At club level, most points are lost, not won. The player who makes fewer unforced errors wins the majority of matches, even with less power. Consistency is a skill that can be trained like any stroke. Give yourself margin Aim higher over the net than you think, often three to six feet on rally shots, … Read more
Your grip decides the angle of the racquet face at contact, and therefore how easy it is to hit topspin, flat drives, slices or volleys. There is no single best grip, but each shot has one or two that work well. Finding the bevels A racquet handle has eight sides, called bevels. For a right-hander … Read more
Tennis is a relatively safe sport, but its repetitive movements and sudden sprints put specific stresses on the body. Most tennis injuries are overuse problems that build up gradually, which also means they can often be prevented. Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) Pain on the outside of the elbow, made worse by gripping or backhands. It … Read more
Doubles is a different game from singles. Points are shorter, the net is more important, and the team that communicates better often beats the team with better individual strokes. Get to the net The fundamental rule of doubles is that the team controlling the net usually wins the point. Volleying from close to the net … Read more
Coaches often say tennis is played with the feet. Most errors that look like technical problems with the forehand or backhand are really positioning problems: the player arrived late, too close, or off balance. Better footwork makes every stroke easier. Ready position and split step Between shots, stand with feet slightly wider than your shoulders, … Read more
Tennis asks a lot of a few areas of the body: the shoulder and forearm of the hitting arm, the hips and legs that power every sprint and lunge, and the back that rotates on every stroke. Stretching keeps these areas mobile, but the right type of stretch depends on when you do it. Before … Read more
For most players, the forehand is the main weapon. Power on this side does not come from swinging harder with the arm; it comes from rotating the body, letting the racquet lag behind, and hitting the ball in the right place with enough topspin to keep it in. Choose a grip that suits topspin The … Read more
