mentality. Scouts play animportant CIlBmpionS, th6y I I perform winning. Selected be like champions! cause of specialized know ltr a shed, and where improvements can be made. In many cases, players don't believe a coach'sac count of what they'vejustdone.
1 haveworkedwithMarceloRiosonandoffforthepastthreeyears. Three weeks before the start of the 1998 Grand Slam Cup, Marcelo felt that his forehand was not quite right. He had the samefeelingattheU.S. Open a few months earlier. It'simportanttounderstandthatplayerswillgivesignals that they are not comfortable with something. Marcelo does not say much to champions.I advised him to make a few simple adjustments on his backswing to correct the problems he was experiencing.
1. From his ready position, which is quite low, he dropped the racquet head even lower when starting his backswing.
2. He led the backswing with his elbow.
taking his handoff the racquet.
continual compensation can lead to other problems. It old him not to drop the head on the first part of the backswing, to release the opposite hand a little sooner, and to let the racquet head lead the backswing.
A few weeks later, Marcelo beat Andre Agassi in the Grand Slam Cup and won$1.4million. As a coach you must take a stand and risk telling your student what you feel is right, even though the student maybe unwilling to accept it. How you tell the student is key, so know your student'spersonality!
Atthe same time, 1 wasalsoworkingwithVenusWilliams, who is totally racquet goes back very high and as quick as the backswing of anyone in the game.
detail. The phrase became a little more involved, and slowly anew saying emerged:"Turn your hip and shoulder"or"Turn your shoulders."
With some players the racquet went back at the initial turn of the hips and
_ back, but my eyes are to ball in! cusedto see whether the hips and shoulders are rotating.
If they are not,1find it much easier to stay withthe words"racquet back" and then talk about the hips and shoulders.
Today, Tmonceagainsayingtostudentswho appear to have trouble meeting the fast ball out front, "Take your racquet back early."Iva Majoli and the Williams sisters have extremely quick backswings, which I feel allows them to hit any variation on the forehand.
1 don't demand that mystudentsprepareasearlyasIvaMajolidoes, but with students beyond the beginner level, I pay close attention to the back early."But Iam also watching and hoping for shoulder and hip rotation.
Shot selection is as important as shot execution. Players should stay withthe high-percentage shots that they are confident of making. They should vary cially at crucial points. For example, aplayer should not try to force a winner from 10 feet behind the baseline.
Players should select shots that move their opponents around and force them into unforced errors or weak defensive shots.
as long as it takes to win. This is especially true for play on slow courts.
safety. The player who has the ability to place the ball will cause many unforced errors.
The player should strive for accuracy that allows a shot to be off a little yet errors and allow the player to remain in points without making errors. No onewasbetteratthisthanChrisEvertandBjornBorgwere.
each big but not much bigger than the average recreational player.
Bollettieri Tennis Academy, famous for producing world-class forehands, is "How can I hit the ball harder?" How do the pros doit, anc i how can the student do it better? Let'sexplore the answers both scientifically and practically. We will suggest some ways to add power by measuring racquet-head speed without losing control. We will world'sbestplayers.
What Is Racquet-Head Speed?
Much has been written about the pace of today's game—some of it positive, some of it negative.
• Is power an unfair advantage for some players?
• Should big servers be limited to one serve?
• Should balls be made heavier to sustain longer rallies?
• Should new technologies be outlawed?
• Is the speed of the ball changing the complexion of the game?
•What are the factors contributing to increased power?
contact all contribute to the speed of the ball leaving the racquet.
consistently is the solution to a more powerful game.
Many of us are able to generate racquet-head speed but may be using too much wrist or body in the shot. A sloppy wrist or excessive body movement, caused by throwing the body into the shot before or during the hitting motion, can be easily detected.
Top players use their wrists efficiently and effectively by educating their wrists to coordinate all action with the movement of their bodies.
How do we develop power for our players without sacrificing control? We gradually increase a player'sabilitytodevelopconsistentracquet-head speed to the ball while maintaining the same or better control.
As fully demonstrated in my video Killer Forehand, several factors are involved in maximizing the forehand weapon. First, youcan'tfireacannon from a canoe. The player must create a strong foundation to provide power and control for high swing speeds.
that can be developed.I recommended hitting from both an open and neutral of practice are required to control a ball as the pros do when jumping into the air. Determine the capabilities of your student.
the forward swing. If the butt of the racquet is aligned to the path of the oncoming ball, the player will be able to apply the greatest amount of power to the ball through leverage, thus increasing racquet-head speed.
too hard and trying to muscle the ball causes a loss of power because of a lack of flexibility in the armor arms. Working with a solid foundation and flexible arms is like having a whip handle and a loose whip rope. The two work together to create acceleration and a crack of the whip.
across the body applies the greatest speed and leverage to the ball. The action is similar to jerking a towel from someone'shands.
All these factors contribute to learning how to produce maximum racquet speed while maintaining control and consistency. Note that the student will lose control ofthestroke if he or she snaps the wrist into the point of contact and finishes withthe palm of the hand facing himself or herself in the followthrough.
ball on a vertical plane, and turn the wrist over on completion ofthestroke.
Refer to my Killer Forehand video for more insight into increasing racquet head speed with all sort of spins, chops, slices, and soon.
The correct wrist action for a topspin forehand has the palm facing away fromthe player with an eastern grip and the palm facing toward the ground for the player with a semiwestern or western grip.
"It does not matter what your body is doing. It does not matter what your head, arms, or legs are doing. It does not matter whether youare holding the racquet head loosely or in a death grip. The racquet-head velocity at the point of contact is all that matters. By using a racquet that has a hinge between the head and the handle we have demonstrated that the racquet gives full power. What the hinge does is demonstrate that the racquet head has no way of knowing what the head, arms, shoulders, hips, etc., are doing at the point of ball'spathandspeed."
only device for determining proper string type, gauge, and tension based on at some point any player will begin to lose control."
that the world'sbestplayerskeepthewristfreeto move on a vertical plane. The player who allows the wrist to move horizontally will develop a sloppy wrist before you can say,"Pow! Bang! Bam!"
Power must be the final product, once the previously discussed technique is mastered. I often find that students who have mastered the other basics will automatically hit with more power because of sound technique and confidence. Additional power will also come about through normal physical developmentand a directed physical fitness program.
Finally, the majority of players feel they get more power by using more body. This is not so! They should swing in a normal fashion using the legs, racquet acceleration, and the power of the opponent'sball.
Tell Me About the Game!
it as apart of the entire process of hitting a ball.
Keep the ball in play—No matter what it takes, the student must keep the ball in play and try to maintain correct stroke techniques.
niques, and practice hitting to the same place.
Height and depth—Hitting balls deep to the opponent'scourtand repeating these first three steps will control rallies.
Variations—The student should apply different spins.
or she should start racquet preparation early, have a quick first step, and fire the body into action to respond with lightning speed.
As the player gets closer to the ball, the steps should become shorter so that he or she can setup and maintain balance at contact. Having a poor foundation and weak posture limits the ability to execute shots with consistency.
interval training can all improve agility. Players should move smoothly without jerky motions and think"fast feet"at all times.
Michael Chang and Martina Hingis have excellent speed and agility. They get to almost every ball. The key to movement is simply to believe that you can reach every ball! We often see players scramble to reach a ball. All players can do the same thing if they work at it.
Footwork is the foundation upon which one builds strokes. Without proper footwork the player will not get to the ball or, upon reaching it, will be unbalanced and out of position
Having great footwork gives the player options and creates openings that other players don'thave. Notice I say great footwork—not good footwork. The student must make a point of working to develop impeccable footwork and foot speed in every practice session.
Refer to chapter 11 for exercises to develop speed, agility, and footwork.
stroke. In the process of racquet preparation, the brain sends a message from the hands to the feet about how to setup. If racquet preparation gets behind to the side instead of toward the net. This is known as the closedstance.
If the player prepares the racquet in the backswing, whether straight back or circular, and the racquet stays ahead of the body as the player moves to the of driving into a neutral stance.
Ifthe butt of the racquet were a flash light, in preparation the beam of light should never get behind the player or point to the side of the court. The beam of light should stay ahead of the body as the player moves.
hitting stance. Preparing late often leads to hitting late, rushing the stroke, and having the feet setup incorrectly or too late.
habit of recovering after every shot to be prepared to continue the point. The footwork patterns used on recovery vary from shufflesteps to crossover hit, the player can turn and run.
Almost everything about today's game is faster and more powerful. Players are faster, fitter, and get back into position sooner. Racquet and string technology speed up the game. The ball reaches the player quicker than ever before. To handle the pace, the student must simplify the strokes. He or she must prepare earlier and keep the swing compact. The Bollettieri Tennis Academyhostsplayers, both juniors and adults, of all skill levels. The most common stroke adjustment we make, at every level of play, is reducing the backswing.
circular motion on the backswing is too big or the straight-back backswing goes too far back, we find that the racquet head tends to get too far from the body. The foundation begins to wobble, and balance falters. The player can end up reaching or stretching for the ball, often hitting the ball with a straight arm. Then what happens? Technique breaks down, and the player loses control of the racquet head, cutting down the options.
feet close enough to make a compact swing.
*This section originally appeared in Tennis Magazine. Reprinted with permission.
Let me repeat: to handle today'spower, the player must consolidate the groundstrokes—they have to be shorter and simpler. And with today's increased power and spin onthe groundstrokes, the player must also adjust volley technique. With simpler strokes, less can go wrong.
Shorter strokes are the key to success in today'spowergame.
As I said 40 years ago, get the racquet back!
Before doing anything to make the forehand swing more compact, the student must find out if he or she is seeing the ball soon enough. The player should react the instant the ball leaves the opponent'sracquet. If the player waits for the ball to cross the net and bounce before beginning to prepare, as focus and promote earlier preparation.
In terms of making the swing simpler, what I'msayingtomystudents todayisexactlywhatIsaidin 1958: get the racquet back!
The player should turn those hips and shoulders. Moving the racquet fromthe ready position isn't necessary—the player should just coil the upper body immediately. During the last few months.I've been spending time with Venus and Serena Williams. Tmimpressedbytheirstronghipandshoulder
I'veworkedwith. They are good models to copy.
racquet a little closer to the body on the backswing. A loss of control occurs when the player swings with the arm straight and the elbow away from the body.
shorter,consolidatedswing.
1 . The player stands inside the baseline and hits all groundstrokes from there. The player will naturally make a quicker turn and shorter swing to hit the ball well.
2. Have a practice partner serve fromthe serviceline as the player stands a coupleoffeetinsiciethe baselinetorecei\'e. The player has no choice but to pickup the ball early and shorten the backswing. After doing it onthe return to get the idea, the player can apply it to backcourt play on all groundstrokes.
3. Have the player tuck a ball under the armpit. That'swhat Iasked Anna Kournikova to do at the academy. She had her arm much too far away from her body on the backswing and atimpact. When we too far away. To keep it from falling, she had to learn to keep her elbow closer to her body. Atthe Lipton Championships Isaw a major improvementinAnna'sforehandfromayearearlierwhen Ihad talked to her about trying to keep that arm closer to the body.
The student should make a full-turn backswing.
ball too late. The ball gets behind them, they slap at it, and they can'tget under it for spin. They also cannot hit crosscourt when pressured. A twohanded player can get away with a two-segmentswingabitmorebecause the extra hand can sometimes makeup for the late contact. The two-hander can also make an abbreviated motion work because the two hands generate more power than onehand from a half backswing.
Whether using two hands or one, however, the player should make a full turn total backswing. Watch the two-handedbackhandsofAndreAgassi, Michael Chang, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams. The racquet shoots back like a cannon. Watch the one-handedbackhandsofPeteSamprasand Tommy Haas. The second the ball comes toward the backhand, the player should make a total hip and shoulderturn and get the racquet all the way back. All he or she has to do from there is swing forward. Aplayer who has spent sometime training at my academy, Mark Philippoussis has significantly improved his backhand. At the tournament he won in Memphis, it was out of sight. Why? He had a tremendous, quick turn. He was able to angle the shot crosscourt when hitting a running backhand, whereas most players can only hit down the line.
Everything startswith the ready position.
reaction, suchas the baseball shortstop and the football tackle. A catlike position provides the best opportunity for success. Forthe volley that means feet planted, weight slightly forward, racquet out in front to permit movement in any direction or to be in position with good balance for the ball that comes right at the player.
When the ball is away from the player, he or she moves to it with the feet. Instead of reaching or feeling for the ball way out in front, the player should mov^ein to a good position and then wait for the ball. Most players will be surprised at the control they hav^eon the volley using this method.
With a solid foundation, the racquet can accommodate any type of ball. The player can use the opponent'spowerbysimplydirectingtheracquet head to the ball. Ifthe oncoming ball is very difficult, a shorter swing should be used. For an easy ball, a bigger swing can be taken.
3, and confidence will build from there.
The player should keep the racquet head higher on the backswing.
is having difficulty coordinating the toss and the racquet, or dealing with sun and wind, it'sti me to consider the simplification used on the other strokes.
No single service motion is best for everyone. In the classical serves of Pete Sampras or Boris Becker, the racquet and tossing hand start downtogether, and then the racquet head goes past the leg and back toward the fence while complicated, complete swing should keep it. But if the player is having trouble, let's make the serve simpler. Look at the
Patrick Rafter, Marcelo Rios, Iva Majoli, to name three. Many players, consider a more compact motion.
Mary Joe Fernandez came to the academy about a year and a half ago and said,"Nick, I'mnotsatisfiedwith my serve. My racquet and toss don't seem to work together."She said that her toss drifted and she couldn'tgenerate enough power.
over her shoulder and serve from there. Then Iasked her to take a half backswing. When she asked what I meant by that, I said,"Just turn your shoulders and keep your racquet head about waist high on the backswing."
hesitate to do something different. I said,"Idon'tcare what it looks like. The consolidatedmotion gave Fernandez confidence that the balltoss was going said that it made a tremendous difference.
consistency, he or she should consider adjusting to a simpler serve motion.
Once again, I refer back to my early days of teaching.I went to the books. The experts described the grips, and that was it. Tm happy Idon'tread or follow grip would be his or her brand. Many factors come into play when selecting
We can keep talking, but for a fact, certain grips just seem to perform better on certain shots.
cousins, aunts, and uncles of the first styles. Inthe 1960 sand1970 scoaches were far too rigid about what grips they instructed their students to use. Not today. Grips now range in dimension from a quarter to almost a half of a turn surfaces, and conditions will require small variations in the standard grips.
learned the game. Forexample, playersfromSouthAmericawhogrowup on clay(red dirt)generally use a semiwestern to western grip because they had to deal with highbouncing balls.
Note that the illustrations in this chapter are for right-handed players. We have included a grip reference table at the back of the grip section(table 2.1 on page 78) outlining the grip positions for left-handed players. The doublehanded player will also find this section useful because the grip reference table profiles grips for both double-handed forehands and backhands.
To locate each grip, the player places the base knuckle of the index finger and the heel pad of the palm onthe numbered bevel shown in figure 2.1. This will
*This section by Nick Bollettieri and PeterD. McCraw.
continental grip is located by placing the base knuckle on bevels 1-2( top bevel-top right bevel)and the heel pad of the palm on bevel 2.
Figure 2.1 How to locate a grip.
player needs to use a grip that provides a blend of consistency, control, and power for his or her style of play.
volley, serve, and overhead for most players. See figure 2.2.
Figure 2.2 The continental grip is located by placing the base knuckle of the index finger on bevels
1-2 and the heel pad of the palm on bevel 2.
favorite grip. I generally don'trecommend it as a forehand grip because it requires an exceptionally strong forearm and impeccable timing.
This grip is used less often today to hit the power backhand . Though effective strength or stability in the racquet head to handle powerful groundstrokes from an opponent. It is difficult to produce topspin, and I recommendit only to players who are learning to slice.
The continental grip is my preferred grip for teaching the volley to advanced players. The continental grip does not require a grip change, and it offers the most support to the wrist when hitting forehand and backhand volleys. In allows the net player to execute the serve, overhead, and forehand and backhand volleys without changing grips.
The eastern grip originated on the medium-bouncing courts in the eastern United States. It is the classic forehand grip. The eastern grip offers flexibility for individual styles, comfort for beginners, and versatility for all surfaces.
This is the simplest grip to learn and use. See figure 2.3.
on bevel3 and the heel pad of the palm on bevels 2-3.
grip most players experience a loss of feel and control.
I instruct my students to spread the index finger out to improve both feel and racquet-head stability at contact.
The eastern backhand, the classic backhand grip, offers maximum stability and allows the player to drive the ball and hit with topspin. Pete Sampras and
Petr Korda are among the professionals who employ this grip.I recommend to most players that they adopt a strong eastern grip on topspin backhands.
See figure 2.4.
Figure 2.4 The eastern backhand grip is located by positioning the base knuckle of the index finger on bevel 1 and the heel pad of the palm on bevels 1-8.
From the eastern forehand grip, a quarter turn to the left heel pad should move from bevels 2-3 to bevels 1-8.
• Easy for beginners • Difficult for very high balls for hitting powerful topspin and loop forehands. See figure 2.5.
I recommend that beginners start and stay with a strong eastern to semiwestern grip on the forehand.
• Difficult to apply slice on dropshots finger on bevel4 and the heel pad of the palm on bevel 4.
contact. This grip tends to cause the player to lead with the elbow during the forward swing. See figure 2.6.
A more advanced player might consider this grip. Professional players use it frequently when hitting topspin lobs and angle shots.I do not recommend this grip for the majority of players.
• Difficult to hit the flat drive finger on bevel8 and the heel pad of the palm on bevel 8.
is awkward for low balls and underspin. See figure 2.7.
Players who use a great deal of topspin, like Thomas Muster, Sergi Bruguera, and Alberto Berasategui, use this grip. Unless the player has an immensely strong wrist and impeccable timing, a western grip will cause problems. I do not recommend it for most players.
Figure 2.7 The western forehand grip is located by positioning the base knuckle of the index finger on bevel5 and the heel pad of the palm on bevel 5.
Double-handed forehand grips. Pancho Segura, Monica Seles, Jan-Michael players who use two hands from both sides, vary in style. Jan-Michael is much more aggressive and hits out with less spin, whereas Fabrice isa counterpuncher with all sorts of specialty shots.
position of the hands, the top hand is not able to playa dominant role on both the right side.
agility.
is slower than she was a few years ago. She can no longer dominate against the power and athletic ability of players on the ladies tour. She now hits defensively when forced wide or when moving up for short balls. She is even beginning to hit several single-handed forehands.
The grip variations for the double-handed forehand are essentially the same as those of the double-handed backhand. The only difference is whether the right or left hand is on top. The grip reference table on page 78 players. The table identifies each of the double-handed forehand grips.
Double-handed backhand grips. As with the forehand, several grip combinations are available for the double-handed backhand. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Several variations of grips are used today when hitting with two hands. They apply to both the double-handed forehand and double-handed backhand. The illustrations are of a right-handed player, but the grip reference table will help locate grips for the lefthand.
When discussing double-handed grips it is important to distinguish between the role each hand plays when hitting a backhand.
with timing, racquet-head stability, and control.1prefer that my students use successtully.
the ball. This circumstance is in contrast to a one-handed backhand, in which the front shoulder is the main factor and the leftside plays a supporting role by shifting leverage to the right side.
With this grip the bottom hand(wrist)must be laidback on the backswing, making it more difficult to control the racquet head as well as increasing the tendency for the racquet face to open slightly on contact. The eastern grip of released. See figure 2.8.
of the index finger onbevelSandtheheelpadof the palm on bevels 2-3. The top-hand base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 7, and the heel pad of the palm is placed on bevels 7-8.
/ This situation is similar to the continental /semiwestern and comes down to individual choice. The bottom hand can execute the slice and volley satisfac volley grip to the continental. See figure 2.9.
base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 6, with the heel pad of the palm on bevel 6.
point but to dominate the stroke with a complete follow-through around the opposite shoulder. See figure 2.10.
attacked on this side until 1 suggested a much bigger follow-through. The top hand played a more dominant role because Jim'sleft hand was so strong that player must treat the backhand like a left-handed forehand, hitting it with a complete follow-through around the opposite shoulder. Courier was able to dip the ball against a serve and volleyer and hit more depth with spin because of the change.
of the index finger is placed on bevel 5, and the heel pad of the palm is placed on bevel 5.
feature is that the player does not have the variety of options when the top hand is released. The eastern backhand grip of the bottom hand is not ideal for the slice, approach, or volley. The semiwestern grip of the top hand, however, provides an ideal amount of support, allowing it to play a dominant role during execution. See figure 2.11.
base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 6, with the heel pad of the palm on bevel 6.
the top hand does not provide as much support as it does witha semiwestern grip, this grip combination will serve the player well. See figure 2.12.
of the index finger on bevel2 and the heel pad of the palm on bevels 1-2. The top-hand base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 7, and the heel pad of the palm is placed on bevels 7-8.
This is my grip recommendation for the double-handed backhand. The semiwestern grip of the top hand is in an ideal position to play the dominant role, with the palm of the hand being under the grip, providing maximum support. The continental grip of the bottom hand gives the player the option to slice, dropshot, volley, and reach wide balls when the top hand is released. See figure 2.13.
practice hitting with one hand, the top hand, ina semiwestern grip, teaching them to use the top hand to drive the racquet head forward. Martina Hingis andbothWilliamssistersdothisexerciseeverydayasdidAndreAgassi.
base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 6, with the heel pad of the palm on bevel 6.
This grip is very similar to the continental /semiwestern backhand grip. The top hand is located slightly more under the grip, causing it to play a more dominant role throughout the swing, especially during the follow-through. The continental grip of the bottom handgi\^est he player the option to slice, dropshot, volley, and reach wide balls when the top hand is released. See figure 2.14.
hitting it with a complete follow-through around the opposite shoulder.
What Grips Are Today’sPlayersUsing?
The top men and women players predominantly use forehand grips ranging from an eastern to a semiwestern.
of the index finger on bevel2 and the heel pad of the palm on bevels 1-2. The top-hand base knuckle of the index finger is placed on bevel 5, and the heel pad of the palm is placed on bevel 5.
As player develops—secondserve: continental to weak eastern backhand
Pete Sampras followed this pattern.
requires no grip change.
Backhand double-handed—top hand: strong eastern forehand to semiwestern forehand
Backhand double-handed—top hand: strong eastern forehand to
Backhand double-handed—top hand: strong eastern forehand to semiwesternforehanci allows the player to get under the ball, but it is difficult for the player to apply topspin when forced into a half volley.1 recommend that my students use the
Backhand double-handed—top hand: strong eastern forehand to semiwestern forehand
. The benefit of using a continental grip for the bottom hand includes being able to release the top hand and open the racquet face to apply underspin. The player must be careful when making grip changes for the halfvolley. This shot is often hit underpressure. When making a reflex shot, it is difficult to find anew grip. The student may become stuck halfway between the old grip and the new one. In general, I would make changes to the half-volley grip only for the student who has extreme ground-stroke and approach-shot grips.
Strongly encourage your students to move in quickly that counterpunchers like Agassi, Courier, and Hingis find halfvolleys a delight.
1. The grip is fundamental to every shot. Making adjustments may feel uncomfortable in the beginning, but with practice the grip will become second nature and the student'sgamewillsurelyimprove.
2. The grip should be constant throughout the stroke.
3. The student must be patient with the grip and become comfortable with it.
4. The student should not be afraid to change a grip if doing so canhelp his or her game.
player to find what works for him or her, discuss it with the coach, and stick with it!
Table 2.1 has been designed to provide an overview of all grips for both right and left-handed players. We hope that you find it useful in gaining a greater understanding of each grip. See also figure 2.15.
The player's game startswith a strong foundation. We can talk all day about nity to react quickly and remain balanced when executing a shot.
Controlling the center of gravity is critical to excelling in tennis. Great players like Michael Chang, Thomas Muster, Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, and
Right-handed player Left-handed player
Base Heel Base Heel Base Heel Base Heel Double-handed grip knuckle pad knuckle pad knuckle pad knuckle
Easternfh/Easternfh 3 2-3 7 7-8 7 7-8 3 2-3 semiwesternfh 3 2-3 6 6 6 6-7 4 4
Easternfh/westernfh 3 2-3 5 5 7 7-8 5 5 semiwesternfh 1-8 8 6 6 1-2 2 4 4
Continental/easternfh 2 1-2 7 7-8 8 1-8 3 2-3 semiwesternfh 2 1-2 6 6 8 1-8 4 4
Amanda Coetzer possess exceptional movement skills. Have you ever wondered why they are capable of such great feats of athleticism? Several key concepts may give you insight into their success:
ofthe body On average it is 55 percent of height for women and 57 percent for men. The center of mass is a constant balance point that always lies within the body. Three factors affect the center of mass—height, body shape, and gender.
• Center of gravity. The center of gravity is a balance point that shifts within the body when it moves. If a person stands static and upright, the center of gravity will be the same as the center of mass. When a person moves, the center of gravity shifts within the body and may even move outside the body. The shift of the center of gravity away from the center of mass creates movement.
Figure 2.15 Finding grips for the lefthand or righthand.
equilibrium and stays within the base of support. An example of a base of support in tennis is when a player comes to the net and goes into a splitstep. The goal of the splitstep is to change forward momentum into a wellbalanced stance, enabling the player to react to forehands or backhands or move diagonally in either direction.
• Moment of inertia. To overcome the moment of inertia, it is critical to have a lower center of gravity within the base of support.
eration, and redirection in 360 degrees.
We often see an advantage in movement by shorter people over taller ones.
Several factors cause this circumstance. The first is how athletes develop. Tall the post in basketball, the line in football, or a one-dimensional, serve dominant player in tennis. This specialization will ultimately limit the slight loss despite later attempts to master movement.
shorter players who tend to be quicker because they have shorter limbs. Ifa taller person has the same relative flexibility, mobility, elasticity, and strength as a shorter player, and both have equally efficient biomechanics, the advantage switches to the taller player because of the longer limbs. It is often difficult, however, for the taller player to match the movement speed of the more compact player.
fultennismovement.
center of the court. One of the great advantages of hitting open is that the player can apply positive angles and stop the momentum from carrying him or her outside the court.
of gravity shifts outside the base of support toward the head. An extra step or two will be required to stop this momentum and redirect it toward the center of the court.
When accelerating from the baseline toward the net to volley, the player should lean forward to displace the center of gravity in front of the center of mass. This leaning action will allow forward acceleration. Once the player has momentum forward, he or she must lower the center of gravity, use leg strength to bend and decelerate, and maintain anew position of balance to be able to react efficiently for the volley.
All great athletes possess supreme mobility, balance, movement mechanics, elasticity, power, and strength. Whenathletesstruggletoachieveoutstanding movement, one or several of these abilities are missing. Regardless fulcourtmovement.
first step in achieving a strong foundation.
In all three cases the player needs to maintain a strong foundation. Understanding the difference between the three postures will emphasize the importance of maintaining a strong foundation. It is sometimes simple to maintain a sound ready posture and move to the ball easily. Obviously, ifthe opponenthits a weak shot, the player has a good chance to maintain a strong hits a strong penetrating shot, the player will find it more difficult to establish a sturdy ready position.
Normal Ready Posture—Strong Athletic Position A comfortable, strong, athletic posture is fundamental to movement and
• holding the arms bent.
normal ready posture. Notice how her her eyes are looking forward and focused.
In thispositionMonicacan react in all and diagonally with equal ability.
The base should be wider than the hips. To lower the center of gravity, the feet must be far enough apart to allow the player to bend the knees while keeping the weight on the balls of the feet. Getting low offers the best opportunity for a quick, powerful first step. Inaddition the arms should be bent. All players are different, but the position of the racquet must allow the player to prepare for the tough shots as well as the easy ones.
Achieving a low center of gravity and maintaining it as long as possible are vital to developing a strong athletic posture.
posture, demonstrated in figures 2.17 and 2.18. He or she should pick up the flight of the ball as soonas possible after it leaves the opponent'sracquet. The
Figure 2.17 Open-stance posture. Monica illustrates both a strong (a)and weak [b]athletic is in good position to hit a well-timed forehand. The second example shows Monica offbalance and out of position from the same stance.
the same stance.
first step should be quick, balanced, and powerful if the opponent has hit an ball evenif using a drop step.
The recovery posture is just as important as the normal ready posture and the setup posture. Maintaining a strong foundation while recovering is the key to push off while remaining balanced with shoulders level and hips and shoulders square to the net. See figures 2.19 and 2.20.
to the next ball.
after the follow-through.
athletic base,(b)Monica’sleftfoothascomearoundsquareto the net after the follow-through.
The four stances are neutral, open, semiopen, and closed.
stages of development to experience shifting weight and body rotation toward the target area.
From the normal ready posture the player begins the backswing by turning the hips and shoulders, stepping out, and shifting the weight to the outside foot. The player steps forward with the inside foot and shifts the weight onto it before starting the forward swing. The weight stays on the front foot until after contact. The player remains balanced during the followthrough and recovery. Bringing the back foot up and around naturally to maintain a strong foundation will ensure that the player remains balanced and ready for the next shot. This sequence is illustrated in figure 2.21.
Initially1 instruct my students to hold the back foot behind the front after contact. This allows the student to followthrough toward the target with shoulders balanced. The next progression is to move the back foot up and around naturally, transferring the weight after contact.
The neutral stance is the preferred stance to hit both single-handed and double-handed backhands because it allows the player to move body weight in the direction of the target. The neutral stance provides the best foundation from which to execute, followthrough, and recover efficiently unless the player is facing a very difficult ball on the run.
Until the last few years, the neutral stance(some call it the closedstance) was the accepted way to hit the forehand, single-handed backhand, and double-handed backhand.1still maintain this selection for the beginner and low intermediate, but 1 keep them on notice to adopt the openstance, especially on the forehand and two-handed backhand.
If for some reason your student hits witha semiopen to openstance, do not panic and say,"No, No, No!"Simply observe the results and make an adjustment if necessary. Let the player do either if the result is pos it i\^e.
play. It introduces the student to the principles of stepping out, shifting weight to the outside foot, hip loading, and the unit turn.
*This section by Nick Bollettierinnd PeterD. McCraw.
Figure 2.21 This sequence of shots illustrates John setting up to hit a forehand and backhand from of(d]forehand,(e)normal ready posture, (fjbackhand.
recovery. Iseetoo many players shift their weight during the swing and pull off the ball from this stance.
prepare, when the opponent forces the player out of position at the baseline, or when the player must react at the net. The"'killer forehand"and all high forehands should be hit with this stance because it allows the player to load upon the outside hip and explode into the shot. With more players using semiwestern and western grips, the openstance is here to stay. Players should practice hitting forehands, backhands, volleys, and return of serves from this stance.
Iseetwo common mistakes with the openstance.
the ball.
foot before or during contact.
ofthestroke.
personal style.
teach this stance from the normal ready posture and instruct my students to use it freely within their style of play.
Figure 2.22 This sequence of shots illustrates John setting up to hit an open-stance forehand and backhand from inside the baseline. Note that the openstance gives John an element of disguise because it is difficult to anticipate in which direction he will hit. Front views of[a]open forehand, posture, and (f)open backhand.
From the normal ready posture the player begins the backswing by turning the hips and shoulders, stepping out, and shifting the weight to the outside foot. As with the openstance, the key to the semiopen stance is maintaining a strong foundation. The player must keep the weight on the outsidefootuntilaftercontactandremainbalancedduringthefollowthroughandreco\^ery. See figure 2.23 for this sequence.
The semiopen stance, like the openstance, is ideal for situations when the position at the baseline, or when the player must react at the net. The player should hit the''killer forehand"and high forehand with this stance because he or she can load up onthe outside hip and explode into the shot. With more players using semiwestern and western grips, the semiopen stance is here to stay. The student should practice hitting forehands, backhands, volleys, and return of serves from this stance.
There are no hard-and-fast rules as to when a player should use one stance their style of play, grips, movement skills, and stage of development.
their games to the way the game is now played. Inaddition, the more widespread use of both the semiwestern and western forehand grips allows either a semiopen or openstance.
While the neutral stance is still my preferred stance for most levels of play because it provides the best foundation and balance for the stroke, the shift toward the semiopen and open stances is becoming more evident as the game evolves.
Players should practice setting up with both a semiopen and openstance on the forehand, backhand, volley, and return of serve. They should learn to recognize which balls they can step in and hit from a neutral
The closedstance should be avoided when hitting forehands and doublehanded backhands from a stationary position.
Ce]normal ready posture,(0semiopen backhand.
• it is almost impossible for the hips and shoulders to open when making contact with the ball,
• recovery requires more time.
Players sprinting to get a wide ball will find it difficult to adjust the feet and step toward the net at contact. As a result, players should make contact on the run, take an extra step or so after contact, and then recover as quickly as possible. A closedstance delays recovery, so players must besure to offset this with a powerful recovery. See figure 2.24.
player must remember that hitting from a closedstance delays recovery and leaves him or her momentarily out of position.
professional players hitting from semiopen and open stances, I now call it the neutral stance. The neutral and closed stances are significantly different when discussing a stationary hitting stance.
• maintain a strong foundation and good posture throughout the swing, forward, bringing the shoulders and hips square to the net.
• closing out the hips, eliminating any hip rotation during the forward and contact segments of the swing, and resulting in hitting with only
• forcing the player to take additional recovery steps before squaring to the net with the hips and shoulders.
Note that at times a closedstance is preferred when on the run.
shoulders at contact. Front views of(a)closed forehand, [bjnormalreadyposture, CcJclosed backhand; side views of(d]closed forehand, CeJnormalreadyposture, CDclosedbackh and.
Throughout a match the player will be forced to use a variety of stances.
ultimately influenced by position onthe court, the difficulty of the oncoming ball, the player'sgrips, and his or her physical conditioning.
Inthe next session on the practice court, the player should take a moment play.
illustrate the different ideal contact zones for a continental, eastern, semiwestern, and western grip.
comfortable a low ball will be. The more the hand is under the grip(western), the more comfortable a high ball will be.
Refer back to the section on grips to review the advantages anddisadvanfindagripthatfeelscomfortableandsuitshisorherstyleofplay.
JIM' t.
strategic arsenal.
trained more junior players than any other coach in brightest young stars. As president and founder of a trademark that my players possess huge forehand weapons.
inspire and motivate my students to improve and my ability to instill in them the confidence they need to succeed. My formula for developing new technique and building it into habit involves pro-
• Step 1:" Just hit it." As Andre Agassi'sfather said to him when he was young,"This is the way you refine your swing and improve your power. For now, don'tworryso much about accuracy and consistency. Just relax, groove the swing, and hit big."
• Step 2: Target training. Once youha\'e estab-
• Step 3: Become match tough. The final stage is to test your skill under match-pressure conditions to see if the habits maintain effectiveness.
sure.
A "killer forehand"is a lethal weapon in aplayer'sstrategic arsenal. All other for you to attack andvolley. Not all forehands are hit with the killer mentality. You must create the situation while keeping your opponent always under the threat of the killer shot.
The ingredients of the killer forehand call for refined and efficient movement skills. The idea is to get into position to hit the killer forehand. Use drop guessing.
A baseball pitcher may have a good fastball, but it will be the variety and world-class players possess on their killer forehands.
itself. If I were to start you as a beginner today, I would most likely encourage you to use an extreme eastern or semiwestern grip.
• Continental grip(palm faces down)—It is difficult toachieve killer forehand power with this grip, although there area few exceptions.
of success.
• Eastern grip(palm faces forward)—This grip provides good leverage and power, works well with both higher and lower balls in the strike zone, and enables the production of spins and power.
• Semiwestern grip(palmfacesforwardandupward)—Common in today'sprogame, the semiwestern grip offers great power and spin options, especially higher in the strike zone.
*This section by Nick Bollettieri and Pat Dougherty.
difficult to work with.
To be effective with your forehand, you have to be able to hit balls in all parts of the strike zone. The eastern and semiwestern are the most common, versatile, and powerful options overall.
Using the proper grip pressure is important, regardless of your grip. Holding the grip too tightly, a common problem, will restrict your flexibility. Keep your hand relaxed, especially between shots, and let the racquet do the work.(Try squeezing hard on a tennis ball. See how quickly you begin to lose
Remember to develop one primary grip and practice it with your forehand. A lot of practice is required to ingrain the habit and make it reliable.
Athletes can be defined by the body position of a strong foundation. Examples include Boris Becker, Michael Chang, and Martina Hingis.
The two things that help everyday players the most are early preparation and a strong foundation.
Gifted players move with speed, agility, balance, and strength. They never think about movement. They are natural athletes who move to the ball and recover to a court position that suits their style.
Other players have to work constantly to start swing preparation with the first step and make the first-step recovery part of the swing itself. They must work daily on preparation and recovery because it does not flow naturally.
to appear smooth and agile as they move. These patterns are used for specific purposes and situations.
1 . Crossover—The crossover pattern is often used for lateral movement.
This is especially important for run-around forehands and overheads that require backward movement.
slice approaches.
but is effective for balls within a few steps of the player.
conjunction with good racquet preparation, these stutter steps help you avoid becoming wrong footed or caught in a closedstance.
5. Drop steps—One foot will drop back slightly to make the second step strong and efficient. Most players use the drop step when moving forward and laterally.
tance of early preparation. Lack of preparation is often why a stroke breaks down.
tion, your feet do not have time to adjust to the situation.
feet. The analogy of the flash light in the butt of the racquet canhelp you understand this concept. When you use an excessively large backswing and directing your power in a sideways direction, placing you in a closedstance.
By keeping the racquet ahead of your body, the beam of light points toward direct your power.
time.
There are three main stances—open, neutral, and closed. For further details on stances please refer back to chapter 2.
• The openstance is like one used by a batter stepping into the batter's box with only the back foot and hitting. This stance offers all the shot options, and if you have time to stepinto the shot, youcan. Underpressure of a hardhit ball, you will usually be forced to hit in an openstance. Avoid transferring your weight off the back foot, pulling your body off the shot, in this stance.
• Your each the neutral stance by starting from an openstance, driving your weight forward, and pointing the front toe toward the net. You will often use this stance, along withthe openstance, for the killer forehand. The neutral stance has both feet in the batter'sbox.
• Using the closedstance is a common problem that should be corrected through early and correct racquet preparation. The closedstance reduces power, diminishes control and balance, and offers limited shot options.
This concept will allow you to maximize racquet speed and power. Inthe same way that you would pull a towel, you pull the racquet out of a backswing, driving the butt of the racquet toward the ball. This action allows you to use your racquet as a tool and apply leverage. As you pull forward, keeping your arm flexible and swinging out across your body, the racquet head will meet the ball with maximum force.
You should not accelerate the racquet by snapping the wrist and slapping
"pulling the towel"more quickly will achieve acceleration.
A full extension of the hitting arm on your follow-through will help you maintain a good swing line.
adjust your swing.
shot because the position of the wrist is awkward.
For several reasons, partly because players are starting younger, the semiwestern and western grips are more common than in years past. While you are small, these grips may seem the most comfortable. As your game best. A grip adjustment requires patience and hard work.
limp and at the side.
shoulders level.
To generate killer-forehand power in an offensive situation, the opposite arm works like the glove arm of a pitcher that stretches the chest muscles into generating more power while maintaining swing balance.
stance and down. As this happens, the body coils like a spring, allowing you to uncoil into the shot. Practicing your stroke while maintaining your balance on the back foot throughout will help you develop the feel for this power source.
Average players take the racquet back without shifting their bodyweight back and coiling to prepare the racquet. The perfect hip load has you preparing and turning as one unit, as Jimmy Connors does. Even on the run, playerslikeSamprasusehiploadforpoweranddisguise.
bigforehand. Your playing style, and your opponent'sreturns, may affect your recovery position.
The mentality must be"I will get back into position after every shot."In few sports do you concede open court or field position to your opponent.
When developing habits take one new thing at a time and be patient. Remember, when you either add or take away something from your stroke, your success and confidence may drop for a while. Don't worry! Youshould expect this decline, but it should be temporary if you are willing to work hard. Once you overcome it, you will be playing at a higher level. This is the only way you can become better.
Step 1:" Just hit it."
Step 2: Target training.
Step 3: Become match tough.
Choose your grip and stick with it through all repetition drills. Remember that gripping too tightly will sacrifice flexibility and racquet speed.
Backboard and ball-machine sessions are great for quality repetition.
Focus on maintaining good posture while lowering your playing height6to 12 inches below your standing height. As you practice your movement, try to be smooth in your footwork, keeping your head as still as possible. Work on a level, gliding effect.
positions of your feet. Practice the drop step move until you feel an explosix'e the tape.
A positive first-step reaction will increase your chances of good timing. The ball-hit reaction drill is great for establishing good timing and rhythm. Audibly saying"Ball"at the moment your opponent makes contact forces you to react simultaneously. You will consistently get a better jump on the ball.
Saying"Fiit" when you make contact helps you establish a rhythm for the rally. With this exercise, you will also realize how quickly you need to recover your court position before the ball is returned. You must read, react, and recover to stay up with the pace and timing of the points. You can add "Recover"to the drill as well, so it's"Ball, hit, reco\^er."
tying a rope around your waist and having someone hold on and resist your movement. With resistance, you will naturally shorten your stride lengths. You should do several repetitions witheachfootworkpatterne\ervday. Eventually you will develop the quick, fluid footwork necessary to co\ert he court effectively.
in specific drills, focusing on quickness and fluidity while keeping your head strictly on footwork patterns.
early."
ball will go. You might also pick up clues from your opponent if he or she has certain tendencies with ball placement.
reaches your side of the court. This means preparing as you move to the ball.
For correct preparation the but tend of the racquet must be slightly behind and below and pointing at the incoming ball. The low-to-high movement with the racquet to the ball will create the spin needed to make the ball fall into the court. Correct preparation also keeps the racquet on the right side and ahead of the body if you are right-handed or on the leftside and ahead ofthe body if you are left-handed. If the racquet extends to the opposite side of the body, you are getting in the danger zone. A good way to get a feel for how your feet work together with your hands in preparation is to practice the baseballglovedrill.
As you position to catch the ball, you will see how your feet setup automatically into the openstance. This drill also establishes the proper alignment to the ball flight with your preparation.
If racquet preparation and your movement work correctly, you will have the openstance or neutral stance available as options. As you learn to hit from an openstance, you should avoid the common problem of transferring your weight, thereby pulling off the ball. Keep your chest over the contact zone all the way to follow-through.
You can try minitennis games in which both players must compete within the service area and always hit with an openstance.
Fromthe open stance, you should practice driving your weight toward the target in the neutral stance. This weight transfer forces you to rotate your hips to begin the stroke.
This concept allows you to establish the right swing line and develop maximum racquet acceleration. Use the towel test to create a feel for the arm speed and swing line. When drilling try using a practice swing before you hit each ball by swinging without actually hitting a ball. Doing this can help you increase your swing speed.
start the pulling action. Remember to drive the butt of the racquet straight forward out of the slot as seen in the video.
To use the opposite arm in your stroke more effectively, tryputtingasmall weight in that hand. The added weight will allow you to feel the counterbalance effect.
effect works and what you should feel when you use the sweeping action.
From an openstance, you should practice hitting while maintaining your balance on the back foot throughout the stroke. Slowly work on lowering your position and shifting deep into the back of the stance. You should feel your hips and body coil in preparation and uncoil into the ball as your weight stroke.
The main point of focusing on recovery is demanding a positive first movement and being prepared to make any changes of direction required.
Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Martina Hingis have the men tal i tvof Bjorn Borg, Martina Navratilova, and many other great champions. They approach practice with great intensity, set goals, and have an all-business mind-set.
ing them. You should strive for perfection but understand that you will make your abilities and being negative about yourself.
specific developmental goals. Accept constructive criticism from your coach and those who understand the game betterthan you do.
is something about ending a point with a huge forehand that intimidates even the best players. Andre Agassi provides the perfect example. His backhand is a weapon, but when he wants to dominate play, he hits as many forehands as possible. Show versatility in your groundstrokes by mixing up the pace with spins and other kinds of shots to keep your opponent off guard.
points around your strengths and stay positive, even when you are down. Being confident is essential to accomplishing your goals.
backhands.
letes who compete on faster surfaces with the latest equipment. Athletes today are more talented and have few, if any, flaws to attack. The bottomline is that years ago you could overcome your weaknesses by focusing on your strengths. You could runaround most of your backhands and pound your forehand weapon on a regular basis. But today'splayerspossessmorebalancedweaponry throughout their games. They have developed their groundstrokes to near, if not equal, strength, anda number of top players possess truly"Boll-is tic" backhands.
Backhand?
seeks and destroys its target. Naturally, we had to changethespellingtomakeitanappropriatesignatureofNick'steachingmethods.
This chapter by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
Got Foundation?
provide control for your swing, you have a weapon!
We begin the process of understandingtheBoll-is tic backhand by starting at ground level and working our way up. You must realize that the stroke itself foundationyouwillneverachieveBoll-is tic status. Athletic foundation is a body position that you develop into habit through training. It involves lowering the overall height of your body by as much as afoot. How you position your body determines whether it can function like a machine.
traveling at the same rate of speed through the same course would surely roll over many times.
When it comes to court movement the same forces affect your body foundation. For you to move morelikeaFerrarithanatractor, you must stay lowto the ground for better stability and power. To accommodate the heavier load on your thighs created by the down position, you must proportionately broaden your base by spreading your feet to between one and a half and two shoulder-widths apart. Positioning your feet farther apart will provide more power, control, and accuracy when you are reacting and preparing your hitting stance.
Your back posture is critical to the integrity of upper-body mechanics. The pivoting action of your shoulders must rely on the strength of your back muscles and the position of your posture to keep the action efficient. As you'lllearn, your arms and legs are levers that function from the strength of the core body foundation. You apply intensity to your muscles throughout specific parts of your body to control and support your foundation. Using correct posture allows your body to function like a machine.
The muscles that support your lower-body foundation to your upperbody posture are activated into a firm yet flexible mode. They must be flexed but not rigid, similar to the tight suspension of the Ferrari, capable of operating tight through the turns. With your body core flexed and firm, you can shift gears into a quick, explosive mode, working sharply in reaction, tight through the turns, and under complete control.
flex than the foundation. Regardless of the role the arms and hands play (based on grips), they use flexibility to create whiplike action and speed in the swing. In fact, they have very little tension in their grip. They don't choke the life out of the racquet. If they did, flexibility would be reduced. The hands hold on just tight enough to keep the racquet stable.
The athletic foundation is the key to controlling the result of any action created by your arms and legs. You must train and develop the athletic foundation to forma habit. An inconsistent foundation creates inconsistent strokes.
These drills canhelp you improve your athletic foundation.
gravity, you can stay balanced and powerful.
stance, then alternate between different stances.
mentality.
is tic backhand. You should know the direction and speed of your shots, which strongly affect your ability to move into recovery position on time.
If a point averages three or four shots, then dose to 80 percent of the time you are hitting to continue the point. Only one timeout of four does your hit involve the end of the point. If you are unable to maintain effective court of your court position is critical 80 percent of the time, but you must make it a habit 100 percent of the time. As we look more closely at the art of movement, keep in mind the importance of maintaining good position through an understanding of timing and correct positioning foreach shot selection.
A good analogy for understanding timing and rhythm is to look at how we dance to music. When we hear a good dance tune many of us will automatically start the body into movement. The timing of the music beat, the rhythm they synchronize their movement with the music. The beat of atennis match exchange of the ball, the quicker each player must respond and move to keep fluid grace as they run everything down and then recover.
We can break the process into five stages of action as the ball travels from one player to the other and back. To stay up with the timing, you need speed each stage of the movement process.
direction and depth of the shot and move toward it. This is when you set into yourreadyposition, your athletic foundation, withyourFerrarireadyto race.
As your opponent begins to stroke, youshould be looking for any indication into motion. Because the ball travels the length of the court in only one to two seconds, you have to react quickly.
You have reacted sharply to your opponent'sshot and are tracking downthe side, you have prepared your racquet and adjusted your feet to execute.
Stage 4— Set Upand Execute When you have time you'llloadintoahitting stance and be ready to fire, able to make any last-second adjustments for the bounce. In situations when you tion as you prepare to execute.
stroke. As they stroke, they have already begun to recover, especially when they are on the run and have to change direction on recovery. You only have position. This means that the harder you strike the ball, the less time you have direction you hit the ball.
You should make every effort to recover fully in time after every shot. Otherwise, you leave the court open for your opponent. By the time the ball has bounced on the opponent'sside, youare back into position and ready to start the process again.
ties for your opponent by keeping yourself in reach of any shot he or she might hit. As you learn more about your opponent and become more skilled at anticipating his or her shots, you can start to hedge your position.
Like the Ferrari, we want to be quick off the start, sharp and stable as we change direction, and in control of our momentum. By design, we must stay low with a solid base and foundation. Remember that for each situation you mustdev^elopthehabitofcreatingabase between one and a half and two shoulder-widths apart. This width allows your lower body to distribute the forces created by being low. Establishing a strong back posture and developing the muscles that support your upperbody are integral to the overall performance of your foundation.
strength and consistency in yourstrokeandsharpnessinvourmo\x'ment.
drive off the correct foot each time, you'llhavegreat success moving as court conditions worsen.
motion. The most critical factor to quick reaction time is the first-step move, which should immediately establish momentum.
to the ground. Rear-wheel-drivecarsoftenspin their tires in the snow because most of the weight of the car is over the front tires. The rear tires have no weight to provide traction. This analogy parallels the concept behind the drop-step-and-drive technique.
tions underneath the midline of your body. For a right-hander reacting to the ball coming to the backhand side, the left foot will drop underneath the torso, positioning the upper body for momentum. The left foot has the traction to explode and drive into motion as the right foot crosses over.
a rear-wheel-drive car might lose traction on snow.
Thinking of footwork patterns as the gears of a 10- speed bicycle will help you understand stride length. For quickness off the start, you shift into first-gear footwork, which consists of short, chippy, yet powerful steps that accelerate bicyle, slow at getting you up to speed. To be quick, you must work with first gear strides.
The footwork patterns are designed to accomplish specific tasks. To move to your left or right over a distance of more than a few steps, use crossover footwork. This movement pattern allows you to travel quickly yet be able to flow into the setup and execution stage. When the ball is only a few steps away, shuffle footwork allows you to position and adjust to the stroke. In many situations you'llneedadjustmentstepstoarrange your feet for the stroke. These tiny stutter steps, which often make a squeaky sound on the hardcourt, help you setup your footwork for shot execution.
Racquet preparation is important not only to the stroke itself but to the footwork that must support it. If you prepare your racquet ahead of your body enroutetotheball, your feet will receive the correct message about how the backswing that it gets behind your body enroutetotheball, you will send a conflicting message to the feet, which often results in a closed hitting stance. By preparing early in the movement of the ball, your feet will have the necessary time to setup.
net. The flash light beam represents the direction in which you intend to drive your power. Your feet respond to this preparation by setting you into an openstance, withthe option of driving your weight forward into a neutral stance.
stance the right foot is positioned toward threeo'clock. This stance is common in extreme situations when setup time is limited, suchas on the return of serve. Two-handed backhand players use the openstance more commonly than one-handers do. By practicing the open stance fromavarietv of court positions, you can develop it into a powerful stance.
When time permits and when the ball is rather short, the neutral stance becomes a strong option. With the left foot again at the center of the clock, you rrightfootdrivestowardtwelveo'clock. The neutral stance is the predominant stance for both one and two-handed backhand players, providing the best balance and power to the stroke.
o'clock causes the weight transfer to occur with all your power going in the same direction as the stroke and target area.
rotate in a pivoting action. Inaddition, hitting from a closedstance creates balance problems, limiting power and shot options. But one-handed players can be quite effective in a closedstance because they don'tusethepivoting rotation that two-handers do.
correctly with the racquet ahead of your body as you setup.
The recovery technique when hitting onthe run can begin as you execute the change direction sharply if the ball is hit behind you.
thing involved in developing a weapon and effectively applying it in your gameplan. Movement is as important to the result as the stroke ite self.
looking at stroke mechanics. You now have a better knowledge of the importance of the body position referred to as the athletic foundation and how it contributes to both movement and stroke.
stroke through either a balanced hitting stance or the correct footwork to hit on the run. Through weight transfer the lower body also generates power to the pivoting action of the body.
The torso region of the body, through strong back posture, works to maintain level shoulders through the stroke and add stability to upper-body mechanics. With the foundation being sturdy yet flexible, we are ready to in harmony with the foundation to generate power in the swing. To maximize your power and minimize your effort, you must learn to create leverage in your stroke.
The concept of leverage refers to the function of your arms, hands, and racquet working efficiently. A general definition of leverage is'The action of using a lever, suchas a metal bar, pivoting against a fixed fulcrum to gain mechanical advantage."
A visual image that represents the definition would be the action of a seesaw. Sitting on one end of the seesaw lifts the other end as the seesaw pivots against the support fulcrum. The function of the seesaw has long been applied to lifting heavy objects with greater ease. Leverage refers to using a tool to make work easier and more efficient.
apiece'of wood, the hammer, positioned at a 90- degree angle with the forearm, becomes a lever. The downward action begins by driving the butt ofthe hammer toward the nail. The head of the hammer follows. As the butt drives downward, the energy of the action transfers up to the hammer head and onto the nail. We call this downward-leverage action.
With this example in mind, think of striking a tennis ball as forward leverage action. In the backswing the butt of the racquet is positioned to drive forward toward contact. The energy generated by driving the butt of the racquet forward accelerates the racquet head through the contact zone. Similar to the action used with a hammer, the action of the racquet creates leverage.
As we move into the finer details of the strokes, keep the images of leverage fresh in your mind because they will become the key to producing
Boll-is tic results.
the grip and the position of leverage in the wrist. The eastern backhand grip provides the strongest position of support in the wrist, which prevents the stroke from breaking down at contact.
With the eastern backhand grip intact, the stroke begins with the backswing stroke begins the forward action, the arm extends fully and becomes a lever. Extended, but not locked at the elbow completely, the arm is firm yet flexible.
ribcage as a support fulcrum.
stroke before the butt starts forward toward contact. The butt is aligned with across the body as the arm travels out toward the target.
The racquet head accelerates rapidly into the contact zone as it follows the swing line of the but tend. As the arm continues to full reach in the direction control for the various shot selections. How the racquet head finishes at the end of the stroke will depend onthe amount of spin versus driving flat power that was applied in the stroke.
pivoting action, the energy fromthe foundation is transferred into the power ofthestroke.
through the stroke and preventing them from rotating as the stroke begins.
Boll-is tic backhands, whether i ted. You must develop the one-handed or two, operate of these hitting stances. within a gameplan witha con you must establish a Stantobjectiveinmind. threat in the mind of your opponent that at any given moment your backhand could end the point. Still, most of the time you are working at various rally speeds with variations of trajectory and spin to establish more margin for error in your gameplan, so that over the course of effective result in your gameplan.
aconfident outlook.
friend hold the towel behind you close to your hands. Now pull the towel out of your partner's hands and swing forward as though you were hitting a ball. Repeat several times to feel the swing line and shape that your arm and wrist create. The harder you pull, themoreraccjuet-head speed you generate.
One-Handed Knifing Slice A Boll-is tic stroke with underspin, the one-handedknifingslice serves as the tion because you are able to attack both deep and short. Used effectively and set up well, the stroke leaves the opponent on the heels everytime you drop shot.
short. You can move through the stroke with your footwork more readily and have more time to position yourself. Finally, a well-executed slice gives the opponent less to work with because the balls kids low off the bounce.
The preferred grip for the knifing slice is the continental grip. This grip allows a perfect balance of underspin and driving power in the stroke while offering great control and feel on touch shots.
In the backswing we want to prepare the butt of the racquet behind the incoming ball, beneath the intended contact point. The racquet head is tilted back, making anL-shaped position withthe arm and racquet. The shoulders rotate to a position perpendicular to the net and level.
To begin the forward move, the hitting shoulder starts to rotate open as the butt of the racquet drives forward toward the contact point. The opposite shoulder, working as a counterbalance, prevents rotation, maintaining the perpendicular relationship of the shoulders tothe net. This anchoring function of the opposite arm and shoulder provides the pulling action of the hitting arm with more power and helps maintain the swing line.
The butt end starts forward and then arcs like a water fall down and across the body, sending the racquet head up into contact. The racquet head then follows the path of the but tend.
The arm should remain flexible as it extends in the backswing. As in the one-handed blast, the arm becomes a lever and uses the ribcage for support as a fulcrum. The hitting arm works with the ribcage to create power and support for the stroke. As the stroke passes through the contact zone, the arm separates from the ribcage to a full reach toward the target on the followthrough.
The foundation of the body works to restrict full rotation of the hips and shoulders. The shoulders, level and perpendicular to the net, lean toward the net ahead of your stance. You might think of how a football player, using the shoulders to block, leans forward for momentum.
sliders, and so on—to provide contrast to the fastball. By mixing up the pace, placement, and spinon the ball, the pitcher doesn'tpermitthebatterto become too comfortable anticipating the next pitch.
Your slice adds similar variety to your gameplan and has the same effect on your opponent. Inaddition, the disguise in preparation opens up more opportunity for use of the dropshot and other specialty shots. Steffi Graff, perhaps the greatest woman player in history, had a devastating slice backhand and rarely hits over the ball. For most players, however, learning tomixthesliceintothegameincontrasttotheBoll-is tic blast will prove to be most effective.
through the stroke.
determines the dominance factor for the stroke.
strokes that match each set of grips.
grip on the bottom hand, however, all the power for the stroke must come from the top hand. The bottom-hand position is too weak to provide support. The bottom hand will assume the role of anchoring down the butt of the point, the top hand provides the driving force behind the stroke.
The preferred contact zone relative to the bottom-handgrip is back off the grip, the arm and elbow rest against the stomach through contact. The stroke nation.
grips.
left hand creates the driving force. The pivoting action of the body begins the stroke as the swing line drives the butt of the racquet toward contact. The hands then travel in a line across the body.
You should develop the ability to hit this stroke from both an openstance and a neutral stance.
The bottom hand now shifts into a nearly full eastern backhand grip. Several factors change, making this combination more bottom-hand dominant.
Because the wrist in the bottom hand has more leverage, the arm can extend fully through the stroke. This means that the bottom arm can function more like a one-handed backhand, using the extended arm against the rib cage to generate power. The contact zone is now well out in front of the body, allowing you to benefit more by using the body. The strong grip can be released for a one-handed follow-through as well. This is the strongest combination of grips for the backhand, usedbyAndreAgassi, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, and many other great champions.
Note that the hands function in a different way than they do in the top hand dominant grips. The bottom hand pivots the butt of the racquet through contact, drawing it back toward the body, and the top hand provides support in the leverage process.
Try the following drill, called Mirror Image Shadow Swings—Finda mirror or window so that you can see your reflection. Begin to swing, relaxing your hands to feel the weight of the racquet and the pivot action of your hands. Use the towel drill(on page 132) to explore the role of each hand and feel the mechanics ofthestroke.
1. Time It—All players will benefit from this drill. No doubt you have seen it before, but it'saclassic!"Bounce-hit"or"Ball-bounce-hit." There is no better way to improve your timing than to use all your senses—auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Yes, the drill is simple, but we at the academy consider it a fundamental drill.
ball rallies on both crosscourt and down the line.
3. Spin It—Now begin to vary the spin. Be creative, using underspin and topspin on your shots. If you find your consistency dropping, back off shots.
4. Place It—Now that you have a feel for your backhand, add targets to targets for both crosscourt and down-the-line backhand patterns.
Challenge yourself to hit 20 or more balls consecutively to each target.
It'snoteasy!
consistency or placement is power you don'tneed! Gain control over your swing and the ball—then turn up the heat!
abit at a time.
Be patient and stay positive. It will take time for you to develop new and improved habits. The fundamentals are essential to the results, so the time you spend and the investment you make now will payoff in the future. All it takes is smart practice and hard work.
miles per hour.
Like the game itself, the service motion has evolved to levels of power and control never imagined a decade ago. With bigger, stronger athletes, more powerful racquets, and total precision in body mechanics, the serve arsenal today is often equipped with a"sonic boom"first serve capable of eclipsing
140 miles per hour. Backing up that powerful serve, top players have the support weapons of the wicked of the mountain,"allowing no one to rule his or her players, allowing the sonic server to focus on achie\^ing the one break of serve needed to take the set.
Some of the professional men who demonstrate thepotentialofhittingsonicboomsatmorethan 140 miles per hour along with the variations are Max Mirnyi, Greg Rusedski, Mark Philippoussis, Goran Ivanisevic, Richard Krajicek, and Marc
Rosset.
But we should recognize that there is more to holding serve than just the serve itself. Pete
This chapter by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
Sampras, whose power potential may not reach the 140s, clearly commands allowed Pete to claim"king of the mountain"status for along time.
he would serve his way out of it. He wouldn'tnecessarily blow the serve by placement would expand the range that the returner had to cover, opening more opportunity for the ace when he most needed it. Sampras knew by where he placed the ball what he would most likely see on the return, and he was able to anticipate and look for the volley opportunities. Everyone can learn much from the competitive mind-set and strategic method of attack of playerslikePeteSampras.
today and compare serve techniques, you would see quite a variety of styles as well as some similarities.
distinct differences in their motions.
Because the serve is a conceptual motion it is subject to the mental impression and interpretation of the individual. Having the ball in your hand to start the point puts you in control of the situation. You have the tion any way you choose Bijt ^ it you are seeking to reach than a pitch, or is it? your ultimate potential, you must develop the precise fundamental technique common among great servers. You can still have your own style, but you must besure to include the fundamentals.
The best analogy for many years in teaching the service motion was the comparison to the pitch in baseball. To pitch the baseball, the arm and shoulder mechanics produce a kinetic chain, a sequence of movement driven by shoulder mechanics, passing energy into the throwing arm to propel the ball.
Flexibility throughout the arms and chest muscles allows the energy to build in the sequence of movement, stretching and releasing in a transfer of energy like the crack of a whip.
significant differences in the overall technique of the serve and the pitch.
1. The front foot takes a big forward stride.
(target).
3. The throwing elbow follows a forward track in motion.
4. The throwing arm releases the ball with the arm bent.
1. No step is taken with the front foot.
2. The shoulders tilt to a position nearly perpendicular to the ground.
contact.
4. The hitting arm straightens into contact.
We see distinct differences in the motions because the throwing actions are directed at dissimilar targets. The pitch uses mechanical characteristics that create power toward a forward target, the catcher'sglove. The sonic serve has the characteristics required to direct power toward an upward target, the point of contact. The best way to describe the sonic serve mechanics would be the"upward pitch."
service box. Working from this mental blueprint, they have built a technique that maybe adequate but will never reach sonic proportions. It is not until you change the mental blueprint to the upward pitch that you can begin to develop the sonic technique.
1 aim my throw in that direction. If I want to increase power on my serve, 1 must direct my power toward the point of contact. By doing so my hitting arm will more efficiently function at contact, releasing more power on the focus on the upward-pitch technique.
end of the pole into a fixed base, and uses the energy of the forward momentum to bend the pole. As the vaulter positions for the upward lift, the over the bar.
The human body canlearn to function like the pole-vaulter'spoleto snap pole. The hips work to straighten the body just before contact on a lean over the court. This hip snap often generates enough energy to lift the body off the ground.
Atthe same time as the hip snap, the toss arm begins the shoulder rotation and initiates the throwing mechanics. The toss arm works to pull the upper body toward contact, tucking and starting the upward rotation of the before contact, all the energy from the motion passes into the racquet head, sending it over the top into contact and then leading the way back down on contact, extend your arm fully into impact, and the rest will take care of itself if you use the continental grip correctly positioned in the hand.
Itis extremely important that you position the racquet in your hand correctly.
for creating the downward action ontheballcouldberestricteciand not function properly.
To ensure that you use your most important wrist action through contact, you must develop the habit of serving with a continental grip. You must place the heel of your hand on the top edge of the grip. This grip will allow you to produce the action required to execute the sonic serve.
To create more spin, you have the option to shift your grip slightly toward the backhand side, which alters the angle of the racquet head. You can become creative with different spin actions by shifting in varying degrees from the continental grip toward the backhand side. Avoid shifting to the forehand side of the grip or you will lose the action you need in the wrist at contact.
The preferred contact pointforthev^a rio us flat and spin serves is different for each type of serve. Although you toss well into the court for your biggest sonicbooms, the preferred position of contact for the kick serve is much closer to the baseline, barely inside the court. This means that you must have command over the placement of your toss to execute all types of serves.
The tossing motion should lift the ball into the air to approximately one foot above the point of contact, allowing the ball to drop into the point of contact as your racquet head makes contact. The desired height of your toss is subject to variation based onthe tempo and rhythm of your motion. We call this your'Toss-hit"rhythm.
Your toss-hit rhythm is the measure of time between the release of your toss and the point of contact. If your toss is rather high and you are slow in creating the set-to-launch position, you will likely prefer a more extended toss-hit rhythm. If you prefer a lower toss and can quickly establish the set to-launch position as you toss, you can work with a much tighter toss-hit rhythm. When youare serving well, youare usually in a groove, maintaining a consistent toss-hit rhythm.
When you begin to struggle with your toss placement or the motion in general, your timing will be thrown off and it will become difficult to right the ship. Become familiar with the toss-hit rhythm that works best for your motion and do everything possible to maintain that timing for every serve. When your serve seems to leave you in a match, go back to the toss-hit rhythm that works best as the first course of remedy.
To establish your optimal toss-hit rhythm, use the verbal cues of saying "Toss"as you release the ball and"Hit"on contact. Repeat this until you begin to find the timing that works best for you.
The toss itself is a rather simple part of the motion. Nevertheless, players struggle with it, especially underpressure. If you eliminate some of the moving parts, you can gain better control.
position, your arm will work as one unit in a lever action. Lifting from the shoulders with just enough power to achieve the desired toss-hit, you release the ball at eye level as the toss arm continues upward until it lines up with the point of contact. With the ball positioned within the fingers and thumb, the hand opens up at eye level, releasing the ball, preferably with little spin.
create spinon the ball, often flipping it back over your head.
stepping on or inside the baseline before making contact with the ball.
stance, your body can stretch inside the court and maintain the best lower body support andbalance. As the body shifts forward into the set-to-launch position, the back foot will typically slide forward next to the front foot.
difficult because your front knee is unable to extend inside the baseline to support and balance the body. You can make it work, but we don'trecommend it. When your opponentusesthisMcEnroe-style stance but does not seem to have the entire motion mastered, he or she will likely have difficulty serving serve will be down the Tinthe deuce box and out wide onthe adcourt. Serves to these locations are likely to be your opponent'schoiceunderpressure.
The real test will be when you change court position on the return, taking away the preferred target and forcing your opponent to display the skills of hitting wide in the deuce court and downthe Tinthe adcourt. You may find cheat on your return position for better coverage of serves that your opponent can hit.
Our recommended stance willproviciethebestcontrolof your balance and allow you to access all the targets in both the deuce and ad courts without being limited by the mechanics of your motion.
creates the potential energy for the mechanisms of the upward-pitch action. Withthe body in a flexible yet controlled state, the hips stretch forward under the toss as the shoulders tilt and align with the point of contact, enabling the body to simulate the action of the pole-vaulter'spole. The body stretches, bends, and then snaps the throwing mechanics toward the point of contact.
muscles and tendons along the front side of your body and across the chest and arms. Doing this will allow you to become more flexible.
As you work to learn the stretching of the hips, avoid excessive bending of the front knee in the action. If you use too much knee bend, you will have more difficulty finding the right hip position. Once your hips are familiar with the stretched position, you can begin to add more knee bend but make sure that the additional bending does not compromise the positioning of the hips.
o'clock, and the hitting elbow will point toward seve no'clock.
You should feel the potential energy build as you stretch into set-to-launch position, providing explosive energy for the upward launch.
You have stretched all the energy into your hip position in the set to launch, and you are aimed and ready to fire toward the point of contact. The key to the hip snap upward is to maintain your hips inside the court. When you force your hips to stay fixed in position, the energy of the upward snap will drive the upper body toward contact, achieving a straight position leaning over the court before contact. On the follow-through you will find yourself inside the baseline with forward momentum pulling you toward the net. You can create enough power in your upward snap to lift your feet off the ground as your each to higher contact points. When you see the top players leave the ground on the serve, the action is not a jump with the legs and a hit. The snap of the hip is what creates the liftoff.
As your body straightens into the court, all the speed and energy created sends the racquet head up to contact as the hitting elbow travels on a straight track up toward the point of contact, traveling 180 degrees in the process. We call this the"power curve."Toachieveracquet-head speed, you must provide enough distance in the swing for the racquet headto generate speed. The sonic serve works with 180 degrees of arc, making contact at the end of the power curve. With all the power of the throwing action directed up toward contact, the hitting arm straightens into contact, forcing the racquet head up over the top, snapping the wrist, and rotating the forearm to followthrough. The result is high net clearance and sharp downward action that sends the ball into the service box.
The problem that most players have is trying to change from creating their power forward to directing it upward. A lack of power and failure to reach aggressive placements frustrate these players. By focusing throwing action and power forward, players shift the power curve forward and down, yet have difficulty coming down inside the box.
To overcome the mental blueprint of the forward action and to shift to the upward action, you almost have to trick yourself into discovering it. You truly have to believe that youare creating action on your serve that will result inthe ball flying 100 feet in the air. If you do so and extend to the highest point the whip snap.
Be prepared to spend considerable time and practice developing the upward-pitch technique in your serve. You will need to work hard at making there, if you work at it.
leg strength.
In any deviations that you make as you create your signature of style, just make sure that you do not sacrifice any of the key elements. Be careful—the more unorthodox your style, the greater the likelihood of injury.
Where Is the Whoosh?
Simply listening to the sound of your swing will help you understand whether you are directing your throwing action and power in the right direction. Without using a ball, go through your normal serve motion, swinging at full speed.
Listen to the sound of the racquet and try to determine where the whoosh sound is the loudest. If the swing is loudest in frontofyour face, past where the contact would occur, you are directing your throwing action and power forward, not up.
If you direct your power up toward the point of contact, the whoosh sound will be above your head through the contact zone. As you practice your serve, do what is necessary to move the whoosh sound before contact.
1 . If your throwing motion needs some work, you should practice playing toss and catch with a partner on a daily basis. Start close to each other and then slowly extend the distance until you are able to throw from baseline to baseline with some accuracy.
rotation and botharms to accelerate the throwing action. Begin with your arms and shoulders level and your opposite arm lined up with your partner, the target. Use your opposite arm to drive the shoulder rotation, stretching the chest muscles in the sequence of movement. Your chest will rotate and face your target as you release the throw. Try to spread your elbows to increase the stretching of the chest in the action. As you develop your throwing skill, you can progress to the next challenge, the upward pitch.
how high you can throw the ball. If you do it correctly, the ball will come down in the service box area on the bounce.
3. The last progression of the throwing exercises requires two balls, one for each hand. Toss the first ball into the air to the desired height of your serve. In the timing and toss-hit rhythm of your serve, throw the second ball toward the point of contact and attempt to make the two balls collide. You must not let the tossed ball drop below the height of contact for the serve.
This exercise tests your ability to control all your body movements. You will also develop a better feel for how the body can efficiently transfer energy to the racquet head as the body straightens before contact in the full motion.
positioning, you must eliminate unnecessary parts of your motion that take away from the result. If movements are occurring that you are unaware of, you need to work on taking command of your motion and balance. The pivot-inthe-tubeexercisewillrequirefirmness in the core of the body to maintain alignment within the tube and relaxation in the throwingmechanicstoachieve speed.
should hardly move as you complete this exercise. You may find it easier to face the net more in your stance.
efficient and powerful.
The test of your set to launch is whether you can maintain total control of your you need to be in command of your balance so that you can direct your power and energy up toward contact without losing control of your motion. You must offcourt as well, in front of a mirror. On court you can use videotape or your shadow to check for thequalities you should see. You need to become familiar integral to the development process.
points toward the netpost in front of you. Your back foot should be a that would be the ideal stretch point. As you stretch, the ball in your pocket should shift straightforward over the toes of the front foot.
the toss handover the front foot. Tilt the shoulder line until it is almost perpendicular to the ground as you shift the ball in your pocket over the front foot. Youshould find a balanced position with the weight of your stretch positioned behind the ball in your pocket. If your front knee is quivering to support your weight as you stretch, you don’thavethepositionsetcorrectly. Straighten the front knee more and focus on even more stretch in the hips until you feel the weight of the stretch in your hip area, not down by the knee.
When you think you have it, try the balance-until-bounce test. Using a racquet and ball, go through the motion and freeze in the set-to-launch position.
hips enough and to see if your shoulders reach a line with contact. All your bodyweight should be the front foot as you set.
hips stretch forward, they must stay forward and use the energy to lift the upper body.
It is common to see players reach a perfect set-to-launch position but then allow their hips to pop backward in the upward launch. As the hips pull back, they lose all power as the body collapses, sending the ball down into the net.
forward. Remind yourself before every serve where you want to direct your energy.
If you have any adjustments to make in the grip, check before every serve. Make sure you don’tread just your grip in mid motion. That action is common, so watch out for it!
the baseline. If you create enough upward snap, your feet will leave the ground.
progression of the follow-through.
right-back-atcha.
When you are facing an opponent who is launching a full-scale aerial assault, you have the choice to either run for cover or hang in there and send them right-back-atcha.
control of each situation and the indicators that can help you detect the server'sintent. You must have a gameplan for breaking serve and the mind-set and discipline to execute it. With lessthan a half second to read, react, and execute, you should have a plan for the return before the serve is struck because you will not have time to decide later.
Highly skilled returners are capable of hacking through the security codes, of cracking the safe, to gain access to the server'sclassifiedstrategic documents, a llowingthemtoanticipateeverymo\'eof the server. Within the first few games of a match.
This chapter by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
returner eventually figures out the server'sfavorite serves in both courts and server on them. Like a cat baiting the mouseinto a trap, the proactive returner will add pressure to the situation, using court position and action to manipulate the server'sthoughtprocess.
leaving no stone unturned and by understanding that the battle is often won before it is ever fought.
vulnerability that allow you to strike. Your intensity must buildup to the moment you react, letting nothing distract you from the task of returning the be fully prepared for the return.
Unless you area regular on the professional tour, it is a rare occasion when you have the luxury of an umpire to call the lines for you. You must be able to determine whether a serve is in or out without losing focus on executing your return. You willimprove this skill with experience.
server is aware of your call. You can gesture with your arm, raise your index finger, or make the call verbally, but you do not want the server to feel that you are indecisive. If you seem unsure, your opponent will challenge you and often convince himself or herself that you are playing unfairly. Sometimes it can be difficult to make a clear judgment, which can occasionally lead to making abad call unintentionally. If you are wishing the ball to be out, or hoping it goes out, underpressure you can convince yourself it went out, even when it hit the line!
For one reason or another, some players are so obsessed with winning that they cheat online calls. You do not want to have the notorious reputation of lacking character as a competitor. Nobody has ever cheated on the way to becoming a true champion in any sport. Good players can often tell if their contact he or she can feel as well as see whether the ball is in. If you repeatedly make bad line calls, you can besure that your opponent is aware of it. Once you establish a pattern of making bad line calls, you can expect your opponent to do the same. It is a no-win situation for both players and an ugly match from that point on.
In the end, youare much better off playing it straight. If you feel you are getting hooked, call an umpire. Do not try to beat a cheater a this or her game.
To improve your anticipation skills as a returner, you need to understand the server'sthoughtprocess. Within the first few service games, youshould have a good idea of what you are up against. You cannot allow yourself to become frustrated if you do not break serve early in the match. You need to give yourself an opportunity to establish your timing and your feel for the serves as you gather information to help you break serve later in the set. If you can hold serve regularly, all you need is one break of serve to win the set!
The first level of serve stra tegy has little thought behind it. Blast the first serve and see if it goes in and then use a"push"secondserve. Players who use this strategy do not have a lot of confidence in their serve and have no idea how to use it strategically.
will be using their second serves to do it.
Servers with methodical serve routines are easy to break because you have so many second serves to work with. If you adda little more pressure to the situation, you can easily force them to double-fault.
The next progression of serve mentality recognizes the value of attacking weakness. Rather than just getting it in, such servers will place their serves. Serx^rswilloftenassumethatyourbackhand is the weaker side, so with great predictability they focus most of their serves toward the returner's backhand. Unless you prove to them otherwise, they will continue to play to your backhand most of the time.
Still working with the hard firstservesandspinsecondserxes, lex'el III evolves from predictably attacking a weakness to making a more calculated change of placement. Your return timing should be easy to establish because players will begin to challenge your range and reach on the return as they work you side to side.
"Say hello to my little friend. . .."You are up against a serve weapon! Ifthe server can maintain a high percentage of first serves in play while varying the arsenal and a server who knows how to use it.
The server'sabilityto work the variation of placements keeps the returner uncertain of which side to prepare for. The variation of speed and spin onthe first servetoys with the returner'stiming. When the server can sense that the returner is expecting the big flat serve, he or she can effectively mix in the off speed spinner.
the pressure is on the returner, who is preparing in a defensive mind-set. On second serves the pressure shifts to the server. Like a baseball pitcher with a
3-2 count, the server has no room for error. The returner can begin to assume a more offensive role when facing a secondserve.
Whensonicserve weaponsclashwithright-back-atchareturns, be ready to rumble. Like two boxers staring each other down at the weigh-in, the game their faces, the two gunslingers standoff, neither backing down to the other's threat.
The server begins a routine of rituals that he or she methodically performs before every serve, bouncing the ball several times to prepare for battle. The server takes one last look to make sure that the returner is ready and then makes the final decision about what to do with the serve. Meanwhile, the returner studies the server'severymoveandprepareswithsimilarrituals.
In a rocking side-to-side motion anda bounce in his or her step, the returner prepares to react quickly when the server strikes the ball. As the toss goes up in the air, the returner starts moving forward.
To adda little punch to the block returns, the returner wants his or her body to have a little forw arc i momentum on the splitstep and reaction. Before the serve is in play, the returner has predetermined his or her actions.
When the serve is struck, all the returner has to do is read and react according to plan.
1. Considering whether it is a first or secondserve, will1 block, chip, or driv^etheballbackintoplay?
2. Is the server likely to attack the net behind the serve?
3. In what direction will I attempt to execute—down the line, tothe middle, or crosscourt?
4.Do Iplantoattackorstaybackafterthereturn?
5. Will I attempt to pressure and influence serve selection?
6. What can I anticipate happening off my return shot?
Going into points with the answers to these questions in place will better prepare you to make the right decisions in the reaction mode and may allow you to anticipate the action before it happens.
is also determining whether the returner'scourtpositionwillaffectthetype of serve and placement he or she should use.
During the first few games, the server is collecting information about the returner and logging the data. Once the returner establishes a starting position in both the deuce an dad boxes, the server adjusts his or her visual perspective to those positions.
Where you typically position yourself side to side and up and back in the deuce an dad boxes is your neutral position. You are neutral because youare at the midpoint between the two extreme placements on the serve. Your position gives youa range of coverage that matches nearly all serve possibilities. The server quickly becomes familiar and comfortable with your neutral court position. Each time you take that neutral position, the server feels a little less pressure in selecting the serve, and you'llp lay an increasingly smaller role in his or her choice. When you use your court position to alter the server'sperspective, youcan become part of the decision, manipulating the server into thinking that an opportunity is available for exploitation. As you become more proactive by sporadically varying your court position, you can affect the serve, narrowing the possible options and allowing you to anticipate the serve with greater accuracy.
positions differently on particular serves.
is clearly struggling on the wide serves, hitting most of them into the net. Most of the time the server is serving downthe T and coming to net, a pattern return the strongest serves while challenging your opponent to go for the wider placements that he or she is struggling with.
position seems to be favoring one side. The server feels that you are looking for the down-the-T placement, offering a challenge to go for the wide ace. But going. Evenif the server doesn'ttakethebait and serves downtheT, youare reacting fromthe neutral position so you give the server nothing open down the Teither.
When you shift your starting position right or left of neutral, the server tends to choose the part of the court you leave open, that is, until he or she becomes wise to your tricks. When you position farther back from neutral, deep in the court, you challenge the server to go for more angle and spins to beat you, lessening the effect of a powerful firstserve. If you position a step or two closer to the serviceline, inside of neutral, you challenge the server to overpower you. To force the server to double-fault or use a secondserve, you can close in tighter to make the service box seem much smaller to the server.
Against the biggest servers you often have to rely on an educated guess to get you through. They have seen all the tricks and do not fall for them much any more. Your best chance is to figure out the pattern of attack. When you have return. Because you are committing yourself, however, you run arisk of being burned if you do not guess correctly.
Work. sparingly with your court-position tactics and make your adjustments subtler. If you adjust too often, you will fail to affect the server. You do notwanttheservertobeawarethatyouarebaitingtheserveselectionto increase your control of the situation. Save these tactics for the most crucial points and do not expect them to work all the time, especially against servers who know better.
The server'sstancetostartthemotion, the toss of the ball, an adjustment to the swing, or even a change of position onthe baseline are possible indicators of the server'slim it a tions or intent on the serve.
If the starting stance has the server turned sideways with the front foot parallel to the baseline, you should look to see if the feet leave the ground on the serve. If the server's body rotates completely, the server faces the net on the finish. If the server does not launch up off the ground and completely rotate, he or she will have trouble with certain placements. A right-handed player serving into the deuce box will always struggle to reach the wide and up-the-sideline placements unless he or she leaves the ground and rotates well in the motion. This server'sbe stand favorite serve is likely to be down the Tinthe deuce box. Inthe ad box the same server will favor the wide serve tothe right-handed returner's backhand and will have more difficulty down theT. Left-handed servers with this stance problem will have the opposite occur—strong wide and weak downthe Tinthe deuce box, strong downthe Tandweakwideintheadbox.
When the server is facing the net with the front foot pointing more toward the netpost, you cannot assume by the stance any patterns of strong versus weak placements.
What can you learn from watching the server'stoss? Unless you are up against a highly skilled server who knows how to adjust the toss for the slice, kick, and flat serves under complete disguise, you can often predict the serve by the toss placement.
If you know the look of the toss for the server's biggest hard, flat serve, you can use that as a guide. If the right-handed server tosses the ball over the head, from the returner'sperspectivethattosswouldbe well right of where the server tosses on the flatserve. You can expect to see the kick ser\'e, probably to your backhand side if you are right-handed. If you see the toss to the left of the hard, flat toss, you can expect a slice serve, likely into your body or to the forehand side much of the time.
Do not expect the better servers to telegraph their toss adjustments this way, but if the opportunity arises, take advantage of it.
serve because there is a good chance you will see one.
Big servers will often establish a pattern of regularly attacking the net behind every firstserve and often behind the second. Breaking this offensive can be challenging unless you know how to adjust on your returns. Pre planning the the serve-and-volley attack, you must make several adjustments.
rally started, you should have as your primary targets the feet of the incoming server, down the line, and angle crosscourt.
2. Stroke selection. Rather than blasting the topspin drives that are high returns to give the server less to work with on the first volley. If you can force your opponent to volley with the ball at the feet, control of the point often shifts to you.
timing of the serve, moves in a few steps, makes the split step at your contact with the ball, and then moves in for the volley. As the returner, if you change the distance between you and the server by adjusting up and back, you will make it difficult for the server to establish consistent timing for the attack.
Rather than maintaining the same neutral-court position foreach serve, move in a step or two for some points and move back a step or two at other of your court position, he or she will have more trouble getting into a strong groove.
4. Think two shots to pass, not one. If you feel immense pressure to hit passing-shot winners off every return, you are likely to end up making many errors. Get yourself into the point on the return and go for the pass on the second or third shot you hit. The longer the point extends, the more the odds favor the returner at the baseline. If you neutralize the firstserve and keep the return low or difficult to reach, you can take control of the point and then close on the following shots.
When you are not underpressure from a serve and volleyer, you want to maintain the primary objective of getting the ball into playa high percentage wanting to do too much with the returns, which will lead to unnecessary errors. Unless one player comes to the net behind either the serve or return, the point will progress into a rally off the return ball. If both players are righthanded, on the deuce side if the server pulls you off the court with a wide serv^e, a return crosscourt will allow you to recover for the next shot and will likely create the forehand-to-forehand crosscourt rally pattern. A return of the wide serve to the deep midcourt will give the server the option of hitting to either corner. A return down the line will likely lead to a crosscourt shot that could easily catch you out of position, having to hit a low-percentage return. Wide serves int head box work much the same way. If you return crosscourt you will likely establish a crosscourt backhand-to-backhand rally. Serves to the T placement in both boxes present the option of hitting to either corner depending on which rally pattern you wish to establish.
Although the serve can be a player'sbiggestoffensivethreat, the return should be a player'sbiggestdefensivethreat. The server is providing the power for you and is hitting the ball in your general direction. All you have to do is get the ball back into play. Of course, against the bigger servers this is a task easier said than done. Your goal is to neutralize the opponent's weapon and get the server into the point. You may wonder why the players with the most powerful serves aren'tal ways winning all the tournaments. Well, it takes more than a big serve to win. All too often, the big servers struggle to come up with needed breaks of serve because they are deficient in other parts of the game. So if you can just get past the serve and return the ball back into play, you may find those big servers much easier to beat outof the rally. Thinking offense and always going for return winners on first serves will lead to errors in starting the point. That is not the correct strategic mind-set!
Thinking defense naturally puts you into a reflex-reaction mode, simplifying your groundstrokes for quickness and permitting better timing onthe return. You begin to see the value of blocking, chipping, and slicing as well as compact driving returns. You should feel like a backboard, setting up a wall of defense like the one that a volleyer creates atthe net. Youare defending your territory against an aerial assault, using a shield to deflect the incoming serves back into play. In any way you can, you seek to neutralize the server'sstrength, get the point started, and gain offensive control before the point ends.
If you can lure the server into going for more aggressive placements and more powerful serves to overcome your tenacious defensive stand, you will likely see more faults on the firstserve. The second-ser\'eopportunitiesare your best chance for capitalizing. Now you have the option to be more aggressive and think more offensively, depending on the strength of the pressuring and baiting the server. You can think about driving the ball rather than just blocking it back. On occasion you might attack the net off the return, forcing the server to try to pass you onthe second shot. What you do not want return, your percentage of errors to winners favors the opponent.
possible serves. You should be one step and a full reach from covering the down-the-T placement and the same distance from covering the wide serve. Make sure you factor in the spin effect of the right-handed server versus a left-handed server. The power potential of the server will often determine how close or far back from the serviceline you should be. Once you establish that center point, your neutral position, you are ready to go.
give yourself a better chance of covering the parts of the court your opponent placements.
take a more aggressive position a few steps closer to the serviceline.
The problem with closing in too tight in the return position is that you limit off the court on the return and allow the serve and volleyer to move in closer. You need quick feet to play deep behind the baseline on the return because you have more ground to cover. So find a middle ground that works for you and be willing to vary your court position as part of your attack.
The rituals and routine leading up to executing the return have animportant role in your readiness to react and your ability to execute. Although routines will differ from player to player based on style and preference, you must include Some key elements if you want returns that are right-back-atcha.
We determined that your neutral position is the location you normally take before the server'stossisintheair. Your split position to react to the serve may or may not be the same as your neutral position. The split position involves the splitstep timed to the moment of contact on the serve. The split step creates a wide base of support in your stance. From this position, with your feet nearly two shoulder-widths apart, youare down and ready to react quickly to either the forehand or backhand side. The key to having better reach and range of coverage begins with a wider splitstep, precisely timed to the server'scontact.
Some players make a habit of starting in a neutral position well inside the baseline. As the server puts the toss in the air, the returner backs up a few steps before creating the splitstep. This routine is fine as long as you are able to position quickly and get your bodyweight forward as you split. Ifthe server catches you leaning backward, you will have problems controlling the return.
Most players are better off in a neutral position a few steps back from where they want to splitstep. As the toss goes into the air, they mov^e forward to make the split, gi^dngmorepunchtothedefensivereturn.
You will find other players whostart in a neutral position and never move forward or back. Your routine may change from first to second-serve situations and as you work court-position tactics. Whichever routine you choose, make sure you include a well-timed, wide splitstep.
Most groundstrokes are hit offensively with bigger strokes to generate power. On the return you must adjust your forehand and backhand ground strokes for a more defensive application. The serve speed generally provides plenty of power so you will not need big offensive swings.
strokes, using the existing power on the ball to create your shots. Youshould use relatively no backswing and a focus on the contact point and followthrough. When using the block return you do not have much backswing or follow-through.
A common problem for many players on the return is what we call jack-inthe-box. As the server prepares to serve, the intensity of the moment builds and the returner'sexcitement and energy rises to a peak. Atthe moment the server strikes the ball, the returner springs up off the ground like a jack-inthe-box.
ground in the wide split, ready to make a move. The jack-in-the-box returner on the ground, it is too late to react. If springing upward is part of your routine, doit early enough that your feet are onthe ground and you are down in your splitstep at the movement of contact on the serve.
Against powerful serve weapons, you barely have time to get your racquet on the ball, let alone setup the perfect stance. You have to learn to execute from the openstance on both the forehand and backhand sides. When the power serve is placed well within your reach, all you have to do is rotate your is one step away, you will still setup in the openstance to execute.
stance, you will often be too late to execute! Avoid becoming wrong-footed. Minimize the footwork involved and develop your skills in working with an openstance.
The ultimate test for a returner is having to move and reach to execute the to them compared with serves that make them move. If your hitting stance changes from open to closed, your options on the return become much more stances are the ones to use in all circumstances to keep your return options open.
To return a ball that is within reach is one thing, but to be able to stretch, reach, and lunge for a return and still do damage is the mark of a skilled returner. Some of the most spectacular returns by players like Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi occurred when they had to lunge and reach. Most players break down significantly when you test their reach and range of coverage on the return. They experience a lack of control and a total loss of power in that situation. The reason for most of their problems has to do with stroke technique. The best returners do not take a backswing and then stroke out to make contact. The technique used by Connors, Agassi, and all the other great returners is different from the approach the average player uses.
As if trying to catch the ball with a baseballglove, outstanding returners first react by positioning the butt of the racquet inline with the incoming ball. As they reach out to get the hitting hand behind and beneath the ball, their feet automatically adjust to support the stroke. Driving out of an openstance, they lunge on a diagonal toward the point of contact and generate a powerful pulling action across the body. They reach out and then pull the stroke back across the body, producing a powerful result on contact. This action is very different from that of the average returner, who reaches back into a backswing then strokes out to reach the ball. If you work onthe advanced technique for full-reach returns, you will strengthen your range of coverage and frustrate your opponents with your titanium wall of defense.
For most players, making the mental adjustment from thinking offensively on the return to thinking defensively will boost success on the return. Opening your senses and becoming more aware of the patterns and tendencies throughout point play will help you anticipate the action before it happens.
Getting into the habit of pre planning the start of the point will help you make better decisions in the reflex mode. Finally, learning to love the challenge of returning the big serves will put you in the mind-set for creating positive results. Before you know it, you will be sending those returns right back-atcha!
possible.
This chapter offers insight into the mentality of the attacking player and the art of developing a game plan. We will look at the tools of the trade and how they work together within the flow of building a point toward your desired outcome. You will see tives takes the pressure off hitting individual shots. You use the power of shot combinations to do the work. The quality of your gameplan determines whether you are gambling against the casino or you are the casino! With statistics on your side and an understanding of how to stage the end of points, you will beat the house even against players of greater skill. It all startswith your will to be tenacious at net.
To understand the purpose behind your strokes and shotselection, we begin with a focus on your point-ending objectives. Close your eyes and play the perfect point in your mind. . . . How does that point end? Were you ser\’ing? Was the end of the point something heroic on your partthatmightappearonESPNSportsCenter
This chapter by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
should do in a given situation.
ball opportunity arises. What are you going to do with it? What you the desired shot. What youshould do is make the shot that works best within a game plan that favors you statistically. Although you may come outof a losing effort thinking that your strokes let you down, the fact may be difficult shots that you are not capable of executing consistently. Remember, not need a gameplan. All you would have to do is hit a put-away winner every time you swing the racquet. Why doesn't Pete Sampras just ace the guy on every firstserve to win the point? Why doesn't Andre Agassi just smack those returns away for winners? Well, the greatest players of alltime were smart enough to know that they needed a gameplan built of shot combinations. If they were to attempt first-ballwinnerseverytime, they know that they would beat themselves with errors in the end. If you average two double faults for every ace, you are giving your opponent twice as much as youare getting and it'syourstrategythat'sdoingit.
ences on decision-making.
A game plan establishes an objective for every shot, organizing your skills into shot patterns and combinations so that you can build points toward a desired outcome.
The gameplan is your plan of attack. It highlights your strengths and protects your weaknesses. You can adjust it to court surfaces, playing conditions, and opponents. To execute a gameplan, you must trust its effectiveness enough to stay on track and not let your raw emotions dictate your decisions underpressure. After all, a gameplan should make your job easier while making the opponent'staskmoredifficult.
Think of your skills, strokes, and shots as the tools you have to work with. For your gameplan to flow smoothly, each tool must function in harmony with the others. The concept of point structure shows us the purpose behind each tool and how it best functions within your plan.
By building points within point structure, you will see that the serve and return are intended to get points started. When you attempt to end points with your serve or return, do not be surprised when your percentage of getting points started drops dramatically. To work successfully with a game plan, you must understand the decisions you have to make. You must know what you should do. What youumntto do should support that decision. Then you hope that you have the skills to execute.
All too often temptation becomes so great that you choose to go for more than you need. Worse yet, you aretornbetweenwhatyouluanttodo and what you should do, and you make an error because of your indecision. When you know you have a solid gameplan, you must be disciplined enough to stick with it or, when fighting a losing effort, to adjust it to increase your chances for success. You may find that the bigforehand weapon that you normally build your points around isn'tquiteas big as the forehand you are position in your gameplan. If the forehand crosscourt rally pattern isn't working out, you maybe able to build your rallies in the backhand-to backhand pattern. It'sOKtoadjustyourgameplan! After halftime of a football game, you will often see teams come out with a completely new approach for the second half, changing their initial gameplan to an adjusted gameplan based on the first half. The adjusted gameplan allows them to work their way back into a game they were losing at the half. A team'sability greatness.
If you are one of the hopeless many that still work with no real gameplan and rely on defying the odds with winner after winner, you should not expect to win matches often. You should just learn to enjoy the game for the opportunity to hit your shots and show off your occasional winners. There is nothing wrong with that now, is there? That style of play is what keeps the driving range crowded with people trying tobe like Tiger Woods and attempting to hit 300- yard drives. But you will find that the best competitors are not satisfied with individual shots. They want to compete head-to-head and use their shots to beat every opponent.
If you were to chart match statistics, the end of every point we')uldfallinto one
•A winner occurs when you successfully execute a shot that goes untouched by the opponent to end the point.
nent makes an error.
mentally and physically for the shot and the opponent makes an error.
ten tly when the opponent is forcing you to go for it.
the opponent to make an unforced error will not be enough to win the match. Good players may give you a few unforced errors, but rarely will they give you enough to determine the match. Because you have no control over when and how often the opponent makes unforced errors, you cannot really build a gameplan around it. The player who can more often force the opponent either to produce a winner or to commit a forced error will usually be the winner in the long run. Forcing errors is the focus of a winning gameplan.
intent to force the opponent rather than hit to produce the outright winner. This does not mean being tentative. The mentality shift requires you to become more disciplined with your opportunities and force the opponent to execute difficult shots. Remember, of every 10 short-ball opportunities, you want to create7or8 difficult situations for the opponent rather than make6 or7 unforced errors as you go for winners and miss. You must keep in mind this ratio of winners to errors in building your gameplan.
As you work through the stages of point structure in setting up the situation for your desired outcome, you build your points using shot patterns that allow you to recover behind each shot. The ball tra\"elsfrom baseline to baseline in lessthan two seconds on a groundstroke of average speed. The time that it takes for the ball to reach the opponent is all the time you have to recover before your opponenthits the next ball. Flow many steps can you take in lessthan two seconds? Not many. If you do not reach full recovery in time, you leave the court open for your opponent. If you use five shots to setup and end the point, you need to recover behind four of them.
Where do you recover? The recovery position behind every groundstroke should be behind the hash mark at the center of the baseline, right? Wrong!
to shotselection 1. This is the highestpercentage shot because it allows you to recover fully. You would recover behind the center hash mark only if you were to choose shotselection 2. Otherwise, the recovery position shifts as you hit to different targets. These recovery positions allow you cover the sharp angles as well as the down the line, putting you halfway in between.
The problem is that you have lessthan two seconds to reach these positions. When you drive the ball for an attempted winner to shotselection
3, you must hope to end the point on that shot. Unable to recover in time, you will leave the crosscourt open for the opponent. To preserve adequate recovery time, players maintain crosscourt rallies as they build points. If their intent is to hit down the line within a rally to force a change in the rally pattern, they do so with underspin or high loopers to give themselves enough time to recover.
Percentage-Shot Patterns—Attacking the Net When advancing to the net, you have even less time to reach proper position, and you must avoid leaving any openings for passing shots. The shot direction that provides the shortest distance for improving your net position straight down the middle is the highestpercentage shot.
To become more tenacious at the net, you must realize that your positioning at the net is more important than your power! Regardless of the strength of your net game, your ability toachieve position poses a great threat to the opponent. Without the skills to defend the net effectively, however, your threatening position there will lose its influence. The approach shot deter-
To force is divine. f ( Your ability to force your opponent will depend on many factors, including the quality of your opponent. When we think of a forcing shot, naturally we think of a deep shot to the baseline, penetrating and powerful. A dropshot set up with disguise and used correctly is a forcing shot as well. An opponent who positions deep behind the baseline in the rally is much more difficult to force on deep balls than an opponent who positions right on the baseline.
shots to dropshots.
net position. Mixing up the attack and using a variety of shots onthe down-court to play.
in rallies and approaching down the line, won't I be too predictable?
Being predictable is not all that bad when you maintain your patterns and age rules may dictate the direction of your shots, you can vary the depth of your shots without changing the direction. What is important is that you understand what happens when you decide to deviate from the percentage rules.
If youare playing someone witha huge forehand but no backhand threat, you may be able to attack on crosscourt approaches into that weak backhand, even though you leave muchwiderpassinglanes. If that tactic proves to be a risk that is not paying off, however, you may want to rethink your approach.
The last thing you want to do on the approach is provide the opponent with the type of shot he or she loves to work with for hitting passing shots. Most players prefer an approach shot hit with some power, a little topspin, and a bounce within a few feet of the baseline right up into their preferred shot and then wonder why the opponent is having afield day passing them.
The use of variety on the approach is about giving the opponent less to work with on the pass. Learning to vary spin, speed, and depth on the attack will force opponents to work outside Don’tfoodtho their comfort zone, to generate all their own pace, to earn every pass. Ifyou want to improve the conditions of play at the net and increase your effectiveness on the attack, then don'tfeedthegiant!
When you work your way into closing net position, you should be within one step and a full reach from the sideline, within one step and a full reach of the angle pass, and within two steps of covering the lob. When you approach down the center, your net position is in the center and you force your opponent to create angles to pass you. The closer you get to the net, the better you can cover the angle pass but the more vulnerable you are to the lob. If you hang back to cover the lob, you leave the angle open. So you must develop asense of when you can close in tight by considering the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent.
Your objective on approach shots should be to get the ball in play with the intent of forcing the opponent while you move into the net. You must learn to move through the approach shot with your footwork without missing the shot as a result. The underspin approaches are easier to move through than the flat drives. The footwork patterns commonly used for the approach shots are the cross-behind step, in which the back foot crosses behind the front, and the kick step. For the flatter drives, you will find the openstance most suitable.
You should advance to the net in stages. Move inasmuch as you can behind your approach for your first volley, but when your opponent is about to make contact, you have to splitstep to play the next shot.
to plant your feet in stone when you split. You want your body to havealight feel so that you can react quickly. You just want your feet to touch briefly so that you can make your next move. You have approached down the line, and you split step as the opponenthits. If your first volley is below the level of the net, you will likely need a second volley to close the point. In this case use the first volley as another approach, going back down the line as you close in farther to the net. Onthe second volley you will have a better opportunity to angle the ball away. Remember to use your position to pressure the opponent and create a wall of defense that the opponent cannot easily penetrate.
For the underspin approaches, all volleys, and your overhead, youshould be using the continental grip. By using the continental grip you will not be caught between grip changes in reflex situations. The continental grip can be equally effective on both the forehand and backhand sides, allowing the wrist to establish a strong position of leverage to support the racquet head. When the wrist is positioned correctly, the racquet and arm will form anL.
volley, so you need to be sharp in your ready position. Make it a habit to keep the racquet head up in front of you so that you can react quickly to both sides.
jammed. When in doubt react with the backhand volley.
natural reaction would be to reach forward to catch. You would not react by moving the elbow back. The same should occur on the volley. Your hitting elbow reacts in the first move by going forward to meet the ball out in front of you as you pivot your hips and shoulders to face the contact point.
butt of the racquet forward and down, the racquet head will produce a pop with a little underspin for control. This only works well when the ball is near shoulder height at contact.
When the contact point is much higher than shoulder level, youshould prepare for the overhead. To react to the overhead, point your hitting elbow toward the back fence, keeping it with the shoulders, parallel to the ground. Use your footwork to position the contact point in front of you whenever possible. The overhead is like a half-serve motion, compact and easy to time. The hitting arm should be relaxed and the back posture straight throughout the motion.
You should react to the backhand volley with the hitting elbow again moving forward to meet the ball. React with a hip and shoulderturn to face the point of contact as you position the racquet for contact. You should work to maintaintheL shape of leverage in the wrist position and use the opponent's power to block the ball.
When you need to adda little power, point the butt of the racquet toward your point of contact. In an action forward and down with the butt of the racquet, the racquet head will accelerate into contact as the elbow straightens.
To execute the backhand overhead, point the butt of the racquet straight up toward the point of contact. Then drive the butt of the racquet up, straightening your arm into contact and sending the racquet head over the top. It is like a service motion, only in reverse!
When you find your opponent comfortably deep in the backcourt, do not forgetthedropvolleyTheoccasionaldropvolleyforcestheopponentto cover the short court and play closer to the baseline. Then when you volley deep, you have a better chance to force the opponent.
To drop volley effectively, your arm and racquet must work together as a unit to absorb the impact of the incoming ball. Your preparation looks identical to the deep block volley, so the opponent never expects it. Like a shock absorber, you want to absorb the shock of impact. You do not want to try for perfection on the drop volley or you will miss more than you make. By merely forcing your opponent with a drop volley, you will often win the point on the next shot.
Although some top players are two-handed volleyers, you will never reach your full potential unless you can reach with onehand and volley as well. When just starting out, using two hands can help you develop a feel. But you must begin to work with onehand if you are to maximize your potential at the net.
letting the ballbounce—same grips, same level swing, same footwork. Adding some topspin to this shot will add more control.
You can use the swinging volley on a surprise attack out of the rally, especially when the opponent uses the high looping rally balls. Treat it like an approach shot and follow it into the net.
just have to remember that youare defending your court rather than always attacking. The power of your shot combinations will make you tenacious.
in behind and capitalize at the net. When you use your serve as an approach shot, you should remember the percentage rule—straight ahead. If you serve totheT, you reduce the passing lanes and force the returns back within your more difficult for you to cover the net.
server into going for more on the secondserve, thus producing more double faults.
reach position at the net.
possible dropshot.
Ifthe opponent is able to get to your dropshot and put it back in play, the lob is a great option to finish off the point. If you create enough open court you might have an open passing-shot opportunity as well.
Whether you use a swinging volley or a conventional approach shot, theline followed by an angle crosscourt. Remember that you have the option of varying the depth on your approach when using underspin.
Developing your net skills is certainly a must for you to be truly tenacious at net, but you can take some of the pressure off by becoming more effective with transition shots that get you to net. You will need to work at developing the mind-set that will challenge the opponent to come up with greatness or go down trying. Your objective is to build the points and set the stage for your opponent to fail. Remember that winning matches is about managing which player produces the most forced errors. When playing against a tough opponent you want to see the majority of your winners on closing shots like volleys, overheads, passing shots, and lobs. Focus your mind on the next point and try to develop your skills for mapping out the first few shots of the point before playing it. Yourabilitytoanticipatetheactionenablesyc')uto plan. When an opportunity presents itself you can then say,"There itis!" rather than,"There it was!"
player.
While not many players focus solely on generating power, it is the ability to create the specialty shots effectively These 'Touch" shots—like the drop shot and lob—require practice to master, but they can mean all the difference when you'recompeting against an aggressive net player.
I can promise you that after reading this section you will have newfound respect for the potential of the dropshot. Characteristic of classical players in the early years of tennis, the dropshot was a cleverly disguised weapon built around a game of attacking with the use of underspin. The deep slice groundstroke and the chip-and-slice approach are examples of shots that combine well in a one-two punch with the dropshot.
to work with deep and short shot combinations can add another dimension to your game.
This chapter by Nick Bollettieri and Pat Dougherty.
twice before the opponent'sservicelineataheightnohigherthanthenet.
a margin for error.
Why Use a Drop Shot?
tioneddeepinthe back of the court. Touch players use deep slices and chips c'jpponent'sposition.
Having a balance of touch and power allows you to keep your opponent guessing about what youare going to do. When your opponent is deep in the court, you beat him or her short. When you pull your opponent off the court to the left, you hit a winner to the right(or sometimes deep). Combinations with a dropshot adda new dimension to a power game by making each shot more effective.
When to Use the Drop Shot Many players use the dropshot at the wrong time, without setting it up. For example, in along rally from the baseline, you may become anxious about you'll lose the point because you didn't setup the dropshot with a combination. Your opponent is able to read your dropshot, run it down, and put it away.
Once you have established the use of chips and deep slices, you have conditioned your opponent to associate your drop-shot preparation with your hitting the ball deep. An opponent in that mind-set is vulnerable to your dropshot.
Other variables that affect the use of the dropshot include your ability to disguise it, your opponent'sstrengths and weaknesses, the weather, and the playing surface.
The whole concept of disguise is to get the opponent to believe that he or she appear to have hit a deep slice backhand, your opponent begins to lean and step back, waiting for the ball to comeback deep. As the ball begins to cross the net, your opponent realizes that you have really hit a dropshot, but by then it is too late to react in time.
We could say, therefore, that your drop shot is only as good as the shots you use to set it up. If you don't have deep, penetrating slices and groundstrokes, your dropshot will not be very successful.
Note that you can also hit effective dropshots using your regular swing when hitting drives or shots with spin. You can still have adequate disguise, but you must not change the backswing and body motions you apply on your groundstroke.
• Setup. You have to show your opponent the use of underspin deep fromthe same preparation you use for the dropshot. By using the deep slice regularly, you establish disguise for the dropshot.
• Preparation. Players anticipate the shot that you will hit based largely on how you prepare. If your backswing loops back and down, they will expect a drive or topspin. If the racquet stays up in the backswing, they will expect underspin deep or short. The preparation of the drop shot should look the same as the preparation of your regular groundstroke.
• Swing and execution. The disguise you establish in preparation extends to the swing. The swing path onthe drop shot can look like your deep swing with a slight adjustment in the angle of the racquet face to create more spin and less power and depth. What opponents see is a deep swing. What they get is a dropshot.
• Footwork. When using the approach combination, it is especially important that your footwork and movement add to the disguise. Try to maintain identical footwork for all your strokes with only slight adjustments.
• Direction. Experts say that the human eye can accurately judge depth only up to a distance of 15or20 feet. You can therefore use the direction you straight line. How close must it get to you before you can estimate its speed?
of the road, could you better judge the speed of the car?
for determining the car'sspeed.
Let'sapplythistodisguisingadropshot. If you hit the dropshot away from your opponent, the flight of the ball will alert the opponent to respond because of the direction of the ball. But if the situation has your opponent out the dropshot away from him or her.
approach down the line.
offensive weapons. When you use them to set up a dropshot, you need to hit trajectory on your dropshot as on your deep shots. So to disguise your drop shots effectively, you should increase the height of your deep balls and avoid popping the dropshot up in the air too much.
• Grips. Players will vary their grips when hitting the drop shot, continental or eastern backhand. But Jim Courier, a master of the dropshot, used his semi full western grip.
• Preparation and swing. Again, for disguise, you should use the same backswing for the deep slice and the dropshot. The stroke is the same, although for the drop you may useless follow-through because you are applying less power and more spin. Avoid bunting the ball with your swing.
• Balance and foundation. As with all shots, your balance and foundation often determine the success of the shot. To establish consistency withthe dropshot, you need a delicate touch, which requires full control of your balance and foundation. Establish a strong foundation and relax your front knee as you step forward.
Serve and volley is an example of a combination in which the serve creates the opportunity for you to advance to the net for a point-ending volley or overhead. If you are serving and volleying, you want to get your firstserve in play.
If you try to ace your opponent with the serve, you are not thinking of the combination, and your serve percentage will below. The same idea applies to the dropshot.
limited. Useciincombination, however, the dropshot offers anew dimension to your strategy.
Combination 1: Forehand Loop and Drop Shot
The strategy is to push your opponent progressively to a position deeper into the backcourt, where he or she becomes vulnerable to a dropshot.
Combination 2: Backhand Loop and Drop Shot
• an offensive placement that allows you to move in and end the point with a volley or by an unforced error.
Combination 3: Backhand Deep Slice and Drop Shot
Likebreadandbutter, these two shots were made to go together. Use this combination to bring to the net someone who likes to be there, though not on your terms.
By using the deep slice in the rally, you setup the constant threat of your dropshot. Your opponent should see your dropshot only often enough to know that you will hit it when the opportunity arises.
Combination4 : Forehand Deep Chip and Drop Shot
Only a handful of players use a chip forehand from the backcourt. As demonstrated by Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert, however, it can be a very effective tool. Like the backhand slice and dropshot, this combination poses sistersandMartinaHingisapplythechipforehand.
Combination 5: Backhand Slice Approach and Drop Shot effectively while still hitting down the line to position yourself at the net. Most of the time, you can knife the ball deep to attack. But bringing the opponent closer to the baseline in fear of your dropshot will make your deep the drop approach or other options, including the angle.
traditional tennis. One of the few who use it regularly today, she can attack you deep and short. The deep chip often has a sidespin-underspin that makes it difficult to pass with. Try it!
Combination 7: Drop Shot and Lob can often recover a well-executed dropshot but only with a defensive return.
With your opponent's weight coming forward, the lob is the perfect win-win situation.
a lobvolley on occasion as well.
Combination 8: Drop Shot and Pass When your drop shot puts the opponent in a vulnerable position, you can use return.
How often you use the dropshot during a match depends on several factors. As a rule you should use it sparingly, just often enough to affect your opponent'sposi tioning and anticipation. On windy days or ondays when the ball becomes heavy because of humidity, you might use the dropshot more frequently. If the opponent's weaknesses or aninjury makes him or her surfaces are more conducive to successful dropshots than hardcourts are.
frequently you use the dropshot. You need to open your senses to what is around you and take everything into consideration—where the sun is, which way the wind is blowing, and what works against your opponent.
Because the appearance of the drop shot so closely resembles the look of deep willbelesseffectiveanciviceversa. Hopefully you'vel earned to respect the use of deep underspin enough to work on these strokes. If you want to realize the full potential of the dropshot, youneed to be skilled at the deep counterparts to it.
Through developing these skills, you will begin to get asense of how you can hinder your opponent'sabilityto anticipate both the direction and depth of your shots. Formidable competition, however, will require you to be crafty stiff competition, it is especially important for you to structure your game plan around combinations rather than blasting winners.
Smart players make winning easier by doing what it takes, whereas lesser players have to rely on brute strength and perfection toachieve.
With this newfound fascination about the dropshot, I'msuremanyof you can'twa it to get out there and try it. Imust warn you not to be surprised if it doesn'tworkrightaway.
You must develop your disguise and learn to sell the situation so that the opponent is thinking deep when you hit short. In the earlystages of integrating the dropshot into your game, it is likely that you will use it too often in a match. Keep at it.
You will enjoy the game even more now that you knowabout the underrated weapon—the dropshot. Good luck!
It’saLob!
Like the dropshot, the lob is misunderstood and underused in both singles and doubles. The lob ran be hit in various ways to accomplish both offensive and defensive objectives. In this section we will explain the many facets of the lob and show you how to integrate it more successfully into your game.
Thelobtendstogetabadrap. Many power players tend to think of it as a sissyshot. The most dominant players in the world, however, understand that the lob and its variations are important ingredients of a complete game. The lob is a specialty shot like the angle, dropshot, and high looper.
To have a complete game, you must be able to use both power shots and touch shots. By possessing a combination of power and finesse, you can force your opponent to defend in all four directions—left, right, up, and back. When you draw your opponent in tight to the net, the lob or the lob-volley allows you to attack the open backcourt to win the point.
You will need to hit the lob at times, so don'tal low hitting it to unnerve you. If you treat it like a regular groundstroke, you'llfindmoresuccess.
Who Do You Lob?
You will often confront opponents who stayback on the baseline and never advance to the net. One of the best strategies you can use against these players is to setup a situation that forces the opponent to come in. Short, defensive groundstrokes, dinks, and especially dropshots can pull the opponent outof his or her comfort zone to the net. The opponent'sskilllevel at the net will determine your success with the lob or passing shots. Ifthe opponent is weak at the net, you can exploit hisorherpositiontirelesslv.
Even players who choose to come in and are effective with the volley and overhead should be lobbed on occasion. The lob creates another opportunity to beat your opponent and improve the effectiveness of your passing shots.
on your terms.
Pushed Deep? Send a Lob When your opponent'sap proach forces you deeper into the backcourt, itis susceptible to being picked off because they have to travel an extra8to10 feet because of your position on the court.
pass has much to do with how well positioned your opponent is. If your opponent closes tight to the net as a habit, you can lob until the opponent gains respect for it and adjusts position.
When you lob occasionally, your opponent will begin to adjust position to prepare for the possibility of the lob. The opponent then becomes vulnerable to your passingshot.
position at the net, increasing the effectiveness of your pass or lob.
net and using less power.
is the easiest lob to execute when in trouble. The underspin works well in the wind because it hangs in the air, making for a more difficult overhead.
The topspin lob is executed with a low-to-high motion together with excessive racquet-head speed.
In singles the simplest combination using the lob is the dropshot-lob. In this combination your dropshot will bring your opponent in. With your opponent's body motion coming forward to retrieve the dropshot, your lob is the perfect answer.
When setup effectively, the dropshot-lob combination can be used sporadically throughout a match with great success. Using this combination will make your opponent respect your dropshot, thereby forcing him or her into a position closer to the baseline, making your deep shots more forcing in nature.
The combination of dropshots and angles forces the opponent to move closer to the baseline. Now your deep, aggressive groundstrokes become weapons.
As mentioned earlier, you must show capability of hitting all three shots and be willing to use them at the right times. You are constantly adjusting the opponent'scourtpositionthroughtheshots you'vehitpreviouslyinpoints. The opponent who never sees you lob stops positioning to guard against it. You must use the lob to push the opposition back from the net to open up opportunities for you to pass.
In a match you will occasionally be caught in a defensive situation and have few options. The lob can be the answer to keep you in the point, allowing you time to establish better court position and force your opponent to put you away with an overhead. If your opponent misses the overhead on a key point, it can be a big momentum breaker. So when you are in deep trouble, send up the lob and give your opponent a chance to humiliate himself or herself!
Under Adverse Conditions When the weather begins to play a big role in a match, either through wind, sun position, or intermittent drizzle, your specialty shots can become more effective. A lob into the sun or into a crosswind can create a challenging overhead for your opponent. Make yourself aware of how to use the elements to advantage and note how conditions shift with each changeover.
off the net and creating openings for you to pass.
You will see the lob used much more frequently in doubles than in singles, ranging from lob return of serves to topspin lob winners.
time and practice, so make a point of practicing the lob under all conditions and circumstances.
The lob, useful at all levels of play, should be part of your game. Evenif you have little success with it early in the match, the lobs ends a message to your opponent that you are able to use it. You then have a better chance of passing because your opponent must always be concerned that your next shot will be a lob.
You may lose some points as the opponent painfully punishes your lob with overheads or a swinging volley. Do not let that discourage you from using the lob when the time is right. The more you practice and use lobs in matchplay, the more successful you will beat executing the stroke.
played.
singles players. Before long, I realized that people continued to play the doubles game long after their that lends itself to recreation as well as business. Paul Annacone and Mark Knowles are just two of my students who went onto develop successful careers as doubles players. This chapter is designed to provide insight into the game of doubles to a wide range of players. I hope to help the millions of players who love the camaraderie and recreational interaction that doubles offers. By providing you with imaginative, tried-and-true techniques, I hope to make you a little bit better and perhaps add to your love of the game. CyrilSuk, one of the finest doubles players of alltime, has will show you that he knows what he'stalking about.
doubles for the benefit of club-level players.
Q:GiveussomebackgroundonCyrilSuk.
CS: In 1985, Petr Korda and I, bothfromtheCzechRepublic, teamed up and wontheATPTourWorldChampionship in doubles. As a professional in doubles, Ihave 20 major titles, was a finalist 18 times, and captured four Grand Slam doubles titles, includingtheU.S. Open in 1998.
Q: What can club-level players learn from watching the professional game?
for your opponents)and you can’tbeafraidtohit the opponent on occasion with a shot.
Q: When you see club players, what do you think they could do to improve?
tactic we should use for the next point [e.g., where I will hit the serve, whether my partner should look to poach, these kinds of things). This helps plan at all and their teamwork suffers. Communication is the biggest area where club players can improve.
Q: What should a player consider when choosing a partner? What do you look for in a good partner?
to weight he options and try creating a team whose players complement one another. A contrast of skills tends to make an effective team.
Q: How important are the personalities of the two players and getting along with your partner?
CS: On any level of play, competitive or social, it is extremely important to get along with your partner. He should be someone you can feel comfortable communicating with when discussing your strategies and soon. Asa professional team, we are under a lot of pressure and must play nearly every day with each other so we must be able to maintain a positive relationship.
Q: Do you find yourself as a partner almost playing a coaching role at times to help your partner?
is not playing well on a particular day. It’sgoingtohappen. You’llalways have good days and bad. Your partner must be there to help pull you through the bad times.
You have to do this for the sake of your team or it is never going to work. Often you canhelp pull your partner out of a slump within a few points, games, or maybe a set. But if you just give up and lay the blame, your teamwork will suffer.
Q: How should partners determine who plays the deuce side and the adsideataclublevel?
play the adside. See what works better and produces the best results.
Q; Would a weakness, let’ssayabadbackhand, have an impact on what side you play?
CS: Most of the intense action in pro doubles is down the center of the court.
I think on a clublevel the action tends to be on the outsides of the court. If you have a strong forehand and weak backhand at the clublevel, playing deuce side will be more effective. If you play the adside, you won’thavethe same opportunities.
Q: What is the objective for the serve position?
objective of the server to get as many first serves in as possible. You don’t have to push it to get it in, but there is a great advantage to having a high up and take control of the point.
Q: How does a team decide which player should serve first set?
serves. For instance, Idon’tliketoserve when the toss goes into the sun, so when we choose the side of the court to start the match, I take this into consideration as to whether I want to serve first. Sometimes weaker servers want the wind behind them. In general, the strongest server serves first to well and who is best at holding serve.
Q: How important is the net partner in the team’sabilitytohold serve?
hand, someone who stands like a statue at net and doesn’tvolleyormake any moves can make it hard for you to hold serve. The other team feels no threat and can get comfortable hitting their best shots.
level?
well, that becomes the focus for you, often making it more difficult to break.
Q: What is the objective for a player returning the serve?
decisions based on five or six options or you will often make mistakes. Knowing where to hit is one thing you shouldn’thavetoworryaboutonce the ball is on top of you. This will make you more consistent.
Q: What would be a good general target area on the clublevel for returns?
players, with the down-the-line return used occasionally to keep a poacher honest.
Q: What is the objective for the net player on the returning side?
returns. If the returner doesn’thi this targets well, you can become the victim into a position to play out the point better.
a move or pick off the next shot by crossing over.
Q: For club doubles, often you see one player at net and the partner on the baseline. Must they play either both at net or both at the baseline to be effective?
CS: If you prefer one up and one back and you are very successful that way, then stick with it. However, if you are losing because your opponents are always hitting between you to put the ball away, try the alternative. Both players at net is better for maintaining an offensive position and reducing the gap between partners, as is both players back. If you are losing, try different things to get yourself into the match.
Q: Are there strokes or shots used more often in good doubles?
CS; My strength in both singles and doubles was always my volley, so I always looked to get to the net as often as I could to highlight my strengths. But in general, you will use the skill, or specialty, shots more often in doubles, suchas the lob, sharp angle, chip shot, and so forth. You must work on these touch shots to become a good doubles player.
Q: What do you talk about in planning a point?
CS: If we are serving, we discuss the pace and placement of the serve and the action the net partner will take so that the first two or three shots will follow our attack plan and we can anticipate each other’smoves. That is what we try to accomplish before each point, even when returning.
Q: Would club players benefit by using the alternative setups like the Australian or I formations?
CS: Anything you can do that is different or that the other team thinks is weird can distract them and work well for you. Often, we used the I formation against one player who was returning very well because it was the only way if done for the right reasons and at the right time.
Q: How important is shotselection to the concept of teamwork?
CS: It is crucial to teamwork, but remember that we know ahead of time the shots we plan to hit based on weaknesses of the other team and discussions before each point. Shots like down-the-line returns, lobs, and off-pace serves are all tactics based on the opponents’ability.
their having to improve their technical skills?
a factor in points. Practicing reflex volleys would be a great benefit to becoming more comfortable around the net.
Q: Any last comments?
to copy some of the tactics the pros use because it can work for you too.
It helps, I think, to watch pros play.
•The start of a car race when the drivers all jockey for position after the greenlight flashes
•A social event in which each person tries to avoid putting any pressure on his or her partner it boils down to a simple explanation, however, we can say that when players lack a plan and do not communicate, doubles cannot reach the highlevel of excitement that is possible.
tions. For the most part, the game is played by two players who stay at their baselines. They might as well play singles.
2. Partners never saying a word to each other and playing each point as
The game of doubles can be exciting and challenging when players know how the game should be played. Let it be a challenge and an amusement to learn the strategies of the game. One more thing—if you want to test your relationship with your spouse or significant other, play mixeddoubles. You will either breakup or stay together forever!
This chapter is designed to discuss the science of doubles. It will provide fundamental tactics and options that will allow each of you to experience personal growth. If you identify techniques that you don't currently employ, be daring and work on some of them. Recognize the techniques in which you excel and continue to improve them. You must also recognize the techniques that you are not so good at and work to improve them.
The main difference between doubles and singles is that doubles is a game of court positioning. Singles is more about shot making and the building of points through combinations of shots.
Having two players on one side of the court automatically means less open space. Singles will thus have many more variations because open space requires more movement. Variables in the game will always result.
In doubles the reduced court space limits creativity and results in specific shots being hit more often. Doubles teams can use different formations to find the most effective way to play against another team. Variety will play on the opponents'minds.
Coaching doubles is somewhat different because the coach must determine which two players fit together and at the same time evaluate their separate skills.
Quite often doubles teams clearly indicate an advantage by their lineup. But results will often be negative because of lack of communication.
Although the court is basically the same, the addition of the doubles alleys (and the additional players)changes the strategy.
•You must know your game, maximize the strengths of your partner, and minimize the weaknesses of your partner.
• Your shot must take into consideration not only where your partner maybebutalsoyouropponents'court position.
shots must be executed more accurately.
• Players must know and accept their roles on every point.
pull them through if they have skills, constant communication, and support. The teamwork factor can change self-esteem from negative to positive and may have an impact on an individual'ssinglesplayatalaterstage. For example. Max Mirny i, who holds three doubles titles and the 1998U.S. Open mixeddoubles title(with Serena Williams), made a breakthrough with singleswinsoverJimCourierandVincentSpadeainApril 1999. Why play doubles?
•You can play your entire life.
• Players of any level, even those with only modest skills, can enjoy the game and have a physical workout.
college level.
• College scholarships often go to those who can play both singles and doubles.
•The variety of shots and knowledge of team play is enriching.
server'spartnerfrompoaching.
• Starting positions give the tentative volleyer a chance to be closer to the net when attempting to volley.
• Servers come in behind the serve knowing that they have to protect only half the court.
• Levels of play can be uneven because players can makeup their partner'sshortfalls.
•As you grow older, movement, reflexes, timing, and so forth begin to slow. Doubles requires you to protect only half the space, so you'llbe able to prolong your participation in the sport.
• Doubles is easy to incorporate as part of school functions or fund raising events.
On a much higher level, including college and pro ranks, doubles has come into its own, much as snowboard ing has emerged from skiing. Many players seeking a professional career have found the dream of becoming a top singles player out of reach for several reasons:
•They can'tend ure the pressure of one-on-one competition.
•The modern pro game has reached a level that requires players to have certain dommant shots. With creativity, imagination, and thoughtful selection of a complementary partner, players with less dominant weapons can be successful in doubles.
• To some, team competition is the formula for success.
Before we get into who does what, we must understand exactly what the four players do. Start with court position. The positions must be flexible, depending on each player's strengths and weaknesses and the strategy used for each point.
These two positions start every point and determine not only where partners in flight. Within seconds, players jockey for position.
This section discusses the roles of the different positions in advanced doubles: the server and receiver and their partners.
The serving team has the first opportunity to strike the ball, giving it the advantage if the serve is aggressive and used correctly. As the server, you must keep the returner offbalance by mixing up serves just as a baseball pitcher varies the pitches to a batter.
• Serve the majority of serves downthe middle, making it more difficult for the receiver to hit angles. If the receiver'sstrength is down the middle, however, serveoutwide. Serve to the returner'sweakness and mix it up.
• Spinning the first serve into play will allow you to get closer to the net for the first volley.
•On the first volley, hit the majority crosscourt.
• Use the I formation to break the rhythm of the receiver.
• If you elect to serve and stay at the baseline, hit your groundstrokes deep to keep your opponent at the baseline. Look for the first short ball and approach the net.
Variation will confuse the receiver and cause the occasional''boom boom"firstserve to be more productive.
guessing. If the returner has an obvious weakness, exploit it until the receiver finds a rhythm. But remember, when the receiver focuses on protecting a weakness, you might serve effectively to his or her strength. It boils down to mixing it up!
• Serve to the opponent'sweakness.
• Serve down the middle.
• Serve into the body(jam the opponent).
•Wide serve to mix it up and keep your opponent honest.
• Serve to obvious weakness.
• Serve down the middle.
• Serve into the body.
honest.
partner poaches. Fora lefthander, this applies tothe deuce court.
of returns. Now let'sthrow everything out the window and give some advice.
Don’tbelievethatthedeuce side is easier. When hit crosscourt, the inside-out backhand return is one of the most difficult shots to master.
ability to'execute the shot will govern your use of this tactic. In simple language, serve wherever it'smosteffective!
Do a little of everything and more of anything to weak positions of both returns and the opponent'sen tire game. Too many times games are played based solely on form books.
The doubles return is less forgiving than the return in singles play because the returner has only half the court to hit to, especially if the server'spartner volleys effectively and poaches. The receiver'spartnerisalsovulnerableto a formidable poacher.
Communicate with your partner about which side of the court you prefer to return from(deuceorad). Don'tcommittoasideuntilyou'vespent enough time to make a decision based on results.
•Communicate to your partner about which formation you prefer.
a while to avoid being predictable. Even if you lose the point, you have delivered a message that you can godown the line, thereby keeping the net person honest.
• Don'ttrytohit outright winners. Use the return to set up the next shot.
• Pick out a target on the return.
• Don'tplayyouropponent. Focus on the ball.
• Don'tforgettohityourreturndirectly at the server occasionally.
the serve and volleyer will watch you instead of the ball.
server'spartneroffguard, and you can get an error off the overhead or be able to take the net if the net player cannot reach the ball.
• Occasionally hit the return right at the net player as a surprise tactic orif the net player is not comfortable atthe net. Beat them up!—1 mean keep going at them until they change their formation.
Returning against a strong senw and volleyer with net personreadytopoiinee on any defensive return:
•Go for a bigger-than-normal return of serve.
• Try to get the ball to dip as quickly as possible.
• Hit directly at the net person.
• Backup from your regular position and lob.
•Change your partner'sposition. Move him or her back to the baseline when you return serve.
tration.
•Move in closer for earlier contact, making the server hit the first volley behind the serviceline.
• Chip and charge.
• Hit directly at the net person with a killer-forehand mentality.
than the normal position just inside the serviceline.
the outside, down the line, at the person, the lob.
•You must take advantage of tentative serves everytime. Consider the advantages you gain from the few choices the server has when
• The server must serve and stayback.
or she has little chance to win off the secondserve.
able to poachand volley.
difficult for your opponent to hit angles.
first volley. Because of this, the server will vary the firstserve with spin and placement to gain more time to close for the first volley. Inaddition, the height of the return will make a difference as to what the serve and volleyer can do on the first volley.
specialists learn their personal preferences through trial and error.
A big issue is whether the server will make an aggressive first volley and, along with his or her partner, continue to close in, causing the receiving team to hit their best but riskier shot.
The server'spartneriskeyforallpositionsatthebeginningofeachpoint. The partner has the ability to protect the serve, put fear into the returner about what he or she will do after the return, andscarethedickensoutofthe returner'spartner, especially by popping that player a few times from the poach.
•When poaching, always try to move in closer to the net.
better return.
• If youare not using signals with your serving partner, the weight shift of the receiver may tell you where the serve is going.
• Both the server and the receiver will determine yourready position. The ability to return can alter your own position.
•Always be in a ready position that will enable you to defend against any type of ball.
•Once the ball is in play, your position will vary during the rally.
control of the return).
returning the firstserve).
•On the baseline (if the serve is sufficiently strong that the server's partner consistently poaches). Note that this positioning will change depending on whether you are returning the first or secondserve.
The receiver'spartneris onthe back burner by not being in the initial action. But in the end, this position can become valuable for several reasons:
fear into the server'sfirst volley. Witha ready position near the service line, the returner's partner can focus onthe partner's return and move position to receive the server'sfirstvolleybutwillalsodisrupt the concentration required for the first volley placement. Ifthevollevis anywhere near the returner'spartner, he or she will go forthe will move well inside the serviceline for the ready position.
tion. This is all that the team needs for a chance in the point.
service is.
highest level. This will enable you to hit down at your opponent'sfeet. Remember, your first responsibility is to cover your half of the court.
floating balls. In fact, your partner expects you to help by moving on easy, as hitting right to you at the net. When you are active at the net, the receiver will expects this, knowing that your movement might break the focus of the serve and volleyer.
the net for the secondserve return.
the baseline player from advancing. Anytime you receive a short ball, hit your approach to the baseline player and come to the net.
It is imperative to find a doubles partner compatible with your personality and style of play. Good communication will make or break a doubles team. A good doubles player will pump upa partner who makes an unforced error. Both must stay positive in the heat of the battle.
No matter the level of play, players with certain strengths and weaknesses can complement one another. Here area few examples:
•A player with a consistent baseline game who does not enjoy the net should find a partner with a good net game.
serve.
•A player with a weak return should look for a partner with a good return to break serve.
•A player lacking power should find a partner with the strength to put the ball away.
•A player with limited movement should find a partner who is active and moves well.
or she can get along with and communicate with.
Which Side Do I Play?
Which side you return best from is the most important point in determining your position. If your partner likes to return serve onthe same side that you in the heat of the battle.
ter each set if you need to make a change. Many coaches feel that the best returner should play from thead court because most of the key points are played from there. Others say it is more important to win the first point, and that the most difficult serve to return is play it.
I’mLeft-Handed; Where Do I Play?
the return of serve, which is the best return.
•The left-handed returner can protect the kicker serve into the alley on key points betterthan a right-handed player, who must defend with the backhand.
•The left-hander can use more shot variations, making it more difficult for the opposing team.
• Having both forehands in the middle is a great selling point. Here the left-hander plays the deuce court. Simply put, partners should play where they feel they form the most effective team.
determine whether you need to make changes.
difficulty going back to hit overheads.
• Try to make all of your moves so that that the team will not split up.
•Go for a big shot.
• Buy time to regroup.
misses a few easy volleys.
doubles.
• Try to control the net. Attackers win more matches.
• Establishing sound positions is good strategy in doubles.
•When in doubt, hitting down the middle is the best shotselection.
•The last person to hit a volley or an approach has the best feeling about where the ball will comeback. He or she should be the hitter of this ball.
themiddle, the more you reduce your percentages because you give up more of the court.
The closer you get to the net, the bigger and wider your opponent'scourt becomes. At the net, you can play aggressively and put pressure on your opponent to hit a good shot or lob. Remember, the team that plays together, supports each other, and knows exactly what the other can do will usually win the match!
serves.
themiddle.
to attack a weakness.
net for the first volley.
• Decide on a formation with your partner.
the next shot.
concentration.
• Attack second serves.
net to pressure the server.
the net.
as a surprise tactic.
• Hit down the line to keep your opponents offbalance.
• Your first responsibility is to cover your half of the court.
• Decide on a formation with your partner.
hit the volley.
fake, cutoff floating balls.
• Stay focused during the point—don'trelax.
•Move forward as you volley.
•Move back to the baseline when in a defensive situation.
•Move back to the baseline when the receiver is having trouble controlling the return.
to cover open court.
leyscrosscourt.
• Serve and volley on both first and second serves.
baseline.
• Your first responsibility is to cover your half of the court.
• Decide on a formation with your partner.
•Know where your partner is serving both serves.
serve.
cutoff floating balls.
point—don'trelax.
•Move forward as you volley.
•Move back to the baseline when in a defensive situation.
to cover open court.
As we get older and our physical skills begin to decline, we gravitate to doubles. Doubles is a game that offers many rewards that singles can't provide. Doubles is competitive. It has specific tactics and maneuvers that enhance enjoyment of the game. We have all participated in clinics, classes, and leagues and know that it should be every player'sgoaltorushthenet usually locked in a game of singles, playing crosscourt using half the court.
The only time you're involved is when you return or serve. Let's look at some tactics that will improve every phase of doubles playattheintermeciiate club level.
unless you hit it short.
• Try to hit the strokes you'remostconfidentwith.
• Try to take something off your first serve to get a higher percentage in.
player'sfeetandlookforhimorhertopanic or hit upon the ball.
• Ifthe opponents lob over your partner, make sure you communicate.
Switch sides and getready to start the point again.
• Try to play inside the baseline as much as possible, especially if you want to hit short to bring your opponent to the net.
the baseline with you and offer a steady diet of lobs.
• Be careful if you take a shot that is on your partner'sside. This confusion can only happen downthe middle. Play the ball crosscourt to avoid hitting your partner.
• That'syourrealestate. Defend it with your life!
past you.
consistent partner).
•When you have the opportunity to get a shot, don'tpanicandtakea big swing. Try to hit to the returner'spartner, who is closer to you and will have less time to react.
serve. Either move closer to the doubles alley or go back to the baseline with your partner.
• Don'tbecomeboredifyou'renotactiveinthepoint. Be patient and ready because when you least expect it, one will be coming your way!
• If your partner is forced deep into the backcourt, be ready to move back a few steps to reduce the distance and close off the opening created down the middle of the court.
• Put the ball in play, crosscourt if possible.
• Lob to create confusion.
• Don'tworryabouttheserver's partner. He or she is not going anywhere. Just hit it back to the server until you feel comfortable with a more offensive shot.
•Goat the net person when you get a weak shot.
•Move way up ona secondserve. Make your opponents think that you are going to attack the serve.
• If you are in control, move inside the baseline and encourage your partner to move forward to the net.
• Don'tplaybacktoofar. Balls are easier to control when you strike them between the knees and the waist.
• With an aggressive return, you'llseizetheoffensiveadvantage.
• You are not involved in the first phase of the point, so keep your eyes forward and be alert!
• Don'twatchyourpartnerhittheball.
• Be prepared. If you don't move closer to the net or all the way back to the baseline, they'llhitballsatyourfeetandyou'llneedashovelto dig them out.
surprise.
• If both opponents come to the net, get the heck out of Dodge and lob, lob, lob.
• If your partner comes to the net, look for your opponents to lob.
to switch to the other side.
• If you and your partner are at the baseline together and don'tlob, trv to hit to the weaker opponent.
•Always try to hit to the weaker partner, regardless of whether that person is at the net or on the baseline.
error.
one up and one back. Sometimes you can hit a shot between them.
•When youare lobbed, move quickly. Don't wait to see if the ball makes it over your head before you retreat.
• If your opponents are very aggressive and both play up, load up your lob and start firing!
will come.
•Move back on hard serves and move upon easy ones.
instinctively) will hit the ball crosscourt between you and your partner.
positions if you know what to expect!
serves.
• Serve the majority of balls down the middle.
attack a weakness.
• Spin serve into get closer to the net for first volley.
crosscourt.
• Serve and volley on both serves.
• Decide on a formation with your partner.
• Never miss a return wide always make your opponent play the ball.
next shot.
•Make contact with ball in your strike zone for control.
• Attack second serves.
net to pressure the server.
• Defend your half of the court with your life!
• Keep your eyes forward don't watch your partner hit the ball.
• Defend your half of the court with your life!
the ball.
• Encourage your partner to come to the net.
• Be ready to switch sides if the opposition lobs you.
the opposition lobs you.
ner, who has less time to react. • Be prepared to hit a reflex react.
• Although you are not directly involved in the point, stay alert and be ready.
stay alert and be ready.
the opening in the middle when your partner is forced behind the baseline.
net, move back and lob.
Doubles is a game of strategy and position as a team. A team that has the proper position will win the majority of points. You have already meta master player, CyrilSuk. He has won numerous Grand Slams doubles titles, yet he doesn't possess a major weapon like a big serve or forehand. He knows and understands the game of doubles and is a master at being in the proper position.
Another athlete who understands the importance of position isNBA player Dennis Rodman. His seven rebound titles in the National Basketball Association are no fluke. His knowledge and desire to get to the correct position, whether to prevent a score or snare a rebound, are unparalleled.
As you play doubles, move your feet and anticipate your opponent'snext shot. Proper position will win you the majority of points. Doubles is a lot like chess, always requiring you to anticipate your opponent'snextmove.
“Holvmackerel!
court, hit a few warm-up balls, and then magically play the perfect match. In the real world, though, it doesn'tworkthiswayDayinanctdayout, when levels of play is practice.
Accomplishing the perfect anything depends on
8. Playing strengths and protecting weaknesses
This chapter by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCravv.
12. Doing anything you can to win!
the most part, it begins with practice. People must practice in away that workstorthem. Jimmy Connors made a statement Ihavealwaysremembered:"It'snotthequantitybutthequalitythatcounts."
truth is that champions create themselves because within their make-up they have what it takes to be champions. They have God-given athletic talent, the burning desire to win(losing is simply not in their vocabulary), anda mentor who guides their development.
My role is that of a mentor, theshaperoftalent at every level. My philosophy, directed throughout the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, is that anyone with enough desire on court can be his or her best. That'sall we can do. In the end, as history has shown, this philosophy produces champions.
Not everyone can bea champion. But everyone, even recreational players, can be their best. How? My suggestions have nothing to do with changing grips or altering hitting style. Instead I offer simple suggestions about how you can elevate your game to another level.
Borg, perhaps the foremost model of court concentration, once gave a motivation speech at the academy. On the subject of concentration Borg was very clear:"The second you step onto the court, the match begins. Every movement, every contact of the ball, every shot hit must be played with the concentration of match point."If you practice this way, you willimprove immediately. You will learn the art of focusing, which in time you will translate into matchplay.
It's important to remember that most players are unable to concentrate for more than a few minutes. Concentration is a learned art, and with effort, you can develop it. Borg and Chris Evert were extreme examples. They could maintain intense concentration for a match, a week, a year if necessary. Theirs was a remarkable skill but one that you can copy by raising the concentrated intensity of your practice habits.
blading. From Monica I learned the importance of good eyes, quick hands, and playing to your strengths.
Monica can pickup the ball early and play it from apart of the court that everyone else thinks is weird, from inside the baseline. When she is six feet behind the baseline and running laterally, Monica is just ordinary. But with sides, she could cover up her inefficiencies by playing inside the baseline.
ethic. She would practice asingle shot for a week, two weeks, three weeks whatever it took to master it. She’dputabasketonthefarsidelinefivefeet in front of the baseline and then just hit ball after ball down the line between the basket and the baseline. She and Andre Agassi would play angle games just five feet past the net.
thinking. Practice until it comes naturally.
Day in and day out, tennis players who play for the lines will lose, just as gamblerswhodefytheoddsanddoubleupwhendownwilllose.
practicing with targets you willimprove your visualization, which you will soon be able to translate to matches.
habits willimprove your match performance. It'spossil^letobeattheodds only if you understand the lessons involved.
Why Can’t I Reach Every Ball?
Before starting this section, let's bring out the single most important cause of unforced errors—technique breakdowns and lack of movement andbalance on contact.
the net and you are standing at the back of the court. What do you do?
don'teventry.Right?
nation to chase down every ball, you will surprise yourself. On balls that you he or she hits a perfect shot, you'regoingtoruntheballdown.
Will it be different simply because Tmtelling you it will be different? Yes.
Telling yourself that you can do itwillcategoricallyimproveyourperformance, yourself-esteem, and your opponent'sre spect for your effort.
feel for your shot. This feeling, coupled withthe knowledge of your opponent's capabilities, is the first step to better preparation.
The next step is to focus on the ball as it leaves the opponent'sracquet, not when it appears on your side of the court. Pick up small clues while the ball to the shot, your timing will be poor and your shot will be defensive or badly prepared.
Rather than just hitting the ball back and forth in your next practice, ask your practice partner to hit the ball away from you. Set yourself a goal to run the ball'sdirection. By incorporating this technique into your practices, during matches you'llfeelthat you have more than enough time to prepare for the next shot.
1 know from my years at the academy that these suggestions will help you play better tennis. None are earth shattering. They are simply commonsense practice reflects actual matchplay, the faster you'llimprove.
How many times have you signed up for a clinic at your local club or municipal court and arrived at the courts excited only to leave afterward disappointed? What you expect and what you get often don't match up. Here t What is the clinic'scontext? What is the coach-to-student ratio? How match specific are the drills?
Will the clinic be mechanics specific?
Does the clinic cover doubles?
In all forms of practice, especially match practice, it angers me to see one of our pros drilling with no regard to where the ball is going or what the student should be doing next. All drilling should be designed to ensure that the exercise has carryover value into matchplay
Takeasimpleexample—a drill designed to reinforce the value of an approachshotfollowedbyavolleyThefirstball, hit relatively short by the coach, should usually be struck up the line, especially if the ball is below the net when the student gets to it. Having struck the ball, the student should follow the flight of the ball to the net covering the line and then finish with a crosscourt volley.
At this point most coaches would stop the drill. Atthe academy, however, we insist that our students continue to concentrate and follow the volley, thereby covering any possibility of a foe'sgreat shot and subsequent passing shot.
This is not genius. It is simply a point-specific drill for preciictable movement rules, setup to teach mechanics and strategy simultaneously.
Another good example of a practice that can be match specific is the serve. To practice match-specific serves, the returner must be as serious as the server, thus creating a learning environment for both players. Beyond the important discussion of serve mechanics, this manner of practice permits the pro to discuss, in realtime, thedirectresultofamissorbadlyplacedser\^e.
The same can be said for hitting passing shots on the run. It'ssimplynot good enough to have students run from one side of the court to the other, attempt a passingshot down the line, and stop. Having attempted the passingshot in matchplay, the instinct must betore position for the next return. This too should be part of the practice drill.
drills should mirror match possibilities.
follow. Because most of the adult tennis community plays doubles, a clinic not dealing with doubles is useless.
your preference is serve andvolley, work on the location of your serve rather than pace.
the court. If your opponent serves wide, a good return is up the line. If your opponent serves up the middle, a crosscourt return is your best choice.
crosscourt, practice coming to the net. At the service tee, practice quick volley drills to improve your reflexes and make those impossible shots routine.
out front, and, most important, concentrate on control and placement.
play, and work it to a successful conclusion.
This section is not about 1,001 drills for every possible situation, nor is it about the most exotic drills ever conceived. Let'sface it—drills are drills!
This section will give insight into what we do at the academy and show you how you can put more purpose into your drilling. Our Practice With Purpose video supplements this by illustrating how I manage my drills and the positive effect the drills have on my students.
We don'tusemysticaldrillsthatnooneelsedoes. We never have. What makes us different is the way we run them. If the coach, parents, and students don'tlookforwardtodrilling, then the drills are not being run correctly.
Drilling should be a fulfilling challenge to the coach and student. It should expose the program, bring it alive, and create an experience that inspires everyone to perform to his or her highest ability.
drilling methods have kept us at the forefront of the game for many years.
As far backasI can remember, drills have been used to train tennis players of a player and allow the coach to train a variety of skills, including technique, consistency, power, spins, hitting to targets, movement, conditioning, recovery, attitude, point development, strategy, and tactics. No one took better advantage of drills than Monica Seles did. Monica squeakedand gruntedher way to the top of the world by consistent and determined use of the drilling court. Drilling allows the coach to reinforce the fundamentals of the game, building the foundation for improvement in all aspects of a player'sdevelopment.
1. Safety procedures. Safety is the single most important aspect of conducting a drill. You must structure the drill so that it does not put either the student or the feeder atriskofbeinghitbyballsandracc^uets.
• You must have the proper equipment. The feeder must have a large basket of balls so that thecirillis productive for an extended period.
Buckets or smaller baskets should be placed deep in the backcourt sufficient cones or markers to construct recovery alleys where students can safely recover off court to pick up balls or return to the back of the line(see figure slO. land 10.2).
• Never have students go to the opposite side of the court during the drill to pickup balls and put them into the feeder'sbasket. Never ask students to recover near the line of fire.
• Students should not stand too close to each other when inline because they need room to handle abad feed from the coach. Getting students to shadow swing when inline requires them to be a safe distance from one another. Emphasize this from the outset.
• Students must be taught to clear all balls they hit into the net at the completion of their rotation. Stray balls on the court are the single biggest cause of ankle injuries when drilling. Coaches can continue the drill by hitting balls to the next hitter at a different location.
• Bags and equipment are not to be left on court. The best place for them is outside the fence. Drink bottles and towels should be placed together out of the way. Apart from the safety aspect, having the drink bottles in one place keeps the group together during breaks. This enhances group dynamics enormously because everyone feels apart of the action.
• Technique—working on specific shots to generate power and to determine if the technique breaks down during a specific sequence
• Hitting to targets—creating awareness of the court and providing feedback to students about their accuracy, consistency, and placement it can berefilledfromtheballbuckets, thus ensuring that no time is wasted in picking up the balls.
Figure 10.2 You must have sufficient cones or markers to construct recovery alleys where students can safely move around the court to pickup balls or return to the back of the line.
• Conditioning—improving cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and
• Strategy and tactics—improving ability to control the center of the court and build points against different styles of play
Beaw are that you can'tworkon all these goals at once. A logical progression is to begin with an emphasis on technique, then introduce titiontechnique begins to break down because the student has not practiced the other components of the shot.
• Setting the scene—Bring the students together, get their attention, and explain the importance of the drill.
• Explain the purpose and benefit of the drill—Students need to understand the purpose of the drill and how it relates to their game.
the hitter, pick up balls, or recover to a certain location oncourt. An vidualexecutesthedrill.
ing modes of as many students as possible. This is particularly important when you have students from various nations with language differences.
a group setting.
• adding games to determine who can win, no matter what!
abilities of the group and student.
maintain a constant flow of outbursts and facial expressions during the drill. As a coach, you must beaware of these differences and regulate your feedback accordingly. At times you will have to knock them down, while at other times you will need to build them up. Be attentive and give appropriate feedback to each student as well as to the group. Dealing with the mood of each student correctly will dramatically increase the effectiveness of the drill.
the group. This is a fantastic way to give students another type of feedback. Review your own level of intensity, enthusiasm, projection, and overall performance. Small changes in the structure of a drill can mean the difference between a good drill and a terrific one. Students often think that they perform a drill in a certain way, but review of the videotape convinces them otherwise. Seeingmakesbelievers!
drilling to allow the coach and student to isolate and analyze certain aspects of the student'sgame. For those parents who continue to believe that a drill based system does not produce good players, I submit the following names:
Emily Leonard!
Parents, if you think drills are unimportant, just ask any player on the list.
circuit, several played at the world-class level, and a few reached the pinnacle of tennis as no.1in the world. Clearly, drills are valuable tools for learning. But players must be disciplined and drill with a purpose.
stroke. Private lessons allow the coach to work on specific parts of a student's game.
ductive. The number of students on a court will vary according to the drill.
culardemandsandthelargenumber of balls being hit.
illustrate what we do at the academy. The video gives a first-hand look at how I run the drilling courts at the academy.
is able to control the situation when players of varying ability are on court. The coach can observe the students' preparation and movement habits while focusing on repetition of technique. Targets can be introduced to add variety and pressure to the drills. Inaddition, the coach can test fitness by using endurance drills to push the limits of a student'scardiovascularcondition and see when technique breaks down.
Target scoring determines the structure and length of the drill and takes us one step closer to true match conditions as the competitive element plays a bigger role. This drilling style allows the coach to control the situation to some degree and measure students under anew level of pressure.
the ball. These drills take us closer to match conditions by having the students drill in head-to-head competition. Students must work together to ensure that the drill is successful and doesn'tbreakdown.
matchplay by simulating controlled rallies and combinations. For live-ball workouts to be successful, students must use teamwork to prevent chaos.
Many developing players need to practice but don't have anyone to work out with. Such players can use a backboard or wall to work by themselves on every aspect of the game—groundstrokes, halfvolleys, volleys, overheads, serves, and even playing out points. Adding music can increase the fun.
tivepracticesession.
contact point.
technique repetition.
depth.
alternating sides of the court.
The student hits both balls down the line to the target area.
The student rotates to the back of the line.
All students move their feet.
Add more balls to each rotation.
Hit four, pickup four-the student hits four balls, then picks up four balls.
Change direction to crosscourt patterns and short angles.
Move students into hit approach shots and volleys.
focus, and teamwork.
efitatonce.
repetition.
to promote depth.
court.
line around if there is not room behind the court}.
to the target area and shadows to the other side.
Students pickup balls, observe safety procedures, and rotate to the back of the line.
hitters.
rotation.
Down-the-line \—1^ Down-the-line t
Change direction to crosscourt patterns. Move students into hit approach shots and volleys. When students hit from in the court, lines can go straightback.
Develop the mind-set of using a weapon.
Aggressively position yourself in the court to take advantage of a bigforehand.
Learn to control the point through aggressive positioning.
Hit to the target with power and accuracy.
The feeder hits one ball from the serviceline to the student’sbackhandside.
the target.
The student rotates to the back of the line.
forehand.
Change direction to an inside-in forehand[down the line).
Approach the shot and finish with a volley to the other corner.
you will return every ball.
out forehand.
ball.
Hit to targets with power and accuracy.
to the student’s backhand side.
an inside-out forehand.
line to the student’sforehandsideshort.
theline to finish the point.
to the combination.
theline).
point after approach.
binations.
the angle shot.
accuracy.
student’sforehand.
the student’sbackhand.
with spin to the target.
back of the line.
Backhand down the line and forehand short-angle crosscourt.
Forehand crosscourt and backhand short-angle crosscourt.
crosscourt.
Students play out the point after the shortangle.
combinations.
angle shots.
accuracy.
student’sforehand.
with spin to the target.
the student’sforehand.
with spin to the target.
Add volley and net exchange after the second short-angle shot.
after the shortangle.
Develop execution skills— hitting to a target underpressure from a fed ball.
Simulate match conditions.
Scoring determines the structure and length of drill.
The ball is fed to a specific court location.
The student hits crosscourt to the target.
Scoring is+1for in target and-1for out of target.
The drill ends when a score of+7or-7 is achieved.
Students rotate after each ball.
Groundstrokes down the line orshort angles.
Approach shot, volleys, and overheads.
Multiple-ball combinations-two, three, or four balls.
Score foreach target hit.
Increase difficulty-one point if all targets are hit.
Develop execution skills-hitting to a target underpressure from alive ball.
Develop receiving and positioning skills.
Simulate match conditions.
Scoring determines the structure and length of the drill.
The hitter starts the drill from the baseline.
The student hits crosscourt to the target.
Scoring is+1for in target and-1for out of target.
The drill ends when a score of+5or-5 is achieved.
Students rotate when maximum or minimum score is reached.
Groundstrokes down the line orshort angles.
Approach shot, volleys, and overheads.
Multi pie- ball combinations-two, three, or four balls.
Score foreach target hit.
Increase difficulty-one point if all targets are hit.
Develop execution skills hitting to a target underpressure from alive ball.
Learn to stay with a task until the goal is achieved.
Simulate match conditions by hitting to the target from all areas of the court.
Scoring determines structure and length of the drill.
The hitter starts the drill from the baseline.
The student hits to the target from anywhere on court.
Scoring is+1for in target and-1for out of target.
The drill ends when a score of+7or-7 is achieved.
Students rotate when score is achieved.
Play from inside the baseline at all times.
Approach shot, volleys, and overheads.
Develop concentration skills.
Develop execution skills hitting to a target underpressure from alive ball.
Learn to stay with a task until the goal is achieved.
Simulate match conditions.
Scoring determines the structure and length of the drill.
The player starts the drill from the doubles alley on the baseline.
The partner hits into the doubles alley only.
Scoring is+1for in alley and-1for out of alley.
The drill ends when a score of+7or-7 is achieved.
Volley,volley.
Groundstroke,volley.
Restrict players to one shot only, forexample, forehand or backhand.
Players hit certain spins only, forexample, underspin or topspin.
Develop ball and racquet control on volley.
Develop receiving and positioning skills.
Follow shot patterns.
Four players are at the net inside the serviceline.
Players establish volleying exchange.
Players hit volleys to continue the drill and control the ball.
One player can change the pattern at anytime. #l-up and back with the same partner.
#2-diagonal with same partner.
#3-cross and down.
Develop ball and racquet control on volley.
Develop receiving and positioning skills.
Follow shot patterns.
Workasateam.
Three players rotate after one or two volleys.
Three players must position themselves in and out of the rotation.
One player on the opposite side controls the ball and keeps the drill going.
Use forehand or backhand volleys only.
Increase number of students, forexample,3-on-2or 3-on-3.
Develop movement, reaction, and recovery skills.
Develop consistency and discipline.
Define players’rally speed.
Two players hit down the line.
Solo player hits crosscourt.
Solo player hits forehands only.
All players work within the baseline.
Solo player uses volleys or overhead-volley combinations.
drilling session.
experience and memory. The navy wants its people to experience each crisis in acontrolled environment. This process of education is, in many instances, merely a process of repetition.
or she becomes comfortable with it. Under the pressure of a match situation, before. A person can acquire this sort of confidence only from experience. Now the player only needs to learn how to win because the structure and experience of producing shots is in place.
Since we began teaching the sport of tennis, we have been studying the physiology of movement and conditioning. For four decades we have been fertile training ground for top sports psychologists and fitness trainers. Today, we know far more about fitness and nutrition than we even dreamed about 40 years ago. This chapter, written by the tion for athletes striving to reach their potential. Open your mind and learn how to be the best you canbe.
athletic preparation is to produce peakperformance sat the required time or time series. Successful performances at major games and at important
*This section by Ist\an Balyi, PhD, and Ann E. Hamilton, MPEAdvancedTrainingandPerformanceLtd, Victoria, BC, Canada.
effective long-term training plan.
challenge. An average of 8to12 years of general and specific preparation are throughout the competitive season.
alow ratio of training time to competition time. The structure of the competitive system promotes this situation of short athletic preparation time and frequent competitions. Too often, coaches and parents overlook the importance of training. They focus on competition and winning rather than only through along-term approach to training.
Ideally, training for the novice player should focus on the acquisition and mastery of the basic technical and tactical skills within a supportive and petitiveaspectsoftennisshouldbedeemphasized. Once the player has mastered basic skills and tactics, the coach may gradually shift the emphasis of training as indicated by individual needs.
During the past few decades, early specialization in sports training has been one of the main topics of discussion for coaches, sport scientists, sport scribedandanalyzedbyShneidmaninTheSovietRoadtoOli/mpnis(1978), Riordan in Spwrt and Soviet Society(1977), and Gilbert in The Miracle Machine
(1979).
that communist countries that exploited athletes through early specialization developed a practice without any scientific theory to support it. Winning at all costs became the basic principle of training in some of these countries, regardless of the consequences for the health and well-being of the athletes.
identification, selection, and optimal training. Athletic development is composed of five components, including talent identification, recruitment, traintion. As a result, the balance between the components is far from optimum.
athletic careers. Competition or winning at all stages and levels is overemphasized, and this practice hinders optimal development.
In both Canada and the United States, there is an emphasis on winning at allages and at all levels(Balyi and Way 1995, Bompa 1995, Houston 1997), and as a result, basic skill acquisition suffers. This is in contrast to the former Soviet Union, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, and many other countries where basic athletic preparation for children between the ages of a nce, coordination, speed, and stamina as well as running, throwing, and jumping.
The concept of basic general athletic preparation is not widely accepted in Canada, the United States, or in manyotherWesterncultures. Coaches and parents too often focus on competitive performance and winning rather than on the acquisition of basic technical and tactical skills anc i fitness. Canadian and American athletes undergo highly demanding sport-specific training without ever having mastered basic physical skills and fitness.
tition is used for young and developing athletes.
development is also partially a consequence of the way that competitions are levels but largely neglected at the developmental levels. Optimum calendar planning, however, is important at both levels.
calendar does not allow time for fundamental training. Well-meaning volunteers and administrators who have no expertise in athlete development often
Scheduling is often done by sport and recreation administrators rather than by technical experts or coaches who realize that the competitive calendar dar is based on and characterized by recreational patterns and trends.
Obviously, this kind of schedule is all right when the objective is recreational, but it has a negative effect on optimum long-term athlete development.
contrast, the importance of long-term athlete development has been written about at length in publications about other sports. Belov(1995)and Durand and Salmela(1994,1995)on gymnastics, Touretski(1993)on swimming. Holm(1987) on tennis, and Thumm(1987) on athletics are just a few of many authors who have discussed this issue in relation to specific sports. Much of the information contained in these and other models for long-term athlete development is relevant to tennis.
sport-specific)context. He included five stages of developmentand provided normative data about the number of training hours and the percentage
11 . 1).
tions as well as sport, cultural, and educational policies supporting athlete development in the former communist countries forthe University of
1 Coaches working with developing athletes have many burdens compared with those training adults. The coachisexpectecito know the basic facts of biological, physiological, and psychological dev'elopment and turn this knowledge into practice(Szmodisch 1992). In a rational system the coaches with the best training and education would be employed at the developmental level.
Maximization 15 25 60 900-1,100
Maintenance 10 25 65 1,200-1,400 letedevelopmentcontributedtohighperformanceachievements(albeit often at the expense of other social and cultural sectors).
A large-scalestudyconductedbyBloomin 1985 focused on the career evolution of individuals who were experts in diverse areas, including tennis cians, sculptors, and concert pianists. Bloomfoundthatalthoughthose studied were successful at very different endeavors, their description of their learning environment as they moved from novice to expert was similar. Table 11.2 summarizes his findings.
rather than achievement. The parents played a significant role by encouraging participation(process)rather than performance outcome.
children.
athletic development. It underlines the point there are no shortcuts in athlete preparation. Attempting to speed up the training process will always contribute to later shortcomings in the player'sabilities.
While summarizing the existing literature in this area, Balyi(1995) pointed out that if children do not acquire fun damentalmotorskillsatanearlv chronological and training age, they cannot fully develop those skills at a
2 Published under the title Developing Talent in Young People in 1985.
Their Mentors and Parents at Various Stages of Their Careers(Bloom 1 985) later training age.^This is a significant consideration for coaches when preparing along-term training plan. It touches on the importance of the principles of growth anddevelopment in training for children and supports the idea of fundamental skill acquisition during the early years of training.
Holm(1987)identified four developmental stages for tennis players.
Table 11.3, modifiedafterHolm, illustrates his developmental concepts and provides valuable normative data for developing tennis players.
chronological age concerns. He also illustrated the "gain" and"deficit"of the traditional and modern methods of athletic preparation, with the traditional methodbeginningtrainingatage 14 and the modern method beginning trainingatage 10. Figure 11.2 illustrates traditional and modern athletic preparation models.
the generalized phase(6to 14 years old)andthesp^ecializedphase(15years old and older). Each phase is broken down into two stages. The two stages within
3 Further details will be given in the trainability section starting on page 243.
Overall Flexibility(emphasized) 13 12
15-18 years Acceleration run 12-14 10-12 athletic formation stage (11 to 14 years old). The two stages within the specialization for young athletes.
Balyi (1996) identified early and late recruitment sports and recommended that all sports be classified according to those categories for athlete development projects. He defined early recruitment sports as those that tion for future excellence.
Figure 11.2 Nad or i’sdeficitmodel.
Balyiidentifies four stages of long-term development within early recruitment sports and five stages within late recruitment sports.
training is essential, the fundamental and training-to-train stages of training must be combined to optimize the development of young athletes. This means that long-term development becomes a more complex phenomenon.
theory and suggest that structured athlete training should begin around the age of eight. In some sports, beginning training at a later age will contribute for excellence.
Association, used the five-stage model to develop a sport-specific, long-term playerdevelopment model for tennis. Table 11.4 summarizes their concept.
At this point in the chapter, a number of terms related to long-term athlete development have been mentioned. Before continuing, here is a brief definition and explanation of some of these terms.
Periodization is the structuring, or cycling, of short- and long-term training programs to provide optimum performance at the required time or time
4 It is clearly pointed out, hc')vvever, thatearlyparticipationintheformofov'erallathleticdevelopment has apo sit i\e contribution on later capacities and skills (Zaichkowsky, Zaichkowsky, and Martinek 1980).
eral and specific preparation to ensure that all components are trained and optimized while avoiding interference between them. Single, double, and multiple periodization refers to the number of seasons in an annual cycle.
Singlep^eriodizntionischaracterizedby one competitive season. Seven to eight months of training is usually followed by a three-to four-month period of an in-season, or competitive, cycle.
Double periodization is characterized by two major competitive seasons; thus the competitive cycle, or in-season, will take six to seven months, and the training season will be shorter, only four to five months. Only welltrained players able to focus on high-quality training and along in-season can accomplish double periodization.
Multiple periodization is the framework of preparation for elite players. After8to12 years of training, such athletes should be fully trained. They do not need to take part in general conditioning or fitness preparation. The world'sbestplayerscancompeteyearroundwithoutdetrainingorovertrainingbecausethehighintensityandhighfrequencyofcompetitionand training will maintain their established physical and technical capacities. The highintensity must be complemented by occasional "boosting"sessions when fitness monitoring calls for it and by strategically timed"prophylactic breaks"to prevent physical or mental burnout.
A huge body of literature indirectly supports the activities of the leading coaches, best teams, and elite players. The so-called maintenance literature (about the effect of reduced training on fitness and performance)and the taperingliterature(about reducing the volume of training before major tournaments but maintaining highintensity and frequency of training)fully supports the previously described principles.
In many individual sports, suchas swimming and athletics, improvements can be measured and empirically tested. Tennis coaches and experts should carefully analyze this. The framework of multiple periodization and the competitive calendar for such sports have been adjusted to accommodate multiple or triple peaks—natie^nals, selection meets, and major games. Thus, training, preparation, and peaking for the major tournaments (i.e.. Grand Slam events and other important tournaments)within the annual cycle are superimposed on the entire training and competitive system.
The terms growth anddevelopment are often used together, sometimes synonymously, but each refers to specific biological activities(Malina and Bouchard 1991).
Growth refers to increase in the size of the body or its parts, including changes in size, body composition, physique, and specific body systems (Malina 1991). Maturation refers to the tempo and timing of progress toward tics), and somatic(age at peak height velocity)maturation are often used (Malina 1991).
tion in relation to the passage of time. The concept of development also includes the social, emotional, intellectual, and motor realms of the child"
(Tih any i 1990).
Skeletal age refers tothe maturity of the skeleton "determined by the degree maturity, not in size but with respect to shape and position to one another" (Zaichkowsky, Zaichkowsky, and Martinek 1980).
birth" (Haywood 1993). According to Malina and Bouchard(1991), "Growth,
5 For further reading, see Hickson(1980), Hicksonetal.(1982), Houmard(1991), and Neuter(1900).
child's chronological age . . . children of the same chronological age can differ of growth and maturation is achieved by the interaction of genes, hormones, individual lives. This complex interaction regulates the child'sgrowth, neuromuscular maturation, sexual maturation, and general physical metamorphosis during the first two decades of life."
includes thepre schoolchildren age done to five years, and late childhood, which includes elementary school-age children aged six through to the onset of adolescence.
the adolescent growth spurt. The rate ofstaturalgrowthreachesapeak, begins as lower or decelerative phase, and finally terminates with the attainment of adult stature. Functionally, adolescence is usually viewed in terms of sexual maturation, whichbeginswithchangesintheneuroendocrinesystemprior to overt physical changes and terminates with the attainment of mature reproductive function(Malina and Bouchard 1991).
able to reproduce.
the age at PHV(Malina and Bouchard 1991).
specific behavior when experience or training has an optimal effect on development. The same experience, introduced at an earlier or later time, has no effect on or retards later skill acquisition(Zaichkowsky, Zaichkowsky, and Martinek 1980).
that enables him or her to perform tasks and meet demands through training and competition(Malina and Bouchard 1991).
Adaptation refers to a stimulus or aseries of stimuli that induces functional or morphological changes in the organism. Naturally, the level or degree of adaptation depends onthe genetic endowment of an individual. The general trends of adaptation, however, are identified by physiological research. The facts and guidelines of the different adaptation processes, suchas adaptation to muscular endurance or maximum strength, are clearly delineated.
Thetermtrniuabiliti/refers to the genetic endowment of athletes as they respond individually to specific stimuli and adapt to them accordingly.
trainability during growth anddevelopment of young athletes. Thus the stimulus must be timed to achieve optimum adaptation with regard to motor skills, muscular power, and aerobic power.
athletes possess more than one exceptional trait. Variables used include weight, height, adiposity, muscular strength, speed, aerobic power, and anaerobic power.
early or late response, stating that these four patterns must be considered when evaluating individuals and training programs.
Hamel(1987)stated that heredity has such an effect on adaptation that from a practical point of view, it is almost impossible to predict with any accuracy an individual response to a given training stimulus.
Malina and Bouchard(1991), while summarizing the available data onthe trainability of maximal aerobic power, concluded there is little trainability of maximal aerobic power in children underage 10. They stated, however, that
"itis not certain whether these results are the consequence of low trainability
(a low adaptive potential to aerobic training)or to inadequacies of training programs."
In their article "Endurance Trainability of Children and Youths,"Pate and Ward(1996)reviewed the pertinent literature and concluded that children and youth, both male and female, are physiologically adaptive to endurance frequency, and duration. But the literature is so scant as to preclude drawing even a tentative conclusion.
the trainability of muscular strength.
but not all, studies indicate that pre and early pubertal children make similar cence.
the general trends of "critical periods"of trainability, calling them "optimum trainability of athletes.
ing plans for various sports including the training phases, skill acquisition, and the training components of skill and physical capacities as well as recommendations for competitive involve ments.
Age 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
100 percent on the vertical scale. Figure 11.3 isbasedonScammon
Balyi(1997).
'The pattern is S-shaped and has four phases: rapid growth in infancy and genital curve characterizes the growth pattern of the primary and secondary
"Scammon'scurvesindicatethedifferentialnatureofpostnatalgrowth. Growth occurs indifferent areas and tissues of the body at different times and at different rates. Although somewhat simplified and diagram matic, the curves give asense of order to the structural and functional changes that occur with growth and maturation."
Balyi and Hamilton (1997)summarized the available literature on help coaches to understand the complex processes of"optimum periods of trainability." Figure 11.4 Optimum periods of trainability
(adaptedfromScammon.1930).
t'-- At-- Figure 11.3 Patterns of growth(modified after Scammon,1930).
fourth curve, thelymphoidcurve, is not included in the figure.
physical capacities, such as theABCsofmovementeducation (agility, balance, coordination, and speed), the ABCsof running, strength, flexibility, and endurance. Participation in as many sports as possible is encouraged.
racquet-sport skills, including the skills of tennis.
cal-tactical)are introduced during this phase. The focus is on basic skill development early in the stage. Later, gradual progression is used from vidualspecifictrainingisintroduced.
During this phase, the focus is on sport-specific skills, conditioning programs, and full individualization. Training is highly specialized. Fully integrated sport science, sport medicine, and sport-specific technical-tactical programs should nowbe introduced along with regular monitoring of the adaptation and performance patterns.
tion to training and fatigue levels should be established.
Although this model helps the coach integrate the growth and maturation processes with the general trends of trainability of the developmental
7 Tschine introduced the concept of "prophylactic breaks" during the 1970 stc’>refer to preventative breaks or rest periods to avoid physical or mental burnout.
tiv^econsequences. Athletes should be grouped together according to readiness rather than chronological age(Durand and Salmela 1995).
Summarizing the trends of the literature, itseemsthattrainabilityafter maturation is limited only by genetic endowment. Although adaptation during late childhood is somewhat limited by the developmental or maturation stages, trainability is not as limited as researchers in the 1970 sand 1980 sthoughtittobe(Docherty 1985, Blimki and Bar-Or 1996). Large-scale practical experiences from early involvement sports also proved there is no limit on trainability in speed and power sports(artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating, diving). During late childhood, athletes at the highest training and competition levels can perform extremely complex and physically demanding skills.
Motor and physical maturation or psychomotor development is closely connected with cognitive, affective, and psychosocial maturation. The development of motor skills must occur in harmony with the stages of growth and maturation. Coaches must recognize critical periods and introduce the appropriate training stimuli during each period. Broadly speaking, general, fundamental skills should be taught during early childhood(ages2to 5). Fundamental skills include running, jumping, hopping, bounding, balancing, throwing, and catching. Although most children perform these skills, they will display large individual differences inability to perform them.
cence.
Specialized skills maybe introduced during adolescence(ages 10to 18) (Zaichkowsky, Zaichkowsky, and Martinek 1980). Tables 11.6,11.7, and 11.8 summarize the physical, cognitive, and emotional developmental character technical-tactical focus and include the cognitive and emotional factors. The various stages of physical, cognitive, and emotional development are predictable, but the rate or tempo of that development is specific to the differenttimeframesorchronologies.
To summarize, tennis coaches at all levels of development must recognize
8 Tables are modified after Alpine Canada'sLong-Term Athlete Dexelopment Model, W 87.
smaller ones.
of many smaller muscles.
phase.
still developing.
anaerobic a lactic system.
continuous work).
continuetoossify.
or heavy pressure.
hopping and bounding.
[neural recruitment).
ear is gradually maturing.
phase.
kinesthetic sense.
athletics are appropriate.
differences between boys and girls are negligible.
stage in development.
together should be emphasized at this age and phase.
progressive way.
periods of time.
simple instructions.
Children want to move and participate inaction.
limited reasoning ability.
a growing capacity for more abstract thought.
to be led!
fun and well-planned.
abilities through experience.
skills correctly just by trial and error.
skills required at this level.
encouraged.
to try new things.
child.
critically examining our current coaching and training methods. We may want to take a hard look at methods cess in other countries and in other sports. We may also consider reorganizing competition schedules to allow children and developing players to have more time to learn and master basic movement skills and basic technical-tactical skills.
players are not achieving great success at the international level, but to point out that significant improvements could be achieved easily by rethinking our longterm athlete development.
experience and comments from others.
coach on a regular basis.
the activity.
attention.
lose confidence.
simple to complex.
activities.
skills and activities.
and improvement.
rules and structure.
expect thoughtful answers.
Participation and fun to be emphasized versus winning.
havelotsofFUN!).
among North American FUNdamentalskillswillalwaysbe useful for young players if they later decide to pursue other sports interests.
reers.
illustrates the distribution of general(non-sport-specific) and sport-specifictrainingloadsfromtheFUNdamentalstagetothetraining-to-win stage.
120 Figure11.
ment.
20 Training-to- Compete Stage o trainingduringtheFUNdamentalstageofathleticpreparation. I recommended two weekly sport-specific training sessions complemented by four overall developmental sessions. After a few intense discussions with Nick I was converted! From the
The earlier one specializes, optimal development in tennis, only thG GarliororiG burns out. This racquet sports, including isGSpGCiallytrUGintGnnis! tennis, are tobe implemented during this stage.
Empirical experience and scientific observation seem to support the importance of overall athletic preparation and early specialization in the critical period is assumed to be the point in the development of a specific behavior during which experience or training has an optimal effect. Experience at an earlier or later time has no effect on or retards later skill acquisition carried out, athletes will never reach their optimal potential, regardless of the quantity and quality of future training. At the end of the EUNdamental stage and at the beginning of the training-to-train stage, highly sophisticated ABCs(agility, balance, coordination, and speed)training should be implemented together with carefully planned and periodized sport-specific tennis training and competition programs. This method provides the EUNdamentals, prevents early burn outs, and establishes future optimal training and performance factors. Of course, skeletal age must be observed.
Project"Workshop(See Bloom 1985).
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Top-ranked tennis player Mary Pierce, baseball player Nomar Garcia parr a, and Detroit Lions cjuarterback Charlie Batch, phenomenal athletes who have
Institute (IPI). Inasocietythatdemancissuccess, athletes feel constant day, many directed toward enabling athletes to enhance their performance. The advance in performance is evident in the shattering of world records. Great feats of athleticism are seen throughout the world. Athletes are becoming bigger, stronger, quicker, faster, and able to jump higher. Therefore, athletes and coaches in all sports are looking for the competitive edge. Current theory suggests that the most effective sport training uses a progression tailored to the specific athletic demands of the sport(Marcello 1998).
TheIPIphilosophyconceivedin 1995 by Mark Verstegen was developed around three goals:
3. Motivating through education, teaching the athlete what it takes to be a consummate professional and a better player(Verstegen 1998).
Training is the systematic approach to improving performance(Verstegen athlete'splayingstyle, history, physical parameters, injury potential, and performance characteristics. Training generally comprises four levels:
*This section by Mark Verstegen, MS, CSCS, and Brandon Marcello, MS, CSCS.
(Balyi 1996). The key to any successful program is planning, mastery, and progression. This section will discuss a wide spectrum of training techniques employedbyIPIthataregenerallyapplicabletoathleteswhocompetein tennis.
variables act as the main ingredients. To determine the needs of tennis, the following areas need to beevaluated: predominant injuries, biomechanical demands, metabolic demands, surface demands, and style of play. Injuries themselves can hinder performance on the court. Sixty-three percent of all injuries in tennis occur from overload or overuse. Repetitive use of a the area, causing pain and inflammation. This is generally seen in the rotator cuff(shoulder), elbow, stress fractures and shin splints in the legs, and even chronic recurring pain. Traumatic injuries account for the remaining 37 percent and include the more severe injuries. These injuries tend to require long periods off from tennis. Traumatic injuries include ankle sprains, knee in tennis occur in the wrist, low back, and leg(abductors, gastrocnemius, and hamstring). If the areas more susceptible to injury can be strengthened in the training regimen, the likelihood of aninjury will decrease.
1994). The anaerobic system powers action lasting up to 25to 40 seconds, and elitelevel 80 percent of the points last lessthan 20 seconds(Kibler and Chandler 1994). This shows us that the athlete must train the anaembic system to recover between points. This type of training will be addressed later.
Playing surface is another variable that should be addressed when exam injury potential or manipulate metabolic demands, it is crucial to prepare and train for all surfaces. Forexample, impact forces greatly increase on a hardcourt surface, putting greater stress on the legs and back, thus leading toa higher incidence of impact-related injuries suchas shin splints and stress increases the likelihood of muscle pulls from sliding.
it to the top. His backhand was just a solid neutral shot. Although his not a weapon.
making a tremendous mental and physical commitment.
you must accept what has to be done and pay the price to do it.
Agassi plays near or inside the baseline. One who always attacks the net, like
Patrick Rafter or Jana Novotna, can be considered a serve-and-volley player.
the entire court for a versatile style.
following: movement prep, plyometrics, speed, energy system development
(ESD),strength,andprehab.
Traditional warm-up for tennis consists of some light jogging around the court and doing various static stretches, both standing and on the ground. Many players fallintotherutofdaydreamingthroughtheprepractice stretch, paying little attention to their routine. After athletes attempt to lengthen the muscles by prying them apart, we expect them to hop up and compete. Warm-up is often the least productive period of the practice, even though it sets the tone for the entire day. To improve the productivity of this period, we must determine the purpose of the warm-up and the best use of the time committed to it.
3. Decrease inhibition of opposing muscle groups to improve speed and decrease injury potential
Movement preparation is preparing for the way that one plays. There are three main categories: general kinesthetic warm-up, mobility exercises, and dynamic flexibility Movement preparation uses walking, skipping, jogging, and running movements specifically designed to achieve the warm-up goals in a short time. This routine will increase the core temperature, decrease the potential for injury, and improve athleticism, core stability, proprioception, coordination, and movement speed. Movement preparation will enhance the player'sperformancebyteachingperfectmovementpatterns. This system willimprove the productivity of the 10- minute daily period(60 minutes per week for 16 weeks equals16 hours per season)to give the athletes an edge over the competition(Verstegen 1996).
legs to the right until they reach the floor. Then twist to the left. Repeat the sequence. Advanced: try it with your legs straight out.
succession.
3. Lateral lunge with twist: From a lunge, maintain an upright torso and trailing leg and pivot on the ball of your foot.
to in step: Stride into a lunge, reaching forward to touch the ground with the forearm from the same fectlyflat.
5. Straight leg march to skip: Balancing on your right foot toward your extended righthand and vice versa on the legs.
legs, start walking your feet to your hands. Walk hands back out and repeat.
1993). Plyometrics enhances the way a muscle contracts, increasing the power and work that the muscle can produce. IPI has had great success with crucial part of the training process. IPI carefully chooses plyometric exercises based on the athlete'slevel, ability, and mastery before advancing the athlete effectively used to train for tennis.
The goal is to make the feet go as quickly as possible, like a sewing machine.
fast as youcan back and forth across a line. Other variations include moving line and the other foot moves behind the line. See top photo on page 261.
ball!
2. Reactive step-up: With one foot on the floor and the other on a box (about mid shin in height), leap legs in midair.
The goal is to develop power and speed strength.
you and land as you started.
the air.
4. Squat jump: Froma deep squat position, leap up straight into the air and land as you started.
to put explosive power into the court to propel the body in the direction of the ball, and by increasing stride frequency, which willimprove adjustment steps as well.
The player should do these drills for quality, not quantity. Our goal is to get the players very quick so that they are able to cover the entire court as Michael Chang does. This work will help develop the nervous system, ''wiring"theplayerstobelikesuperfitplayersThomasMusterandSteffi Graf, who appear to float on top of the court.
1. Baseline to volley—Start at the doubles line and shuffle laterally, making sure to keep your feet apart as you do in your splitstep. On reaching the center mark, explode forward with a positive first step and follow it with three to five attacking strides, pushing back and down into the ground. Keep the hips low, hugging the ground like a fine sports car, and go into your split step. Absorb all the momentum by bending your legs, using them like shock absorbers. Make sure to stop with great balance. This drill may be progressed by having a coach point or drop a ball to signal your burst forward or your recover.
2. Wide-ball drills—This drill willimprove the efficiency of your keep the feet apart as you do in your splitstep).
3. Close proximity drill—The goal is to develop the ability to move with center mark and in the middle of four cones approximately four yards apart. Move as if you were going to step up and hit a forehand. Do the same for the backhand. After you have achieved mastery, the coach may progress the drill by randomly pointing to one of the cones. Always return to the centermark.
4. Lateral shuffle—Keep) your feet wideapoart, keepo yourhipos low to the ground, and maintain a strong balancedpoostureas you move. The following photos illustrate both a good and a poo or lateral shuffle.
Traditionally, energy system development (ESD)training for tennis has been accomplished through running long, slow distances for cardiovascular to become stale and can slow the nervous system. IPIemploysadifferent approach to ESDtrainingfortennis. As mentioned earlier, tennis is predominantly anaerobic rather than aerobic. Therefore, to be specific to tennis, IPI follow. Work-to-rest intervals may vary to give the desired results.
to the right of cone 2. Start at the first cone, sprint to the second cone, and touch the line. Return to the starting point and touch the line. Then sprint around the second and third cones in a figure-8pattern, running outside the second cone and finishing where you began.
2. 5-10-5: Align three cones in arow—cone1 on right, cone2 in middle, cone3 on left. Start at the middle cone. Using a crossover step, sprint to cone number1 and touch the line. Then crossover and sprint toc one 3. After touching the line at cone 3, crossover and finish by sprinting through the starting point.
plete the exercises in a circuit fashion using intervals of 12 seconds of work and 24 seconds of rest. Variations of equipment and work-to-rest intervals can be manipulated toachieve the desired result.
optimally. Players shouldtry to maintain proper alignment in everything they do, from tennis practice and physical training to everyday activities.
cICCeIgtc^t0 Storun down3 widodcill, hits his shot, stops on 3 dimo, snd springs given their bodyweight. If one wants to be a top tennis player, every pound known as high relative strength.
1 . Supine hip extension: Bridge your torso parallel to the ground for three seconds.
roll: Roll left until only your right shoulder blade rests on the ball. Roll right and continue.
ball, perform a crunch, and hold it for three seconds. Advanced: use a 25 pound weight.
4. Pronekneetuck: Roll the ball up under your hips so that you're balancing on the tops of your toes. Hold for a few seconds. Advanced: use oneleg.
shoulders on the ground, curl your legs and roll the ball toward you until the soles of your shoes are on it. Hold for a few seconds. Advanced: use oneleg.
1 . Alternate dumbbell bench press: Lift one weight as you lower the other.
2. Split squat: With a straightback, drop the trailing knee almost to the ground. Do all repetitions on oneleg before switching.
3. Dumbbell pull overextension: Hold weights straight up in the air, lower them to your ears, and then lower them toward finish one rep.
the barbell to your waist. Then lower the barbell, keeping it close.
Prehabisaproactive approach to heading off the most predominant injuries stronger on one side within all movement planes, from right to left and from front to back. This imbalance occurs in areas of the legs, hips, lowback, abdomen, shoulders, and all the way out to the forearms. If this circumstance is not addressed, the athlete may have to compensate biomechanically, predisposing him or her to several kinds of injuries.
five pounds. Point your thumbs down and raise your arms in a Vshape.
Starting with your arms at the side, raise your arms to shoulder height and shrug. Bend over with your back flat, point your thumbs out, and raise your arms to the side. Starting in the same position, lift bent arms out to the side and rotate arms outward.
to the ground and lift the opposite side.
3. Protraction: In a push-up position, pinch your shoulder blades together and apart.
4. Retraction: Same as protraction, but hanging face up.
3.
and then push away.
achieve peak performance. A critical factor in the performance of our athletes recover, the sooner the next quality training session can begin. Training is the yet important tips for recovery and regeneration.
snacks each day(once every three hours).
2. Build themealwithglycemiclycorrectcarbohydrates. Eatlowglycemic carbs throughout the day while incorporating a lean protein source. This diet will keep energy levels up throughout the day.
utes)after intense exercise. The carbohydrate-to-protein ratio should be 2:1.
4. Stay hydrated!
5. Remember that vitamins do not give you energy. The body uses them
(500milligrams). At night takeall of the above except the multivitamin.
gardlessofthetechnique you use, you should stretch the following muscles, which are commonly tight in tennis players:
or muscles that are in spasm can relax. The massage stick routine is quick and easy and takes6to10 minutes. IPI recommends the massage stick produced byRPIofAtlanta(1-800-554-1501).
Used frequently byIPIathletes, hydrotherapyisagreat way to facilitate the recovery process. After finishing a workout and getting the proper nutrition, head directly for the pool. In the pool, perform some leg swings and swim around at alight pace. This routine helps the body rid itself of the waste it produced during the training regimen. Ahydrotherapysessionwillmake you feel better for the next training session. Another type of hydrotherapyis called contrast hydrotherapy. Alternating between hot and cold will have the same effect. You can accomplish this with a hot tub and a pool or just with a shower. Spend three to four minutes in the hot tub first and the none minute in the cold. Repeat this five times, ending in the cold one(Rosenfeld 1996).
mastery, and progression. Each program is outfitted to meet the specific demands of tennis; thus these demands must be examined. Injuries, generalized start in the right direction to achieving tennis goals.
Balyi, I.1996."Planning for Training and Performance, the Training to Compete Phase."
Australian Strength and Cotiditioning Coach 4(1):3-9.
and Treatment, editedbvF. FuandD. Stone. Baltimore: Williams &Wilkins.
I Female Softball Player."Unpublished master'sthesis, Marshall University.
Rosenfeld, I.1996. Dr. Rosenfeld’sGuidetoAlternativeMedicine. New York: Random House.
Verstegen, M.1998. Adidas Training for Sport. Video.
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(September).
thoughts are on my mind, I try to keep focused
The circular relationship between parent, student, and coach can be difficult. Although Ihave been a coach for more than four decades, I will attempt to be neutral in addressing my thoughts on the responsibilities of each.
patience, love, understanding, and tolerance must be the operative qualities if the desired result is to be achieved.
tionship. Parents often refer back to their childhood, when things were less complicated. Children could walk to school, go to the movies, and go outside at night without fear. This is a different tions.
the sport. They are brighter and more aware of their surroundings than kids were 30 years ago. They have to be! When you select a coach, make sure that you do serious research on that individual. Besure that the coach'sbackgroundincludesnotable accomplishments with children and that the coach places no undue pressure on students to achieve. Once you have chosen your grandchildren. Your children need you more than they realize. Ina few years provided.
The student reading this chapter should refer to it periodically. You will spend a significant portion of your youth learning who youare. During this piedwithlearningaboutthemselves.
steam. If you plan to excel at a sport, you willhave to meet certain requirements if you want to reach your potential. The same can be said of life.
learn, and ability to focus on a task.
At times your parents will question you, provide their input, and become involved in a big way. My advice to you is simple—be honest and open to both parents and coaches. Communicate!
building relationships as you are at teaching tennis, your student will be a winner.
cist, and motivator. Add one more term to the equation children need your input more than ever.
They are young and inexperienced, trying to survive in a new millennium—an age of fast computers, turn back many adults. Don'tputasideyourprinciples. Spend more time listening. Children deliver subtle messages. In many instances, those messages are questions you can answer. Be grateful you were chosen to help provide guidance to the child. Accept the challenge and have a positive effect on this young life. But remember, youcan'tdo it alone. You need the cooperation and support of the parents.
This complex, tension-filled relationship between student, parent, and coach sometimes defies understanding. But what realistic alternative exists? The youth of today need help just to pass into adulthood. It is inconceivable that conflict could exist over the details of saving a life. But first, let'sde fine the problem.
Of the nearly 1 millionstudentsenrolledintheNewYorkCityschool system, overonethird—nearly 340,000— dropped out before receiving a highschooldiploma. Teacher-to-student ratios were1to 623. Sixteen hundred assaults occurred inside school buildings. As frightening as these statistics are, the dropout rate in some other American cities is even higher than the 34 percentrateinNewYork. Americanprisonsarefull, and the numberofdrugaddictsandhomelessmenandwomenwanderingthe streets is growing at an alarming rate. Inadequate education, little or no appreciation for the value of education, low levels of self-esteem, and lowered expectations are the fundamental causes of this decline in the values of American youth. We must address these problems before our children reach high school. Social scientists agree that dropout rates continue to climb because of the decreasing influence of parents on the daily lives of their children.
The situation is complicated by a growing number of latch key children, a group created by the need for both parents to contribute to household income. America'schildrenarereceivingtelevisedmegadosesofsex, crime, and violence while their parents are at work. In essence, the standard has been lowered. Televisionglorifiessex, crime, and violence, and an increasing numberofchildrenarecommittingcrimes, including mass murder.
Anthony Robbins, world-renowned author and motivational speaker, has devoted his life to motivating adults who are seeking increased personal productivity. He and I both feel that it is important to create self-esteem in our children before they become so dysfunctional that psychological inter\’ention is required.
This introduction has highlighted the enormity of the problem facing youthinAmericaandaroundtheworld. If we can establish a realistic perspective, then disagreements among parents, students, and coaches become insignificant. Considering that most junior athletes never sign a proper foundation for growth into adulthood.
or another, a coach needs to beam other, father, friend, foe, guide, leader, and things the player did well in a losing effort. Besides being an expert in tennis, a coach is fundamentally a surrogate parent with moreobjectivitythanareal parent. A good coach needs to learn the idiosyncrasies of the student and know when to be positive and when to be negative. Certain students need to be hit overthe head with a hammer; others can be spoken to quietly. Because expect their child to come home happy from every lesson.
parents have definite ideas about their child'stenniscareer.
limited in a particular sport. To accomplish what is best for the child over the believes the student will likely make the high school team. A coach also must the coach a chance to succeed. Parents must allow the coach time to produce the proper techniques, footwork; or whatever it takes to make the child a player.
The greatest error parents can make is to voice expectations for their child beyond having a good time. As soonas a child begins to play for a parent's approval or to maintain harmony in the family, his or her motivation and fun will diminish instantly, no matter how talented the player is. Many young players with potential have been turned off tennis by their parents. Some great talents have been destroyed in the process. Unfortunately, in tournament circles one often hears that"Susiehassupertalent, but her parents put too much pressure on her. She just gets too uptight to win."
practice, take lessons, or compete in a match. An insidious by-product of parental expectations can be excessive criticism of a child'sefforts. A child shouldn'tbemadetofeelthateverymistake will be thrown back at him or her. It'shardenoughtogothroughtheagonyofplayingbadly.
totellachildwhatheorshedidwellancisuggestwhattotryinthefuture than to belabor what went wrong and what not to do. Even after the most disastrous days, parents can say something positive, suchas,"I guess you didn't play well today, but I liked the way you kept trying,"rather than, "You really played badly today."A child'scoach is responsible for the tennis technique, but parents canhelp create mental well-being. Mak in gun flattering comparisons between a child and his or her peers can damage a child's motivation. Remember, every child is unique and learn satan individual pace; each child'sprogress is unrelated to anybody else'sand should be gaugedonlyagainstitself.
feels about himself or herself. Whether a child feels like a winner has little to do with the scores. Rather, the approval the child wins from parents for the effort has everything to do with feelings of self-worth. It is difficult for a child to differentiate between having a bad tennis day and being abad person. So when a parent criticizes a child for being a bad player, that child may feel that self-esteem. A great deal of that responsibility lies with the parents.
My message to parents and coaches is to consider these issues and make sure that the long-term well-being of the child is your driving motive. Recognize that the coach becomes part of the family. Tennis provides countless benefits. Those disagreements about stroke techniques are insignificant in the larger scheme.
growthoftennisinAmericaanddevelopplayerstotheirhighestpotential?
That'sthewrongquestion. Ask me how to redirect the lives of America's children. Forget about tennis, baseball, basketball, football, and soccer.
sports, in business, and, most important, in life.
For me to have a chance at success Tdwantafive-year, no-cut, no-buy out the best plans. Of course, the added benefit of along-term contract is that the helping many youngsters, and then the programs disappear at the end of the summer. This happens every year in communities all across the country. The selves to the program.
Tennis has developed in all sorts of ways, including the technological improvements of racquets, balls, court surfaces, and soon. Attempts to improve players' mental outlook has also been part of this development. Our academy has a separate sport psychology department. Working closely with
(motivation, activation, and pressure).
What Can We Do?
Iam associated with a child-developmentprogramproducedbytheNew Millennium Company. This program systematically develops the physical and mental skills of youngsters to produce superior athletes. A by-product of children'slives.
this unique program. The program has the endorsement of more than 30 psychologists,15physiologists,8pediatric i ans, anda European association of kindergarten teachers. The games and exercises are designed to create skills and to ensure success. In the beginning, the program would consist of easy exercises integrating the process of bringing kids(aged3to 9) into the world of sports and, coincidentally, help them discover the joy of balance, general coordination, spatial orientation, catching, throwing, and kicking. The program includes individual participation, team training(any member of the team may score), andanewconceptthatwecallcircuitoustraining, meaning that all the youngsters ona team must participate in a point in order to score. Children learn many physical and social skills using these techniques, but most important they learn to become socially responsible teenagers and adults. The younger the child, the easier it is to succeed at the game. We use sports equipment suchas bats, tennis racquets, soccer balls, and hockey sticks so that the children become familiar with the spatial skills required to strike a ball or hockey puck or carry a ball on the face of a tennis racquet. We initially maintain a mass teaching, team concept and make sure that the kids can never feel personally responsible for failure. Statistics show that early success in children increases concentration, lengthens attention span, and decreases behavioral problems. Today'skids have a fear of failure, suffer from poor self-esteem, and possess a depressed sense of self-fulfillment. Children must learn that losing is always a possible outcome, so they must learn to lose with poise and grace. They must learn to seek other tactics leading to a successful result(to change a losing game). All these skills have proved to be transferable from sports to life, and they help youngsters address real-life adversity.
Where Would These Games Be Played?
Implementing this program does not require a major construction project. My program is a turn key, one-stop developmental program for children, complete with net, balls, blocks, bars, and hoops. The package is sufficiently affordable that every school, day-care center, recreation center, and family in America can own one. A creative mind can find space anywhere—in family garages, family rooms, back yards, school parking lots, lunch rooms, classrooms, day-care centers, or gymnasiums, indoors or out.
Manypeople ask me,"Am 1 to understand that you would not begin by teaching tennis to these children?" That's absolutely correct! The tennis court is too big, children can'thit the ball, they can'tkeeptheballinplay, they experience frustration and failure, and then they quit. My program allows children to learn how to perform sports activities by experiencing attainable exercises, social interaction, and loads of fun! Notice that the program focuses onthe issues of children, oftillingthesoilin which world-class tennis players can grow. Why attempt to develop a tennis player out of a child so crippled by the environment that he or she can'tbesocialized?
various governing bodies of sports have never attacked the real social issues have produced neither tennis players nor functional, productive adults.
American citizens and college graduates with high-energy work ethics.
Buried deep within the old saying,"Winning tells something of your character, but losing tells all of it,"lurks the psychological cause of cheating. Make no mistake, cheating is not a modern phenomenon. Plato, the ancient
Greek philosopher, recognized this human weakness by observing that "You conversation."Over the course of human evolution, why have many of us come to believe that cheating is a reasonable way to avoid defeat? Why have youngsters become convinced that they must win at all costs? Why have they loss will disappoint those who love and support them? And how do we begin they may better serve themselves and humanity in their adulthood?
quickly. Parents, educators, and role models have a huge responsibility. We must address the root causes of cheating because these issues are steeped in in above-average effort."
Those who would teach kids when and how to cheat don'tdeservethe power that has been given them. Theyhavebeenentrusted with the children'slives. They have been offered an opportunity to provide nutrition food, but He doesn't throw it into the nest. Let your child know that he or she must work hard for victories and compete with integrity. Children must be reassured that, in the final analysis, cheaters lose.
"I'mnotgetting any better.""It'sbo ring to lose match after match... Ican't hit with any power.""I'll never be able to hit a slice serve . . .I'mfrustrated." Lameexcuseslikethesearechasingmanyadulttennisplayersintoearly retirement. I reject these retirement papers! With a few simple pointers, all of you can improve and enjoy the game within your own style of play.
Get in Shape!
life is staying in shape. This holds on court and off. Your strokes do not break down as often as you think. Problems with certain strokes can usually be it best and proved it on the court:"There is no substitute for mobility."
Mobility is something you can work at. Learn to arrange your schedule. Most people waste at least an hour a day. You do not even need that much time to improve your physical condition. Take a close look at your daily schedule and see if youcan spend less time on the telephone. Try turning off the television from time to time. Take 30 minutes for lunch instead of an hour. Go to bed earlier. To work in peace and quiet, get up earlier.
You owe it to your health(and your tennis)to set as idea few minutes each attendaerobicsclassesorNautilussessions, or workout at home, fantastic. But if you do not have the time or cannot afford such things, don'tpanic. You can do plenty of simple activities that require little time or money.
Take a few minutes each day to jog, swim, ride a bicycle(even a stationary bicycle), jump rope, take a walk, or use the stairs instead of the elevator. You can do simple stretching exercises, push-ups, sit-ups, and other exercises at home to shape up.
separate, and both willimprove.
If you are going out to practice, have a plan of what you want to work on.
Don't go out and just hit. Convince your playing partner that you'llget more out of the session by working on particular drills or rallying exercises. When judge everything by the result. Look deeper and analyze different aspects of your game to see what has improved and what needs more work.
Keep tennis in perspective. The game should provide good exercise, fun, and essentially defeating the purpose of playing. The worst thing that can happen when you play a match is that you'lllose, but if you work up a good sweat and enjoy the competition, even a loss is a victory.
aspect of your game that is giving you trouble. No pro should expect you to make big changes. You have your own style, anda good pro should help you within that style. If you find youare getting frustrated with a particular shot, get some help with it. If you begin feeling better about that shot and develop confidence in it, your whole game willimprove. Another solution might be to attend a tennis camp for a week or along weekend. You will have a chance to get away from everything and concentrate on tennis.
determination, shotselection, strategy, and consistency. Everyone needs to work on these areas.
If you like tennis but are frustrated, give yourself a couple more weeks and try working on a few simple pointers. They will make a difference.
Don'tbeembarrassed ifyou fall into the hacker category. Hackers have proved you don'tneedgreatnaturalskillsor beautiful strokes to have fun. Furthermore, many hackers walk away fromthe court withthe balls in hand, the signal of a winner. Hackers seem to win more than they lose. But even a hacker can improve on imperfection. Here are some simple tips that will
• Use the elements to your advantage. Hackers need to be smarter and more patient than their opponents. One way to illustrate your superior ability to concentrate is to use the sun, wind, and heat to your advantage.
Don'tlettheelementsfrustrateyou. There is nothing you can do to change them. Accept the elements and learn to use them to frustrate your opponent. Lob into the sun, attack a weak secondserve, hit against the wind, keep your opponent out there for long rallies on a hot day. These are ways that youcan mentally and physically control a match.
• Recover. Don't make the mistake that too many"stylists" make during a match by standing and admiring the beautiful stroke you just hit. You've got a job to do. Get back into position and be ready for your opponent's return. Let your opponent watch his or her points. You'll be too busy winning points, games, and sets.
• Follow the hacker'smotto. Winning means hitting the ball back one more time than your opponent does. If you concentrate on hitting high and deep with a wide margin for error, you will not only make fewer errors but also frustrate your opponent into making more unforced errors than normal.
richest hackers. If hacker is synonymous with winner, who cares!
your opponent'sweakness. If possible, eliminate the doublefault from your game. You'llbesurprisedathowmanytimesyou'llholdserve. Resist the temptation to go for the lines or the flashy angles. Too often these attempts become nothing but impressive misses. Remember, the impressive miss that draws"Ahs"from the crowd is still amiss.
• Master the sissy shots. The lob and the dropshot win more matches in hacker tennis than any other shot or combination of shots. Moving forward and backward is tough and tiring. Put your opponent on a lob and drop-shot string and wear him or her down. Eemalehackerswillfindthelobanddrop shots to be their biggest weapons. In junior tennis, these shots force rivals to concentrate more.
• Work on off-court conditioning. No matter how quick your step is, it's least every other day, to some type of physical conditioning. Swimming, jogging, jumping rope, and bicycling are simple, fun, and relatively inexpensive exercises that improve your conditioning, your overall game, and, most important, your quality of life.
reach. Because a hacker normally has few weapons for hitting winners, you have to be a backboard and rundown everything.
goal in tennis—to have fun.
One of the most difficult tasks any tennis player faces when competing is how to change a losing game. Most good players are stubborn and tenacious.
Unfortunately, this stubbornness often makes them stick with a losing game plan.
Chang, whose strength is from the baseline, is as adept at making this change invariably does his best to mix staying back and approaching the net, giving something to der ail a groove, something, anything, to disrupt momentum.
If this exercise is good enough for Michael Chang and other topflight pros, it'sprobably worthwhile for your strategy. Develop a gameplan. Of course, but don'tun derestimate the importance of changing a losing game.
in me that he or she had simply played dumb or been out thought by the opponent.
losing. But you can pick up some clues, and they are not necessarily the score.
Look to see how and why you'relosingpoints. If you are netting the ball, then the change is simple—concentrate more onthe ball than your opponent equation. If you'rehittingshort and allowing your opponent easy put-away shots from everywhere oncourt, even though you'rehitting deep and to the corners, youcan'tdomuchotherthanwaituntilyour opponent cools off.
Much of this is simple, little more than commonsense. The real art in changing a losing game comes when you'replaying well, perhaps even at your best, and you're still losing. Assume for a moment that you have a charactersimilartoMichaelChang's, that you area focused player with strong resolve and a disciplined mind. You area fit baseline player whose strategy consists of retrieving every ball until you wear your opponent down. Assume also that you'replaying well. Unfortunately, so is your opponent, who happens to be fitter. If your opponent is fitter and you're both excellent time to changeyour tactics, perhaps throw in a few serve-and volley points or storm the net when your opponent least expects it. If you're losing, you have nothing left to lose. Theupsideisthathydisruptingyour opponent'srhythm, you might upset his or her concentration. Thiscircumstancemayallowyoutocrawlhackintothegame.
If your opponent becomes flustered and the score turns in your favor, you have a difficult choice. You can return to what you're most comfortable with, or you can stay with the change. My recommendation is that your evert to your strengths and win or lose by doing what you do best.
The same is true if your preference is to serve and volley. Don'tbeso stubborn or stupid that you will not change a losing game. Try something different. Stayback a game or two, push if necessary(particularly if it'sa temporary strategy), and all the while think of yourself as a winner.
final point of the match. Do this and you've beaten your opponent physically and mentally. What could be more satisfying?
Be stubborn, practice hard, be disciplined, but don'tlet a losing game force you into the back draw, at least not without trying some degree of change.
Change a losing game and intensify a winning one. Following this advice will carry you well into the twilight of your game. Try it, and you'llbe surprised at how easy it is to turn a potential loss into a satisfying win.
Casale, all former tour players. Overcome your fear of failure. Ev^ery youngster has a method of dealing with the fear of choking. Jimmy Arias focuses on nothing but the match. Whether he is playing or sitting at a changeover.
Arias concentrates entirely on what it will take to beat his opponent. This method relaxes him because he wants no intrusion during play. Pam Casale was the opposite. When she was nervous or uptight, Pam thought of her favorite song; it washer way of relieving the pressure. Carling Bassett took an altogether different approach. She felt she played her best tennis when her mind was blank. Carling preferred not to think about what she was doing. When Bassett thought too much about her strokes, she put more pressure on tionwithhimself.
For juniors with less experience, Ihave some tips for winning the battle of inevitable. Atthe same time try to correct some of your flaws. Turn negatives into positives. The same theory holds for the way you view your opponent.
Don't fear your rival'sstrengths; exploit his or her weaknesses. Don't your challenge and use your adrenaline in a positive way. Relax and breathe hand.
he plays much looser. Keep your feet moving and hit out. When it gets tight, the first thing that happens is that your feet stop moving. You begin shortening your strokes and pushing the ball. Force yourself to keep moving when you become nervous. Exaggerate your follow-through. If you make errors, at least you will be playing your game, going for shots. Put more spin on your serve, more topspin on your forehand, and finish your strokes. Doing that should help you past the pressure points.
Work extra hard in practice. Get your strokes down cold so that when you the best of you, remember that misery loves company—you'renottheonly one out there who is nervous.
Developing the ability to focus, to center or concentrate, can be difficult because you must filter out your normal awareness of the surrounding en\dronment. People differ in many ways. Ihavebeensuccessfulbecause I different styles, let'sseewhatfactorsarecommontothemajority. Having worked with thousands of children, adults, and athletes of all levels, including the best in the world, I willapply some of this experience to help your game.
• Monica Seles—For the most part, her focus stays on the tennis court and the tennis ball. It is unusual to see her eyes drift to the outside, even to glimpse her family or coaches.
•Mary Pierce—She finds away to know where everyone is sitting. I remember Mary always asking where we would sit. Throughout the match, Mary would stop play if people were moving about or phones were ringing. She included gestures of either disgust or excitement with almost every rally.
• Michael Chang—Chang maintains complete court and ball focus, but he always looks to the umpire to change a close line call.
gestures.
• John McEnroe—He argues consistently throughout his matches.
Statistics show he was able to focus on the ball right after these outbursts and win 80 percent of the points. Many opponents felt he did this to break their concentration.
Itis important for coaches to learn about their students'off-court behavior. By having that information, coaches can determine if their players are being consistent. In this regard Ihave had experiences with several top players.
trolled gestures of anger. For example, if he missed a shot, he slapped hislegandyelledsomeGermanphrase. Or he glared at the umpire, walked up to him, and let everyone in the stadium know that he was putting him on notice.
point, every set, every match.
the next ball, the next stroke, the next point, or whatever you are doing? Are your mind and body focused on being ready to get into gear without losing the edge?
• What'shappenedishistory. Youhavenocontrolo\^ert he past.
•We are all human anc i subject to breakdowns.
• The most drastic penalty you can get is one point against you.
out of your control until the match is over.
1. Play against the ball only. Make the ball your best friend and never let it out of your sight.
2. Play simple games of catch to practice.
Throughout my experience, one factor has repeatedly come into play manypeople do not like to compete because they fear losing. Children most results. Some kids in doubles are even embarrassed to be on the losing side.
like to play competitive games.
practice to matches. In life, success is measured by results.
ofplayandprev^ent the person from doing what feels comfortable or what he or she has practiced.
predicting outcomes. Legitimate excuses are certainly valid, but most are not true. They occur before, during, or after competition. Many excuses come from covering up losses. In this case, a coach needs information to complete explanation. The coach must determine what is real and what is imagined.
On the tour, certain players'patterns are pretty much the same. People must be honest to help themselves in this area. Most are not willing to own up to certain patterns of behavior.
Today we all face pressure just to survive. Many years ago, life just seemed to go on each day, and many of the social problems that exist today were absent.
sures for various students. Until this happens, little progress can occur. Pressure can come from yourself, outsiders(oral or by facial expressions), innuendoes, or by just being part of a specific activity(i.e., competition).
Everyone can improve in this area. First, you must accept reality. You must understand that to survive daily activities you havetostayinvolv^ed. This is a starting point for finding ways to play the game and cope with pressure.
Once we hav^e assembled these ideas, we can add more information based on our personal experience. The coach can consider different scenarios and see where certain students fit in. Doing this can identify helpful solutions.
•The student is or is not prepared in reference to practice sessions and technique.
•The student is or is not prepared mentally.
•The student is or is not prepared physically.
•The student likes or fears competition.
• College coaches may determine scholarships by an event.
• Agents may determine pro status or opportunities at an event.
• Parents may call the student and say,'This is the big one."
The way in which on-court practice sessions are conducted will also vary from student to student. Here is how Icon duced practice with some of my students.
interest. We always had to be careful about telling him that something was not right, especially if an audience was watching. We had to make adjustments without telling him what we were trying to accomplish. Whenever he was in trouble, we let him just hit the ball, using all his shots.
doors. I still remember the heavy canvas we had to use to cover the fence.
Several times, high winds took the entire fence down.
otherlessonsafterhers. She would stay for hours to work on just one shot.
Drills would always have targets. We had to use two to four pros or hitters because she wore them out.
different, we can identify some similarities. There are also some requirements for newly arriving enthusiasts.
succeed. They should be prepared for our type of coaching, which is perhaps different from what they have previously experienced. Most important, they court.
Besides having a strong desire to succeed, our students need to know how differences.
Being away from home for the first time can be challenging and emotion know more about their needs than we do would be foolish to apply.
never cheerful. Weexpelstudents who have discipline problems.
are the disciplines around which we develop an individual'sgame.
successful. That training includes matchplay, performance training, and on court drilling. Match play is supervised. We offer both technical and strategic criticism during the contest. We provide performance training for fitness, movement, and strength. We test each student on arrival and design a program to suit individual needs. Mental conditioning, or sports psychology training, is offered on court and in the classroom.
If the student is confident, aggressive, organized, and offensive, we design patient, orderly, and thoughtful, we design a program to fit that personality.
This is our way of saying that each student is an individual even though we are oriented toward group dynamics.
How far can players go? In determining each player'spotential, it's important first to establish the player'sneeds. Establishing long-term and short-term goals and determining how hard the individual is willing to work to get there is a major feature at the academy. Absent a crystal ball, itis impossible to predict the potential of any player. There are too many variables.
Our promise is to allow our students to be the best they can be. To reinforce commitment. Obviously, not every student succeeds, but those with the correct character mix usually fulfill their potential.
Some students who do not have the ideal character mix surprise us. They simply take longer to reach their goals. This is how it is in life, so we should not be surprised if this is how it is on court.
When Is My Child Old Enough to Play Tennis?
The best time to begin a child in tennis is when he or she is ready. Some children are ready at 4; others are not ready until they're 11. It is hard to attach a standard to such a serious issue. Parents too often push their children at a tender age. What often happens is that the child soon"retires" and never fulfills his or her potential. Atthe same time, many children who begin late by today'sstandards, atage 11or 12, go onto have extended careers. I repeat: the time to consider a career in tennis for a child is when the child is ready.
Children often realize early success in team sports because coaches and positivepeerpressureprovidemotivation. Tennis, on the other hand, takes time and patience. Early and easy success is an exception.
If a child does begin early, he or she should start by playing hand-eye coordination games. These games should be fun and allow the child to enjoy are enjoyable and the child gradually progresses, then 1 believe that11to13 years of age is a good time to begin thinking seriously about a tennis career. By then the child will be old enough to determine if he or she wants to pursue the game for the right reasons.
Once a child has been introduced to the game, 1 feel that group lessons should take precedence. Our experience at the academy indicates that group dynamicsandpeerpressurecanhelpachilddecideifheorshewantsto continue. Individual instruction is then helpful in expanding and finetuning a tennis game.
of a player'sdevelopment. In the parent-child relationship, the role of each person must be clearly defined and strictly adhered to. Otherwise, the tennis parent can handicap the child'sdevelopment.
Does this mean that parents should be excluded from participation? Quite the contrary. Often, parents sacrifice their homes andl i\'esin support of their child'sambitions. When parents do this for the right reasons and within the proper framework, the sacrifice often breeds success.
belikeBjornBorg, the picture of quiet concentration.
what happened a few moments earlier continues to bother them. Sometimes, opponents a psychological lift.
stand how certain actions hurt and emphasize how they can achieve positive results.
"1watched you today,"and speak about some ofthe child'spositive attitudes. Ask your child about problems he or she might have experienced.
Without even realizing it, your child will admit that something went wrong.
penalty come from the child.
practice gets me relaxed, and that'sme. But, when I get into the tournament, helpful for anyone.
Still, you must stress the importance of self-control and enforce proper punishment from a nearly age. It may be necessary to take tennis away from prevent more serious disciplinary problems later.
• Examine your own behavior in stressful situations. Are you setting an example for your child to follow?
•How do you react to your child's perforruance? My experience shows that a few positive statements pave the way for constructive criticism.
learns from age two to five can shape lifelong attitudes.
child to make sure it'snotrepeated.
• If a pro works with your child, do you let the pro do his or her job? Parents should be concerned with what their child is learning, but if you have hired a professional, work with the pro to reinforce the lessons. If you have questions, talk them over so that youcan work as a team.
child to do too much can cause outbursts and tantrums.
training, practice, tournament play, and free time with the important demands of studying.
How can you do it? Try following these six pieces of advice.
1. Have your child take7to10 days off from tennis when school starts. He or she should concentrate on getting into the routine of studying and attending class. Your child will get off to a good start in school and will be more eager to hit the courts, practice, and train when tennis begins again.
court times will be limited in these months. To avoid wasting time, plan each practice. Stepupoff-court conditioning.
3. If your budget permits, you might consider atennis camp or academy ina camp is an excellent way to get ready for the big test. If the cost of securing could work at the club in return for court time, stringing, and so on. Planning tournament trips with others in your area can save on travel and hotel costs.
your child should take to tennis and conditioning.
prepare the child to handle greater pressures ahead.
plenty of time don'tget down to business quickly because they know they have time to spare. During the school year, indoor court time will be limited. As a result, young players must practice efficiently toc overall parts of their game that need work.
each player down the line. Playing indoors spoils players because there is no wind, no sun, and no blowingdust. Without sun and rain, the court always plays the same. Players should avoid becoming complacent about their play in these ideal conditions.
6. There is no reason why a group can'tgotothecourtsat 6:00 every morning or workout from 6:30to 8:00 on weekend mornings. Make a deal with management. Offer to clean the place and work on the restrooms from
8:00to 10:00 in exchange for court time.
Finally, let me offer one more tip. If you had a great summer playing tennis the fall season and work yourself into games at the club and the parks. Here's free court time.
aspects of your life, just as events in your life influence your tennis development. Consider yourself not only as a tennis player butalso as a unique individual who exists beyond the game. Tennis can be a worthwhile part of growing up, a routine aspect of your life, and a favorite pastime. By taking a personal perspective, tennis will provide you with a range of personal development benefits.
"^Adapted from"The Mental Efficiency Program: Pcasitive Self-Development for Tennis, Sport, and Life," by Nick BollettieriandDr. Charles Maher(1984).
• Positive self-development involves making yourself more valuable.
tions, and needs for improvement as a tennis player and person.
specific and challenging personal goals.
• Self-confidence encompasses the idea of trusting yourself—playing tennis in a relaxed and controlled way, without over analyzing what you are doing.
• Self-discipline is being able to start your training with a defined goal and to followthrough, making necessary adjustments along the way.
• Your ability to experience quality interpersonal relationships occurs when you relate to individuals and groups in mutually beneficial ways.
•When you possess positive self-esteem, you view yourself as a unique individual, happy about who you are and what you do.
• Continuous improvement involves never being satisfied—always wanting to reach another level and be your best.
When youare mentally efficient, you remain balanced and in control. You are personally aware, self-motivated, self-confident, and self-disciplined. You enjoy quality interpersonal relationships, possess high self-esteem, and continually seek to improve yourself.
qualities and acquire the abilities associated with mental efficiency in tennis. By developing the specific quality and ability in each area, you will contribute to your overall mental efficiency.
The more you involve the entire team—player, coach, and parent—the more quickly and effectively you will be able to become mentally efficient as both a tennis player and a person.
Personal awareness refers to your ability to know yourself as a tennis player and as a person. You can develop your strong points even further. Developing a sound and thorough personal awareness will help you identify your strong points, limitations, and areas for improvement.
Be honest with yourself. You will be a better planner if you have a vision. Challenge yourself to be a better player. Focus on what is important and what you need to work on. You can obtain information about yourself by asking focused questions. The tennis skills inventory that follows is divided into mental and physical tennis skills. We recommend that you complete this inventory by yourself and then discuss it with your coach and others.
1= excellent 2= good 3 =average 4 =fair 5 =poor fitness attributes—stamina, speed, strength, mobility, weight, and diet.
1= excellent 2 =good 3 =average 4 =fair 5 =poor as you would like in tennis or in other areas of your life. Identify your strong points. Determine areas that you need to develop. List your needs for development on the personal profile form.
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5.
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Identify and determine your current personal limitations. Get an outside check on the accuracy of your opinions. A personal mission statement outlines what you want to do as both a tennis player and a person over the next two years.
refer to external, self-centered achievements. A mission statement is for your personal use and benefit, not for discussion by others. Visualize yourself realizing your mission. Update your personal awareness profile two to three times a year.
initiative to set goals for yourself and do what is necessary to attain them. You do not want other people to be your primary source of motivation. Others canhelp you set conditions for improvement, but they can't make you take advantage of them. Your motive for action comes primarily from within, not from an external source.
Develop an increased focus on what is important both on and off the tennis court. When youare self-motivated, you have positive energy that helps you control all aspects of your training. Being self-motivated allows you to block out negative distractions. Being self-motivated will give you more physical and mental energy. Identify personal goals that have meaning to you. You for you. Select enough goals so that you can stay focused and motivated.
Use the personal goals form to record your goals.
1=excellent 2=good 3=average 4 =fair 5 =poor
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Select no lessthan three or four goals and no more than six or seven at any onetime. Use this table as a sample for your goal statements.
smart.
Specific—You and your coach known exactly what the goal is.
Measurable—You and others can measure your progress toward the goal.
Attainable—You are able to make progress and attain the goal.
player; the goal is relevant to your development as a tennis player.
Time frame—You have a clear understanding of when you expect to attain the goal.
greater the chance you will be motivated by it. Learn how to measure goals so that you can better followthrough. Review your practice and match-play performance. Compare your ratings with those of your coach and determine similarities and differences.
terms of short-term and long-term attain ability.
Discuss your goals with other people. Use others to give you feedback and game. Seek help, guidance, and ongoing support and monitoring by others.
Learn to monitor your progress continually.
Establish a benchmark to know where you began to measure your quantity and the quality of your practice and progress. Quantity refers to the number of times you practice. Quality refers to the effort you expend to achieve your goals. Making changes in goals is characteristic of the mentally efficient tennis player.
images, or pictures, about your tennis performance. The more often you use a specific shot. Through visualization, youcan put yourself in positive states of thought and emotion. Make the mental images relate to your goals. Make a list of your personal goals and the associated mental images. Describe the images on the positive image form.
Name Date.
foreach specific positive state.
Building and Maintaining Self-Confidence When you are self-confident, you believe in your ability to followthrough and accomplish the goals set for yourself. With self-confidence, you are able confident state. Poise is the ability to avoid becoming upset with yourself or with what is going on around you. Perseverance means being able to follow through with your plans no matter what the obstacles. When you believe that youcan compete onthe court with players of your ability level or better, your self-confidence promotes and sustains performance.
Trust yourself. Have faith in your training and ability. Balancing the mental and physical aspects of tennis allows you to reach your potential.
self-confidence regularly. Make a personal commitment to yourself. Do not doubt yourself or your ability. Strive to improve and play your best.
challenge yourself to reach your best. Separate your performance in sport from yourself-worth in life. Determine your own level of self-confidence.
Believe that you have the skills necessary to perform well or, if you don't, be will have to continually change, learn, and refine during development.
Determine when you are and when you are not confident.
warm-up,matchplay,other)?
play, midcourt play, net play, mental approach, sen/e, other)?
3. What is it that makes me confident?
4. Whenam I not confident?
5. Inwhataspectsofmygameam I not confident?
Determine which factors help you to be more confident and which factors hinder your confidence. Know your current skills. You must maintain skills by using consistent, high-quality practice habits. Conduct a routine inventory of your skills. Get opinions from others who are interested in your development.
cally. You alone determine how you react and view a particular situation. You alone interpret the situations and events in your life positively or negatively. No one is perfect. Those who believe they are perfect approach life unrealistically and set themselves up to fail.
The first step to building self-confidence is acknowledging your mistakes. Try to reduce the frequency of making mistakes. Don't be adversely affected by things beyond your control. Focus on what you can control. Making every situation in tennis and life a learning experience is a healthy, positive way to approach sport and life. Put a particular situation into a fuller context to gain perspective. You alone control your ability to be(or not be)self-confident.
Learn to recognize and monitor three important senses—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Learn whatfactorsinhibitor enhance yourself-confidence. Learn to identify the situations in which you have the least amount of selfconfidence. Once you have identified your low-confidence situations, recognize the feelings associated with them. Learn what negative statements you may be associating with a particular situation. Muscle sensations can also be identified and associated with particular low-confidence states.
to use breathing to your advantage in practice and matchplay. Learning to regulate your breathing will increase yourself-confidence. Use breathing to relax and eliminate negative, unproductive performance states. You need to control what you think and be able to detect differences in your muscle tension. Practicing progressive relaxation will help you learn how to control and relax muscles. Become aware of how your muscles feel when you are tense and how they feel when you are relaxed. Practice the progressive relaxation procedure often.
Learn to control thoughts to improve yourself-confidence. Negative thoughts can adversely affect your game mentally and physically. Learn to say noto negative thoughts. Focus your mind on a positive thought. Use the technique of letting go of negative thoughts. Remind yourself that you can control thoughts and make them positive.
Serious athletes are disciplined in their sport and in other areas of their lives. When you plan what you need to do to attain your goals and then follow through, making adjustments as required along the way, you are actively developing self-discipline.
effectively, gives youa sense of self-control, and involves you in taking action and moving forward.
Make a commitment to dev^elopingapersonalplan. A personal plan is a statement of the actions you will take to accomplish something. The implementation of along-range plan for your tennis development will require you to be patient and to persevere as you make progress toward your goals.A gameplanincludesoneormorespecificgoalstodev^elopandimplement during matchplay. Game plans involve the use of strategy and tactics.
outside tennis. You can plan all the goals and actions for your tennis and your life. Decide which kind of goals will be part of your personal plan.
starting and completing the action.
Goals Personal actions Timelines Comments listed personal actions. Describe any personal obstacles under the comments sectionofthePPF. List the people with whom you expect to discuss the plan.
criticism and comments about your plan.
Take a systematic approach to monitoring yourself. If youare not satisfied with how you have followed through, you can troubleshoot possible reasons. Use the information from your troubleshooting activity to make changes in your plan. Don'tbeafraidtomakechanges. Flexibility is an indicator of a self-disciplined approach. Find the most effective and efficient means toachieve your actions and goals. You may have to readjust the timeline for attaining a goal.
Self-reinforcement means that you do something positive for yourself. Compliment and reward yourself for a job well done and enjoy reinforcement from others. Reward yourself occasionally with something tangible or material.
balance, and order. A productive routine helps you followthrough on your personal actions to attain your goals.
You can develop routines around life areas that are important to your daily effectiveness in tennis and school. You have the option of perceiving a situation as a challenge or as a source of stress. Assess your current routines basis.
of each item.
1=excellent 2=good 3 =average 4 =fair 5 =poor
Overall, Iam able to manage my entire life.
cessful in school.
I do not put off what Iam supposed to do in school.
I make sure that Iam ready to train in a quality manner.
I can prepare for matches efficiently.
culty.
Iam able to say noto people when time does not permit.
I do not take on more things than I can handle.
Iam able to plan a weekly schedule for my life.
I spend quality time with family and friends.
You can use the process of visualization to help you remain a self disciplined tennis player and person. Identify images of yourself functioning as a self-disciplined tennisplayer. Describe and write down these images. Visualize these images of effective self-discipline regularly. The more precise you can be about when you will use positive images of yourself, the more mentally efficient you will be. Use positive affirmations to support yourself-discipline.
In a quality interpersonal relationship, you gain benefit from another human being while providing that person with something valuable in return. You build a quality interpersonal relationship by respecting, trusting, and having something worthwhile in tennis and reach your personal best, you need the kinds of people yet know when not to associate with particular people.
personal need. When you are mentally efficient, you can address this need.
It is important to gain the cooperation of others. Helping others and being tennis and practicing. By eliminating or reducing a self-centered approach to your existence, you can maintain quality relationships with manypeople.
Your personal network consists of all the people who are important to you is readily accessible.
you want to have quality relationships. Determine which needs your network of people can fulfill. Specify the needs and interests of the people with whom you want to maintain quality interpersonal relationships. By focusing ments.
different forms, from different sources, and in a variety of circumstances. You will receive oral feedback and written feedback. You will expect some of the feedback you receive; other comments may come as a surprise. The way you accept personal feedback from others will influence future performance and worth, depending on the reliability of the source.
• Feedback can be positive and expected.
• Feedback can be positive and unexpected.
• Feedback can be negative and expected.
• Feedback can be negative and unexpected.
Make sure that you understand the feedback, no matter what type it is. Be give feedback to others. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Be specific and clear when providing feedback. Look for nonverbal signs. Provide additional information to the person.
effectively. Conflicts between individuals often develop because the individuals involved are not aware of whether they are disagreeing over means or ends. A conflict can be a positive experience anda growth situation for the people involved. Interpersonal disagreement can happen in any setting. Discuss first the areas you agree on and then talk about those you disagree on. Discuss how you can reach an agreement. Restate the compromise as a personal action and followthrough on it.
quality of your performance from your overall worth as a person. You should be able to counter and eliminate negative ways of viewing activities in your life.
as an individual, by practicing and following through on activities that develop and maintain yourself-esteem. Your true value does not come from playing tennis. Make a determination to look at yourself in an accurate, positive way. It is important to have an accurate view of whatyoucanancd cannot do. Be realistic in what you attempt to do.
Usually, the way we make judgments about who weare comes from what people tell us about ourselves. It is important for you to engage in a variety of activities beyond tennis. You should use yourself, not others, as a basis for comparison. Be satisfied with small but steady gains in all that you do. You risk lowering yourself-esteem if you maintain or create irrational beliefs about yourself . You have to be able to let goof self-defeating beliefs. Youcan be confident about being able to perform well while recognizing that you will never be perfect.
Itis important to recognize your anxiety, accept it, and take steps to reduce irrational belief. Negative self-talk usually leads to lowered self-esteem.
Positive self-talk means that you make statements that put you in a favorable light. If you routinely employ positive self-talk, you are likely to be positive about yourself and will enhance yourself-esteem. Identify and list the various situations in which you examine how you talk to yourself.
Situation Self-statement Rating[+/-] Personal action feel you have made. Change the perspective that you have about the mistake. View a mistake as a signal to yourself. Mistakes occur for everyone all the time—that'spartoflife. Learn from each mistake and move forward.
information about your progress and performance in tennis and other areas until some external force stops it. Ifitis at rest, it will remain at rest until acted upon. When someone does not seek improvement in a planned way, he or she is likely to become stagnant mentally, emotionally, and physically.
To improve yourself continuously as a tennis player and a person, you must approach the task in a planned, systematic way. By constantlyimprovlogicalhelplessness.
Progress feedback is information that indicates your growth or improvement from one point in time to another. Performance feedback is the data that indicates the results of your play. Ask your coach to provide an opinion about how you are progressing in the area of self-confidence in match play.
Watching videotape canhelp you compare your current performance to a previous performance. Discuss^with yourself the things that you are doing well. Make notes about areas in which you want the opinion of your coach or others. Consider the things you need to improve. List specific items from your discussion with yourself that you want to discuss with your coach. To conclude your meeting, summarize your thoughts and impressions.
Schedule another personal meeting with yourself. You can use the information you have derived from your personal meeting to take initiative for continuous improvement. You can answer the questions by using the feedback about yourself. In addition, you may want to discuss your answers with your coach. Acquire new physical or mental skills that will help your game. Become more respectful and patient with other people. Believe in yourself more consistently.
Your commitment to take the mental efficiency advantage can start right now. The mental efficiency program is most beneficial when you make it part of your daily routine both on and offcourt. Set up a schedule of review and study for yourself. Ask the opinions of your coach, parents, and others who are interested in your improvement.
Mental efficienc}^can also be considered from a group perspective. Regardless of the size of a group, the participants in the group should coordinate their physical efforts, their common emotions, their goals, and well, a group also needs to commit itself to pursuing its common purpose. Each of the group members, including you, needs to discuss the setting of group goals. The individuals who make up the group(doubles, tennisteam) have acommon belief that they can perform well as a unit and accomplish their group goals.
tally efficient group is able to maintain quality interpersonal relationships among all members of the group, as a group, and with people outside the group.
The members of the group use feedback from their performance to develop action plans for their development. As you remain involved with the mental efficiency program, you will witness positive results.
without a plan.
Just as you would never enter a sales meeting without a plan, you should never enter a match without a plan. The plan maybe as simple as area of the court.
We intend to draw parallels between sports planning and how it relates to your business, home, or family relationships. The academy produces a very comprehensive master plan for the training year. This plan is then further broken down into weeks and outlines the specific areas in much more detail.
parents must work to produce income. With a working mother and father already going in differ other. In tennis that point is winning. We tell our students and coaches, "Make a plan, then work the luck, success follows.
Many lessons learned onthe court transcend the game. One of the most obvious is the effect of mood swings. On court as in life, mood swings parallel momentum. Positive and negative attitudes affect chances of controlling the court. It works the same way in life. No competitor is more difficult to beat than one who is positive and exudes confidence.
off. Plans and strategies can be simple or complex. On court keep it simple.
matchesthananyothercoachinhistory, had the simplest strategy of all. Work harder than your opponents, stay positive, and hit the ball to the open his success was a result of his players'talent. Smart people knew better.
Harry planned and executed. That'swhatmadehimawinner.
In the following text we have accumulated articles, lessons, and seminars guaranteed.
to win they must do what they do best. Naturally, they accept a tip here and there about playing a particular opponent. But most are wise enough to know that making too many complex adjustments in their gameplan is risky.
I can close my eyes during a match and hear people around me describing how a player is doing this or that. What they are actually viewing is the implementation of strategy.
• Techniques—Style is the product of techniques and grips.
alone can breakdown any gameplan, no matter how good.
letes are limited by their physical condition.
analysis, and equipment.
Your attitude to everything you do on the court is far result.
searching for secret weapons.
f The most important thing I learned from coaching Boris Becker was this: have a plan and be prepared. When you get on the court forget everything else in the world and be ready to play.
exists in the world except those 7,200 square feet.
The other thing I learned from Boris is that he’salotmorethanjust“Big Boom-Boom.” All people think about is his big serve and his diving for an opponent-hit the big topspin backhand crosscourt, the inside-out forehand down the line, the little dink angle. His underspin backhand isa good example. He can hit it deep crosscourt, down the line, or even short
Here’s what youcanlearnfromBorisBecker: even if you have one or two big shots, develop the rest of your game as well.
What Does Having a Game Plan Mean?
points so that you can use your arsenal in the most effective way.
• Jim Courier—Jim has asimplegame plan: “\ will hitasmanv forehandsaspossil^le from any position onthe court." To help himself point.
• Andre Agassi—When on top of his game, Andre will move to(or even inside) the baseline so that he can hit the ball on the rise. This positioning gives his opponents less time to recover.
• Monica Seles—She uses the same aggressive pattern as Agassi.
• Patrick Rafter—Pat will serve andvolley almost all the time, chip and charge on return of serve, and stay at the baseline as little as possible.
What Is Your Plan?
matched to the kinds of players who use them best. Find your style. The next time you step oncourt, try building points around a plan that best suits your style.
the baseline to a less comfortable position.
ball and into unfamiliar territory—toward the net.
• Attack short balls.
• Periodically serve and volley.
world to distraction, if not disaster. Both he and Pete Sampras can stay back but beat the net in a second to surprise their opponent.
Two-handed players with excellent movement and recovery are dangerous.
Hitting balls to their power zone will prove to be dangerous, often putting you in a defensive position. Players like Michael Chang, Marcelo Rios, Andre in position to hit their two-handed backhand weapon.
When playing players like this, you must hit balls out of their comfort zone, which includes hitting directly at them. You must stretch them out wide and attack the net.
Players. with semiwestern and full western grips often prefer to stay back at the baseline. Michael Chang, Jim Courier, and Venus and Serena Williams all attack the net and make a grip change to their volley grip. Players who hit with full western grips will find it difficult to make this grip change. Therefore, forcing a western forehand player to come to the net will be an effective tactic.
•coming to the net.
The continental forehand grip has limitations, especially if you lack strength. The hand on top of the racquet requires excessive racquet-head speed, especially when applying spin or hitting angles and topspin lobs. Mark Philippoussis uses this grip effectively.
• high kickserves.
Power Player A match between two power players, say Venus Williams and Mary Pierce, is really interesting. These players will just bang and bang until they hit a winner or make an unforced error. This style will not often get you into the winner'scircle.
efforts to setup their strength. Use a variation of shots, including junk and off-pace balls. Figure out what makes the power player uncomfortable and deliver accordingly on big points.
This player will take a position a shortdistance behind the baseline and will quite often move forward and hit the ball on the rise. Current top players whousethisstyleincludeMichaelChang, Andre Agassi, Martina Hingis, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Mary Pierce, and Iva Majoli.
Against a counterpuncher, use off-pace balls that land deep in the backcourt. Take the counterpuncher outof his or her game and force the player into net. Don'tletthistypeofplayergettoyou—especially when you attack. Some attack patterns can be right at an opponent's body. Counterpunchers will use your power, so hit behind them periodically to upset their balance.
outright winners. Fabrice Santoroisaclassicjunkbailer.
by causing them to hit from unstable positions.
• Be ready to move for balls that just don't seem to be there and have all varieties of action on the ball.
• Play aggressively without going for winners recklessly. Attack.
• Bringthejunkbailertothenet.
Here is where brainpower comes into play. You are not the only one capable of devising a gameplan. Any worthy opponent will have done the same.
have to do something to protect your weaknesses. Every ball you hit should enabling you to attack tentative returns.
Say you have a tennis match on Saturday at the club and you know that you strategy that will enable you to be prepared and capable, both mentally and physically.
prepared to make adjustments.
scr i best he march toward victory, and tells them that under no circumstances can they deviate from his clever plan to surprise the enemy from the west. The troops attack from the west, moving east ward through the heart of the enemy'sheadquarters. Suppose, however, that as the troops approach enemy headquarters, shellsbombardthemfromtherear. The enemy had stationed soldiers in the woods and crept up behind the troops. The troops who had orders to continue marching east until they reached the enemy's camp are now in an impossible situation. The plan they are required to follow means certain destruction.
The message is clear. Have a strategy but don't etc hit in stone. Leave room for change in the heat of battle. Take, forexample, the authoritarian football coach who was having a particularly bad year because his team couldn't move the ball on offense and couldn'tstopanyoneondefense.
So at 0-5 he devised what he thought was an ingenious game plan. He took in stone."If we win the toss, elect to receive, and we'll do the best we can. On the first play from scrimmage run the simplest play possible, a quarterback sneak. Call the same play a second time and then a third time. On fourth down, punt."
The quarterback said,"OK,"and went to the field. His team won the toss and elected to receive. They received and the returner got to the 30- yard line. A big surprise so far. On the first play the quarterback sneak produced a 20 yard gain, onthe second play another 20- yard gain, and on the third play the results were even better, putting the team on their opponent's 20- yard line. With that, on the fourth play from scrimmage, theteamlinedupinpunt formation. The coach yelled frantically to no avail. The punter kicked the ball out of the stadium.
As the quarterback came to the sideline, the distraught coach yelled at him,"Son, what in the world were you thinking, punting from soclose to the opponent'sgoalline?"To which the young quarterback replied, "1was thinking what a dumb coach we had."
possess certain weapons. Similarly, atennis match may feature an opponent to make a change.
do. Something minor goes wrong. Perhaps anew piece of clothing is uncomfortable. Maybe a close call goes against you. Suddenly, quicker than you can imagine, things fall apart. Everytime you miss a shot, you associate last.
thevalueofcompartmentalization.
pat ing all eventualities. Players who can do this, like Pete Sampras, can deal compartmentalizationisbothnecessaryandrewarding.
things,mentalefficiencyandcompartmentalization.
anticipate those few that you cannot check. Foreach of us, theseducksline up differently. Somearepetty; others are unconquerable.
The value of compartment ali zing is that it does not ask us to rid ourselves the length of our match, we simply set aside(compartmentalize)that which we cannot control.
How can we achieve this? Given that in most matches, everything that can go wrong will go wrong, we suggest setting up a checklist of perfection.
cientsweatbands, a few towels. Decide when to eat, when to warmup, and motion a process. By following it, you'll know before you walk onto the court that everything you can control is under control.
Easy, right? Well, not when it comes to what youcan'tcontrol, which can week.
the emotional weaknesses that plague your game. Compartmentalizationis the ability to anticipate every eventuality, to predict, and then to eliminate. You know, for instance, when you are apt to blow an easy game point or to do whatever you do to self-destruct. Compartmentalization is the art of educating yourself before walking onthe court about how you will act when the cowbells and the drumsarouse an audience to dance at your failure. This hostility.
strategies, let'slookatthegamesofplayerswho have success on certain playing surfaces.
a solid hitting base.
• Jana Novotna—She comes in almost all the time with a slice from the backhand and even a chip from the forehand.
shorter points, including more serve and volley. Most successful players will come in.
• Court positions will be much closer to the baseline.
• Flat balls and slices will be in full gear versus the big topspin rallies.
The most successful clay-court players hit with heavy topspin off both sides. Because the clay slows the ball, players have ample time to rundown ball bail ers for the most part like to grind and are in top physical shape. Court positions will vary.
Pierce Moya(he has recently changed strategy and moved to the baseline
Clay-court strokes will see heavy topspin, low slices, and flat drives, all used at various times. In general, points will be much longer, especially if the court is damp and players are hitting the balls a little he a\uer.
Thomas Muster, along with Michael Chang and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, proved that one of the keys to winning is physical conditioning and mental state of mind.
again, each court will be different.
• a formidable service return to take advantage of tentative serves.
you want to win, your best strategy is to force your opponent into a type of game with which he or she is uncomfortable.
Tennis Academy. We force our students to do what they do best so that when they receive a ball of choice, they respond automatically.
Remember that you always seek to take your opponent out of his or her gameplan, the place where your opponent is comfortable. Make your opponent uncomfortable and you are halfway to winning.
What type of player will you face?—Baseline player? Aggressive baseliner?
All-court player? Serve-and-volley player? To combat these types of players, we suggest the following strategies.
hurt you, wait for a short ball to end the point. Take your time, use dropshots and angles to open up the court, and then go on the offensive. Control the center of the court with good footwork and consistent shots high over the net with good depth. If possible, look for a looping return and hit forceful, swinging volleys to create your offense.
the same area twice, except to wrong-foot the opponent occasionally. If your opponent attacks first, try to outrun him or her. If your opponent is over pow his or her own power. Use angles and dictate points by running around the backhand and hitting inside-out forehands.
control the point from the start. Respond especially aggressively against second serves. When you have to hit a secondserve, go for depth to neutralize the return. Take chances to win the point early.
• Serve-and-volley player. You must return the ball consistently low and at your opponent'sfeet. Make your opponent volley up and be prepared focus on it. Your groundstrokes should be heavily topspin to drop at the volleying player'sfeet. Topspin will assist you in hitting angles to make passing shots. Play close to the baseline and pick your spots to make passing net early as a bluff. As the match progresses, settle into your comfort zone.
a loser."
"Can we make it better?"is a question that has been posed through the years in sports. Training elite athletes to reach new levels of accomplishment has become a technological race. By nature, humans search for knowledge. The weekend warrior seeks ways of improving. Players want to see improvement in all areas. Tennis teachers must enlighten the top-level athletes, the novices, and those between. How can we do this?
consistency you can hit to areas of the court from which your opponent must return a shot that you expect. We can deal with anything expected; anything unexpected causes us to improvise. When playing balls that come back at us without purpose, the game favors the strongest. Strokeproduction and strategy have distinct purposes, but without proficiency at each, aplayer will find it difficult to move forw arc i.
teacher must be able to demonstrate to the student why a change is needed.
a little tougher because the best view is from above and behind the court. The ing process.
The practice of tracking shots in a game has been around for along time.
It can be as elementary as counting the number of double faults hit in a two set match(which should be no more than three). On the other end, advanced tracking would measure the level of consistency and the percentage of points won when the ball was served to the backhand side of the adcourt. We would do this to establish guidelines and goals. By noting what we doi namatch and comparing it to what better players do, we can set realistic goals.
player making? Are most of the balls long, or are they in the net? The mistakes of a novice player usually stem from improper movement tothe ball.
Statistically, we would see a large number of errors long because the level, winners would become more common, but unforced errors wide would start to appear as players at this level start to strive for accuracy. The number of balls in should rise to almost 8 out of 10 at this level. Atthe highest levels the focus is more on comparing the number of errors to the number of down-the-line shots. The critical point is being able to distinguish the ball on which the player can be aggressive from the ball that the player should play defensively to the length of the court for a margin of error. Professionals must get9 outof10 balls into be successful.
Another good statistic to analyze is the serve. The serve is crucial to serve is critical.
probably serves consistently to the same area of the court, giving the opponent the ability to groove the pace and not worry about where the ball is going. Or maybe the player simply serves flat, a serve that can hurt the opponent only with its speed. On the other hand, adult club players usually don't have good form, but through years of experience they have learned not to serve the ball to locations that result in their having to be defensive from the beginning of the point. At the highest level, playersmixupspeed, spin, and placement. At times they can leave their opponent standing still, guessing which way the ball will go. The bottomline is that if you can win more than 55 percent of the points that you play in your service, success will probably follow you. The association of a successful serve to having the upper hand is common, but what about the good defense? The final topic to focus on statistically is the return of serve.
The return of serve is the most overlooked area of concentration. In beginner tennis the object is simply to hit the ball back into the court. This sounds simple, but the serve comes faster than any other stroke so reaction time is limited. Intermediate players start hitting with depth and spin to keep the opponent from hitting balls inside the court. Atthe intermediate level the return becomes more important. The returning player who can be aggressive gains the momentum of the point early. Atthe highest level an extraordinary effort is needed to be aggressive on the return. Breaks of service are rare, and the returner must act quickly on any weakness by the server. Thus we see low try to do more with the ball.
Additionally, we want to look at the percentage of points won by the returning player when the ballis served to a certain area of the court. A player may have a weakness in a certain area of the court, suchas the return when safely in the center of the court, allowing the opponent to control the momentum of the point. Consequently, the server wins most of the points. The secret to success is finding the correct mix of consistency and aggressiveness to keep pressure on the server.
The last area of statistical analysis deals with the mental part of the game. How does a player react when he or she has a game point? Or how often does aplayer win the 30 points? Knowing the answers to these questions can give a player a better understanding of when he or she really concentrates. Good players win 40 percent of game points. Champions usually win about 60 percent of game points because they understand how to play and know how individual's game. The player can then make adjustments in rituals, positive reinforcement, or timing.
Itis only through knowledge that we move forward. How do we practice? How do we perform in matchplay? By answering these questions, players about what the game is all about.
of information is based on players who won matches at the various ages and higher levels of competition.
To understand what this table reveals we must understand what numbers go into these statistics.
• Return of serve consistency—The return consistency is the number of times the player put the ball back into the court when the ball was playable.
few aces and winners, so consistency means more at those levels.
control of the momentum of the point right from the service.
Boys12s 850/0 550/0 920/0 560/0 210/0 3Q0/0
Boys14s 900/0 550/0 850/0 540/0 250/0 250/0
Boys16s 790/0 620/0 860/0 520/0 310/0 200/0
Boys18s 910/0 710/0 910/0 630/0 290/0 310/0
Girls12s 8OO/0 530/0 890/0 400/0 250/0 250/0
Girls14s 940/0 490/0 870/0 6OO/0 140/0 410/0
Girls16s 930/0 510/0 890/0 520/0 310/0 250/0
Girls18s 830/0 590/0 820/0 440/0 190/0 330/0
Women’s 850/0 510/0 870/0 590/0 230/0 290/0
9Q0/0 620/0 910/0 710/0 200/0 340/0
850/0 630/0 880/0 710/0 150/0 380/0
9Q0/0 630/0 880/0 670/0 260/0 270/0
• Ground-Stroke consistency—When players are rallying, the number of chances they have to hit the ball back into play can show a stronger or weaker side. Variancesof 5 percent between the forehand and backhand can show a weakness.
• One point from game—This statistic reveals how a player performs when playing a game point. A sports psychologist might use the information to look at how the player handles stress. If the player has trouble finishing the game, adjustments in how that point is played must be made. If the player approaches game point as a process instead of a pressure-filled occasion, success will come easier.
• Points won by aggressive play—In a match a player must find the proper mix of consistency and aggressiveness. Being too aggressive raises the number of errors because the risk level of the shots is greater. Being aggressive usually involves changing direction of the ball from crosscourt to down the line. The risk level is higher because the ball must travel over the highest part of the net, the target distance is shorter, and angling the ball correctly is more difficult.
• Points won by consistency—Again, the player is looking for the proper mix to compete in the match. Being too conservative can mean being too predictable. When a player never uses the element of surprise, the opponent can move before the ball is struck and thus have easier shots.
instinctual exercise. But gaining every possible advantage through technology is the future of our sport.
selection affects court position, recovery position at the baseline and net, reasons for using shot combinations, and patterns of play. Without changing your style, we will show how you can become more consistent at winning by learning to control the center of the court and improve your shotselection in matchplay.
strengths and weaknesses, physical condition, movement skills, personality.
*This section by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
and temperament all contribute to defining your game and identifying your style.
Instead, we encourage you to use what you have and become more effective by changing your shotselection, altering your recovery position, and adding more strategy to your game.
What Can You Control?
We begin by looking atthe elements you can control during competition. The ningwithyourgame.
strategy you use.
but in general, these elements ing a match.
recovery position is based onthe shot you hit and the location you hit it from. The objective of correct positioning is to eliminate open-court opportunities for your opponent as you build the point.
You must learn to defend your court against an opponent'sattack, just as you would in other sports. In basketball, a good defense makes it difficult for nity to take control and score.
positions, and your position at the baseline.
possible returns(figure 13.1). Note that the server may at times take various positions along the baseline. Forexample, Andre Agassistandsoutwide when hitting a highkicking topspin serve.
The returner'spositionisinfluencedbywhethertheserverisright-or lefthanded, the server'sabilityto produce spin, and the power and range of the server's placement. In general, the returner will position in the middle of the range of possible serves. By adjusting his or her position, however, the returner can influence where the server will serve. Taking a different position can pressure the server and protect the returner'sweaknessbyforcinga serve to the returner'sstrength. Whether you stand in front of, on top of, or behind the baseline will depend on the strengths and weaknesses of you and your opponent(figure 13.2).
You should take a position on the return that allows you to reach various serves yet gives you a chance to establish some control of the point.
When you hit balls down the center of the court, you should recover to a position behind the hash mark on the baseline. Again, this position will put you halfway between your opponent'stwobestshots. The depth of your position will vary based on the strength of your shot, your style of play, and the surface. For example, players tend to position themselves farther behind the baseline on clay courts than on hardcourts(figure 13.3).
Figure 13.1 The server should stand halfway between the returner’sbestshots.
Figure 13.2 The returner should position to cover the server’sbestserves.
Figure 13.3 Player A should position himself halfway between play erB’stwobestshots.
a ball hit toward the center of the court, when you hit to a corner the recovery position changes based on the direction of your shot(figures 13.4-13.7).
A common misunderstanding is that you should always recover back to the middle behind the hash mark in a rally, no matter where the ball is hit. Players who do this often find themselves out of position with no control of points. Even quick-footed players can look slow on the court when they don'tknowwheretopositionthemselves.
the hash mark in the center of the court. Player A has left an open court for player Btohitto.
corner.
line, he or she cannot force you any wider than the singles sideline. Anything mark in the center of the court. Player A has put himself out of position and left open court for player
B.
corner.
wider is out of play. The opponent who hits a crosscourt angle from that position, however, could force'you much wider than the opposite sideline. So if your opponent is in the deuce-court corner, you need to cover against the crosscourt angle by positioning several steps to your right of the hash mark. This position puts you at an equal distance from your opponent's down-the-line and crosscourt shots.
Figure 13.8 When you hit to shotselection#1, you should position at recovery#1.
Figure 13.9 When you hit to shotselection#2, you should position at recovery#2.
Figure 13.10 When you hit to shotselection#3, you should position at recovery#3.
Once you get into the habit of finding the correct recovery position, you will position. At no time should you look down at your feet to find your recovery to position on recovery and find your way by the look(or perspective)ofthe correct recovery position.
After your shot leaves your racquet you have only until the ball reaches your opponent to recover your court position. On average, it takes your shot less than 1.5 seconds to reach your opponent. How far can you expect to move on or three steps in 1.5 seconds. For this reason, it is important to understand and execute shots that are good for your position when building points.
Shots Good for Your Position A shot that is good for your position would be one that you hit in a direction or in a way that allows you to recover before your opponent'snextshot. For example, when in a corner of the court, hitting in a crosscourt direction
13.11). When in the middle of the court, you can hit a shot in any direction and still have time to recover. No matter which direction you choose to hit, you will be only a few steps from the correct recovery position. Based on where you are positioned, you can hit to any of the three shot selections and recover in time(figure 13.12).
theline. This shot takes more time to travel to your opponent because of the to force a change of direction in a rally, not end the point. In this example, you use the way that you hit the ball, not the direction that you hit it, to buy time to recover(figure 13.13).
In summary, we now know that when you are near the center of the court on the baseline, you are close enough to all recovery positions that you can hit in any direction and have time to recover(figure 13.12).
court by hitting from corner to corner, which gives you a time advantage, and you have the benefit of hitting over the lowest part of the net(figure 13.11).
If you hit down theline from a corner, your shot should be a high deep ball that allows you time to recover and continue the point(figure 13.13).
Figure 13.11 Hitting a shot in a direction that is good for your court position.
correct recovery position.
position.
Based on what you'vel earned so far, you can understand why professional playersoftenmaintaincrosscourtpatternsinarallyTheyareextremely cautious about driving balls down the line.
Crosscourt patterns result when players protect their positions as they build a point. Neither player wants to leave an opening or waste energy running the extra distance to maintain good court position.
a forehand-to-forehand pattern or a backhand-to-backhand pattern will be more advantageous in highlighting the player'sstrengthsorattackingthe opponent'sweaknesses.
Your objective at the net is to position yourself at the midpoint of your opponent'spossibleshots. The three shots you must be able to reach are the down-the-line pass, the crosscourt pass, and the lob. When you approach the net you are challenging your opponent to beat you with one of these shots. The shot direction that works best for your court position is down the line because it provides the shortest distance to good position at the net(figure
13. 14 ).
Figure1 3.14 Optimum position when approaching down the line. This position allows you to cover a down-the-line pass, crosscourt pass, and lob with the least travel time.
limit the angles on your opponent'spassingshots.
When you have an opportunity to attack the net, it is important to behind your approach shots. When you attack from inside the baseline, your to move into the correct recovery position.
Approaching crosscourt requires you to run farther to establish net crosscourt approach that delivers the ball to an opponent's weaker forehand on a case-by-case basis(figure 13.15).
The situation created in the rally can also influence your decision on where options because you are close to ending the point with your approach. In this approach. The crosscourt approach thus becomes a more attractive option.
ing the ball to comeback(figure 13.16).
Figure1 3.1 5 Position when approaching crosscourt. Note that the player must travel farther tothe correct position to cover the opponent’spass ing shot or lob.
crosscourt rather than down the line.
will allow you to improve your court position for a second volley or overhead to end the point. For a point-ending volley or overhead, hit primarily to the open court. Remember that if you don'thitthisvolleywith enough force to end the point, you'llhaveto move farther to establish good positioning at the net. Hitting behind an opponent occasionally will prevent an opponent from anticipating your patterns.
in good position, you will put pressure on your opponent to hit better shots, often resulting in errors. Penetrating approaches and firm first volleys also produce forced errors.
strengths, weaknesses, and tendency to hit certain shots, you can adjust your position accordingly. In general, when you are in good position you will be approximately six to eight feet from the net.
building points.
point-ending shot.
at the net while limiting an opponent'so pen-court opportunities.
• Down-the-center shots work well off short balls in the middle because shot opportunities.
•When youare not in a position to end the point on the first volley, treat establish position for ending the point on the next volley or overhead.
errors, or unforced errors.
A winner is a winning shot that your opponent is unable to touch. A forced up, has options, is in a position to hit offensively, but flubs the shot.
The objective of many strategic game plans is to use opportunities created in a rally to put opponents in difficult positions, causing them to produce more forced errors than winners. For example, given a short ball, one player may choose to go for winner at the risk of making an unforced error. Ona bad that the opponent must hit a passingshot from a difficult position and make attacking player'sjobalittlesafer.
hit everything down the line.
the two patterns.
The down-the-line player must work harder to stayin riencehowshotselectionaffectscourtpositionandrecovery.
erful.
player begins with 15 points.
the drill. This method of scoring helps you develop consistency.
of the two drills to determine your most consistent side.
point at net.
opponent’sforcederror. Alternate the start of each point between players.
the backhand pattern. Compare the results of the two drills to determine which pattern works better for setting up your strengths for attacking the net.
by 10to12 feet. Start the rally down the center of the court and use this exercise under the rope to accomplish a change of direction.
court. The ball travels over the low part of the rope, and you are only a few steps from the correct recovery position.
Now that you have an understanding of basic strategy and patterns, we will tactics.
We will help shape your frame of mind and develop a mentality conducive to building points. You will learn how to apply the various parts of your game in harmony and build a gameplan around your style of play.
Match mentality is the frame of mind you establish in competition. It determines your attitude, thought process, and decisionmaking. Your mentality dictates how you will respond under the pressure of competition.
they should beat. Both situations create added pressure that can affect match mentality.
’^This section by Pat Dougherty and PeterD. McCraw.
into what we calla mentality trap. Any player can fall into a mentality trap when facing a pressure situation.
One example is the go-for-broke mentality trap. This occurs whena player should beat.
and they ultimately beat themselves.
talitytrap. Underpressure, this type of player fears making errors and plays only to get the ball back. Although these players may be consistent, they have trouble controlling points and are always in a defensive mode. The tentative especially at higher skill levels.
What Is Building Points?
parts of your game contribute to a gameplan. The idea is to start a point, set it up, create an opportunity, and finish the point.
Why must you build points? Every time you go for an outright winner and make an error, your opponent'sscoreimproves. In basketball, if a player takes a shot and misses, the offensive team has a chance to rebound the miss and take another shot. At worst, the other team gets the rebound and advances toward their basket. Missing shots in basketball doesn't put points on the board for the opponent.
In tennis, however, itis much easier to beat yourself because each time you make an error, your opponent scores. This scoring system means that you must beselective about when and how you try to end a point.
Think of how a basketball team builds a play. An in bound pass begins the action. A player dribbles down the court, and the team sets up information. As the players pass the ball around, they are constantly trying to create a good opportunity to score. When they find an opening in the defense, they seek to capitalize.
Understanding the four phases of building points will help you organize your strokes and shots into a gameplan.
objective and mentality for phase 1— using the serve and return effectively to ball. Players are inconsistent in phase1 because they use the serve and return to try to end the point. Aces and return winners may result from well-placed shots, but they should not be the focus for most points.
Establishing a mind-set of getting the point started properly in phase I will improv^econsistency. Being more creative with your options will make you more effective in the start of points.
to net, thenthepointprogressesintophaseII—the baseline rally.
Just as a basketball team passes the ball around to search for opportunities, in the rally both players use pace, spin, and trajectory options, while working with shot patterns and directions, to try to create opportunities.
Again, players who make many errors in the rally are often trying to end setup until you create a high-percentage opportunity.
be mentally prepared to hit as many shots as necessary to setup an opportunity. You must stay alert and be able to identify opportunities so that you can quickly capitalize on them when they happen. It is important to use rallying. You want to avoid giving the opponent open-court opportunities during the setup phase.
it may appear on another point only after a 12- shot rally. Youshould recognize several opportunity-ball situations—the short ball, the open court, and the angle or dropshot.
The short ball, the most recognizable opportunity, often results from a short ball offers you the option to go for an outright winner or to advance to the net on an approach shot.
opportunities will also occur if the opponent chooses to hit shots that are not good for his or her court position.
shots will pull your opponent offcourt or catch him or her at net.
The choices you make withthe opportunity ball set the stage for what occurs inphaseIV—finishing the point. An aggressive shot maker is more likely to try to end the point with an outright winner, whereas players who use other styles of play will prefer to advance to the net.
shot to create a difficult situation for the opponent to either lob or pass, make a forced error, or setup a ball that you can volley or overhead away.
The way of thinking for phaseIVistocapitalize and finish strong. Youare no longer building the point; you are closing.
Be realistic. Youcan'toutslugMonica Seles. Youcan'toutservePete Sampras or Richard Krajicek. Pride can make even the top pros stubborn about this. Boris Becker, forexample, triedtobeatAndreAgassifromthe baseline, where Agassi is superior. Becker lost eight times in arow.
Now that you understand the phases of building a point and the objectives style of play.
Realize that not every point will reach all four phases. Winners and errors anywhere in the building process will end the point. Some tactics, like serve andvolley, are designed to eliminate phases of building a point by applying immediate pressure.
You must develop the will to build and believe in the concept. If you are not confident that building points will produce better results, you will never have the right mind-set.
The idea is not just to keep the ball in play, but to do it with a purpose. Understanding the process and the flow of building the point will not lessen the offensive aspects of your game. A strong offense has a balanced attack.
using variety with consistency. If you make as many errors as you do winners, they cancel each other.
Be offensive as you build points but be consistent. This means working within your ability and skilllevel, using all your strokes and shots for their intended purpose.
go-for-broke mentality. Such players love to trigger the outright winner, and they really compete against themselves and against match statistics. More to beat vou. j Don'tletafewwinnersdiscourageorfrighten you out of your strategy to are on your side. Ifit happens that your opponent rises to your challenge by created, you know that your opponent was the better player that day and deserved to win. You'vedoneyourbest.
phase. Using these options to create variety in your gameplanwillhelp you control points and keep your opponent guessing.
Serve Options Many players think of a first serve as hard and flat anda secondserve as spin.
anticipatew^hat'scoming.
park. By using a variety of pitches and changing speed, spin, and placement, the pitcher keeps the batter guessing.
firstserve will open up opportunities to attack weaknesses and allow you to anticipate the direction of the return.
yourself and avoid having to hit too many second serves. Missing too many first serves gives the returner an advantage.
To reduce double faults, use spin serves and aim for the center of the box.
Spin allows you to swing aggressively while maintaining consistency.
swing, causing faults if not double faults. These possibilities are all the more point.
ten tly strong server because you have only fractions of a second to react and based on the server'sstrengths, your ability to return, your style of play, and extreme possible placements of the serve.
predetermined target.
that serve.
getting into the rally, whereas going down the line on a secondserve allows you to get into the net and immediately close out the point.
are some options to consider in the rally.
nity you seek to setup.
To anticipate what will happen, know that if you hit a ball crosscourt your opponent is likely to hit back crosscourt or toward the center of the court. If your opponenthits the ball toward the center of the court, you can hit to either corner to set up a pattern. If your opponenthits deep down the line in the rally, you should automatically think about hitting crosscourt to take advantage of the open court or at least take control of the point.
If the opponenthits regularly down the center of the court, you have an opportunity to hit corner to corner and put your rival on the run as you control the center of the court.
As we learned earlier, if you choose to hit down the line to force a change of direction in the rally, you need to hit the ball in such away that you will have enough time to recover and continue the point.
As you work in crosscourt patterns to create an opportunity ball, you have options to adjust the spin, pace, and trajectory of your shots. Working with this variety will make it difficult for an opponent to establish rhythm. Use angle shots to force your opponent wide to setup further open-court opportunities.
style often determines your choice. Here are options to consider for the various types of opportunity balls.
The short ball offers several options, one of which is to attack the net with an approach shot. As we learned earlier, the shot direction you choose onthe approach affects your position at the net. Hitting the approach down the line or downthe middle when you are positioned near the center of the court will provide the shortest distance to good position at the net. Using the short ball to approach puts pressure on the opponent as you finish the point at net.
Some players prefer to use the short ball to try for an outright winner toward any court opening, but they run a greater risk of making an unforced error.
The open-court opportunity ball usually occurs because you used a combination of shots to open the court. You can then finish the point with an offensive shot.
of position to recover.
offensive with your shot but leave some margin for error.
ners; you can use them to setup for finishing the point.
A textbook finish to a point has the player in control, taking the first opportunity ball and advancing to net. This sec|uence puts the opponent into a forced situation. If the opponent on the baseline is unable to produce a winning passingshot or lob, he or she will either commit a forced error or hit a shot that you can putaway with a volley or overhead.
shots that can be putaway.
point.
of the down-the-line or angle pass yet able to guard against the lob.
the net player. If your opponent plays close to the net, lob until he or she moves back. Your passing shots will then become more effective.
You create tactics, usually built around your strengths, by combining two or moreshotstoachieveaclesiredgoal—an opportunity ball or an open-court situation. Let'sexplorethevarioustacticalcombinations.
the point, allowing you to highlight your strengths at net.
• Chip and charge. This tactic is used primarily against the secondserve when the returner approaches the net off the return. Downthe line is serve.
crosscourt shot into the open court.
• Corner to corner. When the opponent tends to hit the ball deep center repeatedly, you have the option to use the corner-to-corner tactic to put your rival on the run. This tactic will usually cause the opponent to make an error or leave an open court.
corner. Hit behind the opponent to catch him or her offguard.
• The long point. By playing along offensive point, you maybe able to psych out your opponent. The purpose is to outlast the opponent and test the opponent's patience. This is an effective tactic for establishing momentum or breaking an opponent's rhythm in a match. Your opponent'srealizationthat you can dominate long rallies can have a psychological effect on his or her game, leading to more errors.
• Swing volley. Aggressive baseline players use the swing volley to launch a surprise attack off a deep ground-stroke shot. Especially effective on high looping balls, the swing volley allows a player to move to the net without having to wait for a short ball.
rally by using a slice backhand to build disguise for the eventual dropshot. The dropshot forces the opponent into net and allows you to control the point. The lob works well to complete this combination, taking advantage of passingshot.
well as a one-two punch, first opening the court, then finishing the point.
volley. Approach down the line, take position at the net, and finish the point with an angle volley.
In summary, you have learned how shotselection affects your ability to cover the court, the correct recovery positions foreach shot, anc i how much time you have to recover. You also learned how to establish a match each part of your game, and how to work tactically based on your strengths and style of play.
situations expecting long, tough rallies. Be prepared to go the distance. Use what you do best as often as possible and never give up. When you have your opponent down, keep the pressure on, stay on your gameplan, and finish strong. If you are losing and your gameplan is failing, adjust your plan or even gamble. Do what it takes to break your opponent'smomentum.
Learn to become aware of your opponent'sabilitiesandweaknesses. Test your opponent early to see if he or she knows what you knowabout shot strategy will certainly give you an advantage.
One of the greatest sources of confidence is feeling that youare prepared. You the test ahead. By developing reliable and consistent routines in preparation players.
before the match, a proper diet, specific plans for transportation to the match shorts, a warm-up suit, grips, and so forth.
athletes begin their mental preparation the night before the match.
First, we encourage players to devise a written gameplan consistent with advantage of them? How are they going to hide their weaknesses? Then we theirgameplan.
to be confident, what it feels like to be a winner.
gies are useful for days when a player feels flat.
regard to speed, reaction to spin, slippery areas, and soon. They should also assess environmental conditions, suchas the sun, shade, wind, and placement of spectators. When warming up, players should evaluate the opponent's strengths and weaknesses and process the information dispassionately. We remind players that this is a time to gather information, not a time to judge whether an opponent is better or worse than they are. By making judgments, players may either lose confidence or become overconfident.
inevitably cause players to make changes on match day. We strongly encourtionscanbehelpful.
Here are some examples. What will you do if your opponent is rude to you partner, or parent that takes place just before the match begins? How will you react to drawing a player you'veneverbeatenbefore? How will you cope with distractions, suchas an opponent who cheats or a crowd that cheers more loudly for your opponent than it does for you? Adversity can strike in myriad ways before or during a match. Being prepared to handle all circumstances canhelp you perform optimally. Dealing effectively with uncontrollable situations canhelp you stay focused on the things that you can control—attitude, concentration, and effort.
Berra. Either way, themessage is clear—keep fighting, keep trying, and maybe you can turnaround a hopeless match, game, or set. When it'seasier to quit than come back, the real winner keeps fighting until the final whistle. Vince Lombardi, thelegendaryGreenBayPackerscoachsaid,"We never attitude.
walls:"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
Mental toughness separates great players from good players. Whether winning or losing, great players will fight and claw for each point. They will not give up, regardless of the score. When great players lose, they leave heart and soul on court. These players can look at themselves in the mirror after the match and say, "I gave it my all—Ihavenothing left." If you have this attitude, any loss means you got beat.
This type of mental toughness is evident in successful players like John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, and Chris Evert—players who never thought they were beaten. This belief, even though each developed itinadifferent way, prevailed when defeat was near. Evert says she played not to lose. Connors played only to win, often forgetting to serve and battling until he left everything on court.
habits and continually focusing onmental preparation and concentration.
Sports psychologists tell us to visualize winning shots and winning points, one at a time. Maintain your rituals whether winning or losing, staying focused by taking deep breaths and adjusting your racquet strings.
thing is going to happen that will enable you to prevail. The score is secondary. You should manage each point, each game, withthe entire contest score.
One of the toughest areas of sport to master is to stay focused when winning, often elusive, and it can escape the faint of heart.
combination of events. First, your opponent is at the threshold of defeat and the gameplanthatgot you to match point. Some call it a shift in momentum, it usually does.
intensify it."Don'tchangefromabaselinestyletoservingandvolleying.
Stay with the game that enabled you to succeed.
something every athlete must cope with. No one is immune. Some mask the feeling better than others do. Losing when victory seems imminent occurs in all sports. There isn't a formula, but there is one thing that you can do to avoid at equality matches.
to focus on the outcome rather than the process of how to get where they want to go. To attain a victory, you must take one shot at a time and play each point individually.
playerslikeRoscoe Tanner and Victor Amaya had huge serves but little else. They lived and died with the serve. Inthe 1980 sthepowergameshiftedto and Jim Courier, who have not only big forehands butalso the ability to take their opponents on the defensive with their weapons.
Power players love to discourage their opponents by hitting a high number of winners and playing quick points. Doing this achieves two things.
play. Second, opponents make more unforced errors because the power player is hitting a constant barrage of winners. Power players seek to play quick points because their opponents then have little time to gain confidence or develop a good rhythm. The power player'sfoethusbecomesmore uncomfortable as the match progresses. How do you counter and adjust to the big hitter? How do you get back into the match? When you understand what the power player looks for and thrives on, you can more easily develop a gameplan to retaliate.
is coming hard and fast, you must pick the ball up when it leaves your opponent'sracquet. You do not have time to wait until the ball crosses the net or bounces on your side of the court. Prepareandmovetotheballimmedialso remember to shorten your backswing, which will help you keep the ball will lose. You must try to win off your opponent'smistakes, not off your winners. Strive to putas many balls in play as possible.
Be extremely patient. Remember, the power player loves pace and likes to play quick points. Therefore, whenever possible use change ofpace to angles, however, you must move closer to the baseline to reduce the amount of court your opponent has to work with.
Now that we have established a plan to use against the power player, you should be less concerned with the outcome. Remember, itis easier to develop and implement a game plan if you understand what your opponent is trying todo. If you implement these tips each day in practice, victories will come sooner and more often than you thought possible.
During the more than 40 yearsthatIhave been teaching tennis, Ihavenever seen a match won or lost solely on the basis of cheating or gamesmanship.
using these manipulative, unethical tactics.
your strokes is undeniably cheating, tennis does not clearly define cheating.
tennis and a lack of personal etiquette.
ever, are acceptable. For example, aplayer may attempt to change the tempo of play and upset an opponent'srhythm.
an official or accuse your opponent of foul play.
opponent again if he or she is sure. If, in your opinion, your foe needs an eye exam, put your racquet down and ask for a monitor to watch the match.
To neutralize an opponent who employs gamesmanship, I encourage my players to pay attention to their own game and not become caught up in their
•Make big serves.
• Get to net.
•Make good shots.
• Play longer points.
• Focus on the ball and think only of the point being played.
ship, athletes must learn to cope with umpires or referees and their calls.
Regardless of the referee or umpire, players must know how to put a call or no-call behind them and concentrate on their gameplan.
player may not get the call. The sight of the opposing player streaking down thesidelinetowardthebasketcanfurtherantagonizetheplayer. Despite havingfourfouls, the player may yield to the natural tendency to race back and reach in from behind to get the ball back. By committing a stupid foul, however, this player fouls out of the game and hurts the team. In basketball, players are taught to disregard a referee's horrendous call or no-call and shift focus back to the task at hand—carrying out the gameplan and winning the game. No athlete can afford to let a call disrupt his or her focus.
The great Billie Jean King frequently mentions that during a match she was so focused and so into the next point that she would forget whom she was playing. Her attention centered on the ball and the points he was proactive approach to sportpsychology, in contrast to today'sreactive methods. As a total-program approach to playing tennis, it combines every aspect of the player'slife. Mental efficiency provides the tools to obtain and maintain a higher level of play, evenif an opponent displays gamesmanship or cheats. It sets a focus onthe main reason the player is out there. As A1 Davis ofthe Oakland Raiderssays,"Just win baby, just win!"
listenedtoVicBraden, Dennis Vander Meer, and the others, it is time to develop your game. At the academy, we preach, coach, and teach playing within your style and capabilities. Don'ttrytobeanotherMac, Jimmy, the baseline. If you like to attack, chip and charge, serve andvolley, then play what you like best. If you area counterpuncher, invite your opponent to net by employing dinks, dropshots, and angles. If you like to run and have the discipline to stay on the court all day, then, of course, become a moonbailer.
All styles can work. Players from around the world have used them to win championships. Look inside yourself and decide honestly what best suits your capabilities. Having defined yourself, structure a plan of attack. Don't deviate and don't compromise. You will always beat your best working your strengths. To steal from a well-knownswoosh, just do it!
Think of the consequences for Jim Courier if a coach had insisted that he change his controversial grips or stop running around his backhand. What would have become of his devastating inside-out forehand? Could he possibly have achieved a no.1ranking? What if Becker'scoach had insisted that he not dive for volleys? Play in a style that makes you comfortable. Whatever the result, you will walk offcourt feeling good about yourself.
players is endless, and you might just be one of those players who stayback and hit ground ball after ground ball.
Obviously, the reverse is also true. If your forehand or backhand is weak, you can minimize the weakness by coming to the net quickly and often.
the time. Never neglect any weakness in your game, but don't magnify it by strengths rather than strengthen your weaknesses. Ihave seen many players become disenchanted with our sport because they could not overcome a strengths.
more matches.
eralstatementsfocus on helping all players get the most from today's complex, high-tech racquet products and services. Experimentation with this knowledge will help you fine-tune your specific equipment needs.
other tennis product manufactured today, but playstanch product specifications and design objectives. By understanding yc^urindividualecjuipment needs, you will stay healthier and win mc^re matches.
stringbech(the strings in the racquet).
This chapter by Tom Parry.
• 30 percent of the energy comes fromthe ball(a rubber object in motion with its own energy).
frame(frame only, not the strings).
ness,"or resilience)of strings.
tennis ball, the strings! Whatever type or brand of string you use, the they can affect your game.
1 . Lower string tension generates more power (providing that excessive string movement doesn'toccur).
placement of the ball improves).
3. A longer string, or string-plane area, produces more power.
4. Lower string density(fewer strings in the string pattern)generates more power.
5. Thinner strings generate more power.
shock atimpact.
7. Softer strings, or strings with a softer coating, tend to vibrate less.
8. Thinner strings produce more spinon the ball.
9. Lower string density(fewer strings)generates more spinon the ball.
10.
The more elastic the string, the more tension is lost in the racquet after a string job(prestretching will reduce this effect).
Not too long ago, players had just two choices in strings—natural-gut strings or nylon strings. Natural-gut strings were the strings used when tennis was to natural gut.
such strings are made froma nylon-based product. True, many synthetic-gut strings, but in basic chemical analysis they are virtually the same product.
feel confident in continuing to use that product. But remember, a freshly strung racquet with the basic nylon string will greatly out perform an expensive synthetic-gut string that is old and has lost its resiliency.
specific purpose.
Of these eight construction types, solid core /single wrap is by far the most widely manufactured string, making up over 70 percent of all strings manufactured today. The main reason for the wide acceptance of this string is its overall performance at a price much lower than the price of natural gut.
To define each category better, let'slookatthespecificgroupsandtheir playing characteristics.
Polyester strings fall in the solid-core category. Although they have been around for many years, polyester strings have recently found great popular different gauges(string thickness)and from a variety of manufacturers. The advantages and disadvantages areas follows:
• Greater control* • Less ball speed*
• Claims of exceptional feel • Increased shock and vibration
• Resistsnotching • Difficult to install(for stringer) control also means that the player cannot hit the ball ashard.
Solid core /single wrap synthetic strings make up 70 percent of today's string abrasion sca used by impact with the ball.
Because of the string'spopularity, a wide choice of gauges is available.
string type for you, shop around. Youcan probably find the same string from several companies, differing only in packaging and pricing.
playability as well as more durability.
• Softer feel on the arm • Feels less crisp
• Resistsnotchingbetter • Greater tension loss
• Variety of gauges • Less durability fibers twisted together in a manner similar to natural gut. Fibers vary in thickness and number and are not wrapped around a center core. The biggest advantage of this type of construction is playability. These strings are closely resemble natural gut in all characteristics.
• Excellent for wide-body frames
Multi core/Single Wrap Synthetic Strings A relatively new category is the multi core/single wrap synthetic string.
multifilament string.
and may increase playability because the multi core scan be made smaller.
This type of string makes up asmall portion of the string market.
the best attributes from each. Forexample, regular nylon fibers maybe combined with Kevlar or Zyexfibersto produce a string that is more durable find at retail outlets.
similar material and the cross strings area regular nylon. As with any string.
• Loss of playability before break the main strings of the racquet produce the power. The cross strings serve mostly to keep the mains from wandering around on contact with the ball.
These strings should be the last resort for someone who needs added durability because the excessive shock and vibration to the arm can cause tennis elbow. Junior players who are just starting out or adults who have experienced armor shoulder problems shouldtry a thick, durable string or aracquetwithatightstringpatternbeforegoingtoaKevlar-type hybrid.
• Excellent durability • Excessive shock and vibration to arm
• Holds tension well • Very low resiliency
’^The extremely low elongation and resiliency of Kevlar diminishes ball speed, so the player experiences a feeling of greater control.
The gauge of a string is the thickness(or diameter)measured before traction
(tension) is applied. Gauge is measured in millimeters and grouped into reference categories, which are what most people refer to when discussing gauge. By studying table 14.1, you'llseethatopiniondiffersaboutwhere
14.1 begins with thick strings and progresses to thin ones. Of the gauges available,16gauge(1.26-1.34millimeters) is the most popular. Pormostplayers this gauge delivers the best blend of power, control, and durability. Thinner strings play better(refer to the 10 commandments of strings)but are not as durable. The following chart shows how string gauge affects playability. Remember what you have learned about how the construction of a string affects its reaction.
Remember that thinner strings are more elastic than thicker strings. This means that thinner strings can store more energy at the same reference tension.
The actual tension felt in the racquet will be much different. If you string your racquet at 60 pounds witha 15- gauge string(thick)and like the way it plays accordingly. Players should experiment with gauges to find the best possible construction will play differently when used in a different gauge.
Despite the countless number of synthetics on the market today, most players still judge natural gut the best. String manufacturers try vigorously to duplicate its exceptional feel and playability, but so far they have fallen short. Thus we often hear or read the statement"Plays most similar to natural gut."
requires up to three months from start to finish.
accounts for its high price compared with synthetic strings.
Natural gut is the best playing string available; its power is unmatched.
absorbs shock and vibration much better as well. The actual"dwell time" synthetics, so the player experiences a much greater feel. An old saying in the tennis world is this:'"Once you have tried gut, you will never go back to a synthetic. You'rehooked!"
Over the years, people have questioned the durability of natural gut. These doubts havearisenbecause some stringers don't know how to handle natural gut. Natural gut is extremely durable when handled correctly and remains playable longer than a normal synthetic string. Synthetic string will of normal play, whereas natural gut will stay resilient for its entire life.
If you have had armor shoulder problems, natural gut is the best remedy intestine, twisted together to form the string. Each ribbonacts independently list further addresses the benefits and drawbacks of natural gut.
fine-tune these recommendations.
The most important thing to remember is that tension is only a number. What a particular stringing machine is set to when youare having a racquet strung encetension." The actual tension of the racquet after stringing can vary from the reference tension by as much as 25 percent, almost always on the low side.
Let'slook more closely at these variables so that we can better understand their effect on the tension requested.
makeshiftawlstoinstallstrings. They achieved tension by wrapping string aroundthedowelsandtwistinguntiltheyheardtheproperpitchfrom pluck ing the string. The stringer would then carefully install an awlintothe frame hole, pinchingthetensionedstringtotheframe. The entire frame was done this way! Because they achieved proper tension only by hearing a certain pitch, these early stringers varied from one to another. Stringers gave unique attention to each racquet, so players rarely changed from one stringer to another.
The first mechanical stringing machines were in the form of a drop-weight stringers could begin to duplicate each other'sworkmoreprecisely.
turedbyPrinceandcalledtheNeos). Many are still in use today and have been applauded for their years of reliable service and adequate consistency.
Electronic(or constant-pull)machines are today'sstate-of-the-art equipment. By pulling tension at a specific, precise amount, the machines have eliminated almost all human factors. These machines are the only ones that can account for the differences in elongation, friction, and resiliency of different string types. Electronic machines, by far the most accurate machines available today, are used at every major professional tournament.
As mentioned before, tension is only a number. Reference tension and actual tension can differ by 5to 25 percent. Accurate calibration will help reduce the difference between the two. Because of differences in construction, actual tension produced by the three types of machines will differ even when each is calibrated to be the same. Knowing the specific differences between these machines will help you request areference tension when going from one machine to another.
For example, suppose you want your racquet strung at areference tension of 60 pounds. You usually have your racquet strung on an Ektelon(crank, spring-activated)machine. You should request the following for the other machine types(assuming that all machines a recalibrated correctly).
• Drop weight:5to1 0 percent greater reference tension(63to 66 pounds)
This does not mean that an electronic machine strings tighter than a crank, spring-activated machine. It only means that an electronic machine strings more accurately to the reference tension requested! Elongation, friction, and soon have less effect on this type of machine.
intelligent and play with a string tension that is best for your game.
starting work. By knowing that the machine will perform the same from one to ask the stringer when the machine was last calibrated and if it's OK. Each company issues specific guidelines about proper calibration techniques. Shy away from a shop or stringer who doesn't know when or how to calibrate the work as you are about your game!
a stringer as someone who strings tight or loose. This usually refers more to finished pulling tension, the string job will feel loose to the player.
two factors that most affect tension, but there are others.
strings feel different. Even at the same reference tension(tension the machine in your racquet, your regular reference tension may give you a very different differences first.
Different racquets have different string patterns for a reason(see figure 14.1). Denser patterns (more main and cross strings)deliver greater string durability and more control because the strings move lesson impact with the ball. Open string patterns tend to enhance power and spinon the ball when struck. Because it has more string, a dense-pattern racquet will feel as ifitis strung tighter than a comparable racquet with a more open string pattern.
Figure 14.1 Different racquets have different string patterns.
requested reference tension is 60 pounds. A player comparing the two would not the frame).
racquet strung at the same tension.
racquet, but some overlook the distinction and don't understand why there is a difference. Some stringers will be lazy and simply install the strings into the racquet as fast as they can.
As a serious tennis player, youshould know the correct way to have your fatigue and can create a different feel on the string bed.
The United States Racquet Stringers Association(USRSA) is the only worldwide organization that actively tests stringers around the world. Look forthe worldwide symbol of a USRSA certified racquet technician(CRT), the designation of the highest level of competence.
The last issue related to tension is the condition of the frame. An old and worn it during the stringing process. The reference tension applied by the machine will be OK, but the actual tension will typically be much less than it was when the racquet was new. The fibers of the frame can't withstand the forces placed on the frame and tend to give, causing the string bed to be softer than it should be.
On the other hand, anew frame that has never been strung will tend to string up looser on the initial stringing, mainly because the grommets haven'tyetbeen"seated"or"conditioned"by having tension applied to them. Many professional players request that anew racquet be strung two to four pounds tighter than normal.
Never attempt to string or play with a cracked or broken frame. Serious damage to yourself or others may occur! Be respectful of others and discard the racquet properly so that no one will attempt to use it.
Some manufacturers recommend prestretching for highly elastic strings. This process slows the initial string stretch(loss in tension)prevalent among these type of strings. The process is accomplished by uncoiling the string set and wrapping the entire length of string around a smooth pole. The stringer then pulls both ends of the string in a slow, gradual motion, holding the string at full resistance for 20or30 seconds. The amount of force needed to accomplish a proper prestretch is 45to50 pounds of pulling force. A proper prestretch should result in the coil being taken out of the string so that it lays flat.
this will help reduce the initial tension loss in natural gut, but the prestretch will not have as great an effect on natural gut as it does on multifilament synthetic string.
If you are accustomed to having your strings prestretched, besure to tell your stringer each time you need service. Don'tassumethatyourstringer will do it just because the string package recommends it! Prestretching will make the string bed of your racquet feel somewhat tighter at the same tension than it would feel without prestretching. This characteristic can be helpful to someone who wants abit more control but can'taf ford to string tighter because of armor shoulder problems.
The elements play a big role in the tension of the strings in your racquet. Heat is the most damaging. Exposure to excessive heat will reduce the ability of the strings to deliver the energy they had when fresh, before exposure.
We have all heard that you shouldn'tleave your racquet in the car on a hot day, especially in the trunk. What does this really mean? How long is too long? How hot i shot? The best way to explain this is by looking attest results about the effect of heat on a freshly strung racquet.
at 60 pounds of tension. Immediately after stringing, all possible measurements were taken onthe string bed. These tests includedtensionfromaBeers tensometerandbeddeflectionfromaBabolatRDC. The string beds of the was a climate-controlled 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
A thermometer placed inside the car measured just how hot the interior of the car would get during the test. The temperature inside(withthe windows displays the results.
This was not an extreme test—people leave their racquets in the car all the time! We performed the test to show that heat becomes excessive in a closed up car. What is it that causes the string to lose so much tension and resiliency in such a short time?
Well, the molecules of the nylon under traction(tension in the racquet) become farther apart and lose their ability to resist the force of the tension.
car had yet to strike a ball, for all practical purposes it was''dead" and should have been restrung. Two hours in the heat had stressed the strings as much as 20to30 hours of normal playing would.
You maybe telling yourself,'Tf heat is this bad, then cold must be good!" All tests have shown that although extreme cold doesn'taffecttensionas heat does, it will make the strings(as well as the racquet frame)brittle. If you live in a climate where you must leave your racquet in the car during extremely cold(below-zero)weather, you need to allow ample time for the racquet and strings to warmup before playing. Remember, a racquet is a non living thing that will lose heat faster than it will absorb it. Wait until the racquet has a normal temperature to the touch. Thirty minutes should be enough.I hope youare playing inside! You will have plenty of timetostretch and prepare for your match.
Unfortunately, most people restring their racquets only when the strings break. The opposite occurs on the professional tour. Pro players restring before every match, and many do so during a match! What is best for you depends on the following:
1. Are you above the novice level of play?
airline flights)?
6.Do you play primarily on clay courts?(Clay tends to wear out strings
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you probably need to be more aware of when to restring.
after every 30 hours of play. The more serious you are, the more often you should restring. Remember that 60 percent of the energy delivered to the ball comes from the strings. Evenif you are just an occasional player who plays season ally, you should restring before each season.
Nearly all tennis players who travel will occasionally need to have a racquet restrung by someone other than the irregular stringer. Tournament players rather than the exception.
regularly strung on?
•What pattern is used on your racquet?(One-piece? Two-piece? Count
• Does your regular stringer prestretch your string?(If you don't know,
• If your regular stringer has made any comments, pass them along.
yourself when you need service from someone else.
Don't blame a stringer for spoiling your vacation or causing you to lose an important match because you couldn'tplaywithyourraccjuet. Chances are that if you had known the answers to the preceding questions, you wouldn't have experienced a problem.
every shop will carry the specific products you use.
All players who travel must be able to arrange for are stringing. Tournament players must do the following additional things.
stringing. This is crucial! Don'twa it until you have to get a racquet strung. Chances are that the stringer will be busy, and you may not get your racquet done as quickly as expected. More important, by having a racquet done before you needone, you'llbeabletojudgethetension.
stringing.
If you prepare yourself successfully and professionally, be prepared to be professionally successful!
Whether you area stringer or someone who is having a racquet strung, this section is important. It deals with the process of installing the strings into a racquet and the basic things you should know.
• Check for any visible cracks or stress marks in the frame. Youshould never restring or play with a cracked racquet. If you area customer just wanting to get your racquet strung, knowing about any cracks will help answer questions that might come as a surprise later. If you area stringer, checking the racquet before doing any work can save you from trying to explain to a customer returning to pickup the racquet that he or she has a broken frame. It is best to do this visual inspection while the customer is present.
• Check the condition of the grommets(plastic protective strips that protect the string and frame). You can often have these replaced for a nominal charge, and doing so will lengthen the life of both the racquet frame and the strings.
• Check the condition of the grip. This is an excellent time to receive a complete tune-up of your racquet. Also, be sure to check the butt cap for loose staples.
The next step is to cut out the old strings correctly. To minimize the stress to the frame when relieving the tension, begin cutting in the middle of the string pattern(see figure 14.2). Cut mains and crosses together in a uniform system as you work to the outer edge of the racquet. Cut at a diagonal direction going up, then down, then up.
of the racquet)for excessive wear. Replace them as needed.
If youcan'tfindareplacement grommetkitforyourracquet, or have only a few holes that need attention, you can use tubing to protect the string from the frame. Any qualified stringer has plenty of experience using tubing and should have an adequate supply on hand.
middle of the string pattern.
alleviate sheer or grommet breakage. Padsareusually used with natural-gut strings in higher tension.
sionalracquettechnicianfirst.
Proper mounting of the racquet in a stringing machine is essential to purchasing an inexpensive home machine because you want to save money racquet causes its shape to change, chances are the machine is inferior or the racquet was mounted incorrectly.
Knowing how to use a particular stringing machine is just as important as knowing how to install the strings. The manufacturer provides a complete before you use the equipment.
stringing machine.
Racquet Patterns We are getting closer to stringing a racquet! Now that we have checked and properly mounted the racquet, we need to know what pattern to use. Every manufacturer has a diagram of the pattern for stringing every racquet they sell. You may need to request one if you don'tknowthecorrectway.
There is only one way to string each racquet! We need to know what holes consistent. The USRSA provide say early digest to its members. Each edition stringer can quickly find the pattern for every racquet.
If as a last resort youare attempting to string a racquet for which youha\'e no directions, look carefully at the existing string pattern. Do not cut it out you will be able to distinguish the mains from the crosses.
differentiate their work fromthe work of others by stringing in a special way.
Usually the knotswill be in a different place. Stringers may use creative knots techniques don'tjeopardize the integrity of the frame or strings, you shouldn't worry.
important difference. Besure that this is the case and that the stringer did not use a"special"technique only because he or she didn't know the proper way to string the racquet!
machine at regular intervals. If you travel witha machine, you must have the a shop should be cleaned and calibrated daily.
Here we discuss grip sizes, how to size a grip for your hand, grip types, and customization techniques.
ment, the smaller the grip size. The most commonly produced sizes available gripsareusuallydescribedinEuropeancountries.
The best way to determine your correct size is to hold the racquet comfortably in your playing hand. Turn the racquet over to expose your palm and fingertips. Youshouldbeabletoplacethepinkiefinger from your free hand comfortably between the heel of your palm and the ring finger of the hand holding the racquet. You should have enough room to just touch each(figure
If you overlap, the grip is too small. Having too small a grip is one of the primary causes of tennis elbow. If you are uncertain about which size to use, play with the larger one. By doing so, you will experience less twisting and torque and thus less shock to the arm.
grip is sized correctly.
fort with a grip of the size you normally use.
changing from one racquet to another(usually one from a different manufacwas." You always need to check the way a new or different racquet fits your hand. Don'tbecomecaughtupinanumber.
but in recent years they have given way in popularity to synthetic grips. Each type has benefits and drawbacks.
Because leather grips are made from a high-grade calf skin, they offer the best grips is that they have a much harder feel on the hand. The average recreational player may develop blisters and perceive more shock to the arm. On the professional tour, most players use a leather grip. Most racquets manufactured today come with a synthetic grip because the cost of a leather grip is much greater.
replace them regularly. Synthetic replacement grips are economical, and you water at first and then become saturated and slippery. The benefit of the extra cushioning is a positive. If you want to reduce the vibration from your racquet, a cushioned synthetic grip will help. Beawarethatthesesynthetic grips do not have a life expectancy similar to that of the racquet frame.A good guideline is to change the synthetic replacement grip every other time you have the racquet restrung, if not more often.
With the overall appeal of modern synthetic grips, overgrips, or overwraps, have become popular. These thin grips are installed directly over the main grip of the racquet. Inexpensive and usually sold in multiple-unit packages, they are intended for short-term use. Literally hundreds of overgrips are available, but they fall into two different basic categories—sticky(or tacky) and dry(or non tacky). Becauseeachofushasadifferentp Hbalance, we produce different kinds of perspiration. So foreach of us, some grip styles will become more slippery than others. No type is betterthan another. The following product examples canhelp you find one that fits your needs.
Players who want a sticky feel should consider one of these tacky overgrips:
These are just a few samples of the hundreds available. By experimentation or by asking someone qualified, you will have no problem finding a perfect type for your specific needs.
Any grip or overgrip must be installed correctly. If you are attempting this for the first time, you need to beaware of a few simple things.
•You must first remove the old grip.
• If you are replacing the main grip of your racquet, you will probably have to remove a staple at the end.
•You will need scissors, as tap ler, and grip tape(usually supplied with new grip).
duplicate the wrap.
left-handed, see the section that follows shortly.
•You always start from the bottom of the racquet!
Almost all of today'sreplacementgrips come with instructions. If youare installing a leather grip, you will also need some double-sided tape to secure the grip to the racquet pal let.
grip of your racquet. Try to follow the pattern of the main grip, starting at the bottom of the racquet.
As mentioned earlier, all racquets from the manufacturers come wrapped side or if you tend to tear up grips quickly, chances are that you can solve the problem by having the grip installed for a left-handed player.
If your grip is old or has been used, you will need to buy a new grip before the other way. Figure 14.5 illustrates the difference.
If youcan'tgetcomfortablewiththe dimensional shape of your grip or you need to enlarge or reduce the size of the pal let, you can customize the grip. Few professional players use the grip size and shape that their racquets come with. On this level, professional racquet technicians rem old the shape to one that is different and personal foreach player. This technical service carries a premium price tag.
• Add-ons—Available at many tennis shops, the add-on is placed between the pal let and the main grip to add one full size.
tureheatgun, heat sleeves also add one full size.
replacement grip somewhat thicker than normal, which increases the size.
Reducing the size of most modern racquets is more difficult. Many of the frames produced today don'thaveafoampalletthatcanbeshaveddown.
Figure 14.5 Right-handed and left-handed grips are different.
tightly to produce a slightly smaller dimension.
person to do the work. Once the process has started, it can't be und one! If you make a mistake you will have to replace the racquet.
end of the racquet. Try a larger one if you have a hard time holding on to the racquet when serving.
material only high enough for onehand to have full touch.
material more or less, you can create a unique, personal feel.
1. A heavier racquet frame generates more power.
2. A heavier racquet frame vibrates less.
3. A heavier racquet frame has a larger sweetspot.
4. A stiffer racquet frame generates more power.
5. A stiffer racquet frame has a larger sweetspot.
flexible racquet frame.
the entire string bed.
8. A larger racquet frame(larger head size)generates more power.
9. A larger racquet frame(larger head size)is more resistant to twisting.
10. A larger racquet frame(larger head size)has a larger sweetspot.
therefore more power.
12. The string be dina longer racquet frame generates more spin because the long frame produces greater velocity.
frame.
The first tennis racquets were wood. Different types of wood created different feels or different kinds of playability. These first racquets varied little in head size, string pattern, or length. The biggest drawback to wood was its weight and stiffness, which limited technical innovation. Equipment had little effect on the game for many years.
A big step for racquet production came with the use aluminum alloys, which allowed companies to make larger, stiffer, and lighter racquets. These new frames allowed the user to hit the ball harder and more accurately. Power quickly overtook finesse among tennis players at all levels.
Soon after their introduction, aluminum frames had to share the spotlight with something even more powerful—composite frames made of graphite and fiberglass. The age of power tennis had arrived.
As we discuss racquet frames, keep in mind that they vary in two ways construction type and frame type.
Racquet companies match the various frame types to the different frame constructions to attempt to bring out the best combination of attributes. Playing style has a crucial role in how a racquet will perform. Keep in mind that there are no bad racquets, only bad choices in racquets!
Beyond these basic principles are other items that can enhance how a racquet will play, including head size, length, beam width, frame type, and material(construction type). Remember also what we have learned about string types and patterns and how they affect the playability of a racquet.
Fet'sdiscusseachofthefouritemsmoreclosely.
Weight, or mass, is a measurement of theo\^erallweightoftheracquet, measured without strings and recorded in grams. Some people still use principles of physicsripplytoeveryracquet—no matter how light or heavy.
The 12 commandments of racquet frames follow these principles, which we expand on here.
tothe ball than a heavy racquet(when swung at the same speed). This simply means that for most people, a lighter racquet will produce less power!
a construction sledgehammer that weighs five pounds. If you were to swing each hammer at the same speed, which would drive the nail with less effort, tennis ball and have the least effect on your body.
read from the butt end of the frame and is usually measured in centimeters.
1. Headheavy(HH)—More of the weight is in the head of the racquet.
2. Headlight(HL)—More of the weight is in the handle of the racquet.
3. Even balance(EB)—The weight is evenly proportioned along the entire frame.
Two racquets of identical weight with different balance will feel completely different. We will discuss this further in the section"Matching Era me Type to Playing Style."You first need to understand the characteristics of balance and its effect on your racquet.
Keep the following example in mind when discussing racquet balance. Let'stake an ordinary 16- ouncecarpenter'shammer. No matter how you pick it up, it will weigh 16 ounces. If you hold it as it was intended to be held, by the handle, it feels head heavy and somewhat difficult to swing. Now hold it by its metal head. It feels lighter, and it is headlight. Itis very easy to swing.
In both cases youare holding the same mass, or weight, but by holding the weight differently you have a different perception of its mass. This is how to describe racquet balance.
Stiffness, or flex, of a racquet is a measurement of how much deflection will occur on the frame when a given force is applied. This is a technical way of describing how much the racquet will give when you hit a tennis ball. We most often think of flex only in the longitudinal axis(from the head to the grip), but the ability of a racquet frame to withstand force placed on it from side to side in the hoop area(where the strings are)also plays a crucial role in its stiffness and in the way it plays. This stiffness of a racquet is known as torsional stiffness.
Without torsional stiffness, a racquet couldn'twithstandanytwistingor torque when a ball is hit offcenter. Generally, the stiffer a racquet frame is longitudinally, the stiffer it will be torsionally.
Racquet companies attempt to make racquets that deliver the best of all worlds. They attempt to make frames that are solid on off-center hits(with high torsional strength)yet are comfortable and controllable(with lower longitudinal stiffness). These frames, typically called wide-body frames, have different beam widths indifferent areas.
stiffness gives control(less torque)and comfort on off-center shots. Both are important and work together to makeup the feel of a racquet on impact.
To understand the issue of racquet stiffness, remember that the stiffer the frame, the less it will deflect on impact. Thus the string bed will have to do more work, and you will have to generate more power. This will cause greater shock to the arm and shoulder.
this lack of power as control. A frame with less stiffness will cause less shock and vibration.
• Improper stringing techniques(wrong pattern, inconsistent
• Court abuse(throwing, hitting the netcord, bouncing on the tip, etc.)
have lost5to10 percent of the original stiffness, replace the frame, no matter how good it looks. Always have this check done in the unstrung condition.
Inertia(or swing weight)is how a racquet feels when you swing it. This is the stand the following example of inertia.
atthe very top of the head of the racquet, and 150 grams at the extreme butt exactly in the middle. Which frame will feel heavier to swing? Why?
head will have more power and control but maybe less maneuverable.
Remember the regular carpenter's hammer in the section on weight? You were not only feeling a difference in weight distribution and balance. When you tried to swing the hammer in the two different conditions, you felt a difference in inertia.
that there are no bad racquets, only bad choices in racquets!
Tennis players are of three basic styles—baseliner, serve and volley, and allcourt. The three basic styles of racquets are headheavy(HH), headlight (HL), and even balance(EB).
Let'slookattheplayingstylesandhowtheydiffer. Baseliners typically feel more comfortable staying backbehind the baseline and hitting ground strokes all daylong. They tend to come to the net only to retrieve balls or shake hands! If this is you, the contact point (where you most often hit the ball on the strings)is probably toward the head of the racquet. Look for ball fuzz to determine this. Baseliners tend to hit most of their balls below the waist. Your contact point is farther away from your body and farther up the string bed of the racquet. Baseliners tend to prefer ahead-heavy racquet because more of the weight is at the head of the racquet(this will also generally give it a higher inertia)and because the sweetspot of a racquet will be more toward where the most head weight is. The head-heavy racquet will have a highersweetspot. Baseliners hit more balls near the head and usually need alittle more power because they play farther from the net. If this is your game style, ahead-heavy racquet will feel most comfortable to you.
Serve-and-v^olleyplayersliketogettonet quickly and force opponents into a defensive position. These players hit most balls above the waist and usually contact the ball closer to the bottom of the string bed, mainly because their hand-eye coordination finds it more comfortable to play the ball closer. The serve-and-volley player usually does not extend the arm as fully as a baseliner does. A head-light racquet is generally preferred here. With a headlight(HL)frame, the serve-and-volley player will have a more maneuverable racquet with a sweetspot that is lower on the string bed.
The final style is a blend of the other two. The all-court player will feel comfortable playing either serve and volley or baseline depending on each point or the opponent. Because this player feels comfortable playing a blend of styles, the racquet will tend to be balanced. Aneven-balance(EB)racquet offers the diversity needed to hit balls from all contact points. The all-court player will have a variety of contact points but tend to hit most balls near the middle of the frame. Thesweetspotofaneven-balance racquet will be toward the middle of the string bed, thus giving the all-court era feel of an equal amount of power and control on contact.
Keep in mind that these are only examples of how to match a style of racquet to a style of player. To determine what style of racquet is best for you, try out a variety of frames to find which type best suits your needs.
Unfortunately, manufacturers have not agreed on a standard classification of head sizes. One manufacturer may refer to a racquet with ahead size of 98 square inches as a midsize, whereas another manufacturer would call the but not exact. You will need to measure the inside diameter of the string bed, both horizontally and longitudinally.
horizontal length of the middle of the string bed.
knowledge of the 12 commandments of frames to help answer the following have too much power a smaller head size(if using a larger one) feel that my racquet is too a smaller head size(if using a larger one) head sizes, every style of frame discussed earlier (head heavy, headlight, and even balance)is available to meet your specific playing style.
the larger the head size should be.
oversize or super-oversize frames.
Deciding on what length of a racquet to use wasn'tan issue until a few years ago. Extra-long, stretch, long body, and extended length are examples of the terminology manufacturers use to highlight racquets that exceed the standard length of 27 inches. The advantages and disadvantages of using a longer frame are listed here. Remember that these generalized statements may not apply to everyone. Your personal results are what matter. You should simply be aware that these differences can affect parts of your game. Note that we are assuming that weight, balance, inertia, and flex are equal and that your ability to swing each frame is the same.
The stiffness of the racquet frame relates directly to how much power it delivers as well as how much shock is created on impact with a tennis ball.
If you have to string your racquet very tightly(over the highest tension recommended by the manufacturer)to gain the needed control, you probably have a frame that is too stiff for your style of play. On the other hand, if you need to string it very loosely (under the lowest tension recommencied by the manufacturer), you should have a stiffer frame for your game. Examples of how stiffness affects your game are listed here. Again, we assume that weight, balance, inertia, and flex are equal and that your ability to swing each frame is the same.
racquet(unstrung) on apiece of test equipment called an RAtest. This device number, the stiffer the frame. So a racquet with an RAof 80 RAunitsis much unofficial classification chart that canhelp you understand stiffness.
of the added force placed on the frame at different tensions, the numbers will be lower when the racquet is strung. If you check the stiffness both ways, you aware of the stiffness of your frame so that you can determine if fatigue is becoming a factor. Ifitis, you should replace the frame.
side)the racquet has.
play. We assume here that you are using the same racquet, string, and string tension, varying only the string pattern.
Don'tbeconfusedbysomeoftheitemslisted. Because a dense string pattern will have smaller spaces between the strings, the string bed will play more firmly because the strings can't move as much as they can in an open pattern. Therefore, although the tension is the same, the feel will be that the denser pattern is strung tighter!
A racquet with a dense string pattern can be areal benefit to someone who has arm, elbow, or shoulder problems and can'tcontrolanopen-pattern racquet. If the player strings the racquet at a lower tension, it feels better on the arm. By going to a frame with a denser pattern, the player can play with reduced string tension and still have the necessary control. This will help reduce the shock and strain that higher string tension places on the arm.
Beaware that if you change racquets, your trusty string tension may not stay the same. Evenif you buy a racquet with the same head size, besure to check for string-pattern differences. The basic classifications for string patterns areas follows:
Remember that the main strings deliver the power and the cross strings give control. More mains mean less power and more control.
•Same tension(unless you feel the need for a little more or less tension
No problem, right? You just go to your favorite sports store and pickup as many racquets as you need of the exact model with the correct grip size. Have your stringer string them with the same string at the same tension. How can you go wrong?
The chances of your receiving frames that feel and play the same are slim! The only thing you can besure of is that the color will be the same. Every manufacturer has tolerances for production as well as multiple factories that make your tennis game sounder. This is no exception.
stiffness. Besure that all racquets have similar stiffness.
along to have it tested against the one or several that you are looking to buy.
your old racquet. Remember to demo any racquet before you buy it.
You probably have many questions about introducing your child to tennis when to start, how to pick an instructor, whether to arrange private or group when their child gets better, they will treat the youngster to a better racquet.
This isn'tgoodenough.
It isn't uncommon to see a child taking a first lesson using Mom or Dad's worn-out adult-size frame. The child is having a hard enough time just moving to the ball, let alone attempting to swing a racquet that is too long and too heavy and has too big a grip. This struggle will leave a lasting impression on the child: playing tennis is hard.
The racquet manufacturers do make frames called junior racquets that come
GLMisawonderfulidea!—shorter frames for smaller, weaker children. Unfortunately, the system doesn'tworkaswellas it sounds. The biggest drawback isn'tin the length; it is in the low quality of the frame and strings. These frames are produced with one goal in mind—to make the most inexpensive racquet possible. This isn'tthe fault of the manufacturers, the same people who produce the best racquets available today. The manufacturers are forced to make a price-point frame that will introduce tennis to as manypeople as possible. Parents are burdened with finding room in their budgets for all the other items that their children need. If these kids are participating in several sports, chances are they also need new ball gloves, soccer shoes, and so forth.
Parents must decide from the start whether tennis is something they want to introduce their child to properly or poorly! All the pieces of the puzzle (suchas proper instruction)need equal attention. Your child can receive the best instruction money can buy, but if he or she can'thit a ball because the low-quality racquet twists in the hands or lacks the stiffness to provide power, tennis will not be any fun.
If you area parent who wants to start your child playing tennis, chances are that you play tennis yourself. I encourage you to stop at the local mass merchant chain store and buy the least expensive adult racquet you can find and actiialhf try to play zvith it. The racquet will probably be made of aluminum, prestrung from the factory, and have a slippery low-quality grip. You will pay $20or $30for it, but you will learn why you shouldn't introduce your child to tennis withthe same crummy racquet, only in a shorter length!
see if any can be reduced in length, weight, and grip size. If so, they will need to be restrung for your child. If your child is just starting out, Isuggest stringing the frame to half of the manufacturer's recommended tension. For example, if the old frame is rated to be strung between 60 and70 pounds, have it strung to 30or35 pounds. The racquet will have the necessary power and the least shock possible, yet it will be easy to hit balls with.
size for your child. The racquet will need to be strung and fitted with a goodquality grip.
Why does this work? Remembering all that we have learned in this chapter, we know that proper construction of a frame will lend more power with less effort and less twisting on off-center hits. We know that a longer frame is produced to be more headlight to offset the extra length, so cutting playing success.
Your child'sintroductiontothe game of tennis is your responsibility. How success and fun your child has playing one of the true lifetime sports.
With most items we buy, it seems that lighter, faster, stronger, and bigger are tions, or the way the game is played. If the size of atennis court had increased field with a net at the 50- yard-line.
their racquets by watching you play; neither should you by watching them!
I like to use the following example to explain the previous statement.
instant do we think we could do the same. Nor dowethinkthattheFordor Chevy we see on the track is available at the local dealer'slot.
suited to your needs.
tennis, stay healthier, and win more matches. As with anything important to you, seek professional advice.
This is the most complicated and critical section of this chapter. With all we have learned, we should realize that there is not a perfect racquet that will work for everyone.
Even if you understand all the information in this chapter, you will probably be unable to buy a new racquet that will be perfect for you. We all have unique equipment needs. These needs could be as simple as being lefthanded and needing the grip wrapped correctly or as complex as needing a specialized grip mold that fits your hand exactly
Whatever the case, we could all benefit by fine-tuning our equipment. This is where the factories leave us and the racquet technicians takeover. The knowledge needed to apply customization to each player'sspecificrequirements makes the work of the technician an art. These artisans can adjust your racquet, strings, and so on so that the equipment performs optimally and fits your needs perfectly.
In this section I will try to give you some knowledge about what happens when a racquet is customized. Why is lead tape added? How do you know where to add it? How much should be added? These are some of the basic questions answered in this section.
Let'sstartwithunderstandingthateverytennisracquethasthreesweet spots: COP(center of percussion), node(nodalpoint), and COR(coefficient of restitution). Let's define the sweet spots and their locations more precisely.
1 . COP, or center of percussion, is the point on the string bed where the impact of the ball gives your hand the least shock. This is also the point where a hit of the ball is described by players as feeling good. COPlocationwill depend on weight distribution. Basically, COP will move toward the location of the greatest mass, or weight, in the frame. If you have ahead-heavy racquet, COPwill be higher up the string bed. A head-light racquet will have COPloweronthestringbed. COPwillbelocatedapproximately 17to20 inches from the but tend of a regular 27- inch racquet(depending on weight distribution), close to the middle of the string bed.
2. Node, or nodal point, is where the least amount of vibration occurs when hitting a ball. The actual location will always be slightly lower than COP. When you strike the ball with the node, you will feel as if you didn'thit the ball at all.
3. COR, or coefficient of restitution, is the point on the string bed that when struck delivers the greatest amount of power back to the ball. Its location is low in the string bed, close to the throat bridge of the frame. COR delivers the greatest power because it is located soclose to the center of gravity of the racquet. The laws of physics apply to how an opposing force reacts on the mass and center of gravity of an object. Basically, the ball hits close to the halfway point(middle)of a racquet. Because almost the same amount of opposing force is applied to both halves of the racquet, the least amount of twisting occurs to the frame. Tennis players seldom strike this spot because it is soclose to the hand. When a professional player is jammed on a volley, you may see that the player hits the ball much harder than the swing warranted. TheplayerprobablyhittheballonorverynearCOR.
As mentioned earlier, the three sweetspot sexist in every racquet and will ball. Although this works in theory, we have learned(fromthe example of the from hitting a tennis ball.
that the arm would have less weight to move when swinging. Again, remember how light the carpenter's hammer felt when we held it backward.
The mass was the same, but the feel was very different. The farther the weight is from the hand, the greater the weight will feel when we swing the racquet.
Many people may already have the correct racquet for their game but need a little fine-tuning to make it even better. The new lightweight racquets may be the perfect example.
The current trend for the average recreational player is to have a very light have to lose, except maybe another match to the same person who beat you before you spent money on the latest, greatest, lightest racquet!
If you have started to experience arm problems that you never had before,
•Where does the racquet feel too light or too heavy to you?
•Do you need more power? More control?
• Does the frame feel as if it twists when you hit the ball?
•Where do you most often strike the ball?(Check the string bed for ball
•Do you hit flat or with topspin?
prefer?
•Do you have arm, shoulder, or wrist problems?
The preceding questions are just a sample of those that you should be able racquet is different, the application used may differ. The result, however, should be the same when custom fitting a racquet.
If you are going to experiment, start by asking if the racquet you are planning to customize is the correct style for your game. If you feel that it is but want to fine-tune it, start by looking at table 14.4, which gives some
1 need My racquet feels Add lead-tape here Test amount examples about how to gain more power. We will refer to the racquet head as a clockface when recommending where to apply the lead tape.
These are only basic recommendations for you to try. Add lead tape until you feel the weight is too great. Then start removing it until you find the best condition for your needs.1highly recommended that you seek professional assistance about customizing your racquet.
choices.
1970s. The boom created many tennis enthusiasts and along with it an over building of commercial tennis centers. Ultimately, a fallout occurred. The clubs still operating successfully have sound business plans and competent people who have adapted to a changing market.
Inthe 1970 swe had to convince people that spending their discretion ary dollars on recreation was worthwhile. Today we have to convince them to choose tennis over all the other recreational choices available. This chapter shows you some of the options available in tennis clubs today.
Tennis clubs have a variety of program options from which you can choose. Clubs divide court time into categories, each targeting a different time and day:
Point,Cincinnati,Ohio.
usually sold for a 33-to 38- week season, from mid-September through April time each week for the entire indoor season.
commitment, but bus ier clubs feel this is not necessary because the demand time for the season.
hours with permanent-time contracts, leaving a large portion unsold and up to the imagination and hustle of the club staff.
Activities should be available for players at all levels. A cardinal rule is to make certain that ability groupings are accurate. Clubs often do this with a playing has the proper rating.
Leagues and play groups can be categorized by degree of competition.
• Best time plays: women—12noon to2 p.m. Monday through Friday; men—Saturday afternoon; career women and mixed doubles—Sunday evening
• Best times to schedule: women—8:30a.m. to 10 a.m. Mondav through Friday,11a.m. to1p.m. Monday through Friday,9p.m. to 10:30P.M. Monday through Thursday; men—9p.m. to 10:30p.m. Monday through Thursday; career women—9p.m. to 10:30p.m. Monday through Thursday; juniors—5p.m. to8p.m. Saturday
• Best time to schedule: a slow weekday evening,8p.m. to 10:30p.m.
Although no single element or program is more important than another, the sionalstaff of the club be welltrained in every phase of teaching, organizing, and communicating.
Tournaments play an integral role in club programming. Too often, the word tournament implies a competition for only the best players. Make certain that your club schedules adult and junior tournaments at all levels.
What does it take to become the no. 1 tennisresortintheUnitedStates? At the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort, ideally situated on 18 tropicalgulffrontacresonbeautifulLongboatKey, the answer lies in the word family.
“This has been our family’s life and business for 30 years,”said Colony president Katie Klauber Moulton.“Our family and staff work to create every day a home away from home for our guests—a casual, secluded resort which people look forward to coming back to year after year.”
Whether it’sthetennis, the magnificent beach and warm waters of the Gulfof Mexico, the exceptional all-suite accommodations, or the other amenities that the Colony offers, it’seasy to understand why Tennis Magazine has rated the Colony the nation’sno. 1 tennis resort for four consecutive years.
Tennis Anyone?
The Colony’sowner. Dr. Murray“Murf”Klauber, movedtoLongboatKey from Buffalo, New York, in 1969. The reason?“Are you kidding?”he says. “This place is paradise. You won’tfindanothersettingasbeautiful as this
When Murf packed up his family andmovedtoSarasota, he took with him a love for tennis and a vision for the resort he wanted to create.“There was one court when we arrived,”here members. “It wasn’tmuch, but it was a firsttennispro. Gene Nolan.
Murf’spass i on for the game guided, and still guides, every decision. “I knew if we did this right we could create a unique destination for young people and young families. Every decision I made came back to the question,‘Who’sgoingtocome?”’
atthe Colony—the game of your choice. And, if we can’tmatchyouwitha comparable player, one of the Colony’sproswillplay with you at no charge,” tennis resorts. Also, we have never charged for court time. That’scompletely against our policy.”
The timing of Nick Bollettieri’sarrivalattheColonyin 1976 was fortuitous. Klauber was looking for someone new to head up his tennis program.
*This section by the staff of the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort. Longboat Key. Florida.
“The publisher of Tennis Magazine me and said that he knew I was on the payroll. A tennis writer for theC/?/ca5 rorr//7ry/? e simply said,‘Don’thire be my perfect match, and hired him on the spot,”said Murf. “In ever
Nick’sdaysattheColonywerefilledwithlessonsandclinicsforguests.
were Jimmy Arias, Carling Bassett, RilBaxter, Pam Casale, and many more.
the Klauber sand Bollettieri remains strong.
being stabbed in Germany. There isa lotoftennishistoryontheColony courts.
be.
ing programs for juniors. The Colony offers a complimentary tinytots fashion.
video analysis.
junior programs also offer the opportunity for families to build relationships whiletheyvacationattheColony.
“A tennis resort-a truly superior resort-is more than just tennis,”said Katie.
is much, much more.
“In 1972 we made the decision to convert to an all-suitecondominium resort, and I went out and personally sold every unit,”said Murf.“We knew we didn’twant it to be just another‘brass and glass’hotel. What we were creating was asmall village—a home away from home.”
The decision to transform the Colony stemmed largely from the family focus of the resort.“When you travel as a family, you need extra room,”said Murf. We want you to feel you’rea tho me. There is no reason why parents and kids can’teach have their own space. It’smorefunforeverybody.” Executives, couples, honeymooners, and families with children all find accommodations to suit their needs. Guests choose from 232 spaciousvilla suites. All feature comfortable contemporary furnish ings, a living room, dining area, balcony, and as many as three bedrooms. Also standard are full kitchensandmarblemasterbathswithsteamshowers and whirlpool baths.
“The Colony guests usually have one of two priorities,”said Katie.“Tennis and the amenities or the beach and the amenities. Fortunately, we can offer both.”
clear, warmturquoisewatersoftheGulfofMexico. If golf is your game, the Colony has memberships at eight of Sarasota’spremiercoursesandcan arrange a tee time at the course of your choice.
Youcan’tseparateonepartoftheColony’sexperiencefromtherest,” said Katie. “It’sapackage-from the fabulous food, to the extraordinary fitness programs, to the world-class tennis, to the well-stocked shops, the naturally beautiful environment—it’sat otal experience and our attention to each of those details has made us no. 1 for four consecutive years.”
One resort amenity that has been a key to the Colony’s success is the Colony Restaurant and its off shoots, the Bistroat the Colony, the Patio, the Monkey Room, and Tastebuds.“The Colony Restaurant is one of Sarasota’shighly acclaimed fine dining establishments, havingwonthecovetedGolden Spoon Award for five consecutive years as one of Florida’stop 20 restaurants, said Katie. The Colony has also wontheDiRoNaAward, is a member ofthe Restaurant News Dining Flailof Fame, and has wontheGrandAward from Wine Spectator every out foods that guests can enjoy inthe privacy of their suites or as a delectablepicniconthebeach.
offer such amenities.
So, ultimately, what is it that sets the Colony apart? Why has Tennis Magazine sooftenhonoredtheColonyasthisnation’sno. 1 tennis resort? Many would say itgoesbacktoMurfKlauber.“He can be extremely guests.”Murf added,“I’vealwaysfelt everyone should experience firstclass.
don’tjustmeanourphysicalfamily. I also mean the members of our staff.
“Quality, sen/ice, and the price-value relationship are the cornerstones of the Colony’ssuccess,”said Katie.“We always want to give people what they want and more. We are in the business of providing extraordinary memories for our guests.”
The reason the Colony is no. 1 is that we’ven ever lost sight of the fact that this is all about having fun,”said Murf.“This isn’tadrill-sergeant type of tennis camp. We’renotheretocreateplayersintheColonyimage. If you come and have the best vacation you’veeverhad, we’vedoneourjob.”
Historically, Friday and Saturday nights are the prime times to schedule parties at a club.
Many clubs host regularly scheduled club mixed-doubles parties. By combining organized play, rotation, breaks for refreshments, open play, and conversation, the evening can offer everything the club player wants. Clubs may also target the singles group.''Doubles for Singles"parties can be successful activities.
Look for the availability of special events when choosing a club. A creative, well-planned special event will cause excitement throughout the membership and promote the growth of tennis.
Special events can take many forms. They may be used as charitable fundraisers. Pro-ams are always fun and involve players and spectators. This event lends itself to sponsorship and charities.
Specialty clinics using prominent tennis authorities can make the club buzz. Some of the world'stop tennis names are often available to make such appearances. I enjoy taking my staff as well as current and former students to clubs to share our knowledge and passion for the game.
Pro legends from the 1960 slikeFredStolle, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, and Marty Riessen are appealing to most club memberships and are available.
Some clubs secure a sponsor and host a four-or eight-man(or woman) tournament using up-and-coming young pros or pros from yesteryear. They a clinic, and the competition.
evolution of society.
possible by such developments as flex time at work and greater discretionary and better citizens.
To understand the role and function of a public tennis facility, we might ask why we need such a facility. Couldn'tthe private sector promote and develop tennis programs? Why should the taxpayer'smoney be invested in programs?
activities are part of the fabric of our daily life, then we have to say that sports and, in our case, tennis, is a public affair.
Consequently, developing a tennis facility is a question not only of project.
society asense of order and stability. Few sports have the international dimension of tennis. Its players are welcomed anywhere in the world. For some people, local availability is a serious factor in making the decision about where to live. Availability has an effect on real estate in communities where tennis is exceptionally popular(Atlanta, Florida, Southern California).
The political machinery to promote and develop a public tennis facility responds to the needs of people to play, learn, and meet. Accessibility is a key.
*This section by Ivo Barbie, North Fulton Tennis Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
open access to its tennis courts. In other words, courts will always be available for play without a reservation.
In general, the public is interested in promoting and developing the game beyond personal needs. It is motivated by social interest to educate others, to promote the health benefits of the sport, and to develop a stronger community through organized programs. A public tennis facility can be a neutral ground for public officials to meet and use tennis organizations, other associations, and the public in general. The facility is integrated among other businesses by its exterior aspects(building)and internal affairs(management programming). Serving the community with tennis programs and social interactions becomes the primary role of the facility. It is important for the operator of the facility and its landlord (county, city, or recreation department)to understand that the tennis business has the public in mind.
Tennis as a whole is composed of many small groups or cliques. Theclique or group chooses a place to gather, compete, and grow. Motives for joining a group include level of play, social status, and having a similar work place. Players may join a team for league play, because they have a desire to compete, or simply to be part of atennis movement. When all those motives can be tied together in a convenient, secure, and friendly environment, a facility can become reality. It is then that people relate to a place('Tplay at . .
), but more important they relate to people, participating and sharing the tennis experience in an organized or casual way.
Because that place becomes animportant tennis rendezvous within the community, it is important for the operator to meet the challenge of developing the facility as an appealing destination.
From the entrance all the way to the courts, the physical environment should please the eye and make patrons proud of the place. Asense of life throughanambianceofcolorsandshapeswillgrabpatrons^attention and encourage others to become involved.
Everyday the facility'she art beat should show its strength. Tennis is not an obligation; it is a choice that people make. It is essential to show the breadth of the programs and to demonstrate effort to improve. The first concern should be to listen and to try to satisfy patrons'needs rationally and objectively. Organizing courts to suit different groups through scheduling and programming is essential to creating demand.
In general, people love the feeling of structured programs. For instance, through community tennis associations, players will build their own recreation program that the operator and staff can manage, guide, and promote.
It is important that everybody involved feel comfortable and part of the overall tennis experience. Furthermore, because tennis is technical and emotional, the essence of the program should stress a nonjudgmental attitude and encourage universal participation.
What makes a place successful? What makes people want to come and play?
How can a tennis center maintain intensity and enthusiasm in its programs?
people, front-desk employees, and the people who come through the door.
The perception of the place within the community should meet expectations be measured or sold—the feeling of kindness, attention, and credibility. The operator must promote tennis as a way of life by spending endless hours on business out of a game is met by taking care of people first. We, as operators, should knowhow to set the stage for players to perform to their best.
and, unfortunately, insecure. People are seeking a place where they can fulfill their creativity and discover themselves through emotion and experience.
sharing good moments.
delivering recreation and at the same time expanding people'shorizons.
of the program.
and mentally.
With four and a half decades to look back on, what can I say about predicting the future of tennis? The boom of the 1970s and 1980s, when tennis came on thesceneanditspopularitypeakedintheUnited
States, it seemed there would be no end to continued growth. However, things change, and when you have endless options—from computers and video games to television and other activities—the interests of today'syouthbecomesfragmentedin so many directions. Children can develop the habits of always following the"path of least resistance,"steering away from the difficult challenges, like competing in tennis.
Inthe 70 sand80s, children were more inclined to play tennis, because their mothers would play at the club, and the children often sat watching. On the weekends. Dad would play with family and eventually the children would"catch the bug" and want to improve. Today with both parents working in many families, and fewer parents having the free time to spend playing tennis, the exposure of tennis to the children has lessened."Out of sight, out of mind. . . ."The excitement and flair of skateboard ing and activities like it has turned many children'sheads.
Work ethic is much more difficult to instill today than it was years ago.
what it takes to reach their potential, but they are fewer and farther between.
This presents a major concern for me and it should for all families in America.
become more active after school and on weekends.
desire to express themselves through sport. Tennis ranks up there with some child with a solid base of motor skill development prior to starting tennis will be much more inclined to stick with it. Years ago, I would not have hesitated to start a child into tennis at four or five years old. Today, I do not recommend across the country, which I hope will lead to more growth in tennis.
Another area of concern for me is on the high school level. The USTA and
I have just joined forces in the creation of a high school tennisteam program and create more collegiate scholarship players, as well.
both said to me many times that for anyone player to make it through, you must have good players allaround on a daily basis for the head-to-head competition. The strength is in thenumbers, to create a top individual.
players are bigger and stronger athletes, with fewer weaknesses, if any. They cult to beat mentally. If you want to be atop player in the future, you are going to have to love the grind and work extremely hard to develop physically and mentally.
Locatorsfollowedbyt and indicate reference to tables and figures. A college tennis in perspective 34-36 performance 32 support team 33 academy life players 20 bank account, language barriers, and leaving academy grounds 21 chores 20-21 dormsupervisor, assigning rooms, and extra special help 22-23 study hall 20 tournaments 23 video lessons 24
Agassi,Andre 7-8,35,39,113,295,322 Amaya,Victor360 Anger,Matt34 Annacone,Paul 183,422
Arias, Jimmy 2,3,39,291,414 Ashe, Arthur 34 hitting arms or arms and drills for improving posture and muscles 124-125 understanding Boll-is tic backhand 124 backhand(Boll-is tic), foundation
Bollettieri tennis academy(NBTA) chasing the dream 33,36 coaching 5-7 college tennis in perspective 34-36 explained 1 groups 7-8 history. Sec Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy,
Cass, Tim 34 Chang, Michael 115,290,292,323,327 cheating and gamesmanship, handling continuing education, organization and plan benefits of 34,35 doubles 36 going pro, deciding time for 34,35 playersbypassingcollegiatesetup 35 players who utilized collegiate ranks to pros semiwestern grip 11 Of western grip 111/ eastern grip 105/ explained 103 semiwestern grip 106f western grip 107/
Davis, A 1363 DePalmer, Mike, Sr. 2 development studies, specific long-term athlete tors and parents during stages of careers continental /eastern forehand 71-72f continental/semiwestern forehand 72-73f eastern forehand/ western forehand 70f double-handed grips, role of each hand server'spartner 195 which side to play 197 working as team 196-197 additional doubles tips 198 advanced doubles: player roles and posiadultdoubles 199-203 advanced doubles 191-199 ball buckets, placement of 212/' setting specific goal 211,213 too many on court is counterproductive, theory on 216 video drills and dealing with parents 214- 215 elements of disguise 1 75-176 explained 174-175 dropshot, underrated weapon definitions and reasons for using 174 variables and the dropshot 178 when to use and disguising 174-176 winning with dropshot 178-179 dropshot combinations backhand deep slice/dropshot 177 backhand loop/dropshot 177 backhand slice approach/dropshot 177 dropshot and lob 178 dropshot and pass 178 forehand chip approach/dropshot 177 forehand deep chip /dropshot 177 forehand loop /dropshot 177
"Endurance Trainability of Children and Youths" early childhood development of motor skills steps for developing technique into habit 113-114 contact zone and follow-through 117 early and correct racquet preparation 116 explained 114 footwork patterns 115-116 opposite arm and hip loading 118 pulling trigger 117 recovery 118 first-step reaction and footwork strides 119 footwork patterns and early preparation 120 grips and strong foundation 119 hip loading, reco\'erv, and practice mentality pulling trigger and opposite arm 121 temporarvdeclineinsuccess andccmfidence explained 384 proper mounting on stringing machine 385/ futureoftheBollettieriSportsAcademy semiwestern and full western forehand player implementation of strategy 320 working against 324 your plan 322-324 game plans and match strategy metabolic demands and playing surface 255 needs of tennis, determining 255 philosophy of 254 recovery 276-277
Klauber, Murray"Murf"413 Knowles, Mark 183 Korda, Petr 7,62 Kournikova, Anna 55,293 opponent'spositiononcourt 180 sending lob when pushed deep 180 passingshot-lob 181 Lombardi, Vince 359 M
Mayotte, Tim 34 McEnroe, John 34,293,359 Med i ero, Luis 284 Meekma, Ted 3 mental efficiency program achieving self-motivation 305-309 improvement, committing to continuous 316-317 personal development benefits of tennis 300- appropriate age for beginning tennis 297 changing losing game 290-291 coaches 280-281 complex circular relationship 281-283 goodbeha\'i or begins at home 298-299 stimulating growth of tennis in America 284-
Miracle Machine, The(Gilbert)232 Mirnyi, Max 25,137,190 Moulton, Katie Klauber 413 movement, factors influencing first-step reaction 128 footwork patterns 128-129 strong back posture 127 Muster, Thomas 65,77,255,263,327 closing position 168-169 gameplan 164-165
164,164/'
Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy(NBTA), history
Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy(NBTA), present specific long-term athlete development studforcingerrors 166 match statistics, charting 165-166 recov'eryposture 84,85f-86f setup posture for swing 83f-84f positioning, basic court crosscourt approach 344,345/' position when approaching crosscourt 344/" shortest distance to good position at net 343f Powell, Colin 286 power player, combating early preparation and patience 361 understanding strengths and tendencies 360- concentrating like pros 206 Monica Seles—hit ball early 207 not reaching every ball 207-208 reducing unforced errors 207 protraction and retraction 274 shoulder combo 272-274 program time options guidelines for lead tape application 407t head -heavy racquets 405-406 new lightweight racquets 406 placement of weight, questions for determining 406,407 sweet spots: COP (center of percussion), node
12 commandments of racquet frames, guide certified racquet technician for testing parents and coach, relationship between 282- accepting feedback in positive way and show intentional hook 150-151 making the call 150 serve technique, reading 155-156 showdown 152-153 daily loading 13-14 weekly volume and intensity 13 and sample weekly precompetition over-neutral then commit 154-155 powers of influence 153-154 crossing the finish line 147 mastering the throw 145 pivot in the tube 145-146 upward launch 147 where is the whoosh 144-145 grab-it habit 140 havesandhavenots 138-139 men demonstrating potential of hitting sonic rotation of placements 151-152 Sharapova, Maria 8 approach and volley 172 drop shot and lob(or pass), return andvolley shotselectionandrecov^ery in review' example 340,341/' shot down line and distance to recovery opponent's style, tips for picking up ball early 42 considerations before making changes 45-46
Smith, Stan 34 Solomon, Harold 38 ment 232-233/' winning at allages and at all levels and closedstance 95,96/-98/,99, 100/'-102/' neutral stance 87,88/'-90/' return of serv'e consistency and service effecaffectonplayability 371 gauge conversion (USAandEuropeanstring terns 377/" energy created when ball meets racquet, com cutting in middle of string pattern 384/' corner and hit behind; the long point 356-357 deep down the line and short crosscourt 357 ser\'eand \olley; chip and charge 356 sharp angle and crosscourt; corner to corner
356 swing volley; dropshot and lob 357 Tam is vary, Andrea 9 flection 3801 explained 379-380,381 tournament play, preparing for consequences 247,250/ fundamental skills 247 FUNdamentalstageand training-to-training stage, single periodization 246 general patterns of optimum periods of trainability 244/ no limits on trainability 247 optimum periods of trainability 245/' physical development characteristics an dim term athlete development 250-251/’ training-to-compete stage, double periodization and training-to-win stage, multiple periodization 246-247 locating 66/ Wheaton, Da\id 35 White, Anne2
Williams,Serena 7,55,121,323 Williams,Venus 7,48,55,121,323
Nick Bollettieri is the most well-known and successful tennis coach in the world today, and his training program is recognized as one of the best systems for developing top players. He has trained and coached some of the world'stop players including Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Anna Kournikova, Jim Courier, Tommy Haas, Mary Pierce, and Boris Becker.
Bollettieri has built one of the best training facilities in the world, the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which he founded in 1977. Today the Bollettieri Tennis Academy covers 190 acres and has grown into the most successful and diversified multi-sport training complex in the world. The success of his academy can be seen in the success of his students.
Bollettieri started out asaclub tennis coach in the 1950s and once worked asaprivatecoachfortheRockefellerfamilywhileservingasthedirectorof tennis for all Rockefeller-owned hotels and resorts. He founded his first tennis academy, the Port Washington Tennis Academy on Long Island, New York, in 1969.
In 1999 the United States Tennis Association (USTA) named Nick Bollettieri the United States Olympic Committee(USOC)National Coach of the Year. In 1999 he also received the International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Education Merit Award. He is a regular contributortoTennis, Tennis Life, and Florida Tennis magazines. Nick was listed as number 16 ofthe50 most influentialpeopleintennisbyTennisMagazine, and as number 19of25 people who have influenced tennis in the past century. Bollettieri resides in Bradenton, Florida.