The Young Tennis Player presents a simple and successful way to learn and enjoy the sport of tennis. Questions asked by young people from around the world inspired the authors to write this book, which explains a simple method of learning sound fundamentals of the game. These basics can be understood quickly and students can soon enjoy playing tennis. Players can build from a solid foundation to play at any desired level.
John Newcombe, as a three time winner of Wimbledon, and Clarence Mabry, a world famous coach, have worked together to produce a simple arid complete system for learning tennis — a system that includes technique, practice and competition for all levels of play. The system is based on the player understanding what level he has reached and how to advance to the next level. Technique is taught by improving the ability to judge the ball, control the racket and to move accurately about the court. Tactics and strategy are functions of analyzing the zones of the court, playing conditions, the styles of your opponent and, of course, your style of play: All practice plans simulate playing conditions so there is no drudgery in practice
— just fun and improvement.
Each chapter illustrates John Newcombe hitting the shot under discussion. His shots are analyzed by Clarence Mabry with an emphasis on the elements that are required for all good shots. The pictures, which show the proper techniques, are followed by some common faults, their causes and corrections. This information will allow you to correct your mistakes.
After you learn to play, the refinement chapters are designed to improve your game which is based on a fundamental system. Understanding spins is introduced with methods to add these shots to your game. You can learn how to hit all spins and when to use each type.
Physical conditioning starts with your first appearance on the courts and continues through special purpose exercises for the professional athlete.
Diet suggestions, pre-match meals and timing are explained in a special section of the book.
Tennis practice sessions should be concentrated, but fun. About one half of the practice time should be spent on conditioning, drills and simulated playing situations, and the other half used for playing.
The Young Tennis Player is also a reference book. Tips on tournament schedules, playing procedures, selection of coaches, and college scholarships will help the reader enjoy the benefits of tennis in all parts of the world.
Players who are really interested in competitive tennis can find the secret to a world champion’s success. A dedication to physical conditioning, practice and becoming a better student of the game (learning when you lose) is a part of competitive development.
It is worth making a special effort to give your son or daughter an opportunity to learn the game of tennis at an early age. Tennis will build a healthier body and mind while demanding self-discipline and offer a lifetime of pleasure. Your child will probably play tennis for social reasons, or as conditioning for other sports. They might enjoy competitive tennis which has a future leading to a college education or professional tennis. Whatever the reason might be, it is certain your child will benefit from the experience. All children can benefit from understanding the game and its traditions.
When you take your children to the courts, explain the simple rules of etiquette that are recognized universally. Good manners are just as important as good play. You will probably notice some club or court rules that need an explanation to enable your child to use the courts when the family is not available. Most facilities have a pro shop area or receptionist to register for court use.
Watch the players get on and off the courts. Explain the reasons for hurrying between points and games to ‘cross over’ a neighbour’s court. It is usually best to cross courts at the fence line but this will change according to convenience. Common sense is the rule. Most important, move as rapidly and as inconspicuously as possible.
Now notice the players playing. If a ball strays on to the next court, players wait for their neighbours to complete the point and return the ball. The ball is returned on one bounce. ‘Thank you’ is the only response. When the ball rolls on to your court, it is proper to stop play and return the ball.
Players play a ‘let’, i.e. play the point again when interrupted.
You are probably not certain about the dimensions and proper terminology of the court. To refresh your memory, the playing surface from fence to fence is 120 feet long and 60 feet wide. A singles court is 78 feet long and 27 feet in width. Doubles is played with two alleys on either side of the singles court. Each alley is 4'/ feet wide. The doubles court then covers an area of 78 feet by 36 feet. A net is placed in the centre and is 31 feet high at the net posts and only 3 feet in the middle. The middle is lowered by using a band called the centre strap.
Other lines that need explanation are the service lines. A centre service line is located down the middle of the court and extends 21 feet from the net on both sides. A service line, located 21 feet from the net, is parallel to the net. The service line goes across the singles court and forms the service courts or boxes. These service boxes are called the left court and right court, or sometimes referred to as the ‘deuce’ (right court) or ‘ads’ (left court). The same service areas are used for both singles and doubles.
To play a match the players attempt to win points as follows: A server puts the ball in play by standing behind his baseline and on the right side of the court. The serve is hit over the net into the service box diagonally opposite the server. The server has two chances to get the ball in the service box. If the first is good, the point has started. If it fails to land in the proper box, the server gets a second chance. If both serves miss, it is a point for the opponent. This is called a double fault.
Other points are won against a player who hits the ball out-of-bounds; that is, outside the singles court if playing singles, or the doubles court if playing with a partner, or through his failure to hit the ball first bounce. It is permissible to hit the ball full toss or after one bounce only.
You might save some arguments if you explain that a ball landing on the line is in play, or ‘good.’ Tennis players ‘call’ (i.e. state whether the ball was
‘in’ or ‘out’) all balls on their side of the court so they must be fair.
The server alternates right and left side after each point until he wins or loses his serve. A simple scoring system for games is used whereby the winner is the first player to win four points. The traditional method gives the player 15 for the first point, 30 for the second, 40 for the third and game for the fourth unless the score is 40 each, which is called a deuce. Then one player must win two consecutive points to win the game. The point after deuce is called ‘advantage’. If the server wins an advantage point it is known as ‘van in’ (advantage in). If the receiver wins one it is ‘van out’ (advantage out). They will catch on to the scoring quickly once they participate. Naturally, the server serves for a complete game and then the receiver becomes the server. They continue to alternate serving games until one player wins six games with a two-game lead. If the score reaches five-all they continue until a two-game lead has been won by a player. This group of six games is called a set. A tie breaker is played if the players reach six or eight games all. The player due to serve next serves the first point and the players then serve two consecutive points in turn. The game — and set — is won by the first player to score seven points: but if the score reaches six points each, one player must gain a two-point lead to win. Numerical scoring (rather than any extended use of the 15, 30, 40 system) is used throughout the tiebreak. A set will take thirty to forty minutes to play and a match is usually the best of three sets. Of course, the official rules can be found in the Rules
Handbook or Yearbook supplied by local tennis associations.
Now you and your child are probably getting restless and ready to hit some tennis balls. Remember that these rules of etiquette and rules of the game are the same all over the world. It is your responsibility as a parent to insist on good sportsmanship and fair play.
The final tip for parents is to make certain that your children learn to play the game correctly and get sound tuition. After they learn to play and have fun on the tennis court, you should always encourage, but not push for achievement.
1 John and enthusiastic players ready for their first lesson.
“The question that is constantly asked of me is: ‘at what age should my child start to play tennis?’ My answer is: ‘as soon as he or she either shows a desire to play or is strong enough to hit the ball’.
My son Clint was around a tennis environment and taught himself to hit a ball out of his hand at fifteen months. It wasn’t until he was about five that he was strong enough to hit a ball back over the net.
Photograph | is a good example of girls and boys aged five to thirteen who are enjoying the game of tennis. Enjoying tennis is a philosophy that Clarence and I constantly preach to players of all ages and ability.”
Enjoying tennis involves hitting the ball correctly. First you learn to get the racket on the ball and then to get the ball over the net. It is like learning to ride a bicycle — once you learn the basics, you will never forget them. If you take a little time at the start to learn properly, improvement becomes a simple process. All you have to know is what stage of development you have reached.
Selecting a racket depends on the player’s size and strength. To expect a small child to wield a full-size racket is not only unrealistic, it would hamper his ability and confidence. An older child, however, may not need a juniorsize racket. I would strongly advise buying a wood frame for novice players; wood affords greater control than metal frames. Also, a racket strung with nylon is less expensive than one strung with gut, yet is perfectly satisfactory for beginners.
the portion which you grip, or hold. Further up is the throat. Above that are the strings (the face); the frame around them is the head.
Notice in photograph 2 John is helping Tanya and Gigi to judge where the ball will bounce. I call this ball sense. By John’s feeding the ball at a distance of 10 to 12 feet, confidence can be built with the new player. The new player learns to get a feel for watching the ball and following the line of flight of the ball, or the ball’s path. Knowing the direction and height of the bounce is the first step in determining where to swing the racket. If you can align the racket face with the on-coming ball, it is easy to place the strings and make contact. Tanya is taught by John to judge the ball first and then hit it with a simple movement of the racket. Again it is important for the young student to get the feel of hitting a ball softly and consistently before striving to get it over the net.
2 Learning to judge the ball.
3 The first rally over the net from mid-court.
Photograph 3 indicates real progress — John has moved to the far side of the court and the new players are hitting the ball over the net from midcourt. The form is not the best but it is fun because it’s progress. Think of games to play in this area to enable the new player to judge the ball, get the racket behind the line of flight and follow through to get the ball over the net. All players at this stage should hit ‘friendly balls’ that will be easy to return.
After the player has selected the proper racket, the next step is to look like a player. The way that you dress for tennis is part of the fun and will help your progress. All of John’s students in photograph 5 have prepared for their tennis lesson by making a special effort to dress like players. They have good tennis shoes, a thick pair of socks to avoid blisters or discomfort, and loose-fitting clothing. They wear knit materials and most of them have selected light colours to reflect the sun which helps them keep cool while running in the hot sun. Tournament players get very choosy about the clothes that feel comfortable and look stylish on the court.
There are also some important accessories that are needed for tennis players. A light jacket or sweater is a must and players should learn to wear this after they have played — even when the temperature is hot. Also, it is comfortable to warm up in a sweater or jacket when the weather is cool or windy. Wrist-bands help to keep your hands dry when it is hot. A good grip is your only contact with the racket so you need a dry grip. Caps or hats are
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5A needed when it is very hot or sunny. The head-band is useful to keep long The proper serving grip is important hair out of the eyes and also as protection against perspiration on your er beginners as well as advanced forehead and to stop spectacles misting over. pyc Some accessories are important, but do not fall for every gimmick on the market. If you look like a clown, you will probably play the same way.
John, Clint, Gigi and Tanya have different length rackets. The graduated length from a short beginner to a three-quarter length and finally a regulation size will make learning easier.
“The serve is the only time in the game of tennis when the player has absolute control of the ball. It therefore makes good sense to develop a strong serve. And as it is the start of every point it is doubly important.
I was fortunate to have a coach who saw the value of developing a good serve. Beginning at the age of eleven, we spent eighteen months working on the serve. Many were the hours that I spent at home practising my ball toss or serving against targets (at net height, and the same distance away as the net is from the baseline) on the back wall of our house. In fact my parents used to joke that it was the only lawn they could get me to mow. Nevertheless, it all paid off. My serve became the backbone of my game. The action is so automatic that seldom has my serve let me down, even under extreme pressure. Let’s study that action now as Clarence turns an expert’s eye to it.”
J.N.
The continental grip gives you maximum flexibility, the ability to hit flat, slice or topspin, and generate the maximum power loop. Notice that the V formed between the thumb and forefinger is placed on the top bevel of the racket when it is on edge. Also the hand is placed on top of the racket as the server prepares his motion.
2<4 The heel of the hand is placed comfortably on the top bevel of the racket. The racket should be held in your fingertips as you would hold a cricket ball before throwing it.
3A Note John’s position for starting the serve. The left foot is about 4 inches from the baseline at a 45° angle. The back foot is a comfortable (shoulder width) distance away, so John can feel the shift as he transfers his weight to the back foot. The tip of the racket is pointing in the direction that John will hit. The racket is held on edge at waist height with a perfect serving grip. Arms and shoulders are relaxed. The ball is held in the fingertips and cradled at the throat of the racket.
transferred back and his racket and ball toss arm are lowered, the back foot is placed parallel to the baseline giving him maximum shoulder rotation.
The racket and weight are now moving together. Notice that the ball toss hand is fully extended allowing the maximum timing range for the ball toss and racket head motion.
You must develop a good style for your serve. Fortunately, John has a classic motion and it is easy to pick the key elements that are required for any good serve. There are only three elements to cause most of the problems in serving. The first is the grip. Notice John has a grip that is known as a continental grip. I prefer to call it simply the serving grip. The racket is held with the fingertips so that the palm of the hand rests on the top of the racket, which is held on edge. Notice the V formed between John’s thumb and forefinger, and the comfortable spread of the fingers (see photographs 1 and 2).
Now we come to an area that is not frequently discussed in serving and that is the footwork, or the stance. Notice in photograph 3 that John has placed his left foot about 4 inches behind the baseline and at about 45 degrees to the line. The left toe is pointed in the general direction of the net post located to his right. In photograph 4 you can see that his right foot is placed parallel to the baseline and at least shoulder width in distance from the forward foot. The placement of the right foot is extremely important for proper balance, weight transfer and ball toss. Most players have a tendency to have this foot placed parallel to the left foot rather than parallel to the baseline. Once when John injured his leg he found that his serve was off when he returned to play. The cause was located in an adjustment to his right foot causing a problem in balance and ball toss.
John starts his serve with his weight on the forward foot; I start with my weight evenly distributed, and one of my ex-students, Chuck McKinley, began with his weight on the back foot. All three look like good serves and the different approach is for comfort and timing. If I had a preference, it would be John’s stance because the racket and transference of weight are always moving together — a must for timing.
All of us have had some trouble with the next element of the serve and that is the ball toss, or, as I prefer to call it, the release. Let’s start with holding the ball for best control. John holds the ball properly in the fingertips. The racket and ball start together in photograph 4. John’s ball toss is made with the arm straight and fully extended. Look at photograph 5. This long slow motion gives him maximum time to prepare for his racket to complete a power loop without rushing. Just a word of caution on this point. Many players tend to sling the ball toss into the serve if they keep the arm straight.
If you have trouble controlling the toss, try to relax the arm at the start, let it drop as your racket goes back and straighten it on release.
You must practise to time your toss with your weight transfer and racket head movement (see photographs 6-9). When you release the ball, you should feel tension in your rib-cage and your weight should be transferred back to the forward foot — as in photograph 9. In photograph 10 John’s fingers continue to point skywards and the racket head and ball toss hand are close together.
Remember that the racket and weight move together as John completes his backswing in photograph 10 and then his racket head moves forward towards the net — look at photograph 11. This enables John and other good servers to produce a large and powerful power loop. You must have the proper grip and weight transfer to accomplish this motion. If you fail in either of these areas, your power loop or racket swing will be without the benefit of weight transfer. Caution: do not force the power loop — it comes naturally with proper weight transfer and timing (photograph 12).
The next element is to hit the ball with the arm fully extended. Your arm and racket should go from the bottom of the power loop (photograph 12) to the top (photograph 16) by getting the arm straight, as in photograph 15.
6 The racket, the ball and the entire body begin a lifting action to enable John to get into a hitting position.
Notice the weight remains on the back foot.
12 The racket drops down behind John’s back as he completes his power loop.
7 The racket and ball are aligned and John is ready to transfer his weight forward to begin his ball toss.
13 John’s shoulders and entire right side rotate forward, up and into the ball as his racket completes the power loop.
8 The ball toss or release is the first forward motion that is made. Notice that John’s weight has now moved forward as he prepares to release the ball.
14 The arm is fully extended as the racket is accelerated into the hitting zone.
2 10 1] As the ball is released notice that The fingertips are pointed skyward John’s racket moves forward towards John has tension in his rib cage and to assure the accuracy of the ball the net as his weight leans into the his arm is fully extended. toss placement. serve indicating a maximum power loop.
15 16 17 Notice that John’s eyes are on the John’s entire weight has been John’s racket and right side follow ball as he prepares to make contact transferred into the ball as his racket the line of the flight of the ball into with his right side fully extended. is fully extended. his opponent’s court.
The wrist will snap naturally from photograph 15 to 16, making the racket head accelerate into the ball. Notice that the wrist movement is iro the ball and not after the ball is contacted. This will give you continued power and control as you follow the line of flight of the ball. An exaggerated finish will give you the confidence and appearance of a hit with authority.
Finally, to look like a server: 1. get your proper stance, 2. prepare to hit a good serve (imagine the arc of the racket), 3. toss the ball into the arc, the hitting zone, watching the strings contact the ball, and 4. finish the serve with a long follow-through across your body.
Left-handers will have the same elements working from the opposite side. Tony Roche insists that the ‘lefty’ should work on a good breaking serve by keeping the ball toss in front of the body and to the left side.
There is no difference between serving into the right court (the deuce court) and the left (or ads) court. Once you master the basic technique, you should be able to serve equally well in either.
The serve is the one shot that never changes. It’s easy to practise, and the practice will pay off. Not only will you be well on your way to developing a strong game, but players with good serves tend to find it easier to find people to play with them.
Your serve keeps hitting the net Check your grip (see page 18) to make sure that you are holding the racket correctly. You may be pushing or slapping at the ball rather than hitting at the maximum height of the ball toss.
You may be tossing the ball too far in front of you. Your serve keeps landing over the service box line — the hits are too long Again, check your grip.
You may be tossing the ball too far behind you. Remember that the toss should get the ball into the path of the racket when the racket is at the top of its arc. (Granted serving is not a natural motion, but neither is anything else done 4 to 6 feet above one’s head!)
Your serve goes too far to one side or the other Check your feet alignment. Be sure they are positioned as described earlier in the chapter.
Your serve lacks power Lack of power is a consequence of failure to transfer weight properly. Make sure that your racket and your weight move forward simultaneously and that your wrist snaps into the ball.
18 The follow-through is across John’s body as his weight is firmly transferred to the right foot.
19> An exaggerated follow-through is a key element of a good serve. Notice that his eyes are still on the ball and his body is following the line of flight of the ball.
“Together with the serve, this was my big weapon. Even on my worst day I always feel that my forehand will not let me down.
In my younger years the top players could sometimes penetrate my forehand because I hit a little too flat and didn’t stay down on the shot long enough.
As time went on, I learned to correct this by coming over the drive more and bending the knees. In fact sometimes I exaggerate the knee bend, which seems to help.
The following photographs should give Clarence plenty of opportunity to look for any flaws.”
John Newcombe has one of the classic forehands in the history of tennis. He has the ability to utilize it to hit all types of shots and, as he says, it rarely fails him. It is classic because it is a clean, simple and compact stroke. As in all great shots, the body and racket movement work together.
Basics that all good forehands must possess are shown in John’s forehand. Photograph 20 indicates that John has an Eastern forehand grip. The palm of the hand and the face of the racket are on the same plane.
The first step from the ready position is with the right foot for right-hand players — notice this in photograph 21. The racket, feet and shoulders move together, as you will see in photograph 22. Photographs 23 and 24 move John into perfect alignment with the on-coming ball. Notice that John is playing the ball early as he steps into the ball with his left foot in photographs 25 and 26: his left heel was down first and then the weight transferred to the entire foot. This is important for people who have trouble with weight transfer on groundstrokes — remember to go from heel to toe.
Photograph 27 shows an absolutely perfect position. Both the hands and the ball are on the same plane — everything is sitting on the same level. The eyes are focused at the ball and the racket is level, offering maximum leverage. (John’s knees got a little straight in photographs 28 and 29, but just enough to put a little low-to-high motion on the racket which caused some topspin on the ball.) This is a critical area of a forehand because you must accelerate the racket slightly to offset the speed of the on-coming ball. John’s right shoulder must turn into the shot here to allow a comfortable finish. Notice that John’s follow-through allows him to release the right hip after the ball has been hit. The follow-through line is controlled by having the racket going in the same direction as the left hand. It is quite common to see players pull their left hand away from the shot, causing a glancing hit and a weak transfer of weight. John’s follow-through might look a bit exaggerated in photographs 33 and 34; however, it just proves that his shot is controlled with overspin.
An easy way to get the proper forehand grip is to place your palm on the face of the racket then slide it down to the grip.
The production of the forehand (that is, the swing pattern) is similar to throwing a bucket of water. Keep that comparison in mind when you consider weight transfer and follow-through.
Learning to judge the ball’s flight properly is essential, the earlier the better, and not later than when it clears the net towards you. The height at which it clears the net determines how far into your court it will land and also the height of its bounce. Your judgement will improve with experience, so don’t be discouraged by errors in judgement when you’re starting out.
20 The ready position for either forehand or backhand groundstroke shows John with his weight on the balls of his feet, his knees slightly bent; he is holding an Eastern forehand grip and his left hand is cradling his racket.
24 As the racket continues a circular motion and the weight remains on the back foot, the left foot is positioned to make a final adjustment as to distance and speed.
pal John reacts to a ball that is hit to his right or forehand side by taking a step with his right foot and pushing his racket back with his free hand.
25 The racket and the weight are still back and John has made the final adjustment with his forward foot to enable him to attack or stroke the ball with a weight transfer.
22. The right foot is placed at right angles to the line of flight of the ball and the racket is getting into
26 The alignment is made and John is transferring his weight into the ball.
The racket and the weight are together, both back and preparing to hit the forehand drive.
forehand drive. The racket, the ball and John’s free hand are all on the same plane. John’s eyes are on the ball and his weight has transferred in the direction that he plans to hit.
The strings are accelerated into the ball as John prepares to make contact.
31 The right hand and the body follow through above the point of impact indicating that there will be some overspin on the ball. Notice the perfect balance at this point of the shot.
29 30 The contact of the forehand drive John’s racket follows the line of should be in front of the left foot at flight of the ball and his eyes follow a comfortable distance from the the ball as it leaves his strings. body allowing a free swinging arc.
32 33 The shoulders rotate forward as John continues his follow-through. John maintains a compact position as the ball approaches his opponent’s court. Notice that his left foot is still firmly planted.
34 John holds his finished position until the ball has cleared the net.
You hit the ball out of bounds You may be hitting the ball too late, or else you’re hitting under the ball. Hit it earlier, making sure that your swing is level and your grip is keeping the racket face perpendicular to the ground.
You hit the ball into the net You may be hitting the ball too early. Remember that to return the ball deep (i.e. far into) your opponent’s court requires you to hit it between 3 and 5 feet over the net, and you should be striving for depth at this early stage.
Another reason why your shot may be hitting the net is that you are swinging down on the ball. Keep that swing level and check to see that the racket face is perpendicular to the ground.
Many people fail to realize that just aiming a shot is a method of control. If your forehand shots consistently hit the net, try aiming higher, just as you should aim lower if your shots consistently go out.
You miss forehand shots Swinging at and missing the bail is a consequence of improper judgement. The ball may be bouncing too close to your body or too far away. That leads to rushing your shots, and the jerky mistimed swing is the cause of your missing the ball. Bear in mind that the ‘hitting zone’ is between your waist and your forward foot as you are standing sideways to the net.
Your forehand lacks power Check your grip. Unless you are holding the racket firmly, your shots cannot be expected to have any force.
Make sure that you are transferring your weight correctly. In addition to hitting the ball out or into the net, improper weight transfer will deprive your forehand of power. A correct follow-through is especially important: your weight should follow your racket until the ball clears the net, so make sure that your follow-through is not rushed.
‘‘My backhand is not one of my best shots. Although it is steady, it is not aggressive enough. I especially get hurt off a deep drive or volley.
One of the reasons is that my backhand grip is too much like my forehand grip. Movement to the forehand side is more natural for me. I have to think more on the backhand, i.e. get the shoulder well back, keep the front knee bent as long as possible, hit straight through the ball, and grip firmly with the forefinger.
If everything is flowing, then this all comes naturally. They are the things
I think about when things are going bad.”
As the ball is hit to the backhand side, the left foot should be turned, as John indicates in photograph 36. Normally this same motion includes adjusting the grip and turning the shoulders. A tip here is to keep your left hand on the throat of the racket. Pull the racket back to your left hip by using the left hand and giving the right hand a ‘free ride’ to adjust the grip. John’s failure to adjust the grip makes it difficult for him to be compact on his backswing.
In photograph 37 John should have his racket closer to his hip which would keep his preparation compact. He tends to ‘pull across’ the ball due to this flaw.
The footwork on the backhand is to weight the left foot on the backswing and right foot forward to the ball. A common error on backhands is to step perpendicularly to the line of flight rather than parallel, as John has done properly in photograph 38. It is necessary to swing early enough to meet the ball between the right foot and the net. Just in front of the right foot is perfect timing. A tip here is to hold a firm grip and swing from your shoulder-blade rather than the wrist. The follow-through should be at least shoulder level, keeping the right foot down until the ball has cleared the net. John’s left hand remains back as a counter-balance and also helps him to keep his side to the net on the finish. That’s the big difference between the finish of a forehand shot (where you must turn to face the net) and the backhand, where the body must be held in a side-on position to the net.
A few good tips to remember on the backhand are: 1. keep your free hand on the racket to prepare for the sHot, 2. take a short backswing, 3. let your swing pattern start low and finish high, and 4. keep your right foot down (if a right-hander) until the ball clears the net.
Two-hand backhands are popular and are very good for Evert, Borg, Connors and Solomon. These players are ambidextrous. Very young children find it easier to swing with two hands until they gain strength, but I do not recommend using two hands to offset a bad swing or to establish a style like Borg’s.
35 36 37 The ready position for the backhand As the ball is hit to John’s left, he The shoulders are turned and the is the same as the forehand; but note turns his left foot and pulls his racket and weight are now moving the important role the free or left racket back with his left hand together. hand plays in changing the grip and adjusting the grip in preparation for turning the shoulders. the backhand drive.
38 39 40 The right foot now makes the final The racket is accelerated by The ball should be met in front of adjustments to allow for a swinging from the shoulder blades the right foot so that John can comfortable weight transfer into the rather than the wrists. This will transfer his power into the shot. ball. allow John to place it on the ball with maximum control and power.
You hit the ball into the net You may be starting your backswing too high or you may be slicing or chipping into the ball. Or perhaps your racket face is ‘closed’, i.e. the strings are facing down toward the ground.
You may be hitting the ball too early, failing to bend your knees, or failing to turn your side to the ball.
You hit the ball out You may be starting your backswing too low, or your racket face is ‘open’ (pointing up). More times than not, however, you are hitting late.
You hit the ball inconsistently Check your grip. The backhand grip is a slight rotation, not a radical departure from the forehand grip (a useful way to visualize the rotation is the way you turn your wrist slightly when inserting a key in a door-lock).
Keeping a straight line from elbow to racket head will also keep your backhand shots from sailing all over the court.
A final hint: most people over-complicate the backhand. Keep it simple.
41 42 The racket follows the line of flight The follow-through on the backhand of the ball as John holds his position should be at least shoulder height firmly on his right foot. and the body position should remain side on to the net.
The ready position. John prepares to hit a forehand volley standing from 8 to 10 ft. from the net. His knees are bent and the racket head is cradled in his free hand. Notice the racket head is approximately shoulder level.
44 Forehand volley preparation is made by turning the shoulders and stepping in the direction of the oncoming ball with the left foot.
“It’s no use ‘attacking’ (i.e. moving in towards) the net unless you know how to volley. One of the best methods I know for improving your volley is to work out against a backboard or brick wall. As a kid I spent countless hours trying to beat the back wall of our house. To this day it’s the only undefeated player I know!
The forehand volley always came easy to me, but I had to work harder on the backhand. Today my forehand can be more devastating but I rate my backhand volley every bit as solid.”
J.N.
‘The volley’ is simply hitting the on-coming ball in the air before it bounces. John’s experience in learning and improving the technique of the volley proves that you can be a good volleyer by practising it. Hitting against a wall or having a parent ‘feeding’ or a friend throwing to you will help, and you need not have a tennis court to improve the shot.
The volley is the quickest way to improve all fundamental shots because your ball sense must get quicker due to the shorter time to react before volleying. Racket control is better because you must place the strings on the ball accurately. Finally, the movement is better controlled because you do not have to worry about weight transfer. You just have to get to the ball by the shortest way possible.
John’s forehand volley is great. However, I like to see a player with his knees bent more in the ready position. Notice in photograph 43 of the ready position that John’s racket head is about shoulder level. This is the optimum
The racket head, John’s head and the ball are aligned on the same plane.
plane to hit volleys, so it is best to start your racket on that plane. John’s grip for volleys is the same as the one for the serve, but as a young player you might be more comfortable changing grips (from the Eastern forehand of your ground stroke to your backhand) until you gain more strength and racket control.
Your first move is to turn the shoulders to the forehand or backhand side depending on the direction of the on-coming ball. The racket and footwork move together. As John’s racket moves to his right, his /eft foot begins to move to the ball (photograph 44). This results in a cross-over step which gives him a greater range and will shorten the backswing.
Photograph 45 shows how rapidly John adjusts his racket to the plane of the ball. The racket face and the ball are both at shoulder level, giving a good compact preparation. Now John just places the strings on the ball. You must remember to grip the racket firmly on volleys. A ball travelling through the air moves rapidly and you must have a solid grip to control the speed. It is easy to centre the ball in the middle of your racket if you concentrate on hitting the ball rather than looking for an opening in your opponent’s court. Photograph 46 indicates that John has placed the heel of his left foot down first, giving an exaggerated weight transfer and a long follow-through. If he is rushed, he will hit toe first, reducing the size of the swing. On backhand volleys it is important for John to use his left hand to keep the racket head at shoulder level and to turn the upper body at the same time. Look at photographs 49 and 50. Next, place the strings on the ball, reaching out with your racket rather than swinging it during contact, then
The hitting zone is in front of the left foot. The key to this shot is a firm wrist and concentration on centring the ball on the strings.
John prepares for a backhand volley In the hitting zone the racket is by turning away from the ball and placed squarely behind the oncoming stepping forward to the oncoming ball. John centres the ball on his ball with his right foot. racket in front of his right foot.
John follows the line of flight of the ball with his racket face open indicating slice or underspin has been applied to the volley.
The finish. The racket head remains Backhand volley. The ready position behind the flight of the ball with the is the same for all volleys; however, grip remaining firm. the left hand is most important in producing a proper backhand volley.
The grip is the same as the Eastern backhand until the player gains confidence in the continental volley grip. This change will become automatic as the player improves his racket head control.
53 The backhand volley is completed with the racket head above the net and the weight placed firmly on the right foot.
following through in the path of the ball. John is a bit late on his backhand volley as noticed in photograph 51. Normally his right foot would be in position before contacting the ball. It is quite easy to let your backhand finish drop off the line of flight. Make certain that your racket ends above the net and follows the path of the ball.
The forehand and backhand volieys have been shown as two shots. You should realize that after each volley it is important for you to regain your balance and recover to a ready position. Good net games demand quick feet and quick hands.
Here’s an area of your game that should be worked on. It’s the easiest stroke to be able to hit a clean winner off. A good smash from your opponent will hurt your net game and be a worry to yourself. Make sure when practising this stroke that you learn to hit with equal confidence to both left and right sides of the court. Some top players like to smash one way — especially under pressure — but once their opponents find this out their advantage is lost.
Smashing is like serving only you are closer to the net and can hit the ball to any place in your opponent’s court. The only difference is that you are hitting a descending ball rather than lifting it from your hand, as in the serve.
Practise and learn to get under the arc of the ball. Turn your body so that your side is to the net, as when serving. I suggest that some players actually turn their back to the ball to exaggerate this point.
You should get the racket above your head as soon as possible, and let your free hand point to the general direction of the ball. The easiest footwork is to side-step or skip back, always maintaining that side-to-the-net position. Stop with your weight on the back foot when you think that you are in position to hit the ball. Watch the ball carefully (realizing that you can see only the bottom of the ball). As you reach up to the ball, place the strings flat against the ball. Transfer the weight to the forward foot and allow the racket and your weight to continue forward with a long finish across the body.
You hit your smash out Most likely, the ball has fallen on your racket instead of your reaching out for the ball. Or perhaps you are hitting the ball too early.
You hit your smash into the net The chances are that you are hitting the ball too late. Although there is a temptation to wait until you see the top of the ball, remember that all that is visible when a ball is descending is its bottom half.
You miss the ball Swinging and missing the ball may mean that you haven’t given yourself enough time to get into position. Letting the ball bounce will give you more time.
A final hint: there’s no need to try to ‘kill’ the ball. Learn to place the smash and you’ll win more points with it.
54 Overhead smash. As the lob is seen or anticipated, the first move for an overhead smash is to turn side on to the net with the racket in an abbreviated serving position. John accomplishes this by turning his shoulders and moving his right foot back into a serving position.
58 John reaches up for the ball as he transfers his weight from the right foot to the left foot.
55 John moves under the ball by skipping back and preparing to place his right foot into a hitting position.
59 The contact is made at full stretch with the racket head flat against the ball.
56 57 John aligns the oncoming ball with John prepares to hit the ball in the his left hand to make certain that he same manner as he serves. has moved under the line of flight of the ball.
60 61 The racket and right shoulder follow behind the line of flight of the ball controlling the direction.
The follow-through is down and across the body.
John demonstrates the racket flat against the ball. The path remains on the same plane and will produce a shot with a minimum amount of spin.
Bjorn Borg, as the world’s best player, has brought much attention to the study of spin on the ball. To understand spin you must study racket angles and swing patterns. Spin is applied through combination of the two. Refer to this chapter as you learn all your ground strokes and volleys. The racket angle as shown by John in photograph | is a ball meeting flat against the strings. The ball will return with a reduction of any spin from the oncoming ball. In photograph 2 the racket is open. The ball will hit the strings and travel up from the strings. The open face will result in slice or backspin.
It is best used for approach shots, defensive lobs, and drop-shots.
Photograph 3 indicates a closed racket face. The ball will leave the racket ina downward trajectory. Topspin is applied with the closed-face racket.
If you understand the racket angles and corresponding swing patterns, it is easy to analyse the rotation of the ball from different shots. A flat racket angle with a swing that is on the same plane, i.e. straight back and straight through, will result in a flat shot. Not many of these are hit because it is difficult to control speed and direction. The ball moves faster than any other shot if you hit it flat.
The swing pattern of the slice is from high to low. You start with an open face above the ball and finish below the line of flight. A word of caution here, as you should not make this motion too severe or you will ‘chop’ the ball.
Tennis in today’s competition requires the ability to hit overspin or topspin from both forehand and backhand sides. Topspin is a result of swinging from low to high with the racket face in a closed angle. Again, the amount of spin is determined by the amount of racket angle plus the severity of a low-to-high swing pattern. Caution: all players should learn basic drives before trying for exaggerated spin. After you get racket control and ability to strike smoothly, you should begin to add spin to your arsenal.
2< A slice is produced with the racket face open and the swing path from high to low.
34 To apply topspin the racket face should be closed and the path of the racket should be from low to high.
John prepares for a drop volley.
Advanced refinements of shots include ‘touch’ shots. A touch shot reduces the speed of the on-coming ball rather than increasing it on return. The obvious ‘touch’ shots include the drop-shot and drop volley. Always use these shots as option shots, i.e. a substitute for the basic drive or volley. Also, set it up with an aggressive shot first, driving your opponent deep into his court.
The drop-shot and drop volley have certain requirements. Stop your forward motion before striking the ball. In preparation, the racket head should be above the line of flight on the on-coming ball. To reduce the speed, the ball must return above the point of impact, above which it comes to you.
Here are some photographs of John hitting a forehand drop volley. Photograph 4 shows John’s racket head above his wrist as he plans to stop the on-coming ball. John places his racket softly behind the ball by turning his wrist skyward (photograph 5). Photograph 6 shows that the racket is completely open as the ball bounces up. The follow-through (photograph 7) is short and has enough forward motion to allow the ball to drop within 3 feet of the net on his opponent’s side. The same procedures apply to both forehand and backhand.
Just prior to hitting, John stops his forward motion and drops the racket below the flight of the ball.
6 7 The ball is hit with the racket face The follow-through is short with the parallel to the ground. racket face remaining parallel to the ground.
A note for more advanced players
“This is a shot that I learned to play effectively over the years. It’s a very aggressive weapon, which when used properly can throw your opponent right off balance.
A deep topspin drive to the corners can be a real match winner. The topspin passing shot against the net player, mixed in with an occasional topspin lob, is tough to play against.
The use of topspin to get more angle on your drives is also effective. I don’t believe, however, that topspin should replace the straight drive. They should both be learned and used at the appropriate time.”
J.N.
Lob Of all the shot refinements that can be added to your game, the lob is the most effective and easiest to play. A lob can be defined as a shot with a high arc, high enough to exceed the height which your opponent can reach. The lob moves your opponent away from the net and gives you time to get into position. Generally the defensive lob is used, not necessarily to win the point, but to force your opponent to return another shot, to slow down the pace. A good defensive lob has a high arc and bounces deep in the
8 The lob. The preparation for a backhand lob looks very similar to the backhand drive. The same motions are made.
John’s shoulders are turned, his racket and weight are back. The first indication of a lob is John’s short backswing.
head.
The defensive lob can be hit off either the forehand or backhand sides. Practise the backhand lob more because you will find an opportunity to hit more defensive lobs from this side. Looking at John play a shot that made a modest backhand a great weapon by mixing in the lob, let’s check the important elements necessary to lob successfully. A backhand lob looks like a regular drive in photographs 8 to 10. The first indication of a lob appears in photograph 11 — the racket is held with a firm grip and wrist, and the racket head is below the ball’s plane. Weight is transferred to the front foot, and the path of racket begins an upward trajectory. In photographs 12 and
13 you will notice that the racket head is in an open position, giving the ball a slight backspin. Now take your time and finish that shot. Keep the right foot down and let the racket head continue its upward direction. John completes the backhand lob with an exaggerated follow-through in pictures
14 and 15. He has now moved his opponent away from the net, which gives himself more time to play the next shot.
A new and more dangerous shot is the topspin or offensive lob. The offensive topspin is usually applied from the forehand side. It is easier to mishit because it has a lower trajectory and the path of the racket is more severe as it meets the ball.
Review John’s topspin lob again. The shot is the same as a drive, photographs 16, 17 and 18. In photograph 19 his racket head is beginning to close, indicating some type of topspin. In photograph 20 the path of the racket drops dynamically below the bounce of the ball, the first real
10 1] John transfers his weight forward The first critical element of the lob and into the ball. The lob is still is indicated by John as his racket is disguised with the exception of a well below the plane of the ball. more compact backswing.
12 The racket face is open and the grip is firm as John makes contact indicating a backhand defensive lob.
13 14 John’s racket head and body follow John completes his follow-through as through the line of flight in an he holds his weight on the forward upward motion. foot.
18 As the ball comes into the picture John has the option of driving or hitting a topspin lob. His weight is back and his racket is prepared to swing forward.
19 20 John finally commits himself to a As John approaches the hitting zone topspin lob as he allows his racket to his racket indicates a severe path start well below the flight of the from low to high which means that ball. he will be producing a topspin lob.
15 A good lob has an exaggerated follow-through.
16 17 The ready position for all John has a typical forehand drive groundstrokes is used for the preparation turning his shoulder and offensive lob. side to the net.
21 The back side of the ball is brushed by the strings of John’s racket due to the severe low to high path.
pe 23 John’s follow-through reaches its peak as he maintains his weight on his forward foot.
The follow-through continues from low to high with the racket face in a closed position.
24 The closed racket finish indicates that John has hit a successful topspin lob with maximum spin and penetration.
indication of a topspin lob. Remember that the amount of spin is determined by the angle at which the racket meets the ball and the path that the racket follows. This one should be a good one. Photographs 21 and 22 show the ball glancing off the racket strings as John’s racket brushes up the back side of the ball, causing it to rotate rapidly with topspin. The finish of the topspin lob requires that John hold his weight on his forward foot as his racket continues its upward flight with the racket face closed.
Nice balance and control on the finish (photographs 23 and 24) meant only one thing — good shot, John.
25 John has anticipated a short ball and prepares to approach the net. The mechanics of the preparation are similar to the backhand drive.
The backhand approach shot is a transition from back court to net. It is also a transition from hitting a groundstroke to hitting the ball in the air. It is a little more difficult to play than the forehand. Normally you are told to hit your approach down-the-line, and this usually requires hitting to your opponent’s forehand. A deep and penetrating shot is required, and the footwork is more complicated.
Anticipation of a short ball is most important. You must be inside the base line with an early preparation. Make certain that your racket head is in line with the on-coming ball. Shoulders and hips should be side on or perpendicular to the net.
Shorten the backswing from your normal drive to allow for your forward motion and to help meet the ball between your forward foot and the net.
Because you are moving forward, your forward foot (right foot for righthanders) must be placed solidly and accurately to provide a good hitting base. If you are accurate with your footwork, the weight will continue to move forward as you hit the ball.
Most approach shots are hit with slice or almost flat. The backhand slice keeps the bounce low in your opponent’s court and will give you confidence to play the ball at waist height or above.
It is important to keep your side to the net when you place the strings against the ball. Do not allow your feet or shoulders to drag your racket across the ball. A good tip that John uses is to part his hands, allowing the left hand to act as a counter-balance to reduce his forward momentum.
As you complete the follow-through, let your racket follow the ball as you move into the net for the volley.
26 27 John turns his shoulders and John is ready to attack the short ball. prepares with a short and slightly His weight and racket are back and high backswing. ready to move forward.
28 29 30 As the ball begins to reach its peak It is preferable to hit the approach John leans forward into the ball with John transfers his weight from the shot from waist height or above. a firm right side. back foot to the forward foot.
34 35 36 The finish is relatively low After the ball has been hit, John Notice John’s right foot is still in indicating that John has hit slice on releases his left foot to drive forward place indicating that he has followed his approach shot. into the net. the line of flight of the ball as long as possible before moving to the net.
31 John makes contact with the ball well in front of his forward foot.
37 It is important to follow the line of flight of the ball after you have hit it to prepare for the oncoming volley.
32 33 John keeps his side to the net as the John’s racket follows the line of ball leaves the strings. flight of the ball.
Checklist for the backhand approach
1. Anticipate the short ball, 2. move inside the playing area with a short, compact backswing, 3. place the forward foot accurately, 4. keep your side to the net as you hit the ball, and 5. finish your shot by following the line of flight to the net.
“The half volley, played when the ball has just hit the ground, is a combination of volley and groundstroke. It is one of the toughest shots in tennis. However, the main reason for its being so tough is that hardly anyone practises it. A good practice is to play this shot off a backboard or side of the house. The shot must be played aggressively and with the body weight moving forward.”
J.N.
Agreeing with John that the half volley is tough, I would also like to add that you are usually forced to play this shot because your opponent hit a good shot. When it is not comfortable to volley or to hit a groundstroke, you must play an aggressive shot like the half volley. Watch John play himself out of trouble in mid-court.
Technique in hitting this shot is to shorten and tighten your entire stroke. In photographs 38, 39 and 40 John has recognized his problem, stopped his forward motion and lowered his racket and entire body. Notice that the left shoulder is almost perpendicular to the net. Photograph 41 shows the concentration on the ball — make certain that you watch the ball like John, because the timing is difficult. Notice that photographs 42 and 43 show John doing the things that he feels are necessary, i.e. body weight forward and staying down to play it aggressively. The follow-through completes the direction shown in photograph 44 — now that you are out of trouble, get to the net!
38 John recognizes a good low return from his opponent and pauses to prepare for a half volley.
39 The racket is very low as John bends his knees to play the ball on the rise.
40 Notice the short compact backswing.
4] The weight has transferred forward, the grip is firm and John’s concentration is on the ball as it hits the court.
42 John’s racket is slightly open on impact with his weight firmly placed on his left foot.
43 John keeps his head down after he has made contact with the ball. It is important not to lift the body as you make contact with the ball.
44 John’s knees remain bent as his racket follows the line of flight of the ball.
The zones of the court.
Drills and practice-sessions must be fun and productive. Ingredients for proper practice include imagination, enthusiasm and a knowledge of tennis.
A knowledge of the court itself is important. Tennis shots are produced in three zones of the court, and the technique of hitting varies in each location. The deep or backcourt area is labelled the manoeuvring zone. Few points are won outright from this area within 12 feet of the baseline because the smart player plays to manoeuvre his opponent out of position with safe shots.
Practise consistency and direction, and try to clear the net from 3 to 5 feet by hitting ‘up and through’ the ball from the manoeuvring zone. Shots hit from this area are forehands and backhands, cross-court (diagonally), down the line (straight in front of you), lobs, serves, and returns of serve.
When an opponent is manoeuvred out of position, the player should expect or anticipate that the return will be played from mid-court. Midcourt is the second area, labelled the approach zone. This 15 feet area is called the approach zone because you should plan to approach the net from it. Remember that only one shot should be played in this zone as you move forward to the net position. Top players are constantly improving their abilities in the approach zone because it controls their ability to attack confidently and with safety. Shots played from this zone include the approach groundstroke, approach volley, overhead, drop-shot, and half volley.
The 12 feet area closest to the net is the put-away zone. You should win most of your points in this zone, especially if you have done your job in the two previous zones and earned your way to the net. Practise quick footwork, a strong grip, and attacking the ball. Shots that are hit before the bounce include deep volleys (hit into the opponent’s manoeuvring zone), angle volleys (into the approach zone), drop volleys (into the put-away zone) and easy overheads (hit anywhere).
Proper practice is to drill in each area separately and then put together shot sequences that require moving through the three zones as they are played in points. When playing the zones of the court, you should play a ball in all three zones to get a winning pattern.
Imagination and a wall can be your best practice partner. The biggest hindrance to improvement is the excuse of not having a practice partner, so don’t let that hold you back. Working against a wall will offer repetition. It will improve your ability to keep the ball in play while grooving the rhythm of your shots. Caution: do not rush your timing when working on this phase of your game. Listen to the three sounds of the shots — the ball hitting the wall, the ground and the racket — and strive to make these sounds as uniform as possible.
Serving games against the wall is one of the best means of practising your serving accuracy. Serve at targets on the wall and play games against the wall, giving extra credit for hitting the designated target.
Shot combinations and points can be played against a wall. Serves, groundstrokes, and even volleys and overheads, can be used in typical playing combinations.
It will be a nice change of pace to get a bucket of balls and go to a court. Most of the shots can be practised, and this applies to all classes of players from beginners to touring professional. Serve improvement is the obvious shot to practise. All players should practise serving a few buckets of balls to the target that is shown. This serve is the longest distance travelling over the highest part of the net. Grooving the serve from this position requires proper execution of all basic elements. Players should practise with a purpose to keep from getting careless with the serve. This includes serving at a target, serving and moving to a mid-court volley position, and then working on different spins and, of course, not hitting into the net.
Groundstrokes can be practised by bouncing and hitting from all zones of the court into all zones of the opponent’s court. A weak area of the court can become comfortable with a few buckets of well-hit balls. Games can be created by serving at a target and drop-hitting into a zone to win points as played in a real game.
Ball-machines can do almost anything that a player can do and seldom miss. Computerized machines can place combinations; special machines vary the spins and speeds, while basic machines simply feed a single shot.
1> A bucket of balls, a tennis court and some targets will improve your serve.
2 and 3 > A bucket of balls can be used to improve your shots from different points of the court. Simply drop and hit balls to become more comfortable with your court position.
Most players have some access to a single-purpose machine and you can practise many variations from the one shot. Combinations can be used by having the player hit a forehand, then moving to a backhand, followed by an approach volley, and a close-out volley should be included in a practice session with a ball-machine. The serve return is good practice with machines. The major limitation that ball-machines have is the inability to return the proper spin and pace that is usually found in actual play.
The traditional practice is with two players, called a one-on-one session. Players can improve their abilities with repetition and simulated playing situations.
Basic groundstrokes must be practised by using half-court drills. For drills on fundamental cross-court and down-the-line drives, players should use a target to check their alignment and footwork and racket control. With practice you will get the depth set by the target location.
Practice drills should not restrict you from hitting in one zone. An advanced player should mix his shots within the half-court that he is playing. Half-court practice variation can work by moving one player up to the net. The pace of the drill is quickened by shortening the distance between the players. The bread and butter shots of tennis should be practised regularly with this formation: the forehand cross-court, forehand down-the-line, backhand cross-court and backhand down-the-line. Players should not spend more than five minutes in any one location of this drill.
Moving through the three zones can work with two players. Typical drills will be to play a backhand cross-court, forehand approach, a forehand volley and an overhead smash. Your partner can set this play by feeding the shots or actually keeping one ball in play.
Alley practice is good for control and playing the ball at the top of the bounce. Forehands, backhands, alternating shots and moving through zones can be practised by keeping the ball within the 412 feet boundaries of the alley.
Games of 21 points (like table tennis scoring) can be played on half-court. Drilling on half-court tennis can be fun and improve your doubles shots. “Tiny tennis’ can be played within the boundaries of the service line. “Touch’ can be practised with the 21-point game drill, and you will be surprised at the amount of movement you can experience in this area.
All practice sessions should end with a fast-moving drill. The best is a close contact volley drill to improve racket control and reflexes. That involves standing 15 feet apart and aiming shots at the opponent’s shoulders. It’s quick and all players can end with confidence.
The Australian two-on-one drill is the best practice for three or more players. Variations of the drill are best for increasing stamina, consistency and shot making. More balls can be hit in this drill in a shorter period of time than any other of the practice formations.
The three most effective uses of this formation are to isolate a particular shot, practise running combinations, and improve mid-court play with three-quarter court drills. Targets should be used periodically to check direction and depth.
A good point at any level of play should include a serve, a return, a first volley or approach, and a lob or drive. Players should practise playing 21 points of the above sequence, making certain that all four shots are attempted in each point.
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38 -_-— 3 68 ren ae. “a any oO ken the pace and backcourt will quic as confidence.
Using many balls will enable the less experienced players to maintain the continuity of the exercise without having to stop and retrieve them. Better players should strive to work with a maximum of six to eight balls. The momentum of all drills is an important factor and develops the ability to concentrate.
The drills photographed in this chapter are examples that can be used for different purposes. You should be able to create your own routine to meet your needs.
64 Hitting within the alley lines is good practice for down-the-line play and hitting the ball at the top of the bounce.
7> Tiny tennis is played within the service court and will improve the touch and mobility of any player.
8b Two players against one with all three back can combine consistency as well as hitting on the run.
ARRER Gy 1 EARS & hy 4D tote GAR 2 yes SP oA Two players at the net and one back is a good conditioner as well as practice on early preparation. The two net players should move together reacting as a doubles team.
Return of service practice with the server playing inside the court will quicken reaction for returning fast serves.
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“Techniques of hitting the ball and practising the different shots have given you the fundamentals needed to play the game. Now you are ready to develop a style of play that best represents your physical structure (build), playing conditions and personality.
Young players, or players with little experience, should concentrate on sound fundamental groundstrokes. The ‘baseline’ game is the first style of play that features consistent groundstrokes, patience and time to develop stroke combinations. Never take a short-cut with your training to be a good baseliner. The key shots are cross-court and down-the-line shots emphasizing depth and placement.
As players gain confidence from the backcourt and grow in size, it is time to develop a more aggressive style of play. The ‘serve and volley’ game will pave the way to shorter points and combinations of easy shots that will control the play. A deep and consistent serve, followed by a deep and penetrating volley, will allow you to move in to the net for a volley placement. By practising this style of play, your serve will improve and your ability to play from all three zones of the court will be tested. Remember that you must hit a shot in all three zones of the court to control the points in serve and volley play.
All players strive to become all-court players. These all-court players can play the ball comfortably in all three zones of the court and hit the ball into all three zones of the opponent’s court. Great players find that offence, defence and patience are all required to be an all-court player. Confidence in this style of game is the foundation of the great champions.
The game of singles always reminds me of two gladiators facing each other. Most times after completing a shot you will return as quickly as possible to behind the baseline at the centre.
The service starts off a point, so make sure you take time to prepare. Too many players walk up to the line and serve with no forethought or preparation. Did you ever see a cricket bowler walk up to the wicket and bowl before setting himself?
There are many ways to serve a tennis ball at your opponent: with slice, flat or kick, wide of the forehand or backhand, at the body on both sides, or with a continual change of pace.
You should be attempting to get around seventy per cent of first serves into play. Don’t go for the big first serve all the time as this usually has a low percentage of success. I like the saying that a player is only as good as his second serve. Fortunately I had a very good one. I often see youngsters working on their service but hardly ever on the second serve. As I stated in the chapter on serve, I worked mainly on my serve until age eleven, and it became my major weapon. Many a time after a victory I blessed the time my coach spent on my serve.
Although the serve is important, nothing can be more discouraging than to have your opponent constantly returning your serve well. So it makes sense to work on your service return. There’s the return against the serve and volley player which must be low and firm and then the baseliner who serves and stays back. This return should be higher over the net to achieve a deep drive. The deeper the drive the more chance you have of gaining the initiative. If the serve is short and slow, don’t hesitate to chip it low with a slice to your opponent’s feet, and move to the net position. The idea is to
Manoeuvre your opponent out of position so that he is doing something he doesn’t like. Assess your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses during the first few games. If he has a weak backhand, then attack it. Don’t just hit everything to the backhand though. By playing wide to the forehand, you will open up the backhand side.
Once the ball is returned, the fun really starts. Knowing your own strengths, weaknesses and limitations is all important. It’s called percentage tennis or limiting the number of unforced errors. In the 1977 Wimbledon final, Borg beat Connors 6-4 in the fifth set. Borg made sixteen errors to Connors’ seventy. Connors hit more winners but couldn’t catch up that huge deficit.
There are three ways to move around a tennis court — sideways, up and back, and up and down (by bending your knees).
Study your opponent’s mobility in the same way as you would study his strokes. Nothing is tougher or more frustrating than an opponent who is like a rock in his baseline play. Baseliners usually run very well from side to side but not well when forced to go forward and back. The short angle or drop-shot, when used at the right time, can really break up their game. Similarly, the net rusher does not always run as well from side to side; quite often he will run well to one side but a little more awkwardly to the other. This flaw can usually be picked up by seeing which is the weaker stroke, forehand or backhand. Against the net rusher, you should also use a varied defence to test his mobility. Drives, dinks (soft touch shots), chips and lobs should be constantly varied.
As you grow up you will gradually get to know more about your own strengths and limitations. At twelve years of age I had a very solid baseline game, good enough to make me number one in Australia for my age-group. The decision was made by my coach and myself to start expanding my game to a more aggressive approach. This meant that I now had to become a serve and volley player. Although I still won most tournaments, the change of style brought a few losses that may not have otherwise happened.
Volleys and drives would sometimes keep missing the lines, causing a 6-4, 7-5 loss. Reinforced by my coach’s confidence, I silenced friendly critics by saying, ‘If 1 am ever going to win Wimbledon, then those shots will start to fall in.’
It was at age fifteen that the mixture of baseline and net attack started to work well. Some of the experiences I had up to that age are worth recording here.
My mother repeated a statement to me around this time that I have always remembered: ‘You should always learn more from a match you have lost.’
From that time on, my habit upon losing has always been to analyze the loss immediately following the match. It’s important that this be an honest evaluation. For example, it’s easy to say: ‘I lost my serve because I doublefaulted twice. If I hadn’t done that I could have won.’ In reality the double faults were probably caused because of the mental pressure put on you by your opponent’s good returns. Accepting that answer means you have to admit to yourself that deep down you actually failed.
A perfect example that comes to mind here is my 1969 U.S. Open semifinal clash with Tony Roche. After three hours the score stood at 6-6 in fifth set. At 30-30 on my serve I double-faulted twice to lose the serve and consequently the match. Tony and I have played many great matches but this is the only time I can remember double-faulting myself out of the match. On this occasion Tony’s great returns and the pressure of the occasion forced me to over-serve. It was a costly mistake but a valuable lesson.
a must if you are going to become a champion. At eleven I led a thirteenyear-old 5-0 in the first round of an Under-Fourteen State tournament. It was a one-set match and I lost 7-5. I never figured out how I lost but the necessity to be able to finish off a match was driven home.
Sixteen years later I almost got caught the same way. This time it was on the world’s greatest court, Centre Court, Wimbledon. It was the quarter finals against Tom Okker with me leading two sets to one, 5-0 and my serve. Twenty minutes later the score stood 5-5. I realized that my biggest problem at this stage was mental. The whole momentum of the match had swung in a very short time. By all rights I should have been in the locker-room congratulating myself. With Tom’s serve to come it was essential that I break serve. Taking a few extra seconds to collect my thoughts and get a clear head, I proceeded to break serve and then close out the match 7-5.
If I had got angry with myself by saying, ‘How could I have let him back in, what an idiot I am,’ or similar thoughts, in all probability I would have lost the match. Instead I forced myself to think ahead and not back. My only backward thoughts were what had been winning for me before and how I could re-apply those tactics. That’s an example of an invaluable experience to remember.
Perhaps the most dramatic experience I had as a growing tennis player was at age nineteen when I was selected to play the Davis Cup finals for Australia against the United States. At that time, 1963, the Davis Cup, along with Wimbledon, were the biggest events of the tennis year.
It’s important to note here that it was my first Davis Cup match. My peers twelve months before had been Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser. Two weeks before the tie my selection on the team was announced. Although I was in the final team of four, I had no real thoughts that I might be selected for play. Four days before the match Captain Harry Hopman told me that if the forecast was for hot weather, then I would play, as would Emerson. As ‘Hop’ didn’t say anything else, it was completely to my surprise when my name was announced in the customary draw just twentyfour hours before the first match. The next day I played the opening match against Dennis Ralston. Dennis, at this stage a seasoned Davis Cup competitor, took the first 6-4 and the second 6-1 as I became more and
Two things helped me get out of a potentially embarrassing situation. First, most captains or coaches under these conditions would be telling you one hundred different things to do. Not ‘Hop’. He remained outwardly calm and acted the whole time as if I were actually leading two sets to love. At the same time I became so angry with my own poor performance that I entered one of those mental ‘zones’ and ran off the next two sets 6-3, 6-2. In
straight points and then levelled at 5-5. Unfortunately for me, Dennis was up to the challenge and closed me out 7-5 for a tough five-set victory.
I found out a lot about myself in this match. The bad start was due to prematch nerves and not settling down quickly enough. I let the occasion carry me away instead of concentrating solely on my opponent. Most importantly, however, I found out that under extreme pressure I was able to respond and shrug off the disastrous first two sets.
If you look at the history of all champions you’ll find that they have this quality. Rod Laver did it numerous times in big matches, and at some stage during four of the Wimbledons that he won, Bjorn Borg was down 2-1 sets.
In my Wimbledon final against Smith and in the U.S. Open against Kodes I trailed two sets to one before winning. It all tracks back to that mental ‘zone’
I was talking about.
Everything is done purely on reflex action. The only object really obvious to you is your opponent. No doubts about what course you are on enter your mind and you seem able to anticipate every play. I rate my best ‘zone’ as the fifth set in my 1970 Wimbledon final against Ken Rosewall. I led two sets to one and 3-1 in the fourth when Ken reeled off five straight games, hardly losing a point. I pulled myself together to run out the fifth set 6-1. Two points remain vividly in my mind. My first service game, trailing love-15, I aced Ken on a second serve. At 3-1 and 30-40 on his serve I anticipated he would try a first serve at my body on the backhand side. As he threw the ball up, I moved to the left to hit a forehand winner on return. Running around a second serve is an accepted tactic, but one never usually tries to anticipate the direction of a first serve. In both cases I never questioned or doubted what I was doing. It wasn’t pre-planned, just a reflex action.
I can’t offer any easy method here on how to get yourself into this mental ‘zone’. It comes through experience, getting to know yourself and how you react to pressure.
Don’t expect to be able to stay in this ‘zone’ throughout a whole match. I have rarely seen it last longer than one hour, normally for about thirty minutes. A bad mistake can be made by trying to start off a match playing all out. If you are expecting a tough match, then pace yourself from the beginning. Build yourself and your game into the match. Compare a three set game to a 3 mile race — if you tried to sprint all the way, you’d have no chance of a strong finish.
Being able to change your tactics and style of play half way through a match can be of great help, no matter how good you are. In 1968 and 1969 when I was ranked in the top four players, I spent hours watching Laver and
Rosewall (I was twenty-five and they thirty-one and thirty-six) play. Rosewall was a little more predictable, but Laver constantly amazed me how he would get out of a disadvantageous situation by a sudden change of tactics. Rod could not only change his tactics; his standard of play would increase at the same time. It was almost as if he always held a card up his sleeve and knew just the moment to pull it out. He would often start off a match by driving off both sides on return of serve. If his touch was bad that day, then he would revert to chipping the returns and trying to keep the ball in play. When he felt his touch returning, he’d suddenly start attacking the ball again. If the passing shots weren’t working then he’d lob and chip until the touch returned.
The lesson here is that if you are making too many unforced errors by going for your shots, don’t be frightened to just keep the ball in play for a while. Even if you are losing by doing this, your touch will return more quickly the more balls you hit. Many a time Rod was down two sets, but he had confidence that his power game would come together, so he wasn’t frightened to wait. Playing im the wind can be one of the most exasperating experiences. The big secret is to play with the wind instead of against it. By that, I mean to use it to your advantage. Lobbing effectively in the wind can really break up a net attack. When lobbing with the wind behind you, hit high and short, allowing the wind to carry the ball deep. Into the wind, hit lower and harder, trying more for a winning lob. A swirling wind is the toughest to compete in. The big thing is to realize you are going to make mistakes because of the wind. Don’t worry about them. Most of all, don’t show your opponent any bad reactions if you miss.
Not showing your opponent negative reactions is all important in becoming a winner. I love it when my opponent becomes upset at a linesman or himself. That is the moment to raise your game and apply some additional pressure. Some people today claim that the circuits are so tough that you have to be bad-tempered and outwardly aggressive to win. Don’t believe it. In 1970, in a tournament in Chicago, I beat Nikki Pilic, Fred
Stolle, Andres Gimeno, Ken Rosewall and Arthur Ashe to win the event. The last four had been ranked in the world’s top four players, while Pilic was a French and Wimbledon semi-finalist several times. That example was similar to the strength of our tournaments then. None of the guys swore at his opponents or yelled obscenities at linesmen. Yet I can assure you that all were every bit as tough to beat as today’s stars.
Nothing can be more puzzling to your opponent than your smiling when you are obviously under pressure. I found if I couldn’t force out a smile I was getting too tense. Sometimes it is tough to smile because there’s nothing funny happening and the situation is getting more and more tense. Look at your opponent and imagine he is a cow, a clown, or something that tickles your fancy. A quick smile, a deep breath and you’ll be back in business.
Surfaces A word here about different types of surfaces and how to play on them. There are three basic types — hard, clay and grass. The U.S. Open is now played on hard court. The composition is generally an asphalt or bitumen base covered with three layers of an acrylic paint, usually coloured green or blue.
The bounce here is medium to fast, depending on how long the court has been laid. The texture of a newly laid surface will be rougher, causing the ball to pop slightly and bounce higher than it will after the surface smoothes off with use. As the court becomes smoother, so the bounce will be faster and lower. If this is happening, your swing preparation will need to be quicker; a shorter backswing and bending the knees becomes very important.
Clay courts are the slowest, so you have time for a longer and fuller swing. With the slower bounce, there is more time to put spin on the ball, and subsequently many of the best clay-court players use a lot of topspin.
Grass tends to be the fastest surface. The bounce is lower and the ball tends to skid off the grass, especially when hit with slice. Topspin artists find grass tough because they don’t have the time to hit their long looping strokes; low bouncing balls make a good knee bend essential, and a long backswing on your preparation will lead to all sorts of trouble. (Talking about altering your backswing for the surface may sound odd, but it is something you should learn and practise as your game develops.)
Putting spin on the ball is something that every young player should practise. That doesn’t mean that you have to become a topspin artist; the more complete player is one who can hit flat, topspin, or slice off both forehand and backhand sides.
In a rally with someone who is using excessive spin, remember that the answer to topspin is slice and the answer to slice is topspin. This will keep the ball on the same rotation. It doesn’t mean, however, that you have to stick to this rule. Apply it if you are in doubt, caught on the wrong foot, or against any shot that has you in trouble.
The best way to improve your singles game is to play with better players. Then, after the match, analyze why you were beaten. It will probably be because of your control of the ball. The better player is able to keep much greater depth on his shots, which allows him to control the play and put and keep his opponent on the defensive.
The one-on-one situation in singles can make for a lot of fun. Don’t fight yourself and never be afraid to lose. Remember, you’ll become a better player faster by learning new tactics as well as new strokes.”
J.N.
The art of doubles is knowing where to stand, where to move, and how to hit a few basic shots.
The serve in doubles must be placed deep into the court and at about three-quarters pace to ensure a good first service. Most of the serves will be hit to your opponent’s backhand and the rule is to get at least eighty per cent of your first serves in play so your opponents must return them defensively.
Returning the serve is also very basic. The easiest return is back in the same direction as the server or cross-court. You shouldn’t have trouble returning serve if you plan to keep the ball in play, as opposed to going for the ‘winning’ shot.
The next shot is the key to winning constantly. Your first volley or the second shot hit by the serving team should be placed between the opponents or down the middle — a deep shot if one or both are at the baseline or a Jow soft shot if both are at the net. A second shot will allow your team to establish a strong position at net.
1. First serve in play, 2. return of serve cross-court, 3. second shot down the middle, and 4. move into position even when you are not playing the ball.
“The game of doubles is completely different from singles. The basic positions in which to stand can be seen in photograph 1. A good rule of thumb is always to be in a position from which you will best be able to cover your half of the court.
Clarence has already set the tone by explaining the basics of doubles. I shall take you into a more advanced stage by recounting some of my experiences.
Selecting the right partner is very important to how successful you will be in doubles. A perfect example would probably be Bob Hewitt and myself. Between us, we have won eleven Wimbledon doubles titles, five for Bob and six for me. Bob combines perfectly with Frew McMillan, and since 1964 my regular partner has been Tony Roche. During most of my career I partnered left-handers: when Tony was injured in 1973, I won the U.S. Open and Australian Indoors championships with two left-handers, Owen Davidson and Rod Laver.
Certain right-handers I felt happy with. I played with Tom Okker only twice (also in 1973) and we won the Italian and French.
In selecting a partner, the first thought should be to choose someone who likes to play the opposite side of the court to you. Since I was fourteen years old I have played the first or forehand court with only one or two exceptions. I was always searching for a partner who specialized on the backhand side.
The beauty of having a left-hander for a partner is that when the ball is hit to the wings, you both have the forehand drive to take advantage of the angles available. Balls hit down the middle are much tougher to hit winners or force errors off, as you have no angle to work with.
The second priority is to find a partner whose company you enjoy.
indicate that all four players have a specific area of responsibility. The server positions himself at mid point between the centre singles line and the singles sideline. From this position he can serve and have a straight line in to the net. The server’s partner is positioned about 8 to 10 ft. from the net in a volleying position and placed approximately in the middle of the service court. The receiver is positioned at the baseline and at an angle where he is best placed to receive the angle of the oncoming serve. The receiver’s partner is placed inside the service court with the ability to move forward or backward as the return is made. All players know their area of responsibility.
24 The serving team should get into a parallel position at the net as soon as possible. This picture indicates that the server has rushed into position but should have an easy adjustment to make for a safe first volley. Notice that all four players have moved as the ball was put into play.
Communication and being able to talk to each other, especially when things are going badly, is essential.
There are many matches Tony Roche and I would have lost if one of us had not helped bring the other out of a slump. If your partner is having a bad day, the worst thing you can do is to give him dirty looks. To me that is unforgivable. Try harder yourself to take up the slack and give him encouragement.
As serving starts off the point, let us take a look at what the server should be trying to accomplish.
Assuming we are at the serve-and-volley stage, the first serve should be hit at about eighty per cent pace in an effort to get a high percentage (seventyfive per cent) into play. You will probably win nearly seventy per cent of points when you get your first serve in, and only fifty per cent of the second serve. Move quickly into the net and play the first volley back as deep as possible. If you can achieve those first two things, it will be tough for your opponents to break the serve no matter how good they are. Your partner at the net should be complementing you as much as possible. Some players like to intercept or ‘poach’ on the service return. It can be an effective tactic, but requires quick hands and reflexes.
Tony and I never went in for poaching much as we felt our first serves and volleys were strong enough to blunt any attack. When you do poach, you have to commit yourself, and if the receiver outguesses you it is an easy point for your opponents.
It is basically up to you to decide your tactics, based on the strength of the receiver’s return. If it is weak, a little poaching may make it even weaker. If it is strong and causing trouble, poaching, scissors (one player at the net, the other back) or tandem may help break up the rhythm. Just make sure you don’t give away too many easy points.
A few pairs over the years have tried signals. For example, a clenched fist held behind the net man’s back means he will cross. The open hand held there tells the server he will stay where he is. Bob Hewitt and Fred Stolle used to do this when they played together in the early 1960s. My partner,
Ken Fletcher, and I were ranked just behind them. There was no love lost when we played, especially between Ken and Bob. In one particular match,
Ken told me to watch him just before I returned serve and he would tell me if they were going to cross or not. Sure enough, he was right every time. I found out later that he had positioned friends in the stands who were signalling him on the signals Hewitt and Stolle were using behind their backs. I think what Ken enjoyed most was the puzzled looks on their faces as we continually outguessed them. Maybe justice won, for in the end we lost in five close sets.
After service, the return of serve is the next most important part of the game. Try to get the ball at the server’s feet as he approaches the net. This will force him to volley up and not nearly as effectively as when the return is higher. The bounce of his volley will be slower, allowing you more time to play the second shot.
We talked about poaching and distracting the receiver, so let us have a look at what to do about the poacher who is annoying you.
One of the best tactics is to take the game to him. A return hit straight at him, whether or not he is crossing, will serve as a warning by making him hesitant. I always do this early in the match against a player whom I know likes to poach.
The tandem formation puts both the server and the server’s partner on the same side of the court. This position is used to offset a grooved return or to overcome a weakness for the serving team. The serve should be placed down the centre of the court for best results.
44 When the server’s partner intercepts a ball on the server’s half of the court, it is called a poach. The server’s partner should move diagonally forward to make the poach and the server should exchange sides with his partner.
The other way is to Job the return of serve. To do this well requires practice, but it can be a match winner. Roy Emerson, one of the great doubles players, loved this tactic. He would stand in on the serve as if about to make an aggressive return. Suddenly the ball would be over the net man’s head, causing uncertainty from then on.
The receiver’s partner should be in at the net. He should always expect a great return that may set up a loose volley he will then be able to intercept and put away. Alternatively, there may be a prearranged plan to cross the court. Sometimes I’ll say to Tony: ‘If he misses the first serve, I’m going to run around the second to hit a forehand. You cross and Ill cover your line.’ It’s not a bad tactic and it puts that little bit of extra pressure on the server. Once the serve, return and first volley are in play, the manoeuvring really starts. Some basic rules for the receiver are: if the volley is short or in a position you can attack from, then constantly vary your shots, up the line, down the middle, or cross-court. You should be hitting drives, dinks and lobs in these directions.
If you can add topspin to this repertoire, all the better. I know Tony’s game so well that I know what he will do depending on where the volley lands. This knowledge allows me to concentrate solely on the opponents instead of turning my head to watch him.
5 Vv A poach can be predetermined by the use of signals or verbally. The serve should be placed into the body of the receiver.
If you are having trouble returning serve, change your tactics. Although your partner should be at the net, have him stay back on the baseline, which takes the pressure off your having to play a good return.
From this more defensive position you can try to break up your opponents’ rhythm by hitting a variety of lobs and drives. Don’t get stuck on this game plan, though. If your return improves, then have your partner move back into the more offensive net position.
Doubles matches are won by the team that seizes the initiative most often. You can’t take the initiative from a defensive position. So the lesson is to use the defensive court position as a means of changing the game to try and regain the initiative.
Above all, doubles should be fun. Enjoy your partner and enjoy the game. There is so much to learn about just one side of the court, so many shots, angles and tactics to be learned. After decades of specializing on the forehand side and after fifteen Grand Slam doubles titles, I am still learning and enjoying the game.”’
J.N.
6V A good doubles partner is constantly moving to be in position for the next shot.
Basic warm-up stretch. Take five minutes or more before each playing session to stretch your leg muscles.
“Exercise and correct eating and drinking habits are not only important for a healthy life but are essential ingredients on the road to becoming a tennis champion. Although my parents were not fanatical about my tennis development, they had enough foresight to send me to a gymnasium at the age of eleven. The exercises I did there were all under supervision and specially designed for tennis. As we go through this chapter you will be able to find out in which specific areas you may be lacking development.
The three most important areas of the body for tennis are the legs, stomach and arms. The legs are probably the most important as they carry you to the ball.
Before commencing any exercises or playing, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of stretching.
In photograph 1 I am doing a very simple stretch for the right leg. The opposite way will give the muscle tissue some stretch in the left leg.
Two of the best exercises I have seen or done for the legs are double knee and jack-knives. Photograph 2 shows me well into a double knee jump. With a jump both knees should be brought up to touch the chest and then repeated. If you can achieve fifty to eighty without stopping you should be in pretty good condition.
The jack-knife in photograph 3 is done by jumping in the air and touching your toes while in the air. Most people find these a little tougher than knee jumps so a target of forty to sixty should be strived for.
Alternating these two exercises (i.e. double knee jump, jack-knife, double knee jump, etc.) is excellent for conditioning and strengthening the legs. They are also good for building stomach-muscle strength and for wind control.
Above the knees you have three important muscles. Strength in these muscles is necessary to help you turn quickly. It will also serve as a valuable aid to knee joints and perhaps prevent injury in this area. In photograph 4 I am doing a simple exercise for this area. With a 5- or 10-pound weight in each hand I step up and down from the platform thirty times on one leg and then repeat the exercise with the other.
2 Double knee jumps.
Jack-knife.
4 Step ups for leg strength.
Photographs 5 and 6 show me doing frog-leaps into the air from a crouched position. Depending on your strength and age, these can be done with anything from 2- to 10-pound weights in each hand.
Picking up balls one at a time and placing them in a box is a drill I often did in my teenage years. As seen in photograph 7, the leg muscles get a real workout on sideways movement. Any amount of balls can be used with seven considered a fair effort. This can be fun to do if you time yourself against someone else.
I have always considered the stomach muscles to be of prime importance to any total conditioning. There are numerous exercises to build your stomach-muscle strength. We have demonstrated here a few of the ones I consider good.
Photograph 8 is a regular sit-up with a sideways turn. The right elbow is passed to the side of the left knee. From there it’s back to the floor and then the left elbow over the right knee.
Leg-raises as in photograph 9 are relatively easy to do but help develop different muscles than those shown in 8. Try to get your head as close to the knee as possible, keeping the leg straight.
5&6 Frog-leaps.
an .
is he <I k-up control your bend
Sit ups. Notice the legs are bent
A in Knees close to the chi fts i good stom
Stom and back builder — ing arm lengths.
11 Alternating leg lifts.
Numbers 10 and 11 are a little tougher but practice makes perfect. Done properly, these are two of the best exercises I know. In photograph 10 the feet are off the ground and the knees should be brought up to the chest. You may despair a little at perfecting the exercise shown in photograph 11 but it shouldn’t take too long.
Stomach-muscle exercises with the use of a medicine-ball (photograph 12) can take the boredom out of exercising. There are many routines. Here we have interlocked the right legs. I have just lowered my body to the ground and touched the ball on the floor behind my head. Coming straight back up
I am about to throw the ball to my partner, who will catch it and repeat the exercise. There is a routine of exercises here that one can utilize by using the imagination. Try to build up to a series of fifty for each one. The medicineball we are using here weighs 10 pounds. The accompanying illustrations will give you an idea of some varying routines.
Photograph 13 shows a simple exercise but it is one that really tests your strength below the elbow. Using a 5-pound weight with my arms extended straight out in front, I am winding it up from floor length. It should then be wound down slowly.
Push-ups are a good workout for the upper body. You can see, however, from photograph 14 that there is a lot of pressure around the elbow area. Be careful here as the last thing you want to do is stretch a tendon or muscle in this area. The body should be kept as straight as possible in push-ups. You must build up to your own capacity. If you’ve never done push-ups before, then start out with three series of five and try to build up gradually to series of twenty or more.
Strength on both sides of your arm below the elbow is important. The routine I am doing in photographs 15 and 16 using a 10-pound weight will help you greatly in this area. I usually do a series of ten on each side and repeat them two or three times.
These are ‘just some of the exercises you can do to help develop specific areas of your body. Of course the best training you can do for a sport is the sport itself. The practice drills we have shown you in chapter three will get you fit if you do them properly.
Running is another form of training that, used the correct way, can be of great benefit to a tennis player. You can break your running into two areas
—jogging and sprinting. There will always be varying opinions in this field but here are my views. Extensive jogging should be used only when there are no tournaments on or you want to build some overall muscle tone after a layoff. Once you are fit, don’t jog for condition. Keep it between | and 2 miles and use it for warming up or relaxation. Sprints are the best form of running to get you ready for the rigours of a tough tennis match. Sixty-yard sprints repeated eight to twenty times (depending on how fit you are) can really be a test. A routine of sprinting 10 yards then jogging 10 yards repeated over 150 yards can really blow you out, especially if repeated several times.
12 Medicine-ball with mate. Good for stomach and arms.
13 > Weight lift to build grip strength and forearm muscles. Grip strength has a direct relation to the cause of tennis elbow.
14” Push-ups with straight leg. Optional with bent leg for younger athletes.
An exhausting and fitness-telling routine is to run 3 miles by alternating
50 yards walking, 50 yards jogging, 100 yards sprinting. If you’re really fit, the walking can be eliminated.
Sideways running (left and right) and backwards should not be forgotten. It doesn’t have to be done to great excess but a little bit may go a long way to helping your muscle tone and mobility.
So far Pve only discussed the muscle tone of your body. The body is something like a beautiful car: no matter what the horsepower or engine strength, it won’t go properly if the right petrol is not used. The petrol for your body is the food you eat.
When I grew up, the saying was: ‘get a good steak into you because that will stick to your ribs.’ Not necessarily so. Carbohydrates (food that builds up fat) have been found to be essential for the muscles when they are being worked hard. Photograph 17 shows the type of meal I would eat before a
Wimbledon final. The final is usually played at 2 o’clock so I would eat
15 & 16 Weight for forearm and wrist.
around 9:30. Before a big match like this, you need plenty of time for the food to digest, as nervous tension will probably slow down your normal food digestion time. Usually I allow three hours after a meal before playing.
My chosen meal is orange juice, two lamb chops, two eggs, baked beans, two pieces of toast, honey and tea. There may be a better choice for different people, but I feel this gives me a balance of protein and carbohydrates.
Besides that, I love each choice and that helps to put me in a good frame of mind.
Salt tablets are something I have always been a little wary of. Most of the studies I have heard about say it takes at least twenty-four hours for the salt to enter your system and do any good. If the weather is hot and humid, I will usually put additional salt on my meals, starting a few days before the tournament.
If you have repeated trouble with cramps, then have some blood-tests taken. Lack of potassium or magnesium in the system can sometimes cause the muscles to cramp.
The body carries an enormous amount of liquid. In hot weather this can sweat out of your skin pores at an alarming rate. It should be replenished at regular intervals. On extremely hot days I try to drink a half to threequarters of a glass of some sport aid drink at each change of ends. On cooler days the intake should be greatly reduced.
The important thing to remember about this chapter is that tennis matches,
Wimbledon titles and the history books cannot be yours without using the information you have read.
Of the five Wimbledon and U.S. singles titles I won, three of them were five-set victories. Rarely throughout my career did I lose an important match that went to five sets. The ones I did were mostly owing to my condition. It can be pretty disheartening for your opponent when you run faster and look fitter in the fifth set after three hours’ play. Although I trained hard when I reached the top, I feel the gym work I did in my teens
17 John enjoys a proper diet and a pre-match meal.
Even though you have learned the fundamentals of tennis technique and strategy, you can never expect to become a really good player without the help of a qualified instructor or coach. That holds true at all levels; touring professionals have their coaches or advisers who can objectively analyse their games and correct any shortcomings.
Finding a first coach should be attempted in a logical and realistic fashion, and the following five steps are the way to do it.
1. Shop around the clubs, recreation centres and schools. Locate a coach who has large beginner groups, a novice tournament schedule, and an outing for the entire group about four times each year.
2. Notice the atmosphere of happy coaches and students. All students should be encouraged to practise and to receive frequent recognition for achievement.
3. Look for punctual and organized groups and a teaching-method that is simple, flexible and active. 4. Your first coach should emphasize perfection on the fundamentals of the serve, consistency on groundstrokes, a conditioning routine and, naturally, plenty of laughs. The beginner’s coach and programme should be adequate to introduce competitive tennis on a local programme and tournament level.
5. The cost should be a group rate either by the programme, month or season.
More advanced coaches or professionals must have a proven record. The new coach must have playing experience, coaching experience and a capacity to refine your game and style of play. The coach will be your trainer, administrator and, most important, close friend. Many decisions in your life will be made on and around the tennis court and your coach will give you needed confidence.
A parent’s role in the development of the young tennis player is always difficult. Both Clarence and I were fortunate to have the perfect tennis parents. They always encouraged us but never pushed. Their personal and financial sacrifices were made without strings attached. Our coaches were carefully selected and they were allowed to work with a minimum of interference.
Once you get on the professional circuit you will have almost enough knowledge and experience to act as your own coach. An occasional trip back to the old coach will help to regain confidence and to keep you on the proper trail since rough edges will appear when you enter competition. Some of the players that require a cheerleader or valet as a touring coach are just looking for an escape if they have a bad year. Tennis is an individual sport for the players to enjoy and top players are capable of making their own decisions.
Playing tournaments from Novice to Wimbledon is part of the fun in the game. Most of us started with non-sanctioned events that were played around the neighbourhood and local clubs. These tournaments can be located in local newspapers, on bulletin boards at clubs, or through your local tennis association. Sanctioned tournaments get more organized but also are more complicated to enter because of membership and qualification requirements. All tennis players should know the structure of organized tennis starting from the International Tennis Federation, the governing committee for all National Tennis Associations.
The British Lawn Tennis Association controls tournaments in England. Contact British Lawn Tennis Association, Church Road, Wimbledon,
England SW19 for information on their junior schedules which are held during June, July and August.
The U.S.T.A. headquarters is located at 51 East 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10017. All major tennis facilities in the U.S. are members of the
U.S.T.A., and all tournament players must be registered too. Members register in one of the seventeen tennis sections located within the U.S.
Boys and girls compete in age groups of 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 16 and under, and 18 and under. The U.S. Junior Championships are open to players who have not reached the birthday of their age division before October Ist, i.e. if you are under 18 on October lst you can play until the following September 30th. Qualifying tournaments vary according to the section, but all sections have local, regional and sectional championships which must select teams for the national events held in July and August. U.S. National Junior Championships include the
U.S. National, Indoor, Outdoor, Clay Court and MHard-Court Championships. Detailed information is available from the national headquarters.
The Lawn Tennis Association of Australia, P.O. Box 343, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia, has all of the information needed for the junior tournaments. Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales have an annual listing of sanctioned events. They also have the rules and regulations which are different from the U.S. Australia has January lst as the date for age divisions (as do all other countries with the exception of the U.S.), for players under nineteen years of age.
International tennis experience cannot be omitted from your tennis education. Make plans through your local association and take your racket for the tennis experience of your life in a foreign country.