The serve is considered to be a very important, sometimes even crucial part of the game, for both male and female players. Some might think that the physical characteristics of a player determine the impact of the serve on one’s game. But with enough practice, almost anyone can make the serve their signature stroke and a powerful weapon at that. Learning how to serve properly requires that you develop a few movements and connect them in a chain of events.

In tennis, there are only a few primary court styles: grass, hard court, indoor carpet, and clay. All tennis players seem to have their favorites. Clay courts, which are much more common in Europe, tend to play differently than the other types. Throughout this article, I’ll break down some of the essentials to mastering the clay court. Rafael Nadal said, “I play each point like my life depends on it.” In many ways, this quote is a perfect attribute to the clay court game.

Difference Between Clay, Hard and Grass Courts

One of the most prevalent differences between these three types of courts is the speed. The clay courts play much slower than the others. Most of this is due to the fact that the balls bounce higher and slower, which decreases the amount of winners. The points last longer, thus requiring players to hit consistent shots and have the ability to play defensive tennis. On grass courts, the ball bounces low while maintaining the speed. As a result, players utilizing the serve and volley approach will succeed on grass. Lastly, hard courts display similar characteristics to grass, as they tend to play quick.

Another primary difference is the costs. Although clay courts are cheaper to construct, they do require a heavy deal of maintenance. Classic Turf states “they need to be rolled, lines need to be painted more frequently, and the amount of water let on the court has to be watched closely. They’re kind of a pain to maintain.” Similarly, grass courts also tend to be high in maintenance costs. It is probably safe to say that these high maintenance costs have been the factor that has led to more and more hard courts being built in North America. 

Consistency

In terms of shots, a player needs to display consistency to be successful on clay courts. While, in reality, a tennis player has to always be consistent to win, the importance is magnified on clay. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who won three French Opens, always tried to run down every ball. By showing perseverance in this manner, you attempt to give your opponent one more chance to miss. Since clay plays much slower, it also allows you plenty of time to get into position for a return. In order to properly take care of this advantage, you need to hit with topspin. While some deceleration will occur when it hits your opponent’s court, it won’t be as severe. The best advice in terms of consistency is to not try to win every point with one shot, rather make your opponent think they need to blast away for a winner.

Stamina

One of the key reasons behind Rafael Nadal’s success on the clay courts against some of the best in the world, like Djokovic and Federer, is his impressive stamina. Nadal’s workout regimen consists of exercises to work a wide range of muscles. Going along with the point of consistency, you have to be able to run down every ball you can on clay. However, if your opponent over matches you in the stamina category, they will be able to do this more effectively. This requires you to be well conditioned, so you’ll be able to run down your opponent’s hardest shots and outlast their power.

Adjusting to the Slipperiness

Clay courts also tend to be more slippery, especially blue clay. This characteristic compels you to learn how to take advantage of it through practice. One area where the slipperiness comes into play is changing directions. If you’re running one way to hit a shot, the traction isn’t great to be able to turn around. Another element to capitalize on the slipperiness is the capability of sliding. An article on USTA discussed the art of sliding perfectly. “Toss a ball high enough to allow for a high bounce, and practice sliding into the shot. The bounce may move the ball away from you; however, swing your racket through the shot, even if the ball is not there, and work on staying balanced. This is putting biomechanical feedback to work. Once you are grooved with your new sliding ability, start practicing with a partner, and hone your skills.” A final recommendation I give would be to abandon the serve-and-volley approach on clay. This methodology will struggle, because your opponent will have plenty of time to set up.

Patience

It is vital to understand that you are not going to win points with one shot. Even some of the greatest servers in the game like John Isner struggle on clay because it requires patience to be successful. You have to keep your opponent running back and forth on the court. This will not only take a toll on their stamina, but the slipperiness of the clay might become a factor. Along with this, take advantage of the added set-up time to hit with heavy topspin. When a ball with topspin hits into the clay, it often bounces higher than the average volley. This will likely put your opponent in an awkward position where they can’t hit a strong shot back.

Shoes

Even though regular shoes may work on clay, you are going to need clay court-specific shoes to slide and excel on clay. Tennis Warehouse Blog mentions how the primary difference between clay court shoes and hard court or grass ones is the outsole. “The outsole of a clay court shoe will usually feature a full herringbone (the zig zags) tread pattern. This pattern won’t allow the clay to lodge to the outsole so you can get a better grip when you try to start, stop or change directions.” Furthermore, this pattern allows the clay to get dislodged by hitting your racket against the shoes. The primary advantage these shoes provide is the traction to be able to move in all directions and slide like Nadal.

Mental Toughness

Operating on clay courts requires you to instill the mindset that you’re never out of it on clay. This doesn’t just apply to individual points, but the entire match. Due to the endurance issues, players can dominate early on before falling apart as the match wears on. If your conditioning is up-to-par, you can let the opponent blast away early while forcing them to work the full court. Mental toughness is also critical in that you must be able to manage your stamina across the entire match. You can’t let your opponent out-smart you into thinking you can hit lots of winners. Remember the surface you’re playing on; clay isn’t usually won with an offensive approach.

Rafael Nadal’s Dominance

Throughout history, there have been many players that have held the title of the king of clay. Most recently, it has been the Spaniard, Rafael Nadal. As of April 2014, Nadal had amassed a 300-21 record on Clay, including 43-6 in clay finals. He continuously dominates at the French Open. Much of his success is due to the fact that he excels at the points listed throughout this article. Nadal possesses superior stamina, coupled with above average strength, which allows him to work over opponents consistently.

Try It Out

It’s hard to gain a complete understanding of clay courts until you play on them. Although they are limited in North America, I’d recommend trying one out if you have the opportunity. As I mentioned throughout this article, many of the characteristics of clay court dominance require experience and provide a much different strategy than hard court or grass. Just remember, “Try for everything,” when you’re playing on clay.

When it comes to tennis, a sport that requires intense concentration and a high level of athletic abilities, it’s important for coaches to know what to practice and work on with their players. Listed below are drills that every coach should exercise with their players to help maximize their tennis play.

Warm Up

Before playing tennis, or any sport for that matter, it’s a good idea to have some form of cardio as a warm-up. Running is an excellent way to get the blood flowing and ready yourself for the battle ahead. I suggest taking a few laps around the court before moving on to arm exercises or practicing technique. 

1.  Improve Communication and Precisionsion

 For this drill, you should have at least three tennis players. Keep in mind, the more players the better. Spread out in a circle, the further away the better. One player starts with the ball and randomly hits it to another player. The goal is to only let the ball bounce once before being hit again. Try adding objectives like having players call out the name of the person they are passing to before the pass. To make it more competitive, have anyone that fails an objective sit down for the remainder of the drill. Last player standing is the winner. 

2.  Improve Ball Control with the Bouncing Ball Drillrill

This is a simple drill that will require teams. If you have less than ten players, then get into groups of two. If you have more than ten players, get into two teams. Once the teams are set, have them spread out along the baseline so they are facing the net. Mark a cone that faces each team and place it near the net. The goal of this drill is to dribble the ball with your racket from the baseline to the cone near the net without losing control of it. Once players circle the cone and make it back to baseline, they will tag the next person on their team. Repeat until each team member has gone. The first team to finish is the winner.

3.  Increase Accuracy with the Crosscourt Drillrill

This drill will require players to pair up and have a court to themselves. One player will start as the “server” and the other one will do the hitting. The server will hit the ball accurately to the other player’s forehand or backhand side. That player will then attempt to hit the tennis ball crosscourt. Repeat this for a set amount of turns with the server counting how many shots are successful. Once the first player has finished, switch positions. Try to beat your opponent and also try to beat your own high score each time you attempt it.

4.  Incorporate “Simon Says” into your Drillsills

This drill is simple to perform and also very beneficial to a tennis player’s backhand and forehand strokes. To start, have your players line up horizontally along the service line, with the coach on the opposite side of the court. The coach’s job is to feed the balls to the players. Before the ball reaches the player, he must yell out whether the player should volley it or groundstroke it. By doing this, tennis players will build a better reaction time and will also improve their stroke techniques. 

5.  Improve your Serving Technique and Accuracyracy

With this simple serving drill, tennis players will gain the ability to pin point where they would like to serve it. This will become very handy during a match. This drill can be done with or without a partner, but if you decide to do this drill alone you better make sure you have a good amount of balls with you! To set this drill up, draw a good-sized circle in each of the four service boxes. These will be your targets when you serve so put them in different spots. The goal is to serve the ball into the circle you created. If you serve it outside of the circle, count it as a fault. If more than one person is included, make it a competition by seeing who can hit the circle the most. 

As with just about any sport, preparing players for physical activity is vital. Not only do these pre-game exercises help a player maximize their performance, but they can also serve as a great way to prevent injuries. This is especially important within the sport of tennis, as it requires a steady amount of endurance. This difficult nature can be summed up in a quote from the great Billie Jean King: “Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.”

The net game was the key component of tennis gameplay a few decades ago, during the serve and volley era. While power play from the baseline has dominated in recent years, the net game is still an important part of any successful attack strategy.

With these proven tennis tips, you can improve your net game in a matter of weeks and make your collection of shots more versatile.

When it comes to tennis, a sport that requires intense concentration and a high level of athletic abilities, it’s important for coaches to know what to practice and work on with their players. Listed below are tennis drills that every coach should exercise with their players to help maximize their tennis play.

Warm Up

Before playing tennis, or any sport for that matter, it’s a good idea to have some form of cardio as a warm-up. Running is an excellent way to get the blood flowing and ready yourself for the battle ahead. I suggest taking a few laps around the court before moving on to arm exercises or practicing technique.  

 For this drill, you should have at least three tennis players. Keep in mind, the more players the better. Spread out in a circle, the further away the better. One player starts with the ball and randomly hits it to another player. The goal is to only let the ball bounce once before being hit again. Try adding objectives like having players call out the name of the person they are passing to before the pass. To make it more competitive, have anyone that fails an objective sit down for the remainder of the drill. Last player standing is the winner.

Improve Ball Control with the Bouncing Ball Drill

This is a simple drill that will require teams. If you have less than ten players, then get into groups of two. If you have more than ten players, get into two teams. Once the teams are set, have them spread out along the baseline so they are facing the net. Mark a cone that faces each team and place it near the net. The goal of this drill is to dribble the ball with your racket from the baseline to the cone near the net without losing control of it. Once players circle the cone and make it back to baseline, they will tag the next person on their team. Repeat until each team member has gone. The first team to finish is the winner.

Increase Accuracy with the Crosscourt Drill

This drill will require players to pair up and have a court to themselves. One player will start as the “server” and the other one will do the hitting. The server will hit the ball accurately to the other player’s forehand or backhand side. That player will then attempt to hit the tennis ball crosscourt. Repeat this for a set amount of turns with the server counting how many shots are successful. Once the first player has finished, switch positions. Try to beat your opponent and also try to beat your own high score each time you attempt it.

Incorporate “Simon Says” into your Drills

This drill is simple to perform and also very beneficial to a tennis player’s backhand and forehand strokes. To start, have your players line up horizontally along the service line, with the coach on the opposite side of the court. The coach’s job is to feed the balls to the players. Before the ball reaches the player, he must yell out whether the player should volley it or groundstroke it. By doing this, tennis players will build a better reaction time and will also improve their stroke techniques. 

Improve your Serving Technique and Accuracy

With this simple serving drill, tennis players will gain the ability to pinpoint where they would like to serve it. This will become very handy during a match. This drill can be done with or without a partner, but if you decide to do this drill alone you better make sure you have a good amount of balls with you! To set this drill up, draw a good-sized circle in each of the four service boxes. These will be your targets when you serve so put them in different spots. The goal is to serve the ball into the circle you created. If you serve it outside of the circle, count it as a fault. If more than one person is included, make it a competition by seeing who can hit the circle the most. 

Mini-Games of Tennis Help Simulate Real Match Play

This drill is simple and will help you be more accurate when playing a match. You will need either two or four people to do this drill. The game will be played like a regular tennis match, except the double match line won’t count. If the ball enters anything but the service box, then it’s a point to the opposing team. Try to keep the ball in the service line as long as possible to try and defeat your opponent.

Hand-Eye Coordination is Key to Tennis

For starting this exercise, have one player stand on the end of the service box and another player positioned on the baseline. Begin by throwing the ball to your partner, letting the ball bounce only once. Try to stand in the same spot while doing this to improve accuracy. After that, throw the ball to your partner, but have him hit the ball back to you. Try to catch it after he hits. After a few rounds, switch positions and do it vice versa. Finish up by hitting it back and forth, letting the ball bounce only once. 

Become More Agile and Quick on the Court

To begin here, have your players get into pairs. Have one player stand in the center of the court on the service line. Have the other player stand opposite of him. Your partner will start by hitting the ball to the far side of the court (they choose the side). You must then chase after the ball and hit it back to your partner. As soon as you hit it back, return to the middle. Repeat this back and forth, switching positions every now and then.

The Serving Game

This next drill is a serving game. It’s very easy, but also a good way to improve your serving. Split your team up into two teams. Have them stand on opposite sides of the court ready to serve. Have one team serve one by one, counting how many are successful and how many are not. Next, have the other team serve. Whichever team has the most successful serves, wins.  

Serve and Volley Style

Despite the serve and volley approach becoming less common, many of the elite players still have it in their arsenal, including the great Roger Federer. I’m not stressing to use it 100%, but it can help develop a more well-rounded player. For the drill, you need one player on each side of the court. Have one player serve the ball and then the other player can return it with a number of different shots. No matter whether it’s a crosscourt forehand or a lob, the serving player should rush the net and look to hit the ball before it bounces. After the server receives around 10 reps, then switch roles. As a side note, remember the surface you’re playing on. For games on clay, you might want to play out longer rallies, as opposed to hard or grass.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW

All of these drills listed here serve a purpose of improving one’s tennis abilities. However, it is important to continuously be working on different exercises that focus on what your team needs. If your team is consistently getting double faults, then serving drills increase in importance. At the same time, don’t be hesitant to do a little research on your own.

After Wimbledon, I started thinking a lot about development… and with more players going to a two-handed backhand, I wanted to share what USPTA Elite Professional Mark Bey says about it from his talk at USPTA Pacific NorthWest last year.

Warming up prepares you for the upcoming physical activity and helps make you more resistant to injuries. For tennis players constantly on their feet, stretching before practice or games is essential. We recommend adding these 6 dynamic warm-up exercises to your routine to provide a whole-body warm-up and give yourself a thorough stretch.

Pete Sampras dominated the entire world of tennis through a dominant use of the serve-and-volley strategy. He consistently forced his opponents to make unforced errors through his excellence in this type of play. However, just as in other sports, tennis has gone through a change of play. No longer is the serve-and-volley approach recommended by tennis experts. This doesn’t mean it’s completely extinct though. Here, I’ll show you how to beat it when you see it!

According to Aspetar, the kinetic chain is the biomechanical system by which the body meets these inherent demands of tennis. Building the kinetic chain will help generate the force needed to hit a tennis ball and also to absorb the load that your joints bear when moving on the court. But how do you train your kinetic chain? Here, I’ll show you the way that Djokovic uses instability training so you can play like the pros. 

Fully Body Stability

Obviously, it's essential that we create stability and power in our athlete's core, to create a connected kinetic chain. Instability training is an excellent way to develop your kinetic chain. One of the greatest coaches to do it is Marco Panichi, Djokovic’s strength coach. He is a massophysiotherapist and a master at creating stability in his players by using instability in his training regimen. 

In the video below, Marco Panichi shared what exactly he does with one of the world’s best players. Here, Djokovic has a container partially filled with water strapped to his back. With each movement, the water moves within the container, creating endless instability and reduces his balance. This makes Novak’s nervous system make constant adjustments to maintain dynamic balance. 

Why does it always seem like left-handed tennis players are tripping up the righty tennis players? The truth is, left-handed players inherently have an advantage over right-handed players. Generally speaking, athletes don’t train as much on their lefty game because there are just fewer of them. It doesn’t really feel worth devoting so much time and effort for such a rare opponent. Meanwhile, lefties practice against their counterparts all day, meaning they quickly gain an advantage over their more common opponent. But beating a lefty is totally possible and, despite common belief, doesn’t require some crazy training regimen. With the helpful tips of ATP coach Gonzalo Lopez, I’ll show you various ways that you can take back control of the court and dominate against lefties and righties alike. 

Controlling the height of the rally

Gonzalo has some excellent points on the tactical structure of lefty’s that can help you navigate the challenges of playing a tough lefty. First, Gonzalo talks about the importance of controlling the height of the rally. He describes the height of the rally as the place that you are standing on the court while you are running laterally. Your height can change depending on if you are near the service line or near the net. Gonzalo says that the goal is to change the height of your opponent’s height of the rally while maintaining your own height. The purpose of this is to take an offensive position and control of the rally. If you need to constantly adjust your position on the court, it will be harder to control the rally. So making them adjust will put you at an advantage. 

While this can totally be used for both left-handed and right-handed athletes, it is especially important to remember against your lefty opponents since many tennis players have less experience defending against a lefty. Therefore, keeping an offensive position will ensure you the advantage. 

Many elements of your tennis game require weeks, months and often years of hard training and preparation to master. There are, however, some tips you can apply to your game today.

These are mostly related to strategy and overall approach. Though not physically demanding, they will challenge the way you perceive your role in every game.

1. Prepare Immediately For The Next Shot

In a game of tennis, every second counts.

Even before the bouncing ball comes over to your side, you should have your hips and shoulders turned, ready to position yourself for the next hit.

Why is this first on our list? Because it affects EVER SINGLE SHOT. The more quickly you prepare yourself, the more options you’ll have for playing the opponent’s return shot.

2. You Are Only As Good As Your Follow Through

As games run long, players have a tendency to let up on their follow throw. Don’t do this. Don’t.

Every stroke should be the exact same as the thousands of identical strokes you’ve spent years practicing. Keep proper form, from stance to follow through, on every single shot, and you’ll notice an immediate improvement in late-game play.

One quote that always comes to my mind when discussing tennis shoes comes from the movie Forrest Gump. “There’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes.” While he wasn’t directly talking about a pair of shoes worn for playing tennis, there’s still a lesson to be learned. Tennis is a sport where people often neglect the purchase of proper equipment, but if you watch players serious about tennis, they’ll have the right shoes for the competition at hand.

Do You Really Need a Pair Just for Tennis?

In short, the answer to this question is YES! First and foremost, tennis shoes are a critical determinant of how comfortable you’ll feel while on the court. If your shoes are constantly taking your attention away from the match at hand, then your performance will suffer. Tennis can be a long game. It takes great amounts of endurance to be able to compete in a match for multiple sets. Your tennis shoes affect how long you can stay on the court. Obtaining a reliable pair of tennis shoes will ensure you don’t pick up a preventable injury and at the same time, ensure you’re able to play up to your abilities. So, in essence, if you’re serious about playing plenty of tennis and at a high level, then I recommend getting a pair of shoes just for tennis!

Foot Types

Every pair of shoes isn’t made to fit all types of feet. Your individual type of foot is dependent on the foot’s actual shape and how you walk. There are three general types of feet that we use: (1) Pronated, (2) Supinated, and (3) Ideal.

I recommend you find out your type before going out to purchase a pair of tennis shoes. A pronated foot usually is most susceptible to injury. With this being the case, make sure you get a shoe that prioritizes support. Those with a supinated foot will look for durability as a key quality. This is due to the wear that supinated feet tend to put on shoes. Finally, an ideal foot provides the idealistic option of just choosing a shoe that is comfortable on your feet.

Surface Playing On

With tennis, there are three primary surfaces played on: grass, clay and hardcourt. For players in the United States, you’ll mainly play on hardcourts. However, it’s important to keep in mind the type of shoes available for all surfaces. Since hardcourts play moderately quickly, I recommend getting a durable pair that will hold up. Furthermore, you’ll want one with some support as hard courts can do a number on your joints. For clay, you’re going to emphasize traction. You’ll also want a pair with a pattern on the bottom that prevents clay from clogging up underneath your shoe. Lastly, grass courts are the fastest of the three. One positive about grass is that it does provide some natural cushioning, so you can give up some cushioning in terms of the shoe. However, lateral support would be a good quality to look for due to the quickness of the games.

Material Used in Shoe

As a result of the low-cost options available at large retailers, people usually ignore small qualities of shoes that are actually very important. One of these is the materials used in the shoe. A couple of the more common materials utilized are canvas, leather and vinyl. Canvas is terrific in breathability, but leaves plenty to be desired when it comes to support. Meanwhile, leather is tremendous in support. The third option, vinyl, is solid in support, but the lack of breathability can create more fatigue. Despite the positives and negatives, the truth is most high-quality shoes provide a mixture of all of these materials. They’ll provide players with the adequate support that vinyl and leather provide with a mesh or canvas ensuring breathability isn’t a concern. However, keep in mind that shoes will have varying portions of these to resolve different needs. Ultimately, refer to the surface you intend on playing the most on before delving into the materials.

When Should You Replace?

A common question many people want to know before purchasing is how long these shoes will last. I completely understand this because you don’t want to fork out a decent amount of money for a pair that will give out after a couple months. The general rule is that every pair of shoes should last for approximately 500 miles of use. However, tennis isn’t like long-distance running. You can’t necessarily calculate how many miles you ran. With this being the case, I recommend routinely analyzing the tread pattern on the bottom of the shoe and the cushioning. If both seem to be deteriorating, it might be time to get a new pair. Also, if you’re starting to feel discomfort with your current pair, it might be wise to try something new before coming down with a significant injury.

Do Your Research!

As you can probably tell, the process of getting a new pair of tennis shoes isn’t that simple. You should carefully think about where you’ll be playing and what the current state of your body is. If you’re truly serious about playing tennis and want to avoid unnecessary injuries, then I recommend doing your homework. On a side note, don’t hesitate to check out multiple brands before deciding on one that best fits you.

On any youth sports team, practice is by far the most important element of a program. How can that be? Aren’t the actual games more important? Well, hear me out! Time spent at practice makes the difference between a merely mediocre collection of individuals and a truly successful team. Players and coaches spend more time at practice than in competition – so that’s when a team develops its identity and character.

The organization of practice and the choice of activities is the responsibility of the head coach, so it’s crucial that a coach create practices that are both educational and fun. Players should look forward to practice, from the top player down to the last substitute! Keep everyone involved so they are prepared to play when called upon. There is nothing worse than having players who need to be “dragged” out to the practice field and who can’t wait for practice to be over.

A well-organized practice begins with a dynamic stretch to loosen up muscles and anaerobic conditioning to develop speed and quickness. I am a firm believer that most if not all aerobic conditioning be done in the off-season, unless of course you coach cross country or distance running. Once conditioning is completed a sound practice plan will work on a progression, starting with individual skills and then building up to scrimmaging and cross training. Cross training is a great way to condition players and develop skills by introducing some other sport or game for the kids to play.

With my lacrosse team I was a big fan of playing water polo, basketball, team handball, and even capturing the flag.

Perhaps one of the most important changes I have seen over the years is the use of game-oriented activities and drills rather than the use of drills based on repetition; these repetitive drills are all too often disconnected from what players do while in competition. There is of course something to be said for being able to hit 10 consecutive cross court forehands or backhands into a small box drawn on the baseline, but it is important to limit the time spent on such drills or risk building too much monotony into the session.

It is also important that coaches embrace the idea of “empowering” players during practice. If your goal is to develop players who have a high IQ in their sport and can think on their own and “coach” themselves, then coaches can learn to feel comfortable giving players an activity or goal and sending them to another part of the courts or field while you work with other players. You needn’t constantly hover over your players -- sometimes you need to let them do their own thing.

By far my favorite part of practice is the time I devote to situational play. This can be done with any youth sport. In tennis, situational play should key in on what would be critical moments of a contest. Tell your players, for example: “You are down a set and down a break, and your opponent is serving to add out.” Then play the point. Now one big difference between tennis, and, for example, lacrosse, is that lacrosse has a time element I can add into a situation. Putting pressure on the players is much easier; in tennis this situation might not feel different than any other point, so somehow the coach needs to raise the stakes and apply some pressure. Now I’m not a big fan of negative reinforcement, so rather than punish the loser of the point, I would offer some sort of reward, even if the reward is letting the winner have the opponent “do” something, within reason. A good option is to move everyone to one court to take turns, with the other players acting as vocal spectators for either player or doubles team.

There is no shortage of critical moments in a typical tennis match, whether it is a critical game, a critical point, or a critical shot. Have your players replay the situation several times so they learn what works best. Putting players in these situational moments helps build confidence and can be a lot of fun. I strongly encourage that tennis coaches work this activity into their practices on a regular basis. The dividends, especially when the situation arises in a real match, can be substantial.

A well planned practice built on learning, conditioning, and fun, can be the difference between winning and losing, especially when facing an opponent of equal ability. These practices build passion and desire, and sometimes that is really what matters most.

Former Tennis star John McEnroe once said, “I’ll let the racket do the talking.”

Tennis has been a widely popular sport across the entire globe for decades and differs significantly from some of the common team games, such as soccer and basketball. It requires concentration and confidence to overcome the opposition on the other side of the net. It takes guts to make a risky shot and endurance to withstand a long three set match. Ultimately, tennis has transformed into a game loved by many, both young and old. It can be played by everyone from those looking to play competitively in tournaments to people just looking for some exercise on a Saturday morning. As a result of its popularity, there is a wide range of equipment available to players to choose from ranging in options based on age, skill level or even competitive desires. Over the course of this article, I’ll take a deeper look at what to look for in tennis equipment to develop young players.

1.  Tennis Balls

 It is a common misconception that young players can immediately use the regular sized yellow balls when first starting. For a number of reasons it can quickly have negative consequences, as the kids may quickly get tired of playing and bored with tennis. On Tennis Warehouse, there are three different sized tennis balls to choose from for youngsters. A red foam or felt ball is considered ideal for ages 5-8. It moves at a slower pace, thus providing more opportunity for longer volleys. By allowing for players to be a part of longer volleys, not only does their talent increase, but their confidence rises as they realize they can play the game successfully. The orange ball works best for 9-10 year olds, as it also travels slower but is suitable for a larger court. Finally, the green ball suits anyone between 11 years old and those ready to utilize a full-sized yellow ball. The ages listed for each are not strict guidelines, rather they can be used to gauge the skillsets of the child in terms of strokes and tactics.

2.  Shoes

 In regards to the shoes for a junior player, it is best to get a pair that provides certain characteristics. First and foremost, they need to provide lightweight performance. Tennis is a game that requires constant movement and ability to change directions on the fly. Next, they need to allow for stability. Due to the fast-paced nature of the game, players are highly susceptible to sprained ankles and other lower leg injuries. Breathability is also immensely important. In most areas tennis can be played year round. While playing in 50-60 degree weather isn’t bad, competing in 90-100 degree weather can become intense. Having a pair of shoes that keeps air flowing to your feet can help to some degree. You’ll find the best quality tennis shoes from the brands Nike, Adidas, and Asics. Again, as with the racquets, you don’t have to get the most expensive pair at the start. Rather, you can get a more reasonable pair that also possesses some of the attributes listed above. 

3.  Apparel

 While you can play tennis in regular athletic clothes, there is also a wide range of products available to make your kid look more like the Roger Federer’s and Maria Sharapova’s of the world. Whether it is polo’s, tank tops or compression shorts, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding something they like. There are not many suggestions I can provide for this category, rather I would just say to let your child pick out what they like and will feel most comfortable playing in. 

4.  Racket

Just like with the tennis balls, the racquets are also available in sizes that gradually grow as the child gets older and more accomplished in their tennis skills. For those 8 and under, anywhere between a 19”-23” racquet would be adequate. Meanwhile, those 10 and under would be able to use up to a 25” racquet. Appropriate sizing of the racquet makes it much easier for younger players to hit the ball back and forth. The sizing of the racquet is an important first step, but then the parent needs to help the child figure out the brand. Due to the popularity of the sport, there is a lot to choose from. Personally, I would recommend Wilson, Dunlop, Prince, and Babolat. It might be wisest to try a cheaper racquet initially before making a final evaluation of how much interest the child has in tennis.

Final Take

Like every other sport, tennis can be very fun for kids if approached in the right way. As a parent, it is your job to set an infrastructure that allows them to take it for what it is – a game. By providing them with the proper equipment, they will become more interested and become more familiar with the game. Whether it is a racquet that fits the size of the child or a tennis ball that travels through the air slower to fit their skill level, the equipment they use will have a significant impact on developing their skills and love for the game.

There is a signature move that brought Justine Henin and Roger Federer not just fame, but greatness. So delicate to play, so elegant to watch and so hard to master - a skill described by The Telegraph as "without a doubt, the most beautiful stroke in the game of tennis".

The one-handed backhand.

Nowadays, it seems that players rarely decide to adopt this style of play, and we might witness it’s complete extinction in the next few years. If you’re up to the challenge, however, there are a few things that you need to consider. Not everyone has the ability to play like Henin or Federer, and you should understand what’s required to master this skill before embarking on the journey.

 Why Isn’t it Popular?

We could dig deep into the history of sport to figure where exactly things went from good to great, then bad for the one-handed backhand. But with the entire sport changing itself dramatically over the years and becoming more physically demanding and exhausting for the players, it’s really no surprise this graceful move has faded in popularity.

The focus of games today is almost always pointed towards long rallies from the baseline, requiring tons of power and leaving little space for the positioning needed to land the one-handed backhand.

Advantages and Disadvantages

As with every stroke, there are pros and cons to playing the one-handed backhand vs. the two-handed backhand.

Advantages:

The ability to apply more spin on the ball.

Better overall ball control.

Easy to disguise between a backhand slice and drop shot

Disadvantages:

Requires a higher level of focus and stroke preparation

Difficult to change single-hand grip between forehand and backhand grips

Requires a higher level of single-hand grip strength and control

It’s also interesting to note that Federer tends to hit the ball at waist height, while players in favor of the two-handed stroke hit it at shoulder height, at an earlier stage, and mostly right after the ball bounces.

The Technique

Watching videos on CoachTube can help you understand the technique. Assuming you already play tennis, you will learn more about posture, footwork, grip and swing.

You will find out that it’s a lot easier to learn from watching female players perform this stroke. Men often use way too much strength while playing, and tend to miss out on some important sections of the technique.

John McEnroe described Justine Henin’s backhand as the best single-handed backhand in the history of the game, and he’s not the type of person we’re looking to argue with. It’s important, however, that you learn the stroke as an entire motion rather than attempting to fragment it together.

 How to Improve Your Backhand

Here are a few things to think about when performing a one-handed backhand:

1. Upper body position and preparation - try to rotate your upper body when the ball is coming your way. The back of your playing-hand shoulder should be facing the net. Put your chin on your shoulder, to make sure that your eyes are focused on the ball at all times.

2. Wrist control – the most important thing is to maintain the same wrist position while hitting the ball as you have before the contact. If you try to give more spin with your wrist, the ball is likely to go somewhere you don’t want. Once you practice the right grip, which should be doable after watching the slow motion videos, keep it consistent throughout the swing.

3. Position well and focus through the hit – bad positioning for the one-handed backhand makes you more vulnerable and leaves an entire side of the court unprotected. Players with a lack of focus won’t have time to position correctly for this stroke. Always maintain focus on the ball when playing a one-handed backhand, and once you improve your focus, you will get more confident with your shot and be able to properly position yourself for the return.

Final Tip

Learning how to play tennis is a process that requires dedication and consistency.

Very few players decide to play the one-handed backhand, despite the benefits. Even if you decide to go with the two-handed backhand as your main weapon, you should learn the one-hander as a complement to the other.

A two-handed, top-spin backhand, along with a one-handed slice, makes for a winning combination.

With every new season, and with every new group of players, tennis coaches must be quick learners as they face the challenge of leading a new team and helping create an identity for their programs. “How do I reach this player?” “How do I get these players to play together as a doubles team?” “Do I make allowances for tournament players, and if so, how are my other players going to react?”

Tennis is somewhat unique among varsity sports in that many of the players spend considerable time playing in tournaments, oftentimes facing fellow teammates.

On some top-level teams, each player may have a personal coach, and it is not uncommon for players to ask that their time in private lessons count as attending practice.

I can only imagine how hard it is for these coaches to develop a cohesive group with a “team first, school first” attitude. As a varsity lacrosse coach, I coach a sport that is in the truest sense a team sport -- every position on the team and every player on the team contributes to each other’s success. In tennis, on the other hand, winning is simply the result of adding up individual victories. It is a team of solo artists.

On my team, captains play an essential role and are the conduit through which players express their concerns to me as their coach. Choosing captains is an important job for the players and me. I often wonder how that is done on a tennis team. Do you choose the top players, even though they might spend much of their time playing tournaments?

This begs an even more important question: As a tennis coach, do you even accept “part-time” players on your team?

And if you do accept players with personal coaches, how do you react when one of your players tells you “that isn’t what my own coach tells me to do?”

Tennis coaches, like all coaches, experience teachable moments. On a lacrosse field, I can pull a player off the field, take him aside, and have a quiet moment where I can instruct. But it’s not so easy in tennis – you can’t just stop a match and have that moment. That is why I strongly suggest that tennis coaches make use of video. In my experience, players need to “see” what a coach is referring to in order to truly learn, and video can provide that teachable moment that is usually lost during match play.

Another important challenge faced by tennis coaches, especially veteran coaches who are more set in their ways, is the changing paradigm regarding teaching players. The ideas that players all learn the same way, that coaches teach everyone the same way, that drills form the foundation for learning, and that players must master technique have given way to a new, more empowering way of teaching that in the classroom is known as “individualized instruction.”

Drills give way to situational play and a game-based approach, and players learn to discover through experience, trial, and error. The negativity that was a typical part of a coach’s commentary is now replaced with a focus on positive gains.

Thinking as a player, I can’t help but think how much I would enjoy playing and learning in this more modern approach to coaching; it is as if each player is learning to be his or her own coach. Let’s face it, for most players, practice can be real drudgery. Run a drill, collect the balls. Run another drill, collect the balls. When you consider how much time a player spends at practice versus being in competition, anything that can be done to make practices more stimulating and inviting has to be a good thing!

When I made the decision back in 1991 to coach lacrosse rather than tennis, these issues weighed heavily on my mind. I’m sure there are some coaches, especially those with exceptional players, who just go along for the ride and enjoy the fruits of success. But for those high school tennis coaches who truly take their role seriously and who truly want to make a difference in their players’ lives, I can truly say that they have unique challenges. And that is what makes coaching tennis so unique. 

Tennis tournaments usually require that players have a decent amount of fitness to endure long matches, or play multiple matches a few days in a row. Players should always keep up their overall fitness level if they want to endure the long rallies and excessive running in modern tennis. 

Preparation is very important in those marathon matches, especially in the late stages of a tournament. Here is a brief list of exercises to help you keep up your endurance on the court.

Drill #1: Sprintsints

Sprints – Regular, Backward, Shuffle

These 3 sprinting drills can be performed one by one, or you can do a set of each and repeat them until you get tired. The idea is to increase your speed in various situations. Sure, you can probably jog for miles, but these drills will help develop explosive moves and the ability to swap directions in a fraction of a second.

If you are on the tennis court you can use lines as a border for this exercise, or you can use two cones to mark the distance for your sprints.

Regular Sprint: Once you set up the distance with the cones, or choose your sprint distance otherwise, do a sprint from the starting point to the finish, and jog on your way back. Repeat this until you feel exhausted. Rest for a couple of minutes and proceed with the backward sprint.

Backward Sprint: Repeat the last drill in reverse this time to improve your backwards agility. This drill especially comes in handy for those lob situations. You will probably be able to do a lot more of backward sprints than the regular ones, so try to keep them at the same count. Repeat this exercise a few times, have some rest and proceed to the shuffle sprint.

Shuffle Sprint: This exercise will help in the long rallies from the baseline. For this drill you will need perform a set of three sideway shuffles from one cone to another, followed by a sprint to your starting position. After every set, change the direction of your shuffle and repeat the same number of times as your first two sprints.

Drill #2: Squat Jumpsumps

The squat jump exercise is very important if you wish to have strong legs, as well as maintain your overall fitness at an amazing level. You will be very grateful for this piece of advice when you notice how confident you became with groundstrokes and your serve. To perform this exercise, stand still with your legs at body width. You can experiment with a bit wider width of your legs, but only after you are comfortable with the exercise. Go slowly into the squat position, and try to stay in that position for a couple of seconds before jumping as high as you can. Keep your legs straight and focus your entire body on the landing, because this is where some injuries may occur. After you are back to the starting position, repeat the process until you feel exhausted, and make sure to rest between sets.

University of Georgia tennis player, Lauren Herring, referenced the difference between forehands and backhands when she said, “Most tennis players have a bomb for a forehand and are weak in their backhand.” However, in order to be an all-around player, you must be able to hit a reliable backhand. Otherwise, opponents will consistently attack this and force you into errors. In this article, I’ll break down the process towards developing a two-handed backhand.

One-Hand or Two-Hand?

In tennis, you have the luxury of being able to choose between a one-handed or two-handed backhand. While one isn’t necessarily more dominant than the other, each are designed to fit different types of players. If you are a younger player, it would be most wise to utilize the two-handed shot. This doesn’t require nearly as much forearm strength as the one-hand and is an easier shot to hit. From personal experience, I find that the two-handed approach allows for a more stable racket, as well as the ability to generate added power from your body. Despite these numerous advantages, some players enjoy utilizing the one-hand shot because of their style of play. If you’ve got the power in your forearms to generate pace and enjoy making flashier plays, then the one-hand will be a better fit. With this said, for all beginners and most players in general, I recommend the two-hand for its ease. 

Advantages

I touched on the advantages of a two-handed backhand briefly in the previous section, but will elaborate further here. One of the primary advantages is the stability it provides. By having two hands carry out the shot, you’ll be able to hit the stroke appropriately every time. You won’t have any unneeded arm movements that the one-hand tends to produce. Another advantage is the fact that it doesn’t require a huge backswing to produce pace on the ball. A short and quick backswing allows you more time to get into position to hit the shot. A final glaring benefit is the diminished injury potential to shoulders and wrists. Since you have two hands on the racket, the impact of the ball is distributed between the two, thus putting less stress on your body. Likewise, with the utilization of two hands, more power can be generated.

Disadvantages

As with any shot, there are some disadvantages you need to be aware of. When an opponent hits a strong shot that you have to run for, it can be tough to hit a two-hander while moving. However, it is possible to complete this shot with a one-hand hit. Additionally, balls that are lower tend to be tougher to get to since the two-hander is designed for the point of contact to be around your chest. The last primary disadvantage is the decrease in reflex shots you’ll be able to hit. It is typically tougher to hit a quick volley with both hands on the racket. For the majority of players, these disadvantages aren’t a huge loss. However, with experienced players, they can affect their style of play.

Shoulder Turn

A two-handed backhand is greatly impacted by the severity and power generated from the shoulder turn. The turn of the shoulders is one of the critical factors that offset a shorter backswing. The shoulder turn is a tricky subject because if you get too much, you’ll put yourself in an awkward position, but too little will prevent the ball from having much speed. You want to position yourself in a set-up where you’ll be looking over your dominant shoulder to get a glimpse of the incoming ball. At this point, the majority of your weight should be on your back foot before transferring this to your front foot upon contact. Remember weight distribution and placement of the dominant shoulder.

Stay With the Shot

One of the worst mistakes you can make with a two-handed backhand is pulling off your shot early. After the point of contact, you should continue your momentum forward and extend your arms. At the end of your swing, elbows should be high. Also, rather than looking over your dominant shoulder like discussed earlier, you will now be looking over the non-dominant shoulder. Finish this entire process before worrying about transitioning into the next shot. Failure to fully finish will lead to diminished power and ultimately a waste of the entire coil that you started with.

Best Two-Handed Backhands in the Game

If you’re looking to adopt the two-handed backhand into your regular routine, there are plenty of players to analyze and see what they do to make theirs so dominant. Here are a few:

Novak Djokovic – Obviously, it’s easy to put Novak on any list as he is simply one of the best of all-time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t praise his tremendous backhand. Djokovic consistently takes advantage of his strong backhand in defensive situations, as well as hitting it down the line. The variety with which he uses it is something that sets it apart from the rest. 

Andy Murray – The second two-handed backhand that I’ll suggest is one of Novak’s top competitors, Andy Murray. The British sensation routinely has displayed the ability to hit his with incredible speed. However, one area where he’s actually superior to Novak is with the slice, so check that out!

For a visual representation, I’ve included a video that breaks down the two-handed backhand from the perspective of tennis pro Gilad Bloom. This will allow you to see how he generates pace, as well as connecting firmly on the ball during the entire swing.

At the youth tennis level, grass court matches usually come few and far between. Traditionally known as “lawn tennis,” grass courts are much more common throughout Britain than North America. The high cost of maintenance makes them less attractive to most individuals as they are more expensive than either clay or hard courts. Making the transition from clay or hard to grass can be a difficult one, although this can be mitigated if a player is properly prepared.

Serve-and-Volley

Players that utilize the serve-and-volley approach usually see more of an advantage when it comes to competing on grass courts. Simply put, this style of play involves the server moving quickly towards the net after hitting the serve. Then, the server attempts to volley the ball back before it bounces. Obviously, this style of play won’t be effective for courts that promote longer rallies, but that is usually not the case on grass. A key determinant of this is the sole fact that grass courts play much quicker than others.

Speed

With grass courts, players need to be prepared for more than just understanding their conditioning will be tested. Rather, they should have significant knowledge on the timing and bounce of the ball. While it plays fast like hard courts, you won’t be getting high bounces due to the skidding off the grass. So, in theory, you’ll have a lower bounce that stays in the air a decent amount of time. The best solution for this is to get your swing going early and keep your racket lower.

Again, as seen with the above point, the best method is to take control and get to the net because it’s difficult to play defensive tennis on grass.

Utilize the Slice

The slice carries immense importance on grass, as this is truly where it can shine. A slice is the use of backspin placed on a groundstroke or volley. The nice thing about slices is they generally don’t bounce much when they land on your opponent’s side of the court. So the ability to hit a slice when your opponent is near the baseline can result in an automatic point. On grass courts, this can help negate the speed of the court. It may also be wise to develop a slice serve to keep your opponent on the edge.

With 20 Grand Slam singles titles, it’s safe to say that Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all-time. While she has developed her clay and hard court games over the course of her career, it is the hard court where she has proven to be particularly effective. While hard courts can vary in terms of the color, they are always made of synthetic/acrylic layers on top of concrete or asphalt.

They play differently than the other courts and require a different game plan to be successful.

Efficient First Serve

On all courts in tennis, players must be efficient and effective with their first serve. Speed and accuracy are critical to winning matches. You don’t necessarily have to serve up an ace, but possessing the ability to hit to both sides with pace can certainly be helpful. Furthermore, if you are able to consistently get your first serve in, it will reduce the number of second serves, which usually are hit at a lesser speed to avoid a double. To keep your opponent guessing, I recommend working on a flat serve, slice serve, and kick serve.

Speed and Stamina

If you’ve ever seen an intense five-setter in a major, you can see the importance of stamina. In addition, you’ll likely be playing a lot of tennis outdoors during the summer, which raises the bar ever more on the vitality of stamina. Hard courts tend to play quicker than clay, thus creating a need for speed to track down the fast shots.

Stamina also comes into play due to the fact that hard courts can take a toll on one’s body. They put a lot of stress on a player’s knees and it is for this reason that players must be well-conditioned for matches.

Stretch Plenty

The best way to ensure one’s preparation is adequate is to utilize knee bands and stretch plenty before and after playing. Due to the quick movements and changing directions, stretching becomes immensely important. However, don’t fall victim to the old mindset of stretching, but rather take advantage of the benefits of dynamic stretching.

Fast Speed Promotes Aggressive Play

On hard courts, the ball usually bounces high with speed, thus allowing a player to utilize different forms of shots. This is largely due to the fact that there isn’t much energy absorption on the court. As a result, players are going to generally hit more winners on hard than clay. While a defensive approach may work on clay, it will likely get you beat on a hard surface. Understanding your player’s weaknesses becomes increasingly important. This will allow you to change up your returns and ultimately win more points. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to attack the net. This can be an excellent tool to keep the points shorter.

Play Closer to the Baseline than in Clay

Hard courts lack the forgiving nature of clay courts. This requires a player to play their game closer to the baseline. This aggressive style allows a player to hit the ball earlier and speed up the game. In addition, a player will be in a better position to rush the net when the opportunity presents itself. The key lesson is to not stand too far back. Rafael Nadal made this adjustment after standing farther back during his dominance on clay.

All-Around Game

Becoming a successful player on hard courts usually means that you possess the ability to hit a bevy of different shots, including slices, volleys, and overheads. In order to apply an aggressive, offensive approach that looks to shorten the points, one must be able to constantly be looking for winners. Whether it be hitting a backhand slice or using a serve-and-volley approach, you must keep your opponent on the move. If you want to become a tennis player that can play on all-courts, you must be able to continuously make adjustments and improve your game. You can have the best serve in the world, like John Isner’s, but if the rest of your game is flat, you’ll consistently drop matches.

Keep the Points Short

Clay courts play under the mantra that you need to keep hitting the ball back and force your opponent to make a mistake. The fast nature of hard courts requires you to operate under a completely different mindset. You’re not going to have those long rallies on hard courts, due to the simple fact that they play better to athletes looking to hit winners. Hard court players don’t necessarily have to map out a plan of attack, but can rather go straight for the point. Even though this is the correct way to play hard courts, I also see it as being an Achilles heel for Americans playing on clay. Hard courts are easily the most common of the three surfaces in the United States, partially because of their lower cost of maintenance. However, as a result of this, I believe Americans don’t always understand the complete intellectual part of playing longer points on clay.

Appropriate Shoes

Just as seen with clay and grass courts, there are specific shoes that will allow you to play better on hard courts. Some of the key attributes you’re looking for include durability, comfort, and support. It also would be wise to think about getting a pair with solid breathability. This characteristic will be beneficial during those warm summer days that get even hotter at court level.

Dominant Hard Court Players

Over the years, many players have excelled on hard courts and especially at the two hard court majors (Australian Open and US Open). Here are few of the dominant hard-courters:

Ivan Lendl – Pegged the “Father of Modern Tennis,” Lendl found success at both Australian and US Open. During his career, he added many shots to his repertoire, of which included a topspin backhand and a punishing forehand.

Roger Federer – Many see some of the interconnections between Lendl and Federer. While Federer has slowed a little bit in recent years (although he is still a top 5 player), he was virtually unbeatable on hard courts for a while thanks to his dominant forehand. He possessed the ability to hit winners to all areas of the court.

Dominate!

Hard courts are generally common all around the world, but for many Americans, it may be their only choice when it comes to playing tennis. With this being the case, you need to be aware of the style of play that is effective. When playing, always remember to instill an aggressive approach. Understand there is always a chance for a winner!

Slices, forehands, backhands, cross-court, down the line, drop shots and so many others. All of the great tennis players have learned to master each of these shots to create a true all-around game. While you can have your own strengths and weaknesses, it is important to always have an extra weapon in your arsenal. For young players, I recommend to avoid becoming overly complacent. One dominant shot may be able to win games at lower levels, but as you get older, the game gets more and more technical.

<Needed at All Levelsvels

Of the shots listed above, one that is about important as any is the drop shot. The reason why it’s so important to master is a result of the efficiency needed to master it. A poorly hit drop shot can easily lose the point in an instant. Likewise, a correctly executed drop shot will likely finish the point in your favor pretty quick. The reason I say this is a shot needed at all levels is because anyone can learn it. Whether you’re a junior just learning the game or an older recreational player, it is a fun shot to practice.

Some shots in tennis require an individual to be of a certain size to effectively hit. By this, I mean they require more forearm strength or power in general to utilize. This is not at all the case with a drop shot. The drop shot is all about tactics. It isn’t something you’ll repeatedly hit, but when you do, you’ll need to make sure everything from the preparation to the grip to the follow through is correct!

Slower Opponentnent

With any shot in tennis, I recommend you evaluate your opponent first. A player that moves well may require you to add a little power to get a winner past them. Similarly, when opposing someone that’s not as fleet-of-foot, it may be wise to try a drop shot. Slower players are typically going to be ones that rely on power for their game. They want to hit a big serve and end the point quickly. Assuming you’re able to return the initial serve and get in a little bit of a rally, the drop shot then comes into play. As you keep them behind the baseline, you’ll eventually be able to bust out the drop shot. Although I’ll break down the basics of the shot itself, the reason why it is so effective in these situations is because it keeps the opposition off-balance. They are not quick enough to rush in and return it. In the cases where they do manage to get it back over the net, you have all of that court to hit an easy lob for the point.

<GripGrip

There are two primary grips capable of being used when hitting a drop shot. Both of these are hit with an open racket face. The first of these is an Eastern Grip. This grip is often most comfortable for beginners, due to the ease of it. Additionally, I encourage players to employ the Eastern Grip for forehand shots. It is not designed to withstand longer rallies, but does allow for a timeless transition to the second grip, Continental, which is an effective backhand tool.

In order to understand the grips, you need to look at the bottom of your racket like an octagon, with 8 bevels. The top is termed “1” and they continue clockwise going up to “8.” The palm side of the index finger’s knuckle will be placed on the “3” for righties or “7” for lefties with an Eastern Grip. It should and will feel like a normal grip. Conversely, with the Continental Grip, you’ll want your hands in a manner that can create enough backspin to get the ball over the net. Hence, you’ll have that base knuckle of the index finger on bevel “2.” In addition to using it for backhand drop shots, it can be utilized for volleys and hits closer to the net as well.

<Contact and Follow Throughough

With hitting the drop shot, you’ll want to make a softer swing than a traditional groundstroke. The point of contact should be at waist level. In total, the swing will start high before coming closer to the waist level. With a small bend of your elbow, this will give the ball enough air to get over the net while preventing a high bounce on the other side. This swing pattern creates backspin that essentially takes velocity off the shot.

Once you’ve hit the ball, the follow through should maintain this open racket face. In actuality, there shouldn’t be much of a follow through at all. The goal of an effective drop shot is take all the speed off the ball. If you put together a strong follow through, this can completely alter the goal. As you could probably tell in this explanation, the drop shot does have many interlocking concepts with a standard volley. With this being the case, it can be helpful to study both. This video from Cosmin Miholca on CoachTube provides some helpful information on the volleying side of it.

<Movements Post-ShotShot

As is the case with any shot, you need to be ready for the return. Although the primary mission of the drop shot is to prevent your opposition from even returning it back over the net, you’ve still got to be prepared. After completely finishing the shot, I recommend taking a step or two back to the baseline. If they do manage to return it, chances are it could be going anywhere. Put yourself in a position where you’re not susceptible to an easy point. If they are successful in a return, you’re in a great position to hit a lob for a winner. This is most likely your best option with them being at the net, but you could always opt to power it through them. It’s your call!

<Deceptiontion

Nearly every sport I’ve ever participated in can be defined as a chess match. You always want to feel like you’ve got a hand up on your opposition. Tennis is no different. There are so many different shots that you can add to your arsenal to ensure you’re well-prepared. The drop shot is yet another possibility. Due to its unique nature, I don’t encourage hitting it too frequently. It should be a tool that you have in your back pocket to pull out when your opponent may be struggling to move around or even if you’re starting to get tired of strong groundstrokes from behind the baseline. The key is to not let them know what’s coming until you actually hit the ball. Don’t reveal your intentions until you’re ready to hit. Otherwise, they’ll cheat up and be given an easy winner.

<Returning a Drop ShotShot

Just as it’s important for you to add a drop shot to your bag of tricks, you also need to be aware that your opponents may pull it out as well. My best advice for returning a drop shot is to give them some of their own medicine. After they hit the drop shot, they may retreat a step or two. Since you’ll be in a rush towards the net to try to get a racket on the ball, I encourage players to simply tap a short shot back over the net. Don’t give them time to think of the point-winning shot. Make an instinctive play and win the point yourself!

<Practice, Practice, Practice!ice!

As with every aspect of tennis, it is best for young players to get out there and work on their game. You can read all of the information and watch all the instructional videos you want, but until you actually practice these different shots, you can’t master them. The drop shot isn’t an incredibly difficult shot to learn. However, it does require correct timing and the intelligence required to understand when and where it can be most effective.

Recent finding and reports from chiropractic doctors specializing in tennis medicine has revealed the damaging effects of using neutral and closed stances versus open stance. The results being discovered in these reports have been astounding! 

Here is one doctor's opinion on the subject in an interview with Oscar Wegner, Founder of Modern Tennis Methodology:

"From a chiropractic perspective, the neutral stance is an inferior way of hitting groundstrokes.

For a right-handed player, when he braces to hit a forehand by placing his right leg behind his left leg while shifting his body weight from his back leg to his front bent knee, the fatigue of repetition or an extreme stretch is likely to subluxate (slip slightly out of joint) the right sacro-iliac joint causing a series of normal but painful bio-mechanical compensations.

In a typical situation, one can expect the right ilium to shift posterior, the right hamstring to tighten, the fifth lumbar vertebrae to rotate, and the paravertebral and gluteal muscles on the right side to spasm.

In due time, the player may expect a right hamstring pull, lower back pain, and possible involvement of the lumbo-sacral plexus on the left side of the pelvis with radiating nerve pain into the left leg.

Additionally, the continual transference of weight to a bent front knee, especially when placing the knee into a deep bend or when the front foot is not directly in line with the force vectors generated by the forehand swing, is likely to cause knee pain and eventual knee injury.

Again, imagine doing this for about 100 times in the course of an hour, or 100 times in an hour of tennis. No wonder so few adults are still playing tennis. Tennis is a wonderful game and should provide a lifetime of fun when played with bio-mechanical correctness. My most serious advice is: listen to Oscar." 

–Dr. Carl Barniak, Chiropractor

Tennis great Billie Jean King once said, “Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.” Despite the game’s evolution, this quote from King is still valid. Tennis is an ever-changing contest with consistent principles. In recent years, the game of tennis has not only changed in terms of style of play, but the complete globalization of the sport. Increasingly, players are popping up from all around the world looking to prove they’re an elite player.

Student of the Game

Learning from the BestBest: One of the concepts that stuck out to me during the interview with Bruce was his time training under Harry Hopman. While not every young player can receive the guidance of an individual like Mr. Hopman, it is important to have a knowledgeable coach. Hopman would go on to coach many other tennis greats, including John McEnroe. Even the greatest players in the game are humble enough to employ former greats as their personal coaches, as evidenced by Novak Djokovic hiring Boris Becker.

Paying It Forwardward: Many of the attributes Bruce learned from Hopman have been passed on to Bruce’s students. As the Director of Tennis at Westward Look, Bruce is looking to make both young and older players aware of the trends in the game. Even though you can learn a lot about tennis from game-practice, being around other players and hearing tips from veterans can go a long way towards developing one’s game. Mr. Connors’ actions have effectively passed on the legacy of Harry Hopman.

Cardio Tennis

Another area that Bruce is extremely passionate about is cardio tennis. Described as “a high energy fitness activity that combines the best features of the sport of tennis with cardiovascular exercise, delivering the ultimate, full body, calorie burning aerobic workout,” cardio tennis is one of the focal points of Mr. Connors’ new position at Westward Look. The importance of endurance in tennis can’t be understated. If a player isn’t able to keep their energy up for an entire match, chances are they’ll start to struggle after the first set. The unique thing about cardio tennis is it can be utilized for anyone looking to improve their overall fitness and fine-tune the technical aspects of tennis.

The Interview

I recently caught up with Bruce Connors to break down some of these trends.

Brandon Ogle: First off, would you mind telling us a little about your new position as Director of Tennis at Westward Look?

Bruce Connors: I am privileged to be working in such beautiful surroundings at Tucson’s first resort. My goal is to improve on programming and to promote all that Westward Look has to offer as a resort and members’ club.

BO: Could you briefly discuss the cardio tennis trend and the benefits it could provide to young tennis players? Who would you recommend to take on cardio tennis?

BC: Cardio tennis describes a type of clinic in which the participants achieve an aerobic workout as well as a focus on the fundamentals of tennis. Every instructor has his or her unique style and lesson plan; therefore, each class has its own distinctive feel. The key to a successful class is when the participants feel as though they have had a physical workout while they worked on the basics of their game. Cardio tennis is beneficial to all players – both young and old. It helps young players increase their endurance.

BO: Would you say cardio tennis should be used in addition to playing regular tennis or do you see cardio tennis becoming much more popular than playing standard singles/doubles matches for practice?

BC: Cardio tennis is to tennis as, for example, spinning is to cycling – it’s a workout as well as a way to improve one’s game. It does not replace match play. Competing in matches verses training in a clinic is very different. Simply put, a player tends to be more relaxed in a drill situation when the results are not as big of a factor.

BO: After watching some of the majors in recent years, do you notice any trends in styles of play that juniors should take note of?

BC: The physicality of the game has escalated along with the racquet and string technology, thus making tennis more powerful than ever. Perhaps the reintroduction of the serve and volley should be a trend to which juniors should take note.

BO: As of this current moment, American tennis is struggling on a national level, particularly on the men’s side. What do you think needs to be done to help even out this separation? Is it just a result of not enough Americans being interested in tennis in their youth or something else?

BC: Unfortunately American tennis has lost some ground as far as the world ranks are concerned. The European countries have invested a lot in their tennis development programming, geared toward aspiring young talent. On the other hand, American youth have so many other sports and recreation choices, not to mention non-athletic entertainment options, leading to a lack of drive for tennis in some circumstances.

BO: Since grass and clay courts aren’t as common in the United States, how would you recommend players prepare themselves for these surfaces in case they do get placed in a tournament on clay or grass?

BC: In order to prepare for softer playing surfaces when those surfaces are not readily available in practice situations, the shots that are utilized more effectively on those surfaces can be modified for the hard court. Putting spins on the ball, thereby mixing up play, would be an example of a technique that is useful on clay and grass, but that can also be incorporated into hard court play.

BO: What was your favorite surface to play on and why did it intrigue you?

BC: The answer to that question depends on the match and on the opponent. I enjoy clay surface due to the variety of shot-making options. Angles, drop shots, and lobs make use of more on the clay court. On the other hand, hard surfaces tend to be more linear, complimenting more aggressive serve and volley play.

BO: While other sports like basketball have programs such as AAU to showcase talents, what is there available for young tennis players to do the same and gain attention of college recruiters?

BC: The junior ranking system still gives college coaches a good amount of information on players and tournament results, giving insight to recognize rising talent.

BO: Having played collegiately at the University of Arizona in the 1980s, do you think the collegiate tennis world has changed much since then?

BC: I would say, as the game itself has evolved, inevitably so has collegiate tennis. A college match has always consisted of six singles and three doubles matches. In order to quicken play and make matches more spectator-friendly, the playing of let serves and the eight-game pro-set for doubles were introduced in the mid-90s.

BO: From watching younger players compete, I’ve noticed one thing they often have difficulty with is mastering the serve. Do you have a few pieces of advice to simplify the process of learning to serve?

BC: The serve hasn’t changed much in form. Keeping the motions smooth and tossing to the swing are key, as well as working on timing and racquet speed. The classic figure of eight motion will help any player understand fluidity of motion. A consistent toss is a must.

(For some additional information on learning how to serve, CoachTube offers some terrific courses for serving tips. One great resource is Serve in 30! 30! by Lisa Dodson.)

BO: In today’s game, it seems like there is a dying breed of pure serve and volley players. Why do you think this trend has occurred; and, as an instructor, would you still encourage players to add this approach to their arsenal?

BC: Every player’s goal should be to have a well-rounded game. Serve and volley is one aspect of this; and, it can be very useful to change the pace in a match. One reason it may not be used as often now is there is so much power in the game that it is harder to approach the net.

BO: Have you ever dealt with an injury or seen a teammate rehab from a major injury? How would you describe the overall process and the struggle to get back on the court?

BC: I have been fortunate to not have had any serious injuries. Prevention of injury by proper strength training and stretching routines is beneficial. Knee problems are a common issue among club players. Rehabbing can take time and requires dedication, so primary prevention is paramount. Getting back on the court after an injury can be as much of a mental struggle as it is physical.

BO: Having trained with the great Harry Hopman as a junior, could you briefly discuss the importance that a quality coach brings to a player’s development? What would you say to parents who are looking for coaches available for their son or daughter?

BC: The method that Mr. Hopman utilized emphasized fitness over stroke production. What works for one player may not work for another player. I do remember one piece of advice he routinely gave in training drills. He would say, “If you can get to the ball that is out, you should be able to get to the one that is in.” We all have different personalities, so finding the right coach who knows how to motivate the inner drive of a player is the goal.

BO: As a player who has gone through the ranks of the tennis world, what would you say is the most difficult thing you’ve had to deal with as a tennis player?

BC: To be completely honest, the thought of not having reached my potential as a player due to circumstances in my life beyond my control at certain times still tortures me.

BO: Lastly, do you think we’re witnessing the greatest male (Roger Federer) and female (Serena Williams) players of all time?

BC: My opinion is that Roger Federer exemplifies the model to which a tennis player should strive – as a player and as a person. Serena Williams has developed such an outstanding persona both on and off the court. Surely they both merit a place in history as players at the top of their sport.

Thank you to Mr. Connors for participating in this interview and feel free to check out Westward Look for more information on the resort.

Ever heard the quote about sports being like a chess match? Well, the truth is that this statement holds true for both team and individual sports. Although tennis can be played with a teammate, it is a sport that is also commonly participated in through singles matches. Between playing strategies and handling the many ups and downs of a match, players looking to raise the level of their overall game need to be mentally strong. This article will discuss some of the elements that go into being an elite mental player.

True Mental + Physical GameGame

“Tennis is mostly mental. Of course, you must have a lot of physical skill, but you can’t play tennis well and not be a good thinker. You win or lose the match before you even go out there.” This observation comes from one of my favorite tennis players of all-time, Venus Williams. At one time, Venus was one of, if not the most, dominant female tennis players on the world. Unfortunately, health conditions have forced her to adjust her playing strategy. No longer can she keep overpowering her opponents for multiple sets in a row. She has been forced to adopt a more measured, strategic approach to her game. Tennis is mental and physical. You can’t have one without the other and expect to be effective. Numerous times I’ve seen players with incredible physical attributes get beat by less physically talented players that are more in tune with the mental aspects of the game. A good balance of mental and physical focus is vital to one’s success in Tennis.

Concentrated Effortfort

Tennis can be a difficult game to master depending on how interested you are in it. With this said, concentration can become a major road block depending on how immersed you are in the sport. First off, I’ll start with the matches. Depending on the age level, matches can vary from a couple of games to multiple sets. As a result, they can drag on for longer periods of time with little opportunity to relax. Along with this, momentum can easily change over the course of a match. You must retain concentration for the entirely of the match to prevent lapses. One thing I’ve found to be useful in this process is to treat every point like a new challenge. It’s easy to take a couple points off if you get ahead by two or three breaks of serve. However, this is where momentum changes hands.

The second area where concentration is critical is during practice sessions. Practice is the perfect time to repeatedly practice the shots you’ve been struggling with. If the backhand has been a weak spot, you don’t just hit it a couple of times until the swing looks good. You must find out the correct motion and hit it time-after-time. For some, this can be a boring process, but it is the only way to truly master the overall sport.

In-Game Tacticstics

As I mentioned in the introduction, tennis is a game of constant adjustments. Players carefully analyze their opponents in the early parts of a game to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you have the immense physical tools to just hit it past them time and time again, then you need to make careful adjustments from a mental side of things. One of the most important mental skills to achieving victory in tennis is learning to be a problem solver on the court. Every player has tendencies. Whether you recognize them or not, you have tendencies, just as your teammates and opponents do. Some of these may be easily exploited. It is your job as a mentally elite player to make your tendencies less noticeable and take advantage of those exhibited by your opponent.

Understand the Rulesules

If you truly want to improve your skills in a sport, it is crucial to be an expert on the rules. I understand this can be difficult for beginners, but it doesn’t take long to master them. If you have some free time, pick up a book to read the basics. This will help you understand some of the general terminology, as well as the difference between singles and doubles. To add to this knowledge, I suggest watching tennis on T.V. Here you’ll be able to carefully observe the scoring, player’s behaviors and the rules of the game in action. Of course, through the first hand experience you’ll gain as you play more matches, you’ll be able to rattle off the rules without even thinking twice!

Passion for the GameGame

One mental skill that doesn’t take a lot of thinking or mental intelligence is motivation, or a love for the game. If you’re going to put in the work to be a great tennis player, a passion for the sport is essential. Players with this passion are not only more likely to put in the extra work to get better, but won’t give up easily in games. They won’t let an early deficit discourage them and will continue to battle. This is the type of mental attitude that makes a strong opponent.

Picture this: you get up 4 games to 0 in a best of 3 set match. Obviously, this is an ideal situation for the leader as he or she has all but locked up the first set. However, the player on the other side of the net looks intrinsically motivated and not even rattled one bit. Although the first set may be nearing its end, the player trailing is going to give it their all to either come back on the first set or try to gain some momentum for the rest of the match. Isn’t it easy to see how this opponent would be tougher and more intimidating than one that would just phone it in after the early hole?

No FearFear

There are so many different shots you can hit in a tennis match. From a slice to forehand to smash to so many others, the opportunities are almost endless. With this being the case, you can’t be hesitant to try new shots or even different playing styles as a whole. If you see someone else playing in a manner that intrigues you, don’t hesitate to incorporate that into your own game. From a different perspective on saying no to fear, you’ll most likely find yourself matched up with some opponents that are simply more talented. Whether it be having endless stamina or an elite serve, these players appear to be unbeatable. The best way to be resilient against them is by adjusting your playing style.

For example: I’ll take the player with the huge serve. Based on their style, it isn’t going to be wise to stand on or inside the baseline even if that is what you would typically do that against an opponent. Rather, take a step or two back and give yourself plenty of room. Generally, big servers aren’t the most fleet-of-foot. Under this assumption, the best strategy would be to get the first return over and then look to extend the match. It all comes down to breaking down your opponent’s game early on!

(Because I mentioned the variety of shots available in a tennis match, I’ve included a link to a video from CoachTube. It is taught by Oscar Wegner and essentially shot-by-shot goes through the most common shots. Check it out if you’re new to one!)

Decisive, yet Cautiousious

Players that aren’t decisive often get themselves into positions where their opponent can guess where the return is coming. The take-away message from this final section is to make a decision and go with it, but keep in mind the situation. If you’re in need of a winner and your opponent leaves the cross court side open, go for it! Sometimes the tougher shot is what is needed to alter the course of a match. On the other hand, there are also times where caution needs to be exercised. It all goes back to the idea of knowing the situation. If your opponent has been erratic time and time again, then doesn’t it make sense to take the safe approach and force them to beat you? Sometimes all you need to do is return the serve to give yourself a reasonable chance at the point.

Student of the GameGame

If you truly want to become a mentally strong tennis player, you need to become a student of the game. There are plenty of players that possess the excellent physical tools needed to excel on the tennis court. However, this is only half the game. Throughout this article, I’ve delved deeper into a few of the mental aspects of Tennis. Between passion, aggression, tennis intelligence, and concentration, there are many areas where a stronger mental approach can give you the upper hand!

“The rule in life is like with tennis: One point won’t lose you the match, but if you let it get to you, it will.”

This tennis quote is one I always urge young tennis players to take to heart. When playing tennis, you can’t be afraid to take chances. If you are consistently hitting the ball right back towards the center of the court, the game becomes monotonous for yourself and easy for your opponent. Once a player knows what their opponent is trying to do, there are no secrets anymore. A cross-court shot can be one of many plays to keep them guessing.

More Court to Aim For For

It may not always seem this way, but on a standard tennis court there is a lot of room to hit at. With this said, one of my top reasons for hitting cross-court shots is to take advantage of this open real estate. When you hit one straight down the line, there isn’t a whole lot of room for error. However, this distance increases when you look for cross-court shots. This difference is even greater when you take the floor for a doubles match. Even though this point may sound a little elementary, it can pay significant dividends for the mental aspect of a match. When you realize that you have a few extra feet when opting to hit it cross-court rather than down the line, isn’t it safe to say you might attempt these shots more often?

Change Arm Anglesgles

In order to hit cross-court shots consistently, you have to adopt a different contact point and alignment than the one used for down the line shots. If you keep both of these the same, then you’re merely hitting cross-court shots by changing the swing angle with your wrist. When you do this, it becomes difficult to hit accurate shots consistently and thus unforced errors will start to grow in numbers. The best way to prevent this from happening is to change the contact point. Naturally, players will hit in-front inside balls to the cross court. Meanwhile, balls that are farther back and away from your body will tend to go down the line. With this known, the best way to hit cross-court shots is to position yourself so you’ll hit the ball a little earlier and closer in to the body. Proceeding in this approach will allow you to hit cross courts efficiently and effectively.

Occasionally a cross-court shot will take the form of a volley. CoachTube provides videos designed to help players master this skill.

Disguise Your ShotShot

The Problem

In a decent amount of the sports articles I’ve written, I always discuss this concept of ‘deception.’ Athletes are constantly trying to get an idea of what their opponent is thinking. If you are able to do this, you’re in a position of always being a step ahead. You know what move is coming before it happens. If your opponent is successful in breaking down your game, your chances of a victory quickly diminish. That is why you need to cleverly disguise your intentions. This applies perfectly for the difference between cross-court and down the line shots. While I’ll break down this difference later, you don’t want your opponent to know, based on your alignment, whether the ball is going cross-court or down the line.

The Solution

It is not recommended that you try to disguise all your shots, because it can lead to a loss in maximum power caused by overthinking. When you do find an opportunity to hit cross-court, you will align yourself as if you’re going for a down the line shot to deceive your opponent. Then position yourself a little further from the ball, and just as you begin the swing, start to pull yourself in and complete the cross-court. Like I mentioned, don’t try to disguise all of your shots, or else you will end up affecting your game in a negative way. The best advice is to only try to disguise the ones where you have extra time. Your opponent is already in a bad position if you have a decent amount of time to make the return, but this can ultimately finish the point!

<Disrupt Rhythmythm

As a tennis player myself, I understand the value that can be had from getting in a rhythm. Particularly when it’s your service game, you can quickly get in a groove when you’re getting your shots in. This can be further exemplified when your opponent isn’t putting a lot of pressure on you. When they’re simply hitting returns straight down the court, the game comes much easier. Cross-court shots are not only smarter shots, but they allow you to play to the weaknesses of your opponent. The majority of players are either going to be weaker with their forehand or backhand. During the early stages of the game, you need to find out which. Then, as the match progresses, you can consistently hit to their weak side, even when it requires a cross-court shot. This will keep them on-guard and hopefully prevent any momentum from occurring.

Comparison Between Down-the-Line Shots and Cross-Courtourt

In tennis, there are two primary types of passing shots: down-the-line and cross-court. A passing shot is essentially a groundstroke that makes the opposing player move to their right or left. A down-the-line never crosses the centerline and goes in a parallel direction of where the player is standing. Meanwhile, the cross-court shot crosses the centerline and goes from the left to right or vice versa.

If you intend on hitting a down-the-line shot off a cross-court, it requires a great deal of force. This is because you have to redirect the ball in a different direction. In addition, it helps to move your body into the ball and align properly so the wrists won’t be doing all the work. When you hit a cross-court shot, you run into similar issues. It is vital to position yourself appropriately to prevent any inconsistencies. Cross-courts require a hit that is more in front. Understanding how to position yourself is vital to hitting consistently on all passing shots.

<Take Advantage and Capitalizelize

Cross-court shots tend to be safer with the additional court to aim for. Even if you might be hesitant to hit cross-court often, I recommend slowing working it into your game. Excelling at tennis is largely centered on one’s ability to develop an all-around game. Just like a baseball pitcher, the more tools you have in your arsenal, the better player you’ll be. Hitting cross-court is yet another one of these tools every player should know.