We’ve updated our Tennis Strategies page with the first in a series of Singles and Psychology strategies.
The Tennis Strategies page outlines the fundamental tennis singles, doubles and psychological strategies.
The page is still under construction until we complete explanations for each strategy in the future.
In yesterday’s Sunday session, it was reported Axel expressed her frustration for our “lift and carry” warm up drill.
So let’s dive a bit deeper into the WHY of our “lift and carry” technique, and why it’s CRITICAL to developing your game.
And combining various spins based on the ball’s height with “lift and carry” isn’t just smart; it’s a game-changer that adds more tools to your tool box, making you an even more formidable and strategic player.
Here’s how to develop your game with this nuanced approach:
1. Topspin Triumphs Above the Waist: When the ball is at or above waist height, unleash the power of topspin. This is your chance to create high-flying, deep shots that challenge your opponent and open up the court. It’s about using the height to your advantage, adding that extra spin that makes the ball dive into the court, pushing your opponent back and setting you up for the next shot.
2. Slice to Surprise Below the Waist: When the ball drops below waist height, that’s your cue to switch gears to a slice shot. This contrasting approach brings variety and unpredictability to your game. A well-executed deep slice keeps the ball low, forcing your opponent to adjust and often leading to awkward returns that you can attack! Plus, it’s a great way to mix up the pace, playing styles and keep your rival guessing.
Adding these various spins to “lift and carry” enhances your play in several ways:
– Enhanced Ball Control: Each type of spin requires precise racket head speed, angle, and timing. By becoming proficient in both, you refine your touch and control, allowing for more nuanced play and strategic placements.
– Tactical Versatility: Incorporating these strategies into your game plan adds more tools to your tool box. Whether you’re setting up a point with a deep topspin, playing a drop shot or making a net approach with a slice, you have more tools to construct points in your favor. It’s also particularly effective when changing court surfaces, from hard court to clay for example and developing a singles game.
– Builds Confidence on Court: Knowing when to use topspin or slice gives you a playbook for every situation. This confidence allows you to take control, whether you’re dictating the pace with a topspin drive or disrupting your opponent’s rhythm with a stealthy slice.
– Strategic Depth: This approach isn’t just about banging the ball; it’s about crafting points with purpose. By choosing the right spin for the right height, you’re thinking one step ahead, making it tougher for your opponent to predict your next move.
– Adaptability: Different situations call for different shots. By mastering both topspin and slice based on the ball’s height, you become a more adaptable player, capable of thriving in any scenario the match throws at you.
By blending “lift and carry” with the strategic use of various spins based on the ball’s height, you’re not just playing tennis; you’re playing smart tennis.
Be patient! Practice, practice, practice this approach, and watch as your game grows in complexity, making you a more complete, competitive, and unpredictable player on the court. Make every shot count and elevate your game to new heights!
Learn “lift and carry” to add more tools to your tool box.
Good luck,
Tennis Whisperer’24
This week’s question comes from a visitor to the Australian Open in Melbourne. “Can you suggest one legged balance exercises to improve balance and ball watching similar to what I saw Alcaraz doing at the Australian Open?”
One-legged balance exercises combined with ball-catching are excellent for improving balance, coordination, and focus – all critical elements for high-level tennis performance. Here’s a routine inspired by the type of training you mentioned, often seen in professional players like Carlos Alcaraz:
For all these exercises, remember to switch legs to ensure balanced development. Start with shorter sessions and gradually increase the duration as your balance improves. These exercises are not only beneficial for your physical game but also enhance your mental focus and agility on the court.
Best of luck,
Rob
tenniswhisperer.com
|
This week’s question comes from a player at the Seaside Championships. “Isn’t it great to see Nadal is back. He’s such a fierce competitor. My question is, why does Nadal employ a short burst routine as part of his initial match preparation?
It’s no surprise that Nadal, known for his fierce competitiveness, incorporates a scientific approach into his routine. He kicks off his pre-match preparation with a three-minute, dynamic warm-up, a vital component for combating fatigue, reducing stress, and boosting spirits. This routine can work wonders if you’re feeling drained before stepping onto the tennis court.
According to Margaret Rice, a neurosurgery professor at N.Y.U. Grossman School of Medicine, engaging in this brisk activity elevates your heart rate, improving oxygen delivery to both muscles and brain. This surge in energy can leave you feeling more alert, possibly attributed to the release of dopamine triggered by the movement.
Beyond the immediate energy boost, a recent 2022 study involving 25,000 British adults revealed that just three minutes of vigorous daily movement can lead to a decreased risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease.
This research recommends beginning your day with an invigorating warm-up to jumpstart your energy levels. However, it also underscores its versatility, making it suitable for a quick three-minute pick-me-up during any break. Activities like shadow tennis swings, golf swings, boxing, and basketball shots—all designed to engage your major muscle groups—are highly effective.
At the end of those three minutes, take a moment to assess your experience. Is your heart rate elevated? Are you breathing deeply? Do you feel more energized, and has your mood improved?
It’s fantastic to witness Nadal’s return, and we certainly hope he remains injury-free for a while yet.
Best of luck,
Rob
tenniswhisperer.com
We’ve added a Tennis Strategies page.
Competitive tennis revolves around offensive tactics, aiming to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses, mistakes and court positioning.
Most tennis strategies rely on thinking about angles, distances, speeds, and chances of success. The other important aspects are your mental state, being patient, and staying focused even when the match gets intense.
The Tennis Strategies page outlines the fundamental tennis singles, doubles and psychological strategies.
The page is still under construction since each strategy will be explained in detail in the future.
We’ve added a Tennis Glossary page which includes playing styles.
Benefits of describing tennis playing styles when teaching include:
1. Personalized Coaching: Tailors instruction to match a player’s strengths and weaknesses based on their preferred style.
2. Strategy Planning: Helps in creating game plans and tactics that leverage a player’s strengths while addressing weaknesses.
3. Opponent Analysis: Enables analysis and preparation for opponents by anticipating their strategies and developing counter-strategies.
4. Versatility: Enhances adaptability to different opponents and situations, offering a competitive advantage.
5. Skill Development: Allows coaches to focus on specific skills aligned with a player’s style, like groundstroke consistency for baseline players.
6. Mental Preparation: Boosts confidence and mental toughness by aligning game plans with a player’s strengths.
This week’s question came from a Seaside competitor who had trouble coping with match pressure. I was a set up with a break in the second and I couldn’t close the match out! Why??
Too often we focus on the ‘finish line’ and forget the journey that get’s there! Very often, we stop playing the game that got us in a winning position, try to protect the lead, and end up playing not to lose!
Sometime ago I read a book called ‘Awareness” by Anthony De Mello. Summarising from the book: .
“…. When you compete, or do anything of consequence, you will perform best by staying in the moment and enjoying the process.
This concept is age-old. Chuang Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher from the 4th century BC, wrote:
“When an archer is shooting for nothing, he has all his skill.
If he shoots for a brass buckle, he is already nervous.
If he shoots for a prize of gold, he goes blind or sees two targets.
He is out of his mind. His skill has not changed.
But the prize divides him. He cares. He thinks more of winning than of shooting.
And the need to win drains him of power.”
An effective approach is to just be grateful for the opportunity to play tennis, to compete, recognizing that many are unable to do so because of physical, injury, or other limitations.
Try to enjoy the game, and the benefits/results will follow.
And above all, don’t change your winning game!
Good luck,
Rob
The initial players profiles are hot linked at https://www.tenniswhisperer.com/profiles/players/
Profiles are password protected,
If you’ve heard of Ange Postecoglou, you’ve almost certainly heard of Angeball. The football philosophy has come to occupy an almost sacred presence in the imaginations of the Australian’s supporters.
Angeball is not just a system, but also an ideology of sorts. One which dictates that whenever a player receives the ball, regardless of role or position on the pitch, the mindset must be proactively looking for a way to play it forward and make something happen.
Imagining an equivalent strategy in tennis to “Angeball” in soccer involves creating a mindset and tactical approach that emphasizes constant forward momentum, aggression, and making every stroke count towards gaining an advantage.
In tennis, this translates into a style of play that is not just about hitting the ball back, but about constantly looking for opportunities to take control of the point, dictate the pace of the game, and keep the opponent under pressure. Here’s how this might look:
1. Aggressive Baseline Play: Players would focus on taking the ball early, preferably on the rise, to reduce their opponent’s reaction time. This involves stepping inside the baseline whenever possible and hitting deep, penetrating groundstrokes aimed at pushing the opponent back and creating openings.
2. Proactive Court Positioning: Instead of reacting to the opponent’s shots, players would actively look to position themselves in a way that allows them to attack. This means moving quickly to the net when the opportunity arises, cutting off angles, and using split-step movements to be ready for aggressive volleys.
3. Serve and Return Strategy: The serve would be used as a weapon to immediately take control of the point, aiming for aces or unreturnable serves. On the return, players would aim to be assertive, trying to neutralize powerful serves and immediately transitioning to an offensive position.
4. Variety with Purpose: While maintaining aggression, players would incorporate a variety of shots (like topspin, slice, drop shots, lobs) but always with the intent of moving the point forward towards winning the rally, not just for the sake of mixing it up.
5. Physical and Mental Conditioning: This style of play requires exceptional physical fitness to sustain high-intensity, aggressive play throughout a match. Mentally, players must be conditioned to remain focused, resilient, and constantly looking for opportunities to seize control.
6. Strategic Risk Management: While aggression is key, players would need to balance this with smart decision-making. This means knowing when to unleash a powerful shot versus when to play a safer one, understanding the opponent’s weaknesses, and exploiting them without overplaying their hand.
7. Continuous Pressure: The ideology would be about never letting up, continuously applying pressure in every point, every game, every set. This relentless approach is designed to mentally and physically wear down opponents.
8. Adaptability and In-Game Adjustments: Despite the emphasis on forward play, players would be trained to quickly adapt their strategy based on the match’s flow and the opponent’s responses, always seeking the most effective way to maintain the initiative.
This tennis strategy, akin to Angeball in soccer, creates a dynamic, assertive, and mentally tough player, always looking to be the one dictating play and forcing opponents into uncomfortable, defensive positions.
This week’s question comes from a mid level club member. “With 2024 Badge about to start, what are some simple strategies I can use to improve my doubles play?”
Overall, the key to successful doubles play is to communicate with your partner, play to your strengths, and be aggressive when the opportunity arises.
Drilling down, here are a few strategies to consider to help you improve your tennis doubles play:
Communicate with your partner: Good communication is essential in doubles. Make sure to talk to your partner before, during, and after the match. Discuss tactics, shots, and weaknesses that you can exploit.
Play to your strengths: In doubles, it is essential to play to your strengths. If you are good at the net, try to play aggressively and move up to the net as much as possible. If you have a strong backhand, use it to keep the ball deep, and either setup your partner and force errors.
Use the lob: The lob is a great shot in doubles, especially if your opponents are playing close to the net. It can be used to push them back and create space for you to hit a winner.
Stay in position: Make sure you and your partner are covering the court properly: particularly the middle of the court which covers 80% of doubles play. Stay in your assigned positions and be ready to move quickly to cover any open spaces. It’s a trap to try to “guard your side line” — which takes you out of the main game!
Watch your opponent’s body language: Pay attention to your opponent’s body language. If they are shifting their weight or preparing to hit a certain shot, you may be able to anticipate their next move and adjust your position accordingly.
Serve and volley: Serving and volleying can be an effective strategy in doubles. It puts pressure on your opponents and can help you win points quickly. And it’s a good surprize tactic if you normally stay on the base line when serving.
Take risks: Don’t be afraid to take risks and go for winners when appropriate. In doubles, the court is smaller, and there is less time to react, so aggressive play can be rewarded. Even so, your primary objective must always be to get into the point!
Good luck in Badge,
Rob Tennis Whisperer
Rob, USPTA Pro
Tennis Whisperer
22°C
