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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 05
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Welcome to all new subscribers to my email newsletter. You will receive this newsletter, once a month and it will contain: A FREE Tennis Drill (each month) A Tennis tip, to help you improve your tennis on court. Information on items you can purchase via our website. Links to other tennis sites. Please introduce your tennis, colleagues, students, club members etc to: to sign up for their free email newsletter.
In This Issue The Return of Serve. After the serve, the return of serve is
the next most important shot. If you fail to return the ball, it is the same as serving a double fault. Just as your opponent must get the ball
into the box to start the point, you must also get the return back to start the point. Watch the ball as it leaves the server’s
hand and at that stage do your split spring in order to get to the ball in time. Position yourself to cover all eventualities.
Experiment to find the best position to cover the ball down the middle and also the ball out wide. Quickly access how good a server is your
opponent. If they have a weak serve, move into the court, if they have a fast serve, be ready to block the ball back (no time
for a swing on a fast ball) To start with, just concentrate on getting
the ball back into play, otherwise you are not even in the point. Turn your shoulder early, as soon as you know which side
the ball is going. Do not panic on your returns, shorten your backswing and keep a nice smooth movement. Against a serve and volleyer return low
and short (preferably at their feet). Against someone who stays back return deep and slightly higher. |
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Serious Drill
- Serving Practice. This layout just shows two different ways to target
the practice session. The deuce court shows lay down spots placed in the
positions you wish your players to serve. You can use different coloured spots so that the player can indicate where they
are trying to aim – Red – flat down the middle Blue – topspin
to the body or yellow – slice out wide. In the ad court, this has been divided into three
areas with laydown lines. You have probably seen the plastic targets you can
place at the net, either to hit through, or as I like to use them, to serve
through, it is far easier to place these strategicly so that the serve gets closer to the target area than trying to aim at
a small cone. Try it, you will be surprised. Next month, also see the drill which will give one service game. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 Fun Game - SPIN, SPEED OR SNEEKY. All players start behind cone at the back of the court, to one side. First
player goes to the tee or where the coach says (depends on ability. The play says either “SPIN” – “SPEED”
or “SNEEKY”. Coach feeds a spin ball (amount of spin depends on skill level) A firm ball (normally
to the back of the court (for speed) or the sneaky ball can go anywhere, close to the net – deep to base line etc.,
I sometimes do a ball into the net on one side and then a second ball the other side (well that’s sneaky!) If they don’t
get the ball into the court , they place their racket in the tram-line and join the coaches side. They then have to
catch the ball after one bounce to get back and the caught player come round. Last player left in, wins if they are not caught
on the fly. New
Item. Playing
Successful Doubles. This will
look at many aspects of doubles to enable you to get the most from your doubles, whether it is at your local club, league match play or participating in doubles tournaments. If you happen
to miss a months news, you can always access back issues in the Archive in the left menu bar. Successful
Doubles – article 1. It may be
stating the obvious, but it is important (depending a little on the level you intend playing) to choose the right partner,
whether it is Mixed or Ladies or Mens Doubles. As regards
styles of play, it is not essential for both players to be identical, but it is imperative that you can get on weel together
on the court and that you are able to communicate on an even basis. Lets look
at the formation on court to start with. The strongest position on the court is both players at the net. The second best position
is both players on the base line and the least favourable positioning is one up one back (albeit that you see this configuration
in many club doubles and this is primarily due to a lack of tuition in doubles play). This does
not mean that in certain situations you will find yourself in these uncertain position, however to have the greatest effect
on court and to be in the strongest position to win, you and your partner should try to get to the net as often as possible. You have
probably realised that singles and doubles tennis are two different games using the same techniques of groundstrokes, volleys
etc. In this series of articles we will look at Court coverage – Shot Selection Team co-operation & training. However,
to start with we will look at the skills required to be able to play good doubles. The
first area we are covering is the Serve. Two important
elements in playing Doubles and in particular with the serve are variety and consistency. Playing
at club level, in many instances it is only necessary to get one of your two serve in the box, to be in the point. However,
as you climb the hill to a better standard, then additional points will come into play. We are dealing with these as they
can be as equally important at club league standard. It is essential
to maintain a high percentage of first serves deep in the service box, this will give you the opportunity to get to the net
before your opponents.. Placement of the serve is more important than speed of the serve, when playing doubles. It is important
to aim for a high percentage of serve to go in and to achieve this is it a better option to learn and use spin serves. Both slice and topspin have their place in the game. Spin will allow you to effect
more control and greater accuracy and also to place the ball deeper in the box. When practicing
the serve, use targets, see todays drill for an idea on this (there are other drills in my drillbook). By giving
your opponents a poor second serve allows them the opportunity to take the advantage and get to the net before you do. In general,
in doubles the best place to stand when serving, is to divide the area between the center mark and the doubles side line and
stand in the middle. This has
some advantages: 1/. At club
level there is less chance of you hitting your partner in the back as you will be further away from the center. I will address
the positioning of your partner, whilst you are serving, later, and this will also help you from hitting them. 2/. It will
be easier to get to a ball hit sharply across court to your side line. 3/. Serving
more diagonally across court gives a greater margin of error as the depth is longer and you
will be serving over the lowest part of the net. If you are
right handed – a variation in the deuce court would be to stand closer to the center mark and serve down the ‘T’,
the ball will be on your opponents backhand (watch out for lefties) In the ad.
court, you can move a little more to the left and serve to a wide angle with topspin. If you are
left handed, then just reverse the above. Well that
all for today Next month
we will look at the Volley.
I.T.F approved pressurised Tennis balls – can of four only £2.60 plus postage. See on website -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--= Tennis Racquets and Stringing. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Top Quality racquets and excellent junior racquets at competitive prices. Until next month, John Hoskins – Coach. BEWARE ! Please feel free to pass this tip on to your family and friends, however, before doing this, please delete the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email, otherwise they may accidentally unsubscribe you. You are subscribed to ‘’Tennis
at the net Newsletter’’ . If you have received this
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via postal mail, please Contact us at: Tennis at the net Newsletter 72 Hillingdon Road, Barnehurst, Kent |
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