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Monday, 28 February 2011

The Monster Serve - Ebooks on how to improve a Tennis players serve

The Monster Serve system is dedicated to helping tennis players improve their tennis serve. This system will help players add speed, accuracy, spin, and consistency to their ordinary flat serve essentially turning their serve into The Monster Serve.


Check it out!

Sunday, 27 February 2011

Welcome to the Zone - The E-Book

Welcome to the Zone is the companion ebook to Scott Ford's revolutionary tennis video. In his E-Book, Scott takes you through the steps he uses to teach players how to get in the zone, how to maintain the zone, and how to compete in the zone.


Check it out!

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

Tennis Serve Tips and Technique


The tennis serve is an important part of the game of tennis. Besides the groundstrokes, a good serve can begin the point on the player's own terms. The groundstrokes are often practiced by club players every day, but the serve always lacks adequate practice. Many tennis players neglect their serve. Player's who do lack the ability to serve with both power and spin start the point at their opponent's mercy. The irony is that the tennis serve technique is entirely in our control.

A tennis player with common sense should look to gain a advantage by improving their tennis serve. If you are looking to improve the tennis serve technique, have a weak serve, or just looking to develop an already good serve: here are some tips to help you improve.

Tennis Serve Tip #1 - Focus on placement

Before you start your service motion, a player should know exactly where they want to hit their serve. If you have better aim, you can hit better placements with your serve. If you want a great serve, think about where you want to hit the ball. This will help you regain focus and help take some pressure off yourself.

Make sure your body position is aligned correctly to hit the tennis serve. If you are aiming to the right, finish your service motion to the right. If you are playing a righty, you will mostly want to aim to your right, because usually players' backhands are weaker than their forehands. When you make contact make sure you are hitting the correct side of the ball. If you are aiming to the right, you will want to hit the ball at 11 o'clock.

It is also important to make sure your opponent can't read where you are trying to hit the ball. Therefore, you must disguise your serve. One way to practice this is the 1-2-3 drill. When practicing, divide the service box into three parts. Let's say the left division is 1, the middle division is 2, and the right division is 3. Have a friend call out one, two, or three right after you toss the ball. Serve to where your friend told you to. If you do this drill enough it will help you aim better and help you disguise your serve.

Tennis Serve Tip #2 - Incorporate your whole body into the serve

As you add more of your body into your shots, your service motion will become more powerful. Therefore, it is important to sometimes practice your serve without a ball. This is sometimes called "shadowing".

Make sure to lean your hip beyond the service line. Bend your knees. Make sure your shoulders and body are perpendicular to the net. Finally, when the toss has reached its peak, unleash all that energy you have stored into your body. Jump into the court as you hit the ball and prepare for the next shot with a split-step.

Tennis Serve Tip #3 Practice serving by throwing

A baseball pitch is much like a serve in tennis. If you ever get the chance to watch a baseball player, you should notice that their throwing mechanics is very similar to the tennis serve. A good serve is an accurate shot, but the serve should also have a lot of pace on it. You can throw a ball with a friend, or you can just get some tennis balls and see how far you can throw them from the baseline. Then, immediately try doing the same motion with a tennis racquet. The results will surprise you.

Final Tennis Tip

The best way to throw your opponent off on serve is to add different spins and paces to your serve. Try to serve kick, slice and flat serves into your service games. At 40-love and first serve, throw in a hard, flat serve for an ace. Occasionally serve a ball with absolutely no pace on it. This is effective when your opponent has been getting hard serve after hard serve.

Work on these tennis serve tips to improve your game and then your tennis technique may improve over time.








Coach Ed is a former nationally ranked tennis player and coach. Optimum Tennis offers tennis instruction, tennis tips and tennis tips at Optimum Tennis

Click here to find out Tennis Tips


Sunday, 20 February 2011

Learning to Play Tennis


Many people have trouble learning to play tennis, mostly because the depth of the game. One thing you should think about before learning tennis is how much time do you want to spend on tennis? You might want to start playing tennis as a workout, if you do, do you know how many calories an hour long tennis match will burn? This article will give you all the information you want to know about tennis gear and an explanation of a number of different tennis terms.

In an hour long singles game of tennis, depending of a number of factors like skill level and wait-time, you can burn up to 500 calories if you weigh about 140 pounds (~65kg) or even up to 700 if you weigh 190 pounds (~85kg). An hour long doubles game burns about 530 calories if you weigh 190 pounds (~85kg) or 380 if you weigh about 140 pounds (~65kg), considerably less then a singles game but that's because you only take half the shots and have a much smaller part of the tennis court to cover. Before you start playing tennis you should also consider getting some information about the gear used.

There are a couple of things you should acquire before you start learning to play tennis. Clothing isn't really a problem, as you can play tennis in any kind of t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Women might want to wear a skirt, but unfortunately most of them lack pockets, making you forced to buy a pair of tennis panties with a pocket sewn into them. A nice racquet ($150-300) is a good investment, but not necessary for a beginner, a $30-40 one will do just fine. If you get a little more serious on tennis, or just want to upgrade your racquet you should try to "demo" a few racquets before you decide which one fits you the best. This service is available at most tennis clubs and sporting retailers. For your racquet, you should also get some tennis grips wrapped around the handle that provides absorption, traction and also protection. Make sure you change your grips when they begin to show wear. Tennis is a game where you make a lot of rapid jumps, sprints and lateral movements, thus making it reasonable to invest in a pair of outstanding tennis shoes. Don't forget to make sure your shoes support the ankle in a good way without making them uncomfortable. A good pair of tennis shoes may wear out in a few months of weekly play, especially if you play on hard surfaces. To save some money, only use your tennis shoes for tennis, nothing else.

Have you ever watched tennis on TV? You might here things like "Fault" or "Rally", but what do they mean? Here's a list of different tennis terms:

Footwork: Feet movement to keep the body in position to hit the best possible stroke.

Backhand: A type of shot that starts at the left side of the body for a right-hander or from the right side of the body for a left-hander.

Forehand: Stroking the ball from the right side of the body for a right-hander and from the left side for a left-hander.

Rally: A situation in which both players exchange a series of strokes, usually from their respective baselines.

Backspin: A ball that has been hit in such a way as to keep it spinning backward while in the air, also called "slice.

Topspin: Using a low-to-high stroke to place a forward movement on the ball as it hits your racquet.

Volley: Hitting the ball in mid-air before it bounces on your side of the court.

Double fault: Failing to correctly put two consecutive serves in play.

Fault: A failed attempt to put a serve in play.

Game point: The potentially last point of any game.

Love: Zero points.

Ready position: A preparation stance in which your weight is slightly forward, knees are slightly bent, and you are holding the racket up with both hands out in front of you.








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Saturday, 19 February 2011

Modern Tennis Clothes Bridge The Gap Between Tradition And Style


There was a time when selecting tennis clothes was quite a simple endeavor; the tradition of wearing tennis whites made the selection process quite streamlined. However, as anyone who follows tennis knows, the days of watching Martina Navratilova or Jimmy Connors take the court wearing all white are long gone, and today's game is one that embraces fashion forward styles and functional fabrics.

Today's best players, like Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, are often seen in apparel that spans the spectrum of color and fashion; not surprisingly, the rest of the tennis world has followed suit.

Today's tennis clothes look great on and off the court, and they are made with performance fabrics that surpass the cottons of the past in nearly every way. Modern polyester fabrics like Coolmax(TM) and Wickaway(TM) are available in a wide range of knits and colors, but it is not their style but their utilitarian qualities that make them so ideal for tennis.

Performance fabrics - like polyester, nylon, and spandex - breathe unlike traditional textiles allowing you to stay cool and dry even during the height of summer. Further, these high tech fabrics hold their shape and color much better than their cotton counterparts, allowing you to look good before, during, and after your match, and their high durability will allow you to continue to look good in the future.

Modern textiles are just one aspect of contemporary tennis clothes; these clothes are fashionable and functional as well. While there is nothing wrong with wearing traditional whites to the court, proper tennis attire now includes bright colors and prints which continue to gain popularity at all levels of the game. Style and form are important considerations when selecting tennis apparel, but one should be careful not to ignore function as well as the traditions of the game.

All tennis players should own a proper warm-up outfit, which is typically a two piece suit consisting of long pants and a long sleeved top. A warm-up outfit helps the athlete stay warm and get loose before a match, and it is also the traditionally preferred attire for arrival at the court. Tradition also holds that warm-up suits should be removed during the actual match unless it happens to be a very cold day.

During a match, men should wear tucked shirts and tennis shorts, although more and more the untucked look is becoming a presence in professional and amateur tennis. Women should wear short sleeved or sleeveless shirts paired with skirts or skorts - shorts that have styling that resembles a traditional skirt.

It is important to note that the traditional tennis attire is still alive and well in some places, particularly at some tennis and country clubs. If you are invited to play as a guest at a club, check with the club or your host in order to be certain that your tennis clothes are appropriate and fitting with their dress code.

No tennis outfit is complete without the ever important accessories. Tennis shoes should be sneaker style, and it is probably best to purchase sneakers that are specifically designed for tennis. Not only will true tennis shoes perform better, they will not have black or dark colored soles which are banned at many courts due to their tendency to leave dark scuffs on the playing surface. Make sure you complement your tennis outfit with fashionable socks as well as things like headbands, hats, or wristbands; all of which will help keep your face and hands dry and ready for action.

Tennis is a game deeply rooted in history and tradition, but with some careful shopping you can successfully span those boundaries by wearing tennis clothes that perform well, look great, and stay true to the traditions of the game.








For more information on tennis try visiting http://www.TennisQuestions.com, a website that specializes in providing tennis related tips, advice and resources to include information on tennis clothes.


Friday, 18 February 2011

Basic Rules For Playing Tennis


The rules for tennis are basic and simple. Before you begin playing tennis, make sure you understand the rules and the equipment that's required. Now that we have that out of the way, let's go over the basic rules for playing tennis.

Rules of Tennis

The basic rules for playing tennis are really simple. One of the players serve, or hits, the ball from one corner of an area that's marked, also known as a court, that's divided in half by a net that is three feet tall (about 1 meter). The goal of the opposite player is to return the tennis ball.

It should bounce only once, aiming for the other player not to be able to return it. When this is done correctly, you have scored, which means if the other player isn't able to return the ball without bouncing it once, you'll get a point.

Official tennis rules

The overall goal in tennis is to gain enough points to win games, sets, and matches. The highest score out of 3 tennis games are known as sets for women. And in men games, it's out of 5. A player only wins a set if he or she leads by at least two games.

Officials

Officials are only needed during professional tournaments. The official keeps an eye on the lines to call where or not the ball is in. The senior empire calls score, can overrule other judges, and is in a very high chair on one end of the tennis court.

There's a match referee, who sits in the stands, and is consulted if there's a major conflict during the match. If you dispute with any of the judges, you could lose a point and possibly be disqualified from the tournament

Scoring

Score keeping is part of the basic rules for playing tennis. When a player hasn't scored, it's called love. And when a player does score, it doesn't increase by single digits, it begins at 15, then go up to 30, and then 40. I'll give you an example. Let's say player 1 scores. And player 2 hasn't scored yet. Well, the score now is 15-love.

Whenever the score climbs to 40-40, it's known as a deuce. And the next person to score 2 more points wins. But let's say a player scores one point after a deuce, which is known as an advantage server or receiver, and they end up losing the next point, the score goes back to deuce. From time to time, some players agree to do away with that rule.

Equipment

A regulation size tennis court is part of the basic rules for tennis. A regulation size tennis court is 78 feet long (23.78 m). It also has a net dividing the middle of the court in half. The line where you serve is marked at 21 feet.

Next is the tennis rackets. The usual size for tennis rackets used in tournaments are 11 1/2 inches wide and 32 inches long. After that is the tennis balls. They come in different colors, however the official tennis ball for tournaments must be white or yellow.

Singles

Another basic rule for playing tennis includes playing one on one. The server, or first person to hit the tennis ball, is chosen by spinning a racket or tossing a coin. The person who wins can elect to give the other player the choice of whether or not they want to serve, choose which end they want to serve, or they can pass their option to the other player. And from there, the other player can choose which end they want to play and if they prefer to serve. The person who is able to serve is changed each game, making it a fair match.

Doubles

Serving is alternated from player to player and from team to team. It's done this way so that each of the players can serve every 4th game. It's traditional for partners to stand beside each, however, they can stand anywhere, regardless if they're serving or receiving.

Penalties

Here are some penalties that are also in the basic rules for playing tennis. They can result in points being lost. The penalties are:

1. Catching the tennis ball or carrying it in your tennis racket is against the rules.

2. Throwing your racket or any other kind of abuse.

3. If the tennis ball is carried by a person, with the exception of the racket, or if it hits a player's clothing, then it's against the rules.

4. If you touch the net, posts, your opponent, or any official, it's against the rules.

5. Hitting the tennis ball more than once before it has crossed the net.

These are the basic rules for playing tennis. Now that you know the rules, go out there and have fun.








For more information on how to play tennis, go to my blog http://www.how-to-play-tennis-like-a-pro.blogspot.com This information has helped many people like you, so if you want to really elevate your game and learn how to play like the pros, go to my blog now.


Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Tennis Nutrition for Adults

A complete guide specific to tennis nutrition for busy adults. Starting with the basics and working up to optimising nutrition explicitly to your needs with the aim of supercharging your performance on court. Includes an ebook, videos and audios.


Check it out!

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Instant Tennis Tip - The 5 Elements of Ball Control in Tennis


I like to tell my students that if they can hit the ball over the net and in the court they are good

If they can hit the tennis ball over the net and in the court, and land it anywhere they want, I will sit down and enjoy watching them play.

If they can hit the tennis ball over the net and in the court, and land it anywhere they want, and do so with varying spin and power, I will buy a ticket to sit down and enjoy watching them play.

In tennis, hitting with great power is fun, but ball control is much more important. Anyone who wants to learn how to play tennis should concentrate on mastering the 5 elements of controlling a tennis ball. This will result in the ability to vary your shots according to any situation.

Height

The first obstacle any tennis player must deal with is the net. For a shot to be successful it must first clear the net before it lands in the court. Beginner tennis players should focus on clearing the net by 5 - 8 feet on all their shots from the baseline.

Depth

In general, a ball that lands deep in the court is a better shot than a ball that lands short. However, there will be times you want to deliberately hit the ball short. Beginner tennis players should practice placing their shots to different depths on the court. Remember, where the ball lands is directly related to the height of the ball. Height Equals Depth.

Direction

After you master height and depth, I recommend beginner tennis players move on to mastering direction. Don't get too complicated here. Just try to direct every ball to either the left or to the right.

Spin

After you've mastered hitting the tennis ball with different heights, and to different depths and directions it's time to move on to spin. Learning to put spin on the ball is definitely a more advanced concept and a clear sign that you are moving to the next level as a tennis player. You can hit a tennis ball with topspin, backspin, sidespin, or relatively no spin.

Power

This is the last element of ball control in tennis. A player should move on to hitting a tennis ball with power only after they have learned the previous elements and how they can be combined to create shot variety.

Mastering all 5 elements of ball control takes lots of practice. It's what separates the good players from the elite players. I suggest beginner tennis players focus on the first three in order. Practice hitting the tennis ball over the net, into the court, land it anywhere you please. Then you can work on hitting a tennis ball with spin and power. After that, who knows, maybe someone will buy a ticket to watch you play.








Andreas Radermacher
http://www.InstantTennis.com

Learn how to play tennis at Instant Tennis! It's the internet's hottest tennis newsletter designed especially for people who want to improve their tennis skills.

Published by USPTA Tennis Professional Andreas Radermacher, It's full of tennis tips for anyone who wants to improve their tennis form, expand their tennis knowledge, and just plain learn to play tennis!

Subscribe now to receive the latest updates including how-to videos, expert audios, and other high quality content from Andreas and other top tennis teaching experts.

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Saturday, 12 February 2011

How to Model Your Tennis Technique After Pro Tennis Players


When discussing tennis technique in general, we normally refer to top players in the tennis. The important question is: Should a amateur tennis player attempt to copy the tennis technique of the pros?

The answer is a cautious Yes if the tennis player is looking to improve their tennis technique and tennis strokes. The takeaway from watching professional players is that something can be learned everytime you watch the pros practice.

World class tennis players usually always share commonalities in their tennis technique that you should model.

It's a bad idea to try to copy little nuisances and rituals of professional players. Things like John McEnroe's exaggerated rock back and forth swing before he serves, or Maria Sharapova's complex ritual before every point may look cute - - but it's far from what the average tennis needs to incorporate if he or she wants to play better tennis

When watching the pros and attempting to model their tennis technique, it's important to know what to look for in their tennis strokes and what is a matter of personal preference. Replicating important fundamentals of their tennis technique is the most vital - - and key to improving your own tennis technique.

For the forehand, a good model is Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Justine Henin Hardenne. All three of these players have exceptional forehand tennis technique and at the same time are the most efficient and clean forehands in tennis for the average tennis player to model. They are great models because their forehands are top of the game while still staying relatively simple.

Attempting to model Rafael Nadal's Forehand, or Andy Roddick's serve are two very complicated tennis swings. The reason these two tennis shots are not ideal models to copy is simple - - it contains very advanced elements that recreational and club players may not be capable of reproducing without a firm understanding of the fundamental tennis technique behind the strokes.

Nadal's Forehand is a powerful tennis stroke, with a massive topspin forehand. Not a bad forehand by any standards, but one that average player should steer clear of trying to copy until they have mastered the basic elements of a sound forehand. Looking at Nadal's Forehand, we see that his tennis forehand technique is technically sound, but very complex. His wrists, arm and racket goes through several stages just in the preparation phase of the forehand.

Andy Roddick's serve is another difficult tennis stroke to master. It is a tennis stroke that is only possible by first mastering the basic elements of a more classical serve and having exceptional throwing mechanics. The motion itself requires a great deal of upper body and arm strength, as well as athleticism.

Andy Roddick achieves his world class serve through a rapid abbreviated serve motion where the arm flies in and out of the trophy position faster than any other professional tennis player. The ability of his arm to load prior to contact in such a short burst is responsible for his tennis serve being more explosive than any other player on tour. The external rotation Andy Roddick's serve achieves is exceptional This tennis technique requires the player to stretch the body to it's upper limits. It's a serve that only advanced tennis players should attempt, and even so with caution.

Keys of Modeling Tennis Technique

In looking to model the tennis technique of the pros, it's important to look for the basic fundamentals behind the tennis technique. Avoid trying to copy any extreme elements and instead aim for simplicity when trying to emulate the tennis technique of the pros. Try to find a good model to base your tennis strokes off of and then let your natural technique emerge while sticking to the fundamentals of proper technique.

Visualize the correct technique you wish to solidify in your game and observe the strokes of the pros. By watching the pros execute their strokes, an unconscious process in your brain will develop, therefore burning the "perfect image" into your mind. This will help you ingrain the technique, because the brain will have a clear file on the correct technique.








Coach Ed is a former nationally ranked tennis player and coach. Optimum Tennis offers tennis instruction, tennis tips and tennis tips at Optimum Tennis

Click here to find out How to Play Better Tennis


Friday, 11 February 2011

Choosing the Best Tennis Racket

Whether you are just starting out as a tennis player, or even if you
are an old pro, the tennis gear you choose is extremely important. One
of the most important pieces of tennis merchandise that you will
purchase as a tennis player is your tennis racket. Your racket is
extremely important and will set the tone for your game, so of course
you want to pick out the best tennis racket you can find. With so many
different choices out there, it can be difficult to figure out what the
best tennis racket is for you; however, if you consider your skills,
your style of playing, the weight, and the materials of the racket, you
should pick a winner.


Skill Level


When you are looking for the best tennis racket, one of the most
important things that you need to consider is your skill level.
Beginners will want to make different choices from advanced players
when it comes to picking out tennis equipment.


1. Beginners - If you are a beginner at tennis, more than likely you
will want to start out with a cheap racket that has a larger head than
most. Having the oversized head will make it easier to hit the tennis
ball while you are learning. Also, there is definitely no need to spend
a couple hundred dollars on a racket until you have learned the basics
and decided that you want to actively pursue this sport.


2. Intermediate and Advanced - Intermediate and advanced players will
want to pick out a racket that has a smaller head than the rackets for
the beginners. While the oversized head is great for beginners, as an
intermediate to advanced player, you should have more strength in your
tennis swing and a smaller head will allow you a great deal more
control in your hits.


Style of Playing


More than likely if you are an advanced player, you have your own
particular style of playing. Your tennis playing style will also
influence what you will need in a good tennis racket. If you like to
use a great deal of topspin in your game, then a racket that is head
heavy can help you improve your spin. Also, if you are a serve and
volley player, there are tennis rackets that are specifically designed
for your style of play, and the same goes for players whose game relies
mainly on groundstroking. No matter what style of play you enjoy, more
than likely you will be able to find a racket that can enhance and
improve your style.


Racket Weight


To avoid injury, taking a look at the weight of the tennis racket is
important before you purchase it. While you may be inclined to head for
the lighter rackets, actually you will want to choose a racket that is
a bit heavier; however, the head should be fairly light. While it may
sound a bit crazy to purchase a racket that is a bit on the heavy side,
a lighter racket can also lead to injury, such as tennis elbow and
shoulder problems. Also, a racket that is a bit heavier can also
improve your serves as well as your groundstroke.


Racket Materials


When you are trying to pick out the best tennis racket, you will also
need to consider the various materials that they are made of as well.
The most common materials that are used on tennis rackets today include
graphite, aluminum, and boron and Kevlar. Graphite rackets are probably
the most popular, since it provides great hitting power and both
beginners and even advanced players will find that this type of a
racket will perform nicely for them. Aluminum rackets are cheaper than
graphite ones, and they will provide you with excellent feel. The Boron
and Kevlar rackets are very stiff and can cause shoulder problems due
to the shock, so this type of racket should be avoided by a beginning
player.


While there are no set overall rules when picking out a racket, there
are a variety of things to keep in mind so you can pick out the very
best tennis racket. So instead of just walking into a shop and taking a
few practice swings, keep these tips in mind and find the best tennis
racket for you.


YourServeTennisShop.com
has an excellent selection of rackets, equipment and clothing.


Hannah Reid, co-owner

Thursday, 10 February 2011

Learning Tennis For Health


Tennis is one of the most popular competitive sports today. This is because playing tennis offers a myriad of benefits to an individual's health and well-being such as improving cardiovascular health, preventing heart diseases and stroke, strengthening and toning the muscles, enhancing blood circulation, treating anxiety and depression, lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, speeding up metabolism which helps in weight loss, strengthening the bones, improving mental alertness and tactical thinking, and even in developing positive personality traits.

If you are planning to play tennis, you would need to learn the skills that are associated with the sport. You can do this by taking up tennis lessons.

There are many tennis schools today which offer tennis coaching and lessons on how to learn tennis. They have certified tennis coaches and instructors who teach all about volleying, serving, along with the other techniques used in playing tennis.

Before signing up for some tennis lessons, you would need to make sure that you have the proper equipment first. This would include the appropriate tennis clothing, shoes and of course, the racquet. Do not choose a racquet or a pair of tennis shoes just because your favorite tennis player is using or wearing them. When choosing your shoes, you would need to make sure that they would be a good fit and that they are durable enough to bear the rigors of all the foot movements that are associated with playing tennis such as the lateral, the forward and the backward movements as well as the sudden stops and skids. As for the racquet, you would need to check the material of the racquet frame, the string pattern, the handle size, the weight and balance. All of these racquet characteristics should be checked so that you would have a racquet that would be appropriate for you, ensuring optimum performance.

As you choose which tennis lesson to take up, you could assess the level of your skills first so that you would know what your physical capabilities are. Tennis lessons usually have different stages and it is important that you would be in the one that is appropriate to your level of capabilities.








If you are planning to sign up for some tennis lessons in Singapore taught by a tennis coach, try visiting these useful websites: http://www.1sports.asia/tennis-coaching-singapore/ and http://www.1sports.asia/group-tennis-lessons/. This company offers effective tennis lessons held in Singapore tennis courts. They also offer group tennis lessons, tennis coaching, private tennis lessons as well as classes on how to improve tennis abilities. All their tennis coaches are fully qualified and include among them national level and ex-Davis Cup players.


Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Know About Essential Tennis Equipment


Tennis is also known as lawn tennis. It is a popular international racquet-and- ball sport that is played for recreational and competitive purpose. This can be played indoor as well as outdoor and consists of two players or a team of couple players that hit a rubber ball with the help of their racquets. There is net in between that divides the teams from the middle of the court. The court plays a significant role in this game.

Initially tennis was the game for aristocrats and was known as Court Tennis in USA, Royal Tennis in Australia, Jeu de Paume in France and Real Tennis in Great Britain. There are certain fundamental rules of this game but just like any other sport you need some basic tennis equipments to play this game effectively. Given below is the list:

Racquet: It is one of the most important tennis equipment to play this game. Today market is filled with variety of racquets for professionals as well beginners. There are major brands that specialize in manufacturing equipments.

They have everything that you need to improve the game of tennis. It is game that requires lot of stamina therefore the modern tennis racquet for an adult would be of dimensions 27" to 27.5". While choosing a racquet the following things have to be kept in mind like the head size, grip size, flex, length, sting patterns, weight and balance.

Tennis bag: This is important because you need a storage place where you can carry tennis equipments to play the game. Apart from being durable it should be portable also so that you can carry it everywhere without any hassles. Apart from physical stores there are online stores that sell tennis accessories. With the click of mouse you can select the product of your choice or order online.

Tennis shoes: These should not only be comfortable but court specific since the compatibility and conformity differs from pair to another. Like any other apparel make sure that your feet are protected. The toe area should have better protection than any other part of your foot as most of the tennis players use their toes for foreground grand strokes.

Nowadays tennis shoes come with special shock absorbers as well moisture absorbing mechanisms. Since this game requires a lot of sudden movement so make a wise decision of buying good shoes that will support and protect your feet.

Tennis clothing: This has undergone a complete metamorphosis than what it as several years back. Today tennis players have designer tennis apparels to suit their style and personality.

Most of the tennis shop stock up everything from boys' tennis apparel, girls' tennis apparel, neck tie coolers, ladies tennis apparel, men tennis apparel, stocks, caps, head gear to sweat bands.

Tennis ball machine: This is used by professionals as practice equipment. It helps players to handle all sorts of shots and practice footwork that their opponent might use. They come in different shapes and are great help.

Tennis Ball: This comes in different colors which can be green, yellow, white that is approved by USTA (United States Tennis Association). This has fixed size, deformation and weight.

All these are essential to play a game tennis.








Before purchasing essential tennis equipment it is always advisable to carry out a thorough research. This can also be done over the Internet that guides you through various online stores. These offer top-of-line tennis racquets, tennis shoes, tennis clothing and others necessities required for the game.


Tuesday, 8 February 2011

How to Play Tennis - Keys to Playing Better Tennis


The question of how to play tennis is often one that is a challenge to new players learning the game. Tennis is a great sport with many different personalities. In this article, we will reveal the basics of how to play tennis. It has 3 forms hard, lawn and clay tennis.

Tennis is played by people over the world as a great form of exercise and recreation. There are also many levels of professional play in tournaments around the world. There are four top tournaments called the Grand Slam Tournaments. These are Wimbledon, the US Open, The Australian Open, and the French Open. Millions of people watch these tournaments making tennis a great spectator sport as well. Recently, tennis was added to the Olympics as an official sport.

Tennis is a sport that is playable by all age groups and is enjoyed by players at all levels from kids to senior citizens.

The basic area where tennis is played is call the court. This is a rectangular flat surface of varying types including concrete, grass, and clay. The standard tennis court is 78 feet long and 27 feet wide for singles matches. For doubles matches the width of the court is increased to 36 feet. A 3 feet 6 inch high net is stretched across the court, dividing the court in half. Tennis courts can be found in public parks, schools, and country clubs throughout the world. They can be outside or inside allowing for fresh air when the weather is good and year round play when the weather is bad.

There are three main types of tennis court surfaces. Each surface allows for a different style of play to excel as the bounce and speed of the ball can vary dramatically. These surfaces are:

A hard court surface are generally fast courts that have a good consistent bounce of the ball. Hardcourts are the most popular type of courts in America and most likely the court most tennis players utilize. A clay court is much different than a hard court. It is usually much slower as a surface and tennis balls often lose speed when they hit the court. This surface also causes the ball to bounce higher than on other surfaces. This allows for longer groundstrokes rallies. We see players like Nadal and Federer grind it out all day on the Clay Courts at Rolland Garros.

The third type of tennis court is the oldest form of a tennis court as tennis was originally played on grass. Grass is considered fast court, faster than a hard court. However, the grass court can be uneven and cause the ball to bounce awkward making it hard to return fast shots.

Tennis is a unique game that involves a tennis ball and a racket. Play will be based on a rectangular court, including a net in the center of the court. The tennis court should measures 78 ft by 27 ft, which is divided in half by a net 3 ft (91 cm) high in the middle and 3.5 ft (1.1 m) high at the end posts. The type of tennis balls used to play is used with a felt covered tennis ball that allows for optimum bounce on the court. The tennis ball is served from behind the baseline into the opposite service court.

Once a successful serve is made, players may hit it into any part of the opponent's court until a point is scored. Rallies won by either player score points. A tennis match is divided into sets. In a tournament, men have to win three out of five sets to win the match and women have to win two out of three. In order to win a tennis match, six total games must be won ahead of his or her opponent. The game of tennis can be fun, exciting and enjoyable.








Coach Ed is a former nationally ranked tennis player and coach. Optimum Tennis offers tennis instruction and tennis tips at Optimum Tennis.

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