Tennis racket : which cords are exact for you

To do that you must understand some of the physical aspects of the cord. If you must develop much power for your projectile, should obtain to you cords with the low tension. The cords with the low tension tend to develop more power than the cords which have a high tension. However, it is important to be ensured that the tension of the isn't of enough low cords to make really move the cords. If you are more than one avançé player, and to produce of many isn't of power necessary, you should go to seek a higher tension of cord. A higher tension of cord holds account of more than order of ball when in the hands of an experienced player.

Must always develop more power for your projectile? You should buy longer cords length. Moreover, a racket which decreased the density of cord (within the limits, a racket of the layman with little of cords) is known to develop more power than those with the high density of cord. Moreover, of the cords which are thinner are employed by those which wish to increase the power of their projectile. The cords which are more elastic also tend to add a little of force to the projectile.

If the power is important for you, and thus obtains a suitable rotation on the ball, there are some factors which should seek to you in your cords. A decreased density of cord, in more of facilitating the power of your projectile, is known to add additional rotation to the ball. Moreover, cords which are a thinner product more rotation in more of adding the power to the projectile.

The soft cords and the hard cords with an external coating mol tend to vibrate less, which can be a factor with regard to having a suitable handle on the racket.

If you follow these ends, to obtain exactly you can what you seek out of the execution of the cord of your racket of tennis. To have the right equipment can really give you an edge when it comes to your set of tennis, and knowledge is power. Be sure to do much attention while choosing which racket and string are right for you.

The importance of a good racket

Many tennis racket manufacturers produce multiple racket models with varying specifications. Popular brand name tennis rackets include Avery, Babolat, Dunlop, Fischer, Gamma, Head, Prince, ProKennex, Volkl, Wilson, and Yonex.
Each racket manufacturer has its own unique characteristics and nuances that pervade their entire tennis racket line.
You can consult your local tennis professional or tennis racket expert for advice on the brand of racket that is most likely to fit your needs.
Ultimately, however, testing out different brands of tennis rackets is the best way to find the right match.

Weight is another important consideration when selecting a tennis racket.
Most tennis rackets weigh between 8.5 and 12.5 ounces.
In general, lighter rackets are easier to swing and players that lack strength (e.g., older players, children) will be able to swing lighter rackets faster, generating more power. The overall effect of tennis racket weight is somewhat ambiguous, however, as heavier rackets, while more difficult to swing, are more stable and transfer more force to the ball upon impact.
Thus, when choosing a weight, comfort is the most important consideration.
Typically, players that are more skilled prefer the stability and control offered by heavier rackets.

While the length of tennis rackets is fairly standard, many manufacturers have begun to offer longer rackets in recent years. The standard tennis racket length is 27 inches.
While the rules of tennis allow rackets to measure up to 32 inches, most tennis rackets measure from 27 to 28 inches.
The benefits of increased tennis racket length are increased reach and increased power. Longer tennis rackets can provide more power because the arc the racket travels during the swing is longer (especially on the serve).
Players that are more skilled generally prefer the maneuverability of standard length rackets.

Because the grip is the tennis player's link between the tennis racket and his or her body, grip comfort is of supreme importance.
Tennis racket grips typically range from 4 inches to 4 7/8 inches in circumference.
Most adult tennis players use grips between 4 1/4 inches and 4 5/8 inches.
The easiest way to determine your grip size is to grip a tennis racket and place the index finger of your other hand in the space between your fingers and thumb/palm.
If your index finger fits comfortably, the grip size is correct.
If your index finger does not fit, the grip size is too small.
If there is a large amount of space around your index finger, the grip size is too big. Selecting the proper grip size on your tennis racket is important not only for comfort and for performance, but also for injury prevention.
Using a tennis racket with a grip that is too large or too small can lead to arm injuries.

Tennis rackets are also classified by the balance point or how the weight is distributed in relation to the head of the racket. The two balance classifications of tennis rackets are head heavy and head light. Head-heavy rackets provide more power because they place more of the tennis racket's weight behind the ball on impact. Head-light rackets, on the other hand, provide more control because they are easier to swing and maneuver and absorb more of the ball's energy on impact.

One final consideration when selecting a tennis racket is head size.
Typically, tennis racket heads range in size from 85 to 135 square inches.
In general, tennis rackets with larger heads provide more power while tennis rackets with smaller heads provide more control. Players that are more skilled generally prefer the control and maneuverability offered by midsize tennis rackets (85 to 95 square inches) and midplus tennis rackets (95 to 105 square inches).
Older adults and those who lack strength and precise strokes may benefit from oversize tennis rackets (110+ square inches).
Oversize tennis rackets can lead to sloppy strokes, and are therefore not recommended for junior players.

Tennis racket selection can be a daunting process.
However, understanding the specifications discussed in this article, brand, racket weight, racket length, grip size, balance, and head size, will help simplify the tennis racket selection process.

People engage in a set of tennis

People engage in a set of tennis by employing a particularly coated court which has a net stretched through him in the center. Players are charged to be used a ball as tennis out of rubber all while being held on the line maidservant on their side of the net. The ball of tennis must enter above the net and in the sector of the court of opponent which is diagonally located through the net. The service must remakes if the ball contacts the net during the service or does not unload suitable side of the court of adversaries.

The service of tennis is probably most difficult to make and will require of the player to develop the great force in their arm of portion. It will also require of the player of tennis to develop fast reflexes because the adversary will be ready to react just like rapid and will quickly return the ball of tennis behind above the net to their adversary. To make the services and the returns, the players of tennis employ racquets of tennis to strike each service.

While the play progresses, this competing sport is marked on the number of balls turned over during the play. Each ball which is missed will mean that point is allotted to the team of opposition. The numbers of marking are low in tennis and only four points are necessary to gain a play, but these four points will be good if the other team is two points ahead. If not, the set of tennis will continue until a team is two points in front of the other.

Populate the tennis of play to have the recreation and to be able to slacken one moment but tennis is also a sport which is very competing and is played by people everywhere in the world. Tennis is a sport which is enough competing to be included like event of Olympic Games and much of people made a life successful from playing the game of tennis. Throughout the year there are various championships of tennis and most popular is those played the large tournaments of slapping or at Wimbledon.

The long development of tennis

Tennis want exhaustive, precise, steadfast, want just right time, coordination(hand, eye, foot), speed, determine and body strong.

The compete tennis each to share equally player will determine about 900-1000 time which each determine not to 1 second.

Also dominant tennis is stop and go which don't like football or basketball they have continuously to play. Then tennis use thinking in mind with dead time middle point (20 second) period especially and period change side (1-1.5 minute) which play this build compression to competition.

Real fighter in one game to find that one in three this time have to hit tennis and two in three this time to expend to middle point and to change side. In time stop to play in mind will think in various ways.

Finally you not determination so mind nature/determination is player then player should control change interest to change back to quick from action to thought. Regular is determination not continued to make efficiency use idea and determination to lowered technical error in stroke production.

The kind effect to mind and determination

- Knock out system player not course to make amends will feel to be beaten (children) and to contract in game. - In time don't know about end game because tennis don't fix time same football. - Don't know start time because table to compete no fix time in table tell limited "Followed by" wait long time to make bore and body not ready. - Possesser confused to much about to play/train to play tennis children to be born compression and not confident Behaviour's children not confident - Not train - Easy end to persevere when learn to new skill - Not to persevere in compete time - Hight set up to target to exceed true - Find reference for avoid to lose/mistake - In lose time have refernce or win tell fortune

How to champion in level young people international or professional

- Research find develop foe children to top sportsman use time 8-12 years - For coach, sportsman and possesser mean train 3 hours for 1 day in 10 years. - Call "10 Years Rule"or '10000 Hours Rule' - Long term development Plan not short time - Magority possesser and coach usually "to come off' to stress in short time to pay attention to effect compete

Exercises to Increase the Power of Your Serve

With this, it becomes easy to drop the pace on serves allowing the player across the net to dictate your every move, and possibly derailing any chance of victory. That's why leg strength is a crucial weapon in any tennis competitor's game.

This is the first part of an ongoing series that will include exercise progressions that will not only increase your serving power, but it will increase your muscle endurance so that you'll be serving just as hard in the last set as you did in the first. Plus, with the right swing technique, your overall power will increase in a few short weeks allowing you to crush a more aces and winning shots

Though technique is the #1 factor you should concern yourself with, once you're sure that your mechanics are just right, increasing your strength, strength endurance, and explosion will add velocity to not only your serve, but to every shot.

So let's get to it...

Power, in tennis, is first initiated by your feet driving into the ground. The harder you can drive your feet, the more force and power you can generate and *potentially* transfer to your racquet.

I say potentially, because if you can generate a lot of force but can't smoothly transfer it from your legs to your racquet through your hips, core, shoulders, and arms, well, you're just not gonna have very powerful shots, much less a powerful serve.

It's that simple.

As you can see, you must be able to smoothly transfer the force generated by your legs to your racquet to increase the power of your serve. But first and foremost you have to be able to generate that force.

Today we'll concentrate on exercises that increase the strength and power in your legs, so you'll be able to generate the force needed to increase your power.

And in the following weeks, we'll discuss how to strengthen each muscle up the kinetic chain, so that the increased force you're now able to generate is properly and entirely transferred smoothly to increase your power.

Exercises to Increase the Strength and Power in Your Legs:

 The Back Squat

How to do it:

Place a barbell behind your neck across the top of your shoulders. The bar should be resting entirely on your trap muscle. Be SURE that the bar is not sitting high on your neck and resting on a vertebrate. If you're not sure and you feel pain from the bar, re-rack the weight and position the bar about an inch lower on your shoulders. If this is still uncomfortable, you can use a pad or wrap the bar with a towel to add cushion.

Now that you have the bar securely on your shoulders, position your feet approximately shoulder width apart.

Keeping your abs tight and your back straight, bend your knees and lower your body toward the ground until your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground. Return to the starting position.

If you're a beginner, use a light weight that you can handle for 12-15 reps and perform 2-3 sets with 90 seconds between each set. It's important to first develop proper form before increasing the weight.

The more advanced trainee should perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps with a bit heavier weight to stimulate the fast twitch muscle fibers that are used on the tennis court and to prepare your legs .

Elbow Injury Rehabilitation

What do I need to do? How do I do it? When should I do it? How long is the rehabilitation for my tennis elbow going to take? The answer to the last question is - As long as it takes!!

The first thing to remember is that Tennis Elbow becomes a chronic problem if it isn't looked after properly.

In terms of tennis elbow rehabilitation, there is one absolute rule. You must do nothing until you are experiencing little or no pain, and then the rehabilitation process, and exercises can only proceed providing you have no pain in whatever exercise you are doing.

Before you can start playing tennis properly again you must have restored full strength and mobility to your elbow.

There are three different phases to your tennis elbow rehabilitation, and they can be summarized as follows.

The first phase is to reduce inflammation and pain. You need to do two things here, and the first is to begin the healing process whilst also preventing the associated muscles from wasting.

The process here has four distinct parts.

Rest which means avoiding overusing the injury. You must continue to use the muscles to ensure they don't waste, and a good blood supply is maintained. The activity must not be painful, if it hurts don't do it!!

Use Ice all the time until you return to full use, as it lessens inflammation.

Use compression and elevation as it helps the blood supply and also reduces swelling.

In the second phase of tennis elbow rehabilitation, exercise comes into play. It is important to increase your elbow strength, and endurance. You need to get the elbow to function again properly.

This flexibility is achieved primarily by extending the elbow gently without flexing it, and holding the extended position for up to 30 seconds, but NOT to the point of pain, and doing this perhaps twenty times a day.

To strengthen the elbow, sit with your elbow on your knee, and with a weight not exceeding 1 lb. In your hand, and palm downwards flex your wrist up and down slowly. Note that the elbow shouldn't move at all. Do exactly the same thing with your palm facing upwards.

Another useful exercise is to use a tennis ball, and squeeze it in your hand, and keep doing this. Remember that there should be no pain.

You should gradually increase the weight as your strength grows, and always use an ice pack afterwards.

The third phase is where you gradually return to playing whilst maintaining and increasing the second phase.

In terms of playing you shouldn't start until your symptoms are gone, but what you can do in combination with flexibility exercises is to just hit gentle forehands in succession and repeat this with backhands and lobs. If you start with fifteen minute sessions, and increase it to an hour, and you get no pain, then you can start to serve, and then return to competitive tennis.

Remember that in Tennis Elbow Rehabilitation there is no gain with pain!!

Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention for your elbow

When attempting to diagnosis tennis elbow, a doctor or physical therapist will test for tenderness on or near the bony knob of the elbow joint. Pain that increases when bending the wrist back is also indicative of tennis elbow. Tennis elbow related pain also increases when gripping. Thus, shaking hands may be painful. Finally, a perception of weakness or chronic muscle fatigue in the forearm muscles is an indicator of tennis elbow.

Treatment for tennis elbow is usually conservative and passive. Most importantly, people with tennis elbow should avoid the activities that cause forearm pain (e.g., playing tennis) until the injury heals. Rest will often correct tennis elbow in a matter of weeks. In addition, the use of ice and anti-inflammatory medications can ease pain and promote healing. Physical therapy and heat therapy may also hasten the healing process. Finally, upon returning to regular activity, wearing an elbow and forearm brace can prevent recurrence of tennis elbow. Elbow braces, available at drug stores, help prevent tennis elbow by restricting movement and use of the elbow.

Because treatment of tennis elbow and recovery from tennis elbow can be a long, frustrating process, prevention is the best strategy. For tennis players, several equipment adjustments can help prevent tennis elbow. Players should select a racket with a midsized racket head (90 - 105 square inches) and high flexibility (stiffness index lower than 65). Additionally, players should string their rackets with soft strings such as synthetic nylon or natural gut at the low end of the recommended tension range. Finally, to prevent tennis elbow, players should ensure that the grip of their racket is neither too large nor too small.

Besides equipment adjustments, tennis players (and others) attempting to prevent tennis elbow can follow several guidelines related to physical activity. First, strengthening the muscles of the hand, wrist, and forearm is perhaps the best way to prevent tennis elbow. Strengthening these muscles helps reduce strain on the elbow itself. Appropriate and effective wrist and forearm exercises include wrist curls and extensions (with very light weights), squeezing a tennis ball in the palm of the hand, and placing a rubber band around the fingers and extending the fingers. In addition to strengthening exercises, it is important that tennis players consult a tennis professional to ensure that their strokes are efficient, correct, and are not placing undue strain on the elbow.

In conclusion, while tennis elbow is a potentially debilitating injury, taking appropriate preventative measures and consulting knowledgeable professionals can help limit the negative effects of tennis elbow.

Do you know the tennis elbow affects millions of players ?!

While tennis elbow, known medically as lateral epicondylitis, is not limited to tennis players, it is estimated that one third of all tennis players will experience the condition at some point in their lives.
Anyone who engages in lifting at the elbow, or repetitive movements of the elbow and wrist, is likely to be susceptible to this condition, so naturally tennis players are at high risk.

The cause of pain from this condition is not a medical certainty, although it is believed that it is caused by small tears of the tendons attaching the forearm muscles to the bone at the elbow joint. It is the muscles of the forearm that are used to cock the wrist back - extensor carpi radialis brevis - that are the suspected culprits in this condition.

So how do you know you have tennis elbow and not some other painful condition?
Individuals with this ailment typically feel pain on the outside of their elbow, especially when grabbing an object and cocking back the wrist.
The pain is generally more severe when lifting something - although pain while resting should be expected - and it is often described as a pain that radiates down the forearm.
Pain from tennis elbow generally starts gradually, although it has been known to have a sudden onset as well.

If you believe that you are suffering from tennis elbow you should consult with your physician immediately.
Treatment for this condition is typically noninvasive, and over 90% of patients are successfully treated without surgery.
Tennis players can often address the problem through some subtle changes in their equipment and technique.

A good first step is to make sure that you are using a racket with a properly sized grip. Another option is to reduce the tension on your racket strings.
That reduction in string tension will soften the impact of the ball, and reduce twisting of the forearm during off-center hits.
Lastly, changing your actual tennis stroke can help reduce the negative impacts on your elbow as well.
Players who learn to swing without leading the racket with their elbow in a flexed position can often alleviate much of the condition and reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence.

There are noninvasive medical options that can address the pain of this condition as well. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to combat both pain and inflammation.
If a regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs is not successful, cortisone injections are an option that has proven successful for some patients.

However, injections are not always successful and if relief does not come quickly then you are likely not going to be served by continued injections.
However, medication is not the only avenue that one can explore when trying to alleviate pain and discomfort in the elbow region.
Use of an elbow brace can reduce the strain placed on the elbow during the tennis stroke.

Sadly, if the aforementioned treatment options are not successful then surgery may be the only road to relief.
The good news is that surgery has a very high rate of success, and it is only required in a small percentage of patients.

Improve Your Skills Without A Court

The most effective thing you can do to improve your game when you don't have access to a court or a partner is to build your endurance and do footwork drills.
Making a regular practice of following increasingly challenging jogging routes will help you build the kind of endurance that will help you keep your energy levels high throughout even the most challenging games.
To keep from injuring yourself during a jog, be sure to do a full set of warm-up and cool down stretches.

In addition to covering some ground as a jogger, it is a good idea to make up your own personal footwork drills so that you will be able to put your newfound endurance on the courts to full use by exploring your full range of lower body movement.
Going through even a short daily regimen of slides, backwards jogs, side steps, kicks, jumps, and other low-impact aerobic moves will help you become more agile.
Being light on your feet can give you a huge advantage when you are running for the ball.
The more effortlessly you can slide, skip, run, and bounce on the court, the more graceful and efficient your play will become.
If you have access to a lot of open air space like a large field or park, try playing a bit of tennis golf as a break from your regular drills.


The game of tennis golf may sound strange, but it is actually a great way to have a lot of fun while improving your tennis skills.
You can play alone or with a group of friends. If you play in a group, make sure that everyone has a way to distinguish his or her unique ball.
A round or two of tennis golf can help you increase your serving power and accuracy while having a great time. Like regular golf, the objective of tennis golf is to get your ball to a set spot in as few serves as possible.
A landmark like a specific tree in an open field is a great place to aim for. Serve the ball as powerfully as you can and try to hit your target.
Wherever your ball lands, go to it and serve it again from there.
By playing in different kinds of terrain, you will be able to develop your serving skills in a variety of situations that call for different levels of power and precision.
The confidence and accuracy you gain from playing tennis golf can translate to a better performance on the court.

Clothes In Tennis Should Be Comfortable

As always, you want to look your best, after all, you have always been a great dresser. The decision now is 'what should I wear when playing tennis?' Do I need special outfits similar to what pros like the Williams sisters wear or can I just wear casual clothing? Bottom line is that the decision is yours to make.

You can purchase a complete outfit made by any major manufacturer of sporting goods. These include Nike, Adidas, Prince, Wilson, Head, Babolat, Balle de Match, and there still many more out there selling good products.

If you do not want to invest in the special clothes, think comfortable. Your outfit should be loose and flowing as you will be running back and forth, jumping up and down and twisting in every direction as you try to hit the ball. Maybe you will want to just wear the clothes you already have in your closet or to purchase ones-either works as long as you can move freely around the court.

If you join a group or a club and play as a team together, you may need to purchase a team uniform.

Your group will select an outfit that may include a top, shorts, socks and jacket or a special short dress with socks and a jacket-monograms are also available and you can even add the team's name to the back of the outfit.

If you have joined a tennis club, you may want to stop by periodically to see what other people are wearing. I am not saying that you should try to 'keep up with the Jones' here, but there may be an 'unspoken' dress code for players. You should be able to figure that out without embarrassing yourself by showing up inappropriately dressed.

Take time to go out and shop around for your outfit. If you do not have a lot of spare time or you hate to think about spending time at the mall on your day off, look on the internet. Just type in 'tennis clothing' and you will be amazed at the number of different web sites that will be listed.

Go through a few of these sites to get an idea of what you want-this is probably the quickest and easiest way to see literally hundreds of different options in just a few minutes. You can even order your outfit without every leaving your home-it can even be delivered directly to your door for you to wear.

Find the outfit you like and that you are comfortable in. Play tennis with your friends, make new acquaintances, schmooze with potential clients, and just enjoy yourself. You are out with people and getting exercise and you look and feel great.

A Revolution of Style in Tennis

The evolution of tennis clothes has mirrored the changes in everyday fashion.
For example, male tennis players in the 1970's and 1980's favored short, tight-fitting shorts and traditional polo shirts.
In the late 1990's and 2000's, male tennis players began to wear larger, looser shorts and more casual shirts.
In addition, female tennis players of the 1970's and 1980's favored traditional tennis clothes with an updated style. Popular clothing included shortened tennis skirts and dresses.
Today's women tennis players wear a variety of tennis clothes, ranging from tennis skirts and dresses to shorts and t-shirts.
While tennis players still wear white at more traditional clubs (ex. Wimbledon), there is a much larger variety of colors in modern tennis clothes.

Another factor contributing to the evolution of tennis clothes is the increased athleticism in the modern game.
Tennis is now a high intensity sport, requiring tremendous physical effort and exertion.
Tennis players must be able to run, cut, jump, and twist all while executing precise tennis strokes to hit a ball often moving at high speeds.
Consequently, comfort is a major concern of players.
Modern tennis players prefer tennis clothes that are lightweight, fit well, repel moisture, and are generally comfortable.
Tennis clothes that keep the body cool and dry can help players counteract the physical toll that playing tennis, especially in hot weather, can exact.

Advances in clothing technology have also contributed to the evolution of tennis clothes.
For years, cotton was the fabric of choice for tennis clothes.
In the last few years, however, many tennis apparel makers have introduced garments made of new, synthetic fibers.
Tennis clothes made of these synthetic fibers help remove sweat from the skin and clothing by wicking moisture away from the body.
Examples of these clothing technologies are Adidas's ClimaCool brand and Nike's Dri-FIT. Most professional tennis players and many recreational tennis players now wear tennis clothes made with these new technologies because they keep them cooler and drier than traditional tennis wear.

In conclusion, tennis clothes have seen many changes over the years.
While tennis clothes maintain some of their formality and traditional style, modern tennis players value comfort and individual style over tradition.
Increased athleticism, advances in technology, and changes in general fashion have greatly affected the tennis clothing industry.
In addition, breaking from their traditional roots, tennis clothes have become a medium for personal expression of individual style and important pieces of equipment in an increasingly physical sport.

Tennis Champions: Are They Born? Or they are made?

Boris Becker says that two weeks before achieving his first Wimbledon title (in 1985 when seventeen years old), he felt as if it were predetermined.

As a seventeen year old, Ivan Lendl, who, prior to Pete Sampras, held the No 1 spot longer than any other player in history, was convinced that he would turn himself into the best player in the world. He would even tell you so.

When asked by the media about his chances of winning his first US Open title (in 1975), Jimmy Connors' response was: "There are 127 losers in the draw -- and me!" Jimmy won.

What these former greats had in common was an unshakeable certainty that they would win. It is a trait that is shared by all top sports people.

But a question that has always fascinated me is: Are such champions born, or are they made?

Were Newccombe, Becker, Lendl and Connors born to rule the tennis world? Or did they become champions because of the choices they made? Was their success predetermined, as suggested by Newcombe and Becker? Or was it a result of a single-minded dedication to making themselves the very best, as implied by Lendl and Connors?

Are champions a product of nature? Or of nurture?

To be a true champion at tennis or any other sport requires very special qualities. These qualities or attributes can be divided into two categories -- the physical and the mental. It is my contention that physical attributes are predominantly a product of chance. They are determined genetically.

For instance, some people are born with a body structure conducive to speed, others to strength, and so on. In this sense, a very large proportion of the population are excluded, from birth, from ever winning an Olympic gold medal as a sprinter or a weightlifter.

It is the same with tennis. The physical attributes that are required to become a champion player are such things as good hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and leg-speed. Without question, these attributes can be developed to their fullest potential with hard work and effective training methods.

But most people are excluded from becoming the best tennis player in the world, no matter how much time they spend attempting to reach their physical ceiling of potential.

Does this mean, then, that champions are born? Were Newcombe, Becker, Lendl and Connors so physically superior to everyone else that becoming the best was just a mere formality?

Certainly not. All four were exceptionally gifted physically, but in my view, there were other players of the same eras who were more gifted than they were.

What separated them from everyone else were their mental attributes: their will to win, their determination, their perseverance, their ability to remain calm under presuure, their ability to bounce back from disappointments, and the belief that they deserved to win -- all attributes that not one of us is born with, but that each one of us has the power to develop. The only choice is whether we want to or not.

It is in this sense that, given the necessary or essential physical attributes as a starting point, all champions are not only made -- they are self-made.

Parent Syndrome in Tennis

It is one in which teenaged players, or even those in their pre-teens, are placed under enormous pressure by over-zealous parents determined to see their children scale the heights of tennis greatness.

The pressure these parents exert can come in many forms -- from subtle psychological techniques that play one child off against another ("How come Johnny's forehand is much better than yours? -- Don't you think you should practise more often?") to threatening a child with a loss of some value if he doesn't perform ("Forget about that new racquet if you don't beat Johnny").

It can involve becoming deaf to their child's concerns if those concerns conflict with what the parent has determined to be in the child's "best interests". ("I know you'd rather spend some more time with your friends, but I know what's best, and what's best is that you spend two more hours practising forehands.")

And in some extreme cases, the pressure can even take the form of actual physical abuse.

On an international scale, the most  "ugly parent" of all is Jim Pierce, whose daughter, Mary, has been for a number of years one of the game's top women players.

In the early 1990's, Jim Pierce's behaviour became so threatening to his daughter that she hired bodyguards and took out restraining orders to protect herself from him.

In 1993, he was banned by the Women's Tennis Association from attending tournaments, although that ban was lifted a few years later.

There have been many other documented instances of what can only be described as child abuse leading, in most cases, to premature retirement and the destruction of the parent/child relationship.

Bearing in mind that it is only those instances where the child reaches an international level of play that any publicity is brought to bear on an abusive parent, consider how much of this sort of thing goes on at the lower levels.

When I look at some of the tennis parents today -- in contrast to 20 or 25 years ago, when most parents were able to draw the distinction between a supportive influence and an overbearing, constraining one -- I can't help but observe the same sort of unhealthy obsession with their child's performance that characterises the more notorious of tennis' ugly parents.

Forgetting that the most important thing for a child to develop is a love of the game, these parents all but guarantee their child's involvement with the sport will be short-lived.

As anyone who has competed at a high level of sport knows, there is nothing worse than having to deal with the added burden of unwanted pressure, particularly from a parent (or coach) who has zero understanding of what the game is about -- but who thinks they do.

Living vicariously through their child, or attempting to impress other parents with their child's ability, or secretly hoping to one day live off their child's earnings, the ugly parent is driven by a compulsive desire to control every single aspect of his or her child's career, often based on a groundless assumption that their child is destined for tennis stardom.



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THE IMPORTANCE OF SINGLES AND DOUBLES IN TENNIS

Singles, the greatest strain in tennis, is the game for two players. It is in this phase of the game that the personal equation reaches its crest of importance. This is the game of individual effort, mental and physical.

A hard 5-set singles match is the greatest strain on the body and nervous system of any form of sport. Singles is a game of daring, dash, speed of foot and stroke. It is a game of chance far more than doubles. Since you have no partner dependent upon you, you can afford to risk error for the possibility of speedy victory. Much of what I wrote under match play is more for singles than doubles, yet let me call your attention to certain peculiarities of singles from the standpoint of the spectator.

A gallery enjoys personalities far more than styles. Singles brings two people into close and active relations that show the idiosyncrasies of each player far more acutely than doubles. The spectator is in the position of a man watching an insect under a microscope. He can analyse the inner workings.

The freedom of restraint felt on a single court is in marked contrast to the need for team work in doubles. Go out for your shot in singles whenever there is a reasonable chance of getting it. Hit harder at all times in singles than in doubles, for you have more chance of scoring and can take more risk.

Singles is a game of the imagination, doubles a science of exact angles.

Doubles is four-handed tennis. Enough of this primary reader definition.

It is just as vital to play to your partner in tennis as in bridge. Every time you make a stroke you must do it with a definite plan to avoid putting your partner in trouble. The keynote of doubles success is team work; not individual brilliancy. There is a certain type of team work dependent wholly upon individual brilliancy. Where both players are in the same class, a team is as strong as its weakest player at any given time, for here it is even team work with an equal division of the court that should be the method of play. In the case of one strong player and one weaker player, the team is as good as the strong player can make it by protecting and defending the weaker. This pair should develop its team work on the individual brilliancy of the stronger man.

The first essential of doubles play is to PUT the ball in play. A double fault is bad in singles, but it is inexcusable in doubles. The return of service should be certain. After that it should be low and to the server coming in. Do not strive for clean aces in doubles until you have the opening. Remember that to pass two men is a difficult task.

Always attack in doubles. The net is the only place in the court to play the doubles game, and you should always strive to attain the net position. I believe in always trying for the kill when you see a real opening. "Poach" (go for a shot which is not really on your side of the court) whenever you see a chance to score. Never poach unless you go for the kill. It is a win or nothing shot since it opens your whole court. If you are missing badly do not poach, as it is very disconcerting to your partner.

The question of covering a doubles court should not be a serious one. With all men striving to attain the net all the time every shot should be built up with that idea. Volley and smash whenever possible, and only retreat when absolutely necessary.

When the ball goes toward the side-line the net player on that side goes in close and toward the line. His partner falls slightly back and to the centre of the court, thus covering the shot between the men. If the next return goes to the other side, the two men reverse positions. The theory of court covering is two sides of a triangle, with the angle in the centre and the two sides running to the side-lines and in the direction of the net.

Each man should cover overhead balls over his own head, and hit them in the air whenever possible, since to allow them to drop gives the net to the other team. The only time for the partner to protect the overhead is when the net man "poaches," is outguessed, and the ball tossed over his head. Then the server covers and strives for a kill at once.


Always be ready to protect your partner, but do not take shots over his head unless he calls for you to, or you see a certain kill. Then say "Mine," step in and hit decisively. The matter of overhead balls, crossing under them, and such incidentals of team work are matters of personal opinion, and should be arranged by each team according to their joint views. I only offer general rules that can be modified to meet the wishes of the individuals.

Use the lob as a defence, and to give time to extricate yourself and your partner from a bad position. The value of service in doubles cannot be too strongly emphasized since it gives the net to the server. Service should always be held. To lose service is an unpardonable sin in first-class doubles. All shots in doubles should be low or very high. Do not hit shoulder-high as it is too easy to kill. Volley down and hard if possible. Every shot you make should be made with a definite idea of opening the court.

Hit down the centre to disrupt the team work of the opposing team; but hit to the side-lines for your aces.

Pick one man, preferably the weaker of your opponents, and centre your attack on him and keep it there. Pound him unmercifully, and in time he should crack under the attack. It is very foolish to alternate attack, since it simply puts both men on their game and tires neither.

If your partner starts badly play safely and surely until he rounds to form. Never show annoyance with your partner. Do not scold him. He is doing the best he can, and fighting with him does no good. Encourage him at all times and don't worry. A team that is fighting among themselves has little time left to play tennis, and after all tennis is the main object of doubles.

Offer suggestions to your partner at any time during a match; but do not insist on his following them, and do not get peevish if he doesn't. He simply does not agree with you, and he may be right. Who knows?

Every doubles team should have a leader to direct its play; but that leader must always be willing to drop leadership for any given point when his partner has the superior position. It is policy of attack not type of stroke that the leader should determine.

Pick a partner and stick to him. He should be a man you like and want to play with, and he should want to play with you. This will do away with much friction. His style should not be too nearly your own, since you double the faults without greatly increasing the virtues.