Returning Soft Shots

Q. I consider myself a solid 3.0 player. I love competing against other 3.0 and 3.5 level players and I do quite well. But when playing against what I would consider 2.5 level players, I usually end up losing the match. My problem is that I cannot seem to speed up their short slow balls. I return anything that comes my way slow with the same intensity that it comes in. If I take a good swing at it, all my shots go long. This has been going on for about six months! What is the best way to handle this situation? Obviously, I can push the ball back over the net all match long, but this does not change the pace, which is the outcome that I am looking for. —John Kelly, Boston A. Creating pace is difficult for many players because it requires polished technique to do it consistently. And it’s especially tricky to hit forcefully off really soft shots. You don’t say anything about your technique so I’ll address your situation in general terms. First, here’s what not to do. Don’t try to hit too hard. Just as you don’t take your car from first gear right to fourth, you shouldn’t attempt to take your opponent’s soft shots and send them back twice as hard as they came to you. Instead, whenever your opponent gives you a soft shot send it back with a little more pace than it came with. This may not feel as satisfying as you’d like but it’s a mental adjustment that you have to make if you want to successfully handle these soft, short balls. Get started by having a practice partner simulate the shots that give you trouble. There’s no substitute for hitting dozens of balls in a controlled environment. As you practice work on getting in position and preparing well. A full shoulder turn is critical if you want to create pace. (To ensure you’re turning your shoulders enough try this. Assuming you’re right-handed, if you’re hitting a forehand turn your upper body so that your left shoulder comes to your chin. For backhands your chin would rest on your right shoulder.) Since you say the balls you’re having trouble with are short and you have a tendency to hit long, you need to place a special emphasis on using extra topspin to keep the ball in the court. In fact, spin should be emphasized over power. Therefore, make sure you get your racquet below the intended point of impact as you’re swinging forward. That may mean using your legs to get lower than you normally do. Finally, focus on placement. Sure it feels good to hit the ball hard, but winning shots are more about putting the ball in the right place than they are about being struck with great force. Generally, aim the ball toward your opponent’s weaker side and go for depth. If it lands closer to the baseline than to the service line you’re doing good. —Tony Lance, Instruction Editor, TENNIS Magazine

Tag-team tennis

By Pat Whitworth The best doubles teams play as if they’re a tag-team wresting duo that tries whenever possible to turn points into two-on-one contests. The idea is to isolate and work over one of your opponents until you get the right ball to finish the point. This does three things for you: 1) Allows you to hold your position on the court instead of following the ball around as you would if you hit to both of your opponents। 2) Gives your opponents fewer gaps to exploit, since your position doesn’t change much। 3) Reduces your errors, since many errors occur when you try to change the direction of the ball too early in a point। Pat Whitworth is a USPTA Master Pro in Hamilton Mill, Dacula, Ga.

High backhand volleys made simple

High volleys should be easy, right? Then why do you miss so many on the backhand side? The problem is likely because of your backswing. Players miss volleys long because their backswing was too long and the ball got to their racquet before the racquet face got back forward. Players miss volleys into the net because their backswing was too long, they swung aggressively, and the racquet ended up too far forward. The good news is that it’s really hard to miss a routine volley—especially a high volley—if you don't take too big a backswing. How do you know if your backswing’s not too big? If, when you take your racquet back, you can still see the back of your strings (the side the ball's not on) it's almost impossible to make a mistake on the volley. All you have to do is line your racquet face up with the ball and push forward on impact. from the "tennis" mag.

Body Blow

If your opponent is still catching his breath after a long point, consider aiming your next serve directly at his body. A winded receiver will often play the return without taking adjustment steps, which are necessary for returning a body serve. Aiming the ball at your opponent in this situation will often result in a weak reply that allows you to play an aggressive shot on the next ball. Kirk Anderson, USPTA & PTR Master Pro, New Fairfield, Conn.

Tag-team tennis

By Pat Whitworth The best doubles teams play as if they’re a tag-team wresting duo that tries whenever possible to turn points into two-on-one contests. The idea is to isolate and work over one of your opponents until you get the right ball to finish the point. This does three things for you: 1) Allows you to hold your position on the court instead of following the ball around as you would if you hit to both of your opponents। 2) Gives your opponents fewer gaps to exploit, since your position doesn’t change much। 3) Reduces your errors, since many errors occur when you try to change the direction of the ball too early in a point। Pat Whitworth is a USPTA Master Pro in Hamilton Mill, Dacula, Ga.

Two-Handed Backhand of Novak Djokovic

Extensive hip rotation and a composed upper body make this shot a dependable asset. The great thing about Novak Djokovic’s game is how complete it is. He can do pretty much anything. And while his forehand is a punishing stroke, his backhand might be the more solid of the two shots. Djokovic can hit the ball crosscourt or open up the court with a shot down the line. It’s a big part of his constantly improving game. 1. This is a classic preparatory position for a two-handed backhand. Djokovic is looking over his dominant shoulder to track the ball and has excellent balance and posture. His hands are slightly higher than his waist, with the racquet head above his wrists and pointed back and up at 2 o’clock. He’s behind the baseline, but Djokovic is giving himself ample opportunity to step into the shot. 2. Djokovic takes his racquet back by employing a full shoulder turn. It’s a fairly straight backswing with the racquet head up. It appears as though Djokovic is making a loop, but the position of his frame is a result of his full upper-body rotation. At this point, Djokovic plants his left foot and loads all his weight on it. He’s ready to start his forward swing. 3. Djokovic’s hands get more involved in the stroke as he raises them and increases his shoulder turn. He’s beginning to transfer his weight by stepping forward with his right foot, which is parallel to the baseline. (Ideally his foot would be at a 45-degree angle with the baseline to allow him to open up faster.) The thing to appreciate is the position of Djokovic’s hips. They’re fully rotated and coiled, and as the sequence continues he does a great job of releasing them into the shot. 4. As he gets ready to unleash on the ball, Djokovic points the butt cap of his racquet toward the other side of the net. He’s starting to drop his racquet head, but he’ll only get under the ball enough to give it a little bit of topspin. Djokovic is also pushing off the toes of his back foot and starting to open up his hips. 5. Djokovic makes contact in front of his body and at waist level. Notice how his hands are moving away from his torso and working together; neither is dominating the other. His legs are straightening to lift his body up into the shot, and his hips and shoulders are opening up. Djokovic’s shoulders are more uneven than usual, but that could be a slight improvisation to compensate for the ball’s height and position. 6. There’s so much momentum created by his racquet acceleration, trunk rotation, and the weight shift in his legs that Djokovic is off the court when he follows through. Even though he’s in full swing, his head and body remain composed. Djokovic’s arms extend through the hitting zone as his hips open up. His belly button, which was pointing to the side in his backswing, now faces the net. 7. Both of Djokovic’s elbows are pointing away from his body as he follows through. All his weight is now on his front foot, and his left leg is starting to come around to aid in his recovery. Djokovic has kept his head down throughout the stroke; only now is he tracking his shot. Judging the ball’s flight path and his opponent’s reaction will give Djokovic a better idea of where to position himself for his next shot. 8. The ball has left the frame, but Djokovic is still completing his long follow-through. This is a great lesson for rec players—finish the swing first, then recover. Djokovic’s left leg is swinging out so he can plant it and move back toward the center of the court. He’s low to the ground, with his balance still perfect. That will help him explode to wherever the next ball goes.

Keep your grip soft

Is there any shot more impressive than a feathery drop volley hit off a driving ground stroke? To execute that difficult touch shot, you need “soft hands.” That’s just another way of saying you should use a relaxed grip. To get the feel for it, try the two-finger volley grip. Rather than holding your racquet like you normally do, grip the handle with only your ring and pinky fingers. Your other fingers should wrap around the grip, but don’t use them to squeeze. This encourages the relaxed, soft feel you need to make those eye-catching droppers and sharp-angle touch shots

The Forehand of Maria Sharapova

Early preparation and an attacking mind-set have helped the Russian turn this shot into a world-class weapon. When Maria Sharapova stunned tennis fans by winning Wimbledon in 2004, her serve and backhand were her biggest assets. But in the last year, she has molded her forehand into a weapon as well. She’s more aggressive off that wing than ever before, and it’s the shot she relies on most to open up the court and construct points. 1. Sharapova uses her left hand to help take her racquet back and assist in her shoulder turn. See how her left shoulder comes up to her chin? I like that, because it indicates a full turn. Her balance is very good. She’s ready to move forward and take this shot just inside the baseline—clearly Sharapova is looking to attack. Her grip is almost a full Western. 2. Sharapova continues with her excellent shoulder turn. As she takes her racquet back, she’s making small adjustment steps that help put her in an ideal position. Sharapova’s racquet is back a little higher than I was taught to take mine—my backswing was more compact—but it helps her produce greater racquet-head speed, which means more power. 3. Sharapova’s left hand is starting to move out in front of her to track the ball. Doing this helps ensure that her point of contact is out in front of her body. Her head is down and her eyes are right on the ball. At this point, it appears she might be preparing to hit an open-stance forehand, but she’s not; she’s putting her left foot directly in front of her right as she moves to the ball. 4. This photo screams balance and power. Sharapova is getting ready to unleash into the shot. Her head has barely moved since the fi rst frame, and her racquet is looping down out of her high backswing. The only criticism I have at this point is that her right elbow is too far away from her body. I prefer it to be in closer, which gives you more control. It appears she’s decided to take a backswing that’s bigger than usual so she can really attack the ball. 5. Sharapova has pulled her elbow closer to her body. She’s dropped her racquet almost to its lowest point and she’ll bring it forward and up, hitting the ball from below and swinging up and through it. The racquet face is a bit closed, so she’ll generate some topspin. Sharapova’s upper body is already uncoiling, helping to move the racquet toward the contact point. Her weight is now on her front foot. 6. The point of contact is just where it should be—in front of the body. Sharapova has taken the ball early, hitting low to high, and her balance is excellent. Her eyes are locked on the ball and her weight is moving forward to the point where she’s come up on her right toe. It appears from her stance and the position of her shoulders that she’s going down the line with this attacking forehand. 7. I like that Sharapova is hitting through the ball and fi nishing by taking her racquet across her body. She could have extended the frame even more through the path of the ball, but I think the fact that she didn’t is probably because she’s added topspin to this shot. Her forward and upward momentum have brought both of her feet off the ground. Notice how her head remains down. Even though she’s hit the ball, she’s not yet looking to see where it’s going. 8. his is a wraparound follow-through. Sharapova has a tendency to follow through on her forehand over her right shoulder instead of her left, particularly when she’s hitting off her back foot. But on this one she’s done it in the traditional way. She didn’t pop up too fast, so she’s balanced and ready to get back to the middle for the next shot.

Cooling Down a Hot Opponent

Beginners should aim most of their shots toward their opponent's weakest stroke, which is often the backhand. Trying to raise your game isn’t necessarily the best option when you face a player who’s giving you more than you can handle. The first thing most players do when they find themselves trailing in a match is look for things that will help them raise their level of play. The problem with that strategy is that players typically start matches using their A game, so switching to something else usually means they end up using a tactic that’s the second- or third-best choice for their style of play. I’ve found that the smartest players react in a different way when they’re behind: Rather than trying to lift their own level, they focus on lowering their opponent’s. Here are some ways to win ugly. BEGINNER OBJECTIVE 1: Keep the ball in play. When you’re just starting to play tennis, you can win many matches simply by being more consistent than your opponent. Mastering the concept of shot tolerance—knowing how many balls your opponent will hit before he feels he has to go for a winner—should be first on the todo list of all developing players. While shot tolerance varies from player to player, hitting three or four balls on a point is often all it takes to push a beginner out of his comfort zone and cause him to take a risk that, more often than not, will result in an error. OBJECTIVE 2: Isolate and destroy Isolation is the tactic of identifying and exploiting your opponent’s vulnerabilities. At the beginner level the most glaring weaknesses are often particular shots, such as the backhand or the volley. Once you identify the chinks in your opponent’s game, hit the majority of your shots to those soft spots. Making your opponent hit shots he’s uncomfortable with should bring down the rest of his game. Use underspin to test your opponent's timing and technique. INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVE 1: Master the moonball While many intermediate players know how to play aggressively from the baseline, few have learned the skills needed to attack when given a steady diet of high, looping balls with plenty of topspin—aka the dreaded moonball. These difficult-to-handle shots force your opponent to move back from the base-line, giving him fewer angles and less pace to work with. Consequently, moonballs often lower your opponent’s level of play by depriving him of the opportunity to attack while simultaneously forcing him to be more patient than he might like to be. OBJECTIVE 2: Use slice and underspin Have you ever seen someone come off the court bragging about how well he played against a guy who sliced and diced? I haven’t either. The fact is, most players absolutely hate to compete against opponents who hit a lot of junk. Why? Slice and under-spin shots are not as easy to handle as they appear. Sure, they look like they would be easy to attack, but because they bounce lower and slower than topspin shots, slices take you out of your rhythm. Hitting aggressively against these shots requires well-grooved technique and excellent timing, abilities most intermediates don’t have. Changing spins is one of the most effective ways to lower your opponent’s level of play. Drop shots can lure advanced players into the forecourt on your terms. ADVANCED OBJECTIVE 1: Serve to the weaker side It’s not uncommon for advanced players to have a 5.0 forehand and a 4.0 backhand. Discovering whether this is true for your opponent will give you a huge advantage. Think about it: If you pay attention and hit your serves to your opponent’s weaker return side, you can deter-mine if you’re going to be playing a 5.0 player or a 4.0 player as you start each point in your service game. The last thing you want to do when you’re trailing in a match is to give your opponent an opportunity to hit his best shot. OBJECTIVE 2: Develop a drop shot This may seem like a tactic best suited for a lower level of play, but remember that most advanced play-ers prefer to hit from the baseline. If you can make your opponent come to net on your terms, you can force him to beat you from a part of the court where he’s uncomfortable. Re-member to use the drop shot to get your opponent off the baseline, not to try to end the point outright. If a winner is your goal, the drop shot is not the best choice.

Two tips for better doubles

Bounce for better poaches: If you are going to poach a service return, start to move when the served ball bounces. At that point, your opponent will have his or her racquet back in preparation for a return. Move at an angle simultaneously toward the ball and toward the net for an easy volley. And don’t forget to let your partner know you are going to poach before the point starts! Mirror your opponents: If both of your opponents are closing in to the net, mirror that image and close in as well. If an opponent backs up behind the baseline for a shot, then you and your partner should mirror that movement and back up toward the service line in anticipation of a lob. If the opponents move to one side of the court to reach a shot, you and your partner should follow and sway with the movement of the ball. If you keep moving with your opponents, you’ll be in position to win the match.

Don’t overdo it

Have a match coming up against the top player in your league? That guy or gal who beats you every time, even if you start out with a big lead? Take a lesson from last weekend’s Rogers Cup champ, Novak Djokovic, and don’t worry about playing up to your opponent — just be yourself. You’re not unique for wanting to play your absolute best against the best competition. But asking that much of yourself — I have to hit more winners, fewer errors, and better angles, TODAY — often produces decidedly worse results. Playing within yourself isn’t easy, but there are ways to approach a match that can help you do it. Think about spin and depth, not power: Players too often think they have to hit the ball harder against a quality opponent. You’re probably better off working your opponent with softer, topspin strokes that clear the net by a safer margin and land deeper in the court. If your opponent has less to work with — fewer short balls and fewer obvious angles — you’ll find more chances coming your way. Don’t be afraid to use the middle of the court: You don’t always have to put your opponent on the run (check out how many backhands Djokovic aimed at Rafael Nadal’s feet in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup). It’s difficult to create angles, and hit winners, off deep shots in the center of the court. If you jam your opponent, you might get that short ball you’ve been waiting for. Use your second serve as a first serve: Unless you are an ace machine, keep that first-serve percentage high, even if it means a little less pace and a little more spin. Concentrate on placement. Repetition is your friend: If you find something your opponent doesn’t like, keep going after it. Do you think Djokovic felt guilty about pounding Federer’s backhand over and over again on Sunday? You don’t need to look better than your opponent. Winning will do just fine.

Practice makes perfect

Everyone likes to play matches. It’s how you measure yourself against the competition. But it doesn’t necessarily improve your tennis ability. The best way to accomplish that is to pinpoint deficiencies in your game and practice them until they become reliable. Playing matches puts the emphasis on winning, not improving. By removing the pressure of winning, you allow yourself the freedom of making mistakes and exploring parts of your game you’re not comfortable with. Here are some things to remember when practicing: —You can still make a game out of it:Some players complain that practicing is boring. You can play points out, just don’t keep traditional score. Play a tiebreaker or to 21 and start points without serving. The less you make it feel like a real match, the more you will experiment and try different shots. —Expose yourself:Whatever part of your game you’re not happy with is what you should be practicing. When playing a match, you want to win so you try to play to your strengths and conceal your weaknesses. You’ll never be a complete player that way. If it’s volleys – get to net. If it’s a slice backhand – start chipping. And there has to be something you can work on, because even the pros practice. —Remember, you do it in other sports:Tennis is one of the few sports that don’t emphasize practice. Golfers hit the range to work on their drives. Baseball players get in the batting cage to improve their swing. Practicing your weaknesses just makes sense. If you don’t have anyone to practice with, don’t be embarrassed to take a bucket of balls and just serve. Skip the match and hit the practice courts. It’s the only way you’ll really improve.

Adjust for high balls

One of the toughest shots for most recreational players to handle is the high-bouncing ball, especially if it has a lot of topspin on it. But there’s an easy way to improve your success rate in dealing with these pesky shots: Use a higher backswing. Lots of players unwittingly lower their chances of returning high balls effectively by taking their racquet back the same way they do for waist-high or low-bouncing shots. By doing so they force themselves to have to swing sharply upward to meet the ball and this puts the racquet and the oncoming ball on very different paths, thus requiring nearly perfect timing to make good contact. Instead, you’d be much better off taking your racquet back higher than usual and adjusting your entire swing up. That way you’ll put your racquet more in line with the ball and improve your chances of making a solid hit.

Go for seconds

It’s an old saying, but it’s still true to this day – “you’re only as good as your second serve.” A good first serve is important. A good second serve is crucial. When going for a second serve, too many players tell themselves, ‘I’ve got to get this serve in.’ What they should be telling themselves is that this is another opportunity to hit an effective serve. After swinging with all their might on the first serve, they will let up and spin a soft serve in the box just so they don’t lose the point. It’s a natural progression, but it puts the player at a disadvantage right from the start of the point. Being overly aggressive and regularly double faulting is stupid. But over the course of a match, playing passively on second serves is more destructive than an occasional double fault. That’s why a good player takes a bigger cut at the ball on their second serve than on their first. That’s right, your racquet head should be moving faster on the second serve than the first. That’s what happens in the pros. Here’s why: Look to the Baseline—Watch players with heavy topspin hit their ground strokes and you’ll notice how much faster they swing than players who hit a flatter ball do. That’s because they need greater racquet head speed in order to achieve the same pace and depth on their shots. The player with the flatter shots can be more dangerous, but has much less margin for error. Just like the difference between a first (flat) and second serve (spin). Practical Geometry—Since the first serve has less spin it will cut through the air quicker. It also has a much more acute trajectory than the arc created by a topspin second serve. So the flight path of the ball is shorter. That’s why it is important to use the legs, hips, shoulders, wrists, and entire body in a first serve, because the swing itself should just be a fluid and relaxed motion. Simple Physics—It may seem strange to actually swing harder on a second serve, but it makes sense. The faster you swing, the more topspin you will create. Topspin results in constant rotation of the ball, which reduces velocity and brings the ball down into the service box. Even if you swing harder it’s still a safe and consistent shot. You’re just producing more topspin, which will make your second serve heavier, bounce higher, and much more difficult to return. The next time you’re faced with a second serve, don’t let up. Go after it. Soon it could be as dangerous as your first.

Work on your foot speed

Tennis players spend a great of time working on their strokes. They will take lots of lessons or practice for hours looking to hone their shots. But a sure way to improve your game without even stepping on a tennis court is to increase your speed and agility. It’s not as glamorous as learning to hit a big forehand or serve, but gaining more foot speed can win you just as many points.

Here are some numbers for you:

• Average seconds per point:
Clay – 10
Hard – 5
Grass – 2.8
• A player averages 4.2 directional changes per point.
• Average distance covered per stroke is 4 meters.
• The ratio of time playing tennis and time walking around the court is 35:65.

By looking at this data, it’s easy to see that tennis is fast game full of explosive movements. You should train your body accordingly. Jogging will give you endurance, which is good for long matches, but when do you ever jog to a ball to hit a shot? You need speed. Practice sprinting short distances in all different directions (just like you would on a tennis court) and then rest. Do a series of sprints where you run for 15 seconds, then rest for 45 more. Simulate the action of a real point. Try to incorporate sets of hops or jumps, or any movement that will increase your quickness and explosion. You want to train your body to be able to run hundreds of short races – not one long one.

Approach Shots: Forehand and Backhand

Q. How do you hit it a forehand and two-handed backhand approach shot while moving forward to the ball at the service line (and making contact just below the net)? Do you slow down and twist? What stance is best? A. In a perfect world, you don’t want to be moving. You want to be stable. If you are moving, try to have a solid foundation and be as still as possible. This is a key to making good contact. For the forehand, good racquet preparation, combined with good footwork, will give you the best chance to execute properly. Since the ball is below the level of the net—soft hands and good racquet head speed are keys to generate topspin. Accelerate the racquet head up-and-out, use bold or italics for emphasis] but focus on the contact, not the forward movement afterwards. Your stance is a personal preference, but it should emulate your forehand from the baseline as much as possible. The backhand side is trickier. Moving forward and hitting a two-handed backhand can be tough. Again, try to stabilize your foundation as much as possible and let the off-hand help accelerate through the ball. This will add heavy topspin, increasing the safety of your shot. Hit the shot aggressively, and make sure to use your other hand to help create an offensive and safe approach.

The Backhand Lob of Justine Henin

The Belgian uses perfect disguise for maximum effectiveness. Justine Henin is a big player for such a small woman. I first saw her play when she was 10 years old and it was apparent even then that she was tremendously talented. Her signature shot, the one-handed backhand, was well on its way to becoming the beautiful stroke it is today. There’s nothing Henin can’t do with her backhand. In this sequence we see her produce one of the most difficult shots in the game, the backhand topspin lob. 1. Disguise is key for an effective topspin lob and there’s nothing about Henin’s preparation that signals that she’s about to hit one. Instead, she gets directly behind the ball and positions herself as if she’s going to hit any other passing shot. The racquet is up behind her head and her shoulders and hips are turned, which is critical on a one-handed backhand. You can’t see it in this photo, but her left hand is cradling the racquet at the throat to assist in her shoulder turn. She’s also bending her knees and loading her weight on her back foot. 2. Henin begins to drop the racquet head under the ball. Her left hand is just coming off the throat, which gives you an indication of how much she uses it to guide the racquet. She has an extreme grip as opposed to the classic Eastern backhand grip. I’d call it a semi-Western backhand, because her hand is so far around on the handle. Her balance and posture are excellent, and her head is very still as she begins to transfer her weight to her front foot. 3. Only now can you tell that Henin is going to hit a lob. Her racquet head has dropped very low so it’s well under the ball. She’s going to bring her racquet up quickly to brush behind the ball and lift it over her opponent’s head. Her hitting arm is extended out and she’ll make contact well ahead of her front foot. Her head has not moved since the fi rst frame. 4. If you compare this frame to the previous one, you can see Henin’s sharply vertical swing and how she’s rotated her arm to produce the topspin she wants. She can do that because her extreme grip keeps her racquet face more closed than a conventional Eastern. I also like how her left hand stays back to counterbalance her hitting arm. She has fully transferred her weight to her front foot and sent the ball on its way, yet her head is virtually in the same place it was in the fi rst frame. 5. The momentum resulting from Henin’s extreme upward swing path and the extension of her hitting arm has carried her slightly up onto the ball of her front foot. But Henin has maintained perfect posture and balance, showing that she has excellent technique and strong core muscles. 6. It’s interesting to see that Henin has kept the same 90-degree angle between her racquet and forearm in the last three frames. Instead of using her wrist to fl ick the racquet as you might expect, she rotates her forearm and shoulder to produce a sharp upward sweep. Though we can’t be certain, this may be because she decided to hit the lob at the last instant. Either way, she disguised and executed it perfectly.

Maintaining a Lead

How to keep focus after winning the first set. It was just minutes ago that you won a hard-fought first set 6-4. Now you’re down an early break in the second. You’re starting to tighten up, and you feel as if you’re losing the match even though you’re ahead on the scoreboard. The momentum should be on your side, but it’s slipping away. You ask yourself what happened. This scenario plays out time and again at all levels of the game. Why? It’s in our nature to escape the un-pleasant feeling of excessive stress. In a close tennis match the stress on the player in the lead increases as he progresses toward the conclusion of a set and, ultimately, the match. After winning a difficult, tense set there’s often a conflict between your logical mind, which tells you to keep applying pres-sure and close out the match, and your subconscious mind, which suggests that you temporarily escape all this stress by easing up and taking a well-deserved mental break. With a set under your belt, now feels like as good a time as any. Big mistake. On the other side of the net, your opponent knows that he has to bear down or he’ll soon be leaving the court a loser. So he tends to maintain or increase his intensity level. Couple that with your own tendency to let up at this stage and there’s a momentum change just waiting to happen. How do you prevent it? In this situation, forewarned is forearmed. If you win the first set, take a few moments to collect yourself and pump yourself up. Then redouble your efforts at the start of the second set. It often helps to play games with your mind. Try to convince yourself that the match is starting over and that you have to jump out to an early lead. Be even more aggressive, resolute, and focused than you were in the first set. Concentrate on each point to minimize your errors and show your opponent that he’s in for a long and painful afternoon if he wants to win. Your opponent, trailing in the match, may be on the brink of despair. Your immediate objective should be to break his spirit by being tough. Don’t let him back into the match. Remember that your opponent is looking for some sign of weakness on your part to convince him that the first set was a fluke. If you let up even the slightest bit, you might give him hope. As the second set begins, keep the door shut—or, better still, slam it on your opponent’s foot.

Jump start your warm-up

We’ve all done it –at the court just minutes before our match starts, do a couple of knee bends, and then think we’re ready to play. After dropping the first three games of the set we scratch our heads, wondering why we’re playing so lifelessly. If you want to come out firing bullets instead of blanks, you’ve got to come on the court warm and excited to play. The best scenario would be to practice a half-hour before you play, but you’re not always going to have the opportunity. So at the bare minimum you should try to get your heart pumping before you take the court. That way your blood is flowing, your muscles are loose, and you’re ready to compete. A quick and effective way to do this is jumping rope. A jump rope is inexpensive, ready for travel, and easy to use. You don’t have to go at a Rocky-like pace, but several minutes of steady jump rope will prepare you for a match in important ways because it: Simulates Running – During warm-ups you tend to hit the balls directly at each other. This may help with your strokes, but during a match how often are balls hit in that fashion. Work the rope up to a good speed and you’ll feel like your sprinting for a drop shot. Heats You Up – Watch a professional in any sport and you’ll see they start a contest already sweating. Jumping rope helps get a lather going. For those worried about tiring out, a moderate amount of jump rope will actually energize, not weaken you. Entire Body Exercise – Jumping rope utilizes the wrist, forearm, shoulder, and whole leg, which are all crucial for playing good tennis. It also increases coordination and balance, two things a player can never have enough of. So if you suffer from early match flatness, you can skip it by jumping rope.

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 in 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.

Lob or Not

Here’s the scenario. You’re under attack from your opponent at the net. You reach his shot in time to have a choice of whether to lob or go for a passing shot. Which do you chose? For most recreational players the decision should follow a simple rule of thumb: lob if you’re behind the baseline, and go for the passer if you’re in front of it. Why? If you’re standing in back of the baseline and attempt a passing shot your opponent will have time to pick off all but your best shots. It’s best in that case to try and push him back with a lob. On the other hand, if you’re in front of the baseline the odds of your passing shot succeeding are improved, and even if you don’t hit an outright winner you stand a strong chance of forcing a weak reply that you can deal with on your next shot. So the next time you’re under fire from a net-rushing opponent use this basic guideline—lob if you’re behind the baseline, pass if you’re in front of it—to make your shot selection in this situation virtually foolproof.

Andy Roddicks Serve

High Five: Federer ties Borg with Wimbledon win

By Kamakshi Tandon Roger Federer won his 5th consecutive Wimbledon title as the weather finally turned bright and clear during the final weekend of the Championships. © Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Wimbledon began with rainy and ragged weather, but it finished with a day of sunshine that bathed the men’s final in a glow never possible until this year’s roofless Centre Court opened the stadium to the skies. The tennis also shone, a five-set battle between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal that turned Federer’s way just when it looked as if the title might be slipping from his grasp. He won the last four games to close out the match 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-2, falling to his knees in trademark style before collapsing onto his back in relief. The victory gives Federer his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, tying him with Bjorn Borg as the only player to achieve the feat in the Open Era. Federer also tied Borg's (and Rod Laver's) mark of 11 Grand Slam titles, putting him behind only Roy Emerson (12) and Pete Sampras (14) in the all-time list of men’s champions. At 25, he hopes he has time to move up the list. “Obviously it’s on my mind,” he said. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep it up, but I definitely feel like I’m mentally and physically still fit to go on for many more years to come.” Borg made a rare appearance at Wimbledon to watch Federer equal his record. The two spoke afterwards in front of the champions’ honor roll, where both their names are carved so many times. Several other legends were also present for the final, and the Swiss world No. 1 looked like a vintage presence himself during the trophy ceremony, wearing a white jacket and long pants. “It was a huge occasion for me, huge pressure – “Bjorn Borg sitting there, Jimmy Connors sitting there, John McEnroe sitting there, Boris Becker sitting there,” said Federer. With his latest win, he’s on his way to eclipsing them all. The only significant hole in Federer’s record is the French Open, where Nadal has ruled for the last three years. Federer wasn’t the only one trying to match Borg on Sunday – Nadal was attempting to become the first player to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back since the Swede did it in 1978. Appropriately enough, sitting beside Borg in the Royal Box was Manuel Santana, the only Spanish men’s champion at Wimbledon so far. But the 21-year-old Nadal drew comfort from coming ever closer to winning the title he says he covets above all others. Federer and Nadal have now played the French Open and Wimbledon finals back-to-back for two years running, but Nadal can say he has come closer to toppling Federer on his turf at SW19 than Federer has against Nadal on Parisian clay. “I play very good level, playing against one of the best in history in this surface... I’m playing at a similar level,” said Nadal. The two had taken very different paths to get to the final – not least in the time spent on court. Nadal had played almost six more hours coming into the match, including two five-setters early in the week when the tournament was playing catch-up because of rain. Federer, meanwhile, had received a five-day break in between thanks to the weather and the injury withdrawal of his fourth-round opponent Tommy Haas Nadal still managed to push Federer to five sets – the first time that’s ever happened in a Grand Slam final – and the world No. 1 knows his younger rival presents a growing challenge. “I’m happy with every one I get now, before he takes over,” Federer told the Centre Court crowd. For Nadal, it's the first time he's lost in a deciding fifth set in over two years. But he too spoke about his opponent with typical graciousness. Talking about Federer’s quest to top the Grand Slam list, Nadal said, “[Whether] he going to win 14 or 16 or 13, in my opinion [his] tennis level is the best of the history.” The mutual praise was a pleasing epilogue to a hard-fought and draining match that had given both players reason to believe they might triumph. "Maybe if we have to find any difference, maybe the difference is the serve," said Nadal when asked what had determined the outcome. "He serve better than me and that's important in every surface, but in this surface more." Rafael Nadal, trying to become only the second Spanish man to win Wimbledon, had four chances to go up a break up in the fifth set. © Chris Young/AFP Getty Federer agreed. "From the baseline... I always thought he had the upper hand for some reason and I couldn't really play that agressive like I wanted," he said. "But my serve kept me in, and I definitely won the big points today, which was most important." The first set was decided in a tiebreak that mirrored the rest of the set – Federer beginning with an early lead and Nadal coming back; brilliant play slowly giving way to more nervy errors. The second set appeared to be chugging steadily to another tiebreak conclusion when, without warning Nadal found a set point at 4-5 and leveled the match with a superb backhand pass down the line. Both players lifted their level in the third, but Federer managed to deliver the first strike often enough during the tiebreak to nose ahead. But it was Nadal who struck first in the fourth, finding winners from all over and breaking Federer twice to go up 3-0. While securing his second break, Nadal left Federer visibly rattled when he used Hawk-Eye to successfully challenge a call. Earlier, a Hawk-Eye challenge from the Spaniard had overturned a point that would have won Federer the first set. “How could that ball be in?” Federer plaintively asked the umpire during the changeover. The normally-unflappable Swiss was so disgruntled with the system that he wanted it turned off. “It’s killing me,” he told the chair. Afterwards, he admitted that the emotion of the match had got to him. “I was just frustrated because already I got broken first up and then to be broken this way was for me very irritating,” he said. “So it took me a few games to kind of forget about it and I was ready for the fifth, thank God.” Nadal called the trainer mid-way through the fourth set for treatment on his right knee. He did not appear to be unduly hampered, however, closing out the fourth set and twice going up double break point early in the fifth. After managing to hold both times, Federer suddenly lifted his game as if the reprieve had given him release. “It was a tough moment to be in. I was nervous,” said Federer. “But I served well and played smart, took the right decisions. ”I was so happy when I came out of it because I knew that now he probably missed his chance. If I get one [now], I’ll probably make it. That’s exactly what happened.” Nadal also felt he had blown his opportunity. “I know if I have the break in the fifth I have very good chances for have the title,” said Nadal, who until then had not been broken since his first service game of the match. Instead it was Federer who stood the victor after three hours and 45 minutes. He improved his record against Nadal to 5-8, and has now won four of their last six matches. Standing on court afterwards, he found one more reason to relish this year’s victory at Wimbledon. “It’s the only one without a roof, so I’m glad I took it,” he said, clutching the trophy as it gleamed in the sunlight.

Trouble with Topspin?

Trouble with topspin? Here’s a simple and effective way to learn to hit it. PROBLEM You have difficulty applying topspin to the ball because you instinctively swing from high to low. It’s particularly common with young beginners who equate the motion with hitting a baseball. The resulting shots are slices or flat balls that you have little control over. For many players, it’s natural to swing from high to low. As a result they can’t apply topspin to their shots. SOLUTION To introduce the concept of swinging from low to high, I’ve had success using an ordinary household broom. Stand on the baseline with your racquet back, holding that position. Have someone face you while gripping a broom firmly by the handle and positioning the bristles at your point of contact. Now swing at the broom and brush up on the bristles with your strings. If the motion is too level or high-to-low, your strings will get stuck in the broom. But when you brush past the bristles without getting stuck, you’ve got the proper brushing motion needed to apply topspin to the ball. You’ll also improve your extension and follow through. It’s a great way to “clean up” a messy topspin stroke. Brushing up the bristles of a broom gives you the feeling of hitting with topspin. You also get the sensation of proper extension and a full follow-through.

Strategy 101

Whether you’re just beginning to play matches or you’re already a seasoned veteran, there’s one play that works no matter what your level is. What is this magic formula, you ask? Hit to your opponent’s weaker side. Sure, this is really basic advice but the truth is that many players who should know better ignore it. That’s too bad because directing ball after ball to your opponent’s inferior wing is often the surest way to win. Try this. Identify early on which of your opponent’s ground strokes—his forehand or backhand—produces the most errors or, if you come to the net, gives you the ball you can volley successfully. Then pound that side ruthlessly. Don't change because you think they will catch on. Don't worry they will improve their weakness because you're hitting there so much. Don't worry that they know you're going to hit there. Just hammer that side without mercy. This tip was submitted by dross80, a regular reader of Joe Pambianco's and Kellie Walters' blogs.

Learning from Novak Djokovic

The Serb has beefed up his game. Here are two ways to help you do the same. 1. Take your chances. Novak Djokovic has a lot of the ingredients that make some players superstars. He’s athletic; he can play offensively; he knows how to take the ball early; he’s not afraid to end points at the net; he’s a good competitor; and he can hurt you with both his forehand and his backhand. In other words, he’s a pretty darn good tennis player. Along with Andy Murray and Richard Gas-quet, Djokovic is on his way to the upper echelon of the game. The thing I think Djokovic has done especially well in the last 12 to 18 months is hone his offensive mind-set. He’s gotten much better at recognizing and taking advantage of his opportunities to be aggressive. For Djokovic, that typically means blasting his big, fl at backhand down the line. He also uses his huge forehand to open up the court so he either can get to the net and finish the point with a volley or set up a short ball that he can put away with his next ground stroke. Seeing and seizing your chances to take charge are skills that you can use to improve your game as well. To learn when you should attack off the ground, try this drill: Start by rallying from the backcourt. Whenever you get at least one foot inside the baseline, you must hit an offensive shot—either go for a winner or hit a shot you can follow to net. You may miss a lot of balls at first, but you’ll soon start to be aware of your position on the court and learn to select the right shot at the right time to take advantage of your edge. Play one game to 11 points. 2. Neutralize with slice. Although Djokovic is a tall, aggressive player, he’s athletic and defends well. He’s particularly skilled at using a one-handed backhand slice—he also has a two-handed drive—as a neutralizing shot when he’s pulled wide. This means that when his opponent hits a tough shot, he counters it by fl oat-ing the ball back deep, forcing his opponent to hit one or two more shots. Many players with two-handed back-hands, especially at the club level, try to hit with both hands when they’re on the run. That’s difficult. At the rec level, having a solid defensive slice can pay big dividends. To improve this skill, even if you don’t have a one-handed backhand, try this exercise: Rally crosscourt, forehand to forehand. When one player gets a short ball, he has to hit it aggressively down the line to his opponent’s backhand. The defender has to try to use the deep slice to get back into the point with the goal of regaining the offensive as soon as possible. The person on the attack must wait for the slice reply before moving forward so he can work on his offense if the slice is short. (To do this drill in a lefty-righty pairing, the player hit-ting backhands has to attack down the line when he gets a short ball.) Play one game to 11.

The Forehand of Roger Federer

A full shoulder turn, good balance, and tremendous racquet-head speed make this a much-feared weapon. As the Wimbledon approaches near, let us take a look at the 3 time champion Roger Federer. On the list of all-time great forehands, Roger Federer’s should be near the top. It’s struck powerfully and has remarkable variety and adaptability. Of all the shots in his arsenal, it’s his forehand that he relies on most to win points. Whether he’s defending or attacking—as he’s doing in this sequence—Federer makes it all look effortless. 1. Federer is turning his shoulders as he’s moving to the ball. Notice how his left hand is on the racquet even though he’s well into his preparation. This forces him to turn his shoulders. Federer uses a semi-Western grip and he’s bringing his racquet back with the head cocked above the wrist. This will ensure a loop back-swing and good spin production. He’s moving diagonally forward, rather than straight to the side, so the ball doesn’t get away from him. 2. Federer brings his racquet back and his left hand comes off the throat but stays to his right side. That’s a big change from my day, when players such as Chris Evert had their non-dominant hand out front and pointing to the oncoming ball at this stage. Keeping your off hand on the same side as your racquet produces a fuller shoulder turn, which helps you get more racquet-head speed and a more powerful shot. 3. After taking a big stride to reach this point, Federer is now calculating the distance of his next step so the ball will be at the perfect point for contact. Although he’s preparing to hit a low ball, he’s taken his racquet back quite high. Federer’s left arm remains to the right side, still assisting in his shoulder turn. In this frame and the next one his rotation is so complete that you can see much of his back. 4. Federer is lowering his body with his legs (not bending at the waist) and starting to bring his racquet down. Notice how the racquet face is closed (the strings are facing down). This is due in part to his grip, but also because of the way he leads his backswing with his elbow, pronating his forearm. This type of take-back—another big change from the straight-back, straight-forward forehand of my day—allows you to produce tremendous racquet-head speed. 5. As he starts his forward swing, Federer begins to open his torso and bring his left arm around to the front of his body. The string bed is still facing the ground. The oncoming ball is low—you can tell because he’s looking down—but his head has barely moved throughout the sequence. Federer follows the ball by moving his eyes while keeping his head as still as possible. 6. Federer has opened up completely at this point and his body is facing his target. His racquet has come forward with tremendous speed and he’ll make contact at a point that’s even with his right foot. Notice how he keeps his left hand close to his body. Just as figure skaters pull their arms close to spin faster, Federer tucks in his left arm to help his upper body turn more quickly and to get more racquet-head speed. Here we also get a good look at his semi-Western grip. 7. Though he’s well past striking the ball, Federer’s eyes are still glued to the point of contact. This is one of the reasons Federer makes such consistent contact on his shots. His follow-through, which is to the side rather than extended out front, shows just how important rotation is in his forehand. In my era, ground strokes were more linear—straight back and straight forward. 8. The ball has been directed down the line and Federer is moving back toward the center of the court, probably with the intention of following this shot to the net if it isn’t an outright winner. He’s fi nished his forehand while maintaining his balance, which will allow him to make a smooth transition forward.

Learning to Hit Topspin

PROBLEM You’re a flat-ball hitter. This is a huge disadvantage when you’re trying angled shots, offensive lobs, or safe, high rally balls. You’ve heard the term “brush up the back of the ball” more than you can stand, and you finish your swing up high over your shoulder, but there’s still no topspin. SOLUTION While executing a low-to-high swing, try to hit the ball with the top edge of the racquet. This will be difficult to do at first, but the exaggeration will give you the feel of the vertical sweep up the back of the ball that you need for topspin. After that, try leading with the top edge of your racquet, but hit the ball on the strings. The resulting shot should have plenty of topspin. Watch the seams of the ball as it leaves your strings, paying attention to the spin and not just if it goes in. When pro players such as Rafael Nadal are on the defensive, they still hit with topspin. But since they’re late making contact, their racquets on their forehands will follow through behind their heads. I’m not encouraging a late contact point, but mimicking them is a great way to learn the vertical sweep necessary for topspin. Be careful not to hit your head when practicing this technique. If your shots don’t make it over the net, pick a higher target. Bonus: If you get this shot down, you’ll also have that topspin lob you’ve always wanted.

Five Things to Learn from Roger Federer

Federer Moving ForwardFive things you can learn from Roger Federer’s victory in the 2004 U.S. Open men’s final.

1. KICK IT OLD SCHOOL
I like to say that Roger Federer has brought the old-school game of tennis to the modern world. He plays with tremendous variety of shot and strategy, and it was all on display in his 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 rout of Lleyton Hewitt, a player whose tenacity usually gives his opponents fits. What Federer shows is that there is no substitute for being a well-rounded player and having options when you step on the court.

2. BE PATIENT
Because Hewitt plays a conservative, defensive style, it was up to Federer to decide when to go on the offensive. Hewitt couldn’t hurt him from the baseline, so Federer waited for a ball that would allow him to take control of the point. When you face a determined counterpuncher, try not to get overeager. The surest way to defeat such an opponent is to be patient and work each point until you have a clear opening.

3. HANG TOUGH
Even though Hewitt lost the first eight games, he still fought hard. If he had gotten a few lucky breaks he would have been back in the match. When you’re playing an opponent who is on fire, keep making him hit shots. If he continues to hit winners, then he’s too good that day. But many times you’ll weather the storm. Federer cooled off considerably in the second set, and Hewitt kept plugging away and nearly stole it.

4. PLAY BIG IN THE BREAKER
Federer realized the importance of the secondset tiebreaker. Winning it would give him a two-set lead and destroy the momentum Hewitt had gained by clawing his way back into the match. Federer elevated his game and reeled off the first four points of the breaker. Instead of trying to take the initiative, Hewitt played the points hoping Federer would make errors. You have to put a premium on every point in a tiebreaker. Play each one as if it’s a break point.

5. TAKE THE BALL EARLY
Federer’s ability to move from well behind the baseline to the middle of the court, from defense to offense, is unbelievable. Once he recognizes that a ball is going to be short, he moves up to take it early. That’s how he hit most of his winners against Hewitt. If you take the ball even a half-second earlier, that’s better than adding 10 m.p.h. to your shot because you’re being aggressive while still playing within your comfort zone.

The Jump Two-Handed Backhand

Photo By Al Bello/Getty Images Former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios introduced this technique and Marat Safin and Sebastien Grosjean continue the tradition today. Instead of moving their feet to get into better position on a high backhand, they choose to compensate by jumping off the court to hit the stroke. The technical or strategic advantages are questionable, but you may find that you get more explosive power into the shot or create a better angle by raising your strike zone. Most coaches prefer a less lazy brand of footwork, but it’s flashy and, on some occasions, a necessity. When you’re on the move and the ball is going to be at your shoulders, jump off your front leg while raising your back one up. It’s virtually the same form you’d use to shoot a layup with your nondominant hand in basketball. You start your swing as you come off the court and make contact with the ball at the top of your jump. While still in the air, complete the stroke with full extension before you land back on the court and start to move for your next shot.

Shoes for different court types.

Clay courts with slide

The new breed in clay / sliding court shoes are sharp edged herring bone that cover the entire sole and even roll up on the side of the shoe to give maximum grip and an "even or measurable" slide characteristic. The idea being that the clay will fall out after each step in order to allow maximum grip on each consecutive step. Sharp Herring bone bite better, but wear out faster. A softer material is used for maximizing drag.

Hard court

Due to the stop/start nature of hard court tennis, it is very important to get a quality shoe. Think of your future! Durability, shock absorption coupled with good ankle support and overall comfort. Most profiles will work quite well but most won't last too long. Notice the turning circle on the shoe above. This puts the most amount of rubber where you need it with the freedom to move it. The brands that offer a guarantee on the sole are normally very good. Addidas Torsion is a great buy with its six-month guarantee. Kswiss shoes are very good though a little heavy however what you gain in quality far outweighs the weight issue.

Backhand Approach of Amelie Mauresmo

A no-frills motion paves the Frenchwoman’s way to the net. BY Anne Smith, Ph.d Reigning Wimbledon champion Amélie Mauresmo is an all-court player who, unlike most of her peers, regularly attacks the net. And whether she’s coming in off a short ball in a rally or attacking a weak serve, as she is in this sequence, her slice backhand approach is the shot she uses most often to get her to the net and pressure her opponent. 1. Mauresmo is attacking her opponent’s weak serve and has moved inside the baseline to take the ball early. Any time you approach, you should be at least in front of the baseline before you strike the ball. Mauresmo has a perfect shoulder turn—her chin is over her right shoulder—and her backswing is compact. Many players have too much backswing on the approach shot; because you’re moving forward you need to keep it short. She’s balanced, with most of her weight on her back leg, ready to transfer her weight forward as she hits the ball. Too many players bend at the waist and reach on the approach shot, sacrificing power and control. Though it’s hard to see in this shot, Mauresmo’s using her left hand to cradle the throat of the racquet and assist in the take-back. Her right arm is slightly bent and she’s using a Continental grip. 2. Mauresmo’s head is in good position, with her eyes fixed on the ball. She’s moving forward, which will give her shot extra bite. You can tell from the shadow on the court that the ball is just inches from her racquet and will probably hit the string bed slightly below center, which is what you want on the slice backhand because the ball will slide along the strings. Impact will occur just in front of her right foot. Pay attention to her left arm in this frame: Mauresmo moves it back in the opposite direction from her hitting arm to maintain her balance. 3. Notice the angle formed by Mauresmo’s forearm and her racquet. It hasn’t changed since the first photo. She has no unnecessary wrist action in her backhand approach, which translates into greater control and consistency. And now you can really see how her left arm extends back to counter her right arm. This movement is important for maintaining good balance. It also keeps her upper body sideways for a longer period of time, allowing her to hit through the ball effectively. Mauresmo’s head is still and she has her eyes on the flight of the ball rather than on her opponent or her target. 4. Mauresmo’s follow-through, like her backswing, is compact, which is what you want on an approach shot. With so much going on as she advances toward the net, she needs to keep her mechanics as simple and efficient as possible. Excess motion often leads to mistimed shots. Her weight is not only moving forward, but she’s also moving back into the court to gain good net position. Again, note how her left hand perfectly mirrors her right. To practice this movement, imagine that you’re a baseball umpire signaling “Safe!” whenever you finish your slice backhand.

Take your time

One of the greatest things about singles tennis is the individual nature of the sport. But that’s also one of the most challenging aspects of the game, and this becomes most apparent when your adversary, after winning a few tough points or a particularly hard-fought game, begins to gain momentum. Because there is no teammate to offer advice or emotional support, many players get down on themselves and allow the match to slip away. That’s a mistake you can avoid. Whenever you feel as if your opponent has the momentum on his side, remind yourself to slow down. Be sure and use the time you’re allotted between points and during changeovers to regain your focus and effectively assess the match and your opponent's game. Then try to come up with strategies to get back into the match. And be especially careful not to allow your mind to linger on the previous rallies. Often, players take extra time and slow things down only to complain to themselves about points they cannot change. That’s a waste of time and will simply make things worse.

Learning from James Blake

Blake isn't afraid to go on the offensive with his backhand © Getty Images The American has lifted his game with percentage play. 1.Improve your weaker side. Blake’s backhand has always been a liability, but in recent years he’s done a great job of shoring it up. I don’t think he’s really changed his technique—he may be hitting a little more out in front of his body—but it’s clear he’s practiced it so thoroughly that the shot is more ingrained than before, making him confident with it. That, in turn, has allowed Blake to change his mind-set for his backhand and up his level of aggression on that wing. Often, players are content to use their weaker side as a neutral shot. But I prefer that players be proactive rather than reactive, and Blake has done that really well. When club players see shots coming to their weaker side, they usually play it safe. Through a focused practice routine you can improve your placement and consistency, which will build confidence in that stroke and eventually allow you to be more aggressive with it. 2.Beef up your serve. Blake has also improved his serve. Now his first delivery is a consistent weapon. As with his backhand, much of his increased effectiveness is due to his work ethic. But I also think Blake has begun to use the large muscles in his legs better when he serves by bending his knees more and thrusting up toward the toss. This can speed up the serve by about 5–10 percent. At the professional level, an increase of even 5 percent, as long as you maintain your accuracy, is significant. Blake also appears to have a very elastic arm—some people have it and some people don’t. But you can improve your flexibility with a targeted stretching routine. A loose arm not only aids in increasing serve speed, it also helps prevent injuries. And because we tend to lose flexibility as we age, stretching becomes more important as we get older. Hard work and repetition has helped Blake smooth out his serve. 3. Use your feet to set up your weapon. Blake is blessed with terrific foot speed, but one thing he does exceptionally well is recognize opportunities. He jumps on any chance to run around his backhand and use his huge forehand. And in practice he hones the patterns of movement that he’ll use to do this. Be sure to practice the patterns of movement you need if you want to run around your backhand and take advantage of your forehand. 4.Develop a middle gear. Blake used to be one of the flashier players on tour. He would produce outrageous winners as well as ugly errors. But in the last two years he’s developed what I call a middle gear. By playing at three-quarters of his maximum he can still create opportunities to win points without making careless mistakes. Now, rather than go for a low-percentage winner from way behind the baseline, Blake plays within himself with the goal of getting into a winning position in the next shot or two. Part of this is due to his maturation as a player, but it’s also a skill that can be practiced by using your position on the court to determine how much you should go after the ball. The farther inside the court you are, the more aggressive you should be. Conversely, when you’re behind the baseline or on the run, don’t go for a winner.