RICK'S CORNER

Rick’s Corner is geared for those who really want to and are prepared to make the effort that will make a marked impact on their tennis game.

We’re watching who is going the extra mile to improve their game!

ABOUT

TIPS

ABOUT RICK

Richard Thériault

Richard Thériault has been a member at the ONEC tennis club since 2006. While growing up in Rouyn-Noranda / Abitibi, he played several racquet sports, competing in tennis, badminton and table tennis. You could say he’s a real racquet sport fanatic!

Richard is proud to say that he has achieved the National Capital Tennis Association (NCTA) hat trick of tennis by winning the over 45 singles, doubles and mixed doubles tournaments held at the ONEC.

Now a days, he loves to hang out and have fun playing tennis and socializing with club members. To him, nothing beats having a good beer on the deck in the company of Marko and friends chatting about the game of tennis, and other pertinent (or impertinent) topics of the day!

TIPS OF THE WEEK

15 August 2024

The Service Toss

You will find that a large percentage of errors on the serve are from an incorrect toss. Here are some tips that will help you understand the toss better.

1. As you turn your left shoulder towards your opponent, think of a clock face -- your left shoulder being at 12 o'clock. Throw your toss at 1 o'clock (11 o'clock for a left hander).
2. Make sure your tossing arm elbow goes to full extension, with your shoulder almost touching your cheek. Your hand should be above your eye level prior to release.
3. Keep the toss approximately 18 inches in front of your left hip (right hip for left handers).
4. Cup the ball in your toss hand -- do not grab it with your fingers.
5. Hit the ball with your hand and arm at full extension (get up on your toes).
6. A good toss will have the ball barely rotate (not spinning). If it is spinning, you are using your fingers too much -- allowing the ball to wander. Set the toss up like a waiter raises a tray of food above his head.
7. A good toss will peak only a few inches above your full extension -- allowing you to hit the ball slightly on the fall.

Watch this great video about the tossing arm serve drill. This will help to improve your technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5S6lMBwzXU

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose.”

―Andre Agassi

7 August 2024

Move

As you get older, of course, you will not see the ball as well and you will not be as fast as you use to be. Are you going to get faster? No! Should you quit? No!

What to do? Try to start moving your feet in a slight left to right rocking motion before the point starts. You have not committed to a direction yet, but you are getting your body ready to react. Also, try to constantly be moving and adjusting your position every time the ball is struck. Remember, you are also trying to get aerobic exercise and fitness.

If you stand still too long, it is very hard to get moving again. Once your body starts moving it is much easier to react. During the warm-up, before your match, always make sure to do small steps before hitting the ball. Watch pros like Alcaraz when warming-up you will see what I mean. Sometimes when you are playing a doubles match, count the number of small steps you take even when you do not get to hit the ball. You will find that you should be taking a minimum of a dozen steps even when you are not hitting a ball. Force yourself to go to the ball. Quit waiting! If you don’t move you lose! One of the most common complaints I get from my tennis bodies at the tennis club is "their partner does not move."

Have a good time on the courts, move your feet!

Tennis quote

“You don’t have to hate your opponents to beat them.”

―Kim Clijsters

31 July 2024

What To Think About

In a match, many times you will be thinking about winning or losing. Usually, this does not help! It might be the worst thing you can do!

When I play with friends, I encourage them to just think about winning the next point. Then try to win a series of points or "runs." Usually, the player that accumulates the most "series of points" or "runs" will win the match.

This method allows you to deal more with the present, not the past and future.

It is much better to remember that you have won the last 6 points then to worry about winning or losing the match. This can give you immediate positive feedback and motivate you greatly. Thinking about all your mistakes or lost points will not help at all! Stay in the "positive zone."

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.”

- Billie Jean King

24 July 2024

Poaching

(Definition: going for a ball in doubles that your partner would hit, but you think you can win the point)

Many times people will ask me if there is a drill that they could do in order to help them with poaching when playing doubles. It is very difficult to design a drill specifically for poaching. If it does happen, the results in the drill will usually make little improvement in a real match. Why?

Because when you play singles or come from a singles background, you move to every ball without hesitation. If you do not have the background, usually you will hesitate to hit many balls because you think your partner might hit a better shot or you might make an error going for the balls. As a result, this hesitation stops many potential poaches!

How do you begin to fix this (hesitation) problem? When you are at the net, start thinking you are going to poach every ball. Quit waiting for the "perfect ball" to poach. Start committing your racket preparation every time your opponents hit the ball, even if you do not think you can hit the ball. To poach you have to commit your position early on.

Remember, poaching is not just hitting the ball that your partner could hit, it's winning the point with the ball your partner could hit. Start committing early and often. Poaching is one of the most fun aspects of playing doubles.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“Tennis is a mental game. Everyone is fit, everyone hits great forehands and backhands.”\

- Novak Djokovic

26 June 2024

Three Big Questions

In my opinion, these are three very important questions to ask yourself when playing doubles:

How do I hit the shot?
Where do I hit it?
Where do I go next after me or my partner hits the ball?

The first question, "How do I hit the shot?" should have been answered before you get in a competitive match. Your grip, form, stance, etc. should not even come into your mind when you are competing. These should have been learned through lessons, backboard, ball machine and practice.

The second question, "Where do I hit the ball?" should have been drilled into your head through drills, practice matches and repetitions before the match. There are many patterns of "where to hit the ball" that are performed because of the "high percentage" of success. Example: Don't change the direction of the ball so much. Keep your serve return and ground strokes away from the opposing net player. In doubles keep most shots crosscourt. When at the net hit the high balls to the short player and keep the low balls back to the deep player.

The third question, "Where do I go next after me or my partner hits the ball?" is, to me, the most important question in a match. The first two questions should have been ingrained way before the match started. I've seen many matches where the player who hits the ball moves in the correct position, but not their partner. Remember, your "good shot" is your partner's "good shot." And your "bad shot" is your partner's "bad shot." When you combine two players that understand this, you form a very good team!

I hope answering these three questions helps you really improve your doubles.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”

– Arthur Ashe

19 June 2024

The 2 Step Rule

As you get older as a tennis player, you will eventually feel like you are not improving or not having fun! When this happens, start abiding by the "2 Step Rule."

Simply put, do not expect the ball to come to you. Instead, learn to move "2 steps" in the direction of the ball that is coming near you. What will stop you from improving or even getting invited to play will be your footwork. By the way, don't forget the biggest reasons you play are for the physical conditioning and secondly the social environment.

Try standing still on the court and look how far you can reach just by moving your arms without your feet. Remember that the racquet is approximately 27 inches long, which is approximately the length of your arms. So, you have 54 inches of reach before you move your feet. By moving just 2 steps in every direction (forward, backward, left and right) you are bound to get better reaching more balls, have more people wanting to play with you and in general, be much happier and healthier. Now, stand on the court and move just 2 steps in every direction and you will see much more of your potential.

Remember it is a movement sport. So, don't give up on the ball until you have taken at least "2 steps!"

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“You can’t measure success if you have never failed”

– Steffi Graf

12 June 2024

The 3 Most Common Mistakes in Tennis

I think these are the 3 most common mistakes made when playing tennis!

1. Groundstrokes -- You play against hard hitters and you play very well against them! However, when you play against weak (pushers) players you over hit, get frustrated and lose. You probably play or practice against hard hitters. So, you have already made adjustments in your strokes for this. However, when you play weaker players, with slower shots, you think you should "kill the slow ball." However, you are doing this with a much larger backswing than you ever take against a harder ball. After doing this several times and failing by over hitting, you lose and actually start to play like the weaker player you are playing against!

Correction: Learn to take the same size backswing on receiving a slow ball as you do when you receive a fast ball. On this slow ball, accelerate your racket head as you get nearer the hit. Keep the same size backswing!

2. Volleys -- Most players refuse to work on their volleys. They just get in the pattern only hitting or liking their groundstrokes. Typically, players like this never learn how to attack their serve and they play very defensive doubles.

Correction: Warm-up first by hitting volleys. When you are just hitting, gravitate to the net for more volleys. They are an easy way to win a point. Learn the difference between an offensive volley and a defensive volley. The offensive volley might have a larger backswing than the defensive volley.

3. Serve -- You cannot seem to go to a higher level. You are not double faulting; you never win a point directly from hitting a serve. You are using the serve to just start the point, rather than trying to win the point.

Correction: Go take a lesson, immediately! The new professionals have these things in common when hitting their serves. They are not holding the racquet tight. They are lowering their tosses. Once they start their serve they keep the racket head moving. They do not start and stop the racket. They are getting more power from using their wrist, than from their shoulders.

I bet these tips will help your game immediately! Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.”

― Arthur Ashe

5 June 2024

Where do I Go After I Hit The Ball In Doubles?

Many tennis players take lessons and learn good technique and the fundamentals. However, when they get in a "real world situation" they are not sure where to go after they or their partner hit the ball.

Here are a few examples while playing doubles:

1. You are on the baseline and accidentally hit a very weak shot - what to do? Stay back and defend the next shot.

2. You are on the baseline and hit a very strong cross-court shot - what to do? Move in a little looking for a weak return or move to the service line and play in an offensive position.

3. You are on the baseline and you or your partner hit a nice deep lob over the opposing net player - what to do? Move forward to the service line looking to take the offense. If they hit your shot back with a lob, take it as an offensive smash.

4. You are on the baseline and you hit a weak lob too short - what to do? Stay back, tell your partner "Short" so they can move back and then defend the overhead smash and not get "killed" by it.

5. You are on the baseline and you hit the ball "under" the advancing opponent (more at their feet) - what to do? Move in looking for a weaker or shorter return.

6. You are failing to keep the serve return away from the opposing net player - what to do? Ask your partner to move back to the baseline with your until you get the point started.

7. You are on the baseline and your partner, at the net, moves across the center line to "poach" the ball - what to do? Immediately move to the opposite side of your court and protect the open court left open by your partner poaching.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“I never look back, I look forward.”

―Steffi Graf

29 May 2024

What Tennis Can Teach You?

Here is my 2024 list of things tennis can teach you:

It can teach you to adapt
It can teach you to focus
It can teach you to keep in shape
It can teach you to work toward a goal
It can teach you make new friends and be social
It can teach you to be competitive
It can teach you to show up on time
It can teach you to form strategies and game plan
It can teach you to learn from you mistakes
It can teach you to be honest
It can teach you to not give up
It can teach you that you will have both good and bad days on the court -- Just remember the "good days"
It can teach you to be prepared, both mentally and physically
It can teach you not to just judge your opponent by the way they hit the ball
It can teach you to have empathy toward your partner
It can teach you to help weaker players
It can teach you that you can play for the rest of your life
It can teach you to have fun, whether you win or lose

As you can see these are "Life lessons", which everyone needs.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis Quote

¨Losing is not my enemy, fear of losing is my enemy¨.
―Rafael Nadal

22 May 2024

Patterns in Doubles

Many times, in doubles coaches teach their students some basic patterns of play. In doubles, when you are at the net and you receive a low ball (a ball below your waist), what should you do with it?

If your opponents are both at the net keep it low down the middle. They will have to fight for the ball and will be unable to add too much angle.

If your opponents are up and back, return the ball to the opponent the farthest away from you.

When both your opponents are back, return the ball to the opponent farthest away from you. Then both you and your partner need to back up and look for an overhead.

If the ball you hit to the deep player falls short, both you and your partner should move in to lessen the chance of your opponents hitting the ball low and under you. Most players do not lob moving forward.

Remember, if you receive a low ball at the net return it to the farthest player from you then look for a lob. If you hit the low ball back short to the deep player, move in. What are considered low balls? Low soft volleys, low fast volleys and low half volleys.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

“When you do something best in life, you don’t really want to give that up and for me it’s tennis.”

―Roger Federer

15 May 2024

Who Should Take Tennis Lessons?

Beginners: No matter what age. Learn form and efficiency early to create a solid framework for the future. It is easier to learn correctly early on than to try to reprogram your brain and muscle memory later.

Players coming back from an injury: If you have constant injuries (i.e., elbow, wrist, shoulder, knees, etc.) it would be worthwhile to consult a pro. He or she may be able to see if there is something mechanical you are doing that can be causing your problems.

Players coming back from a lay-off: You took off for more than 2 weeks, due to any number of reasons. This is a great time to take a lesson to start back gently and get a gentle refresher of correct form and help your timing. This may help prevent you from developing bad habits that can come with some frustration often experienced when starting to play again after an absence.

Older players with much experience: As players age, maintaining a level of play is advantageous. Many players, upon reaching a certain level, rest on their laurels. Thus, they see their game gradually deteriorate or see younger players passing them by. Taking lessons and maintaining your fitness can greatly aid in helping you maintain your level of game.

Tennis quote

¨ I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I love to play¨.

― Boris Becker

16 May 2022

Do you know how many returns you miss?

This month I would like you to think about your return-of-serve… The first thing I ask a person when they say to me they made three double faults in a match is, “how many times did you miss a return-of-serve?”

It amazes me how many of you can tell me how many double faults you have hit at the end of a match. If I asked you how many times you missed a return-of-serve, you might struggle to give me an answer. We can all agree that the two most important shots in tennis are the serve and the return-of-serve. If you put as big an emphasis on your return as you do on your serve and focus on making a return as much as not double faulting, you would dramatically cut down the number of free points your opponent gets. It’s a great way to improve your game!

Tennis quote

¨The tennis ball doesn’t know how old I am. The ball doesn’t know if I’m a man or a woman or if I come from a communist country or not. Sport has always broken down these barriers¨.

―Martina Navratilova

9 May 2022

Use Depth as Your Weapon

Coaches often communicate to their players to “keep the ball deep” when advising them how to get their opponent on the defensive. It might not seem that keeping your shots deep can be the key to winning a tennis match. However, if you hit your shots consistently deep, your opponent will likely be pinned behind the baseline, resulting in a lot of short replies and an invitation to take control of the point.

One of the best ways to achieve consistent deep play is to pay attention to the shot you have just hit. If it lands shorter than you planned, remind yourself to hit the ball a little higher over the net and try to step forward slightly as you are executing the shot. This will likely increase the penetration of your shot, and help you control the court position. Your opponent will either have to move back more in the court or attempt to hit the ball on the rise.

Both of these options can be beneficial to your goal of winning the point. It is tough to hit the ball solid on the rise and it is even harder to hit a good deep shot from way behind the baseline. A shorter ball that is hit, once your opponent has moved back, is not an easy situation either. If you have pushed them back with the depth on most of your shots, the court becomes even bigger since they now have to move both sideways and forward to get to your shorter ball.

Establishing these deep shots can be as or more effective than hitting the ball hard, and can become a major weapon when you are trying to problem solve in a tennis match.

Tennis quote

¨I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I love to play”.

―Boris Becker

2 May 2022

Hang in There, No Matter What

It would be great if each time we walk on a tennis court our level of play equaled what our expectations are. This rarely happens.

One of the characteristics of the best players in the world is the ability to hang in and keep the match close, despite being disappointed with their play. I think Roger Federer may be the best player of all time at doing this. He has had so many matches where the opponent seems to be even or slightly ahead until it gets to the moment that determines the game, tiebreaker, set, or match. He rarely panics or shows that he is frustrated with his play.

Try to use this idea to get through your difficult experiences on the court. If you can just walk up to play the next point as if nothing disturbing has happened, it is likely you will be able to improve your play, as well as sending a message to your opponent that they will have to continue to come up with the goods over and over and over again.

There is always the chance that your opponent will not be able to maintain their level of play over the course of the match. In addition, the scoring in tennis is designed to give you the opportunity to come back if you get behind. This should give you the incentive to hang in there and play every point the best that you can. Often, this will be enough to improve your play as the match goes on, giving yourself a chance to win more often than not.

Tennis quote

¨ What a polite game tennis is. The chief word in it seems to be ¨sorry¨ and admiration of each other’s play crosses the net as frequently as the ball. ¨

- James Matthew Barrie

28 May 2021

Are you like most players?

Most players only practice in the 10-minute warm-up right before the match begins Thus, whatever their weaknesses are, they are not going to get any better. Typically, opponents will hit ground strokes for a majority of the warm-up time, then they will force themselves to hit a few volleys and very few if any overheads. With this type of practice you can see why some players never improve their mid-court and volley game.

What should you do to warm-up?

During the 10-minute warm-up before your match try some of these:

Hit the ball back to your opponent, remember the match has not started yet and you only have 2 or 3 balls. Do not spend all your time chasing them.
Spend more time concentrating on watching the ball, finding your point of contact on each shot and breathing with each shot.
Hit a few of all your shots, do not ignore your net game.
Do not assume your opponent will play the same way in the match as they do in the warm-up.
Do not assume you will play poorly if you receive a terrible warm-up and vice versa.
Remember that the warm-up is to loosen you up for the match, not for practicing your shots.
If you cannot feed the ball correctly, it is your job to practice that until you can. Players sometimes are weak at feeding their opponent a lob so they can hit a practice overhead.
Do not hit angle shots in the warm-up, it just wastes your warm-up time.
Do your practicing before the match, not in the 10-minute warm-up.

About Roland Garros

The Coupe des Mousquetaires remains in the stadium – the winner is given a smaller replica to take home. The trophy is so precious, it has its own special trunk that was created by Louis Vuitton.

Non-French tennis club members were only allowed to enter the tournament in 1925, when it became the ‘French Open’. Before then it was only open to members of French tennis clubs.

21 May 2021

10 Reasons to Poach

Poaching is the art of intercepting a ball that is not necessarily on your half of the court and placing it for a winner.

It's fun
It takes pressure off your partner
It places pressure on the other team
It forces your opponents into hitting low-percentage shots
It's much more aerobic than just standing there
It causes your opponent to hesitate from hitting their standard cross-court returns
The few shots you let go down your alley cannot compare to the 80 percent of the shots which go cross-court
You can poach off many shots, not just off serve returns
You become a legal visual distraction to your opponents
You can fake a poach and be just as effective.

Good luck on the court!

About Roland Garros

The prize for winning the men’s singles event is the Coupe des Mousquetaires (the Musketeers’ Cup) – it refers to the legendary French tennis stars who reigned over the tournament until 1933 and were known as the Four Musketeers: Jean Borotra, René Lacoste, Jacques Brugnon and Henri Cochet.

14 May 2021

The 2 Step Rule

As you get older as a tennis player, you will eventually feel like you are not improving or not having fun! When this happens, start abiding by the "2 Step Rule."

Simply put, do not expect the ball to come to you. Instead, learn to move "2 steps" in the direction of the ball that is coming near you. What will stop you from improving or even getting invited to play will be your footwork. By the way, don't forget the biggest reasons you play are for the physical conditioning and secondly the social environment.

Try standing still on the court and look how far you can reach just by moving your arms without your feet. Remember that the racket is approximately 27 inches long, which is approximately the length of your arms. So, you have 54 inches of reach before you move your feet. By moving just 2 steps in every direction (forward, backward, left and right) you are bound to get better results when reaching for balls, have more people wanting to play with you and in general, be much happier and healthier. Now, stand on the court and move just 2 steps in every direction and you will see much more of your potential.

Remember it is a movement sport. So, don't give up on the ball until you have taken at least "2 steps!"

Good luck! on the courts!

About Roland Garros

French Open is the only grand slam which is played on the clay court. The ball tends to bounce higher and slower than any other surface, making the tournament the most physically demanding.

7 May 2021

The 3 most common Mistakes in Tennis

I think these are the 3 most common mistakes made when playing tennis!

1. Groundstrokes - You play against hard hitters and you play very well against them! However, when you play against weak (pushers) players you over hit, get frustrated and lose. You probably play or practice against hard hitters. So, you have already made adjustment in your strokes for this. However, when you play weaker players, with slower shots, you think you should "kill the slow ball." However, you are doing this with a much larger backswing than you ever take against a harder ball. After doing this several times and failing by over hitting, you lose and actually start to play like the weaker player you are playing against!

Correction: Learn to take the same size backswing on receiving a slow ball as you do when you receive a fast ball. On this slow ball, accelerate your racket head as you get nearer the hit. Keep the same size backswing!

2. Volleys - Most players refuse to work on their volleys. They just get in the pattern only hitting or liking their groundstrokes. Typically, players like this never learn how to approach the net to attack their opponents and they play very defensive doubles.

Correction: Warm-up first by hitting volleys. When you are just hitting, gravitate to the net for more volleys. They are an easy way to win a point. Learn the difference between an offensive volley and a defensive volley. The offensive volley might have a larger backswing than the defensive volley.

3. Serve - You cannot seem to go to a higher level. You are not double faulting; you never win a point directly from hitting a serve. You are using the serve to just start the point, rather than trying to win the point.

Correction: Go take a lesson, immediately! The new professionals have these things in common when hitting their serves. They are not holding the racket tight. They are lowering their tosses. Once they start their serve they keep the racket head moving. They do not start and stop the racket. They are getting more power from using their wrist, than from their shoulders.

I bet these tips will help your game immediately!

Good luck on the courts!

About Roland Garros

1. The first French Open was played in 1891 and was originally played on sand.

2. For the first six years it was only open to men, women weren’t allowed to take part until 1897.

3. The Stade Roland Garros in Paris where the French Open is played is named after Eugène Adrien Roland Georges Garros, a World War I pilot and pioneering French aviator who completed the first solo flight across the Mediterranean Sea.

30 April 2021

Hang in There, No Matter What!

It would be great if each time we walk on a tennis court our level of play equaled what our expectations are.

This rarely happens.

Often, this will be enough to improve your play as the match goes on, giving yourself a chance to win more often than not.

About Wimbledon

The record for fastest men’s serve at Wimbledon belongs to US player Taylor Dent, whose ball clocked in at 238 kph. And American Venus Williams holds the record for the fastest women’s serve after smashing a tennis ball about 205 kph.

23 April 2021

Normalize

Very soon I believe our lives will start to normalize. As a tennis player, I hope you get serious about your health and nutrition. Start doing a normal regimen, walking, yoga, stretching, run, diet control, etc. Just get started. Anything is better than nothing!

Everyone has been missing social interaction. You will be so happy to get back to your routines and friends. Start back slow and just enjoy the fact that things are getting better. Your game will come back quicker than you think.

This is a good time to take some lessons and improve your skills. A great advantage that tennis has is that social distancing can be applied very easily. Just you and one other person is all that's necessary to play. The old saying that "Tennis is a sport of a lifetime" is even more applicable now than ever. Even if you cannot compete, just go out on the court and do control and consistency drills. Good for your heart, soul and mind!

Good luck on the courts!

About Wimbledon

1- During the course of the Wimbledon fortnight, the repairs team strings about 2,000 racquets and uses more than 60 kilometers of string. This would be a good business for the ¨Racquet Man¨ wouldn’t it?

31 March 2021

Attention to Serve & Volley

Many doubles players I know do not like to play "serve & volley." They do not feel like their serve is adequate or feel that they are not fast enough to come in behind their serve. Many feels that when they do run in after their serve they often times get lobbed back off of the net. If you have these negative feelings, try some of these tactics.

Serve and stay back until you receive a short ball, which will pull you to the net.
Serve and stay back until they hit the next ball to your partner at the net. At this point, they will not be paying attention to you, so you can casually approach the net.
Serve and stay back until your partner receives an overhead. Move forward assuming you are now on the offense.
Serve and stay back until you or your partner hit a good deep lob forcing your opponents to move back. Move forward to gain the offense when they become the defense.
On receiving a weak second serve, chip and charge into the net.

Coming to the net at times when you feel offensive is fun. Coming in at times when you do not feel an advantage is not fun. By using these tactics you might become increasingly confident to the point when you start loving to play serve and volley. Remember that you can still play well and be aggressive by choosing different times and ways to come to the net. Do not be so predictable.

Have fun on the court!

About Wimbledon

In 2014, 54 250 tennis balls were used during the tournament.
During the second world war, five bombs hit Wimbledon center court destroying 1,200 seats. It took nine years to rebuild the tennis court.
In 2013, Andy Murray won the men’s single title and became the first Brit to do so after a 77 years drought.
Martina Navratilova has nine Wimbledon singles titles. More than any other male or female players.
In 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the longest match in the history of the tournament. A battle that lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.

24 March 2021

Not Too Old!

During these extreme times, I have been trying to improve my tennis knowledge. There is so much information out there, online, that is very relevant. The techniques that I was taught as a junior have been gradually changing. The materials, racquets, grips, balls, etc. have changed. Carbon fiber racquets are very light and powerful, balls have gotten faster. The hand position on the grip has changed making it much easier to hit the ball harder.

Over time, I have seen tennis teachers gradually starting to introduce these techniques to their older students, not just the juniors. They are accepting the changes and feel more empowered and confident. This has been done gradually to not overwhelm anyone.

It is a lot of fun to have a senior student snap their wrist on their serve, hit an open stance forehand with a semi-western grip and close in on a volley at the net. Very satisfying for them and their teachers.

I think it is important to keep learning and adjusting to the new information. Never think you are too old to learn. You are not! Constantly learning is fun!

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis Fun Facts Quiz

1. What is the maximum tennis racquet length allowed?
29 inches long.

2. How long have yellow balls been used at Wimbledon?
Since 1986 – originally, white tennis balls were the choice.

3. At Wimbledon each year, how many strawberries are consumed?

24 tons.

17 March 2021

Line Calls

One of tennis' most infuriating moments occurs when after a long hard rally a player makes a clean placement and hears his opponent say, "I'm not sure if it was good or out. Let's play a let." Remember that it is each player's responsibility to call all balls landing on, or aimed at, his side of the net, and if a ball can't be called out with surety, it is good.

When you ask for a replay of a point because you say your opponent's shot was really out but you want to give him or her "a break," you are deluding yourself; you must have had some small shred of doubt and that doubt means the point should be your opponent's.

Further, telling our opponent to "take two" is usually not so generous at it might sound.
In doubles, when one partner calls a ball out and the other one calls it good, the doubt that has been established means that the ball must be considered to have been good. The reluctance that some doubles players have to overrule their partners is secondary to the importance of not letting your opponents suffer from a bad call. The tactful way to achieve the desired result is to tell your partner quietly that he has made a mistake and then let him overrule himself. If it comes to a showdown, untactful honesty is preferable to tactful dishonesty.

Tennis Fun Facts Quiz

1. Who was the first African American to win the US Open Tournament?

Arthur Ashe.

2. What is the fastest tennis serve’s speed?
Australian Sam Groth’s serve hit a top speed of 163.7 miles per hour (263.44 km/h).

3. Who played in the longest tennis match?
11 hours and 5 minutes. In 2010, John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut at the Wimbledon Championships.

10 March 2021

Are You Too Old to Learn?

Many of my older friends at the tennis club ask me, "Do you think I'm too old to learn to play tennis?" My answer is, "No, you are never too old to learn!" No matter what your age, or how long you have been playing, the sky is the limit.

Tennis, like many other sports, is learned by repetition. As long as you are repeating the correct skill or form you will eventually be able to retrieve this information in a competitive format. From my personal experience, I really enjoy taking a beginner/intermediate or a group of beginner/intermediates and instructing them. They tend to be eager to learn and are very enthusiastic. Also, they put in the practice time and thus enjoy positive reinforcement. As a player advances in skill, some tend to rest on their laurels. They tend to play more matches, but seldom work on particular weaknesses or adding more and new weapons into their game. It is quite common that a newer player to the game can overpass a more experienced player in a short period. Even the top Pros set aside time from their touring to rest and take fundamental lessons from their pros.

It is easier to learn "good skills and habits" than to break "bad ones." In almost 30 years of teaching, I have never found anyone that I could not help to improve his or her game, attitude, or footwork. This is the reason why millions of people find tennis so much fun and challenging at the same time. Do not let anyone tell you that you are too old to learn to play tennis. If your lessons are seemingly repetitious or boring, it might be time to find a new instructor. Look for someone who motivates and pushes you to fulfill your potential.

Good luck on the courts!

Tennis quote

¨Champions train; Losers complain¨

- Unknown

3 March 2021

Volleying in the Zone!

When coming to the net to volley try to anticipate at which zone you are going to make contact with the ball. I divide the zones in the following categories:

Low - balls hit between the ground and your knees.
Middle - balls hit between your knees and shoulders.
High - balls hit above your shoulder, but not quite overheads.
Overheads - balls hit above your head that give you time to drop the racket down your back.
Center Zone - all balls hit at you.

Low Zone - The tip I give my students for low balls, which can either be a low volley or a half-volley, is to SHOVEL the racket. On these volleys, dropping the racket head is necessary and in the long run will save wear and tear on your knees and lower back.
Middle Zone - In the middle zone you will hit a majority of volleys with the common "V" - type volley. This "V" - shape mimics the standard ready position (racket head up and butt of the racket facing down). This is also known as the "Classic Volley." In this zone, you would keep your upper arms close to your ribs. Imagine you are holding a "soft" ball under your upper arm.
High Zone - Balls hit in this zone are similar to those in the middle zone except you need more height. Remembering the "soft" ball under your upper arm in the middle zone, imagine now you have beach balls under both upper arms. This concept will give you more depth and power on your high volleys.
Overheads - Balls with enough hang-time (2-3 seconds) gives you ample time to hit an overhead. This overhead will differ from the high volley in that you will drop your racket down your back before reaching up to snap your wrist.
Center Zone - Balls hit at your body should be hit on the backhand side of the racket. Whether the ball comes at your face, chest, stomach, knees or ankles the backhand is the best choice. Taking these shots with your backhand saves time and extra footwork and allows you to recover almost immediately for the next shot.

Once you anticipate which zone you are going to be in, try to remember to be flexible. A low volley might become a half volley, for example. An overhead, because of the wind, might become a high volley. By becoming familiar with these five zones, you will find you are no longer afraid to come to the net. Volleys are fun to hit and even more fun to watch.

Have fun at the net!

Tennis quote

¨ We play Cinderella Tennis: Sometimes we don’t make it to the ball¨.

- Unknown

15 February 2021

Your "Happy Place"

Often in a pressure match, a coach will tell you to find your "Happy Place" in your mind where you can relax and find harmony. The "Happy Place" I want to talk about is physical.

When you are playing a match, the court position that you tend to be in most often during the point can be considered your "Happy Place." For example, some players' "Happy Place" will be the area around the baseline. If your opponent allows you to play and win from your "Happy Place" then you are lucky. However, if you are losing a match from your "Happy Place" you must be able to make a change.

You might pull your opponent from his or her "Happy Place" or force yourself forward out of your "Happy Place" to attack the net. If you are losing from the baseline try serve and volley, chip and charge and following your lobs to the net. Do not allow your opponent to win a match from his or her "Happy Place."

Make a change. Your ultimate goal is to feel comfortable in all parts of the court, making the entire court your "Happy Place." If your opponent's "Happy Place" is the baseline, try hitting short under-spin shots to pull him/her in. If your opponents "Happy Place" is the net, throw up lobs to push them back, make it your goal to get them out of their "Happy Place."

Pay attention to your "Happy Place" and that of your opponent.

Good luck!

Tennis quote

¨It’s not about how you win. It’s about how well you’re able to come back when you are down¨.

– Serena Williams

11 February 2021

Are You Too Old to Learn?

Many of my friends ask me, "Do you think I'm too old to learn to play tennis?" My answer is, "No, you are never too old to learn!" No matter what your age, or how long you have been playing, the sky is the limit.

Do not let anyone tell you that you are too old to learn to play tennis. If your lessons are seemingly repetitious or boring, it might be time to find a new instructor. Look for someone who motivates and pushes you to fulfill your potential.

For now though, enjoy your time off the tennis courts!

Tennis quote

Tennis: it’s all about LOVE!

- Unknown

4 February 2021

Taking Your Game To The Next Level

Scenario:

You are working very hard on your game. You are primarily a baseliner and you have reached a certain level and cannot seem to improve or move up to the next higher level.

Try This:

At least once each service game, serve and volley on your first serve. If you win the point, then serve and volley at least one more time in that game.

At least once each receiving game, return your opponent's second serve and close in to the net. Again, try it again if your strategy is successful.

These two strategies will actually put more pressure on your opponent. It will add a new dimension to your baseline game and help keep your opponent guessing. Plus, you will force your opponent to try to win the point under pressure (not allowing him to pick and choose the point ending shot). And it will certainly make it more fun for your "fans" to watch!

Tennis quote

¨There’s no traffic on the extra mile¨.

- Unknown

27 January 2021

At the Net - Think Backhand!

When you are approaching the net or you are already at the net, always assume the next shot coming to you will be a backhand. Your ready position should slightly favor a backhand. Most intermediate players hold their racket straight ahead of them. If you correct your ready position to slightly favor the backhand, then the typically weaker volley - the backhand - will have better preparation. The forehand volley, typically over powered, will have less time to pull back too far, thus gaining more control.

When all players are at the net, the volleys are fast and hard, and favoring a backhand will give you a better advantage to block balls hit at your body. You will be able to manoeuvre the racket better for volleys and will hit more volleys with the backhand in this situation.

After you hit an overhead, assume the next shot will be a backhand volley. After you hit a forehand volley, assume the next shot will be a backhand volley. Even after you hit a half volley, assume the next shot will be a backhand volley. This will correct the usual inequity of over hitting the forehand volley. In addition, when you are being attacked at the net you will feel safer and will get hit a lot less by the ball.

Tennis quote

¨All it takes is all you’ve got¨.

- Unknown

18 January 2021

Too Personal?

Are you choking or forcing yourself to play poorly? You might be making your matches too personal. Are you taking time and watching you opponent, making a lot of eye contact? This is an inefficient waste of your time. In order to maintain your focus, try this in your next tournament or pressure match:

When the ball is coming off your opponent's racket, watch it as long as you can. I hope that you will watch it long enough so that it is very close to actual contact. After you hit the ball, watch the racket of your opponent. This will give you a clue as to what type of shot might be coming back (for example, a lob vs. a drop shot).

On the change over, try to distance yourself from your opponent. Many players will try to "psyche" you out by talking to you. You can better use this time to gather your thoughts and think about your next game. Take a quick mental check of what you are doing well, where are his/her weaknesses, making a plan of attack. In general, unlike normal non-tennis situations where good eye contact is important, in a match it is not important and can be a distraction. Your job in any match is to concentrate and focus on the match. You will have plenty of time to be sociable afterwards.

This technique is very helpful when you are competing or playing challenges against a player that you might be friends with off the court, of if they are a player that you know will try gamesmanship in order to win.

Watching the pros, you can see that they do not communicate during the switch, though many are great friends that have to play each other all the time. Watching them play their matches and how they conduct themselves in pressure situations can be helpful for you to see how well they are able to center themselves and get their focus back. The sooner they are able to let go of a bad line call or ignore an obnoxious player, the better they play.

I see this happen a lot in tournament situations and often times afterwards the player that should have won the match will lose it. I can see how a couple of distractions will change their winning game into a losing one because they are unable to regain their focus after giving into the distractions. Then it can mushroom and get out of control until they have gotten so far behind, that by the time they are able to get back in the match, it has already slipped away. The loss is harder to take than most because the player has realized too late that they should have won. The player does not understand that they had given up control of the game to their opponent by letting the opponent get the best of them mentally.

See you on the courts!

Tennis quote

¨Talk with your racquet, play with your heart¨.

- Unknown

11 January 2021

Chip Shot

When returning serve in doubles, sometimes touch trumps power.

In doubles, if the opposing server doesn’t rush the net, try attacking off your return of serve with a chip. On the forehand hold your racquet with a Continental grip and guide an underspin forehand at a sharp angle crosscourt (use the same grip on a one-handed backhand crosscourt chip from the other side of the court). You want to aim the ball at the doubles alley and charge the net.

This return won’t win you many points outright, but it will force your opponents to scramble. The server will have to lunge and lift the ball up to get it over the net, giving your team an easy volley. His partner will likely shift with him and move toward the center of the court, which will leave the right side of the court open for a putaway.

Tennis quote

¨It is never too late to be what you might have been¨.

- Unknown

4 January 2021

Practice Harder or Practice Smarter

Many players preparing themselves for a match or tournament will have the tendency to over train. They tend to hit too many balls for too long, hitting too hard and with no purpose. By the time the match comes, they are arm weary, too tired and ¨brain dead¨.

Solution: Try not to grade your improvement by quantity time. Instead, practice smarter and enjoy quality time. When practicing, concentrate on shot selection, changing spins and speed, depth control and consistency. Thus, when you get into a match situation you will already have a general idea of what you can expect from yourself. In the match, remember your strengths. In practice, work on your weaknesses. Maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses in tournament play. By doing this you can show up for your match with a fresh arm, refreshed body and a fresh outlook.

Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy every moment and good luck on the court!

Tennis quote

¨Tennis: a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility¨.

- Unknown

28 December 2020

¨Line Calls¨

One of tennis’ most infuriating moments occurs when after a long hard rally a player makes a clean placement and hears his opponent say, ¨I’m not sure if it was good or out, let’s play a let¨. Remember that it is each player’s responsibility to call all balls landing on, or aimed at, his side of the net, and if a ball can’t be called out with certainty, it is good.

When you ask for a replay of a point because you say your opponent’s shot was really out but you want to give him or her ¨a break¨, you are deluding yourself; you must have had some small shred of doubt and that doubt means the point should be your opponent’s. Further, telling our opponent to ¨take two¨ is usually not so generous at it might sound.

In doubles, when one partner calls a ball out and the other one calls it good, the doubt that has been established means that the ball must be considered to have been good. The reluctance that some doubles players have to overrule their partners is secondary to the importance of not letting your opponents suffer from a bad call. The tactful way to achieve the desired result is to tell your partner quietly that he has made a mistake and then let him overrule himself. If it comes to a showdown, untactful honesty is preferable to tactful dishonesty.

Tennis quote

¨Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard¨.

- Unknown

21 December 2020

¨Serving and Volleying Effectively in Doubles¨

When you are serve-and-volleying as a doubles player, make sure you get at least three good steps toward the net before the ball is returned. Once you get there, slow down and be ready to make that volley, crisp and deep. One of the most important keys to hitting a solid volley is to squeeze your grip at the moment of impact.

After you or your partner has made that volley, the server should take two more steps toward the net and get ready for the next volley. Keep moving forward.

If you’re not that fast getting to the net after serving, hit an easier serve to give yourself more time to get in closer to the net. A well- placed serve at three-quarters speed will be just as effective as a harder serve. The key when serving and volleying is to get your first serve in and move in to make that first volley.

The two key things to remember ¨Squeeze Your Grip at the Moment of Impact and Keep Moving Forward". The team that gets to the net first or the team that controls the net will win the match!

Get to the net to win the set!

Tennis quote

¨The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how good I get, I’II never be as good as a wall¨.

– Mitch Hedberg

(P.S. key to success against walls - most walls are unable to deal with high lobs)

14 December 2020

Consistency …. Your Key to Success!

In a tennis context, we define consistency as the ability to repeatedly hit your chosen target. Therefore, the first prerequisite for consistency is accuracy. You must be able to hit your target before you can expect to hit it consistently.

There are several factors that affect consistency. The first one is target size. The smaller the target you choose, the less consistent you will be in hitting it. Choose a target that’s appropriate for your skill level.

The second factor is pace. The harder you hit the ball, the lower your level of consistency will be. Use good judgment, don’t try to hit winners on every shot. ¨Moonballers¨ on the other hand are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They rarely miss, but not necessarily because they hit the ball more softly. Instead, it’s because they clear the net by a healthy margin and use very simple stroke mechanics.

So, to increase your consistency: value each and every point, choose a large enough target, cut pace, clear the net by a higher margin and use simpler strokes.

If you make these things happen you will become more accurate and increased accuracy will lead to consistency. Consistent players win more matches! Consistency is Key!

Tennis quote

¨In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure¨.

– Unknown

7 December 2020

Footwork – The Real Truth

In today’s men’s pro game, players are hitting the ball harder and harder. To compensate that power, players have become stronger and improved their speed. A quick look at the world top 10 reveals that all the best players are the best movers.

Take a look at Raphael Nadal, whose movement is impeccable. He is explosive, agile, possesses tremendous balance and has the will to get everything back. What the average player should learn from the top pros is to work more on quickness, speed, agility, stamina and explosiveness, all the components of good movement.

Add into your routine some jump roping, wind sprints, line drills and plyometrics. In no time the improvement in footwork will facilitate better shot selection and a confidence that you will get every ball back in play.

Tennis quote

¨It’s one-on-one out there, man. There ain’t no hiding. I can’t pass the ball¨.

―Pete Sampras

30 November 2020

Giving The ¨Safe¨ Signal

A common flaw in many club players’ backhand volleys is their tendency to chop down on the ball, allowing the racquet head to drop below wrist level. Usually, the result is a volley hit off balance with so little pace and control that it catches the net.

To hit a more effective backhand volley, keep your wrist firm and, instead of chopping down on the ball, flatten out your volleying motion. Think yourself as a baseball umpire giving the ¨safe¨ signal when you hit the ball.

As you punch forward on your volley, your free arm should extend away from your body and simultaneously in the opposite direction to help you maintain your balance and keep your volleying motion crisp and compact.

By hitting ¨safe¨ and sure backhands volleys, you’ II find yourself scoring more often at the net.

Tennis quote

¨I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I love to play¨.

― Boris Becker

23 November 2020

Chase Every Ball

One of the joys of watching good clay-court tennis is seeing players get to balls that seem to be unreachable. Strong clay-court players never stop running for shots, even when they seem to be hopelessly out of position. While the pros are in better shape than most recreational players, you should run down balls relentlessly regardless of your physical condition or the playing surface. If you force yourself to try for every shot, you will:

Retrieve shots you thought were out of reach: Many recreational players underestimate their ability to run down difficult shots; they stop trying even though they might have a chance to return the ball. This is a skill that improves over time; the more you practice it, the better you’ll get.

Pressure your opponent: It’s hard to ignore the movements of the person on the other side of the net when you’re trying to put the ball away. Your opponent will know that you’re going to move for every ball. Don’t let him completely off the hook by not even trying. If he knows that you’re going to chase every ball, you’ll put pressure on him to make a good shot. And occasionally he may overplay the ball or take his eyes off it and make an error.

Tennis quote

¨If your great at only one thing, make it everything¨.

– Roger Federer

16 November 2020

Patience Wins

He’s the player everybody hates to play. The one who rarely makes a mistake and never beats himself. His game isn’t glamorous, but he knows that the factor most likely to determine the outcome of a match between recreational players of similar ability is patience. While power players might look more impressive, it’s usually the consistent player who wins. And simply by learning to be more patient, you can win more matches. It pays to:

Know your rally threshold. Ever noticed how some players go for a winner whenever they have to hit more than two or three balls in a rally? Most of us have a point at which we become impatient and try for a low-percentage shot, and it pays to know what your patience level is. The next time you play or practice, notice how many balls you can return before feeling that you have to try for a big shot. Is it three shots? Four? Try to gradually increase your ability to keep the balls in play.

Notice your opponent’s patience level. While knowing your rally threshold is key to improving your own game, paying attention to your opponent’s tolerance for keeping the ball in play is important when you compete. Early in each match try to take an aggressive crack at the ball. If he goes for a big shot after two or three strokes, chances are he can be undone by steady, patient play.

Tennis quote

¨Practice like you’ve never won. Perform like you’ve never lost¨.

– Bjorn Borg

9 November 2020

Return Every Ball

If you’re like most people your time on the tennis court is limited and you don’t like to waste it. And when you practice, one of your goals is to hit as many balls as you can. You can immediately improve your practice sessions and hit more shots by doing one simple thing: Return balls that go out.

Many players are conditioned to interrupt a rally whenever someone hits a ball that goes beyond the lines. Don’t do that. Try to return every shot that you can get to even if it’s out. This will do several things for you. First, you’ll immediately start to hit more balls. Second, you’ll be forced to hit more of them that are outside your comfort zone, which will challenge you to move faster and prepare earlier. Plus, you’ll find that you have to learn to hit on the rise to return many shots that go beyond the baseline. Sure, the goal of everyone on the court is to keep the ball within the lines whenever possible, but just because someone hits a ball that goes a few feet outside of them there’s no reason to interrupt a rally and start over.

Tennis quote

¨What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose¨.

- Andre Agassi

2 November 2020

Don’t Make Premature Game Plans

As Terry scouted his opponent, Bob, in the warm-up he noted that Bob’s backhand was erratic and floated over softly, and his volleys had no punch. So, Terry came up with this game plan: play to Bob’s backhand and exploit his unimpressive net play. But as the set progressed, Bob’s backhand, though lacking in power, rarely missed and often landed deep in the court. And while he didn’t have stinging putaways at the net, he made effective use of placement and angles. Terry lost the set 6-1. What went wrong?

Unlike professional players, who prepare for a match by practicing for an hour or two beforehand, many recreational players like Bob warm-up poorly because it’s the first time they’ve hit that day. As a result, making firm game plans based on your opponent’s warm-up form can be dangerous. Instead, try to:

Look at movement, preparation and anticipation: While many players’ strokes are rusty when they take court, their footwork, technique, and court awareness can give a better indication of their abilities. Pay attention to these skills rather than focusing on their power, placement, and steadiness, as these usually take longer to become warmed up.

Keep your game plan flexible: Often your opponent’s abilities won’t start showing until two, three, or four games have passed. Don’t hesitate to modify you game plan if you have misjudged your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

Ivan Lendl, for example, was a notoriously slow starter who often missed forehands wildly in the first few games of the match. But you can bet that none of Lendl’s opponents ever played to his forehand because of his early match misfires. They knew it was just a matter of time before Lendl began to find his range and dictate play with his big forehand. If your opponent makes mistakes with a particular shot, don’t assume it’s a weakness until a few games have passed.

Tennis quote

¨I’ll let the racket do the talking¨.

– John McEnroe

26 October 2020

Serve into the Body

When we step up to the baseline and prepare to serve, most of us try to place the ball into the corner or down the T in an effort to put the ball out of our opponent’s reach. But these are not the only options. One of the most overlooked and underused deliveries is the serve into the body. It forces your opponents to:

Make a choice. When you place your serves away from your opponent, the choice of whether to hit a forehand or backhand return is made for the receiver. He can simply hit the ball on the side that it lands. But when you hit the serve right at your opponent, you force him to make a quick decision and pick a side. Sometimes that’s enough to force an error or a weak reply.

Step to the side. Most players, when given an option, prefer to step into their returns and hit aggressively. By aiming a strong serve into the receiver’s body, you force him to first step out of the way of the oncoming ball before striking it. In effect, you limit the receiver’s ability to step into the court and hit an aggressive return.

Tennis quote

¨You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy¨.

- Arthur Ashe

12 October 2020

Clear the Net Comfortably

Watching the pros on television as they play at Roland Garros can be deceiving. While it appears that they regularly hit shots that skim just inches over the net, that’s not the case. Although the camera angles used for TV don’t show it well, the pros hit most of their shots several feet and often several yards over the net. This is a smart thing to do for several reasons. Good net clearance gives you:

Safety: Many recreational players think that hitting low over the net is an advanced way to strike the ball. While there are many times when hitting low makes sense (such as on passing shots), the pros know better than to build their games around low-percentage shots that just clear the top of the net. One easy way to add more margin for error to your game is to hit higher.

Depth: For the most part, the higher the ball goes over the net the deeper it will land in the court. Depth is one of the most important qualities of a well-played shot. Although you can hit deeper by hitting harder, it’s easier and less physically taxing to do it by aiming higher over the net.

Variety: Even though you may not have mastered spins or changes of pace, you can still add variety by occasionally hitting higher over the net than you normally might. You’ll likely discover that many of your opponents are bothered by high-bouncing balls, especially if they’re deep in the court and directed to their weaker side.

When in doubt let it bounce

One of the worst feelings you’ll ever have on a tennis court comes from missing an easy shot. And blowing an overhead, a shot that you should finish a point with, seems to hurt the most. In one swing, you go from the brink of winning to losing.

Overhead can be very difficult to hit after your opponent has hit a high defensive lob. Because the ball will be travelling so quickly by the time it gets within your reach, timing your swing can be tricky.

So, what can you do? Let the ball bounce. As long as you keep the ball in front of you, rarely can you go wrong by letting the ball bounce. If the lob is vey high, you’ll get a high bounce and can play your overhead more safely. If you have a weak overhead or are forced deep in your court, you can play an aggressive ground stroke. The worst thing that can happen is that you start the point over… but you will not have lost it!

Be aggressive. Go for your shots. But be smart and know your limitations to enjoy the ¨thrill of victory¨ instead of the ¨agony of defeat¨.

Tennis quotes

¨A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning¨.

―Billie Jean King

¨As tennis players, we work and we sacrifice many things. To lose, that’s not a happy thing – I mean sure, I was disappointed. You have to come back strong. But to win the last point in a grand slam tournament, that’s the most beautiful and most satisfying feeling you can get as a tennis player. It’s worth it¨.

―Bjorn Borg

¨Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner¨.

―Arthur Ashe

5 October 2020

Better Toss for a Better Serve

A bad toss makes for an ineffective serve and the most common error players make in this regard is tossing the ball behind rather than in front of their body. How can you tell if your toss is on target? Try this. Stand directly under an open tennis gate. Then pretend you are going to serve and toss the ball into the air. If it stays in front of you as it should, the ball won’t hit the fence area above the gate. But if it hits the fence, you know that the ball would have landed behind you, which means you have some work to do. To remedy your errant toss practice from this same position but try tossing softer and lower than you normally would until you get the placement right. Then gradually increase the height as your accuracy improves.

There are two benefits to tossing more in front. First, it’s easier to build up racquet head speed and therefore generate power on the serve when the racquet moves through a longer distance before contact. And second, your weight will be moving forward and, if the return of serve is short, you’ll be in a better position to move in and deal with it.

Rotate your Body

Most tennis strokes and serves start with the side of the player’s body toward the net. Hold your body to the side and lean into your shot so you can hit through the ball with accuracy and power. Visualize the way baseball batters stand at bat and golfers rotate their bodies in hitting the ball.

Get your Racquet in Position Early

Early racquet preparation is essential to good tennis shots. Get your racquet in position as soon as you can determine whether you’ll need a forehand or a backhand. You must prepare the racquet while on-the-move and with your eyes on the ball. Think PRE (Position Racquet Early) until it becomes automatic.

Tennis quotes

¨The mark of great sportsmen is not how good they are at their best, but how good they are at their worst¨.

― Martina Navratilova

"I made it look so easy on court all those years. No one realized how hard I had to work. No one realized how much I had to put into it. They underestimated my intensity."

― Pete Sampras

"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."

― Venus Williams

28 September 2020

The 12 Step Program for Tennis

Whenever our strokes fail, most of us assume our swing is to blame. But my observation is that the majority of errors in tennis occur when players stop moving their feet as much as they normally do, forcing them to use their hands in unpracticed ways to compensate for their poor positioning. And all too often the predictable result is a ball that goes into the net or outside the lines.

Tennis is a game of movement and good preparation. The best players know this and pay special attention to their footwork. Need evidence? Consider this. The pros average about 10-12 steps between each ball they hit in a rally (around 8-10 if they get into a crosscourt exchange where the ball is hit too deep for the opponent to change the direction without a high-risk factor); strong high school players and fair college players about 8-10; 4.0-4.5 players about 6-8; 3.0-3.5 players about 4-6; and 2.5-3.0 players only take an average of 2-4 steps between shots during a point.

Want to raise your level of play? Clearly, one way to do it is to add more steps to your preparation. In fact, if you aim for an average of 12 steps between shots your level of play will sky rocket. Guaranteed. Oh, by the way, if you think this doesn’t apply to you because you play doubles, think again. The Bryan brothers often take 20 steps between shots when they play.

Follow through

Complete your shot by continuing your racquet, arm and body motion after you hit through the ball to get accuracy, power and good depth or placement. Your shot is not complete until you have followed through. Following through also helps you get into position for your next shot.

Concentrate

Keep your thinking about the point you are playing at the present moment. Focus only on the shot and point in the here and now. Try having deep concentration in which you are oblivious to everything else. Tennis games are won one point at a time. A wandering mind gathers few points!

Tennis quotes

¨The fifth set is not about tennis, it’s about nerves.¨

- Boris Becker

¨When you do something best in life, you don’t really want to

give that up and for me it’s tennis.¨

- Roger Federer

21 September 2020

Slow it down when you’re behind

One thing you’ll never see Raphael Nadal do is rush between points. In fact, whenever an opponent takes a lead against Nadal, the young Spaniard purposely slows down his pace between points. This is a smart move that you should copy (that’s not to say you should go too far and stall though) because it will do three things for you.

First, you give yourself time to calm down and gather your thoughts. The worst thing you can do when you fall behind is to panic, start rushing through points, and begin making foolish mistakes. Do that, and the match will be over in a hurry. Second, you force your opponent to play at a pace which he might not be comfortable with. Many players like to step on the gas when they take a lead. Don’t allow yourself to fall into that trap. Third, you give your opponent an opportunity to think about what’s going on.

Some players don’t play well with a lead, and if you take more time you give them more of a chance to feel the pressure of playing from ahead.

Face-off in Doubles

If you’ve ever watched great doubles players like the Bryan brothers, you’ve probably been impressed by their ability to anticipate their opponents’ moves and react to them. It’s almost as if they have a sixth sense about where to go and what to do. Although much of their skill comes from years of experience, you can add one of their tricks to your game the next time your team

Is receiving serve.

When your partner is returning serve and you’re in position near the service line, make sure you stand so that you’re angled to face the server’s partner and not the server. Why? The server’s partner, not the server, is the most immediate threat to take control of the point as the return crosses the net. And by standing at an angle to the net, you can more easily watch his or her movements and react as quickly as possible.

ENJOY!

Tennis is a game! Games should be fun and enjoyable. In addition to the joy it can bring you, tennis can help keep you physically and mentally healthy. It can improve the quality and length of your life. Don’t spoil the fun by trying too hard, losing your temper or injuring yourself. The happier you are in playing, the more joy you’ll give to others and yourself. Enjoy!

…and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make!

- The Beatles.

14 September 2020

Practice Everything at the Net

Picture this scenario. You come to the net expecting to put away a chest-high volley, but your opponent lobs over you or gives you a dipping ball at your feet. Since you weren’t looking for such a reply, you lose the point, get frustrated and become reluctant to go forward again. Sound familiar?

When most players think about playing the net, the image of striking comfortable volleys comes to mind. In fact, a lot of players whose intention is to improve their net game work solely on above-the-net volleys. This is a costly mistake. Such volleys are just a small component of the action that you can expect to encounter in the forecourt and a smart opponent will do his best to give you anything except these easy shots.

So, if you truly want to be successful in the front of the court the trick is to work on the entire spectrum of the net play, not just the simplest shots. The next time you practice have your partner feed you a variety of volleys, hard and soft, low and high, at your body and away from it, along with some tough lobs too. Work on sending the ball back both deep and short and be sure to practice drop and angle volleys as well. Once you become comfortable with the full range of shots and replies needed to play at the net, you’ll no longer be surprised by anything your opponent throws at you and you’ll be on your way to becoming a solid net player.

Keep Moving

Keep on the move to meet the ball in time to make good shots. Bend your knees and be ready to move in any direction. Moving forward gives added power to your stroke, a better angle for your shot and less time for your opponent to react and reach the ball. Notice how the pros and good players constantly keep their feet moving even while waiting to return serve.

Step into your Shot

Stepping into your shot helps you give it accuracy, pace and power. As you step in, you begin moving into the court, enabling you to give your shots greater depth and better direction. Stepping in also helps you hit through the ball and follow through. Watch how the good hitters in tennis and baseball step into the ball.

Take Time

Take time to think. It is the source of power.

Take time to play. It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to read. It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to pray. It is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to love and be loved. It is a God-given privilege.

Take time to be friendly. It is the road to happiness.

Take time to laugh. It is the music of the soul.

Take time to give. It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to work. It is the price of success.

– Author Unknown

27 June 2020

Keep your eye on the Ball!

It is amazing that 90% of players are actually not watching the ball. The most common cliché we hear on the tennis court is, “watch the ball!” While it is a great thing to remind yourself to do, the big question is… are you actually doing it???

A recent study showed that 90% of players (from touring professionals to weekend warriors) DO NOT WATCH THE BALL at the point of contact. That means 90% of you are probably not watching it either! The only true way to find out is through video analysis; train your eyes to focus correctly. When you truly understand that your own head movement controls the racquet path, you start to feel the difference between hitting the ball and hitting it “cleanly.”

Do you know how many returns you miss?

This month I would like you to think about your return-of-serve. The first thing I ask a person when they say to me they made three double faults in a match is, “how many times did you miss a return-of-serve?” It amazes me how many of people can tell me how many double faults they have hit at the end of a three sets match. If I asked them how many times they missed a return-of-serve missed, they may struggle to give me an answer. We can all agree that the two most important shots in tennis are the serve and the return-of-serve.

If you put as big an emphasis on your return as you do on your serve and focus on making a return as much as not double faulting, you would dramatically cut down the number of free points your opponent gets. It’s a great way to improve your game!

Rick’s "Grip Pressure" Tip

As I look over the courts I see some of you with what I call the “death grip.” Holding the racquet like there is no tomorrow! Too tight of a grip tension is not good in tennis. In fact, it is one of the top causes of tennis elbow and poor tennis shots.

On a scale of 1-5 (1 = loose, 5 = tight) grip your racquet at a 1-2 and “relax”. So next time you are out on the court, try hitting at a 1-2 grip tension and see what happens. You will increase your racquet head speed and it will be easier on your arm. Good luck and let me know how it works for you!

Tennis Parody – Don’t Quit

When your strokes go wrong as they sometimes will;

When the match your playing seems all up hill;

When your serves fall low and the net seems high;

And you charge the net but your volleys fly;

With opponents pressing you down a bit-

Lob if you must, but don’t you quit!

Success is failure turned about;

A change of pace could bail you out.

You never know when you’ll get a close call

Or opponents will flub an easy ball.

Success may be near when it seems afar

So stick to your game when you’re hardest hit.

It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit.

– Author Unknown

15 June 2020

Stick to Your Playing Style

How many times have you heard people saying: "I got caught trying to beat someone at their own game and failed". You should stick to your game. Don’t fall into the trap of playing someone else’s own style. This could prove to be costly. There are other ways to compensate when things go wrong. The most important thing is to relax. Then, move your feet – remember my first blog? Play the right shot at the right time. Stay patient and don’t try to hit winners when you are not in a good position to do so. Finally, don’t give up too soon. Your body language is key in tennis. Why? Because your opponent is watching you!

Make sure your racquet, the type of strings and tension work well for you. Take a look at the Racquet Man’s website providing lots of information to help you identify the racquet and strings best suited to your game. To learn more about your own playing style and how to compete well against players with different playing styles consult the following web link: What is My Playing Style.

Practice with a Purpose

Next time you get on the court for practice, focus on one aspect of your game. Work on your weaknesses but don’t forget your strengths. When practicing, make sure you play for points. This will make your practice session more fun and challenging. Pick and choose a topic to emphasize; it could be extra points for successful drop shots, lobs or aces. Practice with a purpose in mind and your game will improve!

Stay in the Moment

When you play tennis whether it's for fun or competitively, focus on what you want to do (the present), instead of what just happened (the past), or what might happen (the future). Develop a strategy prior to the match and stay focused on your game, your strategy. Try writing a cue word (¨FOCUS¨ or ¨NOW¨) on your wristband or racquet.

Click here for a video to help you Stay in the Moment.

Think About It

"Don’t live in the past, don’t ponder about the future, stay at the PRESENT moment NOW…always."

– Mark Twain

1 June 2020

Move Your Feet

The singles court is 27 feet wide by 39 feet long. To improve your level of play it is essential to work on your movement on the court. The quicker you get to the ball and prepare before a hit, the better. Most of the mistakes made by club players during match play are due to the lack of good positioning before hitting the ball. Often many small footsteps are required to get into the proper position to hit accurate ground strokes. Quickness on the court is key to becoming a good tennis player. You can find many good videos on YouTube that will help you with your footwork and fitness – try these out the next time you get on the tennis court. Here are 5 excellent drills. Enjoy!

Anticipate, Prepare

Think ahead – visualize and realize success. Tennis can be compared to playing chess – use strategy to move your opponent around the court to set up that winning shot – think a few moves ahead to set up your point. Develop points using a series of shots rather than trying to hit a winner with every single stroke. Anticipate where the ball is going so you can get your racquet back early for a crisp volley, firm ground stroke, strong smash, top-spin lob or well-placed drop shot. Prepare for success!

Play with Different Opponents

Play with different tennis players. Learn to deal with different playing styles: such as retrievers, pushers and net rushers….. It is also important that you mix it up with weaker and better opponents than players just your own level. When playing with weaker players you can help them develop their games. Remember when you were looking for help to get your game to the next level? Most important, make tennis what it should be at the club level – loads of fun!

Think About It - Press On

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men/women with talent. Genius is not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent!"

– Calvin Coolidge

RICK'S CORNER

Rick’s Corner is geared for those who really want to and are prepared to make the effort that will make a marked impact on their tennis game. We’re watching who is going the extra mile to improve their game!

ABOUT RICK

Richard Thériault

TIPS OF THE WEEK

15 August 2024

The Service Toss

Tennis quote

​7 August 2024

Move

Tennis quote

31 July 2024

What To Think About

Tennis quote

Poaching

Tennis quote

26 June 2024

Three Big Questions

Tennis quote

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19 June 2024

The 2 Step Rule

Tennis quote

12 June 2024

The 3 Most Common Mistakes in Tennis

Tennis quote

5 June 2024

Where do I Go After I Hit The Ball In Doubles?

Tennis quote

What Tennis Can Teach You?

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Tennis Quote

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22 May 2024

Patterns in Doubles

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Tennis quote

2 May 2022

9 November 2020

Keep your eye on the Ball!

Do you know how many returns you miss?

Rick’s "Grip Pressure" Tip

Tennis Parody – Don’t Quit

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Stick to Your Playing Style

Practice with a Purpose

Stay in the Moment

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Think About It

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Move Your Feet

Anticipate, Prepare

Play with Different Opponents

Think About It - Press On

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Rick’s Corner is geared for those who really want to and are prepared to make the effort that will make a marked impact on their tennis game.

We’re watching who is going the extra mile to improve their game!

7 August 2024