July 2018 – Page 2

Secret to Better a Mental Tennis Game

Posted on July 17, 2018 by blogger

How do they do it? How do the best tennis players at any level, perform their best under pressure? Can anyone learn to do this?

These are questions that have driven me for years because i was one of those players with a beautiful game yet choked under pressure. It drove me nuts.

I’ve been fortunate to work with one of the “founding father’s” of applied sport psychology in tennis, Dr. James Loehr. Loehr wanted to know what separated the top 50 pros in the world from the next crop. He studied it intensively and could not find anything during the action, The big break through came when he studied what the best players did in the 25 seconds between points.

He discovered that the best players in the world are very disciplined and consistent with their time between points while the lesser players were not.

We took Loehr’s work and applied it to our singles players at Cal and then developed the model for doubles as well. This work was a key ingredient to our success.

After applying Loehr’s model with our own teams, Coach Brogan and I applied to other sports as well and found that it worked beautifully. Eventually I turned our work into my first book, Get Your Game Face On!

Today I want to share with your the cornerstone piece of the Game Face model. I believe this one step I’m going to share with you is the key to the mental game on and off the court.

The first of the four steps in the Game Face routine, is “Reaction”. This means what do you do the monument the point is over? What do you look like? What do you sound like? How well do you manage your reaction on the court no matter what just happened in the point?

Most players I work with say, “well, it depends. Did I win or lose the point?”

The best players at any level never say, “It depends.” They have trained themselves to manage their reaction no matter what happens. They maintain a tall, confident posture on the court regardless of how the point ended.

They keep their Game Face On at all times. This includes after they’ve made a mistake – or their partner made a mistake!

The reaction step is the first 3 seconds after the point ends. To keep your Game Face on and have the best shot at playing well under pressure, it’s essential you learn to mange this short yet curtail window of time.

The classic, high level reaction step in tennis looks like this – turn away from the net or a mistake, take the racquet out of your non-dominant hand, maintain a tall confident posture and walk to pick up the ball. And mentally, you say something simple like, “yeah”, or right back or next one” – if you or your partner just blew it.

Finally, if you want this high level, Game Face reaction to show up on demand regardless of what just happened, you need to practice it – a lot. You have many opportunities every time you are on a tennis court to practice this step – at clinics, practice sessions, matches etc.

This is the first and cornerstone piece of a strong mental game. You know what to do now practice it.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRqFlQNQ_jU

About the Game of Tennis

Posted on July 13, 2018 by blogger

The origins of any game of racket and ball including tennis are traditionally credited to 11th or 12th century French game paume which was played with the hand and later advanced into jeu be paume with the use of rackets. However, not all historians agree on this, there is a theory that the word tennis comes from the name of Tinnis, a town in ancient Egypt, and the word racket from rahat, meaning palm of the hand in Arabic. It is believed that different versions of the game were played in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece, although there is no additional evidence to that.

By the 14th century the game became so popular, both the Pope and Louis IV tried to ban it unsuccessfully. Tennis soon spread to England, where it obtained the “royal game” title. Both Henry VII and Henry VIII were keen players who ensured the building of more courts. One of them, Hampton Court, built in 1625, is still used today.

The scoring history has two theories as well. The first one states that the scoring has its origins in ancient numerology. In medieval times, the number 60 was considered complete in a similar way as the number 100 is considered to be a “complete” figure today. The medieval adaptation of tennis thus considered 60 to be the “game” with four steps of points like 15, 30, 45 (or 40 as it is today) and finally 60. The second theory is attributed to the presence of a clock at the end of the tennis court. A quarter move of the clock hand was made after each break with the score being referred to as 15, 30, 45 and finally 60.

Walter Clopton Wingfield is usually given credit for the invention of modern tennis. He actually patented the game in 1874, pronounced a new set of rules and moved tennis from indoors to outdoors. The same year first tennis courts appeared in the United States, and shortly after that in Russia, India, Canada and China. According to http://us-opentickets.com/, 39 major tennis tournaments were held in the past year worldwide with over 78 000 tournament tickets sold.

Tennis is a test of skill, accuracy and agility. There is a huge amount of prize money to be won and a name to be earned for oneself. The game is popular with billions of people around the world. If you want to be fit and agile, grab the racquet and head out for an invigorating game of tennis!

Tennis Forehand Drive

Posted on July 11, 2018 by blogger

The receiver should always await the service facing the net, but once the serve is started on the way to court, the receiver should at once attain the position to receive it with the body at right angles to the net.

The forehand drive is made up of one continuous swing of the racquet that, for the purpose of analysis, may be divided into three parts:

1. The portion of the swing behind the body, which determines the speed of the stroke.

2. That portion immediately in front of the body which determines the direction and, in conjunction with weight shift from one foot to the other, the pace of the shot.

3. The portion beyond the body, comparable to the golfer’s “follow through,” determines spin, top or slice, imparted to the ball.

All drives should be topped. The slice shot is a totally different stroke.

To drive straight down the side-line, construct in theory a parallelogram with two sides made up of the side-line and your shoulders, and the two ends, the lines of your feet, which should, if extended, form the right angles with the side-lines. Meet the ball at a point about 4 to 4 1/2 feet from the body immediately in front of the belt buckle, and shift the weight from the back to the front foot at the MOMENT OF STRIKING THE BALL. The swing of the racquet should be flat and straight through. The racquet head should be on a line with the hand, or, if anything, slightly in advance; the whole arm and the racquet should turn slightly over the ball as it leaves the racquet face and the stroke continue to the limit of the swing, thus imparting top spin to the ball.

The hitting plane for all ground strokes should be between the knees and shoulders. The most favourable plane is on a line with the waist.

Never step away from the ball in driving cross court. always throw your weight in the shot.

The forehand drive from the left court is identically the same for the straight shot down your opponent’s forehand. For the cross drive to his backhand, you must conceive of a diagonal line from your backhand corner to his, and thus make your stroke with the footwork as if this imaginary line were the side-line. In other words, line up your body along your shot and make your regular drive. Do not try to “spoon” the ball over with a delayed wrist motion, as it tends to slide the ball off your racquet.

All drives should be made with a stiff, locked wrist. There is no wrist movement in a true drive. Top spin is imparted by the arm, not the wrist.

The backhand drive follows closely the principles of the forehand, except that the weight shifts a moment sooner, and the R or front foot should always be advanced a trifle closer to the side-line than the L so as to bring the body clear of the swing. The ball should be met in front of the right leg, instead of the belt buckle, as the great tendency in backhand shots is to slice them out of the side-line, and this will pull the ball cross court, obviating this error. The racquet head must be slightly in advance of the hand to aid in bringing the ball in the court. Do not strive for too much top spin on your backhand.

I strongly urge that no one should ever favour one department of his game, in defence of a weakness. Develop both forehand and backhand, and do not “run around” your backhand, particularly in return of service. To do so merely opens your court. If you should do so, strive to ace your returns, because a weak effort would only result in a kill by your opponent.

Do not develop one favourite shot and play nothing but that. If you have a fair cross-court drive, do not use it in practice, but strive to develop an equally fine straight shot.

Remember that the fast shot is the straight shot. The cross drive must be slow, for it has not the room owing to the increased angle and height of the net. Pass down the line with your drive, but open the court with your cross-court shot.

Drives should have depth. The average drive should hit behind the service-line. A fine drive should hit within 3 feet of the baseline. A cross-court drive should be shorter than a straight drive, so as to increase the possible angle. Do not always play one length drive, but learn to vary your distance according to your man. You should drive deep against a baseliner, but short against a net player, striving to drop them at his feet as, he comes in.

Never allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if you can possibly force him to one he dislikes.

Again I urge that you play your drive:

1. With the body sideways to the net.

2. The swing flat, with long follow through.

3. The weight shifting just as the ball is hit.

How Tennis Court Surface Affects The Game

Posted on July 9, 2018 by blogger

The general idea of a tennis court is a rectangular surface with a single net stretch across the center of the court. The net is low to the ground and the court is meant for tennis games of singles or doubles. Sometimes the court is grass, clay or concrete. Every tennis player knows that the surface of the tennis court impacts the game. Each surface has its own qualities that take an effect on the overall game. The four main types of surfaces include clay courts, grass courts, and hard courts or Rebound Ace.

Clay Tennis Courts

The clay material used for tennis courts is actually a combination of crushed stone, rubber and various types of plastics. Although they are the most expensive and require high maintenance, clay courts are more smooth and consistent. The amount of speed is reduced when the ball bounces and players are able to have longer rallies. Experienced baseline players have an advantage as a result, while serve-and-volley players experience reduced power when the ball bounces on the opponents side. Sliding and skidding occurs on clay surfaces due to the looseness. The foundation of a clay court is actually concrete, which makes for a smooth surface. Balls with greater spin that bounce in deep into the opponents court allow for more wins. The French Open is played on clay courts.

Grass Tennis Courts

Grass is less popular for tennis courts than it used to be. Grass courts are constructed using actual grass but flattened out. The foundation is a firm layer of soil. Like clay courts, grass also requires more maintenance for evening out. Major tournaments used to be played on grass courts, but Wimbledon is now the only one played on grass courts. Grass is less smooth compared to clay surfaces, which makes the bounce less consistent. Usually, the ball bounces lower and faster, allowing for more quick and low shots. Longer rallies are more difficult to achieve. A variety of shots played is also a helpful tactic to be at an advantage over the opponent.

Hard Courts

Hard courts or concrete courts are the most common types of surfaces for tennis. They are literally made of concrete, which is often combined with asphalt or some type of rubber. These courts are often called Rebound Ace courts, which is firm material containing a mixture of asphalt or concrete and sand. The surface is then covered with a layer of acrylic paint or a synthetic substance. The more sand is added, the less speed the ball will have. The amount of friction is also affected by the sand that is added. The ball will have more of a grip and the ball will slide less. These courts require the least maintenance and are flat and firm. Bounces are consistent and predictable. Those who play with speed and hard-hits have an advantage with concrete courts. However, hard courts are generally compatible with any playing style and level. Injuries are also more common on hard courts or rebound ace than any other. The U.S. Open and the Australian Open are the two professional tournaments played on hardcourts.

Certain tennis court surfaces are an advantage for certain playing styles and can be a disadvantage for others. Whether the court is clay, grass or concrete, there is a degree of maintenance involved in order to have a successful game. While Clay courts and grass courts require regular care, concrete courts are maintained about once a year. Not every tennis court is the same and the outcome of a game can really be affected by the type of surface. Players must be aware of the surface in order to be able to adjust their game style accordingly.

Looking for the best Tennis Court Construction company Choose Multisport!

Posted on July 6, 2018 by blogger

Multisport concepts is a pioneer company when it comes to manufacture tennis courts for almost 20 years now and they are the undisputed leaders of the industry today, outnumbering almost all of their competitors. They understand that the clients need to be a given a complete suite of services in order to make them happy and hence productive. Hence apart from providing quality products, they also ensure that the best customer service can also be given to the customer, long after the sales is over. When it comes to Tennis Court Construction, the company concentrates more upon what the client needs and tries to deliver the product as per their choices. The client needs to specify several details of the requirements like the type of the surface as well as the combinations of the base on which the tennis court will be constructed.

Also, he needs to clarify other details like the type of soil, the amount of usage of the ground, the duration of the games and above all, the budget beyond which he cannot go. Being for so many years in the industry, the company understands that every client is different from the other and so is the requirement. So during Construction Tennis court prepared for one might not match with the requirements of the other. For example, someone might opt for the glass tennis courts which are the most common choices and can be constructed at ease. Again some other clients might need a hard court or a synthetic clay court. The latter requires less maintenance and are usually long lasting than most of its counterparts. Sometimes clients are in need of half court tennis courts or a multipurpose court where more than one sport can be played simultaneously.

This is a popular choice nowadays are usually constructed in clubs because in this case, several other sports like basket ball and others can be played on the same court apart from Tennis. So, from the client’s point of view, this gives them a better return on investments because with a singular long term investment, they can accommodate players with different choices of game in the same platform. Whatever be the choice of the client, this top notch Australian company possesses the required expertise and experience to Build Tennis court of all types and thus satisfy the customers. So what are you waiting for? If you have planned to construct a tennis court in your club or in your school premises, look no further beyond Multisport Concept. Once you place the order with them, you can be rest assured of a high quality product in the best possible price.

Further you don’t have to think about the after sales service if required as the company will provide you with the best of the services needed long after. Thus Multisport Concepts maintain long term relationship with their customers and that really helps them to attain the top most position in the industry at ease!

Kevin Louis is writing sports articles for over 5 years and provides an idea where to find best tennis court construction company who is a renonwed firm in Tennis Court Lights and Sports field lighting.