The most frequent command in tennis is, without question, the order to “watch the ball.” But it isn’t that easy to follow a moving ball, especially when you have so much else to think about on court and so many distractions. Still, there are two things you can do which should pay off in smoother, sharper groundstrokes.
First, wait until you’re just about to hit the ball to really focus on it intensely. If you try to concentrate completely on it from the moment it leaves your opponent’s racquet, your mind may wander by the time you stroke the ball. So wait until the ball bounces on your side of the net before you really zero in on it.
Second, focus on something even smaller than the ball. Try to see if you can pick up its seams, for example. Using a small visual target that way helps you keep your eyes on the larger area of the ball.
So to watch the ball better, wait to concentrate really intently until it bounces, and then try to focus on one small area.

 










Roger Federer has recovered faster than previously expected from the lung infection that ruled him out of last month’s Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships and the world no.1 is now expected to take his place at the top of the draw for the upcoming BNP Paribas Masters starting in Indian Wells on March 10.
Federer, winner of his 16^th Grand Slam singles title at this year’s Australian Open initially feared he might be out of action for six weeks and admitted to feeling both concerned and well below par. Doctors administered a strong course of antibiotics to combat the infection he possibly contracted on a charity trip to Ethiopia.
Daily monitoring of the 28 year-old’s condition has been taking place as he has remained in Dubai and the results have been better than expected over the past few days. Now the Swiss has reported on his official website "I am feeling really good again," wrote Federer on his official website, www.rogerfederer.com :”I was happy to hear from my doctor today that I have the green light to start working out again so I plan to try and play in Indian Wells next week."
Federer is a three times winner of the event in the Californian desert, enjoying an unbeaten run of 18 matches between 2004 and 2006  but has been an Indian Wells semi-finalist for the last two years, losing out to Mardy Fish in 2008 and Andy Murray a year later.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal, like Federer sitting out this week-end’s Davis Cup confrontations, remains hopeful of also returning to competition in Indian Wells after his troublesome knees again became an issue and he was forced to retire from the Australian Open.

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis

Today’s tip is provided by Tom Veneziano. To learn more about Tom, go to: www.tenniswarrior.com. To reach him by email: tom@tenniswarrior.com.

A Plan for Doubles

Over the years I have seen many players complicate the game of doubles. As a result, I have designed a basic doubles plan and labeled it Plan "A". It is amazing how many good players violate the simple principles in Plan "A". Mainly because players do not keep track of where the ball they hit is going. Most players just hit the most comfortable and best shot they have in their repertoire, regardless of whether it was the correct shot or not. Let’s see if Plan "A" can help you become more aware of where your ball is being hit.

Use Plan "A" when you are up at the net by yourself or preferably with your partner. Plan "A" dictates that you hit all low balls and all high short balls (a high short ball is a high ball in front of the service line) to a specific spot on the court. When you are up at the net your opponents can be positioned in three different formations.

Formation 1. One up, one back
Formation 2. Both back
Formation 3. Both up

In this lesson we will only discuss the formation that occurs the most, formation 1. When your opponents are in a one up, one back formation you should hit high short balls to the net persons feet or somewhere on their side. You could also angle or hit to the middle, but at first you should keep it simple and hit to the net persons feet. It still amazes me to see how many players hit the high short ball to the player on the baseline. They finally get the opportunity to win the point and they choose to it the ball to the person on the baseline. Who in turn lobs over their head! Never give your opponent more chances than necessary to lob over your head. When you are hit a high short ball, go for it! If you miss, it does not matter, you were hitting the right shot at the right time. All high short balls should be hit to the net persons feet -- it is that simple!

All low balls should be hit to the player on the baseline. Again, it is amazing to watch players consistently hit the low ball to the player at the net. When you have one opponent on the baseline and one up at the net, do not hit the low ball to the player at the net. This simply does not make sense. The low ball you are hitting will be rising upward nice and high for the net person to blast it at you or your partner. To hit a low ball back to the net person and keep it low at their feet is very difficult; especially in the heat of battle. Besides why even attempt to do this when you can hit the ball to the opponent on the baseline. I call the opponent on the baseline the safety valve. When you are in trouble play it safe and hit to the player on the baseline. A low ball is just such a situation. Play it safe and look for something better to hit for a winner.

Plan "A" is actually simple, but players unknowingly violate the principles all the time. High balls should be hit to the net persons feet, and low balls to the player on the baseline. Test yourself when you play and see if you are guilty of any of these simple infractions. If you are, stop!

Bud Collins is the walking, and forever talking, tennis encyclopedia of our era.

His knowledge is as easy to access as the public library through his columns, books and television commentary with wit, wisdom, interesting storytelling and flamboyant deliveries.

Born in 1929 in Lima, Ohio, Collins grew up playing baseball, basketball and football, with a smattering of tennis when the game was played only three months of the year.

He didn’t set out to become the only person in the world of tennis who covered the game on every front from the early 60’s to present, but as he says, “It was purely by accident.”

After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College with a degree in journalism, going in the Army (Korea) and after getting out, Bud decided to attend Boston University graduate school.

Working as he went through college, he started writing for the Boston Herald as a sports writer and then later for the Boston Globe. He covered boxing, (where later Howard Cosell said, “I made it possible for Bud to have a career.”), baseball, hockey, dog shows and the Vietnam War.

While at the Globe, Collins was also asked to cover tennis and due to his background (he also coached tennis for Brandeis University from 1959 to 1963) he liked the assignment.

During this same time frame, the Boston Public Broadcasting Service outlet, WGBH decided to cover the U.S. Championship Doubles held in Boston and asked Bud if he’d try being the commentator. He said yes, and that was the beginning of a new career that by 1968 became his life with CBS, later NBC and PBS and today ESPN, The Tennis Channel and XM Satellite Radio.

As a sidebar to Bud’s interesting life there are a few things you may not know about him. He ran for Mayor of Boston (1967); was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame (1994); perfected the art of wearing bow ties and “loud” pants (his trademark); has hosted dog shows; is a pretty good player in his own right, winning the U.S. Indoor Mixed Doubles Championship in 1961 and a finalist in the French Senior Doubles (1975); and has authored numerous books.

Having pioneered television tennis coverage through trial and error and commentating most every Grand Slam event from 1968 to present, who’s more versed than Bud Collins to have an encyclopedia of tennis memories and solid tennis opinions? He’s a virtual one-man tennis institution.

He made some remarks to me last week that you might find interesting.

Collins truly respects Roger Federer as one of the greatest players ever, but doesn’t consider anyone the greatest player of all time: “Each player has to be rated based on the era they played.” 

He loved to watch Laver, Navratilova, the Williams’ sisters and especially Billie Jean King.  “She had style, was peppy and always at the net.” 

As for who has done the most to help the game gain the status it holds today, “Jack Kramer was to me the most important figure in the game of tennis. As a player, promoter, organizer, head of the ATP, a good announcer. He was always willing to talk with anybody. He had everything going for him and for the game.”

“And Billie Jean, her life in tennis has been immeasurable in accomplishments in so many ways.  And don’t forget Gladys Heldman who started the magazine World Tennis, she was certainly in the mix of moving tennis along.”

If Collins could make some changes in the game of tennis, he’d “standardize professional racquets to be made of wood, 27 inches long and no wider than nine inches. He’d also rule out the new strings that help allow the amount of topspin players are able to produce today.  “The baseball and cricket people were smart by keeping wood.”

He’d make the players keep one foot on the ground while serving. “This would slow the speed of serves and make the game more exciting.”

He added: “Hawkeye right now is a side show and it slows the game down. Why not have a screen on the umpires chair and let them make the correct call if it was made wrong.  We have the technology, we should use it better.”

His favorite Grand Slam to attend? “The Australian because it’s easy to walk to the stadium and it has a special spirit, but each of them is appealing in their own way.”

One of the reasons “The Bud Collins Tennis Encyclopedia” was written was so he could carry just one book to reference to while commentating and traveling.

He said he has one last major goal, and that is to be in attendance of the 100th anniversary of Wimbledon's Center Court being built which will be in the year 2022. Bud, all of us that have enjoyed you for so many years hope to see you with a mic in your hand for many years to come!

Chris Howard is a USPTA Tennis Professional with over 35 years in the racquet and fitness industry. He can be reached at 928-445-1331 or choward4541@q.com

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have so many things in common. The two 22 year-olds were born a week apart, made their breakthrough to the top of the world game during much the same period and both figure prominently in the chase to unseat Roger Federer from the world no.1 spot.
However the differ greatly on the importance they give to ATP World Tour 500 Series events such as the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. World no.4 Murray views the event, regardless of a reputed $250,000 guarantee to the leading players and complimentary accommodation in the $3,500 a night 7-star Burj al Arab hotel, as an opportunity to practice things he wouldn’t normally try in Grand Slam or the Masters 1000 Series. But world no.2 Djokovic insists such an approach is unprofessional and unfair to both the tournament and the paying public.
“I would have liked to have won, but it's not the end of the world,” said Murray after his second round demise to Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic. “If it was a Grand Slam or a big event, my tactics and my game style would have been a bit different. I was trying different things.  So I made more mistakes than normal, and I went for a lot.
“I said at the start of the year that, you know, when I'm getting ready for the big events, that you need to try some things.  If you ask someone like Roger how he gets himself ready, it's not necessarily about winning the week before or playing your best the week before.  It's playing your best at the right times of the year.”
The sponsors are less than happy with his attitude, with John Beddington, Barclays' tennis consultant, saying, "We are disappointed he lost because we felt he had a good chance and we are also disappointed that he made remarks that were not really necessary.
“While we appreciate that the top players value Grand Slams above others because of the points and prestige, this is one of the top events at '500' level on the ATP Tour. Dubai Duty Free looked after him very well. If he is going to be testing out new strategies then a match of this significance was probably not the place to do it."
Djokovic, mindful that the event had lost the injured or ill quartet of Federer, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick from the originally announced line-up, insisted his point of view was completely different. “You carry certain responsibility when you are in the world’s top five ,” said Dubai’s defending champion. “You cannot just go out there and practice. I think that every tournament is important tournament.  So that's the way I accepted every tournament in my professional career.
Unlike Murray, Djokovic contested the Rotterdam tournament earlier this month that was won by the Scot last year. He is also more than happy to represent his country in the Davis Cup next week as Serbia face the United States in the World Group while Murray has opted out of Britain’s trip to Lithuania two divisions lower in the Euro/Africa Zone Group Two.
“Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow, so I try to play 100%, and try to win every match I play,” he continued.  “I cannot calculate and I cannot experiment.  Of course sometimes maybe you should prioritize some bigger events.  But, look we are professionals, and we are here to perform as best as we can.
“There are not just a lot of expectations from ourselves and our people that are surrounding us.  It's about the tournament and people who come to watch.”

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis

In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. To learn more about you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.

Now that you have found the right partner and worked on the first ball (serve and return) it is time to talk about court positioning. There are three basic court positions for doubles, two up, two back and one up and one back.

Two up means that both players are positioned at the net. This is the best of the three because you are offensive and can cover most of the court from this configuration. The one wild card is the lob. Because there is nobody there to back you up, covering the lob can be tricky for the weekend warrior. You must learn to recognize the lob earlier by watching the opponent’s court position and racket face. For example, if you have come in behind a deep approach shot or hit a deep first volley and you see your opponent back up, odds are you will see a lob. Anticipation is the key to covering the lob effectively.

Two back means that both players are positioned on the baseline. Although most of the court is covered and you do not have to worry about the lob, this is not considered as effective as two up because it is difficult to be offensive from the baseline in doubles. This configuration should be used if you are and your partner are not good volleyers, or at times when your opponents are moving a lot at the net and outplaying you from there. Then the best bet is to step back to make it more difficult for them to hit winners and to make sure you don’t go home with a bunch of bumps and bruises courtesy of the other team drilling you with the ball.

One up/one back means that one player is standing at the net while their teammate is on the baseline. This is the least desirable of the three configurations mainly because there is a big gap left open in the court right down the middle. As long as the ball stays in front of the player at the net, it is not as big a problem but if the pattern switches and the ball is crosscourt from the net player, then you are in trouble. It also makes poaching (the opponents net player crossing the middle of the court to intercept the ball) more effective because there is a big open target to hit to when the opponent gets the ball.

Many times, you will find yourself caught in a one up/one back situation. Do not panic. It is not the end of the world. But do try to get up to the net with your partner at the earliest opportunity to be more aggressive. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this because of the level of your volleys, then work on your volleys until you do feel comfortable. You will also find that the more you do it, the easier it will become to see the lob coming before your opponent even makes contact with the ball.

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis

The following article by David W. Smith first appeared on the website www.collegetenniscamp.com. It is titled “Finding your Formula for Tennis Success”

There exists a balance between developing skilled tennis strokes and mentally playing the game that allows one to win in as many situations as possible. However, this balance can become perceptually skewed by the immediate gratification process inherent in human beings. The real question is that what processes will produce a player who has reached their “potential” in playing competitive tennis within their desire or established goals. This player potential can be defined in what I call the “competitive formula” that every player must understand to reach said potential and not end up stagnant at levels far below this actual level of potential.

As a coach and teaching professional for over 35 years, I’ve seen where literally millions of players fall far short of what I would consider their true player potential because they followed a flawed “formula”.

An example of this formula includes the foundation for the player’s strokes; from grips to footwork, from strategy understanding to stroke mechanics, the foundation a player is introduced to, (either by self discovery or by professional recommendations and training), will have everything to do with the long-term picture of their potential. For if a player developed an inferior foundation, the mechanics and/or strategies used will most certainly prevent a player from reaching skilled levels of competitive play. Sure, we see many players who seem to buck the trend, who actually compete at relatively high levels, (4.0 or sometimes 4.5). Yet, two questions must be asked of even these exceptions: 1) would the player be able to compete at far higher levels had they learned a more advanced foundation; and 2) can such players compete consistently at these above-average levels or do they simply have an occasional win over the more skilled but same level players?

The other part of this formula is the competitive nature of the individual. Some players have a natural “Killer Instinct” or simply are calmer under pressure. These “mental” elements can be derived through various experiences, training, and/or simple genetics which contribute to a natural mental toughness when faced with adversarial situations. While we see hundreds or thousands of players who “practice” great and avoid competition like the plague, such individuals will seldom be prepared mentally for truly competitive tennis.

One thing for sure, if a player has ineffective strokes, they will seldom reach their player-potential. And, more than likely, they will attempt to play the game within very unconventional means to still compete, yet fail to progress.

If a junior player hopes to reach high enough levels of tennis to play on their high school varsity team, a college team or the professional ranks, he or she will have to recognize the importance of this “formula”. Too many young players play within an “instant gratification” mentality. That is, they use methods that work “today” against players at a certain level of skill. Unfortunately, most of these players use methods that are “comfortable” to them now, avoiding methods that feel foreign or uncomfortable. Likewise unfortunate, is that most “skilled” tennis foundations are seldom initially neither comfortable nor familiar. Thus, such players begin to develop a flawed foundation, one based on the concept that they might win more matches while playing within comfortable patterns. Of course a player who is using more comfortable, familiar methods will play with initially more confidence and, usually, hit more consistently. Yet, in almost every example, these players stagnate at levels far below their ability and get passed up by those who they had indeed been beating with regularity.

In my 35-plus years of teaching tennis, by far, most players I’ve worked with or I’ve seen play the game had ample ability to reach a level of potential that would grant them the opportunity to play at nearly any level they had the sincere desire to reach. The main detriment to those who failed to reach said prolific levels was seldom a lack of athleticism or opportunity. No, what prevented most players from reaching highly skilled levels was first a lack of a proper technical foundation followed by a limiting level of sincere desire and sacrifice necessary to achieve high levels of skilled play. In fact, I’ve seen hundreds of examples of students who seemed to possess relatively average levels of athleticism, yet achieve extremely high levels of skilled play. In every one of these cases, such players had the two things I’ve mentioned clearly defined in their character: A dedicated attention to developing a skilled foundation and a sincere level of desire to overcome any difficulty or challenge.

In the light of these points, it should be understood that nearly everyone who wishes to achieve skilled tennis levels of competitive play CAN and WILL achieve their goals if they follow this “formula”. Not everyone will, however, maintain the clarity and pursuit of these goals and those are the individuals who will indeed fail to fully reach their level of potential. From my experience, most players have the potential. While some simply don’t, there is no way of knowing if you do or you don’t. Yet, if you develop a flawed foundation and don’t challenge yourself to achieve such goals, it is almost certain you won’t ever reach such aspirations and levels of success.

David W. Smith is the author of the two top-selling and highly acclaimed tennis instructional books, “Tennis Mastery” and “Coaching Mastery”.  Both books are available for purchase in our Book Section on MLTennis.com

The ATP World Tour’s protracted search for a new global sponsor appears to have come to an end with the news Mexican beer brand Corona Extra is poised to sign a new five and a half year agreement worth $70 million.
Since Mercedes-Benz ended its 12 year partnership with the ATP World Tour at the end of 2008, former marketing chief Phil Anderton and Richard Davies, chief executive of ATP Properties, have been working overtime in the face of the worldwide economic downturn to bring in a new global brand.
Adam Helfant, 14 months into his tenure of the chief executive role with the ATP World Tour has long maintained finding a new global sponsor was his prime role and regularly stressed the ‘hole’ left by the departure of Mercedes was one he had to fill.
The new deal is expected to be formally announced later today and will take effect from May onwards. Understandably Helfant is in a mood to celebrate and called the new contract ‘a big win and maintained it reflected the growing interest in the tour and men’s tennis at large.
Praising Corona Extra’s executives, Helfant said: “They're pretty savvy marketers, and we think they're going to bring new creativity and energy to our tour and to tennis in general.”
Striking a more official tone, Helfant continued: “We are thrilled to welcome Corona Extra as the ATP’s new global premier partner. Corona Extra is a respected, premium brand enjoyed in 160 countries, which is a great fit for ATP tennis. We are experiencing one of the most exciting periods in the history of men’s professional tennis, and the commitment of this fantastic brand reflects the appeal of our game. We look forward to the creativity and marketing expertise our partners at Grupo Modelo will bring to the ATP World Tour.” 
Corona Extra has been a sponsor of ATP tournaments in Acapulco, Mexico for 16 years and Toronto, Canada for four years.
“At Grupo Modelo we are committed to promoting sports not only in Mexico but all over the world, and we are very proud to be venturing into world tennis through our Corona Extra brand and the prestigious ATP World Tour,” said José Parés, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Grupo Modelo, the leading company in Mexico in beer production, distribution and marketing, and maker of Corona Extra. “We have admired the success of the sport in recent years and view the ATP World Tour as a terrific platform for us globally.” 
Meanwhile Helfant’s female counterpart Stacey Allaster is increasingly confident that an agreement to renew the soon-to-expire $80 million title sponsor deal with Sony Ericsson is only a matter of weeks away.
Initially Aldo Liguori, Sony Ericsson’s Vice President of Global Communications announced a definitive announcement about the continuation of the deal, which expires at the end of 2010 would be forthcoming before last Christmas.
Allaster, in Dubai to celebrate ten years of the women’s event at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, reported: “Talks are still on going between and clearly, be virtue of the fact that two months have passed since a decision was supposed to be announced, we still have positive things to talk about. I am very confident we will be able to announce something good in the next couple of weeks.”

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis

In 1978, Nick Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense training on the court with a custom-designed academic curriculum. To learn more about you can check out: www.nickbollettieri.com.

Doubles truly is the sport of a lifetime. Young or old, short or tall, fast or slow, doubles can hide many weaknesses and, when played correctly, can level the playing field against opponents that may have an advantage over you in singles. Did you ever wonder why top doubles players, who don’t even play singles, can excel and beat two top singles players who happen to be playing together at a random tournament? Believe me, if the doubles specialists out there could be successful in singles, they would. There is more money and more notoriety in singles. They play doubles because it is not as important how well you strike the ball, or how fast you are. What is important in doubles is good teamwork and an understanding of the game.

The number one rule when playing doubles is to find the right partner. Remember, this may not mean the best singles player, but someone who plays at the same or higher level and at the same time compliments your game. For example, if you are a good server and play well around the net, but have trouble breaking serve, find someone that returns serve well and can help you in that department. Conversely, if you return well but struggle to hold serve, playing with someone who likes to volley and moves well around the net may be the best choice to help you win your own serve and give you the best opportunity for success.

It is also very important to find someone who is compatible from a personality standpoint. If you are the type of person that likes to be in control and call the shots, then playing with someone with similar characteristics may lead to friction. You should find someone who is more open to suggestion and will follow your lead. Dissention among partners is a very difficult obstacle to overcome mid-match, and I’m sure we’ve all seen matches where it boils over. It’s not pretty. At the same time, two players with more docile personalities may not work well together because there is no leader or decision maker. Play can become less cohesive and the energy on court can become flat. So finding the right partner for your game style and your personality is crucial.

The most important part of doubles play is the first ball. The serve and return in doubles are the keys to success, and how you play these first balls will decide your fate. When serving, having a high first serve percentage is essential to holding serve. You will have better results taking a little pace off the serve and serving 70% with less aces or service winners than you will serving 40% with 10 aces and 10 winners. This is because of the mentality of the returner. On the first serve return, a returner is not looking to be as aggressive or offensive.

So even when they are not seeing huge first serves, they are more likely to just put the ball in play and less likely to actually do something with it. This means you are starting on offense 70% of the time when serving a high percentage, rather than 40% of the time when you are going for the big bomb. The thought process of the returner will change, whether consciously or subconsciously, when receiving a second serve. Now the opponent is looking to do damage with the return and begin on offense themselves. This can mean trouble if your opponent has a decent return.

When receiving, the biggest mistake I see is players trying to do too much with the return. This is a singles player mentality and must change when playing doubles. There are two people on the other side of the net, not one. This makes hitting an outright winner very difficult, and will lead to a number of unforced errors and needless mistakes. Make a high percentage of returns and attempt to neutralize your opponent by hitting a deep return if they not serving and volleying, or something down at their feet if they are coming in behind the serve. This will eliminate “free” points you give away by making careless errors and put you in the best position to win the point.

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis

Today’s playing tip titled Four Types of Players comes from Oscar Wegner. To learn more about Wegner, go to www.tennisteacher.com.

There are four major types of championship styles.

One is the purely defensive player, who stays back as much as possible, and often just goes to the net to shake hands at the end of the match.

The next type of player is mostly a baseliner, but as soon as he gets a short ball, he hits a very forceful approach shot, almost a winner in itself, and gets to the net for a volley put-away.

The third type is the player who is skillful from the back, but who is always looking to maneuver to the net. He'll take more chances of going forward, and is usually good at placing the first volley where the opponent has difficulty making a good passing shot.

The last category is that of the serve-and-volley player who does it as a way of life, regardless of the surface. He probably isn't very skilled at matching groundstrokes from the backcourt, and usually thinks of it as a waste of time. Rather than work his way into the point, this player risks everything, from groundstrokes to storming the net on any kind of ball.

This can be very effective on given days, when things go right and the opponent collapses under the sheer pressure of the attack. But if this player is matched against a skilled all-court player, he'll have a struggle on his hands. The backcourt player will dampen the other player's attack with low angles and skilled lobs mixed with some forceful passing shots. Although backcourt players do more running, they do so with more time to get to the ball, while the attacking player depends mostly on jumping and lunging ability.

On clay courts, where points are long (average point duration at top professional play is above 8 seconds) and matches between players of comparable skill usually go on for hours, an attacking player will have difficulty sustaining the effort for an entire match.

But on grass courts the average point duration has been measured to be, at the top level, about one and a half seconds.

At championship level, serve-and-volley players get to most of their opponent's service returns near their own service line. The shot from here, should they be able to reach it before the bounce, is called the first volley. In most cases, the ball is by then below the level of the net. This first volley needs placement, pace, and depth. After hitting the first volley the player continues to advance toward the net, and is now prepared to cut off the next return, usually a forceful passing shot or a lob.

The attacking player is now in a more commanding position, but here the options for the opponent vary according to the type of surface of the court. On a slippery surface like grass, good players go for a forceful passing shot most of the time, or for a very defensive lob. The attacking player just needs to angle the next volley to the open court, and most likely it will be out of the other player's reach.

Here is where an accomplished serve-and-volley player has something that the accomplished backcourt player does not: a sense of net coverage, of which angles to open and which ones to close. Serve-and-volley players know how to lure the opponent into hitting a particular shot. They can close the net fast, while still preparing to smash even a decent lob. A little while into the match, they've learned to anticipate the passing shot by reading the racket angle of the opponent at contact time. It is a skill that you develop by committing to a volley game. Your tactical approach changes, adjusting to different conditions that you create for yourself.

One major aspect of the successful attacking game is the pressure put on the opponent to make very good shots, which leads to many errors, especially in important points. The faster the court, the more pressure the player under attack feels.

The Low Volley at Championship Level: For a low volley, you obviously have to lower the racket from the normal height where you were holding it to the point where you'll meet the ball. You can use this downward (and at the same time forward) movement to get momentum to hit the ball. You get it to go over the net by opening the racket face, while you stop at contact with a firm grip. This will give the ball good speed, while it will still be accurate and clear the net. The ball will also have some backspin that will keep it low after it bounces in your opponent's court.

You can use this low volley with spectacular results from anywhere in the court, including being caught behind the service line or somewhere in the backcourt. The ball may be at your feet, without a bounce, and you can still make a good shot.

(c)  Copyright 2010. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis