Why you shouldn't avoid playing practice sets

Why you shouldn’t avoid playing sets in your practices.

What do you do for your tennis practices? Some people say that they don’t like to play tennis matches. There are people out there who avoid matches just like some of you avoid taxes and dental visits. And I have to admit-I am one of those people. Or I was one of those people. Until, I realized that the only way I am going to improve my match play skills and combat match anxiety is by actually playing sets.

b

This week, I went to hit with my friend. I was having a blast playing singles. I was hitting the crap out of the ball (sorry, I couldn’t find a better word for it) and relishing my brilliant shots. Then my friend said, “lets play a set, I need to practice for playoffs”  And I thought, ok, why not. And boy did I learn a lot from playing the set. I’ve been reading a book on mental toughness by Frank Giampaolo called the Tennis Parents’ Bible and it talks about different messages to tell yourself between points regarding strategy. So, I figured playing this practice set would be a great opportunity to practice implementing these mental patterns. I started out roughly. I wasn’t hitting the ball the way I did in the practice session. My balls were landing short and they were just plain weak. Of course, she started out by hitting sharp shots and moving me around the court. I was down 0-2 and I started going back to my usual patterns of scolding myself for being down to a person I felt I should beat. Then, I told myself about how maybe I’m just not the kind of person who wins matches. And then I realized that I had to replace these thoughts with other thoughts. Like, “how the heck am I going to beat her? What do I need to do? What patterns do I need to execute in order to win?” I need to hit to her backhand to start with, then I need to hit to the other side of the court to get her on the run and then I need to go for  a winner when the opportunity is right. Between every point, I kept asking myself, “where is her backhand” While this sounds rudimentary and I’m sure there are more sophisticated patterns, I felt that a simple message like that could sooth me and stop me from self destructing and either allowing her to continue being aggressive and teeing off of my short balls or over hitting shots to compensate for het winners. So, I kept asking myself “where’s her backhand”. Suddenly, I was able to produce deeper shots and even muster the gumption to attempt aggressive shots when the opportunity presented itself. I eventually, was able to come back and win the set, 6-3, after having been down 2-0. I continually assessed what patterns were pertinent and appropriate for that stage in the game. I would obviously risk more if I was up 40-15 and play more safely and allow her to make the errors if it was deuce. At the end of the set, I felt that I had learned to switch from the scolding/ bashing mode to the thoughtful tennis mode well. In addition, I felt that I exhibited more endurance than my friend. However, I wasn’t the tennis goddess I am making myself out to be. I did fail to approach the net and volley’s are my greatest asset.  What will happen next set? Will I improve at my ability to approach the net? Do you think people should play the same way regardless of the score? Email your thoughts to info@elftennis.com. Stay tuned for more tennis tips in the coming days.

Serve and volley with success

Blog post on serve and volleying


Ever see players who rush and crush and think, gee whiz that game looks intimidating but how could a mortal like me possibly execute that kind of game? Won't I just get passed every time? Will I even arrive at the net on time to execute my volley? In this blog post, I'll give you the lowdown on how to successfully rush and crush the net.

The magic behind the rush and crush strategy lies in selecting which of your opponent's shots shot to approach the net on and what shot to hit as your approach shot. The shot that you hit your approach shot off of should be shallow ( landing around the service line or slightly deeper) and must land comfortably in your strike zone (waist to shoulder height). In addition, the shot should be hit to your stronger side. It is important that you are able to produce a punishing, well placed shot when approaching the net so that you can put your opponent on the defensive and force your opponent to hit a weak shot. Two factors to consider when selecting your approach shot are  (1) what is your stronger side , (2) what is your opponents weakness. Also, consider the speed of your approach shot. It is critical not to hit too speedy a shot as that won't allow you sufficient time to get into the net. After you hit an approach shot it's time to approach the net. One of the most commonly made mistakes is where we position ourselves when we come to the net. Most players think that the correct place to station one self is in the center on the service tee. That is a misconception, the correct positioning tactic is to follow your shot so that you are positioned on the same side as your shot. If you hit a ball to the deuce side position yourself in the deuce side and vice versa. Once you are positioned correctly, you must hit a set up volley. Expect to have to hit more than one volley before you win the point. There are a few sequences that will likely lead you to emerge victorious. Here are two possible patterns.First is short volley, long volley. First hit a short volley diagonally from your opponent then if they reach that volley, hit a long volley to the other corner of the court.  The reverse is also possible- hit a long volley, moving your opponent to the opposite end of the baseline, then hit a short volley to the other corner. The common theme of each of these plays is that you move your opponent in opposite directions. Well then, what if your opponent is returning your shots? How can you avoid getting passed. In my personal opinion, the answer lies in your anticipation. Reading where your opponent will play a huge role in your ability to defend against passes. Look at your opponents stance for anticipation. If they are leaning backwards, it's likely they will throw up a lob. If this is the case, move backwards. Look at how your opponents feet are pointed, chances are the ball will travel in the direction that the feet are pointed. Adjust your positioning accordingly. Furthermore, notice how open the racquet is. The more open the racquet, the higher the balls will float. In addition, to looking at an opponents positioning, it's important to use the opponents history and patterns to adjust. What has your  opponent done in past points? Have they lobbed?  Gone cross court? Down the line? Make educated guesses based on your opponents history of shots. Lastly, don't give up! It may take many attempts at the net before you begin winning points there. Once you have learned to serve and volley properly you will be able to win points more quickly and decisively. For more tips email info@elftennis.com or check out http://www.elftennis.com. Stay tuned for our next post on communication in doubles.

One On One Doubles Interview

Check out my most recent interview with Ed Krass, creator of One On One Doubles. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sweetspottennis/2015/03/19/interview-with-ed-krass-one-on-one-doubles The interview discusses the rules of One On One Doubles, the benefits of playing One On One Doubles, and the creation of One On One Doubles. This is one of my best interviews. Very lively and spirited discussion. Enjoy.