The principle of gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the rest of the fingers looser, as practiced in Japanese swordsmanship, can be transferred to tennis serves in a way that significantly improves power, control, and fluidity.
In swordsmanship, the pinkies provide a stable base for control and power, while the looser grip from the other fingers allows for smooth, fluid motions. This same concept can be applied to your tennis serve, resulting in a more efficient and effective technique.
Here’s how this soft hands concept can be applied to serving:
1. Power Generation
Just like in swordsmanship, the pinky and ring fingers play a key role in generating power for your tennis serve. A firm grip with the pinkies allows you to channel strength from your arm and core into the racket, ensuring a solid transfer of energy during contact with the ball.
– How to Apply: Focus on gripping the racket tighter with your pinky and ring fingers while preparing for the serve. This grip stabilizes the racket, helping generate more power when you accelerate through the ball. This becomes particularly effective during the wind-up and contact phases of the serve.
2. Fluidity and Wrist Snap
The loose grip in the index and middle fingers promotes flexibility in the wrist, essential for generating spin and allowing the racket to move smoothly through the contact zone. A tight grip throughout all the fingers would limit wrist movement, reducing both spin and racket head speed.
– How to Apply: Keep your index and middle fingers relaxed during the serve motion, allowing your wrist to snap freely through contact. This helps generate topspin, slice, or any desired spin more effectively, while keeping your motion fluid.
3. Control and Accuracy
Gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the upper fingers looser provides a strong base for control while allowing for subtle adjustments in the racket’s angle. This combination ensures accuracy without the risk of over-gripping, which can lead to tension and inconsistent serves.
– How to Apply: Focus on keeping a looser grip in the upper fingers during the toss and as you bring the racket through the hitting zone. This allows for fine-tuning of the racket face, helping with better ball placement, especially in crucial moments like second serves where precision is key.
4. Serving Rhythm
A balanced grip helps promote a relaxed, natural rhythm in your serve. The firm pinky grip stabilizes the racket, while the looser upper fingers facilitate a smooth, rhythmic swing, preventing muscle tension and enabling consistent timing.
– How to Apply: Practice serving while focusing on the balance between a tight pinky grip and relaxed upper fingers. This allows you to maintain a calm, relaxed rhythm through the entire serve motion, leading to more consistent contact and timing.
5. Spin and Variations
The wrist flexibility gained from the looser grip allows players to execute a variety of serves—whether it’s adding extra topspin, slice, or kick. The relaxed grip in the upper fingers enhances your ability to control the ball’s trajectory and spin, making your serves more versatile and unpredictable.
– How to Apply: For spin serves, focus on keeping your wrist flexible by maintaining a looser grip with the upper fingers. This will help you impart more spin on the ball, allowing you to execute slice or topspin serves with ease, and make your serve harder to read for your opponent.
By incorporating the principle of gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the rest of the fingers loose, you can significantly improve your serve. This soft hands grip helps generate power, enhances wrist fluidity for spin, and increases control and precision.
Applying these tips will lead to a more effective, consistent, and versatile serve, helping elevate your overall game performance.
Take a close look at Karlovic’s grip on his serve, captured during his match against Thommo at the French Open a few years ago. It almost resembles a two-finger grip, reminiscent of the way Gonzales used to serve! Photo credit: Tony Reynolds
24°C
United Cup 2024
/in News, Tournaments/by RobPhoto Credit: Peter Staples
https://www.unitedcup.com/en/
MLTC Club Champs
/in News, Tournaments/by RobMLTC Club Champs
/in News, Tournaments/by RobSuccess Starts in the Mind: Don’t Get Beaten Without a Racket
/in Ask the Pro, News, Whisperer/by RobHandling disruptive tactics requires mental strength, focus, and preparation.
Here’s a general approach to deal with opponents trying to throw you off your game and beat you without using a racket:
1. Stay Focused on What You Can Control
You can’t control your opponent’s behavior, but you can control your reactions. When they try to distract you, remind yourself to focus on your own game—your footwork, your next shot, or your strategy. Ignore everything else.
2. Stick to Your Routine
Having a solid between-points routine helps block out distractions. Whether it’s bouncing the ball a certain number of times before serving, adjusting your strings, or taking a deep breath, this keeps you grounded and focused on the next point.
3. Don’t Engage in Their Drama
Whether it’s arguing, celebrating excessively, or making comments, don’t get pulled into their game. Stay calm and avoid talking back or showing frustration. The more you stay composed, the less power they have over you.
4. Use Mental Reset Techniques
If you feel yourself getting frustrated, take a moment to reset mentally. Deep breathing, visualizing positive outcomes, or simply pausing before your serve can help you regain focus.
5. Stay Aggressive in Your Play
Cheating, slowing down play, or distractions are easier to pull off when the points are close. Stay aggressive and play with confidence. By dominating the points, you leave less room for them to exploit you.
6. Be Prepared for Mind Games
Know that certain opponents will try these tactics, especially in competitive matches. Expect it and be ready. When it happens, you won’t be surprised, and you’ll be mentally prepared to deal with it.
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
If your opponent’s tactics cross the line—such as cheating or delaying too much—don’t hesitate to call for an umpire or ask a tournament official for assistance. You don’t have to handle it all alone.
When you feel frustration building, use it as fuel to play even better. Let it drive you to focus more sharply and move more aggressively. Turning frustration into positive energy can help you stay in control of the match.
In general, your opponent can only throw you off your game if you allow it. Stay mentally strong, focus on your game plan, and rise above their attempts to distract or frustrate you.
While technique and physical ability are crucial, your mental game is often what separates winners from losers, especially in high-pressure situations. At the end of the day, you’re not just battling with your opponent’s shots—you’re also battling your own mindset. Victory is often won in the mind before it’s won on the court.
Don’t let your opponent beat you without using a racket.
Manly Seaside
/in Tournaments/by RobNelson Bay Seniors
/in Tournaments/by RobThe Dave Matthews Seniors Tournament hosted by Nelson Bay Tennis Club is being held 29 Nov – 01 Dec 24 Inclusive.
Mastering the Pinky Grip: Elevating Your Tennis Serve
/in Ask the Pro, Whisperer/by RobThe principle of gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the rest of the fingers looser, as practiced in Japanese swordsmanship, can be transferred to tennis serves in a way that significantly improves power, control, and fluidity.
In swordsmanship, the pinkies provide a stable base for control and power, while the looser grip from the other fingers allows for smooth, fluid motions. This same concept can be applied to your tennis serve, resulting in a more efficient and effective technique.
Here’s how this soft hands concept can be applied to serving:
1. Power Generation
Just like in swordsmanship, the pinky and ring fingers play a key role in generating power for your tennis serve. A firm grip with the pinkies allows you to channel strength from your arm and core into the racket, ensuring a solid transfer of energy during contact with the ball.
– How to Apply: Focus on gripping the racket tighter with your pinky and ring fingers while preparing for the serve. This grip stabilizes the racket, helping generate more power when you accelerate through the ball. This becomes particularly effective during the wind-up and contact phases of the serve.
2. Fluidity and Wrist Snap
The loose grip in the index and middle fingers promotes flexibility in the wrist, essential for generating spin and allowing the racket to move smoothly through the contact zone. A tight grip throughout all the fingers would limit wrist movement, reducing both spin and racket head speed.
– How to Apply: Keep your index and middle fingers relaxed during the serve motion, allowing your wrist to snap freely through contact. This helps generate topspin, slice, or any desired spin more effectively, while keeping your motion fluid.
3. Control and Accuracy
Gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the upper fingers looser provides a strong base for control while allowing for subtle adjustments in the racket’s angle. This combination ensures accuracy without the risk of over-gripping, which can lead to tension and inconsistent serves.
– How to Apply: Focus on keeping a looser grip in the upper fingers during the toss and as you bring the racket through the hitting zone. This allows for fine-tuning of the racket face, helping with better ball placement, especially in crucial moments like second serves where precision is key.
4. Serving Rhythm
A balanced grip helps promote a relaxed, natural rhythm in your serve. The firm pinky grip stabilizes the racket, while the looser upper fingers facilitate a smooth, rhythmic swing, preventing muscle tension and enabling consistent timing.
– How to Apply: Practice serving while focusing on the balance between a tight pinky grip and relaxed upper fingers. This allows you to maintain a calm, relaxed rhythm through the entire serve motion, leading to more consistent contact and timing.
5. Spin and Variations
The wrist flexibility gained from the looser grip allows players to execute a variety of serves—whether it’s adding extra topspin, slice, or kick. The relaxed grip in the upper fingers enhances your ability to control the ball’s trajectory and spin, making your serves more versatile and unpredictable.
– How to Apply: For spin serves, focus on keeping your wrist flexible by maintaining a looser grip with the upper fingers. This will help you impart more spin on the ball, allowing you to execute slice or topspin serves with ease, and make your serve harder to read for your opponent.
By incorporating the principle of gripping tightly with the pinkies while keeping the rest of the fingers loose, you can significantly improve your serve. This soft hands grip helps generate power, enhances wrist fluidity for spin, and increases control and precision.
Applying these tips will lead to a more effective, consistent, and versatile serve, helping elevate your overall game performance.
Take a close look at Karlovic’s grip on his serve, captured during his match against Thommo at the French Open a few years ago. It almost resembles a two-finger grip, reminiscent of the way Gonzales used to serve! Photo credit: Tony Reynolds
Staying Focused During Matches
/in Ask the Pro, Whisperer/by RobSmooth Pursuit Tracking: Key to Improving Visual Performance
/in Ask the Pro/by RobEye Exercises to Improve Smooth Pursuit Tracking for Tennis:
Racket Tracking Exercise
Vertical Racket Tracking
Diagonal Ball Toss
Circular Racket Tracking
Tennis Ball Bounce Drill
Serve Tracking
Tips for Tennis Players:
Why UTR Ratings Hinder Junior Tennis Development
/in Ask the Pro, Whisperer/by RobThe Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) has gained widespread use as a ranking system for players at all levels, including juniors. While it offers a global platform for tracking performance, it also presents challenges that may negatively impact the development of young players.
Here’s why UTRs are counterproductive for junior tennis development:
1. Shifts Focus from Development to Winning
UTR often encourages players to prioritize winning matches over improving their overall game. To protect or boost their ratings, juniors may shy away from working on weaker areas and instead focus on strategies that yield immediate results. This short-term mindset can hinder the long-term growth needed to develop into a complete player.
2. Selective Competition and Match Avoidance
Some juniors strategically avoid playing against opponents with lower UTRs to prevent a drop in their rating. This results in fewer competitive opportunities and less match experience. By limiting who they compete against, young players miss out on valuable learning moments and the chance to adapt to different styles of play.
3. Increased Pressure and Burnout
UTR can create unnecessary pressure on juniors to consistently perform at a high level to maintain or improve their rating. This constant need for high performance may lead to anxiety, stress, and even burnout. Tennis at the junior level should be about development and enjoyment, not about feeling like every match is a high-stakes rating game.
4. Winning Over Skill Development
To maximize their UTR, juniors may rely on winning rather than focusing on building a well-rounded skill set. This early emphasis on results can lead to over-reliance on specific strategies, like heavy baseline play or big serves, at the expense of mastering other important aspects of the game, such as net play, variety in shot selection, and mental toughness.
5. Overemphasis on Rankings at a Young Age
UTR puts rankings front and center, which can cause players, parents, and coaches to fixate on ratings rather than on actual progress. Development is not a straight line—there will be setbacks and breakthroughs. Focusing too much on rankings overlooks the importance of long-term growth, resilience, and skill acquisition that doesn’t always reflect immediately in match outcomes.
6. Discourages Late Developers and Young Players
Juniors who are just starting to compete may struggle with a low UTR, making it difficult to participate in higher-level events. This can demotivate players who might otherwise flourish, particularly those who develop later. It can create a discouraging environment for young players if they feel their rating limits their opportunities.
7. Stifles Match Experimentation
To truly develop, juniors need to experiment with different strategies and techniques during matches. However, the fear of losing UTR points can lead players to adopt a cautious, risk-averse style of play, limiting their tactical and technical growth. Matches should be seen as opportunities for learning and development, not just preserving a ranking.
While UTR offers a structured rating system, its application in junior tennis can create an environment focused more on results than on growth.
For young players, the emphasis MUST be on improving skills, gaining experience, and enjoying the process.
Tennis is a long journey, and juniors need the freedom to experiment, take risks, and develop at their own pace—without the constant pressure of protecting a rating.
Reducing the focus on UTR in junior tennis could foster a more supportive and balanced approach to long-term player development.
NSW Junior State Championships
/in /by RobWant to Win More Second-Serve Return Points? Here’s How!
/in Ask the Pro/by RobAs returners, we don’t win many points against first serves—especially at the professional level. At the 2024 US Open, men won just 28% of first serve return points, and women fared slightly better at 36%.
But when the second serve comes into play, everything changes! Men’s return points won on second serves jumped to 51%, and women dominated with 54%.
So, how does this compare to the average player?
These statistics underscore the importance of developing both a reliable first serve to avoid giving opponents easy chances on the second, and a strong return game to capitalize on weaker second serves.
So, how can you boost your chances of winning those key second-serve return points? Here are three strategies:
1. Technique: Early Positioning & Footwork
Positioning and footwork are key. Stand inside the baseline, ready to attack the weaker second serve. Execute a quick cross-over step and focus on dynamic movements to get to the ball. An explosive first step can give you the edge, allowing you to take control of the point early.
2. Plan: Attack the Return with Purpose
Approach the point with a clear plan. Target the server’s weaker side—often the backhand—or go down the middle to cut off angles. Consider stepping around and using your forehand, especially if it’s your stronger shot. Mix up your returns—sometimes go aggressive, other times aim deep to extend the rally. Varying your placement keeps the server guessing.
3. Percentages: Play Smart with Controlled Aggression
While it’s tempting to go for a return winner, often a high-percentage shot (like a deep, controlled return) can force errors or set up the next point. Play the percentages—returning deep to the middle reduces the server’s angles. Extending rallies with solid returns can shift the momentum in your favor.
Get your footwork and positioning dialed in, plan your returns smartly, and aim to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm. Start winning those second-serve return points!