At the Net

Thanks again for the great tips in this video together with Jorge Capestany.

Now on the 2 tip you mentioned to change to bh grip with the hand holding the frame of the racket and that it is a mistake to change grip with the hand holding the grip.

Why is that? I saw you pulling your shoulders upwards in the video.

In other resources I read that you can do what you suggested or change grip with your dominant hand and just holding the frame with your support hand.

Many thanks for your comments on this.

How to Change Grips Quickly at the Net

The non-dominate hand is the key to a grip change. When moving to the the left, the left foot moves first toward the ball on balls that are close to the player. As that happens, the left hand places the racquet behind or above the in-coming ball. That allows the dominate hand to move to a new grip position based upon the height of the in-coming ball and your intention for the shot.

My racquet should rise above the incoming ball to create a downward and forward movement into the ball for more spin and speed (action) on the ball I am volleying.

Ken DeHart
SJSRC Director of Tennis
PTR & USPTA Master Professional

Photo Credits: ataelw

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Serena Williams

I got up at 3:30 am here in Charleston, SC to see THE match from down under.  My roommate was asleep, they wouldn’t let me access the TV in the bar – afraid I would drink them dry I guess.  Little did they know I don’t drink.  I went to the fitness center to watch the Ladies play on TV there – convenient, I also got to work out and watch at the same time.

The “Hour Glass of Momentum” continued its turbulent run again.  Serena came out strong, but Justine with her “new” game in her admitted second career was hitting away on everything.

Serena has such strength to muscle the shots, stay so low and handle a variety of shots from any opponent. Justine has such amazing timing and agility that she can almost match Serena’s power.  Serena starts off the match serving well and would eventually finish that way as well.

Justine, with her new approach to tennis is in the games but she chooses to no longer play defense and is developing the game she feels she needs to win the one she wants — Wimbledon.  Justine has 5 or more break chances in the first set on Serena’s serve. She moves inside the baseline and goes big on the 2nd serves and did not make most of them.

Serena wins the first set and looks like she will win the match in straight sets – but wait, momentum is about to switch again.  Justine runs off 15 straight points to win the second set.  She continues to go for winners on second shots after hitting up the middle on first balls to neutralize Serena’s angles.  She is laser sharp on her shots.

Bathroom break for Serena and out they go for the 1st 3 set final in a major in several years.  Serena comes out still a little flat and falls behind on her serve.  Justine is still going for the big returns and fails to break – mistake.  Serena holds but Justine will break the next game with glimpses of her second set tenacity.

Unfortunately, she gets a little tight and the toss gets too low and she is broken by Serena.  She will go on to be broken 2 more times as Serena takes momentum away from her and serves for the match with 2 aces and a final point that pulls Justine off the court and Serena hits into the open court to win her 5th major down under to tie with Margaret Court and bring her total Grand Slam titles to 12 and tie Billie Jean King in that category.

Serena plays 12 matches in the 2 week event and wins the singles and doubles titles.  Pretty amazing – not since John McEnroe have we seen a player be so strong in both events – or even play both events.

Justine — off for 20 months and in just her second tournament has reached the finals of the first two tournaments she plays — playing a new style of tennis.  She won the hearts of the fans and is more gracious and collected in her acceptance speech to the crowd than Serena.

What can we take away from this event?

1. The hour glass of momentum will always be there – it is just who can recognize it  & control it at the right time.  Be aware of it as you play your matches.
2. Your will to win is stronger than you game to win in most cases.  It is OK to want to win strongly!!
3. How many of us will work to improve our game (you are never too old to add to your game – at 62 I have continued to improve my game)?
4. How many of us will risk losing to make the changes permanent in our game – Justine?
5. Get in shape to play the game – you can win with fitness (see Al Juodikis for his fitness program for you).

Love to play and you will always be a winner – play only to win and you will only be a score keeper.

See Serena Williams narrate her win against Justine Henin.

It snowed here in Charleston this morning.  I am off to attend another session on Quick Start Tennis for kids and adults – more ideas for you when I return to SJSRC on Sunday.

Photo Credits: Bas Van Uyen

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5 things NOT to do when using a ball machine:

1. Do not place the ball machine only on the baseline in the center of the court
2. Do not have the ball machine oscillate only from deuce court to ad court
3. Do not use the ball machine to practice only your ground strokes
4. Do not stand still after each of your shots
5. Do not return random shots of the in-coming ball

5 things TO consider doing when using a ball machine:

1. Place the ball machine off center where the opponent might be when making a shot
2. Have the ball machine direct the shots where the opponent might hit based upon their position on the court or particular tendencies of a know opponent
3. If you wish to have the ball machine oscillate, have it direct he ball within the options available if it were playing from that position in a rally.
4. After each shot recover to a new position on the court based upon where you place your return of the ball then recover quickly based upon where the next ball is coming from the ball machine.
5. Direct each ball you receive back toward an intended target. Aim for a direction and depth using the appropriate spin as you send the ball back over the net.

There are many options to consider in planning your practice to improve the quality and effectiveness of you practice time with the ball machine.

5 things to consider when PLANNING your practice:

1. Getting advice from someone on how to adjust the ball machine and how to vary deliveries of the ball
2. The length of time you want to practice – half an hour or an hour based upon your goals, shots you wish to work on and conditioning level
3. Having a friend join in with you to practice volleys off your ground strokes, lobbing off your volleys when at the net or alternating hitting after a certain number of shots or pattern has been completed.
4. It also helps when it comes time to pick up the balls when the machine is empty so you can spend more time hitting.  That may include taking turns putting balls in the machine while either of you are hitting then rotating turns. Consider serving all the balls that did not make it over the net when you do have to pause to pick up the balls to work on your serve as part of your practice.
5. Write down drills you create or ask your tennis professional to suggest some drills that would be good for your singles game.

10 options to make your PRACTICE PRACTICAL:

1. Select real singles targets using the 4 squares on the opposite side of the net.  Square 1 is the deuce service court, square 2 is the space behind the deuce service court, square 3 is the space behind the ad service court and square 4 is the ad service court. This will help you with the direction and depth of your intended target and make your practice more practical.
2. Even though the ball machine is set to send the ball to you as a ground stroke, practice moving forward after your initial shot to play a half-volley and then moving in further to play a volley or two.
3. As you play shots moving in toward the net, select targets for direction and depth that you would actually use if your opponent were on the baseline where the ball machine is located and your were attempting to capture the net.
4. When you get to the net, recover back quickly and retreat back toward the baseline as though you were put on total defense by your opponent.  Pause to make a shot from your position and then retreat further back until you choose to advance forward again.
5. Vary the speed of your shots.  Use the 3 speeds mentioned in other articles: level 1 is slower and has lots of spin, level 2 is a rally speed and level 3 is as hard as you can hit – without missing.
6. Vary the spin of your shots.  Use varying degrees of topspin and underspin to improve your weapons in match play.
7. Vary the frequency of the shots delivered by the ball machine.  Allow little time between shots or too much time like an opponent who plays softly and slowly with their returns.
8. Vary the spin of the shots delivered by the ball machine to help you learn how to receive different shots that may be difficult for you in your matches.
9. Limit the number of shots you make without pausing.  Hitting 3oo balls in a row just because that is how many the ball machine holds is not effective not efficient practice.  After about 40 or 50 balls, use the remote and turn off the machine and reset some feature of the ball you are receiving – change the direction of the in-coming ball, speed, spin or depth of the ball.
10. Change your targets often.  Practice enough returns to specific targets until you feel comfortable with that target then move on to a new target that demonstrates your ability to control the direction, depth, spin and speed of your returning shot.

Ask your tennis professional to use a ball machine in your next lesson to see how it can be used effectively in your practice session.  Ball machines are great ways to permit repetition in receiving particular balls and learning a response to that ball.  Ball machines also assist in developing confidence in your strokes so you can use them in match play without having to think about “how” to hit.  This will allow you to focus more on the strategy of “where” to direct your shots and enjoy playing the game – TENNIS.

by Ken DeHart
USA High Performance Coach
PTR & USPTA Master Professional

Photo Credits: shortCHINESEguy

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Tennis Ball Machine

Ball machines are great for practicing your doubles shots – if positioned correctly.

5 things NOT to do when using a ball machine:

1. Do not place the ball machine on the baseline in the center of the court
2. Do not have the ball machine oscillate from deuce court to ad court
3. Do not use the ball machine to practice only your ground strokes
4. Do not stand still after each of your shots
5. Do not return random shots of the in-coming ball

5 things TO consider doing when using a ball machine:

1. Place the ball machine in the deuce court near the singles side line
2. Have the ball machine direct the shots to your deuce court alley
3. If you wish to have the ball machine oscillate, have it direct the ball to your deuce court alley and then toward the center service mark in the deuce court as though you were pulled wide to return a shot and the next ball was directed up the middle to your center of the court.
4. After each shot recover to a new position on the court to keep your feet in motion simulating real match play
5. Direct each ball you receive back toward an intended target. Aim for a direction and depth as you send the ball back over the net.

There are many options to consider in planning your practice to improve the quality and effectiveness of you practice time with the ball machine.

5 things to consider when PLANNING your practice:

1. Getting advice from someone on how to adjust the ball machine and how to vary deliveries of the ball
2. The length of time you want to practice – half an hour or an hour based upon your goals, shots you wish to work on and conditioning level
3. Having a friend join in with you to practice volleys off your ground strokes or lobbing off your volleys when at the net.  They can even practice poaching on every other shot that comes out of the ball machine and you can practice switching after the poach.
4. It also helps when it comes time to pick up the balls when the machine is empty so you can spend more time hitting.  That may include taking turns putting balls in the machine while either of you are hitting then rotating turns. Consider serving all the balls that did not make it over the net when you do have to pause to pick up the balls to work on your serve as part of your practice.
5. Write down drills you create or ask your tennis professional to suggest some drills that would be good for your doubles game.

10 options to make your PRACTICE PRACTICAL:

1. Select real doubles targets:  deep cross court to square #2, short underspin or heavy short angle shots to square #1, down the line toward the net players alley or lobbing high and deep to square #3 over the opposing net players head.
2. Even though the ball machine is set to send the ball to you as a ground stroke, practice moving forward after your initial shot to play a half-volley and then moving in further to play a volley or two.
3. As you play shots moving in toward the net, select targets for direction and depth that you would actually use if your opponent were on the baseline where the ball machine is located and your were attempting to capture the net.
4. When you get to the net, recover back quickly and retreat back toward the baseline as though you were put on total defense by your opponent.  Pause to make a shot from your position and then retreat further back until you choose to advance forward again.
5. Vary the speed of your shots.  Use the 3 speeds mentioned in other articles: level 1 is slower and has lots of spin, level 2 is a rally speed and level 3 is as hard as you can hit – without missing.
6. Vary the spin of your shots.  Use varying degrees of topspin and underspin to improve your weapons in match play.
7. Vary the frequency of the shots delivered by the ball machine.  Allow little time between shots or too much time like an opponent who plays softly and slowly with their returns.
8. Vary the spin of the shots delivered by the ball machine to help you learn how to receive different shots that may be difficult for you in your matches.
9. Limit the number of shots you make without pausing.  Hitting 3oo balls in a row just because that is how many the ball machine holds is not effective not efficient practice.  After about 40 or 50 balls, use the remote and turn off the machine and reset some feature of the ball you are receiving – change the direction of the in-coming ball, speed, spin or depth of the ball.
10. Change your targets often.  Practice enough returns to specific targets until you are confident with that target then move on to a new target that demonstrates your ability to control the direction, depth, spin and speed of your returning shot.

Ask your tennis professional to use a ball machine in your next lesson to see how it can be used effectively in your practice session.  Ball machines are great ways to allow you repetition in learning how to hit a shot.  They also assist in developing confidence in your strokes so you can play them in match play without having to think about “how” to hit.  This will allow you to focus more on the strategy of “where” to direct your shots and enjoy playing the game – TENNIS.

by Ken DeHart
USA High Performance Coach
PTR & USPTA Master Professional

Photo Credits: arsandy.wordpress.com

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Getting in Shape

So when I planned to play in the USPTA Nationals on Marco Island, Florida this September I had a plan in my head to “get in shape” and take this tournament serious. That meant I would play against some of the club members – not too much better than me so I could still experience the “thrill of victory” without too much “agony of defeat”.

Thanks to Reno, NT, Ted, John, James and a few of my lessons that I got to hit with during the week. I was ready, ha ha. Surprisingly, I was playing pretty well and with the help of Dr. Omara and the guys at the score clinic, I was able to rid my body of knee, hip and a few other pains. I was suddenly experiencing the ability to move decently on the court and get to balls again.

To be honest, I was playing the best I had played in about the last 3-4 years on a consistent basis – until Tuesday morning when I felt especially fast and decided to go get a shot that I would have in the past not been able to even think about running after. After the 5th step at a speed that was blinding – for me at this time in my life, I felt it – the right hamstring. I hit the ball, grabbed the hamstring and kept running into the next court – only because I couldn’t stop.

Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and Ken. Off to the score clinic to see what kind of damage I had done. It actually felt more like a big time cramp in a specific area than a tear. I had torn the left hamstring earlier in 2009, so I had a reference point.

Poor Dr “O”, he knows when I come in he is in for another – guess what I have. Like most of my members at the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club I wait until I have a big problem to seek help. I get more for my money that way??? And I usually like to wait until I have several aches so I can get them all treated at the same time. Only problem, the doctor doesn’t have all day to treat just me. Why not, am I not important? I mean after all I think I am – it’s broke can’t you fix it – NOW?

In his best doctor voice he says, “Ken, what did you do now?” I tell him my sob story and tell him how well I have been playing, I leave in 3 days to go play, can you fix me, now and sorry I haven’t been in to see you in months. First it is E-Stim, another treatment, some investigative research on the area, some Graston Technique treatment, some stretching and ice. Good news, it is a strain and not a complete tear.

Ice – ice baby is the recommendation, no rapid acceleration or deceleration and how many times can you get in to see me before you leave on Thursday? I have a day and a half to work that in plus: get out the newsletter, string 8 racquets, get my presentation ready to speak on Hilton Head, pack my suitcase, answer 47 emails, do the draw for the Ace Cancer Tournament and teach 12 hour Tuesday and Wednesday.

Whey, got most of it done, saw the Dr. 2 times and got to the airport a by 6:30 Thursday morning – thanks to my wife, Karen. The leg feels good, even after 9 hours going from San Jose to Atlanta. I am waiting in the Atlanta airport for my last leg of the flight – Atlanta to Hilton Head. I should arrive about 10 pm, get a rental car, find my condo I am staying at and get ready to attend workshops all day Friday and Saturday with a 3 hour presentation I will make on “59 Best Drills and 25 Corrective Techniques”. I hope to practice on Sunday and have the hamstring feel great, fly to Ft Meyers, Florida, drive an hour to Marco Island, get to the hotel at 1 am, I get some sleep and be ready to play my match sometime on Monday as well as attend an 8 hour High Performance Training Course and meet Kameron and Karen who will be arriving from Disney World around noon.

Ah… the life of a tennis pro! Wouldn’t trade if for any other job in the world.

• “I” Serving Formation – Both Back [/caption] **This UDF works well at club level play, USTA league play, junior and high school matches as well as college matches.. This (UDF) Unusual Doubles Formation puts the server in the center of the court to serve like a singles player.  Their partner is standing directly behind them.  The......
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• “I” Receiving Formation – Both Back [/caption]**This UDF works well at club level play, USTA league play, junior and high school matches as well as college matches. This (UDF) Unusual Doubles Receiving Formation puts the receiver and partner on the same side of the court.  The receiver (let’s say – deuce court) is in regular receiving......

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Reasons for the receiving team to stay back:

1. The serving team is too strong with the serve and it is difficult to return the ball past the server’s partner – fear factor.
2. The net player of the serving team is too aggressive and creates a “monster in your mind” about getting the ball in play or past the monster at the net.
3. The receiving player is afraid of getting their partner killed.
4. The serving team hits the ball too hard and plays too aggressive at the net so we will stay back and lob until they make a mistake.

Reasons for the serving team to both stay back:

1. The receiving team keeps hitting the server’s partner with the return of serve.
2. The serving team’s serves are too weak to put the receiving team on defense.
3. The receiving team chips and comes into the net and dominates play.
4. The serving team is not a traditional doubles team, does not volley well and is much more successful dinking and lobbing.

How to play teams that stay both back:

1. Hit short, dinky balls and drop shots that force them to come into the part of the court they hate – then lob them.
2. Hit short angled returns to pull them off the court and create open spaces to use your power to put the ball away.
3. Stay back and loop with them for a few shots then come into the net to volley the loopy returns out of the air – short angled shots.
4. Keep your feet moving, hitting more spin overheads, short angled volleys and play overheads as overheads and volleys as volleys so as not to over hit.

What not to do:

1. Avoid hitting hard deep overheads at the players on the baseline, they will use your power to lob the ball back as a lob.
2. Do not under estimate this team because of how they play. They are smart to play this way if you can out hit them. Give them their respect or you will choke. Keep your feet moving or you will get tight and make lots of errors in the net.
3. Avoid easy errors and simple mistakes. This team relies on free points – not great shots to win matches. Do not look up as you hit to see where they are – they are back.

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Doubles Situations

1. The receiving team must lob the return of serve and try to take the net at least twice in each game. This is especially effective when the serving team is serving into the sun.
2. The serving team must play out of the “I” formation or Australian formation.  Get use to using the formations so you will have confidence to use them in a match as well as experiencing how to return against the formations.
3. The receiving team starts with both players back. This takes the pressure off the receiver to make a great return to avoid getting their partner killed by the poaching player of fast charging net player
4. The serving team starts both players on the baseline. This formation helps when the receiver is killing the net player because they cannot volley or the serves are too weak.

Singles Situations

1. Players must serve, return and rally 6 balls cross court before the point can begin.  Serve to the deuce court and rally deuce court then serve to the ad court and rally ad court cross court.  Keep score like in a regular match.
2. Player serves and rally out the point.  If the ball lands inside the service line the striker loses the point.  You can also play that the short ball requires the receiver of the short ball to go to the net to play out the point.
3. “3 to win a major” – (with 3 players) one player will serve 3 points.  If the server or receiver wins all 3 points they win a “major point”.  If they win 2 of the 3 points they stay on the court and a third player comes on to replace the person who lost the 1 point and a new game is played. If they win 1 of the 3 they are the one replaced by the third player who will now play 3 points against the player who stayed on the court.  This stresses the difficulty in winning 3 points in a row.  (*when the score is 30-love there is an 80% chance the person with the lead will lose the next point and 65% chance they will lose the 4^th point as well).
4. “3 to win a major” – (with 2 players) one player serves and tries to win 3 points in a row to win a game.  If the receiver wins the point, they become the server and have 1 point while the former server loses all their points and starts at zero again.  Players keep games won and play out a set.

Situational scoring and match play can help to focus on specific skills necessary to improve ones tactical and mental approach to the game.  They also make great coaching opportunities. The shortened scoring and sets make great challenge match format that can be completed in a short period of time.

This form of altered play helps to make practice exciting and more challenging so players stay focused and do not experience “mindless” practice.  They get use to specific situations and proper responses to the score or situation so they play with a “been there before” confidence in actual match play.

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Reasons for the serving team to use this formation:

1. The serving team has one player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The serving team has a player who is “afraid” of getting lobbed.
3. The serving team has a player who thinks they are playing singles and loves to stay back and rally for 30 balls.
4. The serving team has such a weak serve they can’t come in and the receiving team returns deep enough to never hit a short ball they can use to come to the net.

Reasons for the receiving team to use this formation:

1. The receiving team has a player who is “afraid” of the net.
2. The receiving team’s returns are too weak to put the serving team on defense.
3. The receiving team does not know how to chip or drop shot and come into the net to dominate play.
4. The receiving team is “afraid of the other team lobbing and their partner at the net does not know where or how to volley at the net to finish off points.

How to play teams that play one up one back:

1. Get to the net at all costs.
2. Direct your shots between them or past the person closest to the net who will have the least amount of reaction time.
3. If you get pinned back, keep the ball away from their net player with loopy – spinny balls.
4. Lob the net player and come in to an area about 2-3 feet behind the service line to allow you to play overheads, volleys or drop shots. Control the net and keep their team split.
5. Stay back and loop with them for a few shots then come into the net to volley the loopy returns out of the air – short angled shots.
6. Return drop shots to force the player who stayed back to come into the net then lob that player.

What not to do:

1. Avoid getting sucked into their style of play.
2. Do not miss the return. The server is staying back, slow down the return and loop it deep to them so they have no pace to hit back at you. This return is difficult to for the server’s partner to poach against – no pace and high.
3. Avoid easy errors and simple mistakes like trying to kill the volley “at the net person” – find the “valleys” to volley into.

Photo Credit: 1

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