Universal Rules of Tennis #1

 #1 Universal Rule of Tennis - The ball goes where the racket-face is pointed at contact. The player is responsible for working out the details like getting there, positioning, and creating enough force to redirect the energy of the incoming ball. The proper form makes this easier to accomplish. The safe answer for returning a ball when under pressure is to send it back to the same place it originated. Changing the ball direction intentionally and accurately requires multiple skills.

Stick with tennis on the Tennis court. Coaches should avoid politics and religion on the court.

Tennis coaches should stay out of all such discussions generally since I found there is nothing to gain from it. When I coached adults I always told them that we leave all such subjects outside the tennis court fence. We operate at a higher plane once on the court where our focus is Tennis and limit hate to dead tennis balls.

Novak Djokovic Wins Australian Open - his 18th Major Win

  This win was needed by Novak to regain momentum and to move him closer to the possibility of reaching the 20+ majors group that now includes Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.  

ESPN - Novak win is a catalyst for the chase to 20

Roscoe Tanner and the Flat Serve

Do you want to develop a great serve?  Look at one of the best servers in the history of tennis.  

He had what was considered a low toss though he always hit it at full extension.  He just didn't wait around for a  high toss to drop down but instead took it at the Apex or close to it.  

"Roscoe Tanner 

had a serve that mesmerized receivers due to a lightning-fast delivery. When I see Tanner judged as a one-dimensional player it makes me chuckle. 16 career titles mean something. Tanner's service was so good that it made the rest of his game seem less so by comparison. You don't successfully compete against such a strong field of opponents in your time unless your game stacks up as one of the best in the world at the time. He took Borg to five sets at Wimbledon and that would be enough for me personally. Taking the Australian in the final against Vilas, a clay master, in his peak year may not be exactly the same as taking the French from Rafa but there aren't many people that ever held a racket that could do either. He was fun to watch too."

Tennis Racket Effect

 This is of minimal use for most tennis players but it is interesting in the way science uses a tennis racket to explain a physical effect noticed first in space.

Tennis Racket Effect (Dzanibekov Effect)

 Tennis Racket Theorem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_racket_theorem

Tennis Envy - How to understand why other players don't like your success

 Tennis Envy

/ten-iss NVee/

noun Psychoanalysis - see Freud

envy when a player at one time in the distant past beats another player that has since shown superior results on the court.

see - Size (of trophy collection) Matters.

related- envy - the emotion of feeling inferior

Going Shirtless on the Tennis Court

Should you go shirtless out there on the court?  Here are a couple of things to consider.

 1.    I never allowed students or team players to practice this way for general decorum and it helped set the tone. 

2.    Another argument against it might include health since the days of getting a tan are over if you consider skin cancer risk, and suggest against it for that reason. After decades outside teaching, most tennis pros will get skin cancer so there is also a practical reason to limit your total exposure and I explain this to students as well. 

3.     I recommend sun protection including hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen since tennis players often get excessive sun exposure. Sunscreen and hats are cheap when you compare those to surgery to remove skin cancer not to mention the pain involved. 

4.     Private clubs have a right to set rules, but if you go out on a public court and decide to play that way I see it as a matter of choice.

Overcoming Fear at the Net

I've met many people fearful of being hit by the ball at the net.  It's understandable since it can hurt but like anything, you can train yourself out of the fear.  Excellent doubles players that I've met sometimes don't like the risk at the net initially, so here is an approach.

The student is afraid of balls hit at them with pace from the baseline when at the net? If so, I'd try reflex drills face to face at the net where body shots are part of it with increasing speed.  Sometimes you get hit.  The only big risk up there is a head shot and usually, your head just needs to get out of the way to let a ball fly out since a high ball at high speed means it my fly.   

Learn to use the racket face for self-defense from the ball at the net and over time make it the tool of replying to the shot as well.

Tanking versus Going for Broke in Tennis

If someone has to choose between tanking away a match or going for broke and being highly aggressive at every opportunity I'd say that the second option is more mentally useful. Body Language - Freezing up like a rabbit facing a predator to me is the equivalent of tanking. There is a mental lift in being on the attack even if losing is still the outcome. Attacking players have more fun. When you see slumping shoulders that's the first sign. Teach students to stand straight and walk with purpose even between points since your opponent reads body language too. I teach players defense but to always look towards offense especially if you feel mental weakness creeping in. It's better to go down like a Viking.

Greatest Attacking Players