TENNIS.com - Tip Of the Week

February 2, 2009 - Stay low, play better

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:20:06 GMT

It’s one of the most repeated bits of advice in the instructor’s lexicon “Bend your knees.” But why? Here are four good reasons that it’s frequently dispensed. (1) Bending your knees helps keep the strings aligned with the fl ight path

January 19, 2009 - See the T at the Net

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:43:56 GMT

Many players have trouble determining how close to the net they should stand in doubles when their partners are serving. Should you position yourself right on top of the net, or do you hang back close to the service line?

January 12, 2009 - Play points, not games

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:10:58 GMT

If you’re like most players, your idea of practice is getting in a few sets. While there’s lots to be said for that, the problem is that we tend to play to win these practice sets and therefore don’t make

January 5, 2009 - Increase Your Racquet-Head Speed

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:48:14 GMT

Perhaps you’ve seen those colorful foam balls that many tennis instructors use with kids and beginners. These are often called “transition balls” because their purpose is to help novices quickly become better at rallying. But they can help better players

December 29, 2008 - Practice Every Type of Volley

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:35:00 GMT

When most players think about playing the net, the image of striking comfortable volleys comes to mind. In fact, many players try to improve their net games by working only on above the net volleys. This is a mistake. Such

December 22, 2008 - Play It Safer, Not Slower

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:57:38 GMT

Players tend to make errors off the ground when they begin to slow down their swings. It’s as if they get scared—especially when the match gets tight—and put on the brakes to play it safe. But this causes you to

December 15, 2008 - See the Blur

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:52:42 GMT

You’ve probably heard it a thousand times “Keep your eyes on the ball when you make contact.” This is good advice because it increases your likelihood of making solid contact. The question is, how long should you wait before you

December 8, 2008 - Put it in reverse to go forward

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:39:22 GMT

How many times have you taken the lead in a match only to find yourself thinking about the score, feeling the pressure to win, and then seeing your opponent even things up? It’s happened to all of us. One trick

December 1, 2008 - Pick the right doubles partner

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:31:51 GMT

It used to be said that the best doubles team in the world was John McEnroe and anybody else. While we can’t all play alongside a ringer, we do have some say in our selection of a partner, and that’s the

November 24, 2008 - Keep it low in doubles

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:29:40 GMT

Hitting the ball hard feels good, but knocking the cover off it isn’t always the best way to win points, especially in doubles. Screaming drives aren’t that difficult for good players to volley, particularly if they’re well above the net.

October 20, 2008 - Reach for the Sky

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 04:35:19 GMT

Do you often hit overheads into the net? If so, you may have forgotten an old, but useful, piece of advice. The next time you hit an overhead, reach for the sky with your nonhitting arm, point at the ball,

September 29, 2008 - Hands Up

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:51:22 GMT

When you prepare for a volley, think of how boxers hold their hands during a fight. They keep them in front of their faces not only for protection, but also so they can strike quickly. You can learn from this

September 22, 2008 - Yellow Light

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:49:34 GMT

Many players slow down their strokes as they anticipate contact with the ball. To hit consistently and powerfully, you need to accelerate as you hit through the ball. Here’s a tip to keep you in the right frame of mind

September 15, 2008 - Wall Ball

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:42:09 GMT

By Will Hoag We all know that a backboard is a great practice partner because it doesn't miss a shot. The problem is, a regular tennis ball comes off it so quickly that you have little time to prepare for

September 8, 2008 - Handle with care

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:19:28 GMT

By Feisal Hassan If you have trouble snapping your wrist to create spin on your serve, you might be gripping your racquet too tightly. To serve effectively, you must relax your hand and keep your arm loose. Serving with three

September 1, 2008 - Take a second (serve)

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:14:43 GMT

By Angel LopezDo you suffer from second serve yips? Three important elements to remember on the second serve are time, imagination, and relaxation. Time Don’t rush a second serve bounce the ball a few times and make sure you’re comfortable

August 25, 2008 - Maintain equal distance

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:06:50 GMT

By Debbie Ballerino The easiest rule to follow when hitting a volley is “equal distance and beyond.” For example, when you’re volleying from the service line, you need to aim at the service line or beyond on the opposite side

August 18, 2008 - Think Australian

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:21:32 GMT

By Ken DeHart Do you face doubles opponents who are adept at returning your serve away from your partner at net? This can be a problem if you like to serve and stay back, and one of your ground strokes

August 11, 2008 - Backhand Volley

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:48:06 GMT

Having trouble with your backhand volley? Nick Bollettieri teaches you the basics in this video. Nick Bollettieri has trained numerous collegiate and professional players, including 10 who reached the world No. 1 ranking. For more video tips from Nick, plus

August 4, 2008 - Gateway to a serve

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:42:59 GMT

By Joe Dinoffer Is your toss inconsistent and often behind you? Here’s a good way to fix the problem. Find some courts with a gate. Line up your front foot in the open gateway and toss the ball outside the

July 28, 2008 - Vary your volleys

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:58:11 GMT

Most players practice one kind of volley the kind that’s hit right to them. If you want to improve your net game, you have to

July 21, 2008 - How Low to Bend?

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:48:00 GMT

By Alan CutlerBending your knees lower than you think you need to will help you get under the ball and increase spin. Pretend there is a bar at the height of the ball is and you need to get your

July 14, 2008 - One Step, One Dollar

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:39:39 GMT

By Pat Dougherty Most players don’t take enough steps when running to get into position for a ground stroke. Here’s a game that will keep you thinking about small steps—and lead to a big payoff. Pat Dougherty is a stroke

July 7, 2008 - Junk the Cadillac

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:34:28 GMT

By Ken DeHart Do you lurch forward on your volleys and finish them off balance? I call this the “Cadillac volley.” When you quickly stop your feet, the rest of your body continues forward, just like in a car when

June 30, 2008 - Bottom view

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:30:20 GMT

By Dave Hagler We’ve all heard that you should bend at the knees and not at the waist when hitting ground strokes. To learn to bend at your knees rather than at your waist, try watching the bottom half of