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!

Stop The Bleeding

Doubles tennis is based more on strategy than singles is. In singles there are a few types of styles: serve and volley, aggressive baseliner, defensive baseliner. But in doubles you can mix and match those styles based on who is playing with you. ANY strategy you can come up with based on those styles is applicable to the game.

Say I am a serve and volley guy and my partner is an aggressive baseliner. Then I could come to the net and he could stay back and blast forehands all day. The thing that you want to make sure that you know is that even though we play one up at the net and one back, that is not the ONLY way we can play.

If the other team finds out a flaw in our strategy and exploits it, and we don't adapt and change our strategy, then we are sitting ducks.

If a team is beating you, the answer might be not to work harder but smarter. It is a fatal flaw to think that simply playing better physically will win you matches. Not many people can sustain a higher level oftennis for so long. But you can playsmarter much longer.

In singles, not everyone is smart. Only a few people will be able to think their way around strategically in a match. But in doubles, there is ALWAYS at least one analyst in the pair on the other side of the net. There is most likely going to be strategic shifts in game play. In a good long match, the strategies shift for one team about twice a match. Once both of the teams figure out more weaknesses, they will pursue and create more opportunities with the same strategy. Then it will become an endurance race to see who can concentrate enough to stay on their game plan while hiding their team's weaknesses.

I once played a doubles match that was a three set match. A long one. The other team just started to play smarter. When we finally developed astrategy that set us on equal terms, we were able to pull out the win based on being able to handle the pressure better (7-5). When we stepped off the court, this man came up to us and said that we won because we were more physically gifted (some sort of backhanded complement). But if that were the case,it wouldn't have gone three sets. Keep your wits about you!!

Stroke It, Don't Kill It

I recently coached a student that told me that, in the middle of the first set she started hitting all her forehands long. She said "I just remembered what you said 'hit throught the ball.'" I told her that there is a difference between hitting through the ball and hitting it harder. She looked at me puzzled.

What I explained was this:

When I say to hit through the ball I mean I want a nice clean stroke in which you bring your racket back, hit the ball and wrap your racket around your body. As shown here in this picture of my doubles partner Tanja hitting a high forehand.

She isn't hitting the ball hard at all. She is using a good balance of control and power given the situation and her skill level.

Here is a picture of professional Kim Clijsters hitting the same shot but HARDER.

Notice how she is using her whole body to propel herself into the shot. Both her and Tanja use eastern grip forehands. But there is one big difference. Tanja is not as strong as Kim Clijsters.

What I mean is that the harder you hit the ball, the more sincronicity you need from your body. In particular, your WRIST. The faster you swing your racket, the harder it is to control the racket. This is why many professional tennis players have one forearm bigger than the other.

So if you are hitting through the ball and you are consistently hitting the ball out of bounds, try not hitting as hard. And if you want to a harder ball regularly, hit the gym and strengthen those wrists.

Rallies

A rally is an exchange of shots in a point. In the pros, they only talk about a rally when it gets over 10 strokes but it could be any number. When two players get into a rally, they basically have made a silent agreement to see who is going to crack first and go for a shot that changes the dynamic of a rally.

A rally happens most points in lower level tennis so it is VERY important to practice rallies. But when people say they want to rally, they usuallymean that they would like to work on their most insane winner shots. Then what is the point in rallying? If you don't work on rallies first and kill shots second, then people who never use kill shots will always beat you unless you are have a wonderful day or an untouchable serve.

First thing is first. All players should have a rally shot and an aggressive shot and know the difference between the two.

• The aggressive shot is the one that you lean into and it clears the net low. Whenever you hit the ball, you somehow ended up closer to the net, you just hit an aggressive ball. The aggressive ball is a lower percentage shot so the closer you are to the net when you use it, the better. A lot of unforced errors happen when someone choses to use an aggressive shot at a bad time.

• The rally ball (arc ball) is a stroke that you will use most of the time. You put spin on the ball (some people tap it) and you clear the net high. This ball is a neutral shot so you won't fall forward. This way you don't have to keep backing up everytime you hit a stroke. You also don't want to hit it too hard. The rally ball is for consistency, not missles. You should strive to be able to hit these in your sleep since it is usually the last resort on a bad day.

When you practice with people, make sure that you are clear with what you are working on. At least to yourself. They might not cooperate. Most people like to get out there and just hit the ball mindlessly. But there is a way you can work on your own stuff.

• Keep the ball in play. If the guy hits the ball long, short or wide, try to run it down and get it back in play. This way, even if your partner is inconsistent, you are still working on your footwork. It saves time too.

• Work on a pattern. Most people develop a pattern when they gain consistency. It is important to recognize this pattern so that you know what to do when there is pressure. Some people just hit crosscourt. Some people try to move the ball around from the center. Some people just hit all the balls to their opponents bad side.

• Figure out their pattern. Most people have a pattern that they follow. The more you recognize the patterns, the better your anticipation and defense will be. Eventually you will have a flow without thinking about it.

• Work on specific strokes. I mix my shots up a bit but I am able to sustain rallies only usingtopspin and only using slice. Some people can't take repetitive slicesto their backhand. The more variety you have on your stroke the better it is.

• Aim for no man's land. If you hit theball short, you are stopping the rally most definitely and telling theperson to come in to the net. Use the rectangle closest to thebaseline to aim most of your shot.

• 5 hit combo. If your guy is an aggressive shot maniac, make a deal with him to hit five consecutive shots down the middle before he tries to jerk you around. If he doesn't listen, don't rally with him anymore because you won't get any practice.

I have about for partners that I practice with but only one that I rally with. It is the cornerstone of tennis, not killer serves, not put-aways and not volleys. Once people figure this out, their level will jump up.

Keep breaking those strings guys.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (All Around Player)

Roger Federer is arguably the greatest of all time

Also known as the "All Around Player," this player utilizesskills from each style to make their own player. Perhaps the smartest of the group, the allcourt player utilizes his infatuation with the game to develop game plansagainst everyone they come up against. They probe all opponents with their complete arsenal until they find aweakness and then they attack without prejudice.

But the genius is often overshadowed by the technique. An all around player can usually do everything. They usually start off as a basic style and then become interested in doing all styles. Thus being very comfortable in all areas ofthe court. So strategically they havethe advantage in being able to find your weakness first. Here is the break down:

• They are able to do everything. Some play defensively and some play offensively. Often they change their style of play to a style that hurts opponents the most.

• They are very smart. All court players are usually students of the game. Having scientifically experimented with most techniques and strategies, they know ways to irritate players like no other style can.

• They construct points well. Most of the other styles learn how to do one thing exceptionally well. An all court player can do it all. So they are able to construct points. They usually are very wise at where to stand at what time/

• Sometimes they are unstoppable. If one of these players hits the zone, there is nothing you can do but hope that it goes as quickly as it came.
  

Mikhail Youzhny is lower ranked but a danger on any surface

All court players step on the court ready to out think their opponents. So their normal evolution isjust that they get in better shape mentally and physically.

The weaknesses of an all court player include.

• A lot of all court players lack power. Usually they sacrifice the powerful racket for a more maneuverable racket for better feel. So the chances of them hitting winners from the baseline is very low.

• They are very sensitive because they pay so much attention to everything that happens. If they have the right game plan but they can't execute, these players tend to be overly upset and volatile. Most of the time it involves throwing their racket or screaming at someone that isn?t at fault.

• They have stroke confusion. With an arsenal of three things that you can do at any moment, you would find yourself trying to figure out what you should do or trying to look too good by showing off.

• All court players lack stamina. The mental work it takes for tennis is exhausting. If you are constantly trying to out think someone, eventually you will start to wander. It's termed "going walk about." Where the brain needs a rest and won't function.

• It is hard to know everything. Having a big list of skills is a double edged blade because you have to maintain these skills. They all depend upon each other. If you don't practice, you won't be able to do everything at all times.
  

Novak Djokovic traveled all over the world to find specialists in each type of style

If you are an incredibly vain, smart player that finds realdelight in the game of tennis and all of its aspects, if you find yourselfgoing for touch shots to finish points when it isn't necessary, if you findyourself being overcomplicated when explaining tennis to others. You should probably be an all court player.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Counterpuncher)

A counterpuncher is has the consistency of a pusher with deflated, well learned strokes. These players use consistency and to wear you down. They are in excellent shape, especially from the waist down. They don't go for anything unless you come to the net. They have a very rhythmic stroke and can extend rallies to 25 hits each point.

Not as smart as a pusher and not as strong as a heavy hitter, the counterpuncher genius is in his/her footwork. They seem to be very fast "out of the blocks." This means that their opponent will have to hit an extra ball or two or three. No matter how well they pick their spots, no matter how hard the ball is smashed, there is always a chance the ball will come back. Some of the gifts that counterpunchers have are:

• They have unbelievable heart. Defense is the easiest mode of play in tennis if you ask me. But a counterpuncher will take it to an extreme in pressure points. Finding focus to hit routine shots without error way more than most players.

• They have pristine footwork. Even when they show signs of being tired their legs are the last thing to go. They LOVE to run?..all day.
  

• They are very consistent. The regular topspin groundstroke will make you fall asleep. If you aren?t a counterpuncher or a pusher you will have to find a more proactive way to winpoints.

• Ready for the long haul. These guys step on the court with the mentality that every match is going to take a very long time. They don?t get the feeling of urgency and if they do, they suppress it.

A counterpuncher can evolve by learning a few aggressive tricks. A backhand down the line, a more powerful serve, or an aggressive service return is among these tricks.

Jelena Jankovic started off 2009 at number 1 in the world

Some of the things that frustrate a counterpuncher are:

• They have no real plan B. Some counterpunchers don?t have a plan B. So if they develop an injury, there is nothing they can do but wait to lose or hide it.

• They depend on rhythm. If you mix things up it will bother them. They want to get into a rhythm. Opponents don?t have to oblige.

• They are very predictable. The ball will usually come back to the exact same place. It will be very rare that the counterpuncher will go for anything if you are both at the baseline.
  

Lleyton Hewitt won Wimbledon and the US Open with his counterpunching

If you LOVE to run, have the luxury of hitting a regular groundstroke and testing your stamina makes you feel like an athlete, you can be a counterpuncher. This is a style predicated on wearing the opponent down and making them play a lot of balls.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Heavyhitter)

Rafael Nadal - The King of Clay. Hits with an extreme grip on his forehand for maximum spin.

Heavy hitters are like power hitters only they don't hit theball flat, they hit the ball with lots of spin. They want to wear you down more than hit winners. Check it out. If you hit a ball coming to you with a lot of spin, you have to hit it hard to keep that ball from spinning off your strings.

That is what heavy hitters do. Some people categorize them as counterpunchers but I don't think that's fair. Hitting the ball hard enough to make it heavy is an offensive maneuver even though it doesn't end points outright. This is how they win the points:

• They hit with tons of spin, ALWAYS. To a normal person watching a match, it seems like an unforced error. But to the person on the other side of the net the ball is jumping off the ground and moving in the air. It is hard to keep track of.

• They are consistent. All that spin brings the ball down into the court.

• They take the same joy out of your unforced error that a powerhitter does a winner. They know that your error is a direct result of how hard they are hitting the ball. So it is really easy for them to gain confidence.

• They are big and strong. Athletically speaking, these guys are strong, thoroughbred, horses. Their body type is balanced so they can run AND hit the ball.

• They know how to hit angles. If you can hit a heavy ball, you can hit angles. So if you mistime the heavy ball and accidentally hit it short, expect the next ball to be an angle.

• Psychologically they bother you because they don't try to finish you off. You know that they are going to wear you down. There is always a lot of energy in their swing and a lot of sweat on their body.

• Good matchups against people with one handed backhands.
  

Andy Roddick's tremendous serve overshadows his heavy forehand and his high energy baselining

Heavy Hitters evolve in a number of ways. Rushing to the net is the least effective for them because their ball would bounce so high on the approach (to the net) that it would be easy to return if the opponent can get to the ball. And if they can place it well, they won?t really need a volley. Some things that cause Heavy Hitters to lose points:

• Heavy hitters are not invincible. They get tired. You have to be in absolutely GREAT shape to be a heavy hitter. No compromises. If your shape falters a little, then your shots will be easier to hit or you won't run the same.

• They don?t deal with different spins and paces so well. If you mix the spins and paces, it will be harder to time their strokes. If they have a small head on their racket, they will mishit a lot.

• Usually have issues returning serve. The mechanics of a heavy groundstroke takes time to execute. So most heavy hitters have to stand back to receive serve on both 1st and 2nd.

• They have to stand back on the baseline too for the same reason as the serve.

• Sometimes a heavy ball doesn't land deep enough. If you hit a heavy ball, it seems like the harder you hit it, the shorter it lands. It's important to find a mixture.
  

Amelie Mauresmo hits with an extreme grip on her backhand for a heavy ball

So if you are like a powerhitter in that you like to hit the ball hard, but have tons of patience and LOVE to be out there forever, then you should try being a heavy hitter. The satisfaction of over powering and outlasting your opponents should make you enjoy your game much more.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Powerhitter)

Andre Agassi has won every Major in tennis and a gold medal in the olympics

A powerhitter is someone who hits balls hard and flat from the baseline. He thrives off the pace like a pusher but in a different way. The powerhitter adds his pace to your pace. His great advantage is that when he is on a roll, he can beat anyone. They have a tremendous on court ego that gives them the confidence to go for their shots. The more confidence they have the bigger theshot.

Most powerhitters have a weapon that they favor. Mostly it is the forehand. They can use the forehand to smash the ball everywhere. At a beginner level they favor their forehand so much that over time the backhand just becomes a defensive shot. So if they do not pay special attention to their backhand, it becomes a liability. Most of the time it becomes a slice. The benefits of being a powerhitter are big in the long run but hard to deal with in the short:

• They look good because they hit the ball hard. If you watch TV and see a powerhitter, you are in awe with the speed of his shots. A powerhitter watches the guys on TV and goes outside to BE that guy. So hitting hard shots and watching people scramble for them is FUN.

• Like I said before, when the powerhitter is on a roll. He/she is hard to stop. They will go for any low percentage shots and make them look easy. Running down-the-line backhand...NO PROBLEM.

• They use their athleticism as an advantage. Most powerhitters are pretty top heavy. This allows them to psychologically push themselves on to their opponents. If the opponent knows that at anytime the person across the net will rip a fast hard shot, they tend to spend more time either trying to beat the powerhitter to the punch or waiting for it.

• A powerhitter runs less because their upper body strength lets them hit the ball off balance. Once the powerhitters shots start moving the opponent around, they do not have to do much footwork-wise...that is the plan at least.

Venus Williams: the older Williams sister

At lower levels, powerhitters lose often. But in the higher levels, their game paysdividends. It is a reward for knowing what type of person they are and sticking with it. Eventually the powershots go in. And they also become wiser in managing themselves mentally. Evolved powerhitters becomedangerous in this way:

• They attack more conservatively which means that they know how to recognize a ball that is attackable

• They work out so they can hit harder longer. The powerhitter is already a strong person. THEN they hit the gym and become stronger. Since they know that the high of playing well is directly related to their strength and endurance, they do what it takes.

• They realize that they will not be wonderful all the time and develop a different game to play when they are not playing so well.

Some of the things that make powerhitters lose:

• Their lack of patience is second ONLY to the serve and volley player. Many times they will get bored of a point and rip a shot not caring whether it goes in or out.

• Their discretion on flat ball hitting waivers during big points. You can expect the powerhitter to make errors on big points more than most styles. And if they play a different way, they might not win either.

• Their huge ego is a double edged sword. If they ARE NOT on a roll, it becomes a tremendous low. Often they try so hard to get back to that feeling that they play HORRIBLE. Thus is you a playing a powerhitter, you just need to hang around during the good times and wait for them to not feel so good.

• The ego also aids in their temper. Especially at the lower levels, a powerhitter feels that if they hit the ball better, they should win. So they are always mad when they play less than great, always mad if they lose to someone who doesn't hit harder than them, and almost NEVER give credit for a superior gameplan.

The powerhitters polar opposite is the pusher. Powerhitters will HATE playing pushers because of two reasons: First there is no pace. Second the ball rarely bounces higher than the net. Powerhitters rarely have a chance to hit a power shot. So a powerhitter's game breaks down because they NEVER get to that high that makes them feel good. Powerhitters should beware of this and understand that playing the pusher will NEVER be fun for them and look for the spots to attack.

The powerhitter is someone who is big on ego and small on patience. They LIVE for the part of the game where they look great and enjoy using their muscles to bully people around on the tennis court. They are not quite thinkers but will learn how to think because they don't want to lose.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Serve and Volley)

James Blake Serving and Volleying

I am a serve and volleyer so this should be fun. A serve and volley player is someone who hits a good serve and runs to the net to play a finishing volley (or three). They do this almost everytime fearlessly and consistently. There are two types of serve and volleyers, the classic serve and volley and the power serve and volley. Since your weapon is your serve, you don't get to use it when the opponent is serving. This makes serve and volley style a double edged sword. On one hand, you will ALWAYS get to use your strongest weapon when you serve. On the other you will NEVER use it when they are serving. What makes or breaks a serve and volley guy is how they win games when they aren't serving.

Pete Sampras: Power Serve and Volley

Serve and volley players tend to be very fit and muscular with good reaction time and not a lot of patience during the points. Classic serve and volleyers play a little different than power ones but the main point is to attack and take time away from the opponent. Keep them off balanceand the chances increase to be offensive. They do this in a few ways:

• They have a great serve. It might not be very fast but it keeps you off balance. It's hard to read and harder to control. Certainly if the player is content to come to the net behind it, then it is very hard to deal with. The fact that someone running to the net will almost allways be leaning into his serve give the serve a little extra pop.
  

• They have a short memory. Most players get passed twice and they come up with a different plan. With a serve and volleyer, he has forgotten you passed him before it ball hit inside the court.

• There is no time to think. Serve and volley players don't have to think too hard on their serve. The most that they think about is where they are going to serve. The rest is reaction. The pattern is pretty simple and even if the opponent knows where the volleys are going, it doesn't matter.

• They are always running at you. Psychologically, when a person is always running at you it is harder to concentrate on the ball.

• The points are very short. The stronger players don't have the long energy for marathons. But short bursts of energy suits them better.

Patrick Rafter: Classic Serve and Volley Player

The difference between the classic and power serve and volley are not too far apart. Power serve and volleyers serve for aces. Their fast serves usually go down the middle and out wide. IF you get a ball over the net they can put away the easy volley. Classic serve and volleyers serve in order to volley. Their serves usually set up a good first volley. They serve a variety of serves so guessing isn't easy. Then when they volley they tend to have outstanding hands.

Some of the things that make serve and volleyers lose:

• There is no plan B. If the serve and volleyer gets injured, it usually affects his serve. A weaker serve means you have to volley much better. It goes downhill fast after that.

• Volleying is not easy. Volleying gives you less time to judge the ball. And even less time to make a choice. Anyone can handle a slow ball if they are standing right at the net. It is the balls you have to hit on your way to the net right after the serve that become problematic.

• Volleying is hard to practice. If your serve is good you might not see a volley for a long time. But then when the volleys start coming at you, you will be out of practice. So you have to practice volleys and overheads specially. Even if all your friends are baseliners.

• It is hard to break opponents. Because they practice volleying so much, they will naturally get worse at groundstrokes. So serve and volleyers always need a secondary style when they aren't serving. Most end up either exceptionally great at holding serve or good at holding serve and breaking serve.

Mentally speaking, serve and volley players are athletes with ADD. If you are the type of person that deals with consequences in order to control your world and wishes that people would get to the point then you would probably like being a serve and volley player.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Pusher)

There are two levels of pusher. A pusher and a junkballer. A pusher is a player that uses your energy to create hit shots. He has a small, truncated swing that is all sorts of ugly. It seems as if they are pushing the ball forward. They rely on consistency to win and they are completely defensive...on the surface.

They are however being very psychologically offensive. Pushers are so annoying that no one plays them in practice. So they have an automatic advantage. They do not have the strokes to out skill most people so they become mental assassins. Most people hate playing pushers because it drains them mentally and they don't know. Here are a few things that pushers do to create unforced errors:

• They reinforce that they are bad players. Mentally they humble themselves to the point where you think that you should be wiping the floor with them. They tell you they are OLD. They act as if they are physically inadequate. They dress like hobos with rackets. Their strokes show their lack of skill. BUT if the opponent makes a few mistakes, they will be upset that they aren?t playing so well and make more mistakes. It is an ego trip.

• They take all the energy out of the ball. It is hard to attack the ball when it doesn?t every bounce at a reasonable height. The pusher will just rebound the ball off their racket like a human wall. It throws off the opponents timing, it makes them impatient, it makes them think too hard about hitting the ball.

• They talk all the time. They will try to kill your focus. So they will talk during changeovers and after points. It will normally be about something that is not tennis related.

• Other mental tricks. Pushers will also slow time down or speed it up. Buy special balls that bounce lower or play on clay courts. Most tricks are designed to make you mentally unstable. There are no limits.

• They have excellent footwork. Because they slow the tempo of the game down, they are able to run down most anything on the court. It is very rare that you see a pusher off balance, even if they are really overweight.

Brad Gilbert: One of the best professional pushers and author of the book "Winning Ugly"

At lower levels, pushers win very often. But in the higher levels they become junkballers. Junkballers have a few more tricks up their sleeves. But at base they are still pushers. So the tricks they have are extended to:

• They vary the shots. They are called junkballers because they give you junk. They will hit all parts of the court with all different spins. Once they find a stroke you don't particularly like, they will hit all sorts of different shots to that spot. Its called "Peppering"

• They play better all court game. Junkballers become better at the net. They would never bring themselves there on purpose. But can handle themselves well if brought.

• They have a great game plan.

Fabrice Santoro: One of the best professional junkballers

Some of the things that make pushers lose:

• When the opponent gives their game respect and doesn't let the pushers mental games persist. There is only so far a pusher can go without making it look like obvious gamesmanship.

• When the opponent figures out a way to pressure the pusher. If the opponent seems to be handling the pushers mental tricks and adjusting to the spin easily, their confidence waivers.

• When the opponent is another pusher. Two people trying to out mental each other is like watching two people trying to get on each other?s nerves.

Mentally speaking, I feel that pushers are usually guys or girls that have accepted that they have been handed a bad hand in life and are trying to make the best of it. If you feel that you have low self esteem but you are pretty smart (geek) and you feel that it is poetic justice to outsmart guys that are more athletic than you, you should like being a pusher. No shame.

Don't Hate The Player....Hate The Game (Intro)

GAME is really important in tennis. By game I mean what you represent in your game. I feel that tennis is TRUTH. And in order to find your truth on the tennis court, you need to find the truth within yourself.

A little far fetched, I know. But hear me out. If you are trying to be someone else on the court, your performance will show it. You will not enjoy playing, you will get bored, you will find yourself wishing that points are over sooner than they are actually over. Tennis has a way of humbling anyone who plays into realizing what type of person they need to be before they can progress. And the only way to find this out is by experimentation.

It all feeds in. You can learn the strokes like a robot. But you have to know when to use what stroke. For that you have to construct a point. For that you need to have a goal for every point. For that you need to know what style you play. For that you need to know what your own personal preference is. And for that you need to know YOU.

If you are losing matches BADLY, you might want to look inside yourself and see if you are being true. Maybe you don?t hit the ball as well as you thought. Maybe you aren?t playing in a way that makes you happy. I can?t give you any help on that. But I CAN tell you the different styles of play and maybe you can work your way backward from there.

Every week I will post about a different style.

Part 1 Pusher

Part 2 Serve and Volley

Part 3 Power Hitter

Part 4 Heavy Hitter

Part 5 Counter Puncher

Part 6 All Court

The style of play is what you use to determine how you play the points. Think of your game as a book about your life. You want to live your life so that you are happy. Your book should be full of happy moments that you create for yourself. Nothing is for certain. Your style is how you write your book. At the end of the book which is when you shake hands at the end of the match, you should be able to say: "Win or lose...I did it MY WAY."

Grip Guide

Here is a guide for grips. I believe that the grip you choose to use should be based more on your style of play. If you don't know your style of play you should just learn a grip and then move forward from there. Changing your grip is easy if you practice and you make sure you change it. Its all about the muscle memory. Once the memory is set you will be comfortable again. Trust me.

I got the pictures from Tennis.com. They have a good guide. So lets get to it.

We are going to base all the grips on where the inside knuckle on the index finger should be. The flat sides on the racquet handle are called BEVELS. The STRIKE ZONE is the zone where you should like to hit the ball.

Forehand Grips

Continental Grip

Continental grip was used by John McEnroe for EVERY STROKE. It is normally used for serving and volleying. So if that is what you do, it will be very important.

This is also called the hammer grip. So if you are having troubles finding the grip, pretend you are hammering something with your racquet.

There is an obvious convenience in a grip that you don?t have to change between strokes. The disadvantage is that your strike zone is waist down or extremely high (overhead). Anything from your head to your waist will be hard to control without a REALLY strong wrist. While you can put spin on the ball, your follow through might hit you in the head. OWCH!

Eastern Grip

This grip is used by Roger Federer. It is the grip of the newer generation of serve and volleyer or net rusher. With this grip, you can rip a forehand on the way to the net. Your strike zone goes from knees to stomach height. Making it perfect for approach shots to the net. And since it is one bevel over from the continental grip, it will not be hard to put away that volley.

Most people have this grip already. But if you do not, you would put your hand flat on the racquet string and move it down to the handle. The eastern grip is also called the handshake grip.

Semi Western

The Semi Western forehand is used by most of the players on the tour. It is a good grip for a baseliner. You can hit the ball hard and with spin. The strike zone goes from your waist to your head. Very good for hitting a lot of balls in a long exchange. Most people do not start out with the semi western but as the level of play increases, the balls bounce higher and spin is more important. This grip is a hard one to get used to but it is worth it to be able to attack balls that are head height. The only issue is that this grip makes it hard to transition to volleys.

To find this grip you can put the racket on the floor then pick it up normally. If that doesn?t work, you find the continental grip and turn the racquet 90 degrees.

Western

Rafael Nadal uses this grip. This is a grip for a baseliner who is addicted to topspin. It has a higher strike zone than the Semi Western. So, unless you have a lot of strength, low balls are hard to deal with. The advantage is that you can find angles on the court very easy. So if you are the type of person that likes to run people around with safe shots, this grip will help. But coming to the net will be very difficult.

Backhand Grips

I'll run through the backhand grips faster so as not to be redundant. But the general idea is that if the grip has the same name (eastern, western etc.) that the same properties apply.

Eastern Backhand

Roger Federer uses this grip. There is no trick to this grip. Just turn the racquet until you can see your pointer finger knuckle on the top bevel. Eastern Backhand is the same grip as the western forehand.

Semi Western Backhand

Justine Henin uses this one. It is exactly the same as the semi western forehand. Just turn to the other side. Some people with semi western backhands and forehands never change their grip.

Two handed Backhand

There are a few different ways to hold a backhand. But the main thing to remember is that, if you are right handed, a two handed backhand is a forehand for your left hand. So apply all the forehand grips higher on the racquet handle and rest your right hand on the bottom.

Whew! That took a while. But this is a pretty good reference guide so it is worth it. Keep breaking those strings!!!

MAKE...THEM....PAY!!!

A lesson to learn from all levels is that players are going to develop in different ways. As a player, it would be better to find the parts of your opponent that are underdeveloped and PUNISH him for it.

That's all I wanted to say.

Ok I guess I'll elaborate. The most stereotypical example is a bad backhand. So you should attack the backhand by hitting a lot of balls to it and waiting for an error. Simple.

But there are many things that can make a person?s weakness. Not just a bad stroke. They could:

• Be afraid of a weapon or weapons you posses (giving it respect is one thing, but if your opponent thinks they lost the point whenever you get to use your weapon, you most certainly are ahead of the game).
• Be fragile mentally
• Have a problem hitting high/low balls
  
• Have a problem hitting fast/slow balls
  
• Have a problem at the net/baseline
• Have a problem with trick shots
• Not like to run
• Not like to be still
• Be too impatient/not aggressive enough
• Not have enough energy

You have your own weakness as well. Try to hide it as best as you can while you are probing the other person for their weakness. If you can find their weakness and expose it until the end of the match, you should be in good shape (up to level 3.5, or mid B).

One more quick point that I want to make: if you find the weakness and you are rolling through the game easily, DO NOT drop your guard. Your opponent is still probing you. If your weakness starts to manifest itself in a bad way, the other guy will gain confidence and might turn the tables. In tennis, the fat woman doesn?t leave the dressing room until match point?.she only sings when you put your racquet in the bag.

I've Fallen and I CAN'T GET UP

As with most sports, injuries are part of tennis. A BIG part. Most injuries come from overuse or bad habits. Unlike most sports you don't get too many injuries from colliding with other people. But I thought I would highlight some injuries you should look out for.

1. Sprained ankle - A sprained ankle stinks. I don't see too many people sprain their ankles in normal gameplay and much as I see it happen with freak accidents. Usually someone will leave a ball on the ground or one guy in doubles will step in his teammates foot. If your ankle sprains, get off the court and use the RICE formula (Rest Ice Compress Elevate). Expect to be on the sidelines for about 2 and a half weeks.

2. Lower Back - A lot of people have lower back problems due to hitting their serve too hard or going after low balls. You can actually prevent lower back pain in tennis by lifting weights to strengthen your back. But if you pull something in your back, you just have to wait it out. Probably for about a month. If you DON'T lift weights to strengthen your back it will reoccur. So if you want to serve hard.....strengthen your core.

3. Sprained Wrist - This one could be a number of things. If you have some wristy groundstrokes where you are always trying to spin the ball using only your wrist, then you could wear your wrist out (especially if you have a head heavy racquet). For those of you that copy groundstrokes from people on TV, make sure they haven't been out for any wrist surgeries. Also, you could fall. Make sure when you fall that you let go of your racquet and TRY to roll with the fall. Easier said than done.

4. Knee injuries - Some people who run heavy with develop what is called "Runner's knee." This is a nagging knee pain that will occur when your knees are completely still. Extra heel padding in the shoe helps. And if your shoe is worn on one side because of your foot type, then try not to wear them too much longer.

5. Hitting yourself in the face with the tennis racquet - This move occurs if you don't know how to do a reverse forehand. The ball is stomach height and closer to you than you thought. You are just going to get a racquet on it...BANG. You just hit yourself in the face. This also happens a lot to people that try to put topspin on volleys. They start out with the racquet low and if the ball is close to their face, they will move the racquet up. I try to correct this habit as soom as I see it.

6. Any sort of nerve pain - By that I mean it feels like you can't move your neck or leg or something. One thing you have to be careful of in tennis is overdevelopment on one side. If you get a nerve pain that seems to go in a line somewhere, it could mean that on one side of your leg or neck the bigger muscles are pulling on your nerves. You can try and beat this two ways. Strengthen the weak muscles and be back on the court in about a week. OR let the strong muscles atrophy (weaken) until you don't feel pain and be back on the court in 2 weeks.

7. Tennis Elbow - All I can say is do forearm strengthening exercises. Wrist curls and what not. The muscles aren't protecting your elbow. This is why a lot of older guys/gals get it. Other preventative mesures would be to try not to lock your arm when you do groundstrokes.

Wearing a brace is fine for injuries at the beginning but try not to wear them all the time. You will weaken an already weak area. Everyone is succeptable to weakness in some area of your body. That's just the genes. It is your job to try and stregthen your weaknesses so they don't bother you.

By the way....I am not a physical trainer or a doctor. I just play a lot of tennis. I've had or seen most of these injuries occur. The freak accidents turn into great stories!!!