Online Tennis Games - Enhance Your Smashing Skills

Have you played an online tennis games. It's really good for developing skills in playing outdoor tennis. Such online games develop smashing skills and accuracy of aim in players. If you don't want to practice tennis at a gaming court or stadium, play it online. It could be a unique fun for you. Who knows after reading this article you may really get interested and start playing online tennis game. Practicing such sports on a live screen with a mouse and keyboard can enable players to become experts on real playing grounds. These are ball games in which two players are engaged against each other like playing a real tennis match.

The game provides virtual rackets or two virtual players between two online competitors. The players can also play a game with a computerized virtual player instead of playing with one another. Playing online tennis with a virtual player can help a person to develop diverse kind of strategies for smashing the ball. Most video tennis sports are attractive to play like real games seen on a playing field or game court. To play tennis online efficiently players should be acquainted with basic rules and play strategies. These online techniques can also be employed while playing a real match on the field. During a real practice session beginners make mistakes and distract their trainers from original playing techniques. Virtual tennis games provide live video clips to watch and learn them while playing online. Here are some guidelines and benefits about playing online tennis:-

1. Before starting your game read the instructions of the game. Get acquainted with all those keys and mouse that may be used while playing. Usually all gaming versions involve playing screen tennis using a mouse.

2. Go to practice play game and watch the video clips showing the techniques of smashing a tennis ball. Many games have facility for practice play. Players don't have fear to lose an online game due to wrong shots. They should practice well at such sessions before starting to play online with another competitor.

3. In case if you are acquainted with playing some special strokes of a tennis game, you can quickly grasp lessons of playing online. See what's new in a virtual practice and adopt that game technique.

4. One special thing of playing video tennis is money savings. If you practice real tennis from a professional trainer then you will have to spend dollars for learning from him. Playing virtual tennis doesn't cost you a penny and you will be able to master many special game techniques on the desktop screen.

5. A real tennis coach doesn't give specific feedback during practice sessions. Your skill is highlighted only during a real match. If you lose a real game then you realize your loopholes but it's too late by that time. Playing and practicing online tennis gives you a sharp feedback in the form of points and rankings same as seen in a real match.

6. While learning tennis online you can judge your playing skills faster rather than leaving the decision on viewers sitting on a real playground.

Online tennis game are more capable of training you to learn playing skills. These are the best means to master advanced techniques of hitting the tennis ball.

US Open 2011 Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Review

The US Open 2011 Grand Slam Tennis Tournament will start on 29th August, Hurricane permitting.

This year Novak Djokovic is the men's top seed and Caroline Wozniaki is the Women's top seed.

This could be an interesting men's Grand Slam tournament. Novak Djokovic has had a brilliant season so far and is definitely the player to beat. He did have to retire recently in a match with a painful shoulder so there could be a question over his fitness, especially in a long tennis tournament like the US Open.

Rafael Nadal is the second seed, but he appears to be going through a tough time at the moment. Nadal's confidence has taken a battering especially by Novak Djokovic beating him in several finals and Djokovic has now taken his throne.

The third seed is Roger Federer. Although it seems Federer is slowing down these days you can never write him off in a big Grand Slam. He did have a great French open tournament early this year. Maybe with a lot less pressure these days with more focus being on Djokovic and Nadal, Federer may be able to get near his best tennis again.

The Women's world number one and top US Open 2011 seed Caroline Wozniaki has just won the New Haven WTA title for the fourth successive season. Wozniaki has won six WTA titles this year but has yet to win a Grand Slam title. She did appear in the US Open 2009 final but was beaten by Kim Clijsters.

Vera Zvonareva is the second seed. Zvonareva was a US Open 2010 finalist and was also beaten by Kim Clijsters that year.

Third seed Maria Sharapova has been improving again this year. She was a finalist at this years Wimbledon and has won 2 titles this year. Sharapova has won the US Open before and always remains a threat when she's on her game.

Hopefully this year we will see another great US Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament.

Preventing Tennis Elbow -- Stop the Pain Before It Starts

Tennis elbow is an affliction that many tennis players will face in their lives, either as a temporary pain or a chronic pain. Of course, the irony is that the majority of people who are faced with tennis elbow do not necessarily even play tennis! This article will provide you with some tips on how to prevent tennis elbow, regardless of why you might have it.

As a tennis player, you can expect that you might be afflicted with tennis elbow. Fortunately, there are some treatments that can cause a lot of relief. Of course, if you get tennis elbow, the most important thing that you can do is rest your arm.

However, nobody wants to get tennis elbow in the first place. So here are some tips on how to prevent tennis elbow:

· Stay in shape.

· Do not overwork your elbow - if you have not played tennis for a while, take it easy. It may take a few weeks before you can play the kind of game you used to play.

· Strengthen the muscles of your arm, then they can take away some of the stress that would normally befall your elbow. Be sure to strengthen your shoulder and upper back, too.

· Do not overuse your arm - repeated movements can injure your tendon. Try switching arms when possible. If you are practicing your serve, be sure to take a lot of breaks.

· When lifting things, keep your palm facing your body. Lifting things in this way does not cause as much strain on your tendons.

· Stretch before playing tennis or participating in any other activity that might cause pain.

· Use only equipment that is appropriate for your ability and your strength.

· Make sure that your technique is down - the better your technique, the less likely you are to injure yourself.

· Try out a counterforce brace. This kind of brace is worn below your elbow, and it distributes pressure throughout your whole arm, thereby easing the pressure on the tendon. Make sure that you do not allow it to cut off your circulation, though.

· If you do start to feel pain, stop doing whatever action causes the pain!

· Apply ice to where you felt pain.

· Take a lot of breaks.

Tennis elbow is something that nobody wants to get, but many of us will. Following some of these tips, though, can reduce your chances of getting tennis elbow.

One of the most important things that you can do to prevent tennis elbow is to listen to your body - if your body is aching, listen to it. Figure out why you ache - did you forget to stretch? Have you been repeating a single motion? Are you overusing your arm. Any of these reasons (and many more) can lead to tennis elbow.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and sports. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on tennis, please visit E-Tennis.

Tennis Games - Play It Online Now

Are you interested in playing Tennis? The answer will be most probably yes, because people love to play tennis or badminton in the evenings to refresh themselves. They won't be professional players but just as an entertainment. Tennis is played between two persons or two pairs in a tennis court.

This court will be divided into two parts by a net. A ball will be the main focus of the game. This ball will be hit by a tennis racket. It is even an Olympic sport! But after having day long working hours you won't be having any more energy to play it with a physical effort. So the best way for you will be to play Tennis online.

This online tennis playing will be an indoor game. You can sit at your desktop and by using the internet facility you can easily play the game. It will give a feel just like you play in an actual tennis court. It will make you nervous and give the right spirit of the game.

You can also get a chance to learn the rules of the tennis game. More over it will improve your concentration and skill to hit the ball at right timings. If it is played between two players then it is called singles. But if there are two pairs of players then it will be called as doubles.

As this game is much popular among the people now here are many online versions of tennis game. Some of them are like Free Squash, Chine Open, Twisted Tennis etc. you will be able two choose a player for you and can start playing an excited tennis match. This will be not only an entertainment but also will enable you to know about various advanced tennis techniques. Most of these online tennis games will provide instructions for playing the game and some other guide lines for playing shots.

Once you start playing tennis online you will find twisted tennis and free squash as most interesting. At the beginning you will have some difficulty to get the right playing method. But latter you will really enjoy the play. To start playing the game you have to know the usage of the keys. For serving the ball you can use space bar. Arrow keys will allow you to move forward, backward and to sides. Then hit the balls by moving to different directions. If you miss any shots then you will lose the point. The background and the animations of these games will give you amazing experience.

By encouraging your child to play these online tennis games you can develop an interest in hip towards this game. The techniques and accuracy he will get from this game may benefit the child to be a professional tennis player.

There are a lot of free Tennis Games that you can find on the internet. Click here to know more about Kids Games.

Tennis Camps For Kids And Teens

Tennis is a fantastic sport in any season, but the summer is very special for this sport as it can be played outdoors while soaking up some sun rays. It is also a great sport to learn at a summer camp. When it comes to sports camps most people think of basketball, football, and cheerleading. Tennis camps are often overlooked. Tennis is a great sport to perfect your physical as well as mental skills. In Tennis camps you learn to play tennis. You will work on your individual strengths and weakness as an overall player. There are coaches and counselors to assist you. It is a fantastic way to improve as a tennis player and gather some valuable team player skills in the process. Tennis has become a very competitive sport and utilizing tennis camps is a great way to stay on top of this quickly growing sport. Tennis has become more popular over the past ten years and so has tennis camps. You learn to think quickly on your feet as you plan each specific move to throw off your component.

How to develop your hand movements and strength

In addition to gaining overall arms strength, agility, flexibility, you can also increase your endurance over time. The effect tennis camps have on players is amazing. They leave feeling more confident as a player. Whether they plan on competing at the local neighborhood courts or in the Wimbledon players truly benefit from tennis camps. For many children and teens camps that focus predominantly on sports such as tennis camps greatly improves self-esteem. By enrolling your family or self into a tennis camp you may be helping the beginning career of the next tennis star.

Doing your research

When selecting a tennis camp there are many tips and facts everyone should know. Tennis camps come in various types. Having a basic understanding of the type of tennis camps will make selection of the right camp for you easy. Tennis camps are available as residential camps, specialty camps, focused program camps, outdoor education camps, or family camps. Residential tennis camps have a variety of time periods ranging from several days to a few weeks. You should always discuss the accommodations with the camp director before you sign up for one of these camps. Accommodations as well as food service can be in many different forms from cabins and cafeteria to tents and catered food service.

Specialty tennis camps focus on programming placing special attention one particular area of the sport. Some specialty tennis camps are for players who have certain physical, mental, or developmental needs. Focused program tennis camps focus on rigid more structured activities in relation to tennis. Outdoor education centered tennis camps are often used as retreats for businesses and large groups of children and teens. Family tennis camps generally have activities set to accommodate the entire family of all ages all throughout the day. They also can operate seasonally or all year round depending on the particular camp. You should always do you research online before signing up for any particular tennis camp. Always select a type of tennis camp that best suits your needs that you are most comfortable with. Tennis camps are a great way to advance your game.

Michael Chase is a freelance writer for the Maine Golf and Tennis Camps in Belgrade Lakes Region of Maine. Fully immersing young people in tennis training at a reputable tennis camp is the best way to teach them the fundamentals or help them take their game to the next level.

Help for Treating Tennis Elbow

Often you will hear of tennis players not able to play a match or stopping before the end of a game due to pain. Often it is an ankle injury, sometimes a sore tendon, a painful knee or a shoulder complaint. Funny how you hardly ever see a tennis player missing a match due to a tennis elbow complaint. The main reason is that tennis elbow is not as common amongst tennis players as most of us imagine. Suffering from this kind of pain is more likely the result of the poor use of a tool at work or at home, sometimes a gardening tool, maybe a hand saw, a wrench, even a computer mouse. Curiously most people looking for treatment haven't played a tennis match in their life. Any motion that repetitively stresses the forearm can result in tennis elbow pain. Another main reason tennis players rarely miss a game because of tennis elbow is that it is commonly easily dealt with using a combination of massages, exercises, stretches and periods of rest.

Tennis Elbow Remedies

Another thing to remember is that more than over ninety percent of tennis elbow injuries can usually be treated successfully without a surgeon. The usual treatments vary from home remedies to the use of injections and or surgery. To treat tennis elbow successfully however you first need to find the root cause. The cause is almost always, an activity of vigorous or repetitive nature that causes the tennis elbow to occur in the first place. When the cause is not identified correctly and the offending activity is repeated, even after successful treatment, the pain usually returns. However if the treatment isn't performed properly, the risk of chronic pain increases substantially which usually increases the likelihood of surgery being performed.

A word about steroid and cortisone treatments.

Conventional medicine commonly uses steroid or cortisone injections when treating tennis elbow symptoms. Let's not go into detail here on treating this ailment using such methods, other than to say that conventional medicine has achieved inconsistent results administering such treatments. Furthermore, conventional medicine has yet to establish a standard dosage for this treatment which is quite astounding considering that it is the primary treatment suggested by doctors when treating this injury. Of course whoever is seeking more information regarding this therapy should visit their doctor. If you have already been on such a treatment without success, there are alternative treatments we can focus on here.

Activity Modification.

The activity that causes tennis elbow may be an activity that is either rigorous or repetitive in nature. It is not very difficult for most people to identify the root activity on their own. Stopping this activity is the first step to begin the healing. This on its own however does not bring about quick results. Typically injuries like this take some time to develop and almost always need a similar amount of time to get better.

Tennis Elbow Exercises

Let's look at various types of massages, stretches and resistance activities commonly used to treat tennis elbow. As with all muscular injuries, it is important to stop the activity that has aggravated the injury. Tender and inflamed muscles should feel relaxed before any therapeutic exercises are attempted. If it's painful when performing these stretches or the exercises, you must stop immediately. Applying a Cross Friction Massage using the proper method can relieve discomfort at least temporarily, sometimes for good. This massage can be achieved with improved results using anti-inflammatory creams which allow for a deeper massage.

Beneficial Stretches

All stretches must be performed within your comfort range. Stretch aiming to utilise the full mobility of the elbow. If a stretch is uncomfortable or painful, the same stretch can be performed at less than full stretch so as not to be uncomfortable. Stretches can be more restricted in the earlier phases of rehabilitation however restrictive movements usually ease with time and repetition.

Deciding on a Tennis Elbow Brace

The main function of the brace is to assist the affected area for more effective healing. The most common tennis elbow braces are made from neoprene material which easy on the skin. Fitting is usually adjustable so as to be firm around the forearm. There are also some lesser known braces that have unique qualities. There are heat-retaining braces that improve blood circulation. There are straps that employ magnets, which are recognised for their ability to improve blood flow in the deep tissues. Magnetic braces are known to be particularly effective with inflammation. Epicondylitis clasps are a different type of brace which restrict certain movements and apply direct pressure to the affected area, thereby preventing the muscles from straining. Another type of brace is a cold therapy brace that utilizes various fluid filled sacks which are frozen in a freezer. This type is often worn when the pain is intense and helps reduce inflammation in the deep tissues. When choosing a brace it is important to check all available sizes to achieve a firm fit that is not restrictive yet.

For help with deciding on a tennis elbow brace, just visit the link where you can compare prices and view technical specifications. For performing cross friction massages, stretches and exercises you can learn more at www.Tennis-ElbowBrace.com.

Tennis Elbow Cure?

Tennis elbow is the pain located on the outside of the elbow most commonly occurring when gripping. It is associated with playing tennis, but can affect activities from doing the house work to shaking hands with a friend. For many people, especially coaches or serious tennis players, tennis elbow can become the bane of your life. I know because I am a tennis coach who had a 12 month battle with tennis elbow and I would like to share my experience with you in the hope of helping other coaches or tennis fanatics overcome the injury.

Tennis elbow is an overuse injury - technically called lateral epicondyle - that affects the tendon on the outside of the elbow. For a tennis player it most commonly occurs due to the constant stress on the tendon from hitting 1000's upon 1000's of balls. This stress can be compounded by mistiming the ball, especially on the one handed backhand. Interestingly the incidence of tennis elbow is far less common in double handed backhands.

In my case it was caused by trialling a stiffer racket - so many of today's modern rackets and strings create a stiffer feel which can place extra stress on the elbow tendon. After just one hour the pain had become extreme and I was to endure it for over twelve months. As a full time tennis coach this was a less than ideal scenario.

With my income on the line I quickly had to get to work treating the problem. As a coach rest was not an option, but I was quickly on the internet - which has a huge amount of data on tennis elbow. In no particular order I undertook the following treatment program:

- Physiotherapy. Once a week massage and manipulation ran into $1000's of dollars over time.
- Anti inflammatory drugs. 3 times a day I took ibuprofen with a cup of green tea [which was highly recommended treatment also]
- Strengthening and stretching. 3 times a day I completed a routine which aimed to strengthen and stretch the forearm extensors and triceps surrounding the elbow joint.
- Elbow brace. I trialled several forms of elbow strap which were designed to take the stress away from the elbow tendon.
- Heat and ice. Three times a day I would ice the elbow then put a heat pack on to stimulate the healing process.
- Acupuncture. Once no progress was achieved with physio I took a course of acupuncture each week.
- Rest. After several months of frustration I set aside 1 month where I would play no tennis.
- Changing racket and string combination.

Despite my best efforts I was experiencing no improvement and the injury was in fact deteriorating.

Various invasive procedures like injecting cortisone were the next option, but this procedure had very weak evidence of success. Using my favorite research tool the internet I turned up a procedure which was achieving promising results called an "autologous blood injection." This involves drawing blood from your body and re-injecting into the elbow. The injection is made under CT scan so that it is made at exactly the right point on the elbow tendon.

The theory is that when blood is taken from the body it reacts by releasing its healing agents. When that blood is then re injected into the injured elbow tendon it will speed the healing process. Tendons are notoriously slow healers as they don't have the blood flow that muscles enjoy. The autologous blood injection gives the tendon the "kick along" it needs. The research on the blood injections showed promising results, although often patients need 2 - 3 injections to fully resolve the problem.

I was prepared to try it. The first step was to visit a sports physician who scheduled a scan on my elbow. Sure enough the scan showed a significant tear in the elbow tendon. Next the injection was organized to be performed by a very well regarded surgeon under CT scan. While a local anesthetic was administered the procedure was very painful. This pain however was short lived, and I was quite comfortable 1 - 2 hours after the injection.

The first week I completely rested the arm in a sling to give the procedure the best chance of success. After two weeks the tennis elbow appeared to have gone. For the first time in twelve months I was able to play and coach without pain - I would estimate it has been a 90% recovery and a fantastic result.

Clearly each case of tennis elbow is different - and sufferers should consult their physio and sports physician to get the best possible diagnosis and treatment. My particular injury was a tendonosis, which is a degenerative problem and therefore a candidate for the autologous blood injection. Tendonitis might be treated by more traditional methods.

What I would recommend is that chronic sufferers of tennis elbow consider the autologous blood injection with their doctor if they can't shake the injury. It worked for me after one injection. The pain and frustration of tennis elbow was ruining my tennis career, the blood injection was nothing short of a miracle for which I am very grateful.

By Rufus Keown
Club Professional Coach
Co-founder http://www.globaltenniscoaching.com
The global website for tennis coaches and players with 1000's of tennis drills, tennis articles, tennis tips and tennis lesson plans.

How to NEVER Pay Full Retail Price For Tennis Ever Again!

Why I Never have to buy Tennis gear at full retail price anymore.

Below, I will share with you my advice on where to look to get discounts for tennis gear, events and travel...

Why Tennis is so good for you?

Tennis can be a sport that is both fun and AFFORDABLE at any age. It keeps you fit, lean and active (just think of any tennis pro you've ever seen on TV). Tennis comes packed with lots of cardio and is a full body workout.

Think about it - you are actually getting exercise from having fun and spending time with a buddy outdoors in fresh air this summer - a great change-up from the gym!

How to Save on Tennis...

RacketsI like to get rackets that are a generation or two old that have lots of good reviews. Often times the changes from last year's model to this latest year's models are merely cosmetic. Even the physical changes they add may or may not make it better.

So do your research first on the products first and/or try some Demo rackets of different sizes and weights to see if it is right for you! Also, once a racket becomes "popular", the manufacturers will put a major discount on it...this is when I like to buy a few extra in bulk in case they stop making them next year!

Practice/Tennis Balls

For renewable tennis items like balls/shoes/string (which you need to replace regularly) - I calculate how to max them out based on time AND cost. You can buy regular duty or heavy duty felt balls. The heavy duty ones will last longer on hard courts and usually cost about the same.

For example: If I can get a $1.50 can of balls that will only play for 1-2 sets vs $3/can that will last 4-5 sets...go with the $3 can.

Your elbow and body will also thank you (avoid tennis elbow and other injuries by not hitting flat/dead balls ). This rule applies to buying cans that contain 4 balls instead of 3. I have more TennisBargain tips for more recommendation on selecting tennis balls too.

Sports Drinks

Gatorade/Powerade/Water - if you have a local Cost-co near you or grocery store that sells in bulk, I'd recommend stocking up on the flavors you like the most. By bringing your own, you can easily save 50-75% over the price at the club or vending machine.

Also consider bringing along some sport drink powder and simply mix it with water, to save even more and also reuse those plastic bottles!

Tennis Strings

It depends how often you break them. If you do not play often, then usually you are safe to go with strings in the $8-15 range for one package.

For people who need to string at least once or twice every month, I tend to buy strings I know I like in reels and string my own rackets with a classic drop-weight stringer called the Klippermate for ~$150 shipped or get a $10 for a refurbished one.

If you normally spend $30-45 per stringing job, you will instead spend just 1 hour to string (labor) and about $10-15 for the strings (parts). Also, you don't have to pick it up a week later or worry about having your rackets fresh, ready before your next important match.

Shoes

I tend to go with ones that have 6-month guarantees and good following (my favorite is the Nike Breathe Free 2 )...I get them for about $70 and almost always wear them out in 4-5 months so I can return it to Nike and 3 weeks later I get a $110 voucher for another pair (or other Nike tennis clothes) - that's basically 2x ($110) shoes for $70 (free shipping)!

*Remember - Your shoes are the Most important tennis item you own (not your racket).

Clothes

I think anything that wicks moisture and doesn't cling to you when wet works. Again, I buy Nike brand that is 1-2 years old (off season) at 50%+ off with coupons stacked that will last me many years. I still have Nike polos/shorts that are in great condition after 4-5 years of wearing them every week!

Want to get more tennis tips and coupons? Check out the Resource Box below for all the information you need to know about tennis and how to save even more!

TennisBargains Tip: try to group your orders together so that you can get free shipping - like on Sports Authority links. For other great tips on saving money check out my new website for daily deals and coupons: http://www.Tennis-Bargains.com

My next article will be on how to get cheap tickets to the US Open. Also it will cover which seat is the best value to watch tennis, which stadium offers the best view and how to get the best angles that they don't show you on TV!

Remember, if you know where to look, you'll NEVER pay full retail for tennis - every again!

Regards, Jacky Cheong

TennisBargains: Best Deals & Reviews. Simple ways to save $$ on Tennis: Gear, Events & Travel around the world! http://www.tennis-bargains.com

Tennis Camps: What You Can Do To Further A Profession In Tennis

Play as much as possible, whether you are a tennis player who strives to be a competitive professional, or whether you aspire to be a great tennis instructor and / or tennis coach. Many people who are serious about the sport either attend or instruct for intensive tennis camps. Often these camps are available for all ages, from young players to professional competitors in the sport during off-season in order to stay in shape, improve technique, to practice an active maintenance of his or her skill.

Other people enter for the purpose of becoming the mentors, those who inspire, the eager and smiling faces outside of the limelight. These are those who want to be tennis teachers. The coaches and / or instructors at these camps are just as passionate about their profession (or, the profession he or she desires,) as the students are about themselves and what they will gain from the experience.

If being a coach or instructor of tennis is your ultimate career goal, look into camps long before they are scheduled to begin. Usually the very best camps (which can offer the highest quality opportunities for you) hire their staff early and fill their registration list to overflowing months before the words tennis camp will be scribbled on your calendar page.

The different kinds of tennis camps range, obviously, depending on skill, experience, and age. Tennis classes as well as tennis camps in general will of course differentiate widely between the recreational tennis fun camps to their polar opposite, the serious, strenuous, and extremely focused tennis camps. Then there are all the possibilities in between, all of the kid's fun camps, summer recreation that includes tennis, but not for eight to ten hours a day. People attend and or teach tennis camps for many different reasons. Whether you are a student, a teacher or simply someone who likes tennis, find a high quality camp that will best suit your needs. It is widely recommended that you do this as soon as possible, especially when you are looking into the future for your personal tennis goals and aspirations.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her articles on tennis, please visit e-tennis.org, supplier of high quality Tennis Racquets and Tennis Elbow Treatment.

Some Interesting Tennis Statistics

Last week I asked a select group of my readers to answer the following question:

If there was ONE thing that I could improve about my tennis game,

it would be:____________________________________________

I spent the weekend going over the emails and the response was enormous! Most of the people who responded had one particular thing in their game that they wanted to improve. Here are the results of the answers that 69 of them gave to the following question:

If there was ONE thing that I could improve about my tennis game,

it would be:____________________________________________

1. My Serve 23 (33%)

2. My Backhand 11 (16%)

3. My Mental Game / My Mental Toughness (10) 14%

4. My Volleys / My Net Game / My Overheads (9) 13%

5. My Strategy (8) 12%

6. My Footwork / My Level of Fitness / My Forehand / All Others 8 (12%)

These are some interesting statistics! I also asked respondents to list the benefits they would gain from improving these areas of their game. Here's the breakdown:

What's the benefit you'll gain from it?

1. I would gain confidence. 54%

2. I would be more consistent. 18%

3. I would win more matches. 14%

4. I would have more fun / enjoy the game more. 12%

5. I would be more competitive / all others. 2%

No surprise to me that their Serve came in as the number one response. Being that it's the most important shot in tennis (and rightfully so), the serve is the one shot that over 1/3 of my readers want to improve.

I applaud them for being open and honest enough to share their tennis goals and challenges with me. I honor them. A lot of people are never willing to step up to the plate and seek out what it is that just may put that extra oomph in their game, and take it to the next level.

One interesting statistic that is missing from the above list (it didn't appear anywhere) was My Return of Serve. The return of serve is the second most important shot in the game of tennis, and yet it didn't make the list. The absence of the return of serve in this poll is interesting from a logical point of view - it should be there - but totally understandable by Yours Truly, because the return of serve is not a 'cool' shot for most players. Most players (time to be honest) will attribute a poor return of serve to something magical that their opponent did with their serve; or perhaps brush it off as a fluke. Often times when a player misses a return of serve, they either

1) Congratulate their opponent on a great serve, or

2) Berate themselves loudly on the court for missing a return that they can't pass off as a great serve by their opponent.

Oh, how the ego rears it's ugly head on the tennis court!

Now don't get me wrong; I'm not here to put anyone down, but rather to clarify and enlighten you on the best way to get the results you want. That's what it all really boils down to, right? Results. Results matter. Results are what we want. So let's take a closer look at how to get them.

In order to get the results you want on the tennis court, you've got to figure out why you want them. There were some fine answers listed above: Confidence, Consistency, Winning More Matches, Having Fun, Enjoying the Game of Tennis, Being Competitive...outstanding responses. These are all benefits of gained by the improvement in one single area.

Let's peel away the layers here for a minute and see what those benefits might lead to in a personal way.

If, for example, you want a better serve because it would allow you to win more matches, then stop and think about the benefit of winning more matches. What does that mean to you personally? Does it mean respect and admiration from your friends, parents, fellow tennis players, teammates, coach, etc?

That's where you want to go in your mind. Go to the place where you see the personal benefits of improving your tennis game - not just the 'on-court' benefits. When you focus on the personal benefits of improving your game, you have left the realm of wishful thinking and entered the world of Possibility Thinking. This gives you the mental fuel to focus on doing the work necessary to get the results you want on the tennis court.

So how would you feel if I told you that you could possibly get the great feeling of __________ (fill in the blank) if you were able to fix the parts of your tennis game that are broken? Great or really great? This is where the rubber meets the road. The personal benefits you get are what you really desire. You can do this! The key is to improve in the areas of your game that you need to fix, and focus on the personal benefit you will gain from it.

Now I know it's easier said than done, but you really can get to where you want to be in your game. One big step you can take is to open up a dialog with yourself that might go something like this:

Okay, I know I need to improve my ___________. If I improve my __________, I will win more matches, feel more confident and play more consistently. This will personally benefit me in the following ways: _____________________________.

Now, what's the one thing I can start doing today that I really don't want to do, but if I do it, I know that I will move one step closer to my tennis goal of ___________?

Ask yourself these questions. This is the stuff that takes you to the next level. Show me a person who is frustrated with why their game is not where they want it to be, and I'll show you a person who is not asking themselves the right questions. I don't want that to sound harsh - I just want you to really think about it.

When it comes right down to it, you know and I know that you have a great tennis player inside of you just waiting to burst out! So many of you are just one inch away from your tennis goals. The more time you spend focusing on all the possibilities exist for your game - and taking the steps you need to get there - the quicker things will happen for you.

You may not read a lot of tennis articles like this - and there's a reason for that. A lot of people that teach tennis (tennis pros, coaches, etc) are uncomfortable talking about subjects like these. They tell you:

Just keep practicing and coming to the clinics / lessons / camps, you'll get the hang of it...

A lot of them are giving you what they think you want - and making you pay a lot of money to get it.

Does that mean I'm against working with your local pro? Absolutely not. A good coach or pro is worth more than you can imagine. The point I am trying to drive home is this: I've been down the teaching tennis road, and I know where it leads a lot of the time - to that little town called Frustration, and sometimes it's hard to get a ticket out of that place. I am not trying to sell you anything in this article other than an idea. That idea is that YOU need to take responsibility for seeking out and improving the parts of your game that you know, in your heart of hearts, you need to improve. Are you stuck in Frustrationville? Can't find a ticket out? Then grab your racket, clothes and shoes and start walking. Move out of there. Start moving to where you want to be. One step at a time. There are new places and experiences just around the corner. I won't give you the promise of a free first-class ticket on an airline that doesn't exist. But I do promise to point the way, so to speak, and give you what you need - so that YOU can go out onto the court and get what you want.

I encourage you to take it to the next level - whatever that next level is for you. Seek out the possibilities for your tennis game. Don't settle for less than your best. Make yourself a little uncomfortable and stretch yourself - that's where the growth comes. There's an old saying:

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.

Find your weak areas and improve them. Don't stop. Don't quit. Press on. I'm watching you, and I can't wait to see the tennis player you'll become! I'm with you all the way!

To Your Massive Tennis Success,

Coach Kyril

Kyril Popoff is a former NCAA Div1 All-Conference Tennis Player, Instructor, Coach and Author.

His books include THE TEN LAWS OF TENNIS SUCCESS and FOCUS & WIN: WHY YOUR TENNIS GAME ISN'T WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE, & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT!

You can sign up for Coach Kyril's Tennis Lessons, Tips & Tricks newsletter at: http://www.coachkyriltennis.com

How to Bet on Tennis

After learning about betting point spreads, our favorite newbie bettor Emily wanted to know about betting tennis. There are no point spreads in tennis because there is no meaningful way to measure how much a tennis player wins or loses by. In tennis, all that really matters is who wins and loses the match, and that's where money line wagering comes into play. Following are tips on understanding tennis odds and betting tennis matches.

For example, Emily's favorite tennis player Serena Williams wins a majority of her matches. The chances of winning for Serena's opponent, let's say the 102nd-ranked player in the world, would be less than 50-50 for this very reason.

Thus, sportsbooks would make bettors wager significantly more money on Serena than her opponent because of the disproportionate likelihood of Serena winning the match.

In the case of Serena Williams versus an overmatched opponent, a reasonable money line would require Serena bettors to risk $400 to win $100; while a $100 bet on her opponent would win $360.

Here's how the money line would be listed: Serena Williams -400 / #102 Ranked Opponent +360

Every $400 bet on Serena nets a $100 profit if she wins (plus the return of the $400 risked). If her opponent pulls off the upset, $100 bet on the underdog would profit $360 (plus the return of the $100 risked). For more information on how this works, make sure to check out Reading and Understanding Money Lines.

Another popular way of betting tennis is picking the winner of each tournament before it starts. In fact, "Betting to Win" an outcome event like Wimbledon is the most common way to wager on tennis. Since tennis has multiple tournaments over the course of a year, "Betting to Win" obviously offers numerous wagering opportunities. It is very important to note that not all the competitors in a tennis tournament may be listed, so another tennis betting option is a "field" bet which includes all other competitors not listed.

The tennis odds on a "field" bet are typically comparable to a bet on the favorite in order to protect sportsbooks from taking a big hit if a major upset occurs. In exchange for a lesser payout, field bettors gain the advantage of having more than one entrant that can win for them. For example, the top 20 players going into a tournament might be listed with their own individual odds while the rest of the players are grouped together.

Some sportsbooks will also allow you to bet futures on the four major major tournaments, which is yet another way you can "Bet to Win" that can offer you appealing odds because you are betting far in advance of when the event takes place. For example, betting on the 2006 Australian Open now might get you much better value on Serena, who may be 10/1 at this moment but dip to 6/1 closer to the event if she is on fire. For more information on the value of betting golf futures, read How Future Bets Can Pay Off.

Before placing a future bet or any bet on any tennis player, it's important to find out their strengths and weaknesses. Some tennis players perform better on different surfaces, and it must be noted that the French Open is played on clay and Wimbledon on grass. Playing on clay was the biggest weakness for Pete Sampras, arguably the best tennis player ever. He won 7 Wimbledon titles but never brought home a French championship. Fortunately for Sampras, he also performed well on a hardcourt surface (the most common), where he earned the other half of his 14 career Grand Slam tournament wins.

Other possibilities for betting tennis include proposition bets on the number of sets a match lasts. There are several advantages to betting at elite online sportsbooks but the very best will give you the most wagering opportunities, so it's a good idea to shop around and find out what everybody has to offer.

If you are a knowledgeable tennis fan who has a good feel about how a match will likely turn out, then you should most definitely trust your insights and use them to find strong bets. For those of you with less experience, several sports web sites have power rankings for players which should give you a good idea of who's hot on the tennis court and who's not. Of course it's up to you to decide which driver you want to bet on, but the more you learn about tennis, the more prepared you will be when placing your bet. Hopefully now you understand the basics of betting tennis and how tennis odds work!

RJ Bell is the founder of Pregame.com - Where sports bettors get ready. RJ has been an expert contributor to Maxim Magazine, CNN.com, About.com, and ABC News - and has won 3 world handicapping championships! Located in Las Vegas, the Pregame.com team works at adding to your betting confidence with powerful game insights and sportsbook reviews. FreePicksByEmail.com, the biggest daily sports betting newsletter, delivers help from famous handicappers.

Wilson NCode Tennis Racquet Reviews - A Buyers' Guide to Wilson N5 NCode Tennis Rackets

Wilson nCode tennis racquets has been a popular choice of tennis racquets of many tennis players. This tennis racquets has been specially designed to suit every tennis players including beginners and professional's tennis players.

The Wilson nCode n5 tennis racquets structure is the brand new updated version of the Wilson n5 racquet series. To ensure the performance of the racquets, it has been made with the new Wilson's nCode technology and the Wilson Triad technology for the racquet frame. With these improvements, the nCode n5 racquet quality has been greatly improved compared with the classic n5 racquets. Players can now enjoy the new racquets with the handle and the racquet head which are separated by a thin strip of iso-zord material which provide smoother and softer feels while using this tennis racquet.

In addition all Wilson n5 nCode racquets uses Nanofoam inside the frame, this stiffens the frame for better control with vibration absorption functions. With the combination of 3 advance technology from Wilson, therefore nCode tennis racquet provide tennis players with both great control, good feel, and play comfort.

Below are the Wilson nCode n5 Tennis Racquet Specifications:

Head Size:110 sq.in/ 710 sq.cm

Length: 27.25 in / 69 cm

Strung Weight: 9.7 oz.

Balance: 10 pts Head Heavy

Swing Weight: 329

Beam Width: 26.5 mm Dual Taper Volcanic Beam

Composition: nCoded Hyper Carbon, nCoded Graphite

Power Level: Medium

Swing Speed: Moderate

Grip Type: Micro Dry Comfort

String Pattern: 16 Main / 20 Crosses

String Tension: 53-63 lbs.

Suitability Level: Suitable for both intermediate beginners players.

Wilson's company has done a lot of research of improving the tennis racquets to make it more playable and comfortable. This is what n5 tennis racquet series made off. Tennis players will start to enjoy it after first attempt to use this racquets and some players even play for hours using nCode n5 tennis racquet.

The racquet is light weight but has the swing power and stability of a heavier racquet due to it's heavier racquet head. Since it is light it is also suitable for defensive tennis players.

Wilson nCode n5 tennis racquets usually comes with shinning red and black colors.

Raymond has great interest in playing tennis since 5 years ago. He enjoys every tennis games with his Wilson nCode tennis racquets.
Wilson nCode n5 tennis is among the collection of racquets he had. He love to watch Grand Slam tennis matches and his most admired tennis player is Roger Federer.

Where to Play Tennis in Phoenix? Tennis Court Location Guide to Phoenix, Arizona

With Phoenix's climate it is possible to enjoy tennis pretty much year round. Yes it does get unbearably hot in the summers for some, but that shouldn't stop you from playing, get out there early to enjoy 100 degree weather before 8 a.m. Throughout most the year the weather in Arizona is perfect for tennis maximizing your playing time with less rain than most cities around the country.

Phoenix has many local locations for tennis players of all skill levels to find some quality court time. These facilities range from tennis centers to a couple of courts in a local neighborhood park. In all the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department maintains a total of 140 tennis courts around the city, many of these courts are free on a first come first serve basis.

The city also operates two tennis centers, The Phoenix Tennis Center and the Mountain View Tennis Center with 22 and 19 courts respectfully. The court fees at these facilities are quite reasonable at $2/90 minutes for adults and $3 for lighted courts. The Mountain View Center is a little bit cheaper with their rates. These tennis centers offer features such as locker rooms, lighted courts, ball machine, hitting wall, and if you are interested in getting some instruction and improving your game there are lessons offered for all skill levels.

The surrounding area of metro phoenix and Maricopa county also have a large selection of both public and private tennis court locations in nearby cities Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, Peoria, Chandler, and Surprise to name a few.

Surprise Arizona is located in the northwest area of the valley and the city recently built the Surprise Tennis Complex. This impressive facility has had people talking ever since it's opening in 2007. It has been host to many events professional and non-professional since that date, including the quarterfinals of the women's Fed Cup and the CTCA Outback Classic Champion's Tour event featuring Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, and Mats Wilander.

Below is a list of some popular facilities in the surrounding Phoenix area:

Phoenix Tennis Center - Phoenix
Mountain View Tennis Center
Wigwam Resort - Litchfield Park
Surprise Tennis Complex - Surprise
Phoenix Country Club - Phoenix
Arrowhead Country Club - Glendale
Paseo Racquet Club - Glendale
Gainey Ranch - Scottsdale
Indian School Park - Scottsdale
La Camarilla Racquet Club - Scottsdale
ASU Whiteman Tennis Complex - Tempe (Arizona State Universty)
Village Racquet Club - Phoenix
Gene Autry Sports Complex - Mesa
Chandler Tennis Center - Chandler
Kiwanis Park Recreation Complex - Tempe
Ahwatukee Tennis Complex - Phoenix
Encanto Park - Phoenix

View a map of the metro Phoenix tennis court locations.

Visit AllAboutTennis.com for tennis racquets, shoes, apparel, grips, strings, accessories and everything else for the tennis enthusiast.

Tennis Elbow - Are You At Risk?

Tennis elbow affects people who are in the age group of 35-65 years, usually associated with a pain on the outside of the elbow, tennis elbow as the name might suggest, does not affect only tennis players, in fact 95% of all reported cases in the Unites States alone are not reported by tennis players. A better understanding of the various groups of people more susceptible to tennis elbow actually aids faster diagnosis, and there is a high probability that such people might not know they are part of the high risk category, affected people usually ignore tennis elbow symptoms till it becomes a chronic problem.

Based on the occupation/sports that a person is engaged in there are two major group of people that are susceptible to tennis elbow:

People engaged in Manual Labour

There is a strong co-relation between the type of activity a person engages in and tennis elbow, since manual labour involves lifting of heavy weights, or involves more than normal stress on the writs, arm and elbow, people like labourers, carpenters, plumbers are usually a high risk category for tennis elbow. In addition tasks that involve long durations of wrist and elbow movement like painting also can lead to tennis elbow.

Apart from manual labourers, there are also weight lifters that are a part of this high risk category, especially professional weight lifters that have been lifting weights since a very young age, make themselves susceptible to tennis elbow.

Athletes

Tennis elbow is called so because, tennis players were one of the first group of people who reported the problem, this does not mean that only tennis players are afflicted by tennis elbow, however people who are engaged in racquet sports like badminton are also equally susceptible to tennis elbow. Athletes like golfers and those competing in more weight oriented sports like the shot put and the discuss throw have also been known to be affected by tennis elbow.

Essentially athletes that are susceptible to wear and tear of the forearm, and elbow. Or those that require extensive wrist movement are susceptible to tennis elbow.

Since certain activities are more likely to affect a particular part of the elbow or arm, the symptoms experienced by people suffering from tennis elbow also vary, where as pain on the outside of the elbow is a common symptom other than that the, symptoms can vary from shooting pain in the forearm, to pain while lifting weights or pain during simple activities like using a wrench.

Depending on the particular tendon group that is damaged and other deciding factors, differential diagnosis of tennis elbow is divided into categories like anconeus compartment syndrome, bursitis, cervical radiculopathy, radio-humeral joint dysfunction, lateral epicondyle avulsion, musculocutaneus nerve entrapment, non-union of radial neck fracture, osteoarthritis, posterior interosseous syndrome, posterolateral rotatory instability, radial nerve tension, radial tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, strained lateral collateral ligaments and snapping plicae syndrome

The only thing to remember is that tennis elbow is curable and when diagnosed on time, the time taken to recover is less.

Be sure to check out my tennis elbow system when you are ready to cure tennis elbow from the comfort of home without any special exercise equipment.

To Your Health,

Geoff Hunt

The Gift of Tennis

Tennis was not always my first love. As a child I engaged in every sports activity available to me. My mother sent me for ballet and tap dancing lessons. I went roller skating and ice skating and bike riding with my friends. In the summers, we had a local pool for swimming or I enjoyed those special week long retreats in the Catskill Mountains where I could swim in one of the many lakes.

My athletic ability and love of sports has been a gift I had since my childhood. As a tomboy of sorts, I got down and dirty engaging in boy-girl wrestling matches, thrilling ice skating whips on the frozen lake (the end person was whipped around the curve), and dangerous sleigh rides down the steep "Suicide Hill" at Goose Pond Park near my home. On my street (in those days there was very little vehicle traffic), we played tag and hopscotch and softball with the boys and girls happily playing together. Then we created these adventurous walks through the woods where we wrote specific required activities at different checkpoints. My girlfriend, Diane, and I were champion handball and paddle ball players, champions in our neighborhood, that is. We would challenge all the boys and more often than not, we won. They used to be so surprised at how well we played that they often tried to hard and caused themselves to lose. Diane and I used to laugh at how much fun we had proving our athletic skills.

It wasn't until nearing my 20's that I first picked up a tennis racket. I remember playing singles with my college friend, Barbara, at Kissena Park in Queens, New York. Just recently, she reminded me that we had actually started, what became a lifelong love and appreciation for the game of tennis, at the indoor gymnasium at Queens College. When we began, both of us missed many more balls than we hit. So we set up a challenge. Whoever missed the ball would have to pay 1 cent. I don't remember what we did with that money or if we ever really paid with real money, but that got us started by creating that sense of excitement, competition and enjoyment of tennis. It also helped us to develop our tennis skills, along with some much needed lessons.

Shortly after graduating from college, I moved into Manhattan to enjoy an exciting singles life. Tennis in Manhattan was a bit more difficult. Although I found some local tennis parties and enjoyed lots of private lessons with local pros, my friend Barbara was participating in womens' tennis leagues in New Jersey. With that same competitive instinct intact, I found a way to first facilitate a regular Friday night round robin tennis event and then I found a tennis court, in the Bronx, where I could create my own tennis league. I called all of my tennis friends and actually persuaded 8 of them to come with me every Thursday night for a weekly tennis league. That's where I met my other life long tennis friend, also named Barbara. She was the only one I knew who would show up for a mixed doubles match with older men, just to enjoy the tennis. All the other women I knew were more hung up on meeting the love of their life then on the enjoyment of a sport.

Problem with having a love and passion for a physical activity, is that there comes a time when you are injured and cannot participate. What is wonderful about tennis, is that at those times when I have tennis elbow, a back spasm, neck or shoulder problems, I could still enjoy watching a good tennis match and learning a few pointers from a tennis pro or even reading about it in Tennis Magazine.

Do you have a passion or love for tennis or for some other physical activity in your life? Do you have a passion for some other type of activity (e.g., knitting, crocheting, gardening, building cars, collecting, painting, photography)? The type of activity does not really matter. What is most important is to find and nourish your passion and love for at least one activity. It takes all the pressure off your relationships and helps you to feel good about your life. I know tennis has done that for me.

Dr. Erica Goodstone, a Spiritual Relationship Expert, has helped thousands of men, women, couples, and groups to develop greater awareness of the issues in their relationships and their lives, to overcome and alleviate stressors and discords, and to revitalize their relationships and their own mind-body-spirit connection. As a former professor of health and physical education, she has enjoyed learning about and teaching tennis and many other sports and leisure activities. Read articles about love and passion and healing at http://www.CreateHealingAndLoveNow.com/blog and healing articles at http://www.HealthyBabyBoomersNetwork.com.

Tennis - Ideal For Beginners

If you have not been the sporty or athletic type but are keen to take up a sport as part of your goal to adopt a healthier lifestyle, tennis is a wonderful game to pick up.

Tennis can be played according to the players' preference - slow and steady for beginners, or fast and furious for advanced players and professionals.

Tennis is also one of the few sports that uses most of the muscles on your body, which means you get a very good overall workout, and it's great for your cardio.

For these reasons, tennis is ideal as a beginners' sport, even for those who have never been active in sports.

Tennis is also a very sociable game. It takes at least two to play tennis, just like it takes two to tango. You can chit chat with your partner in between sets. Unless you're in a competitive match, you can even trade jokes during the game!

For even more fun, when you're more confident in your game, you can invite an additional two players to make it a "doubles".

What do you need?

A tennis racquet

A pair of tennis shoes (or track shoes)

Some tennis balls

A tennis court

And a partner!

What you need to know?

Here are some of the things you need to know before getting on the court.

1. How to hold the tennis racquet

Assuming you're right handed, hold the tennis racquet on your left hand. Then open up the palm of your right hand, put it against the racquet handle, and slide it down to the grip and grip it.

2. Swings

There are several basic tennis swings that beginners need to learn, but the 2 most basic are the following:

a. forehand (position of your racquet is similar to an open palm on your right hand facing the net)

b. backhand (your right hand will be across your body with the back of your hand facing the net)

You can play a game just using these two swings as a start.

3. The Tennis Court

If you're playing Singles (2 players), the "in" area of the court is demarcated by the two inner vertical lines running from one baseline to the other.

If you're playing Doubles (4 players), then you will be using all the areas within the two outer vertical lines.

The ball is always served from behind the Baseline, the horizontal lines at the back of the court.

First Time on the Court

Now that you have the necessary equipment, some basic knowledge and a partner, you're now ready to get on the court.

When you get to the court, start with some stretching exercises, either alone or together with your partner. As tennis uses the muscles in your legs and arms, be sure to include some stretching exercises that target these muscles.

Once you've completed the stretching exercises, you can warm up effectively by playing "mini-tennis" for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. This means you and your partner will be standing just behind the service boxes, and start hitting the ball to one another slowly and steadily.

After the warm up, you can now move back to the baseline to start playing a game.

As this is your first tennis game, do not get hung up on the rules of the games or the proper swinging techniques. Just hit the ball to one another. Try to keep your ball within the court, so it'll be easier for you and your partner to return the ball to each other.

The main objective for your first game is to have fun, before deciding on whether this is the sport for you. And the more times you hit the ball, the more fun you will have!

Nora Yu is a tennis enthusiast who has been playing the game for more than 5 years. For more tennis tips, visit [http://www.TennisVideoLessons.net]

5 Reasons Quick Start Tennis Can Cause Bad Habits in Young Tennis Players

My opinion on the use of quick start tennis balls is that they are a great tool for tennis coaches to use in developing junior players.

Mini Tennis must be used in creating the correct habits for tennis on a full size court. However there are certain aspects that fill me with apprehension with the Short Game System that is currently being promoted.

As we all know once a habit becomes instinctive a blueprint of behaviour is automatically established and becomes very hard to alter.

We all know how hard it is to alter an ingrained habit like smoking. So why are the tennis federations insisting that tennis be taught this way?

Here are 5 bad habits I have witnessed junior players developing with this method.

#1. Serve Up Not Down

The adolescent player has to hit their serve down in order to get it into the quick start tennis court, which in actuality is the opposite of what you have to do in the real game on a full size court. Even Top Pro player John Isner, a mountain of man at 6 foot 10 inches has to hit his serves up to get the ball into court. Tennis is a vertical game!

#2. Serving And Volleying With The Wrong Grip

To get early success the serve and forehand volley is taught with a forehand grip. This is fundamentally wrong as the junior player will not develop spin or control on the ball and will find it hard when they progress to the bigger court with heavier balls. The continental grip must be used on these shots to create the habit of striking the ball with spin and control from the beginning of their development!

These grips are easy to implement with our simple Tennis in Minutes techniques which allow players to master and discover these shots with the right grips in next to no time.

#3. Regimented Posture and Restricted Movement for the Forehand

Young players are told to stand in 3/4 open stance for the forehand. This confine natural movement whilst starting in a natural 'square on' position, encourages natural movement to help them discover the ball. With beginners, the key thing is to develop automatic reception skills.

A partially open stance encourages balance when driving the ball because it allows the dominant hip to 'torque' and produce power, but young players can only do this when the ball is in a certain position in relation to the player. So to wrap up, this is but one posture out of many! Tennis has to be a game of flexibility and natural movement not dictatorial restrictive sequences.

#4. The nets in Mini Tennis are too low!

Adolescent players can get away with whacking across the ball using poor technique, instead of hitting up like you have to on a full court. There is no sense of pushing up in their ball striking, whereas tennis is now very much a vertical game with racquets hitting up the back of the ball with topspin and players moving up as they hit.

#5. The Forgotten Shot in Quick Start Tennis

When did you last see a one handed backhand being taught in a mini tennis lesson? This is not taught because its thought of as a hard shot for junior players to master and that the player will not have the power to hit it yet. If a player is developing with lighter and slower quick start tennis balls there is very little danger of injury so there is no reason for not teaching this shot. After all not all players are natural two handers!

It's my belief that both one-handed and two-handed backhands should be taught at this stage and the junior player is then able to discover which works best for him or her. Our Tennis in Minutes methodology has junior players as young as 4 years of age hitting amazing single handed backhands. The simple progressions make the grip change a very simple habit to master.

To wrap up we are fans of Quick Start Tennis and use the varying low compression balls but we are also very sensitive of the dangers of teaching bad habits at the start of the young tennis players career.

John Littleford, Author of Tennis Strokes and Tactics to Improve Your Game is a well respected Tennis Coach in the area of tennis development Read more about his super quick but highly effective system of teaching tennis at his website http://playmoderntennis.com/ModerntennisDVDs.html

Babolat Aero Pro Tennis Racquet - the Best of the Best

As a passionate tennis player you must be aware of the fact that Rafael Nadal has opted for the Babolat aero pro tennis racquet. So what is so special about this racquet? Let's find out...

Originated in France, Babolat, which is now a brand name in the world of Tennis, has been making strings for the tennis rackets since 1875, and ever since then the company has adopted several high-end technologies in regard to the tennis rackets and equipments.

A product of the aero series - the Babolat aero pro tennis racquet makes use of the aero modular technology, and the AeroPro Drive is the most exciting stroke of tennis, so much so that this aero modular designed tennis racquet turned out to be the first choice of the Tennis pioneer, Rafael Nadal.

The legendry Tennis racket is known to provide a supreme quality racquet head velocity and spinning by means of its aero modular technology. This type of tennis racquet is a special type of aero pro series. There are, however, other series of Tennis racquets available in the market as well; the pure drive, pure control or control plus, pure storm make up part of a large selection to name a few.

The subject aero pro tennis racquet works wonders when it comes to playing bounces at a stretch and good spins. It offers a great accuracy from a solid response and better comfort due to its cortex system. This particular deisgn is the kind that Rafael Nadal uses and is 100 sq inch in its head size and 11.3 ounces in weight. This series of aero modular technology is the best as it offers an assortment of tennis racquets, namely, the AeroPro Drive Cortex, AeroPro Drive Plus Cortex, Aeropro Storm 2008, Aero Storm Tour 2008, Aero Storm Original, Aero Stike and Babolat Aero 112.

There are a number of renowned tennis players currently in the circuit using the subject tennis racquet. Among the men are Fabio Forgnini, Andy Roddick, Fernando Gonzalez, Nicholus Lapentti, Carlos Moya, Rafael Nadal, Wayne Odesnik and Julien Benneteau.

While in the group of women tennis player bonded to this reknown raquet are Sofia Arvidsson, Sybille Bammer, Karin Knapp, Na Li, Pauline Parmentier, Nadia Petrova, Dinara Safina, Caroline Wozniacki and Timea Bacsinszky.

Undoubtedly the design of this tennis racquet offers a greater maneuverability, easy control and an excellent playing experience. Add to this is the fact that it is a light-weight racquet with a longer head and is a masterpiece in producing some excellent pops and spins! In this aero pro series; the advanced are AeroStrike and Aero112, while for the juniors is AeroProDrive junior.

Babolat aero pro tennis racquet is undoubtedly a superb attraction for the new era tennis star and the budding juniors. It certainly helps them keep up with their high technical standard and a perfect tool for their winning spree.

Alan Cunningham is a writer who loves expressing his thoughts in the written word. He primarily likes writing on romance and relationship related issues, and sometimes writes on other diverse topics as well. For more information on Babolat aero pro tennis racquet

Be a Virtual Tennis Star: Enjoy Playing Virtual Tennis Games

Online tennis game is played between two players. The first player is the online user, the other one is his online competitor. This game can also be played manually with tennis gaming software. I this game online players hit the tennis ball with a virtual tennis bat or a tennis player by pressing specific keyboard buttons. Everyone must have seen tennis on TV or even live. But playing it in reality is something different. It takes great effort and physical labor to learn playing tennis on a court. Playing this game on a video screen can be a great fun and excitement while learning strategies of tennis. The bat used for playing this game is also called Racquet. This sport originated in England in the 19th century. Now many kinds of video tennis games are available in the market. They are available in different versions. Many of them have virtual famous tennis players like Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi.

Online players can select the virtual playing stars in a video tennis game. So they can enjoy virtual experience of playing tennis with their favorite gaming stars. After winning with them in an online match players can feel great to become a tennis champion on the video screen. Virtual playing brings many fantasies and dreams to become true. Online tennis games have gone many improvements in animation, playing modes and sound effects. Take for example, many players can choose their favorite tennis player and playing court from the given list. They can also create a new virtual playing character. All online users get top rankings by winning maximum number of online matches with other users or virtual gaming characters.

Many tennis gaming versions have interesting practice sessions with all playing guidelines. These versions also explain various types of special shots used to hit the tennis ball. Online players can do practice on these virtual sessions before playing a video tournament. One can also play as a virtual professional player by creating virtual tennis characters on latest gaming versions. One can create his favorite colored dress for a chosen virtual tennis character. Playing virtual tennis is a great fun to play alone as well as with other online users. Lively computerized images in these video sports look vibrant and play with the same skill as seen in real players. All virtual players in online sports look real and inspire users to play with the greatest skill.

Online tennis game can teach players to learn all required skills to play tennis on a real court. They have virtual playing characters which can be chosen by players to enjoy virtual gaming competitions.

5 Ways to Succeed With Tennis Lessons

Learning how to play tennis can be difficult, especially when you are fighting against years of natural instincts and poor technique. With plenty of amateur 'coaches' wanting to show you what to do, it can be incredibly easy to develop a poor tennis technique, putting yourself at risk of future injuries and slowing your progress at the same time.

Success at tennis means some relatively rigid techniques and learning styles, and without formal tennis lessons it is difficult to master the skills required to become a good tennis player. However, with dedication and focus, along with a skilled and accommodating coach, even the biggest tennis newbie could find themselves mastering the game within a couple of coaching seasons.

These five tips will help you get the most from your tennis lessons, no matter which school or private coach you end up going with. Remember, tennis success comes not just from practice but from play. Train hard, work on techniques and specific movements, and put it all into practice where it counts: on the court.

#1: Balance tennis practice with practical play.

There are some skills that you simply can't master through practice and training alone. The instincts that come with in-game experience, the special shots that can distract and bewilder an opponent, and the psychological games that happen during a match are all things that can only ever be picked up through real tennis. Learning and practicing skills with a coach is important, incredibly so, but balancing it with real games will help you develop your game much faster. If possible, look for a tennis coach that offers a mixture of drills and one-on-one match play.

#2: Master techniques before you put them into practice.

Tennis is a sport that's very much dependent on proper technique. Bad technique not only hampers your game, but leaves you at risk of injuries and long-term muscle damage. Remember, tennis isn't just a short-term game, and learning the techniques that will keep you healthy for the long-term are just as important as mastering the skill shots and techniques that help you win matches.

#3: Pick a coach that gets involved.

There's only so much that you can gain from practicing drills over and over without assistance. Some coaches don't seem interested in helping you with the finer details of tennis, and they're best avoided when it comes to picking a coach for tennis lessons. When looking around different clubs, schools, and independent coaches, be sure to pick someone that gets involved in their coaching, giving direct advice, demonstrations, and helpful tips to students. Learning from the book can only take you so far; learning from a coach will take you the extra distance.

#4: To improve your in-game confidence, join a league.

You can only improve so much through practice alone. League play doesn't have to be super competitive, and even the most friendly league can help you develop the confidence required to really succeed at tennis. A large portion of in-game ability isn't just technique and focus, but the confidence and mind-set that comes with experience in competition. Start by playing friendly games against other students, and then graduate through the ranks to club play and semi-competitive local tennis groups.

#5: Make your tennis lessons convenient.

A big part of mastering anything is simply showing up. However, when you're a busy professional, just finding time for tennis lessons can be an effort. To ease the process, try and find a coach that's nearby, or even better, a coach that can come to you. If you want more dedicated attention during the lesson, private coaching might be the best learning option for you.

John Ing is an avid tennis player. He has been playing tennis for more than 20 years. Having done so much, he feels that he is still learning. He has started taking tennis lessons again in order to improve his technique. For more information, check out http://www.singaporetennislessons.com/ and/or http://www.1sports.asia for more sports coaching ideas.

Basic Tennis Equipment You Must Own

If you are just starting to play tennis at a court, and need to buy tennis equipment to get you started with the game, then it is very common to get confused with the wide variety of equipment available in sports shops these days. To select the ones that you need as a beginner can be a bit overwhelming process.

To make your shopping easier, it will be better to know the functionality of equipment, to identify the best ones in the market, and make your purchase. There are a number of major brands that specialize in manufacturing tennis equipment. Brands like Wilson, Yonex, Dunlop, volkl are leading manufacturers in the field. The most common equipment that you will need is listed below, to help you shop better.

Tennis racquet

This is the most important of all tennis equipment you must own, when you decide to play the game on a regular basis. Today, wide ranges of racquets are available in market, according to your price range. Buying a branded one always ensures better quality so that you can enjoy playing longer.

Make sure you buy the racquets made of high standard materials that can give you maximum comfort, to make your playing enjoyable. Also, tennis racquets come in various head sizes to suit the needs of players from beginner level to expert level. If you are looking to buy a racquet suitable for beginners, then you must opt for a bigger head sized racquets.

Tennis bag

This is the bag that you will carry every day for your play. This bag can hold all your tennis equipment like racquet, tennis balls, clothes, water bottle and other things you might need at the court. Since you will be carrying a considerable amount of things, buy a sturdy and durable water proof bag which will last for a long time. All leading brands have their own tennis bags, so you have a variety of bags to choose from.

Tennis balls

You can buy your own pack of tennis balls, if your club does not supply them for you. They usually come in packs of five tennis balls. Again, all leading brands manufacture them, so do your research about the most durable ones and make your purchase.

Tennis shoes

This is also a very important purchase you have to make, if you are a regular player. Tennis shoes are custom made to be used in tennis court, because it can give full support to your feet when you run around on the surface of the court. They are designed to maximize comfort while minimizing the risk of sprained foot or ankle when you are involved in athletic activity like tennis. They will have special sole material, which will provide grip on the court, resisting falls due to slip of surface. You can get good tennis shoes from all leading tennis brands and sports shoe brands like Adidas, Asics and so on.

Apart from the above listed necessities, there are a number of accessories and tennis equipment that you can buy, depending on your requirement. Remember to choose the equipment from brands that are best known for their quality, so that you get the best value for your money, and you can enjoy using them for a long time.

If you want to learn more about tennis equipment and tennis equipment and where to buy, you should do so by going to http://thetennisshop.com.au

How to Choose a great Tennis Instructor - Top 10 Important Considerations

1. A Difficult Process

Finding good tennis instructors and tennis coaches is difficult. The vast majority are former college or high school players who look reasonably good hitting a ball, but have little actual teaching experience.

Indeed, they've seldom studied basic principles of education, read books about proper technique, taken courses in the basic principles of teaching progressions and tennis coaching, or attained certification by either the PTR (Pro Tennis Registry) or USPTA (US Pro Tennis Association).

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors their NTRP rating, if they are nationally certified (which association and level: low, medium, or high), whether they have ever been ranked highly in the USTA, the number of years they have been teaching professionally, the ages and levels of the students they have taught, the types of locations at which they have taught (year-round indoor centers vs. part-time outdoor summer camps), and which notable authors they have read.

And, while you're talking to your potential Tennis Coaches, try to gain an understanding of their level of professionalism, dedication, level of maturity, type of personality (personable; gregarious), and their ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

2. Expect RAPID Results

You're paying good money to take tennis lessons, and you've got a right to expect good results soon. If you have difficulty understanding your Tennis Teachers during your tennis lessons and have been progressing slowly, stop crossing your fingers hoping you'll one day have a magical epiphany and suddenly improve.

Instead, demand results NOW while you're on-court, and not at some later time. If your Tennis Teachers are truly worth their grain of salt, you'll start improving with your very first tennis lesson, and will continue to improve with each successive tennis lesson.

A good Tennis Teacher is absolutely worth the price. A poor Tennis Teacher simply waists your time and money.

3. National Certification

While certification does not guarantee a GREAT Tennis Coach, it certainly guarantees a reasonable minimum level of expertise. It's unfortunate, but the vast majority of Tennis Coaches are unable to measure up to this requirement.

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors and Tennis Coaches if they are nationally certified, and to which level.

The PTR and the USPTA are the only two well-respected, USTA-sanctioned, certifying bodies in the USA, and both have been certifying Tennis Coaches for almost 35 years. They certify Tennis Instructors to essentially three ascending tennis coaching levels (low; medium; high).

Good Tennis Coaches always work and study hard to periodically retest and elevate their certification to the highest level.

4. NTRP Level

It's simply impossible for a Tennis Teacher to teach you to do something he/she can not already do him/herself, regardless of what he/she might think or claim.

So, if a Tennis Teacher only has an NTRP of 4.0, he/she can not teach you to play at NTRP 4.5 or higher. If you happen to improve beyond your Tennis Teachers NTRP level, it is solely due to your own abilities, not your Tennis Teacher's.

Always ask your potential Tennis Teachers their NTRP level. It is ill-advised to settle for a lower NTRP level for the sake of a lower price. You will only get what you paid for, with little or no lasting improvement. Instead, demand a high NTRP level to better assure yourself of more rapid improvement.

5. Ranking in the USTA

While a higher USTA (United States Tennis Association) player ranking is no guarantee of getting good tennis lessons, it certainly does help. Tennis Instructors who have never been ranked, or have never even competed for a USTA ranking, should be avoided.

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors about their current and/or past rankings: The higher, the better.

6. Years and Kind of Experience

There's no substitute for experience. But, tennis teaching experience can be gained in a variety of settings. These include year-round indoor and outdoor facilities, as well as outdoor summer-only institutions such as adult and junior camps, recreation department programs, and country clubs. The tennis teaching experience a Tennis Instructor gains at a summer kids' camp is greatly inferior to that gained at a year-round club. This impacts directly on the quality of your tennis lessons.

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors exactly where they have gained their experience.

7. Experience Teaching Different

Ages, Levels, and Groups: Different ages and levels require different approaches and techniques when it comes to tennis instruction.

If your potential Tennis Instructor has spent the bulk of his/her time teaching children, he/she will be hard-pressed to provide proper tennis instruction to you as an adult. The skills required to teach privately to a single person are very different and more demanding than teaching a group.

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors how much time they have spent teaching people of your own age and level, as well as whether they have taught group and private lessons.

8. Expert Knowledge of Proper Technique

Knowledge is critical, and a great Tennis Instructor gains it only from the great effort he/she has made to educate himself/herself. He/she needs to have read a large quantity and variety of tennis instruction books, viewed a sufficient number of instructional videos, and attended many salient courses and workshops on proper stroke technique. There are no short-cuts.

Always ask your potential Tennis Instructor how he/she has gained his/her knowledge.

9. Communication Ability

Regardless of the depth of your Tennis Coach's knowledge of proper technique, this information is useless if he/she is unable to communicate it to you clearly and concisely.

When you speak with your potential Tennis Instructor, always listen to the manner in which he/she expresses him/herself. If you are unable to clearly understand him/her during your initial discovery process, chances are you will be just as bewildered while on court.

10. Personality

Although Personality is presented here last, it is by no means less important than the other considerations. Indeed, a personable, gregarious, punctual, reliable, mature professional who is also upbeat, encouraging, enthusiastic, and animated makes for a fun time on the court.

When you have your initial conversation to discuss tennis lessons, always remember to look for these inviting traits.

For more information, visit the Tennis Lessons Boston website at http://tennislessonsboston.tripod.com

Online Tennis Lessons For Beginners - Pros And Cons

It's one thing finding beginner tennis lessons online and another thing whether you actually found a good way to learn how to play tennis.

But suppose you found a good online tennis lesson; how does it compare to a real on court tennis instruction session?

Here are the pros of online tennis lessons for beginners:

1. They are more systematic. What often happens on court is that a tennis beginner starts making minor mistakes and this causes the coach to deviate from the original plan and perhaps miss some of the fundamental skills in the first few tennis lessons.

An online tennis lesson is already prepared, either written as an article or taped as a series of video clips and you can be sure that it will guide you in a very effective way through your first lesson.

2. You control what you want to learn. In case you already know some of the strokes, you can quickly scan the online lesson and choose what you need to learn.

When you are on court, the coach controls the flow of the lesson and you may find it difficult to tell the coach what to you. You are a tennis beginner after all.

3. They are much cheaper or even free. A typical tennis lesson with a professional coach costs between $40 and $50 and you need at least 10 to start playing some real tennis.

A full collection of online tennis lessons can cost you less than $50 and for that you get the information for all the strokes and footwork patterns. Now you only have to actually do it on the court.

And the cons of online tennis lessons for beginners?

1. No feedback from the coach. This means that if a tennis beginner misunderstands the instruction in the online tennis lesson, a coach cannot correct them.

So you might end up learning a slightly incorrect stroke from the beginning without even noticing that.

2. You miss on the fun and the social part of tennis. When you have a real tennis lesson with a coach, you can play many fun games and activities which will help you improve faster.

You also get to know a new person and gain a new friend. If you are learning tennis from behind a computer, it can be very lonely.

3. You cannot accelerate your learning. If an experienced tennis coach guides you through your first on-court lesson, he will be able to judge whether you are learning fast or slow.

A coach can then adapt the learning process to accelerate your learning in various stages of your beginner experiences.

If you are learning tennis online, you are not able to judge whether you could learn something faster or in a different way which may be more suitable for you.

In summary, learning tennis from online tennis lessons can be much cheaper and a very practical way to jump start your tennis journey.

But sooner or later you will probably have to find a pro to take you to the next level.

Tomaz Mencinger is a tennis coach who offers online beginner tennis lessons for free. You can find more tennis tips and instruction on his Tennis Thoughts blog.

Kids' Tennis Clothes Make the Game More Fun For Children

Like adults, kids tennis clothes should be made for comfort without sacrificing on style. Fortunately those who design and make the clothes are certainly aware of this, and there are plenty of quality brands and garments to choose from. The requirements are the same for kids or adults. The clothes need to be comfortable, they need to breathe, they need to fit, and they need to last.

Of course they need to look good too, especially for a youngster just starting out. If you're having a hard time getting your child on the court, having clothing they love at the ready just might serve as a nice incentive.

Your child has to feel comfortable in the outfit while he or she is at the courts. Among the most popular kids' tennis clothes are shorts, shirts and skirts that form the basis of most of the brands in the market. Tennis is played by kids' early, and the clothes are tailor made to make them look and feel great. Tennis clothes are meant to be easy on the skin, not too loose or too tight.

Among the popular brands, Nike Tennis, little Miss Tennis and TV Sports make very popular tennis clothing lines for kids' and parents like them as well. The perfect fit is what makes the kids' tennis clothes a great buy, as it is the first step to preparing them for the big events later on. They should be able to feel comfortable playing in tennis clothes as it is the norm everywhere in the world.

Kids take to tennis easily. It is extremely easy to find a tennis court nearby, probably just as easy as it is to find a basketball court. Adults love to play too, which is probably why so many parents help their children develop and interest. It's a whole lot easier to find a tennis partner to play with than it is to find 10 partners to make up two basketball teams. We're not suggesting tennis is more popular, but it many cases it is more accessible. And kids tennis clothes are designed to keep them cool during those hot summer months of playing.

If your kids are enrolled in a tennis school, recreation program, or are sent to learn the game under a coach, get those tennis clothes ready. Recreation programs are not as strict, but if you are going to a school chances are you'll need to right clothes to participate. It's part of the decorum of the game. Even local tournaments require the participants to be in tennis clothes.

But make sure they are clothes you child likes. No kid likes to be seen in old fashioned tennis clothes these days so you should check out the popular brands while you shop. From T-Shirts to skirts, apparel for playing the game of tennis has to be trendy. And your child will love it as they take to the court in clothing from their own personal collection.

To learn more about kids tennis clothes be sure to visit our website at TennisApparelForWomen.net. You'll get information on not just children's apparel, but the girls and womens tennis apparel that are needed while you are playing this great sport.

Tennis Posts for the Serious Court Owner

What makes a tennis court a tennis court is the posts.

That seems a simple enough conclusion, but how do you go about making sure the tennis posts you purchase are the best investment for your dollar? Here are a few things to note when shopping for a post set.

Tennis posts are unbelievably unique. Purchasing the wrong post can make the difference between a long lasting, visually appealing court and worn down, uninviting tennis court in a matter of just a few years.

Internal vs. External

The pulley system that attaches the net to the post is manufactured either inside the post or outside. Internal pulley systems have levers that fold into the post, making for a set of smooth looking posts. External pulley system post sets often come with detachable winders but the hardware is still on the outside. These posts are more functional versus the more aesthetically pleasing, internal wind tennis posts and a bit less costly. Internal wind posts tend to cost about a hundred dollars more.

Mounting your posts

Post sleeves are recommended, because they allow for easy post removal during resurfacing and winterizing. Sleeves are sold separately and are mounted directly into the concrete, often while the court is being surfaced. When purchasing mounting sleeves, make sure that you purchase either round or square post sleeves, whichever match the tennis posts you have purchased. The difference between round or square posts is purely a question of personal choice.

Complete instructions for mounting posts are available online, but a few of the key things to remember are sleeve placement, post heights and winterizing. When installing the post sleeve ITF regulations dictate that the posts should be exactly three feet outside of the court lines on either side and that the post must extend no more than one foot above the net.

Portable tennis posts

Tennis on the go; companies have made it easy to take your favorite game anywhere you go. The easily affordable and delightfully compact Hitchnet Portable Tennis Court by Courtmaster attaches to the hitch of your truck or SUV. Setting it up at your campsite or favorite park is as easy as pulling it out of the back of your trunk.

Rooftop post sets can be used in urban areas or anywhere drilling a hole is not an option. These tennis posts can be bolted into place using the predrilled mounting plates. Heavy-duty tournament posts are also available for times when you need to take the court with you after the match. Post sets are mounted on castor wheels; they lock into place during the match and roll away with you when it is time to go home. These rolling tennis posts are great for church parking lots or after school programs that do not have the budget to build a permanent court.

Wimbledon Tennis Posts

The Edwards Wimbledon Universal wooden tennis posts have been the tennis post of the All England Tennis Club for more than 80 years. These posts are made from the American Ash tree and are fitted with brass hardware.

Building a tennis court is an important project and buying the tennis posts is an integral part of that process.

Do It Tennis is based in the city of Oceanside and is located in San Diego County, CA. We began Internet operations in March 2005. Our knowledgeable staff has extensive experience in the tennis industry and all our stringers are highly experienced and expert at their craft. For more information, please contact us at:

Do It Tennis
1658 Ord Way
Oceanside, CA 92056

http://www.doittennis.com

(866) 900-3648 (Toll-free)