#How To Improve Your Backhand Volley

[jamtoro]

Just a drabble in large part inspired by the first Challengers fic I read by @cybersunnie Content warning for masturbation but this is mostly just mutual pining

- Of course you knew who Art Donaldson was, because, really, who didn't? So why wouldn't you be surprised when he approached you, offering to be your hitting partner for the night?

- You hesitated on your response, a mixture of embarrassment (you were practicing for a mandatory athletics class and were far from being even decent) and confusion (why would he ask you? What did he gain from it?).

- But, still, you agreed. Practicing tennis with Art, the Art Donaldson, was not an opportunity afforded to many beginners (at least you imagined). And despite the preemptive embarrassment, it beat hitting a ball against a wall.

- So, you begin with a backhand warm up before advancing to a rally.

- You miss volleys left and right, and even fall on your ass at some point. But with the cool spring night breeze on your sweat-slick skin and a lack of the pressure you thought you'd feel when sparring with Art, that 10 AM lecture class you have tomorrow feels light years away.

- When you've both had enough (well, you're sick of running after missed balls and you feel bad for making Art watch you flounder) you thank him, trying not to fall into realm of gratuitous gratitude. "I know it's not what you're used to, and it felt like torture at times, but thank you. I had a lot of fun losing to you."

- "You're not terrible," Art says, looking at you. Really looking at you, a soft smile on his face. You open your mouth to protest, but he tilts his head back a certain way as if to say Are you really going to debate me on that? Me? And you avoid breaking into a gigantic grin, but your giddiness is evident.

- You felt drunk on luck. First he offers to be your partner for the night, then he complements you. Well, sort of, but it's enough to make your heart stammer in your chest.

- You'd be lying if you said Art didn't look beautiful under the florescent light of the tennis court, a light sweat above his brow. And the scent of his musk, it could grow addicting.

- and you'd be lying if you said Art wasn't the reason why you continued to practice tennis on late nights. Some nights you saw him practicing with someone, sometimes he was alone, sometimes he showed up after you, but most nights you practiced alone. But lighting can strike twice, you told yourself.

- It took until the night of your last final, but thankfully eventually Art approached you.

- "Most people leave as soon as their last final's over, but you're still here," He says. "Summer classes," is all you manage in return. You force a barely there smile with pressed lips. You're wrought with tension.

- "There's a two week bre--" "Can you teach me tennis?" You cut Art off, the words basically stumbling out of your mouth. "I can pay you whatever, and I won't whine, and I know you have your own practices, but I just want you. I want to play tennis with you."

- It's bold and you know you're asking for a lot. You hold your breath as you wait for an answer.

- Art pauses in consideration, turning your words over in his mind. And your heart twists like a wrung towel as you watch a faint smile tug on one side of his mouth. "If you can win against me, I'll coach you."

- Your mind goes into hyperdrive with inquiries. Why would he say that? Does he really believe I could beat him? What happens when I lose? Does he have to be this cruel? Am I too desperate? Is it obvious? And before you could even begin to verbalize such a question, you see Art setting down his tennis bags on the far end of the court.

- "Are you gonna go easy on me?" You yell from the other side as you stretch your upper body.

- "How could I assess your abilities as your coach without seeing how far you'll go?" Art asks when he finishes a set of side lunges.

- yeah, you're gonna lose.

- And at least it's not a humiliating loss. You've definitely improved since the first time you and Art played, even managing a point here and there (but deep down you feel like Art let you have those). And even though you've lost two of three games, you're laughing, you're joking, you're having fun. Even though you approached Art so seriously, so desperately, you can't take yourself seriously, not in earnest, even when playing for something as coveted as a Summer with Art. And you can't even hate yourself for it because you feel so free.

- "I won't torture you with the idea of a rematch, so thank you for playing with me." You say, hand extended as you walk towards the net. "I'll still see you around, right?"

- But Art doesn't respond when he shakes your hand. He kind of just stands there for a moment, shaking your hand in a trance.

- Within Art, something shifted, or clicked, rather.

- No stranger to desperation, he recognized it in you, saw himself reflected in your curious eyes. And though he expected himself to be more repulsed by your desperation, each volley blunted the edges of such an emotion.

- And it helped he saw what Tashi loved about tennis within you.

- Maybe you could've been great if you had more than a casual interest in the sport, or if you had started in the single digits like the rest of the college athletes, or if you stopped blowing rasberies and laughing everytime you hit the ball into the net. But you didn't care about greatness. And to Art, it almost seemed like you didn't care about winning him as a coach, not for lack of trying, but because you became someone else on the court. You found a liberation that Art could only dream of. A liberation that could only be afforded to someone who's highest aspiration is the intermural leagues. Your relationship with tennis, with your opponent was more self-serving. This was less of a relationship and more so voyeurism.

- And that appealed to Art in some capacity.

- "I mean, you played pretty well, considering," Art finally says, returning to himself. "Do Tuesdays work for you?"

- It scratches an itch to be wanted. Even if it isn't by the person you want.

- Art reminded himself of this, like a mantra, on the first night he cums to the thought of you. A late night tennis session turned mildly risqué with an absent minded question ("Do you think some people use rackets sexually?" You asked before the stream of laugh that followed due to Art's flusted expression) was all Art really needed to follow through on what was a burgeoning feeling.

- On one hand, Art struggled to remember why he's keeping himself from you. He's already this close. You never shy from his touch when he corrects your grip on the racket. You don't seem to mind sharing towels or water. And he feels the way you watch him, even when his back is turned.

- On the other, he's kicking himself. Even though he's only your senior by a year and he's not an official coach by any standard, it feels wrong. Especially when he's the catalyst in Tashi and Patrick's teetering relationship. You were meant to be a scapegoat if Patrick and Tashi got messy and Art's culpiblity was revealed. You were not supposed to stay.

- But being wanted is like a drug. And the thought of your mouth on his, along his body, around him, is irresistible.

- He knew, as he watched his cum thin out and disperse in the shower stream, that this wouldn't be the only time he came to the thought of you.

- (Should he feel ashamed that he's wrapped around your finger, too, even though you're the one who wants him so obviously?)

- Art leaves the locker room without looking in the mirror.

[spinshotuk]

Unleashing Your Potential: Training Tips with Padel Ball Machines

Padel, a sport that combines elements of tennis and squash, has been gaining popularity worldwide for its fast-paced action and accessibility. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, mastering the game requires dedication and strategic training. In recent years, one tool has emerged as a game-changer in the world of padel training: the padel machine. In this blog, we'll explore how padel ball machines can help you unleash your potential on the court and provide some essential training tips to maximise your sessions.

Understanding the Power of Padel Ball Machines

Padel ball machines are innovative training tools designed to enhance your skills and improve your game. These machines are equipped with features that allow players to customise their training sessions according to their specific needs and preferences. From adjusting ball speed and trajectory to controlling placement, padel ball machines offer a level of precision and consistency unmatched by traditional training methods.

One of the key advantages of using a paddle ball machine is the ability to practise alone. While playing with a partner is valuable for honing your reflexes and teamwork skills, solo practice allows you to focus entirely on your technique and footwork without distractions. With a padel ball machine, you can replicate game-like scenarios and work on specific shots until they become second nature.

Training Tips for Maximum Impact

Now that we understand the benefits of using a padel ball machine, let's delve into some training tips to help you make the most of your sessions:

Start with the Basics: Before diving into advanced drills, take the time to master the fundamental strokes of padel, including the forehand, backhand, volleys, and serves. Set the padel ball machine to a comfortable speed and trajectory to build confidence and consistency in your shots.

Focus on Footwork: Good footwork is essential for positioning yourself correctly on the court and reaching the ball efficiently. Use the padel ball machine to practise moving quickly and smoothly between shots, maintaining a balanced stance at all times.

Work on Timing and Anticipation: Anticipating your opponent's shots is crucial in padel, and the padel machine can help you develop this skill. Adjust the settings to simulate different types of shots and practice reacting quickly to each one.

Mix It Up: Don't limit yourself to practising the same shots repeatedly. Experiment with different shot selections and angles to keep your training sessions engaging and challenging. The versatility of padel ball machines allows you to simulate a variety of game situations, from baseline rallies to net play.

Set Goals and Track Progress: Whether it's improving your consistency, increasing your shot speed, or mastering a new technique, set specific goals for each training session and track your progress over time. Celebrate your achievements and identify areas for further improvement to stay motivated and focused.

Incorporate Drills and Challenges: Challenge yourself with drills that target specific aspects of your game, such as accuracy, power, or control. You can also create friendly competitions with yourself or others to add an extra element of fun and motivation to your training.

Stay Consistent: Like any skill, mastering padel requires consistent practice and dedication. Make training with the padel ball machine a regular part of your routine, scheduling sessions at least a few times a week to maintain momentum and see continuous improvement.

Elevate Your Training with Padel Machines by Spinshot Sports UK

When it comes to investing in a top-quality padel ball machine, Spinshot Sports UK stands out as a leading provider. With a reputation for excellence and innovation, Spinshot offers a range of padel machines designed to enhance your training experience. From advanced features like remote control and app integration to durable construction and reliable performance, Spinshot Sports UK Padel Machines are trusted by players worldwide to deliver unmatched precision and versatility on the court. With Spinshot, you can take your padel training to new heights and unleash your full potential with every session.

Conclusion

Padel ball machines offer a convenient and effective way to take your game to the next level. By incorporating these training tips into your practice sessions, you can unleash your potential on the court and elevate your padel skills to new heights. Whether you're aiming to compete at a higher level or simply want to enjoy the game more, investing in a padel machine is sure to pay dividends in your development as a player. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, train hard, and watch as your padel game reaches new heights!

[spinshot-france]

Elevate Your Padel Game with the Ultimate Training Companion: The Padel Ball Machine

Padel, a rapidly growing racquet sport, has gained immense popularity for its fast-paced and dynamic nature. As enthusiasts strive to enhance their skills and elevate their gameplay, the demand for advanced training tools has soared. Among these, the Padel Ball Machine emerges as a game-changer, offering players a personalized and efficient training experience. In this article, we'll delve into the world of Padel ball machines, exploring their benefits, features, and how they can significantly impact your game.

The Evolution of Padel Training:

Traditional training methods in Padel often involve partnering with a fellow player or hiring a coach. While these methods are undoubtedly valuable, they may not provide the consistent and repetitive practice necessary for mastering specific techniques. This is where the Padel ball machine(Machine à balles de padel) steps in, revolutionizing the training landscape and enabling players to hone their skills independently.

Benefits of Using a Padel Ball Machine:

Consistent and Precise Feeding: The Padel ball machine ensures a consistent and precise delivery of balls, allowing players to focus on specific shots and techniques. Whether it's perfecting your serve, mastering volleys, or refining your backhand, the machine delivers balls with accuracy, replicating real-game scenarios.

Customizable Settings: One of the standout features of Padel ball machines is their customizable settings. Players can adjust the speed, spin, and trajectory of the balls, tailoring the training session to their individual needs. This adaptability ensures that players of all skill levels can benefit from the machine, from beginners looking to build a solid foundation to advanced players fine-tuning their game.

Solo Practice Sessions: The Padel ball machine allows players to engage in solo practice sessions, eliminating the need for a training partner. This is particularly advantageous for players with busy schedules or those looking to focus on specific aspects of their game without relying on external factors.

Improved Reflexes and Stamina: The consistent and varied ball delivery challenges a player's reflexes and stamina, contributing to overall fitness and on-court endurance. Regular use of the Padel ball machine can lead to enhanced reaction times, better footwork, and improved cardiovascular fitness.

Choosing the Right Padel Ball Machine:

When considering a Padel ball machine, it's essential to assess your individual needs and preferences. Look for machines with adjustable settings, a reliable ball-feeding mechanism, and durability. Additionally, consider the machine's portability and ease of use, ensuring that it complements your training routine seamlessly.

Conclusion:

In the competitive world of Padel, staying ahead of the game requires dedication and strategic training. The Padel ball machine emerges as a valuable ally in this pursuit, offering a range of benefits that cater to players of all levels. Whether you're a beginner aiming to grasp the fundamentals or an advanced player fine-tuning your skills, incorporating a Padel ball machine into your training regimen can be a game-changer. Elevate your Padel experience, refine your techniques, and unleash your full potential with the help of this innovative training companion. Read More: Machine à padel

[stateofsport211]

RG MS Q3: Know Your Men's Singles Qualifiers + Lucky Losers (Day 2)

Roland Garros qualifying rounds (📸 Luxus+ Magazine)

It turned out Tumblr only allowed 30 images per post. This is a continuation of the previous live article attempt to cover the Roland Garros 2023 – Men's Singles Qualifiers, which features Day 2 qualifiers (and lucky losers).

Day 2

Section 14: Sebastian Ofner (d. Facundo Diaz Acosta 7-5, 6-3)

📸 France TV Sport

Diaz Acosta's 12-match winning streak will always be remembered as Ofner took the best out of him throughout the match. The Argentinean initially had the moment by being up a break after Ofner's forehand rush, only for Ofner to break back when Diaz Acosta tried to paint the lines. After serving for the first set 7-5, Ofner came up with some notable winners in crucial moments: a forehand winner to break 2-0, and a backhand winner to seal the match 6-3, thanks to him pacing those shots.

Section 2: Elias Ymer (d. Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4)

📸 France TV Sport

Hanfmann might have had a resurgent run in Rome Masters 1000, but his chance to enter the main draw relied on the lucky loser draw as Elias took control of this match instead. After several consecutive breaks, some of which came from Elias' volley and Hanfmann's forehand rush, Elias served for the first set and set the tone of the second set from his volleys, and he did not look back since.

Section 7: Flavio Cobolli (d. Laurent Lokoli 7-5, 6-3)

📸 France TV Sport

Cobolli's important points in this match came from his backhands instead, where one of them enabled him to break 4-3, but he had to serve for the set twice as Lokoli came up with a backhand winner. Once Lokoli double-faulted at the start of the second set, the Italian did not look back since, he even won the match with a swift backhand winner to secure the main draw berth to confirm his lately improved form.

Section 13: Thiago Seyboth Wild (d. Dominik Koepfer 6-1, 6-1)

📸 France TV Sport

Surprisingly, although both players had similarly bright forms coming to the qualifying (with Seyboth Wild bagging several titles in the Latin American Challengers while Koepfer had 2 Mexican Challenger finals), Seyboth Wild ended up double-breadsticking Koepfer. The latter looked outplayed thanks to the former's full-on aggression, which was visible in some point constructions (from his forehand to his drop shots).

Section 1: Aslan Karatsev (d. Nicolas Moreno de Alboran 6-4, 6-3)

📸 France TV Sport

Confirming his comeback Madrid Masters 1000 run and learning from "how to be a lucky loser" back from Roland Garros 2020, his explosive shots gave it all when they were executed accurately, e.g. the swift backhand return to break 2-1 in the first set. The flow was on his racquet bar several breaks at the expense of his errors (classic rushed shots), but his firing forehands carried some breaks, with another backhand return ace to break for the match in the second set, coming back from 0-3 down. Back with a bang for a run, eh?

Section 6: Genaro Alberto Olivieri (d. Adrian Andreev 6-2, 5-7, 6-4)

📸 France TV Sport

Although Olivieri started dominantly by taking the first set 6-2, the chaos started in the middle of the second set thanks to their point construction: a cross-court forehand from Olivieri, reminiscent of his third set break during the Montevideo Challenger Final in 2022, and Adrian's forehand at one moment. However, Adrian's forehands were sought after, and albeit having to dig deeper due to his double fault for Adrian's second set (5-7), Olivieri's power balance should be tested: even when he came up with a drop shot for his game point!

Section 11: Timofey Skatov (d. Felipe Meligeni R. Alves 2-6, 7-5, 6-3)

📸 France TV Sport

There was not much difference between Skatov and Felipe in their games, except for some varying differentials. Although Felipe controlled one set and a half, Skatov absorbed the Brazilian's pace well before breaking back to 4-4 (2nd set), which tables turned since. With Felipe visibly rushed after, Skatov managed to come out of the pressure, outside of creating some with the lob, with a working drop shot to save one of Felipe's break points before an important hold, taking the third set 6-3 for his main draw berth.

Section 5: Emilio Nava (d. Geoffrey Blancaneaux 2-6, 6-4, 6-3)

📸 France TV Sport

Last but not least, Emilio dramatically qualified against Blancaneaux. After Blancaneaux had a stellar first set, Emilio saved one of the latter's break points with some working volleys, adding more pressure to Blancaneaux's service games. Ultimately, Blancaneaux double-faulted twice (hence down 2 set points), before Emilio's lob took him the second set 6-4. Despite excelling in the points construction department, Blancaneaux's other double fault cost him the match, where Emilio stood his ground until the end (6-3).

Lucky Losers

Dominic Stricker (l. Thiago Agustin Tirante 3-6, 6-1, 1-6)

📸 France TV Sport

Finally reaching his first Grand Slam main draw for the first time (as a lucky loser), Stricker still needs to be wary of some kinds of pressure points coming up. Albeit having several interesting points in the match, e.g. a lob to set him 2 points ahead at the start of the match and a reliable backhand one game to the second set breadstick, the controlled aggression will be tested further in the main draw, with the match being in the spotlight.

Jurij Rodionov (l. Lucas Pouille 6-1, 5-7, 0-6)

📸 France TV Sport

Apparently, J. Rodionov will also face Pouille in the first round of the main draw. Here, J. Rodionov started the match well by having a working volley to break 2-0, eventually dominating the flow until he served a breadstick (6-1). However, he succumbed to the pressure toward the end of the second set when Pouille stepped up, which resulted in the double fault for Pouille's second set and third set bagel. Will J. Rodionov assert revenge or Pouille take it all again? It is highly encouraged to follow or watch this rematch!

Facundo Diaz Acosta (l. Sebastian Ofner 5-7, 3-6)

📸 France TV Sport

Diaz Acosta had his moments in the match, benefitting from an early break at the expense of Ofner's rushed shots. However, those rushes did not carry enough despite having the depth (e.g. the cross-court forehand a point before he held his service game), often coming up with those under pressure as displayed in the previous Challengers he won (Savannah & Oeiras 4 Challengers). Having his 12-match streak snubbed in this round, he might take this chance personally and use it to its full potential.

Yannick Hanfmann (l. Elias Ymer 3-6, 4-6)

📸 France TV Sport

Entering right after Benjamin Bonzi's withdrawal, Hanfmann finally had his chance to shine after his Rome Masters 1000 comeback run. Paying off his South American Challenger runs in the last semester of 2022, he did not drop a set except this loss. Even if he had 2 break points in one of the breaking games of the first set thanks to his volley, it did not carry him enough as he tried to stay from the baseline and Elias tried to control the flow from the net. Drawn fourth in the lucky loser draw, Hanfmann now had his chance to deepen his comeback run in Roland Garros. Will he, won't he?

[betforward2023]

Mastering the Game of Tennis: Unleashing Your Full Potential on the Court

Tennis, a dynamic and captivating sport, has captured the hearts of millions around the world. Whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner, www.betforward1.com , this comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to elevate your tennis game to new heights. From mastering the fundamental techniques to developing a strategic mindset, let's dive into the world of tennis and uncover the secrets to unlocking your full potential on the court.

The Basics: Nailing the Fundamentals a. Grip: The foundation of a strong tennis game begins with the correct grip. Explore the various grip styles, such as the Eastern, Western, and Continental grips, and understand how they influence your strokes. b. Strokes: Delve into the essential shots of tennis, including the forehand, backhand, serve, volley, and overhead smash. Learn the proper technique, footwork, and body positioning for each shot to ensure maximum power and accuracy.

Conditioning: Building Strength and Agility a. Fitness Training: Tennis demands a high level of physical fitness. Discover effective exercises and training routines to improve your strength, speed, agility, and endurance. Enhancing your overall fitness will give you a competitive edge on the court. b. Injury Prevention: Tennis can be demanding on the body, but with the right precautions, you can reduce the risk of injuries. Learn about warm-up and cool-down routines, proper stretching techniques, and how to listen to your body to avoid common tennis-related injuries.

Strategy and Tactics: Outsmarting Your Opponent a. Court Awareness: Develop a keen sense of court positioning and spatial awareness. Understand the different playing surfaces and their impact on your game. Learn how to exploit your opponent's weaknesses and optimize your strengths. b. Shot Selection: Tennis is not just about power; it's a mental game as well. Explore shot selection strategies, including when to hit winners, play defensively, or force errors from your opponent. Understand the importance of shot placement and angles to gain the upper hand in rallies.

Mental Toughness: Winning the Inner Game a. Focus and Concentration: Tennis requires mental strength and resilience. Learn techniques to improve your focus and concentration, block out distractions, and stay in the present moment. Develop mental fortitude to overcome pressure situations and maintain a winning mindset. b. Handling Pressure: Explore strategies to deal with stress, nervousness, and pressure during matches. From visualization exercises to pre-match routines, discover techniques to stay calm and perform at your best when it matters most.

Equipment and Technology: Maximizing Performance a. Choosing the Right Equipment: Understand the importance of selecting the appropriate tennis racket, strings, shoes, and accessories that suit your playing style. Explore the impact of racket characteristics and string tension on your game. b. Utilizing Technology: Discover how modern technology can enhance your tennis game. From video analysis software to wearable devices, leverage tools and gadgets to track your performance, analyze your technique, and identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion: As you embark on your journey to become a tennis master, remember that consistent practice, dedication, and a hunger for improvement are key. By mastering the fundamentals, conditioning your body, developing strategic thinking, and cultivating mental toughness, you'll be well on your way to unleashing your full potential on the tennis court. So, grab your racket, lace up your shoes, and get ready to experience the exhilarating world of tennis like never before. The court awaits your triumphs!

Training and Practice: Perfecting Your Skills a. Structured Practice Sessions: Create a well-rounded practice routine that includes drills for different strokes, footwork, and game situations. Focus on specific areas of improvement and challenge yourself with varying levels of difficulty to continually push your limits. b. Partner Practice: Engage in regular practice sessions with a hitting partner or coach. Work on your consistency, shot accuracy, and shot variety through rallying and point play. Utilize drills that simulate match scenarios to enhance your decision-making skills.

Competitive Play: Testing Your Abilities a. Local Tournaments: Participate in local tennis tournaments or leagues to gain valuable match experience. Competing against different opponents will help you assess your progress, identify areas for improvement, and develop a competitive mindset. b. Match Analysis: After each match, review your performance objectively. Analyze your strengths, weaknesses, and patterns of play. Identify areas where you can make tactical adjustments or refine your technique.

Nutrition and Hydration: Fueling Your Performance a. Balanced Diet: Optimize your performance by fueling your body with a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and hydration-rich foods into your meals. b. Hydration: Stay hydrated before, during, and after your tennis sessions. Drink an adequate amount of water to maintain optimal performance and prevent dehydration.

Injury Management and Recovery: Taking Care of Your Body a. Rest and Recovery: Allow your body sufficient time to rest and recover between intense training sessions and matches. Get enough sleep to facilitate muscle repair and mental rejuvenation. b. Injury Treatment: If you encounter any injuries or discomfort, seek appropriate medical attention and follow a rehabilitation program to ensure a safe and timely return to the court.

Enjoying the Journey: Embracing the Love for Tennis a. Fun and Recreation: While improving your skills and achieving your goals are important, remember to enjoy the process and have fun on the tennis court. Play friendly matches, participate in social tennis events, and savor the joy of the game. b. Lifelong Learning: Tennis is a sport that offers continuous learning opportunities. Stay updated with the latest trends, strategies, and techniques by following professional tennis matches, reading books, watching instructional videos, and seeking guidance from experienced coaches.

Conclusion: By immersing yourself in the world of tennis, training diligently, honing your skills, and embracing the love for the game, you'll embark on a rewarding journey filled with growth, achievement, and unforgettable experiences. Tennis is more than just a sport; it's a passion that can shape your character and provide lifelong enjoyment. So, step onto the court with confidence, embrace the challenges, and let the game of tennis elevate you to new heights both on and off the court.

[beachcitytennisacademy]

Important Points to Consider Before Enrolling Your Child for Tennis Lessons

Tennis is a great way to enhance concentration, discipline, and hand-eye coordination. Children who take tennis lessons are more likely to develop socially and emotionally. Now kids of all ages can enjoy and benefit from playing tennis.

If you are considering enrolling your kid in tennis lessons, you might need clarification on what to expect. In this blog, we will discuss the popular queries parents may have about kids' tennis classes in Santa Monica.

1.    What Type & Size of racquet should be?

Generally, the sizes recommended are as follows:

Ages 0-4: 19″

Ages 4-5: 21″

Ages 6-7: 23″

Ages 8-10: 25″

Ages 10-12: 26″

Ages 12 & up: adult size-27″-29″

Typically, racquets start around $80. Even most brands will indicate their products' age range and racquet size.

2.    What type of balls should be used?

Tennis balls from the store can introduce your youngster to the sport, although felt or foam balls are often considered preferable in tennis classes in Santa Monica. These balls rebound more slowly because they are lightweight.

As a result, kids have plenty of time to react to the ball. They are also safer due to their softness.

3.    What type of lesson is good for kids?

There are many types of lessons. But the three main standard tennis classes in Santa Monica are private, semi-private, and group lessons.

Private: In private lessons, children get completely individualized attention. This will allow them to improve as quickly as possible. Not only this, but it will also help them get the best format to "fix" a stroke.

Semi-private: The cost is shared between two players in their particular type of lesson. The kids also have a peer to play with and practice with. Moreover, the coaches can easily organize games and competitions among the students.

Group: The cost of these group lessons is very low. Children also get different peers with whom they can easily socialize and talk. They do not have much pressure on them and can enjoy and learn the game freely.

4.    How long should tennis lessons for kids be?

Usually, for kids ages 4–7, 30 minutes is plenty. Kids ages 8–12 might consider 45 minutes, and kids ages 12 and older can easily handle 60 minutes.

5.    What qualities should a tennis instructor have?

Enthusiasm: If the instructor isn't passionate about being out there on the court, how can your child be expected to be motivated? So, it is essential to choose a more enthusiastic instructor. Kids playing tennis frequently pick up the instructor's enthusiasm if they are excited.

Knowledge: You should always choose an instructor with sound knowledge of things like grips, stroke techniques, footwork, and strategies.

Patience: It is important to make your child feel comfortable with the instructor. It is imperative to find a calm instructor who offers a lot of praise and does not show frustration if it takes time for your kid to improve their skills.

Communication Skills: It is essential to understand multiple learning styles. One student can learn from verbal instruction, and another may need step-by-step visual guidance. They need to break down the instructions into a progression of achievable goals. Also, communicating by using humor at times helps make a lesson more fun for your kid.

6.    What exactly is taught in tennis lessons for kids?

In tennis classes in Santa Monica, your child will learn the fundamentals of the forehand, backhand, volley, overhead, and serve, starting with a drop feed, short tossed, and then a feed from the racquet.

Your kid should begin inside the service line and then move back gradually when they succeed in drilling. Drills and games are used to make it educational and fun, too. That's the most important thing for your child to experience success, the lesson must be fun!

Conclusion

At Beach City Tennis Academy, we offer tennis classes in Santa Monica.

You can easily enjoy the benefits of playing the game and become good at it. If you are considering taking some lessons to become a tennis player, visit our website to learn more.

[hatdigidigidog]

Monica Puig (PUR) vs Angelique Kerber (GER) - Women's Tennis Singles Final | Rio 2016

Court Dimensions

Key Tennis Court Dimensions

Overall Length: 78 ft / 23.77 m Overall Width: 27 ft / 8.23 m (Singles), 36 ft / 10.97 m (Doubles) Overall Surface Area: 2,106 sq ft / 195.7 sq m (Singles), 2,808 sq ft / 260.9 sq m (Doubles)

Areas of the Tennis Court

Length of Service Box: 21 ft / 6.4 m Width of Service Box: 13.5 ft / 4.1m Area of Each Service Box: 283.5 sq ft / 26.3 sq m Backcourt (No Man's Land): 18 ft / 5.5 m x 27 ft / 8.2 m (486 sq ft / 45.2 sq m) Doubles Alley: 39 ft / 11.9 m x 4.5 ft / 1.4 m (175.5 sq ft / 16.3 sq m) Net: 3ft / 0.9m high in the centre, 3.5ft / 1.1 m high at the net posts Center Line: 4″ / 0.1 m long

Equipment

Racket

Rackets can be made of many alloys or wood. There are no restrictions on the size or materials used in making a racket. It has an oval head and a gradually widening throat that connects the narrow handle with the head of the racket.

The head of the racket is tightly woven with strings which are made of various materials like nylon, gut or synthetic gut. The handles are covered with leather or nylon for a better grip.

Ball

As per ITF rules, Tennis balls are yellow colored spherical balls, with a diameter between 2.5 and 2.625 inches. They weigh between 2 and 21/16 oz. Pressurized rubber is used to make semi spherical half shells. They are then joined with compressed air between them.

The spherical balls are covered with bright yellow colored felt. Kids aged ten and under play with different colored balls. They move slower, bounce lower. They are also softer and larger and are easy for kids to hit them.

Net

A rectangular net is used to separate the two sides of a Tennis court. The net should cover the space between the two net posts. The net is woven in such a way that it does not allow the Tennis ball to pass through. It is usually tied in about 3 feet above the ground at the center.

Wrist bands

Wrist bands are worn around wrists to prevent sweat from wetting the players’ palm or the racket. A wet grip might not be strong.

Head band

Headbands are used to absorb sweat. They also tie player’s hair away from their face. Any tight cap made of absorbent material can also be used instead of a head band.

Tennis shoes

Just running shoes don’t provide enough lateral support to players. Tennis shoes are designed to give players better stability and prevent them from sliding while moving sideways. Shoes shouldn’t damage the court when players move briskly across the court.

Dress

Men wear T-Shirts or shirts made of materials like polyester that does not absorb sweat and keeps the player cool. They wear shorts that do not cover their knees. Though women are advised to wear just any comfortable dress, of late many Tennis champions try to make a style statement with their carefully designed clothes. Many players prefer wearing a tank top or a T-shirt on a short skirt.

Basic Skills

Technique

Biomechanically efficient technique is highly determinative of your tennis potential. Deficient technique will cause errors, especially in pressure situations. It can be even more destructive when you have bad technique and know you do, because your confidence in your game will be compromised. More importantly, biomechanical inefficiencies can lead to undue stress on the body and eventual injury. There’s a good chance that there is a stroke or two in your game that you can improve.

Footwork Speed/Agility

If you aren’t in position to hit the ball, everything else (technique, power, endurance, etc) is irrelevant. Many players incorrectly attribute a bad shot to incorrect technique when the culprit is often suboptimal footwork. Your footwork speed, intensity, and efficiency is a critical aspect of your game that needs to be developed. Your footwork affects every single shot in your repertoire. It is the difference between a powerful, offensive, and balanced strike, and a short, defensive, attackable one.

Power

Tennis is an explosive sport. A fast start makes a crucial difference in your ability to strike the ball in a comfortable versus a compromised position. Both the quickness of your initial reaction and sustained speed will determine how much time you will have to hit your shot. If you train in the gym to improve your game, you can’t ignore the explosive part of weight training if you want it to translate on the tennis court.

Mental Fortitude

Mental strength in the face of adversity is one of the most critical skills for all tennis players. You can have picture-perfect strokes and unparalleled athletic ability, but if you do not have self-belief, a competitive desire, and the ability to overcome adversity, you will not be successful on the tennis court.

Flexibility

If you are not flexible, you increase your chance of pain, injury, and a short career in the sport. In addition to reversing these issues, by training your flexibility, you will be able to retrieve more balls and return shots from uncomfortable positions. If you want a healthier body and a hugely improved tennis game, you must work on your flexibility. On my podcast, Allistair McCaw remarked that flexibility is the main reason why Novak Djokovic became #1 in the world. Watch the Serbian at work, and you will have little opportunity for argument.

Endurance

Sustaining a high-level of play for several hours on the court is critical for any competitive tennis player. The most crucial period of any match is closing out the win, and if you cannot perform optimally because of fatigue, you are doing your game a huge disservice.

Strength

We can all agree that the best tennis players don’t look like powerlifters or football players. That said, players often severely underestimate the impact strength plays in improving a player’s game. Dr. Mark Kovacs explained that while flexibility is very important, a muscle that is not strong enough and overstretched can cause injury. The stronger you are, the more you will be able to develop your speed and power from your base of strength.

Strategy

Creating and implementing a solid strategy for your matches will result in more wins. As I discussed in my article on how to formulate a winning game plan, formulating strategy based on your game and your opponent’s game offers many advantages, including helping you stay focused, handle pressure, and play matches more optimally.

Technical Skills

From the practical perspective, a tennis player’s technique/skills will determine what that tennis player is consistently capable of doing with the tennis ball through different types of strokes (forehand, serve, backhand, slice, etc.), in a variety of practice situations and then during a variety of match situations. Some key words and terms here are “consistently” and “variety of practice and match situations.” This is because something could be classified as “highly-skilled” or “proficient,” only if it can be successfully repeated multiple times under different conditions (situations). For example, a tennis player’s forehand cross-court could be considered technically highly proficient (skilled) if that tennis player is able to make 90 percent or more of their forehands while hitting in various situations in different ways.

In situations such as feeding drills and live ball rallies, hitting your cross-court forehand on the run and hitting the cross-court forehand slice shot, during practice points, are effective techniques. Hitting your cross-court forehand on the rise and hitting a cross-court forehand with more or less pace, height and spin will bring variation to your game. Once the tennis player has the technical ability (skill) of the specific element (stroke) in tennis, one can hope that that kind of skill would be successfully transferred to official tournament match situations.

This logic could be applied to mastering all different types of elements/strokes in tennis, such as slice, serve, return, volley, overhead, drop shot, etc.

Naturally, it is wise to work on a variety of technical skills in tennis because the more skilled the tennis player is, the more tactical (decision-making) options in a match they will have and will be able to successfully execute.

Tactical Skills

To be able to compete well in a match, a tennis player needs (besides specific tennis skills as described in the paragraphs above) to consider some of the tactical aspects of the game, such as understanding patterns of play (the geometry of play), higher versus lower percentage choices of plays/shots, and an opponent’s strengths and/or weaknesses, to mention a few important ones.

Also, to compete well in a match, a tennis player needs to understand, feel and be realistic about their own level of specific tennis skills. This awareness can contribute significantly to the quality of their own match performance. For example, a tennis player who is more realistic about their own level of specific tennis skills is more likely to manage those skills better, or in other words, make better decisions (shot and pattern selection) during points. With that in mind, the player will be able to perform on a higher level in the match relative to their level of specific tennis skills than a player who is less realistic about their own level of specific tennis skills.

Rules of the Game

The game starts with a coin toss to determine which player must serve first and which side they want to serve from.

The server must then serve each point from alternative sides on the base line. At no point must the server’s feet move in front of the baseline on the court prior to hitting their serve.

If the server fails to get their first serve in they may take advantage of a second serve. If they again fail to get their second serve in then a double fault will be called and the point lost.

If the server clips the net but the ball goes in the service area still then let is called and they get to take that serve again without penalty. If the ball hits the net and fails to go in the service area then out is called and they lose that serve.

The receiver may stand where they wish upon receipt of the serve. If the ball is struck without the serve bouncing then the server will receive the point.

Once a serve has been made the amount of shots between the players can be unlimited. The point is won by hitting the ball so the opponent fails to return it in the scoring areas.

Points are awarded in scores of 15, 30 and 40. 15 represent 1 point, 30 = 2 and 40 = 3. You

need 4 points to win a game. If a game lands on 40-40 it’s known as deuce. From deuce a player needs to win 2 consecutive points to win the game. After winning one point from deuce they player is on advantage. If the player wins the next point they win the game, if they lose it goes back to deuce.

To win the set a player must win 6 games by 2 or more. The opening sets will go to a tie break if its ends up 6-6 where players play first to 7 points. The final set will not have a tie break and requires players to win by two games with no limits.

If a player touches the net, distracts his opponent or impedes in anyway then they automatically lose the point.

The ball can hit any part of the line for the point to be called in, outside the line and the ball is out.

The balls in a tennis match are changed for new balls every 6 games

A player loses a point if they fail to return the ball in either the correct areas on the court, hits the net and doesn’t go into opponent’s area or fails to return the ball before it bounces twice in their half.

Officiating Tennis

Line Umpire:

This official is primarily used at professional events. As a member of the on-court officiating team, the line umpire assists the Chair Umpire in determining if a ball falls within or outside of the boundaries of the court.

Chair Umpire:

Responsible for all aspects of the match to which he/she is assigned, the chair umpire applies the Rules of Tennis, Code of Conduct, and Tournament Regulations on court, either as a solo chair umpire, or working with a lines crew.

Roving Umpire:

The roving umpire exercises jurisdiction over more than one court at a time, in the case of matches played without a chair umpire. His/her duties are similar to those of a chair umpire – and also include working with the Tournament Committee to ensure that assigned courts are ready for play, resolving scoring disputes, controlling spectators, parents, and coaches.

Referee:

The referee is the final on-site authority for the interpretation of the Tournament Rules, Code of Conduct, Rules of Tennis, and all aspects of play. The referee is an integral part of the Tournament Committee and ensures that the event is organized in a fair manner according to the Tennis Canada guidelines. All sanctioned events are required to have a referee on-site while play is in progress.

Chief of Officials:

At larger, or professional events, the line and chair umpires are often hired and managed by a chief of officials, who may also be responsible for training and evaluation of the officials during the event.

Analysis 

RIO DE JANEIRO — The Puerto Rican anthem had just been played for the first time at an Olympic medal ceremony. Mónica Puig was still wiping away the tears when the two women she had defeated in her final surge to her gold medal stepped up to the top step of the podium to join her for photos. Both were Grand Slam champions. Petra Kvitova, whom Puig upset in three sets in the semifinals, has won Wimbledon twice. Angelique Kerber, whom Puig upset, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, in Saturday’s final, is the reigning Australian Open champion, who pushed Serena Williams hard in a classic Wimbledon final last month. But Puig, an unimposing 22-year-old ranked 34th in the world, has won something big of her own, and she did not do it by getting lucky.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-iONJOk4NM

References: 

Barisic, D. (2017, November 28). Technique and Tactics in Tennis. Retrieved from nytennisMAGAZINE: https://newyorktennismagazine.com/technique-and-tactics-tennis

Clarey, C. (2016, August 13). Puerto Rico Gets First Olympic Gold as Mónica Puig Surprises in Tennis. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/sports/olympics/monica-puig-angelique-kerber-puerto-rico-tennis.html

Jonathan. (2019, February 13). Tennis Court Dimensions – How Big Is A Tennis Court. Retrieved from PerfectTennis: https://www.perfect-tennis.com/tennis-court-dimensions/

Mehrban. (2016, November 6). The 8 Most Critical Tennis Skills and How to Test Them. Retrieved from Tennis Files: https://tennisfiles.com/8-critical-tennis-skills-how-test-them/

RulesofSport. (n.d.). Tennis Rules. Retrieved from Rules of Sport: https://www.rulesofsport.com/sports/tennis.html

Tennisbc. (n.d.). The Tennis Canada Officiating Program. Retrieved from Tennis BC Hub: http://www.tennisbc.org/officials/officiating/

Tutorialspoint. (n.d.). Tennis - Equipment. Retrieved from Tutorials Point: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/tennis/tennis_equipment.htm#:~:text=Racket%2C%20tennis%20ball%2C%20shoes%2C,mandatory%20equipment%20for%20the%20sport. 

[huesofblue]

Maximum Results for Maximum Efforts (A Table Tennis Review - Pt. I)

When you think of a sport that uses two small paddles to pass around a small white ball across a wide green table with a short net in the middle, you would think of either ping pong or table tennis. However, according to Coach EmRatThich from the Ping Sunday (2019a), up until 2011, they were essentially the same thing – they could be interchanged for each other, they were played the same way, they used the same equipment. In fact, ping pong was just a trademarked name for table tennis in 1901.

However, when the new decade of the 2000s started, they soon developed significant differences. Coach EmRatThich enumerated their differences in his blog that aimed to differentiate the two sports, and some of those differences were the following:

[table of differences taken from Ping Sunday]

Aside from that, ping pong and table tennis also differ in the equipment they use, in their rules, in the method of scoring, in their world championships, and in the playing style utilized by their players. Regardless, they are still sports that people from around the world give importance to.

And in this blog post, we will be talking about the Men’s Singles Table Tennis Final Match at the 2016 Rio Olympics. But before that, we shall talk about table tennis’ court dimensions, equipment, basic skills, technical and tactical skills, rules of the game, and method of officiating.

Court Dimensions

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: Ecns.cn]

Rio Olympics’ Men’s Singles Table Tennis Final Match was played at the Pavilion 3 of the Riocentro, which is an exhibition and convention center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Wikimedia, 2021). There, the sport’s table courts were situated.

In the Britannica article for table tennis, written by Victor Barna (2019), the sport is played on a rectangular table with a surface that is 2’6” (76cm) above the ground and a surface measurement of 9 feet by 5 feet (2.7 meters by 1.5 meters). The net that stands 6 inches (15.25cm) in the middle spans 6 feet (1.8 meters) long across the table.

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: All About Table Tennis]

Equipment

Generally, table tennis only requires the rackets/paddles, the ball, and a table. However, the rackets, specifically, have parts that can and should be customized to fit the player’s preferences in a non-casual game. And according to the Chinese method of coaching, the minimum requirements for non-casual table tennis are the blade, the rubber, clothing and shoes, and glue for the rubbers.

As stated in the equipment page by Coach EmRatThich (2019b), the racket is made of the blade and rubber. The blade is basically the bare wood frame of the racket – it makes up 80% of a player’s playing style because this is the deciding factor of their moves and skills, and whether or not they will perform well, which is why the blade should be chosen fully according to the player’s preferences. The remaining 20% is the rubber, and this is the part of the racket on either side of the blade that adds the speed and spin to the ball. Since the rubbers are in different colors, one racket should not have two rubbers of the same color. Together, the blade and the rubber work hand in hand together in order to provide the player their best performance.

The next equipment is the ball, and it should measure at least 40mm in diameter and 2.7g in weight, and it can be either white-colored or orange-colored. Following that is the table, and it was already discussed in the previous section for the court dimensions. After the table are the clothes and shoes, and they are important equipment because they aid the player’s mobility – too tight clothes will restrict the player’s movement and bad shoes will hinder them from moving as fast as they want to. The clothes also serve as the representation for the player’s identity, especially if they are playing for a team. The last important equipment is the glue for the rubber which decides the amount of spin and renders the high-quality consistency of the rubber’s performance. Many players glue and reglue often during matches, so it is an important equipment to have at all times if a high-quality performance needs to be maintained.

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: incountryvalueoman.net]

Basic Skills

According to the Ping Pong Ruler (2020a), the basic skills of table tennis comprise only of three (3) things: having a good stance and footwork, holding the paddle properly, and knowing the basic table tennis strokes.

In table tennis, having a good stance and footwork is crucial to a player’s performance because they provide the support that the player needs in order to move fast and hit accurately. Granted that the stance varies with the type of situation that the player is in, the right stance should still be observed all throughout because it makes the player balanced and stabilized. On the other hand, good footwork provides the player the ability to move how ever they deem fit and do that quickly in accordance to their reaction time.

Holding the paddle properly is also an important fundamental skill because it basically dictates the quality of the performance (2020b). There are many types of grips that a player can utilize, and though they each have their own pros and cons, it is important to choose the right grip and to know how to handle the paddle properly in order to maintain control and accuracy in the play and to deliver split-second point-saving decisions during the game.

Lastly, knowing the basic table tennis strokes is “paramount to get the technical basics correct…they are the foundations that can be built upon as a player improves” (Larcombe, 2012).

Technical Skills

Like in every other sport, the technical skills of table tennis are largely presented through the strokes that are done by the players. Based on the Chinese coaching, which was stated in the article by Coach EmRatThich (2018), there are 10 fundamental technical skills in table tennis, that which are the following:

1. Forehand drive technique – helps the player learn the feeling of the ball which advances improvement;

2. Backhand topspin close to the table – helps the player understand how to use their wrist and to relax, and also teach them the right timing of acceleration and the correct grip;

3. Forehand push & backhand push – helps the player become used to and predict accurately the timing to hit the ball coming towards them;

4. Forehand flick – an attacking stroke that teaches the players aggression when on the offensive;

5. Backhand flick – used to return all the topspin or sidespin short serves;

6. Backhand loop the underspin ball – helps the players improve on the usage of their lower body parts which consequently improves the quality of their play;

7. Forehand attack the semi-long ball – helps the players learn how to attack semi-long balls that their opponents may resort to as an attack after a serve;

8. Learn Forehand fast serve – an indispensable skill that can put opponents under pressure, reduces the quality of the opponent’s service return, and other advantages;

9. Forehand pendulum serve – one of the best serves in table tennis because it allows the players to add many spin variations; and

10. Backhand side-spin serve – gives the player the control of the placement and the ability to reduce the pace of the game, which presents the chance of changing the outcome of the match.

Tactical Skills

Table tennis not only requires technical skills but also tactical skills in playing. While the technical skills provide the concrete physical support, the tactical skills provide the mental and situational support that a player needs in order to actually win. In his article about table tennis tactical skills, Ben Larcombe (Tactical Training for Table Tennis, 2015) enumerated some (though not limited to) general tactics that a player can use to specify, improve and win with their play:

Playing into their crossover point (playing elbow);

Using wide angles;

Giving them deep heavy backspin digs;

Keep everything tight and short so they cannot attack;

Always trying to attack (get in) first;

Varying your serves;

Keeping the ball away from their strongest side (usually forehand);

Adding float balls as a variation;

Playing short to their forehand corner and then deep to their backhand corner (or vice versa);

Staying very close to the table; and

Adding sidespin to your shots (hooks, fades, sidespin pushes etc.).

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: Medium]

Rules of Table Tennis

In order to make the matches fair and equal, rules are implemented handsomely. The following rules to be mentioned were taken from PongFit (Official Rules of Table Tennis, n.d.) which were summarized from the rules that came from USA Table Tennis:

1. GAMES ARE PLAYED TO 11 POINTS;

2. ALTERNATE SERVES EVERY TWO POINTS;

3. TOSS THE BALL STRAIGHT UP WHEN SERVING;

4. THE SERVE CAN LAND ANYWHERE IN SINGLES;

5. DOUBLES SERVES MUST GO RIGHT COURT TO RIGHT COURT;

6. A SERVE THAT TOUCHES THE NET ON THE WAY OVER IS A “LET”;

7. ALTERNATE HITTING IN A DOUBLES RALLY;

8. VOLLEYS ARE NOT ALLOWED;

9. IF YOUR HIT BOUNCES BACK OVER THE NET BY ITSELF, IT IS YOUR POINT;

10. TOUCHING THE BALL WITH YOUR PADDLE HAND IS ALLOWED;

11. YOU MAY NOT TOUCH THE TABLE WITH YOUR NON-PADDLE HAND;

12. AN “EDGE” BALL BOUNCING OFF THE HORIZONTAL TABLE TOP SURFACE IS GOOD; and

13. HONOR SYSTEM APPLIES TO DISAGREEMENTS.

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: Grabitall]

Who will officiate the sport? And how do they do it?

There is a method of officiating table tennis which ensures that the conduct of the sport is maintained to be fair and equal, and that method banks widely on the officials: the referees and the umpires.

In a nutshell, the difference between both is that the “referees control the conduct of tournaments, and umpires control the conduct of matches” (Table Tennis Queensland, n.d.). Granted that both officials are important, there is still a significant difference between them aside from what was previously mentioned.

According to Martin Hughes (Officials in Table Tennis, n.d.), the referees have the overall power over table tennis games, and they supervise the umpires during matches. The umpires, on the other hand, have their powers concentrated on individual matches rather than the tournament as a whole, which basically makes them the “people on the ground.”

[all rights reserved to the original owner of the graphic: Edmonton Table Tennis Club]

Please direct yourself to the second part of this blog post to find the actual analysis for this review. Thank you, and I'll see you there!

References

Barna, V. (2019, December 18). Table tennis. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/sports/table-tennis

EmRatThich, C. (2018). 10 Fundamental Skills for Modern Table Tennis. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Ping Sunday web site: https://pingsunday.com/10-table-tennis-fundamental-skills/

EmRatThich, C. (2019). Basic Types of Table Tennis Equipment. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Ping Sunday: https://pingsunday.com/table-tennis-equipment/

EmRatThich, C. (2019). Huge Differences between Table Tennis vs. Ping Pong. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Ping Sunday web site: https://pingsunday.com/difference-table-tennis-vs-ping-pong/#:~:text=Before%202011%2C%20%E2%80%9CPing%20Pong%E2%80%9D,Tennis%E2%80%9D%20is%20the%20same%20sport.&text=But%20serious%20players%20call%20it,formally%20train%20in%20the%20sport.

Hughes, M. (n.d.). Officials in Table Tennis. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from All About Table Tennis: https://www.allabouttabletennis.com/officials-in-table-tennis.html

Larcombe, B. (2012, November 16). The Four Basic Table Tennis Strokes. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Expert Table Tennis web site: https://www.experttabletennis.com/basic-table-tennis-strokes/#:~:text=In%20table%20tennis%2C%20as%20in,them%20right%20first%20time%20around.

Larcombe, B. (2015, March 10). Tactical Training for Table Tennis. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Expert Table Tennis web site: https://www.experttabletennis.com/tactical/

Ping Pong Ruler. (2020, October 15). Basic Table Tennis Skills You Need To Know. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Ping Pong Ruler web site: https://www.google.com/search?q=basic+skills+in+table+tennis&oq=basic+skills+in+table+tennis&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.4405j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Ping Pong Ruler. (2020, December 15). Ping Pong Grips: How To Hold A Paddle? Penhold and Shakehand. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Ping Pong Ruler web site: https://pingpongruler.com/table-tennis-grips/#:~:text=Penhold%20and%20Shakehand,a%20game%20of%20ping%20pong.

Pong Fit. (n.d.). Official Rules of Table Tennis. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Pong Fit: https://www.pongfit.org/official-rules-of-table-tennis

Table Tennis Queensland. (n.d.). Officiating. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Table Tennis Queensland: http://www.tabletennisqld.org/?PageID=10&wp=10

Wikimedia. (2021, January 30). Riocentro. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riocentro

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How To Improve Your Backhand Volley https://ift.tt/2NA5L8D Watch more tennis videos here: CTW Academy

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How To Improve Your Backhand Volley https://ift.tt/2MqNUvX Watch more tennis videos here: CTW Academy

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How To Improve Your Backhand Volley - https://youtu.be/6jytjZSKWxY

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US Open 2021 - Day 8

It’s now the first time in the open era that no American man or woman is in the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Maybe the worst day of the open so far, no matches that went to a deciding set today. That is, until the Sakkari Andreescu match which was an absolute epic.

Bencic vs Swiatek

Bencic has just come out on fire, crushing Swiatek’s 2nd serve and breaking immediately. Bencic’s first serve percentage has been exceptional throughout the tournament and she looks practically untouchable with points only last a few shots on those games. On the Swiatek serve, Swiatek is winning a lot of points on her first serve and is doing a nice job changing direction, whereas Bencic is just crushing the ball cross court. Bencic has really improved her consistency on her ball toss over the years and it’s allowed her to be much more effective on her serve than she used to be. Swiatek is mixing up her serve trying to keep Bencic off balance, she’s managed to  save a lot of break points (5 I think) as the first set has progressed. Suddenly, just before needing to serve out the set Bencic has started to show signs of some sort of a back injury, she’s had issues with the back in the past. Her first serve lost some of its effectiveness and she missed several of them, allowing Swiatek who has grown in confidence off the ground to break back and take the lead on serve at 6-5. Bencic saved a set point and we went to a tiebreak. Crazy, 14-12, 22 minute tiebreaker, both players were tight at times, particularly Bencic. Swiatek definitely looked the more likely player to win it, her groundstrokes, particularly her backhand, were excellent, but Aga missed a crucial volley that would have given her the set and Bencic was able to play solid enough defense in a few big moments to eventually take the set. Relatively drama free 2nd set, Bencic got back to playing the way she had been and closed out the match on her first attempt.

Zverev vs Sinner

Zverev got an early break and rode his excellent serving to the 1st set. Kind of a scratchy second set, a lot of errors preventing either player from being too aggressive in long rallies. Big game at 4-4, Sinner got down 0-40 but managed to save all 3 break points. Then, at Deuce, Sinner missed a volley winner really, really badly and Zverev played a great rally point to get the break. Zverev, trying to serve it out, Sinner hit some incredible returns to get to 15-40 and then hit some great returns on those points too, but he threw in some bad, bad forehand misses on rally balls. Zverev double faulted on a game point, but then threw in a 132 mph 2nd serve to get another chance. Sinner missed a high backhand volley badly to give Zverev a 2-0 set lead. Zverev was up a break but double faulted his lead away. Sinner is digging in late in the set. Ended up in a tiebreaker, but Sinner had so many chances, was able to get up a mini-break a couple of times in tiebreak and had a short ball winner opportunity at 6-5 that he just missed. Jannik was really spectacular at moments, including with some incredible returns of big Zverev serves, but he just wasn’t able to take any of his big chances and Zverev pulled it out in straights.

Opelka vs Harris

Opelka saved 6 break points in the first game of the match, Harris doing a really great job on any 2nd serve returns he gets. Harris has also done a really good job not getting intimidated by Opelka up at net, finding ways to pass him. He got the break late in the first set and served for it at 5-4 only to make 4 consecutive errors, 3 of them double faults. However, the rest of the match Harris totally dominated, Opelka looked physically spent early in the match and Harris won the next 3 sets pretty comfortably

Raducanu vs Rogers

Rogers started the match up 2-0, but then Raducanu won practically all the rest of the games in the match. Rogers just looked physically spent and unable to play at a level that would have been necessary to really challenge Raducanu. Raducanu is really quick to close down the court and attack any short ball.

Berrettini vs Otte

This was a highly competitive match with both guys splitting the first 2 sets. Otte has a quick service motion and a deadly out wide serve. Otte got a bit too predictable on his 2nd serve and Berrettini started being able to run around the backhand and hit forehands for huge returns. Otte then fell in the 4th set and hurt his wrist and couldn’t really serve or hit the forehand anymore and that basically finished him off.

Pliskova vs Pavlyuchenkova

Pliskova looked really solid, serving well and making very few errors. Got the key break at the end of the first set and then got the 2nd pretty comfortably.

Djokovic vs Brooksby

Brooksby came out hot in the first set, he served a few break points in his first service game and then managed to break Djokovic. His movement is absolutely incredible and he just doesn’t make errors. Meanwhile, Djokovic’s forehand is sailing long and he’s falling into the Brooksby trap of trying to go for too much to get out of the long rallies against him. Brooksby just doesn’t miss, he lulls you to sleep and then slams some forehands. He handles pace really well and is able to turn it in to offense in reply forcing Djokovic to make errors. He also approaches really effectively on the backhand side which is unusual. His sideswiper slice shot is really unusual and he gets it really deep or drops it short with great disguise. Djokovic just looks mentally rattled by the slow start. In the 2nd set Djokovic came our refocused and got an immediate lead, but then in a marathon 20 minute game on Djokovic’s serve Brooksby managed to break back. Djokovic is serving so big and it worked early in the game, but as the game he missed more and more. He also just was the one trying to end the points and made a lot of errors. After 5 chances to break Brooksby finally got a break on the 6th. Afterwards Djokovic finally adapted, digging in, extending points with the slice, not going for so many homeruns with the forehand. He managed to break right back and get the set. In the third, Brooksby came out looking flat and made some bizarre choices including running away from a volley and got broken. Both players looked exhausted early in the set, but Djokovic grinded out some long points and got the 2-0 lead. A big adjustment was Djokovic finding the forehand more since Brooksby just doesn’t miss with the backhand. Brooksby’s movement has declined just enough to make him less effective and Djokovic, while not exactly cruising, has been in much more control and took the 3rd set by a pretty wide margin. Roddick tweeted, “First he takes your legs ... ... then he takes your soul” and the way Djokovic has dismantled Brooksby as this match has progressed has been incredible. Djokovic’s movement has been incredible on some big points as Brooksby has looked totally spent. Brooksby, while still fighting, looks like a shell of the player he was early in the match. Djokovic really dominated him in the 4th set to get the victory and was very complimentary of Brooksby after the match. It was a very exciting first 2 sets and a very impressive albeit familiar recovery from Novak.

Sakkari vs Andreescu

Both players have pretty similar styles playing aggressive first strike tennis. Not going to be a lot of long points. Sakkari looks a bit more powerful, but also a bit more error prone. She dropped her first service game making a lot of errors, including 3 double faults. Andreescu is serving much better to start and Sakkari isn’t getting enough returns in play, letting Bianca get a 3-0 lead. Bianca had a volley that would have given her a 2 break lead, not an easy volley because it was right at her. Sakkari has stepped back and adjusted to Andreescu’s power, she’s also staying in points with her defense instead of just going for broke and it’s made a difference as Andreescu has thrown in some more misses and allowed Sakkari to break back, 4-3. It’s really Sakkari’s backhand against Andreescu’s forehand. Apart from the game where she was broken in Andreescu’s first serve has been excellent and she’s making it consistently. In the tiebreak Sakkari fell behind after and early double fault and Andreescu won some of the longer rallies of the set. Sakkari’s forehand is just not a shot she can use to consistently keep on the offensive and by continually attacking that shot Andreescu was able to get control of and win the majority of rallies to take the tiebreak 7-2. Andreescu struggling early in 2nd with something in her eye. They traded breaks early in the set. This match is so incredibly close, it’s really difficult to find anything to separate them. The only think of note is just how incredibly fast and aggressively Andreescu gets up to any short ball. They just played an absolutely epic game at 5-5, longest of the match, with some outrageous points and Sakkari somehow pulling through. Andreescu had a heavy fall, but Sakkari missed a couple crucial returns to send it to a tiebreak. Sakkari played some awesome points early in the breaker to get the lead. She failed to convert on 3 set points when she couldn’t get 2 returns in play and then hit a so-so drop shot that Andreescu tracked down, but then on the 4th chance at 7-6 she forced an error from Bianca to send it to a 3rd. This match is long and exceedingly physical, Going on 2 and a half hours before the 3rd set even starts. The real question at this point is Andreescu’s fitness because Sakkari, physically, looks great. Two things to watch early in the 3rd set, Bianca’s forehand, usually her best shot, has made a lot of errors; Maria’s serve, 9 double faults. Both players trade breaks to start the 3rd, 1-2. At 2-3, the match has cleared the 3 hour mark and Andreescu has gone off court for a medical timeout. She’s had all these problems with injuries. Andreescu has come back with heavy strapping on her left thigh and the injury is really effecting her on the serve when she has to land on the left leg. She’s moving pretty well in the rallies, but she’s collapsing after points. Sakkari got a hard fought break and now Bianca is really in trouble. Latest finish for a women’s match at the US Open ever, 5th longest women’s match in US Open history since they started keeping track of match time in 1970. It ended up at 3 and a half hours and ended at 2:14 at night. Andreescu saved 3 match points and was staggering around looking like a punch-drunk heavyweight but Maria finally closed it out at 6-3 in the 3rd.

[ilovesport2121]

What Are The Best Tennis Footwork Tips?

Roger Federer was once interviewed by Charlie Rose after winning the 2004 U.S. Open. In the video, he was asked why his game looked so graceful. Without hesitation, Roger cited his footwork as the single most important factor in his game – for beauty and effect.

Specifically, Roger said, “The key to exploring my potential is improving my footwork…It’s always what I’ve been working on.”

During the interview, Roger kept coming back to footwork. In my opinion as a coach, tennis player and critic, footwork is the single most important factor in determining a player’s success in tennis.

I say this because it doesn’t matter how good a player’s strokes are, if his footwork is lacking, he won’t be able to place himself into position to hit effective shots. If we look at the best players on the ATP tour in today’s era (Djokovic, Federer, Nadal), they all have the best footwork in the game.

It’s no coincidence these men have consistently dominated the game for the last 15 years either. If you want to improve your tennis game, nothing will do so faster than bettering your tennis footwork.

But what does tennis footwork exactly mean? We hear so much about it but it’s quite a nebulous term which is rarely clearly defined. Let’s do that now.

I can break up footwork into four distinct stages. Each stage is important and crucial to hitting great, powerful shots.

Attaining the optimal position – Getting to the spot where the striking of the ball takes place. Planting of the feet – placing the body into the proper firing position. Harnessing momentum – pushing off the ground, thrusting the torso and generating the necessary momentum to propel the arm into the swing. Recovering – returning or moving to the best location on the court. I’ll go through all four stages in detail shortly. I can tell you for certain that the best players blend them seamlessly together. They do so all match long and repeat the process over and over during a point.

When a player can use his footwork so quickly and efficiently, often and oddly, it goes unnoticed by the casual observer. What remains is a virtuoso of perfection on the court with the final punctuating shot riveted as the last memory in the viewer’s mind – not the footwork.

Stage 1: Attaining the Optimal Position

This stage can be the most difficult of all four for beginner and intermediate players to achieve correctly. This is because most people use inefficient movement to reach the ball.

Furthermore, most people set up to close or far away from the ball. However, when done correctly, getting to the spot where you can strike the ball should set you up perfectly for stage 2.

There are only three ways to move to the ball in tennis. The first is by taking a cross-step and then shuffling (or side-stepping) to the ball. This is the most commonly used technique by players.

A first cross-step and shuffle is primarily done when moving laterally but can be accomplished when moving backwards and forwards as well. This is done for balls not too close or far away – but at a middle distance.

By doing so, we can save time and put ourselves into a better position as we reach stage 2. This is the reason why professional players rarely looked rushed when hitting shots and amateurs often do.

Stage 2: Planting of the Feet

By virtue of stage 1, we should now be in the ideal position to hit the ball. In this stage (# 2), we stop our feet (if only for a second) and plant them to the ground.

Why would we do this? Because all power is generated from the ground up. It’s true for every sport and tennis is no exception. In order to use the ground, we need to have our feet firmly planted on it.

We then bend our knees and push off the ground to create energy for the swing. As we plant our feet we must also rotate our body what’s called the power position.

This is a position where our racket is back (or loaded) and our torso is turned to the side. This position creates torque and kinetic energy that can be released into the shot.

Unfortunately, many club players (especially those 4.0 and lower) fail to achieve enough torque to hit truly powerful shots. This stems from improper technique and the discomfort required in torquing the body.

I believe this stage is of huge importance when it comes to hitting very powerful shots. Both feet need to be planted firmly on the ground and the body torqued well past 90 degrees in the shoulders.

Stage 3: Harnessing Momentum

At the commencement of this stage, the body and racket will have completed the setup to strike the ball. Think of stage 2 as being a loaded gun or a crossbow pulled back into the final position before being released.

In stage 3 we execute the forward part of the stroke. This is done initially by pushing off the ground with both feet. However, it should be noted that most of your weight will be on the back foot.

This is so because we want to distribute our weight from the back leg to the front leg in order to transfer our body weight into the shot. You’ll see every great player do this on every basic shot in tennis (forehand, backhand, serve and volley).

As the legs push off the ground, the torso begins to rotate towards the net, releasing the stored kinetic energy it achieved in stage 2. The last part of the swing happens from the arm, which more-or-less goes along for the ride.

The major mistake most club players make here is thinking the arm is the primary source of power when it’s the legs and torso that really do the heavy lifting. The arm should be loose and flexible, snapping forward from the momentum of the body.

If a player never achieves an ideal power position and pushes off from the ground, then the arm is left to do the work. This results in a labored swing and slower velocity shot. Such players can never seem to generate power no matter how hard they swing.

This is because the legs and torso play a huge roll in how hard the ball is struck. If the legs and torso only play a small factor in the swing, the arm must work extra hard to compensate. This approach can tire a player out over a long match and result in weak swings.

Stage 4: Recovering

After the ball is struck and the player completes his follow through, the next and final stage is to move again. This time it’s a movement to the best location on the court to set up for the next shot.

Experienced players rely on their anticipation to move to the ideal spot to hit the next ball. This can mean moving in any direction and any distance, just depending on the situation.

Often, you’ll see a player like Djokovic (who has the best footwork in the game) immediately move to a different spot on the court after completing his follow through. He seems to always know exactly where to go.

This comes from years of playing. Beginner players often stand in the same position after hitting a shot or move only a couple of steps. This usually puts them out of position for the next shot in the rally.

If you’re unsure of where to go, a good rule of thumb is to get back to the middle of the court. In general, it’s best to play slightly in back of the baseline or inside the service line (if you come into net).

The movement in stage 4 is similar to the movement in stage 1. You can shuffle back, cross-step and shuffle back, or just run. The quicker you can reach the ideal position to set up for the next shot, the easier the game gets. It’s also more difficult for your opponent to cause an unforced error on your part.

Summing It Up

Ideal footwork requires technique, anticipation, and willingness to put in the work. Most players with great footwork are constantly in motion, taking as many steps as they need to place themselves into ideal hitting position.

The next time you watch a professional tennis match on TV or in person, take note of the footwork of the players. Instead of watching the ball or the strokes, notice how much the feet are moving.

Then compare that footwork to yours – if you’ve ever videoed your play. You’ll probably notice a big difference. One of the reasons I’m better than I look on camera is my footwork.

While my strokes weren’t honed at a prestigious tennis academy in my formative years, I make up for a lot of deficiencies with my tennis footwork. My college coach instilled it in me early on and I’ve used it religiously throughout my playing life.

Due to being in great physical shape and having a light body weight (150 lbs), I can move nearly as well as most professional players, despite being in my mid-40s. I’m actually known for being a great mover (more than anything else) and dazzle people with the balls I can track down.

I do this by utilizing the four stages of footwork I outlined in this article. If you’ve never given much thought to tennis footwork, I hope this blog post sheds new light on it for you.

While this article is by no means a comprehensive guide to tennis footwork, I hope it gives you food for thought and motivates you to improve your foot movement on court.

Thanks for reading. If you wish to leave a comment or question, please do so below and I will respond.

Don’t forget I have a ton of great blog content on here to improve every aspect of your tennis game. Use the search feature to find what you’re interested in.

[kurtwarren54]

How Yoga Reshaped the Game of Tennis

When you see the likes of Rafael Nadal battering the ball around a tennis court, it might not be immediately clear how yoga and tennis fit together. However, yoga has been a key ingredient in improved tennis fitness, and it’s changed the way the game is played.

Over the last 15 years, professional tennis has become a much more physical sport. Gone are the days of serve and volley and part time professionals; tennis is now a very demanding full-time job. 

Where a normal person will have the weekend to recover from a long week at work, a professional tennis player must recover from gruelling long matches while travelling and keeping up intense hours of practice.

This means pros need to find a way to effectively and efficiently look after their bodies, engage in active recovery and improve their on-court performance in a time effective manner. If only such a thing existed…

Here’s where yoga has shown to be a vital tool!

The Pros Turning to Yoga

Many professional tennis players have turned to yoga over the past two decades to provide this source of recovery and flexibility that they so desperately need whilst grinding it out on the professional circuit. Although many of the highest paid and top ranked players will travel with physios and physical trainers to help with their recovery, yoga has become an integral part of many players’ routines. 

Even on the shots we take for granted such as the serve, the body is under enormous pressure, and tennis player’s bodies need to be extremely flexible to deal with this. This takes a huge amount of physical training, and yoga is now a fundamental part of this. 

We have seen many players partake in yoga on social media, such as Grigor Dimitrov, Sam Querrey, Kei Nishikori, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Kevin Anderson. There is no doubt that the vast majority will now use yoga, Pilates and dynamic stretching to aid in their recovery and advance their flexibility on court. 

Yoga – Taking Djokovic to the Very Top

No player has embraced and embodied the full yoga experience more than Novak Djokovic. One of the main traits that has set Djokovic apart from the rest of the field over the past 15 years has been his physicality. 

Modern day tennis requires a unique combination of strength, rotational power, speed and flexibility, especially in the modern game. Novak has excelled in this area with his exceptional flexibility and strength from fully outstretched positions. 

In many ways, Djokovic has pushed the game on to new physical levels, through his flexibility, agility, and power, and yoga has been a key part of this. His incredible physicality makes the court feel small for an opponent and overwhelms them, forcing them into errors that they would not usually commit. 

Since bursting on the scene in 2008 and winning his first Grand Slam at the Australian open, Djokovic has been heralded as one of the most flexible players on tour. This is fundamentally down to his dedication to yoga which has helped him with breathing difficulties, lower back pain, on court performance and mental clarity. 

Coincidentally (or not,) Djokovic has racked up 17 grand slam titles in that time and has spent an endless number of weeks ranked the number one player in the world. 

The video below is an early example of Djokovic explaining just how beneficial embracing yoga has been for his tennis career: 

A Key Element of Tennis

Following Djokovic’s success in dominating men’s tennis for the best part of 10 years, many other professional and mature players have taken to yoga as a way to improve their tennis. 

It’s now clear to see how yoga has reshaped the game of tennis, bringing extra athleticism, and importantly, allowing players to play at the top level for longer. Yoga has certainly been an instrumental part of making the physicality of the modern game more sustainable, along with shaping new footwork techniques and playing styles that push the game on to new levels. 

How Yoga Improves Your Tennis

Yoga has reshaped how tennis players move on the court and recover and strengthen their bodies off the court. More specifically, it is great at improving a few specific areas related to tennis. 

Improving flexibility

Yoga stretches out your muscles and tendons over an extended period of time, allowing them to relax and become more flexible. This is great for tennis since improved flexibility increases your range of motion. 

This image might be common place in Yoga, but it’s also creating flexibility that’s essential on the tennis court.

Being able to move through a full range of motion allows you to reach balls you otherwise would not be able to, while improving your power generation. With a full range of motion, you can twist fully in your serves, extend through your forehands and backhands, reach down low to volleys and turn defence into attack on a stretching passing shot. 

Injury Prevention

Yoga helps with joint decompression which is a key benefit in tennis. Your back, hips, knees, and shoulders are often overused and muscle imbalances are commonplace in tennis players. These occur when the body is asymmetrical and you use one side a lot more vigorously, which of course happens a lot in tennis. 

Holding yoga poses also helps with blood circulation and helps prevent muscle soreness and stiffness. These factors aid in muscle repair and recovery, along with strengthening the associated tendons. 

Balance and Posture

Performing yoga properly requires sound posture and body structure. Therefore, doing yoga regularly helps by realigning your body to its natural and healthy form. This is also great for injury prevention and improving your range of motion.

Many yoga poses also require a great deal of balance to hold for any length of time, so of course this will also be improved in the process! Balance is a key element to playing better tennis, as it allows you to be nimble and change direction more efficiently. 

Mental Clarity

One of the often-overlooked aspects of yoga is the mental calmness it provides. During a yoga session, you will be concentrating solely on the task in hand. Most yoga positions engage almost all muscle groups and different areas of your body, so whilst improving your hand-eye coordination, you’ll also be pretty preoccupied. 

This, along with the endorphins released from the exertion, give a great sense of calmness and mental clarity after a yoga session. This can then be transferred into other areas of life, including onto the tennis court. 

Top Yoga Positions for Tennis Players 

Below are a few of the most beneficial yoga positions for tennis players. These poses will stretch and strengthen the most used muscles in tennis and help you to improve your game. 

Cat and Cow Movement

This position is fantastic for releasing tension in the spine and back muscles, along with improving breath control.

Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose is essential for stretching out hip flexors and glutes, two fundamental body parts used for tennis. 

Revolved Triangle Pose

This pose is great for stretching the upper body. You will relieve tension from your chest, spine and shoulders by rotating through the pose, along with improving balance. 

Tree Pose

The tree pose helps to stretch and strengthen the hips, whilst predominantly focussing on balance. This is a challenging pose for tennis players.

Conclusion 

Yoga has undoubtedly had a role in shaping professional tennis, but it’s not just in the pro game that it can make a difference. 

Every tennis player wants to continue to enjoy the game well into old age without suffering from the niggling injuries that tennis often involves. Yoga is an amazing way to protect yourself from some of the most common tennis injuries, and there are so many benefits besides this. 

Yoga has changed the game of tennis at the very top, and it can also have a positive impact for you. 

——————-

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by William Palmer, a former college tennis player and founder of www.thetennisbros.com. Having suffered from chronic injuries, he has embraced yoga as a way to keep him playing the game he loves.

Photo credits Photo by Moises Alex on Unsplash Photo by Zoë Reeve on Unsplash Photo by flou gaupr on Unsplash Photo by Rawan Yasser on Unsplash

from Wellness https://dailycup.yoga/2020/11/28/how-yoga-reshaped-the-game-of-tennis/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[karenaashbya]

How Yoga Reshaped the Game of Tennis

When you see the likes of Rafael Nadal battering the ball around a tennis court, it might not be immediately clear how yoga and tennis fit together. However, yoga has been a key ingredient in improved tennis fitness, and it’s changed the way the game is played.

Over the last 15 years, professional tennis has become a much more physical sport. Gone are the days of serve and volley and part time professionals; tennis is now a very demanding full-time job. 

Where a normal person will have the weekend to recover from a long week at work, a professional tennis player must recover from gruelling long matches while travelling and keeping up intense hours of practice.

This means pros need to find a way to effectively and efficiently look after their bodies, engage in active recovery and improve their on-court performance in a time effective manner. If only such a thing existed…

Here’s where yoga has shown to be a vital tool!

The Pros Turning to Yoga

Many professional tennis players have turned to yoga over the past two decades to provide this source of recovery and flexibility that they so desperately need whilst grinding it out on the professional circuit. Although many of the highest paid and top ranked players will travel with physios and physical trainers to help with their recovery, yoga has become an integral part of many players’ routines. 

Even on the shots we take for granted such as the serve, the body is under enormous pressure, and tennis player’s bodies need to be extremely flexible to deal with this. This takes a huge amount of physical training, and yoga is now a fundamental part of this. 

We have seen many players partake in yoga on social media, such as Grigor Dimitrov, Sam Querrey, Kei Nishikori, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Kevin Anderson. There is no doubt that the vast majority will now use yoga, Pilates and dynamic stretching to aid in their recovery and advance their flexibility on court. 

Yoga – Taking Djokovic to the Very Top

No player has embraced and embodied the full yoga experience more than Novak Djokovic. One of the main traits that has set Djokovic apart from the rest of the field over the past 15 years has been his physicality. 

Modern day tennis requires a unique combination of strength, rotational power, speed and flexibility, especially in the modern game. Novak has excelled in this area with his exceptional flexibility and strength from fully outstretched positions. 

In many ways, Djokovic has pushed the game on to new physical levels, through his flexibility, agility, and power, and yoga has been a key part of this. His incredible physicality makes the court feel small for an opponent and overwhelms them, forcing them into errors that they would not usually commit. 

Since bursting on the scene in 2008 and winning his first Grand Slam at the Australian open, Djokovic has been heralded as one of the most flexible players on tour. This is fundamentally down to his dedication to yoga which has helped him with breathing difficulties, lower back pain, on court performance and mental clarity. 

Coincidentally (or not,) Djokovic has racked up 17 grand slam titles in that time and has spent an endless number of weeks ranked the number one player in the world. 

The video below is an early example of Djokovic explaining just how beneficial embracing yoga has been for his tennis career: 

A Key Element of Tennis

Following Djokovic’s success in dominating men’s tennis for the best part of 10 years, many other professional and mature players have taken to yoga as a way to improve their tennis. 

It’s now clear to see how yoga has reshaped the game of tennis, bringing extra athleticism, and importantly, allowing players to play at the top level for longer. Yoga has certainly been an instrumental part of making the physicality of the modern game more sustainable, along with shaping new footwork techniques and playing styles that push the game on to new levels. 

How Yoga Improves Your Tennis

Yoga has reshaped how tennis players move on the court and recover and strengthen their bodies off the court. More specifically, it is great at improving a few specific areas related to tennis. 

Improving flexibility

Yoga stretches out your muscles and tendons over an extended period of time, allowing them to relax and become more flexible. This is great for tennis since improved flexibility increases your range of motion. 

This image might be common place in Yoga, but it’s also creating flexibility that’s essential on the tennis court.

Being able to move through a full range of motion allows you to reach balls you otherwise would not be able to, while improving your power generation. With a full range of motion, you can twist fully in your serves, extend through your forehands and backhands, reach down low to volleys and turn defence into attack on a stretching passing shot. 

Injury Prevention

Yoga helps with joint decompression which is a key benefit in tennis. Your back, hips, knees, and shoulders are often overused and muscle imbalances are commonplace in tennis players. These occur when the body is asymmetrical and you use one side a lot more vigorously, which of course happens a lot in tennis. 

Holding yoga poses also helps with blood circulation and helps prevent muscle soreness and stiffness. These factors aid in muscle repair and recovery, along with strengthening the associated tendons. 

Balance and Posture

Performing yoga properly requires sound posture and body structure. Therefore, doing yoga regularly helps by realigning your body to its natural and healthy form. This is also great for injury prevention and improving your range of motion.

Many yoga poses also require a great deal of balance to hold for any length of time, so of course this will also be improved in the process! Balance is a key element to playing better tennis, as it allows you to be nimble and change direction more efficiently. 

Mental Clarity

One of the often-overlooked aspects of yoga is the mental calmness it provides. During a yoga session, you will be concentrating solely on the task in hand. Most yoga positions engage almost all muscle groups and different areas of your body, so whilst improving your hand-eye coordination, you’ll also be pretty preoccupied. 

This, along with the endorphins released from the exertion, give a great sense of calmness and mental clarity after a yoga session. This can then be transferred into other areas of life, including onto the tennis court. 

Top Yoga Positions for Tennis Players 

Below are a few of the most beneficial yoga positions for tennis players. These poses will stretch and strengthen the most used muscles in tennis and help you to improve your game. 

Cat and Cow Movement

This position is fantastic for releasing tension in the spine and back muscles, along with improving breath control.

Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose is essential for stretching out hip flexors and glutes, two fundamental body parts used for tennis. 

Revolved Triangle Pose

This pose is great for stretching the upper body. You will relieve tension from your chest, spine and shoulders by rotating through the pose, along with improving balance. 

Tree Pose

The tree pose helps to stretch and strengthen the hips, whilst predominantly focussing on balance. This is a challenging pose for tennis players.

Conclusion 

Yoga has undoubtedly had a role in shaping professional tennis, but it’s not just in the pro game that it can make a difference. 

Every tennis player wants to continue to enjoy the game well into old age without suffering from the niggling injuries that tennis often involves. Yoga is an amazing way to protect yourself from some of the most common tennis injuries, and there are so many benefits besides this. 

Yoga has changed the game of tennis at the very top, and it can also have a positive impact for you. 

——————-

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by William Palmer, a former college tennis player and founder of www.thetennisbros.com. Having suffered from chronic injuries, he has embraced yoga as a way to keep him playing the game he loves.

Photo credits Photo by Moises Alex on Unsplash Photo by Zoë Reeve on Unsplash Photo by flou gaupr on Unsplash Photo by Rawan Yasser on Unsplash

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8246247 https://dailycup.yoga/2020/11/28/how-yoga-reshaped-the-game-of-tennis/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[dinkprous]

How To Hold A Pickleball Paddle?

The players of pickleball may like to use even an ordinary paddle because of its perforated, sweat absorbing, and extra cushioned grips. The grips of these paddles are designed to allow the players to use the paddle in different styles while playing pickleball. The information provided in this write-up can help you to find the answer to the question of how to hold a pickleball paddle.

Importance Of Grip In Pickleball

Before discussing the ways to hold a paddle of pickleball you must know why it is so important to hold properly.

Actually, you can make the best strokes in pickleball by holding the paddle properly. You can ensure good results of dinks, volleys, and touch shots by gripping the paddle nicely. You can improve the quality of your game gripping the paddle suitably. To avoid slipping the paddle from your hands you can use different techniques to hold the paddle comfortably to play the game naturally.

Techniques To Hold A Pickleball Paddle

There are three techniques to hold the paddle of pickleball including Continental grip, western or semi-western grip, and eastern grip.

Continental Grip

When the paddle is held by the players like a hammer to hammer a nail then it is known as a Continental grip. This grip allows the player to play forehands and backhands with equal ease. To understand this grip more easily, you should hold the paddle as you shake hands with your friends. While meeting the bevel of the paddle you should watch carefully that your hand makes a V shape. This grip allows you to switch between forehand and backhand strokes easily.

Semi-Western Or Western Grip

In this grip, you should shift your hand like a swapping fly to the paddle’s back. This grip is the best for the players playing pickleball without any background of paying paddle games.

For playing forehand strokes, this grip is the best as it allows your palm to remain behind the paddle’s flat portion. If the base of your forefinger is positioned on the handle then it is a semi-western grip but if all of your fingers are on the bottom of the paddle’s handle then it is known as a western grip.

The player cannot play backhand strokes easily with this grip.

Eastern Grip

It is the most popular grip among the players of pickleball as it allows them to play backhand and forehand strokes easily. This is the best grip for the players playing forehand strokes more than backhand strokes. So it is considered an ideal grip for handling the paddle of pickleball.

Conclusion

While playing pickleball people usually overlook the importance of holding their pickleball paddles and for this reason, they use different techniques while holding a paddle of pickleball. Actually, it is important for the player to hold the paddle properly and feel it before starting to play pickleball. A comfortable grip on the paddle can help in improving your game more effectively. However, how to hold a pickleball paddle mainly depends upon the choice of the player as well as the type of strokes played by him.

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