Tag: Rafael Nadal

Forehand Technique What Every Tennis Player Needs To Know

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Forehand tennis technique can vary from person to person and is highly dependent on a number of different factors. Among the factors affecting the best forehand tennis technique for you are the following: age, body style, optimal style of play, agility, strength and more. One such factor is age. A younger player may be able to handle more extreme grips, larger swings, and other progressive tennis techniques whereas a seasoned player may benefit from more compact strokes and more traditional tennis grip choices.

Why? As we grow older, the body is less able to handle stressful body movements and/or modern tennis fundamentals. As a result, consideration should be given to a person’s age when making decisions on how to hit forehands. A good coach can assimilate information about a player and decipher the information to make the best decision on how a player can best optimize his or her forehand. Hitting a forehand is not as simple as some make it. Following a cookie cutter layout for stroke development is unwise. Each person has different capabilities so you are well advised to take time to think through what would work best for you.

Roger Federer’s classic style may work best for him but would not necessarily work best for a baseline grinder like Rafael Nadal who uses extreme topspin forehands to control the court. Although there are many variables to consider when deciding on the right backswing, stance, and follow through for your forehand stroke, most good strokes employ a few common technical elements including:

1. Start in a good ready position. If you are just starting, use a continental or semi-western grip as your dominant hand ready position. Your non dominant hand should be on top on the grip which will allow you to be ready to hit a forehand or a backhand.

2. As soon as you identify the incoming ball as a forehand, quickly turn your shoulders and prepare by initiating your backswing.

3. Generally speaking, there are two common backswing styles. You can turn your shoulders and take the racket straight back of you can employ the loop styles backswing (ala Andre Agassi or most other professionals for example). Ideally, you should prepare with the earliest and quickest backswing possible when first starring out (see Serena Williams or Venus Williams for a great example).

4. Contact the ball by swinging in a methodical and steady motion. If possible your contact point should be just below the ball in an attempt to “lift” the ball.

5. Following contact your racket should proceed upwards.

6. The forehand stroke typically ends by catching the racket with the non-dominant hand after contact or wrapping the racket over the non-dominant shoulder after contact.

7. Throughout the stroke, try to keep your eye on the ball until contact.

8. Finally, after hitting, be sure to recover to the ready position in the middle of the court.

The tennis technique tips above serve as a great start to developing an excellent forehand. Be sure to consult your tennis professional for expert guidance and to ensure that your technique fits your body style. Get out there and enjoy!

Become The Next Tennis Champion In Virtua Tennis 4 Wii

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Grand Slams occur only four times a year in the game of tennis. Unless youre a Tennis fanatic, perhaps these four grand slams are the only tennis tournaments you watch. And in these tournaments every year we either see a new champion crowned or a familiar rivalry match up. Whichever the case is, nothing gets more exciting than watching these tournaments. So what if the viewer gets a chance to play these tournamentsas one of the Tennis heroes like Federer, Nadal, Williams and Ivanovic? Dream come true.

Virtua Tennis 4 for the Wii is a fun game completely devoted to Tennis. It does not make any effort to add any extra levels of interest in the game. It is simply a game where the player can play as his favorite Tennis player and play in Grand Slam tournaments as well as other tournaments. The game has a total of 16 tournaments. Four tournaments are Grand Slams (Australian, French, Wimbledon, though it is called the English Grand Slam in the game, and the US Open). Four tournaments are called the Special courts which feature different types of court however the cities in which they are located are unknown. These courts are: The Tennis Hall (Indoor), SPT Final (Hard), Fancy Dress Matches at World Tour (Indoor), Special Matches at World Tour (Indoor). The remaining eight are called the Advantage Series and the World Tour Venues which consists of Championships and Tournaments based in China, Egypt, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Czech Republic and the United States. The types of courts in these tournaments are a mixture of Hard, Clay, and Grass and Indoor.

The playable Tennis Players include the various current top players in the world right now. Among men, there is Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick and a few other lesser unknown top ranked players. Among women there is Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova, and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

A clear disappointment overall

The game is fun for maybe a few days. It isnt a game that will be remembered by players after a week of playing it. There are several reasons for this. One of the major reasons is the game play. Playing the game even in the most difficult level is like playing in beginner level. It would expected that top ranked players would be harder to beat in the game, however pick the lowest ranked player in the game and pit him against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and the score will probably read 6-0,6-0 and 6-0 for the lower ranked player. While the game does claim that it supports the new Wii Motion Plus, the game itself is not a motion based game. The player can step into the shoes of their favorite players, but unfortunately he wont be jumping or running at all in those shoes. For the majority of the game, players operate on the boring buttons of the Wii Remote (You dont buy Wii games to just press buttons). Also the game lacks players and tournaments. As I mentioned in the introduction that people who watch only the four grand slams would love this game (until even they get bored). For Tennis Fanatics, lack of more players and even players who are top ranked in doubles will definitely make this game a no buy for Tennis Fanatics.

Perhaps the only part of the game that can be called good is the graphics. Playing this game for the first time, it will be exciting to see almost identical virtual figures of the real players along with the realistic display of the courts. But the strong graphics are a major cause for glitches also. Perhaps, the money to buy this game can be saved to buy a better game.

All About Babolat Tennis Racquets

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Babolat have been synonymous with tennis in almost a hundred years. The corporation have been making top quality tennis racket strings since 1875 and it has recently been producing a wider array of equipment and accessories.

Babolat tennis strings were used by leading tennis professionals, advanced club players and beginners for years. The company is renowned for the trademark double lines on the strings which run across the lower half of the racket face and across the side frame of Babolat tennis rackets. A number of touring pros who promote other racket brands have reputedly used and continue to use, Babolat strings on their frames.

Clay-court juggernaut, Rafael Nadal, has used Babolat tennis rackets and strings nearly completely throughout his exceptional career. Wielding the AeroPro Drive GT, the Spaniard has won nine Grand Slams including five French Open titles. The AeroPro Drive series is the ultimate choice for advanced players. People who require highest head speed and spin will definitely benefit from this selection.

Skilled players who may have an all-around game which can generate their own power off their strokes must look into the Pure Storm. Having a standard section and a conventional frame, the racket has ideal weight and balance distribution.

The Babolat Pure Drive Team is a fantastic pick for most degrees of play. Among the lightest frames on the market, the Pure Drive Team is ideal for serve and volley players. Although the frame is a bit within the stiff side, the trademarked Cortex technology makes a comfortable feel. The frame is capable of creating an extraordinary volume of power but it still maintains good volume of touch and control.

Mid-level players who are serious about their games need to look to the Babolat Drive Z 110. Providing comfort and maneuverability, the racket can also be equipped with the Cortex System as well as the Smart Grip. This excellent grip can be adjusted and is in accordance to the favored ergonomic feel of the player.

Weekend warriors who are with limited funds should go for the Babolat XS 102. Made from pure graphite, the frame offers a perfect balance of control and power.

Babolat tennis rackets possess some of the most technologically advanced frames in the market. Players who work hard to enhance their games and and experts who aim to maximize their strengths will certainly gain from Babolat’s innovations. Even recreational players who just want to keep beating their next-door neighbor should choose Babolat tennis rackets.

Babolat Tennisbabolat Racquets

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Babolat tennis racquets offer you power, control, and everything in between! With such a wide selection to choose from, this allows you to find a tennis racquet with the right feel. Babolat racquets are created for optimal performance, as evident by their use by many renowned ATP and WTA players such as Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Dinara Safina, Caroline Woznicaki, Na Li, Yanina Wickmayer, Fernando Gonzalez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and many more. This series is divided into Babolat Pure Drive, Babolat AeroPro, Babolat Pure Storm, and Babolat Drive Z lines. Not only are Babolat tennis racquets engineered for the professional play, but they also appeal to recreational and competitive players of all levels. The GT Family of racquets take the place of the prior models of the AeroPro Drive and Pure Drives. These Babolat tennis racquets feature Woofer, AeroModular, Zylon and many other Babolat racquet technologies to best suit your game.
Babolat tennis is headquartered in France where tennis has had a long history dating back to the early Middle Ages. The company”s logo has changed over the years, but one thing has always remained constant, the “double line”. Anytime you see those two lines you can rest assured you”re getting a superior product that will outperform others on court. This company is known for making high quality tennis strings, racquets, shoes, and accessories.

Originally started by Pierre Babolat, ownership of the company has been kept in the family all the way down to its current CEO, Eric Babolat. The company invented natural gut tennis strings in 1875 and continued to focus solely on strings until 1994, when it became a “total tennis” company. Albert Babolat, Eric”s Great Grandfather, was a pioneer in string development and his vision helped create one of the biggest tennis companies in the world. The organization”s string collection consists of synthetic, hybrids, and natural gut. Even though there are various types of string in the product line, quality has not been sacrificed. Each category of string has unique properties suitable for different player types.

This brand”s success can also be attributed to its exceptional tennis racquets. Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick both play with Babolat tennis racquets exclusively. There have been several series of racquets under this brand including the aeropro, pure drive, and pure storm lines as of most recent. The technology that goes into each racquet is heavily researched and has led to some of the most innovative equipment in the game.

The shoe division was launched in 2003. Babolat banded together with Michelin to create competitive footwear that was made to last. This is still true today with the Propulse 2 model, which has given new meaning to the word durable. Roddick has been wearing this organization”s shoes since 2005 and has played an integral part in sculpting the perfect tennis shoe by giving professional feedback to footwear engineers. This company is completely and utterly devoted to tennis player”s needs.

On top of equipment, other tennis accessories manufactured by this organization include tennis balls, wristbands, grips, and bags. Babolat tennis bags are in high demand and popular among all players. Possibly because the same dedication to technology the company has shown in its equipment has carried over into its bag line.

Do You Need Math To Win In Tennis Matches

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Use tennis statistics to win!

Some will say its just a bunch of numbers that happen randomly from match to match with no effect on my tennis. Sure, you could think the same way but, you would be missing one of the greatest tools that can help you improve your tennis game immensely.

The key is to make the stats work for you.

What do you need to do?

Focus on one part of your game only. For example unforced errors. Have your coach or a friend chart the statistics of a full match 2 or 3 sets (practice or tournament play).

Whatever the result, if you are playing an opponent of identical level as yours, you will have a number and this number looked at in the overall context of the match can tell you if it was a determining factor or not in your win or loss.

Once that is determined the kind of consistency level you are at will also be evident to you as well as the need to work intensively on it or not.

This is a simple step to improvement but an important one, because the ability to be consistent on any shot is key to playing higher level competitive tennis. The quicker you find the culprit, be it the forehand or backhand the faster you will be on your way to becoming a better player.

Of course this involves enormous complexities and a tennis coach must be your guide. Take for example, you find out your forehand is costing you matches. Your first reaction may be, well I will hit thousands of forehands and I will solve the problem. Not necessarily!

Several of the reasons why you are missing your forehand could be among the following and the list is non exhaustive:

– Poor timing.

– Improper back swing (too wide or too short).

– Extreme grip or wrong grip.

– Footwork or lack of footwork.

– Lack of fitness (tire too early in the matches and start making mistakes independent of proper stroke production).

– Over-hitting the ball or rushing to hit winners too early.

And the list of reasons to miss forehands, backhands or any other shot in tennis is endless. That is why the professional, knowledgeable and experienced eye of a good coach is fundamental to help you determine the right way for you to use stats to work on your game.

Going back to how you can see why you are faring well or not against other players through reading your stats, I will give you an example I extrapolated from the ATP and the professional tennis players; in 2006 I saved some statistics from the ATP on the best 10 players.

Then in 2008 I compared two of those players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and the results were startling to say the least! Right there in black and white, Roger Federer’s demise as the N1 in the world was clear.

To give you an idea through a single statistic (Aces), from November 2006 to June 2008, Roger Federer went from N 3 in service Aces to N 7 while at the same time Rafael Nadal went from N 48 to N 1. Staggering improvement on Nadal’s part!

You may say, but it is just the serve! Yes, but the serve is one of the most important strokes to build victories in tennis, whether you are a baseliner or an aggressive attacker, the quality of your serve can be the difference between winning and losing.

In Roger Federers case it was a lot more then the serve that fell apart during the first part of the year. In some stats he fell from N1 to 15 and in 10 statistics with the exception of one or two, he saw a substantial drop in all of them. I invite you to read the full article at my website.

Anyway here you have a good starter for improving your game of tennis. Statistics can help you in every area of your tennis, this meaning that stats are clinical and unforgiving, if your returns are letting you down it will be there in black and white for you or your coach to see.

The same applies for forehands, backhands, volleys and even your mental game only if you are able to tie the specific moments when things happened in the course of a tennis match.

Good coaches and smart players use tennis statistics all the time to eliminate potential weaknesses, find a soft spot in an opponent’s game, and to improve any part of your game be it technical or mental you can address it immediately!

You can do the same and become a better player or even the player you always dreamed to be. Do not wait, get yourself a stats form or a software like the one I promote on my website and start winning matches against players youve lost to in the past!

Wishing you a great start and an even better ending for this season!

Sergio Cruz

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