Tennis Supply & Tennis Tips

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL FITNESS IN TENNIS

gavdye — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 14:16:00 +0000

Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play in tennis.
Keenness can only be acquired if the physical, mental, and nervous systems are in tune. Consistent and systematic training is essential to a tournament player.

Regular hours of sleep, and regular, hearty food at regular hours are necessary
to keep the body at its highest efficiency. Food is particularly important.
Eat well,but do not over-eat, particularly immediately before playing.
I believe in a large hearty breakfast on the day of a big match.
This should be eaten by nine-thirty; A moderate lunch at about
one o'clock if playing at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon,
as it tends to slow you up on the court. Do not run the risk of indigestion,
which is the worst enemy to dear eyesight. Rich, heavy food immediately
before retiring is bad, as it is apt to make you "logy" on the court the
next day.

It is certain injury to touch alcoholic drink in any form during tournament play.
Excesses of any kind are bad for physical condition, and should not be chanced. Late hours cause sluggishness of mind and body the next day. It is very dangerous to risk them before a hard match. Television immediately before playing tennis is bad, owing to the eyestrain caused the strong light. Lead a normal, healthy life, and conserve your nervous force wherever possible, as you will need it in the hard matches.

"Staleness" is the great enemy of players who play long seasons. It is a case of too much tennis. Staleness is seldom-physical weariness. A player can always recover his strength by rest. Staleness is a mental fatigue due often to worry or too close attention to tennis, and not enough variety of thought. Its symptoms are a dislike for the tennis game and its surroundings, and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I advocate a break in training at such a time.

Go to the theatre or a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation during a tournament; but never allow it to interfere with your tennis when you should be intent on your game. A nice balance is hard to achieve, but, once attained is a great aid to a tournament player.

The laws of training should be closely followed before and after a match. Do not get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff and slow. Above all else do not stand around without a wrap after a match when you are hot or you will catch cold.

Many a player has acquired a touch of rheumatism from wasting time at the close of his match instead of getting his shower while still warm. That slight stiffness the next day may mean defeat. A serious chill may mean severe illness. Do not take chances.

Change your wet clothes to dry ones between matches if you are to play twice in a day. It will make you feel better, and also avoid the risk of cold. Tournament players must sacrifice some pleasures for the sake of success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to it. Spasmodic training is useless, and should never be attempted.

The condition a player is, in is apt to decide his mental viewpoint, and aid him in accustoming himself to the external conditions of play.

Foot work in Tennis

gavdye — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 20:52:00 +0000

Footwork is weight control. It is correct body position for strokes, and out of it all strokes should grow. In explaining the various forms of stroke and footwork I am writing as a right-hand player. Left- handers should simply reverse the feet.

Racquet grip is a very essential part of stroke, because a faulty grip will ruin the finest serving. There is the so-called Western or Californian grip that is a natural grip for a top forehand drive. It is inherently weak for the backhand, as the only natural shot is a chop stroke.

The English grip, with the low wrist on all groundstrokes, has proved very successful in the past. Yet the broken line of the arm and hand does not commend itself to me, as any broken line is weak under stress.

The Eastern American grip, which I advocate, is the English grip without the low wrist and broken line. To acquire the forehand grip, hold the racquet with the edge of the frame towards the ground and the face perpendicular, the handle towards the body, and "shake hands" with it, just as if you were greeting a friend.
The handle settled comfortably and naturally into the hand, the line of the arm, hand, and racquet are one. The swing brings the racquet head on a line with the arm, and the whole racquet is merely an extension of it.

The backhand grip is a quarter circle turn of hand on the handle, bringing the hand on top of the handle and the knuckles directly up. The shot travels ACROSS the wrist.

This is the best basis for a grip. I do not advocate learning this grip exactly, but model your natural grip as closely as possible on these lines without sacrificing your own comfort or individuality.

Having once settled the racquet in the hand, the next question is the position of the body and the order of developing strokes.

In explaining footwork I am, in future, going to refer in all forehand shots to the right foot as R or "back" foot, and to the left as L or "front." For the backhand the L foot is "back" and R is "front." All tennis strokes, should be made with the body' at right angles to the net, with the shoulders lined up parallel to the line of flight of the ball. The weight should always travel forward. It should pass from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of striking the ball. Never allow the weight to be going away from the stroke. It is weight that determines the "pace" of a stroke; swing that, decides the "speed."

Let me explain the definitions of "speed" and "pace." "Speed" is the actual rate with which a ball travels through the air. "Pace" is the momentum with which it comes off the ground. Pace is weight. It is the "sting" the ball carries when it comes off the ground, giving the inexperienced or unsuspecting player a shock
of force which the stroke in no way showed.

The Psychology of Match Play in Tennis

gavdye — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:13:00 +0000

The first and most important point in match play is to know how to lose. Lose cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. This is the first great law of tennis, and the second is like unto it--to win modestly, cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman.

The object of match play is to win, but no credit goes to a man who does not win fairly and squarely. A victory is a defeat if it is other than fair. Yet again I say to win is the object, and to do so, one should play to the last ounce of his strength, the last gasp of his breath, and the last scrap of his nerve. If you do so and lose, the better man won. If you do not, you have robbed your opponent of his right of beating your best. Be fair to both him and yourself.

"The Play's the thing," and in match play a good defeat is far more creditable than a hollow victory. Play tennis for the game's sake. Play it for the men you meet, the friends you make, and the pleasure you may give to the public by the hard- working yet sporting game that is owed them by their presence at the match.

Many tennis players feel they owe the public nothing, and are granting a favor by playing. It is my belief that when the public so honors a player that they attend matches, that player is in duty bound to give of his best, freely, willingly, and cheerfully, for only by so doing can he repay the honor paid him. The tennis star of to-day owes his public as much as the actor owes the audience, and only by meeting his obligations can tennis be retained in public favor. The players get their reward in the personal popularity they gain by their conscientious work.

There is another factor that is even stronger than this, that will always produce fine tennis in championship events. It is the competitive spirit that is the breath of life to every true sportsman: the desire to prove to himself he can beat the best of the other man; the real regret that comes when he wins, and feels the loser was not at his best.

The keen competitive spirit that stimulates a match player also increases the nervous strain. Tournament committees should recognize this, and the conditions of play should be as nearly standardized as weather permits.

A tournament committee should never keep a player waiting for an important match to commence while they scour through the crowd for linesmen. These necessary, and I trust useful, accessories to every match of importance should be picked and on hand when the players appear. A good linesman is a great aid to match tennis. A poor one may ruin a great battle. Not only will bad decisions turn the tide by putting a point in the wrong columns, but slow decisions will often upset players, so they dare not play to the line kept by slumberous linesmen.

A linesman should take his first judgment as the ball strikes. If outside he should call "out" at once clearly, decisively, but not too loudly; a yell is often a shock to the nerves. If the ball is good he should remain discreetly silent.

The umpire should announce the score after each point in a voice sufficiently loud to be heard by the entire gallery. His decisions as to "lets" or balls "not up" should be made only loud enough to ensure that they are heard by the players. The gallery has eyes. Following each game, the game score should be called, giving the leading player's name and the set being played. For example, "Four games to three, Parke leads. Second set." About every third game following the completion of the first set, an announcement as to the winner of the first set is an excellent idea. The umpire could add to the above announcement, "First set, Parke, 6-3." This latter announcement is unnecessary when there is a scoreboard that gives full details of the match.

Tournament committees should see that all courts have sufficient room behind the baseline and at the sides to insure a player against running into the stops.

Galleries should strive to retain their appreciation and enthusiasm until a point is completed, since noise is very disconcerting to a player. However, all players enjoy an enthusiastic gallery.

The players themselves must now be considered in relation to the reaction of the match.

The first thing to fix firmly in your mind in playing a match, is never to allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if it is possible to force him to make one he does not. Study your opponent both on and off the court. Look for a weakness, and, once finding it, pound it without mercy. Remember that you do not decide your mode of attack. It is decided for you by the weakness of your opponent. If he dislikes to meet a net man, go to the net. If he wants you at the net, stay back and force him to come in. If he attacks viciously, meet his attack with an equally strong offensive.

Remember that the strongest defense is to attack, for if the other man is occupied in meeting your attack, he will have less time to formulate his own system.

If you are playing a very steady man, do not strive to beat him at his own game. He is better at it than you in many cases, so go in and hit to win. On the other hand, if you find that your opponent is wild and prone to miss, play safe and reap the full crop of his errors. It saves you trouble and takes his confidence.

ABOVE ALL, NEVER CHANGE A WINNING GAME.

ALWAYS CHANGE A LOSING GAME, since, as you are getting beaten that way, you are no worse off and may be better with a new style.

The question of changing a losing game is a very serious thing. It is hard to say just when you are really beaten. If you feel you are playing well yet have lost the first set about 6-3 or 6-4, with the loss of only one service, you should not change.

Your game is not really a losing game. It is simply a case of one break of service, and might well win the next set. If, however, you have dropped the first set in a 2 out of 3 match with but one or two games, now you are outclassed and should try something else.

Take chances when you are behind, never when ahead. Risks are only worth while when you have everything to win and nothing to lose. It may spell victory, and at least will not hasten defeat. Above all, never lose your nerve or confidence in a match. By so doing you have handed your opponent about two points a game—a rather hard handicap to beat at your best.

Never let your opponent know you are worried. Never show fatigue or pain if it is possible to avoid, since it will only give him confidence. Remember that he feels just as bad as you, and any sign of weakening on your part encourages him to go on. In other words, keep your teeth always in the match.

Don't worry. Don't fuss. Luck evens up in the long run, and to worry only upsets your own game without affecting your opponent. A smile wins a lot of points because it gives the impression of confidence on your part that shakes that of the other man. Fight all the time. The harder the strain the harder you should fight,
but do it easily, happily, and enjoy it.

Match play, where both men are in the same class as tennis players, resolves itself into a battle of wits and nerve. The man who uses the first and retains the second is the ultimate victor.

I do not believe in a man who expects to go through a long tournament, going "all out" for every match. Conserve your strength and your finesse for the times you need them, and win your other matches decisively, but not destructively. Why should a great star discourage and dishearten a player several classes below him by crushing him, as he no doubt could? A few games a set, well earned, would be a big factor in encouraging that rising player to play in tournaments, while it would in no way injure the reputation of the star.

Never hurry your opponent by serving before he is fully set to receive. This is a favorite trick of a few unscrupulous players, yet is really an unfair advantage. Do your hurrying after the ball is in play, by running him to unexpected places in the
court. Should anyone attempt to work the hurried service on you, after several attempts, proving it is intentional, let the ball go by and say, "Not ready." The server will shortly realize that you will take your time regardless of him, and he will slow up. I do not advocate stalling--nothing is worse. It is a breach of ethics that is wholly uncalled for. Play the game naturally, and give your opponent full courtesy in all matters. If you do, you will receive it in return.

Take every advantage of any and every weakness in your opponent's game; but never trespass on his rights as regards external advantages.

Personally I do not believe in "defaulting" a match. To "scratch" or "retire," as the term goes, is to cheat your opponent of his just triumph, and you should never do this unless it is absolutely impossible to avoid. Sickness or some equally important reason should be the sole cause of scratching, for you owe the tournament your presence once your entry is in.

Match play should stimulate a player. He should produce his best under the excitement of competition. Learn your shots in practice, but use them in matches.

A great player sizes up his opponent, and seizes every opening and turns it to his own account. He is ever ready to change his plan to meet the strategy of his opponent, and has both the variety of stroke and versatility of intellect to outguess the other the majority of times.

A great star is always at his best in a match, as it stimulates his mental and physical faculties to the utmost.

Certain players are more effective against some men than others who are not so good. It is the uncertainty of match tennis that is its greatest charm. Two men may meet for tennis during a season, and be so closely matched that each man will win two matches and the score seem almost one-sided each time. It is a case of getting the jump on the other player.

Abnormal conditions for match play always tend to affect the better player more than the poorer, and bring play to a level.

The reason for this is in the fact that the higher the standard of a player's game, the smaller his margin of error, the more perfect his bound must be, and any variation from the normal is apt to spell error. The average player allows himself more leeway, and unknowingly increases his chances on a bad court. His shot is not judged to the fraction of an inch in swing as is the top-flight player, so a slight variation does not affect him.

Many a great match has been ruined by abnormal conditions. The clever match player must always be willing to change his game to meet conditions. Failure to do so may spell defeat.

It is this uncertainty, due to external conditions, that makes comparative records so useless in judging the relative merits of two players you know nothing of. Rankings based on mathematical calculations of scores are absolutely useless and childish, unless tempered by common sense. The question of the fitness of conditions of play can never be standardized. A match player should not only be able to play tennis, but should combine the virtues of an aero plane and a submarine as well.

THE Psychology of Match Play in Tennis

gavdye — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:13:00 +0000

A Tennis Serve Tip

gavdye — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:13:00 +0000

Hello,

To improve your tennis serve, the following advice is the basic's you should be thinking about:

Stand sideways on to the net.

Throw the ball into the air so that it hangs nicely in the area where you want to contact the ball (see below for where that is!). The throw-up is also called the 'placement' because that is what it should really be.

The action of hitting the ball should be very much like a throw.

Try to contact the ball in the middle of your throwing action at full stretch, slightly in front of you, and above your hitting shoulder. This sounds easy! Trouble is you can't do it if you've just thrown.... or even placed (!) the ball backwards and three feet away!

If you get to the net, volleys are without hitting the ball, and the action should be a simple blocking action. Because you are at the net, you can use the power.

Regards

Gavin Dye
Tennis Serve Tip

Tip on how to play Tennis

gavdye — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 18:37:00 +0000

If your looking for a tip on how to play tennis I would have a look at the main tennis tips page on my website. Here you will find links to lots of good tips to improve your tennis game.

Looking to improve your tennis serve or tennis backhand the tips on my site can help you.

I would also recommend you have a look at Brent Abel's website, featured at the top on this page, and sign up for his free tennis video tips now.

Hope your getting out and enjoying your tennis game in the summer weather.

Gavin Dye
Tip on how to play tennis

Mental Tennis Tip

gavdye — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:27:00 +0000

Hello,

Although tennis is a very physical sport, if you walk onto the court with the wrong mental state you are setting yourself up to lose. On my site you will find many tennis tips to improve your physical game, but also some mental tennis tip.

The main tip I can tell you is do not think that tennis is merely a physical exercise. It is a mental cocktail of a very high kick. Learn more about this in my article on tennis psychology

Have a read and also check out my other tips that I am sure will be of great help to you.

Gavin Dye
Mental Tennis Tip

Tennis for Beginners

gavdye — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 21:18:00 +0000

Tennis for Beginners, if you are a beginner looking to start tennis, or have just started and are looking for some pointers to improve your tennis I would have a look at the tennis tips on my site.

Some of the tips beginners should be looking at include an introduction to tennis or maybe how to choose your first tennis racquet. What ever way you want to improve your game I would suggest having a look at the site and following the link to some great tennis advice.

Good luck in learning to play tennis.

Gavin Dye
Tennis for Beginners

Tennis Tips

gavdye — Thu, 18 May 2006 15:04:00 +0000

Tennis fills many needs of mankind. It provides an outlet for physical energy,
relaxation, mental stimulus, and healthful exercise. The moral tone is aided by
tennis because the first law of tennis is that every player must be a good
sportsman and inherently a gentleman.

Tennis has spread so rapidly that the old idea of class and class game has
passed away with so many other ancient, yet snobbish, traditions. Tennis is
universally played.

Find out more about tennis and get some great tennis tips now at my tennis supply website.

Gavin Dye
Tennis tips

Tennis Tips: Positive mental state for Tennis

gavdye — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:33:00 +0000

Tennis Tips

Another tennis tip article that may be of interest to you if your wanting to develop a winning game is Develop a Positive Mental state for tennis

In this tennis tip article I discuss how having the right mental state before & during your tennis match can really help to take your game to the next level. Remember, keeping a positive frame of mind throughout your training and your progression, you are more likely to go further in the sport than another beginner athlete who gets angry or frustrated or even give up.

Hope this helps in your tennis game, and check out my other tennis tips

Gavin Dye

Tennis Supply

Tennis Tips

The volley in a tennis match

gavdye — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 16:08:00 +0000

I have posted another article on the tennis-supply site on the volley in a game of tennis, you can read it by clicking here

The net attack is the heavy artillery of tennis. It is supposed to crush all defenses. As such it must be regarded as a point-winning stroke at all times.

Enjoy and enjoy your tennis game

Gavin Dye

Another Tennis Tip!

gavdye — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 18:49:00 +0000

The most essential thing about a drive is to put the ball in play. Once William A. Larned remarked, when asked the most important thing in tennis,

"Put the ball over the net into the other man's court."

Accuracy first, and then put on your speed, for if your shot is correct you can always learn, to hit hard.

For more hints and tennis tips have a look at my tennis supply website

Till next time

Gavin Dye
http://www.tennis-supply.com

A Tip for when buying a new tennis racquet

gavdye — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:30:00 +0000

Play testing can be a good idea to make sure you made the right choice. For beginners, play testing might not be an easy task. You can try and go shopping with a friend for an experienced players advice. If you are comparing a few racquets try and look for the following:

-Try to see if you feel any bothersome noises and/or vibrations.
-Check if the racquet has a solid feel as the ball comes into impact with it.
-Does the racquet feel too heavy for you to maneuver?

Once you have tried out several racquets, you will probably narrow it down to your favorite one quite easily. Then, it’s out to the court to try out your latest acquisition. If you are looking for a more in-depth article on what to look for in a new racquet, try here

Gavin Dye

http://www.tennis-supply.com

What area of your Tennis games needs the most attention?

gavdye — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 11:00:00 +0000

What area of your Tennis games needs the most attention? Brent Abel will be able to help you with his "All-Court Strokes and Strategies" Training.

While trawling the net looking for products to endorse on my website I'm very pleased with Brent Abel's instructional website over at WebTennis.net. Brent publishes a complimentary weekly video tips newsletter that can be an additional learning tool for you. Again, it's free to subscribe, so take a look and let me know what you think. Just follow this link

Sign up for his FREE Newsletter and get copies of "How to Develop True Confidence in your Tennis Game" and his "Top Ten Best Doubles Tip" series for FREE!

The Half Volley

gavdye — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 10:42:00 +0000

I have updated my tennis web site with a new tennis tip about the half volley.

This shot requires more perfect timing, eyesight, and racquet work than any other, since its margin of safety is smallest and its manifold chances of mishaps numberless. So have a read and let me know what you think, you will find a whole host of other tennis tips on the site.

What area of your Tennis games needs the most attention? Brent Abel will be able to help you with his "All-Court Strokes and Strategies" Training.

I'm very pleased with Brent Abel's instructional website over at WebTennis.net. Brent publishes a complimentary weekly video tips newsletter that can be an additional learning tool for you. Again, it's free to subscribe, so take a look and let me know what you think. Just follow this link

Sign up for his FREE Newsletter and get copies of "How to Develop True Confidence in your Tennis Game" and his "Top Ten Best Doubles Tip" series for FREE!