SawadeeTennis.com

Yonex BG-85 Badminton String 22 gauge, White, 33′

Ball, Bounce, Backhand, Baseline

Ball – One BIG mistake that many people – even coaches – make is they do not watch the ‘ball’ for long enough onto their racket. The windier the conditions the more you need to concentrate on the ball position. Next time you go out on court just watch that ball for a split second longer and see if you start making better contact.

Bounce – Become aware of the shape of your opponents shots. The height and kick out of the court are vital parts of the ‘bounce’. Respect the opponents shots and make sure the shot you decide to play matches the ‘bounce’.

Backhand – Work on your backhand as an ‘anchor’ for your game. Slice, flat or topspin – you should feel comfortable hitting your backhand under any pressure situations!

Baseline – Use the baseline as a guide of where to stand during rallies. Be careful not to just go side to side along the baseline. You want to be moving into and out of the court in response to shots you are hitting or shots you just hit. Many recreational players just go sideways. Try and move into the court at least 2-3ft after hitting a strong shot. Likewise 2-3ft behind the baseline if you hit a weaker shot.

What are some more ‘B’ words you can think of? Write them in the comments below! …

To better tennis and beyond…

Michael and Pete

There are so many words starting with ‘A’ which every complete player needs in their tennis toolkit!

Athleticism, Anticipation, Attitude and many more.. Here are a few thoughts…

Athleticism – This is crucial these days. Tennis has now evolved to a point where your ability as an athlete is weighing very heavily on your success. Years ago athleticism was secondary to technical and strategic skills.. Now you need to ensure your athleticism is at the same level- if not better – than your technique or strategic skills.

Tennis has evolved to now become a sport where we are athletes first, then great technically, strategically and competitive. Talent identification process have acknowledged this . Arguably their is a train of thought that you must have the potential to be a great athlete first then add tennis ability..

Anticipation – Great players understand the game to a level where they have great anticipation skills. They build upon thousands of hours of experience and can make split second decisions and predictions based on instinct/anticipation.. Great players have mastered anticipation..

Attitude – To be a champion is to have a champion attitude. Be ready to win and expect to win. Train like a champion. Dress like a champion. Be respectful like a champion. Demand your team to be champions also! Your attitude determines your actions, your actions determine your outcomes and your outcomes are your level of success.

What are some more ‘A’ words you can think of? Write them in the comments below! …

To better tennis and beyond…

Michael Maidens

Confidence, it is a weird thing. It can be there one second and gone the next.
Here is a cool way to ‘recover’ your confidence!

Step 1 – Think to yourself, what do I DO when I am confident?
How do I hit my forehand?
backhand? volley? serve?
second serve? approach? passing shots?

Step 2 – Write these actions down
You might be writing.. When I am playing confident tennis I
- go for my forehand – take it on the rise
- hit big first serves, heavy kick second serve
- go for passing shots
- get to the net at any opportunity

Step 3 – Do them in practice
Take your piece of paper out on court with you. Read it as many times as possible during the session. DO IT as soon as possible. If it is before a match do them in the pre-match warmup

Step 4 – DO IT in a match or in point practice
Practice these actions in a match. Under pressure. On big points. Remember you do not need to win points or the match. Just DO what you would DO when you are confident.

Step 5 – Reflect and say HI – your best friend ‘confidence’ is back!

Quick summary:
“DO what you would DO when you ARE confident”

Michael and Pete from TennisAssist.com
If you found this tip valuable please share it with your friends via email, Facebook or Twitter!

Inside you will discover the following:

• how to construct points with confidence
• know when to change your strategy in a match
• understand the mystery of a ‘good looking loser’
• know in advance why shot your opponent is going to play
• how a match is a process and strategies take time
• and much much more!