Follow The Bouncing Ball (Attack The Weaker Side)

Fernando Gonzalez is known for his good looks, his monstrous forehand
and his pretty bad backhand

It’s a strategy as old as time and you can apply it as soon as you learn how to aim the shot! First you determine the weaker stroke (backhand or forehand) then you hit all the balls to that stroke. Once a player notices a clear difference between the strokes, they will be very obvious. This rally is usually the first game plan you should try because it will make your life really easy some days.

At the beginner level all you have to do it direct the balls to that side. You don’t even have to hit them hard. Just get them there.

At the intermediate level you do it in a way that suits your game. Some people are better at mixing the shots up. Some people are better at top spin. Whatever your most consistent stroke is, is what you want.

Advanced players are much more challenging. If a player still has a weaker stroke, it has been beat up on for his/her whole career. So he/she is probably ready for this rally tactic and has some sort of answer. You could either ditch this plan completely OR try a few different tactics.

1. If you determine early which side is weakest. Play like you don’t know. Play a good match. Then when the points get really serious, you attack the stroke. They won’t be very warmed up on it. It might take them by surprise.
2. Move them around. Some players actually get good at hitting a ball standing still but not on the run. So if you break the patern, go to their strength and then go back to the weakness, you might draw an unforced error.
3. Find out a weakness within the consistent stroke. For example, if the guy slices all his backhands then you can hit him some soft balls, some deep balls, some high balls. All of which are difficult for a slice.


Federer and Gonzalez have killer forehands and bad backhands in comparison. You can't see the ball to well but you will notice that Federer is taking advantage of having a better backhand by sneaking into the net after a few strokes, running around his backhand to dictate the points with his stronger forehand and only going to Gonzo's forehand when he thinks that Gonzalez will not be able to set his feet to his his forehand (in other words....Gonzo is off balance).

Good luck.

Follow The Bouncing Ball (Old Man Tennis)

It is a strategy for beginners like the punisher. But instead of running people from side to side, you run them forward and back. I don’t know who made this strategy popular but it is a very frustrating strategy. On lower levels, it works great. What you do is you hit a drop shot (if you don't remember how to hit a dropper, click here) Hopefully your opponent is off balance when he gets there. If he gets it back, you lob over his head. If he runs THAT down, you hit another dropper and repeat until he can’t run anymore.

Aggie Radwanska (rad VAHN ska) is not the strongest player.
But she makes up for it by keeping the other player from being comfortable.

Radwanska hits comes to the net on this one.

It is a great pattern to have in your arsenal when you aren’t very strong. Exploiting someone’s weakness at the net is a great way to win matches.

So the pattern goes:
1. initiate a normal rally
2. hit dropshot
3. hit lob
4. repeat from 2

If you want to end the rally, come to the net after the lob and put the ball away.


At the beginner level, this is quite effective because opponents don’t aim the ball so well and they are afraid of the net.

At intermediate to advanced, you have to organize a good time to hit a drop shot in a normal rally.

Follow The Bouncing Ball (The Punisher)

One of the most popular tennis players ever was Andre Agassi (Aa guh see). He was a very colorful player and was known as the most fit player of his time. Because he was fit, he based his game on wearing people out. So they called him "The Punisher." So, in honor of him and the millions of people that emulated him, I call this pattern "the punisher"

Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko
are very good at punishing with groundstrokes.

On the beginner level, you just want to go from side to side. Hit a ball to the forehand and then the backhand. Keep track of which side your opponent makes the most mistakes off of.

At intermediate, you want to start to confuse them a little more. If they understand the pattern and are anticipating your strokes, mix in an extra stroke to the weaker side and then go back to the pattern.

At advanced, you just stand closer to the baseline and be more agressive. Hit the balls early after the bounce (on the rise) and give your opponent less time to react. Anything that speeds up the play is good for you.

A few things that make this pattern work.

• Try to be equally as good at your backhand and your forehand. If your opponent hit toward your backhand and you push it back slowly then your advantage is gone.

• Pace is your friend. The faster the speed of the rally, the better this pattern works. If the person slows down the rally by pushing the ball back, take your time and go for placement.

• Boss them around with your forehand. If you are hitting the ball at the middle of the court, go ahead and hit a forehand. Don't try to choose...no time.
  

Follow The Bouncing Ball (Intro)

There are three types of points: short points, fluke points and rally points. Short points are finished by 4 hits or less (ex big serve, big forehand, volley). Fluke points are forced because of an unexpected occurrence like a mishit shot. Rally points are points that can last forever and long as no one commits an unforced error. For more on rallies, please refer to this blog I made earlier.



Rally Blog

In rallies, you would want to know what pattern you are going to do beforehand so that you have less to think about. So in this series of blogs, we will discuss different patterns that professionals use and that you can use to as soon as your groundies (groundstrokes) become consistent enough.

Specialty Shots (Squash Shot)

I did this picture myself. I'm proud of it!!!

This person you are playing LOVES to hit the ball in the corners. But can’t do it ALL THE TIME. It is really important to get the ball back because you are confident that he will make enough errors for you to win the match. He pushes you out wide and you don’t have enough time to do a full stroke. So you flick your racket out and get the ball back. The rally continues and you win.


Kim Clijsters made the squash shot a signature. But you don't have to slide when you do it. Just flick your wrist!

The squash shot is great to have as a last ditch effort. Make your opponents play one more point.

1. continental grip (hammer grip)
2. mostly wrist
3. forehand slice
4. backhand wrist flick

Dudi Sela, Israel's top male tennis player, is known for his scrappy play
and his quickness on the court.

When you do the squash shot, make sure you get back to the middle of the baseline. There is not point in hitting that shot if you aren’t going to stick with the point until the end. Since it is a pretty energetic shot, you might want to save it for when the points matter more.

Specialty Shots (High Volley)

You’ve come to the net after an approach shot and you are ready to end the point. The opponent gives you the goofy off balance lob that is not that high and not that deep into the court. You smell a slam. You are going to punctuate this point with a vicious swing. You prepare your racket raise your non racket arm like you are going to serve. But before you know, the ball is dropping. You swing and the ball goes into the net. DAG….that stinks.

I have witnessed this a LOT. It happens to EVERYONE. What the person in the story should have done is hit a HIGH VOLLEY. It is a combination of a slam and a regular volley. You will end up playing way more high volleys than slams.

1. Continental (hammer grip)
2. Stiff wrist
3. no backswing
4. TRY to hit a forehand volley

My high volley during a match. Serve and volley clean winner.

If you play doubles, this high volley will put you up on a pedestal amongst your peers. I am not joking. The ability to recognize and hit a high volley is SUPER VALUABLE because if the ball drops lower or raises higher than you thought, you only have to make a slight adjustment either way. Try to EXPECT the high volley before you expect the slam and you should cut your errors down on that shot about 30%.

Specialty Shots (Over the Shoulder)

The scenario is very common. You are playing doubles and both of you are at the net. One of the opposing team gives you a lob and your partner sets up for the slam. But he does not have the vertical and misses the ball completely. “OH MAN!!!” you think as you run to chase down the high bouncing ball. When you get there, you hit the ball over your shoulder. The ball goes VERY high in the air and bounces on the opposing player’s side. They wind up to hit the slam and they bag it into the net. HIGH FIVE!!!



The over the shoulder move is not so common but everyone that plays double should have it in their arsenal. Turning around to hit a forehand is difficult to do and you might need something that is easier to pull off than the in betweener.

1. run down a lob.
2. continental grip
3. when the ball is in front of your face, tilt your body to the right (right hander) and hit the ball OVER YOUR SHOULDER

If you come to the net, this move is HIGHLY recommended. You can do anything from a lob to a drive depending on how close the ball is to your shoulder when you hit it.

Specialty Shots (Dip Drive)

The dip drive is one of those shots that everyone has in their arsenal but no one practices. It’s that moment when you played a good rally and the ball comes back and bounces high into the air. You are going to put this ball away. You line it up and take a big swing like they do on TV…….then the ball goes WAY OUT.

Venus Williams, the older William sister, knows how to finish
the points off with her dip drive

The shot you attempted is called a dip drive and you probably hit the ball way out because your wrist bent back. Three things to think about with the dip drive:

1. Start high finish low
2. Try not to put any spin on the ball.
3. lean forward

Here is my dip drive during a match and my 1 inch vertical in panel 10.
Personally, I like to keep my elbows in on a power forehand. I find that
it is mechanically easier. This one didn't come back.

Don’t overcook the shot if you aren’t strong enough to keep your wrist stiff. As a rule of thumb, I try not to hit dip drives hard from the baseline. If you do, make sure that you try not to do it during a point that matters. Otherwise, save your dip drives for when you are closer to the net. Also, if you can VOLLEY well then don't EVER hit the dip drive that hard. Only blast it if you don't want it to come back!!

Specialty Shots (American Twist Serve)

You have been working on your first serve huh? You hit it nice and flat. People don’t like it. Your second serve is a good serve. It goes in because you put topspin on it. But you notice now that your level of players will beat up your second serve. It needs more!!!

The American twist serve is a specialty serve. It is a combination of the slice serve (a serve that curves outward) and the kick (topspin) serve (a serve that curves down and bounces up). When you hit it, it curves toward the left like a right handed slice. But when it bounces, it jumps in the opposite direction.



1. The toss is important. Slice is out to the side. Kicker is over your head. So the Twist is somewhere in between.
2. Try to brush against the ball and not hit the ball directly like a flat serve.
3. Don't forget to snap your wrist.

A fair warning that trying to get a lot of action on this serve can be harmful to your back if done too many times. Most people's swing is stronger going straight out (slice)than straight up (kick). So a person trying to make a strong kicker will bend his/her back more to position their upper body for the angled slice swing. This is fine. Just don't make EVERY serve a twist.

If you possess a slice serve, the twist is great because the opponent will not be able to figure out where the ball is going to bounce unless he/she has learned to read your service motion. As you get better at serving, you can learn to make your different serves similar to disguise.

Specialty Shots (In Betweener)

You hit an approach shot and come to the net. Your opponent replies by laying up a soft lob over your head. Realizing that you cannot smash it into the court, you turn around to run it down. He comes to the net in anticipation of a weak shot. You let the ball bounce once and drop in between your legs. Right before it hits the ground you open your legs and hit the ball through them. You aimed down the line and just barely missed. But at least you looked good!!!



The in betweener is a controversial shot. It is definitely not needed to be a good player. But it looks SUPER NICE. If you want to look like a professional, you could learn how to play REALLY well OR you could learn the in betweener.



1. Run the ball down so that it bounces right in front of you
2. Continental grip (hammer grip)
3. open your legs facing a little to the left if you are right handed
4. hit the ball through your legs
5. Do not hit yourself in the crotch

Many coaches complain about that shot. They say that if you can run to the ball in time to do that shot than you can run past the ball, turn and hit a forehand. But many people have problems turning around and hitting a forehand. Pick your poison.

I can not do this shot. But I know how it is when coaches do not teach a stroke because they do not think you should learn it over some other stroke. Plus, once you prove to be a good overhead smash player, people don’t tend to lob you.

Specialty Shots (Jumping Backhand)

You are playing someone who is tall, puts a lot of topspin on the ball and keeps hitting it to your backhand. The ball bounces up into the air and gets to you around your shoulders. You try to hit the ball into the air to get it back but it sets the tall guy up for more heavy spinning balls to your backhand. It’s time to be proactive. You jump in the air so that the ball is in your strike zone, then you hit a ball low into the court and the dynamic of the rally changes.

Some call it the scissor kick backhand. But if you like your backhand, this is the type of backhand addition that will put it on par with your forehand. It will help you hit higher backhands with more confidence and you will be able to hit balls that jam you by jumping sideways. It can be done with a one handed backhand as well. It is a bit of a flashy move but it works.

1. instead of taking a step across your body, lift your back leg forward as you backswing
2. As you move the racket forward the leg you lifted moves to the back in synch

Marat Safin (Russia). Former number one player. had a devastating backhand.

Since men are stronger than women typically, they do the scissor kick backhand a little better. Women usually bring the racket closer to their body for more strength. With that said, ANYONE can do this technique.

Specialty Shots (Reverse Forehand)

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Rafael Nadal's lefty reverse forehand is feared
by many opponents. He uses the Western Grip.

Your opponent just hit a ball that has not bounced as high as you thought it would and it is too late to move forward. So you are going to have to get your racket underneath the ball without properly setting your feet. You watch the ball intently and swing to hit it. But instead of following through across your body, you swing the racket over your head. It works and it puts enough on the ball so that you are not in trouble in the rally.

The reverse forehand is for when you cannot set up to hit a proper stroke. It is basically a shortcut for when you don't have time to move your feet. You can use it to take balls early after they bounce. You can use it to hit aggressive lobs. You can use it on the run. There are as many applications to it as the regular forehand. But use it sparingly because you need strength to hit it.

Jonathan demonstrates the Semi Western Grip

1. Recognize a difficult ball early
2. Follow through over your head

I even get to be in this one. Here is my reverse forehand
approach shot (check how I change my grip without using
my other hand). Semi Western.


For the old schoolers: Pete Sampras reverse forehand. Pete uses
the eastern grip.

Learning this move is not so hard but it takes practice. You just get a ball machine or an instructor and have them feed you balls while you hit forehands and don't move your feet or turn your shoulders. You need pace with this shot so have the balls come at you at a decent speed. At first you might launch the balls but once you start to understand it an put it in your normal rallies you will never have to practice it again.

The reverse forehand is an advanced technique that you would use when the balls are coming faster than you expected. If you find yourself using it too much then it would be wise to take a step back from the baseline so you can hit normal strokes again.

Specialty Shots (Drop Shot)

You just hit a GREAT SHOT that made your opponent run off the court, tap the ball and run into the fence. BUT he managed to BARELY get the ball back over the net. He is very resilient as he has bounced off the fence and is heading back onto the court. You don’t want to give him a chance and the power shot is too risky. Better hit something softer. So you run to the ball and lightly tap it over. The opponent runs but to no avail.



A drop shot is most commonly used when the opponent is far away from the net and not expecting it. It is a touch shot so calm yourself before you hit it.

1. watch the ball to the strings
2. the ball should be heading towards the ground BEFORE it passes the net
3. Lean into the dropper

Novak Djokovic of Serbia is well known for his
Crosscourt backhand/dropshot combination

Professionals hit the dropshot with a slice motion. For beginners I suggest that you lightly tap the ball forward. When you practice, aim for the ball to bounce 3 times before it gets to the service line. It doesn’t matter what angle you hit it at.

Since it is a touch shot, it is very unlikely you will hit a good one all the time. It would be best to hit this when your confidence is high like the first points of a game or if you feel great. I try to never hit a dropper on the important points as people are more determined to run them down.

Specialty Shots (Slice)

France's Amelie Mauresmo getting

ready to put some serious spin on this slice

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You have a bad backhand and everyone knows it. They hit shot after shot at your backhand ALL DAY. The longer the rally goes, the more confidence you lose. You wish there was a simpler way to hit a backhand that will not take so much concentration!!! Well there is, it’s called a slice.


Roger Federer (Switzerland) at the top. Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) at the bottom.

Detailed Youzhny Backhand Slice

Many people pick up a slice for a backhand because it is easier for them to hit one. But if you have a decent backhand then the slice can add variety to your strokes. It can also help you if you have a two handed backhand that doesn’t work well on the run. When you hit the slice, make sure you:

1. Use continental grip (like you are holding the hammer)
2. Swing from high to low
3. Step on the same side foot (right hand slice, right foot)

Some people don't use a continental grip for a slice. They use a one handed backhand grip instead. There is nothing wrong with that. Whatever works for you is good. But if you are just starting to use the slice, continental is easier because there are many more examples to learn from.

Mike "the Cannon" showing
off his backhand grip slice

With the slice in your arsenal you will find that your net game will elevate and your backhand will be more solid.

Some slow mo links if you want more examples:
Roger Federer Slice
Justine Henin Slice
Amelie Mauresmo Slice

Specialty Shots (intro)

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The next series of strokes that I feel is worth talking about are specialty shots. A specialty shot occurs out of necessity most of the time. Sometimes people use specialty shots too much and it is discouraged by most teachers. However, these shots are not to be taken lightly.

For instance, we all practice one forehand. But in order to sustain a rally we might have to create or learn a VARIETY of them. The ball is not going to come to you the exact same way every time. You need an answer.

I used to watch tennis matches for my answers. I would pick a player that I thought was efficient at something (like Andre Agassi is efficient at hitting the ball right after the bounce) and I would watch a match on youtube or preferably BUY a tennis match (by the way I have a big library) and look for the instance that helps me.

The thing that makes one stroke weaker than the other is usually the lack of variety. Someone might have a really hard and fast forehand but it isn’t a weapon if he has to have perfect conditions to let rip.

The list of specialty shots are as follows:
Slice
Drop Shot
Reverse Forehand
Jumping Two Handed Backhand
In Betweener
American Twist Serve
The Dip Drive
Over the shoulder
The High Volley

Adding some of these to your arsenal will make you a force to be reckoned with.

The Doubles Formations (Aussie and I)

The last two formations are based only on holding your service games. So you would not do them when returning serve. Well...you CAN I just don't know how well they would work for you.

Aussie Formation

Say you are playing one up, one back style. You serve the ball to this team and they keep ripping the shot back crosscourt so much you don’t even want to serve anymore. They are in the groove and you are ready to give them a different look altogether.

Time for Australian Doubles. The Aussie style is simple. If you serve in the deuce court, you cover the AD court after you serve. Your partner is at the net on the same side you are serving off of (deuce). Once you serve you can either stay back or come to the net.
If you should stay back, he should stay where he is and cut off crosscourt balls. But be aware: if the net guy hits anything short crosscourt that the opposing team can get to, there will be a big gaping hole between you. So make sure you put that ball away down the middle or beat up the net guy.

If you should come in, your partner should move diagonally into position for the two up formation. The only problem with this is that the other team has a higher percentage lob as an option. The crosscourt lob. So it will be an easier shot to execute if they have it in their arsenal.

“I” Formation
The I formation is similar to the Aussie formation. But the I formation is an all out attack. You serve where ever and your partner couches in the middle very close or on the “T.” So that you have to serve over him most likely. You agree on which way the net man is going to jump after the serve (using hand signals or talking) and the server goes the other way.



This is a net rushing formation meant to put more pressure on the returner than just plain two up formation. If it is working, then you will speed through your service games quickly. If not then abandon this plan unless you have faith that you will get better as the match goes on.

The Doubles Formations (2 back)

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You and your partner for some reason are volleying badly and cannot get comfortable. The other team seems to be volleying well. Your trust in volley is deflated. You do have another option.

Two back is the opposite of two up. It is a defensive position that a lot of professional doubles teams are using because they might not be natural volleyers but they can hit great groundstrokes.

Here is how it works:

1. Your partner stays at the baseline with you while you serve of return.
2. You try to create a short ball you can attack by hitting the ball low or without pace.
3. Once you get the short ball, attack with a good approach shot and close in together.
4. Finish at the net. Draw the error. Or hit the winner.
The trick to this style is that you are buying yourself time. So you have to make sure that you take the time to make the shots effective. Either you blast the opponents, place the ball at their feet or go over their heads.

Recently, I have seen some professional players, who are normally net rushers, use this formation during their return games.

This style is not an aggressive style and not many people teach it. But I have seen it done well and have seen matches won with it. If you lose the first set badly, don’t be afraid to get your ugly face on.

The Doubles Formations (2 up)

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka won the
Gold Medal for doubles in the 2008 Olympics

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Say you have been doing one up one back the whole set and lost pretty bad because the other team’s crosscourt groundstrokes are just plain better. They are very good at taking your partner at the net out of the game. You need a change in the second set to make it a contest.

One of your choices is to crash the net. Two up is usually talked about by tennis pros as a classic style of tennis. Getting to the net with both of your players is a great choice if the other team likes to hit a nice rally ball. You can rush your opponents and put them on their heels.

Here is the way it works:

1. After the serve or return you immediately start working your way to the net looking to join your partner up in front in one volley.
2. When you are both established you work to throw one of the opponents of balance. Once one person is off balance, it usually creates an opening to hit into.
3. At that point, you and your partner work to keep the other team off balance enough to draw an error or have a ball that is easy to finish the point with (a put away).

That is the ideal situation. Things that will throw YOU off balance are as follows.

• The other team is adept at lobbing (hitting the ball over your head).
• You and your partner have not agreed who will take the ball if it goes in between you.
• The other team doesn’t give you pace and in turn, your volleys are not crisp.
• Your opponents seem to find your feet too easily.
• One of you is not a very CONSISTENT volleyer.

This style takes more communication and teamwork than one up and one back. But not much more. You just need to come to an agreement with your partner on who is accountable for special situations.

Many professionals say that this is the best style to have. But all styles have their weaknesses. Once people know how to exploit your style, it could make it a rough day for you.

The Doubles Formations (1 up 1 back)

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Many people play doubles. Probably more than people play singles. But even though people play doubles for a long time, they do get trapped into one specific way of playing. A good doubles team will be versatile and work together to find a winning combination.

So let’s start with the most basic…

One Up, One Back


One up and one back is a pretty basic formation. Beginners aren’t usually as versatile at volleying as they are at hitting groundstrokes. One guy, the server or the receiver, stays back at the baseline and hits a crosscourt rally. The teammate stands very close to the net ready to put away any ball that comes meandering his/her way.

The assignment is supposed to be that the net guy is supposed to go for whatever he feels he can get without compromising his position and the back guy protects the net guy.

The pink is the area the net guy covers. The blue is the area the back guy covers.



But most of the time it ends up that the net guy covers the sideline he is closest to and the service line to the net.



The problem is that most net guys are afraid of being passed down the line. Probably because it is the most embarrassing shot next to being BEANED with the ball. Also people are very afraid of bagging that overhead slam into the net when trying to exert authority. So they move closer into that corner. BUT they render themselves ineffective as a teammate.

The strategy for most doubles formations is to fix it so that the guy at the net has the chance to put the ball away. But if your partner at the net is covering the area where the ball is LEAST LIKELY to go, it is just inefficient. He cannot cross over to intercept a ball (poach). And he will not be able to put away some balls that would pull you out of position like short balls in the middle of the court.

Also, it would be a good idea to serve more shots up the T. Most players serve out wide. But if you think about the consequences, the easiest shot on the court is cross court and the most embarrassing shot for your partner is down the line. Both of which you can find by returning a ball from out wide. It is a lot harder to hit a shot from the middle inside out. I’m not saying that the server should hit there all the time but it should be considered.

Please do not get stuck in this formation. There are others to try in your practices!!!

Have fun!!!

Serve Em Up Proper (Part 3)

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FINALLY!!!

In this last installment we will look at changing your serves to the returner. It is really just a list of things that I have noticed bother certain types of people.


Samantha Stosur - Best Kicker on the WTA tour

• Returners that hit the ball flat (pushers and power hitters) have a problem with slices and dink serves.

• Conversely, returners that hit the ball with a lot of spin have a problem with fast flat serves.

• Everyone has a problem with a serve to the body unless they are expecting it.

• One handed backhands are vulnerable to kick serves

• Sometimes the returners best rally stroke is their worst return

• Chubby guys do not take more than one step to return a serve

• People get serves back better on crucial points

• Probe to find the weaknesses. Once you find it, prioritize it. But hit a fast serve to the strength every once in a while.

• Hit slower angles for people that stand far back.

• Hit faster serves for people that are close.

• No one likes a big variety of depth and placement.

• Slice serves are rarely used with club players. Learn one and returners will hate you.

• Every now and then dink a person who slices returns

• If someone stands really close to the service line, any serve into the body will do except for a dink.

I think that is everything. Most of serving is mental. So having a lot of options can make you feel better.

Serve Em Up Proper (Part 2)

Agassi was known for his RETURN of serve. But it was his knowledge
of the return that made him a VERY efficient server.

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We talked about rationing your serve in the last one. Now I will talk about service variety and placement. All diagrams are for righties.

There are many different types of serves. Most experience players have three. Two they use very often and the change up. Regular club players have two. I will be explaining them later but the different types I’m aware of are:

1. Dink Serve
2. Flat Serve
3. Kick Serve
4. Slice Serve
5. Twist Serve

There are five different advantageous places to aim for in the service box. Most people say four but I say five. On your first serve, you should go for a little more. For the second serve you should still aim for these spots but with a greater margin of error determined by your confidence level.


Dink Serve



The dink serve is the serve you tap over just to get it in. But it is underestimated in its application. The dink serve is hard to crush because it has no pace and it doesn’t bounce high. All a returner can do is spin it in.

Because of this, you can hit the ball in anywhere in the service box and achieve the same results. But you would preferably want to hit it to the weaker returning stroke. Whichever stroke does not spin the ball well.

Also, if your player likes pace, you can throw in a dink for a first serve. Try to disguise it to look like your actual first serve.

Flat Serve



Of course the flat serve is the fastest serve you have. It is also lowest percentage. It is greatly overestimated. Most people have a fast first serve, but they cannot aim it or get it in. This is a major problem because if you hit a fast serve right to a returner, the likelihood of them returning it back just as fast has gone up. With no spin or tricks to fool them, they just need to get a racket on it.

So try to put the majority of the flat serves out wide (unless there weaker return stroke is just atrocious). If they give you a weak return you can at least hit to the open court. Serving down the middle is harder to do effectively. And if you do it too much, the returner will start leaning.

Serving into the body should be seldom used unless you feel your opponent will not expect it.


Kick Serve




Most people use a kick serve as a second serve. It clears the net high and kicks off the ground fast. But you can use a kick serve for angles. If you aim the same kicker lower to the net you will get the ball to fall shorter in the court. Aim out wide on the first serve and you can have a dangerous serve that is not only angled, but falls before it gets to the baseline.

Any kick serve as a first serve is a good idea for the change up. When the ball has a chance to move off the bounce it gives players problems. If you have what is called the MONSTER KICK where it jumps up over the returners shoulder, you can treat it like a flat serve but go for the body more.

For the second serve you should just aim to the weaker stroke. If the kicker is being murdered then try to mix it up with the dink serve. You have other options.

Slice Serve



The slice serve curves in the air and jumps sideways off the ground. It is a good serve because it is easy to disguise. Once you have a slice that people FEAR it will set up the aces for your flat serve.

If you can take energy off of the slice to get it to land short in the court you can get some really slow, well placed aces (if not cause the returner real problems). The slow one down the middle REALLY irritates people. If you can get it to land shallow enough, it will run away from the guy. Your faster slice will work very well into the body. Try to aim it right in the pocket of the returners swing so that it can curve into their chest. I have gotten aces in this way because the person barely got out of the way of a ball that appeared to be chasing him.

Twist Serve



The American twist serve curves in the air like a slice but when it lands it jumps straight up or the opposite way. Use this serve sparingly because it will hurt your back if you use it too much.

Since the serve looks like a slice to begin with, you can use it as an alternate. If the person gets used to the slice and starts to jump in that direction, giving them this twist will send the ball back into their body. The other application is out wide on the ad side. It will give the appearance of going out and then hook in. Sometimes the returner watches it go by.

You don’t need to learn all these serves to be effective. Just learn one really well and two more to back it up.

REMEMBER!!! The first serve is about getting free points and setting it up so you have an advantage at the beginning of the point. Not ACES.

The second serve is about starting the point so you are not at a disadvantage.

If you want to learn any of these serves you know who you can call.

The last installment will be on serving based on the returner.

Serve Em Up Proper (Part 1)

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The serve is NOT EASY TO LEARN. If you want a proper serve, you will work very hard to get one. People feel that a fast serve is equivalent to a GOOD serve. But hitting the ball fast is least reliable option. Anyone can hit a ball as hard as they can at 100 mph or close. How many people can hit one in the box consistently?

McEnroe doesn't have a really fast serve
but he serves so smart it doesn't matter

The serve can be broken down in priorities:

1. Get it in
2. Placement of the ball
3. Spin
4. Power

In order to serve smarter, you must think of it in this order. Many people focus on power. But it is the other factors that make the fast ball worth it.

The Second Serve

The second serve is more important than the first for 2 reasons. First, missing the second serve loses you the point. Second, most tense situations will depend on your second serve. So you really would like to put most of your energy on making your second serve something you can rely on.

Novak Djokovic is known for a great second serve

As a good rule of thumb, you should take off one priority factor for the second serve. For instance, if you can spin the ball into the court for the first serve, then you can work on placing the second serve to the preferred stroke (backhand or forehand).

The First Serve

The measure with which you go for the first serve should really depend on how much you like your second serve. Your confidence in the first serve percentage will be impacted in your second serve. So if your second serve is being attacked ferociously, you shouldn’t go for aces on the first.

In addition, you want to pace yourself on your serve. In singles, you don’t want to wear yourself out trying to hit the hardest serve imaginable all the time. As the match goes along, the ball will lose pressure and you will perceive that you are hitting the ball weaker.

With variety on your side, you serve will become more of a puzzle to your opponent. If your serve is predictable, it doesn’t matter how hard you hit it, over the course of the match, your opponent will figure out how to get it back.

Next week, the variety strategy.

What's with all this RACKET!!! Part 2

Who do you like?

Roger Federer's Hero was Pete Sampras
so he was using Pete's racket until they made him a his own

Some of you watch tennis. If you are like me and try to emulate your favorite players, then you already know what type of racket will suit you. Just look at the racket your favorite player is holding. Look it up and you will be able to match the specs. A fair warning though: professionals have contracts with companies and often have the same rackets they have used since they were 7 repainted to look like the new rackets.

If you don’t have a player you emulate, then you can think about your game and how you want to play. Then try to match your style with the type of racket in my table. If you pick a racket and get used to it, then there is no turning back. Your muscle memory will always remember the old racket like your very first love….AAAAAW!



If you don’t know who you like here is the table. My recommendations:


All Around Player
11 oz head light or even racket 100 sq in or less

Serve and Volley
11 oz head light or even racket 100 sq in or less

Pusher (pushers never admit they are pushers)
9 oz head heavy 100 sq in or more

Counterpuncher
Any racket 100 sq in or more

Powerhitter
11 oz head light or even racket 100 sq in or less

Heavyhitter
9 oz head heavy 100 sq in or more

Tennis Racket companies are always talking about their rackets with new technology but it is best to stick with the old stuff and save some money. You can do some searching and find some great deals on older ones once you know what you want.

The Elbow

People get tennis elbow and tend to blame their rackets. I have found that tennis elbow is a result of not having strong enough forearms and that wrist and forearm strengthening exercises will save your elbow.

If you insist that it is not you but your racket than you can put more weight on it using lead tape (but that would make you lift weights to compensate) which would reduce the shock going down your arm. Or you could switch from head heavy to a head light racket.

A racket purchase is a long term purchase. If you are serious about tennis then don't take shortcuts.

Good luck!!

I Don’t Make The Rules

Upon emergency request, I will make a blog explaining the rules of tennis. You can look these rules up anywhere. But I’ll try to make them as concise as possible. If you are a new player, it would be a good idea to print this out and carry it in your bag.

Scoring

In a match, the score goes POINTS, GAMES, SETS, and the MATCH. You need points to win a game, games to win a set, sets to win a match.

In a GAME the points go 15, 30, 40, GAME (the only time the count is not normal). You need 4 points to win the game. BUT you have to win by two points. If both players arrive at 40, then it is referred to as DEUCE. From then, both players just fight to get 2 points ahead. Whoever gets one point ahead is said to have the ADVANTAGE or AD. Server’s advantage is AD IN. Returner’s advantage is AD OUT.

In a SET the points are counted normally. The first player to 6 GAMES wins the set. HOWEVER, you still have to win by two games. If both players arrive at 6 games then a tiebreaker is played (explained in the next section). The players alternate service games until the match is over. A tiebreak is considered a service game. Who serves first is usually determined by spinning the racket. Some people flip a coin.

The MATCH is first to 2 sets. This is true for everything except the four biggest tournaments in male professional tennis which is first to 3 sets.

So when someone asks you for the score of the match, you usually have to tell the game score and the set score. If the match is unfinished, then you would tell them the points of the game. I.E. John is up a set and it is 4-3 in the second.

How to Play

Every GAME, the server alternates between the DEUCE SIDE:


And the AD SIDE:


And as such, the deuce side will always have an even score and the ad side will always have an odd score.

The server will get two chances to serve from behind the line, into the diagonal service box to start the point. If the serve misses twice, they lose the point. If they make the serve successfully, then the point continues until someone loses. The three ways a point can end are:

1. Someone hits the ball out of bounds and loses the point

2. Someone lets the ball bounce twice on their side of the court and loses the point (net included)

3. The ball hits a part of the player other than the racket. The struck player loses the point


Scoring the Tiebreaker

The TIEBREAK is first to 7 points, win by 2. Whoever RECEIVED in the last game serves first in the tiebreak. It starts on the deuce side. To start, the server serves the first point and then the opponent serves 2 points. After that, it is a 2 point rotation. You change sides on multiples of 6 points. So if the score is 3-3 or 5-1 or 24-24, you will change sides.

Like regular games, the deuce side will always be even score and the ad side will always be odd. Since the serve always changes on the ad side, someone will serve once (say at 2-3), lose or win the point (2-4), change sides, then serve their second time. It is common to forget to change sides. If you do, keep the points, correct the error.



A couple of extra rules:

1. If a serve hits the net and bounces in the intended service box, it is called a let and you replay the point.

2. If a ball comes from another court, the person whose side of the court the ball bounces has to call the let

3. If the ball hits someone’s racket twice by mistake it is still a playable ball

4. If you toss the ball and don’t swing on your serve, or swing and don’t touch the ball, it is not a fault

5. In singles, the boundary sidelines are the second lines. Doubles boundary sidelines are on the outside. The service box is the same in both.

6. The person on the side the court bounces on calls whether the ball is in or out

7. You can serve anywhere behind the baseline and from the center mark to the sideline mark.

8. You can toss the ball for the serve anywhere as long as you don’t step onto the court before you hit it. This includes the line and the center mark.

Once you get the hang of the rules, it will be second nature!

What's with all this RACKET!!! Part 1

Are you ready to take tennis to the next level? Are you going to show your commitment by buying a racket that is more specialized? Well if it is that time then it is time to check out my guide. I have done a ton of research on my own racket so you do not have to….RIGHT? So let’s get into it.

FIRST OFF…any questions, you can ask me.

MADE TO SPEC

Rackets can be confusing when you look at them online…and who has time to field test every racket on the market? So I will explain the racket specs using my racket as an example.

I use a Head Microgel Extreme. Nothing special about it, I feel like I can play my game well with it. Here are the complete specs. I will point out the important things.

Head Size: 100 sq. in. / 645 sq. cm. Length: 27.25 inches / 69 cm Strung Weight: 11.1oz / 315g Balance: 4pts Head Light Swingweight: 330 Stiffness: 68 Beam Width: 24 - 26 - 23 Tapered Beam Composition: Microgel / Graphite Power Level: Low-Medium Swing Speed: Fast Grip Type: HydroSorb String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses String Tension: 52-62 pounds

Head Size – The size of the action part of the racket. The smaller the size, the more control. Bigger means more power and less mishits. Ranges from 90 sq in to about 120 sq in

Strung Weight – The weight with strings in it. This is important because the heavier the racket is, the more you will hit through the ball. But if you don’t work out so much, the racket will be harder to control over the course of a singles match.

Stiffness – Like head size, this one has to do with control and power. The Stiffer your racket is the more control you have and vice versa.

Composition – All tennis rackets have patents that explain what their racket will do for you. Do not believe the hype unless you actually play with them.

Power Level and Swing Speed – These two are related. The more power your racket has, the slower the swing speed will be.

The other stuff is just trivial and can either be changed on the racket or is related to the specs that I explained. The synopsis is also trivial because it is basically the same for every racket. “Nice blend of power and control.” BAH!