When playing doubles, there are many times we have to make the big decision—air or bounce. Do I hit it in the air or let it bounce? During the course of a point you can easily find yourself playing around the service line and this is generally when the decision comes up. You will let…
The All England Championships at Wimbledon is usually a staid event with muted tones and hushed crowds, but the Olympic Tennis event is a raucous party … I love it! My first thought when I tuned to the coverage on Bravo is that the vivid colors reminded me of that great scene for "The Wizard…
Tennis is a sport that requires muscle memory, and more importantly, you need to be able to feel your strokes mentally. There is much discussion in tennis about feel or touch, knowing the amount of power (or lack of) when hitting a certain shot. The feel in brushing up the ball when hitting topspin is…
Concentrate like anything. Relax and prepare for a long point. Keep the ball in play. Whatever you do, win the first point of every game. It makes it so much easier. Like riding a bike downhill. Once you have the first point under your belt, start concentrating on the second one. Same thing, no let…
It’s now official, Pete Sampras is without doubt the second best player that East Hampton, N.Y. native Paul Annacone has coached, as Roger Federer extended his record of major titles to 17 with a brilliant 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 win over British hope Andy Murray. Federer now also ties Sampras and 1880’s player William Renshaw with…
The biggest news in women’s tennis today, as reported by The Associated Press, is not the sublime play on the grass at Wimbledon, instead, it’s the ridiculous suggestion that "Grunt-O-Meters" be used to cut down the grunting in women’s tennis. In a statement, the WTA said, "The WTA, ITA and Grand Slams aim to drive…
There are many facets to hitting a solid ground stroke, but if you key in on four simple areas your shots will improve. Movement is number one; tennis is a sport that requires quick feet. The stroke is dependent on the fact that you are in the right spot to hit the ball. Moving the…
Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972 is celebrating its 40 anniversary. If you are a girl playing tennis, then you should be celebrating too because this legislation is having a profound and positive impact on your life. One study estimates that Title IX has increased female sports participation in high school and college…
After watching Novak Djokovic save four match points and come back to defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in this year’s French Open quarterfinals, two things appear to be true. First, The world’s number one player is not yet the best player in the world on clay. That title still belongs to Rafael Nadal until proven otherwise. Second,…
It does happen once in a while. Even the best of callers, the most honest citizens, the one who gives the call to his opponent if there is ever a doubt … will be called a cheater or insinuated to be one. Toughen up. Thicken the skin. Stay calm. If you are uncertain of your…