Here is a bonus this month as Ken offers, "The Triple Tip"!

1. When playing a tennis match, always spin the racquet to determine who will serve first and who will receive - before you begin the warm up. You need to practice from the side you will begin the match on and mentally know whether to focus on serving or receiving.

2. When playing doubles, always have your opponent serve first looking into the sun and lob the first two return of serves to them so they have to play in the sun, you get your return in play to start the match, and put the serving team on defense. Any time you face a poacher - lob them to get them to stay at home and take the pressure off you needing to hit such a great return.

3. Serve your 2nd serve as a 1st serve. The receiver never knows how hard the first serve will be but they always know the second serve will be softer. Getting your first serve in helps you avoid the fear of hitting a second serve where you must avoid double faulting and yet hit it aggressively enough that they can't rip on the return.
 

Talk to your partner before each service point and tell them where you plan to serve your first and second serve. It is as easy as A-B-C. Serve wide to the alley=A, into the body=B and to the "T" or center = C. For example A-C would equal a first serve to the Alley and the second serve to the Center.

Reasons:

1. The server now has a plan of where to serve before they start instead of deciding as they toss the ball to serve.

2. The servers' partner can know where to expect the serve so they can plan to: fake, poach or stay on the first serve and have a plan to; fake, poach or stay on the second serve to help the server win their serve.

3. Doubles is a team sport - talk to your partner before each point. It is difficult to play a team sport when only one player knows what is going to happen.
 

Give your self 3 different kinds of serves to confuse the returner by serving near the center 'T', half way between the doubles sideline and the center 'T' on the baseline or out wide behind the alley. Each new serve position will make your serve have a new angle against the receiver with little skill adjustment on your part.
 

If you return serve first in the match, always make your opponent serve into the sun and you lob the first two points of the match.

Reasons:

1. You have a better chance of putting the ball in play and making your opponents have to hit a 2nd shot.

2. Since it is early in the match, your mind and your returns may not be ready to keep the return; low, cross court, away from the net player, at the feet of the server of for that matter over the net.

3. Hitting at the net player on the first few returns may allow them to hit a volley winner or you may over hit and not even give them a chance to make an error/

4. The server (right handed) now has to move over and play not a forehand but a high bouncing ball to their backhand. If your return lob was deep, you should have moved up to just behind the service line on your side to await an overhead to smash, a volley with the opponent deep at the baseline or have easy access to any short return by the crossing server.
 

   "Henry Ford once Said"

 

When you meet your opponent at the court, you should introduce yourself then immediately spin to see who wins the spin.

Reasons:

1. You need to warm up on the side you intend to play on to begin the match.

2. If you are playing doubles and you are going to be the 3rd or 4th server in the match, take a lot of overheads to warm up your serve motion, hit a few serves as everyone else is warming up then focus on returning their warm up serves (not for winners but back to them) since you will play 2-3 games in the set before you actually serve for the first time but you may return serve 1-2 times. Be ready to break serve by getting those returns in from the start.
 

   "Henry Ford once Said"

 

Henry ford once said,

"whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right!"  it is true on the court as well.  when you doubt yourself, you can't play well.  when you believe in yourself and have a positive image of what it is that you want to do - you can.  the choice is up to you.

 

   "Tennis is a very moving experience"

 

The number of times your feet touch the court after you contact the ball and until you contact it again will often decide what level player you are in tennis.

 

For example:

Pros average 10-12 steps between each shot they hit.

College players average 8-10 steps between each shot they hit.

5.0/4.5 players average 6-8 steps between each shot they hit.

4.0/3.5 players average 4-6 steps between each shot they hit.

2.5/3.0 players average 2-4 steps between each shot they hit.

 

The strokes may all look the same but the effort put into getting into position to execute the stroke often divides the skill levels. This effort intensifies concentration for the players. Don't believe me try playing some one who plays slowly and hits the ball slowly and see how good your concentration remains.

 

"Motion creates emotion"