Tennis is without a doubt the most wonderful of sports. Fans of other sports might well object to such a bold statement, but tennis can be enjoyed by the young and old alike, from little boys and girls to el-
own level of ability, you naturally enjoy the benefits of healthy physical exercise. Tennis is also a great way to socialize; regardless of nationality or creed, you and your opponent can have a good time together. It can therefore be fairly said that tennis is decidedly superior to other sports.
Boys and girls wishing to learn the game can do so beginning at an early age, either at school or a community sports club. Most schoolchildren first learn such games as baseball and football, but unless they are very good they cannot continue to play these sports indefinitely. When their school days are over they become involved in work or study and find it difficult to participate in team play. Only then do many people begin to play tennis.
Had these boys and girls started to play tennis as youngsters, they would be able to enjoy the game at all ages and continue playing for years.
Though light and somewhat short junior rackets designed for youngsters are available, it is sometimes difficult for children to handle these properly, as their hand may be too small to get a firm grip on the racket, or it may be too heavy for their physical strength. Usually, however, tennis is the most suitable sport for a growing child to start with.
Starting at an early age, children can develop a correct, beautiful swing. To impart the ball with the proper speed requires a good forward swing, while a long follow-through is needed to send the ball on a precise trajectory.
| learned how to execute a correct, natural swing very young, and it has remained with me to this very day. Adults beginning to learn the sport often exert themselves unnecessarily, rather than hitting the ball with a natural swing.
For your own sake, | urge you to begin playing tennis while still in grade school or junior high, if possible. If you begin at an older age, remember that the game does not require great strength or overexertion.
Discipline Yourself.
Since | began to play tennis when | was still a young boy, | had the opportunity to come into contact with all kinds of older players. On the court, | had the chance to play with boys of my own age, with juniors in their late teens, and with adults the same age as my parents. | really think this was an invaluable experience for me.
Mind you, it’s no easy thing for boys and girls to play tennis with their seniors. More often than not, adults won't play with children, no matter how able. Even if you are good at the game, you will have a hard time finding a worthy opponent unless you are playing with your coach.
When | was a boy, my father taught me tennis. We used to play against each other, but when we paired together for doubles, the opponents were always adults of the same age as my father. It seemed that quite a few of these people didn’t like the idea of playing tennis with a boy, but, rather than making an issue of it, | just concentrated on playing well. Standing there on the tennis court, you are everyone’s equal. | think that this is the important principle that applies to any game or so-cial activity.
Teenagers being taught the correct grip at the Rosewall Tennis Academy.
It is important to watch others playing, as well as hitting the ball yourself.
your opponent, you are struggling with yourself.
too.
To become a good tennis player, you have to practice very hard, and devote a lot of time to the game. You should also always have someone who appreciates your enthusiasm for the game watch you play, whether it’s your coach, your seniors, or your parents. Talented children with promising ability often don’t know how to develop that potential, so it’s important that someone keep a careful eye on how you play, in order for them to make necessary Suggestions.
In a singles match, you stand on the court by yourself, and fight with your own skill and your own brains. Of course, you've got to take maximum advantage of the physical and mental powers you've developed so far. If you win the game, you can take pride in your own ability. If you lose, you either have to admit that your opponent is the better player, or realize that you did not take full advantage of your skills. In doubles, you learn the real meaning of properly combining your mental and physical skills with those of your partner.
In doubles, both the individual techniques and joint play are important.
By playing tennis, you train both your body and mind, and contribute much to your personal well-being. | also think tennis gives you plenty of experience essential to growth and maturity. You learn to cooperate and be tolerant of your fellow man. | think that developing your tennis skill assists so much in developing a good character.
Teenagers improving their skill at the Rosewall Tennis Academy.
After 17 years, Rosewall joined Laver and Newcombe on the 1973 Australian Davis Cup team, said to be the strongest ever. Here they await the pre-sentation of the Cup, upon which they had set their wall and Newcombe.
Wimbledon Results (Final results for both Singles & Doubles)
ROSEWALL -7-5 Hartwig Newcombe 8-6 Hoad 4-6 Rose ‘Roche 5-7 7-5 14-42 6-3 1954 Singles 13-11 1970 Singles 5-7
Drobny 4-6 ROSEWALL Newcombe 6-3 6-2 6-2 g-7 3-6 6-1
1955 Doubles Doubles 10-8 Hartwig 7-5 ROSEWALL Newcombe 6-3 Hoad 6-4 Fraser Roche 6-1 6-3
1956 Singles 6-2 1974 Singles eae
Hoad 4-6 ROSEWALL Connors Ee 7-5 6 - 4 6-4 Doubles
ROSEWALL 7-5 Pietrangeli Hoad 6-2 Sirola 6-1
The world’s foremost tennis arena, the Center Cour at Wimbledon. The dramatic match between Rose
The grip is what makes good tennis. Rosewall hitting a forehand using the Eastern Grip.
The first step in playing tennis is your grip. In general, there are three kinds of grips: the Eastern, the Continental, and the Western, and they each have their own special characteristics.
| use the Eastern Grip, and since it is considered the most international one, it is the one | will basically discuss in this book.
The Eastern Grip (Shake Hands Grip) is the one | use for my forehand stroke.
Take the racket in your left hand with the handle pointing towards you, so that the edge of the racket face is at right angles to the ground.
Now, place your right hand against the strings and, without changing the angle of it, slide your hand down to the grip and grasp the racket firmly.
In other words, your hand is in the same shape as when you shake hands. The “V” made by your thumb and index finger should be almost exactly above the grip of the racket.
This grip is the most commonly used forehand grip. Recently, almost all the top players are using it. | believe that there are a great many people who, if they do not exactly use this grip, utilize something quite similar.
| should like young people, and those who are about to take up tennis for the first time, to really make an effort to use this grip. It can be used comfortably for all forehand strokes, for high shots, average balls and for the low ones too.
Many players in other parts of the world, especially the Orient, hold their hand further over; in other words, a grip which is much closer to the
Western Grip. Perhaps this is influenced by the old soft tennis style that has been handed down over the years.
There are times when this grip would be effective: to hit a ball that comes hard and fast, to hit a gentle ball as strongly as possible, and to hit a deep ball, but generally it is impossible to get favorable results with this grip. This was the basic grip used in top class tennis when players hit the ball softly on slow courts. In tennis today, it is seen being used on all types of courts.
No matter how much your tennis improves, the importance of the grip never varies. Fletcher receiving instruction on his “grip” from Rosewall.
Ambitious young players and leading players have to take into consideration the fact that they will play on courts with completely different bounces, such as fast indoor courts with mats, soft en-tout-cas courts, grass courts where the ball stays low and now, on the rapidly increasing number of synthetic hard courts. From this point of view, | believe the Shake Hands Grip is the one that gives you the most effecfive forehand stroke.
The forehand grip from three angles.
(1) As seen from the front of the body. (2) As seen from the back of the hand. Grip the racket with your index finger slightly separated from your other fingers. Notice the angle made by the hand and the racket. (3) As seen from the front of the hand. Notice the position of the end of the grip.
Borg hits his forehand using a deep grip, changes to a shallow grip for other shots.
Rosewall hits an ideal backhand. This clearly illustrates how the top of his racket is always higher than his wrist, and his grip is firm.
For my backhand grip, the position on the racket is just slightly further around to the right than in my forehand grip. Therefore, the “V” formed by the thumb and index finger moves slightly towards the left hand. Grasp the racket firmly, but not too tightly with the fingers, and place the thumb around the grip. In contrast to the forehand grip, for the backhand you need to take a slightly more secure grasp of the racket— and you must keep your wrist firm.
Through many years of experience, | have found this backhand grip is an extremely natural one for me, and ! can say that it is because of this grip that | am able to hit the ball smoothly with my backhand stroke. The backhand is, for me, easier than my other shot.
For beginners, | believe the best backhand grip to start with is the one where you place the base of your index finger near the upper part of the grip, and grasp the racket normally with the thumb so that you are gripping it firmly—but not with your thumb up! This is not the grip | use, but for youngsters and beginners, it means they are physically able to hit a backhand stroke fairly comfortably.
Even for those who have already started playing tennis—and for those who are making a career of it—if you lack confidence in your backhand, try practicing using this grip. Those who find it easy should then study the other techniques.
Remember, however, that even if your grip is good, if your technique is bad, you'll be unable to hit even the easiest of shots.
The backhand grip from three angles
(1) From the front. Notice that the grip is rotated a little further to the right than in the forehand.
(2) As seen from the back of the hand. (3) As seen from the front of the hand. In particular, note that the thumb is not pointing upwards.
| use the backhand grip when | am serving, and also for volleying. However, as everyone is different physically, | think it would be extremely difficult for everyone to use exactly the same grip as | do for serving and volleying. Your grip has a great influence on the angle you can make with your wrist. | think it is probably best for young people to decide on a grip for service and volleying which is somewhere between the forehand and backhand grips | have described earlier. Naturally, those who feel they would like to try the same grip as | use, should practice with that.
k The backhand grip can also be 2 ae he . fused for volleying. When vol-
: leying, it is particularly important
: to keep your grip firm and your wrist steady.
Your stance while waiting to ceive should be natural, so you are able to handle any} of ball immediately. We should be forward.
As a sport, hitting a ball is what tennis is all about, but preparing yourself before you hit the ball, and while you are waiting for the ball, is extremely important. This is because your stance also greatly influences the form with which you make your shots.
The stance you take when you are getting ready to receive is most important—and this should be as natural as possible. Without making yourself too tense, stand with your feet a suitable distance apart, so that you can move quickly in any direction; forward, backward, or to the left or right. It is undesirable to take too low a stance, or alternatively, to stand too upright.
Hold your racket in front of you, but do not let it slope downward from the wrist. Avoid getting tired by holding your racket lightly with your right hand, and always supporting the center part of the racket with your left. In short, with this stance you are ready to respond immediately to whatever type of ball comes at you.
Wait with your racket in front of the center of your body, facing straight at your opponent.
It is necessary to watch the ball closely for every shot, to judge quickly how your opponent's ball has been hit, how it is coming to you, and on the basis of this, to make your next move.
When you have been playing tennis for a long time, it becomes possible to take your eyes off the ball and still be able to hit it. Again, you will probably develop the ability to predict your opponent’s moves.
However, to achieve really good shots you should endeavor to keep your eyes on the ball for as long as possible, right up until it actually hits the strings. | have good eyes, and try as much as possible not to take my eyes off the ball. There can be no doubt that this is a great advantage in playing tennis.
No matter how much you have to move around, never take your eyes off the
Dall.
Always remember to watch both the your opponent's movements carefully.
Try hard to never take your eyes off the ball, right it.
Tennis is a sport where, for most of the time, you are moving about a court. No matter how skillfully you hit the ball, if you move too slowly, or if you lack stamina, there is no way that you can win the game. But it is still not enough to simply be quick on your feet and have staying power.
All footwork has an important connection with making a player's form stable. If you look at the form of top class players, their play somehow always seems to be steady, because they constantly pay careful attention to their footwork, and keep the necessary distance between their feet. Take a careful look at how they go after a ball. The more skilled the player, the less noise he makes on the court with his feet, and the fewer times he slides on the court.
The surface of a tennis court may be grass, or it may be a hard court, asphalt, rubber or matting. They each have their own peculiarities. Among these, is that it is impossible to slide on asphalt and mat courts, and so no matter how small your steps, your footwork will always be such that you will be able to make your feet float. With a grass court, if it is only slightly damp it is very easy to slide, but’in that case try to slide more on the balls of your feet. It is easiest of all to slide on a clay court, and especially so in the case of the en-tout-cas type, as it becomes difficult to perform perfect footwork.
Rosewall displays ideal footwork and timing of movement.
If you've always played on grass courts, you would move on your toes. If your toes are the first things to come into contact with the ground when you are playing on grass, then you are thrust forward. From habit, such players play on a hard court using the same type of footwork.
In the Orient and Europe, where clay and dirt courts are predominant, you can see most players sliding while they are playing. | think that this is why they find it difficult to cultivate the correct footwork. When they play on grass for the first time, or on a court where they are unable to slide, they have a good deal of difficulty. Adjustments are required.
Try not to slide too much even on composition type courts; instead, really try to get into the habit of using the proper footwork.
Rosewall plays a beautiful, balanced forehand. The secret of Rosewall’s strength is correct footwork and consistently keeping the upper half of his body steady.
With ground strokes, there are three types of returns that you can make, depending on the spin of the ball.
There is the top spin, where you put a forward spin on the ball; the slice, where you put a backward spin on the ball; and the flat stroke, where, when you hit the ball, the edge of your racket is at right angles to the ground. Although it is called a flat stroke, you can put a spin on the ball either by your follow-through, or by the proper racket angle, but these are not balls to which you consciously add spin.
For my forehand, | hit the ball with a fiat stroke so that top spin is added to it in the follow-through. For my backhand, | almost always hit with a slice. | never use an extreme top spin when hitting either a forehand or a backhand.
My forehand stroke was first taught to me by my father, who learned it by reading books about tennis, and by studying the tennis of the best players of that time—the 1930’s.
Tennis at that time was different from the tennis of the last 10 to 15
Forehand-hitting the ball with the flat of the racket.
The backhand slice gives a sharply hit ball.
years. The pace was not as fast as it is today and the play was slightly slower, SO ground strokes were much more important.
In order to achieve good control and also to hit a deep ball, it was necessary to make a long swing of your racket. When | look at old films of myself, | can see clearly that from the backswing to the followthrough, my old forehand shot was a big, long one. This was because, to make the shot, | pulled my racket fully back and up and then brought it down to hit the ball. This was not too bad when | was a young player.
In fact, it was very successful at that time.
However, both the times and the game have quickened—particularly after | turned professional in 1957. When | started playing on indoor courts where the speed of the balls was faster, it became very difficult to control my forehand shots. | had to work hard to shorten my swing.
| pulled my racket straight back so that it was practically horizontal to the ground, and then brought it straight forward. | found that, for me, this had the most favorable results. | was not late when the ball was a fast one and, on the other hand, | was able to hit the ball correctly, with good timing, even on a slow court.
However, | find | have a lot of problems with my forehand even now. This is because, in contrast to the backhand, the forehand does not have the form of a natural swing. Although people refer to me as one of the top players, | always bear in mind that it is important for me to correct shortcomings in my game.
Whether you are a complete beginner, or a Davis Cup player, if you think your technique is not correct, then you have to do everything possible to correct it. This is absolutely necessary if you are to improve your tennis. For someone like myself, it is very difficult to correct something you have been doing for a number of years, but my long cherished hope is to get my forehand nearer, no matter by how little, a natural swing. Once you see that your opponent's ball is coming to your forehand, judge the spot where it is going to come down, and move there as quickly as possible. There will be times when you will have to run two or three paces, and there may be others when the ball lands exactly where you are standing. It is important to always be in the spot to receive the ball where you can hit it the best. This is easy enough to say, but in reality, even those of us who are called leading players find it extremely difficult to perfect. Being able to move quickly to where the ball is at any time is an important start to hitting an unstrained, natural shot.
You should not be too close or too far away from the ball. Move yourself into a position where it is easy to hit it.
The forehand stroke (from the front) 4 , Tai
The most usual type of forehand stroke is where you move a little to the right of where you are standing.
(1) Immediately before starting to move, the racket is in front of the body supported by the left hand, the stance is with feet apart so that you are able to move in any direction quickly. It is also necessary to have your knees relaxed.
(2-5) You have judged that the ball is coming to your forehand; drawing back your racket slightly you take a step with your left foot, and begin to turn your body sideways to the net. (6-7) Stepping forward with your left foot, swing your racket back.
(8-10) You have judged the depth and the course of the ball, so start to step towards it with your right foot. Your body should be sideways to the net.
(11-13) You are coming to the top of your backswing. The racket is straight as shown in this picture, but for youngsters and beginners, | think it is better if the top of the racket is slightly lower: that is to say, slightly higher than the wrist.
(14-16) Set the position of your feet and move into your forward swing from the top of your backswing. At the top of the backswing, your racket should be about on a level with your shoulders. The points to pay particular attention to in your forward swing are aligning your racket with the point where you are going to hit the ball, making your swing horizontal and level with the ground, and getting the top of your racket into the ideal position. This position, and the technique for achieving it, are difficult but, as can be seen from Frame 16, the thing is to keep the top of your racket behind the movement of your arm.
17) Twist your shoulders without twisting your nips while swinging your arm forward. Be careul at the same time to leave the head of the racket where it is, but to turn the grip end to the front. 18) The head of the racket should swing for-
Nard suddenly with the straightening of the arm and with a firm grip. 19) The moment when the ball is received squarely right in the center of the racket face.
At the moment you hit the ball, your left foot should be in front and the upper half of your body should be open in the direction of the net. From the waist down, there should be almost no change from your stance at the time of the lop of your swing. Try to keep your eyes completely on the ball. The ideal stance is probably with the top of your racket at about the same height as your wrist, and your arm stretched Straight out. (20-22) From the impact into the follow through, twist from the waist, with your racket following after the ball, and make a long wide swing to the front. After hitting the ball, do not lift the head of your racket up immediately but rotate your body naturally. The weight of your body should be completely balanced on your left foot. (23-25) You have swung your racket in a wide arc and you should finish high. As you twist your waist, you step forward with your right foot.
(26-28) Swing your racket all the way around, with your right shoulder coming in front of your chin. Confirm the direction of the ball’s movement with your eyes. (29-32) It is extremely important to move from the finish into your next movement. Your left hand again supports your racket and you move quickly to the center of the court so that you get yourself ready to receive the next ball.
NB The use of the wrist shown in 17-18 should not be done consciously in the early stages. As you get used to it, and when you have learned this movement, you will be able to return all types of balls effectively and correctly.
The top of the backswing stops at a point in line with your shoulders, so that you can swing forward at the same height as the ball.
There are three phases to the swing of the racket. They are: the action of pulling the racket back, that is the backswing; the action from the forward swing to the moment of contact with the ball, which is when you return your racket to meet the ball; and the follow-through, where you follow the course of the ball forward. Start the action of your backswing as soon as you move towards the ball. For a forehand shot, the rule is to have your body turned sideways to the net. Try to achieve a state where your feet are the correct distance apart, hold your hips steady, make sure your body is not unnecessarily tense, and make your balance as natural as possible.
From the position where you are lightly Supporting the racket with your left hand, bring it back without changing the racket angle, using your shoulders as an axis. At this point, you should not straighten your elbow unnecessarily, or use your wrist to change the direction in whieh the racket is pointing. It is important that the movement of your body should be natural throughout. As a rule, the extent of your backswing should be no further back than about the line of your shoulders. If you take it too far back, you will be unable to hit the ball correctly, and it will cause you to be late in bringing your arm forward.
The way to bring your arm back to hit the ball is to start from a point which is at the same height as the ball you are trying to hit, and then to keep your swing, as much as possible, on a level that is parallel to the ground. At this moment, be careful not to let the tip of your racket become lower than your wrist. These points are important if you want to hit the ball correctly and well.
When you are about to make contact with the ball, try and push your body forward in the direction that you are going to hit the ball, then follow-through, bringing your racket forward to a point where you put your weight on your front left foot.
The point of contact with the ball used to be aligned with the center of the body, but today it is slightly further forward; that is, you hit the ball
position, you can make a better attacking shot. In contrast to the backward swing, the purpose of the forward swing is to hit the ball. When making it you should stretch your arm, grip your racket firmly and hit the ball, and then, at that point, keep your elbow as straight as possible and complete your follow-through.
Keep the wrist firm for the forehand, stretch the elbow out naturally and swing your racket.
Never forget to keep your balance by using your left hand. Take care that the ball and the surface of the racket are the same height.
This is the forehand stroke seen from the side, showing the footwork consisting of two steps, with both feet at almost right angles to the net.
(1-7) Backswing. Position your feet depending on the trajectory of the ball and pull your racket back. At the top of your backswing, both shoulders should be at right angles to the net, and your whole body should be relaxed, waiting for the ball.
(8-12) Forward swing. From the top of your backswing, swing your arm forward to the point where you expect to hit the ball. There is almost no change in the balance of your whole body from the tip of your toes to the position of your head.
(13-15) Impact. Turn your hips and shoulders smoothly and move to impact. At the moment you hit the ball, the center of your body is slightly forward. The position of your face hardly moves.
(16-20) Follow-through. In the shot seen from the side, it is easy to see how you follow the ball after impact, bringing your arm forward in a wide swing. It is this movement that gives accuracy and depth to the ball’s flight. Not bringing your head up reinforces the accuracy.
(21-24) Make it a habit to get ready for the next ball by moving smoothly back to your original position. In this series of photographs it is easy to see that there is almost never any change in the angle made between your grip and your racket. It is important to remember to keep your wrist firm.
In your follow-through, be careful to finish at a point higher than the point at which you made contact with the ball. Not only does a good follow-through give the ball a correct trajectory, it also gives it sufficient depth.
Once you can perform the basic swing, you will be able to direct the ball to whatever point you wish to hit it. In tennis, it is not important simply to hit a fast ball, or to hit it a long way. This is a game where the most important thing is placement of the ball. The correct form enables you to do this.
| am dissatisfied with certain aspects of my forehand. | still have not perfected my balance, and | do not turn my body sufficiently sideways to the net. Even though you manage to return a ball when your balance is not good into your opponent’s court, it has no power when your body is not turned sideways to the net. In other words, a ball that you hit in an open attitude, facing the net, only has the power of your wrist behind it, not the power of your whole body. Even the all-important follow-through is not good enough in my forehand. As a result, | do not have complete control and sometimes fail to do precisely what | intend to do.
John Newcombe’s and Mal Anderson’s shots are always superb, and, of these shots, their forehand strokes are particularly excellent.
Naturally, this is so when the ball comes towards where they are, but even when they have to run to make a shot, they have a technique which combines fine timing and being able to hit a ball with the right power.
When your opponent puts a real spin on the ball, that ball is going to bounce high, as well as have a marked spin and so it is really difficult to return. When | return this type of ball, | take care to see that the ball | hit cannot be turned to my opponent's advantage. | return the ball when it is still high, and in that position slice my racket back, keeping it horizontal to the ground. This means that while | am unable to return it fast,
| am able to return it somewhere deep in my opponent’s court, and thus turn it to my advantage.
Of course, it is necessary to be able to hit a variety of shots from the same stance, but, in any case, it is important to hit to where you are aiming. The same can be said for when you are hitting a low ball. As a rule you have to return it somewhere deep in your opponent's court, and, in order to do that, you bend your knees, lower your hips and swing your racket normally. What you must not do is to hit it without squatting slightly with the point of your racket low. Many youngsters and beginners make this mistake when hitting this type of shot. They are hitting a low ball without lowering their hips, just standing up normally and with the point of their racket low. There is no power to the ball. Furthermore, they are unable to hit it at the necessary angle.
For a low ball you receive near the base line, you should bend your knees and hit it, usually aiming for the ball to go higher.
When you are returning a short ball from near the service line, you have to make your stroke considering the fact you have to get it over a net which is right in front of you, and the distance to your opponent's baseline is short. Keep calm, keep your eye on the ball, and perform your swing, always bearing in mind the height of the net. Also, it is important to be aware of the effectiveness of the spin given to the ball by your follow-through.
A lot of top players return even short, low balls like this deep into their opponent’s court by using correct form. Being already positioned at the net is to their advantage. | urge everyone to practice so that they can hit these low shots well.
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When returning a service, or a strongly hit ball, it is important to have your body turned sideways to the net.
For the follow-through, follow after the ball, and swing your racket as far forward as possible. At the same time, try to
Newcombe, seen here playing his very strong forehand stroke from a well-balanced stance, swings his racket horizontally and tries to hit the ball flat on.
When hitting a high-bouncing ball, you should also make a high backswing with your racket.
For low balls, you should lower the position of your wrist, but be careful not to let the top of the racket slope downwards.
Rosewall’s backhand stroke has become his trademark. Here he is shown getting ready to hit one of those low-bouncing balls that are typical of a lawn court. Using a balanced stance, with his knees bent, he is about to hit the ball with a slice.
Basically, you can say that the backhand stroke is exactly the same as the forehand stroke. Since the backhand uses movements of body and arms that are not used much in everyday action, it may be considered difficult at first. In comparison to the forehand, because of the right shoulder, which is the cardinal point, being brought forward, the range of position where you hit the ball is comparatively narrow. Thus, contrary to common thought, it can be considered easier to get this correct than the forehand.
For a long time, it was believed for left-handed players their backhand was their weak point, but, as seen with both Rod Laver and Tony Roche, even left-handed players with very strong backhands have become numerous. Jimmy Connors, who is also left-handed and hits his backhand using two hands, is able to hit superb deep shots. Today, the number of players that can be said to have weak backhands are extremely limited. We can probably say that left-handed players have acquired strong backhands because the advance in tennis techniques has kept pace with the age.
Recently, the number of players using the double-handed backhand have become enormous, but if there are some of you who are contemplating using two hands, you must work on improving this stroke not only as an expedient defense shot, but as your strongest attack weapon.
Since you are gripping the racket with both hands, you lose the effectiveness of your reach, and because you then have to cover far more court, you have to train yourself to run faster, or respond more quickly.
With the backhand, as with the forehand, when you have judged that the ball will come to your backhand, get to the ball quickly. Do not start your backswing using your right hand, the one in which you are holding the racket. Start to pull it backwards using your left arm. This means that, as a rule, your right foot is forward and your body is turned sideways to the net. When you are making your backswing, your stance is such that your back is almost toward your opponent. This is because, in complete opposite to the forehand swing, the right shoulder, which is your focal point, is more forward than the center of your body. Your right arm and your body go back together in the backward swing and your waist is twisted around hard. At the full extent of your backswing, your chin should be exactly over your right shoulder.
A balanced position, waiting to hit the ball correctly to the spot aimed at.
Remember that with the backhand, the left hand plays an important part in the backswing.
Everyone knows what an extremely important part the left hand plays in tennis from the point of view of right-handed players. The opposite, of course, is true for lefthanders. By supporting the racket with your left hand while waiting for the ball, you are able to rest without tiring your right hand. This helps you to avoid gripping the racket continuously, and relieves the feeling of pressure and tiredness in your right hand, which is the hand you are using most. This makes it possible for you to play for long periods at a time.
For those of you with a lack of stability in your backhand, when you pull your racket back, try to get the surface of the racket at the same angle as at the actual moment of impact, supporting it with your left hand. In order to hit backhands quickly, make it an unconscious habit always to use the left hand.
In the backswing for the backhand, the left hand supports the racket and guides it all the way back to the top of the swing.
Laver playing a strong backhand drive.
With the backhand swing, as with the forehand, it is essential that you Carry it out naturally and smoothly. Do not forget to swing your racket parallel to the ground. Even some leading players are unable to do this perfectly, but it is necessary if you want to hit a good ball.
For those who would like to improve youngsters’ backhand strokes,
| think it is best to teach them to lower their backward swing just slightly, hit the ball flat on, and then bring their follow-through up higher.
As | said in the section on “The Grip,” hold the racket firmly, keep the wrist steady from the top of the swing, align it with the height of the ball, and make your forward swing parallel to the ground. At the moment you hit the ball, transfer your weight onto your forward right foot, and follow the flight of the ball with your racket. Then, raising your right hand, make a big follow through and then a finish. If you keep your wrist firm to the very end and do not bend your elbow after hitting the ball, you will be able to make a good finish.
The problem most people have with their backhand is that they do not keep their wrist firm. This is why their follow-through is not uniform and why the ball will not go where they want it to. With my backhand shots | make a particular effort to keep my wrist firm, to swing my racket horizontally, and to make my follow-through smooth.
These rules are exactly the same, even for hitting balls that bounce higher than the average, but once you realize that you are going to have to hit a high bouncing ball, pull your backswing higher, and swing back by aligning the surface of the racket with the height at which you hit the ball. Your balance, contact with the ball and follow-through are all the same as for a normal ball, but when you hit with a slice, you should finish with your racket in a high position. : From the point of view of technique, the high backhand shot is a very difficult one and | feel that it is no use using different kinds of techniques for it. Firstly, acquire an easy swing that suits you, and then think about hitting the ball correctly and where you want it to go. In actual matches, there are a lot of these difficult high balls that you will have to play.
| adapt the way | play a high backhand according to the peculiarities of the court, the state of the game, and where the ball bounces. If it is a deep ball that lands almost right on the baseline, then naturally | have to hit it as deep in my opponent’s court as possible. So | hit it with a strong, determined stroke and then follow-through with a really powerful Swing.
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A short backhand return to his opponent, who is close to the net. He prepares his stance in readiness for the next ball. This quick action is Rosewall’s forte.
The stance at the top of the backhand backswing, when the chin comes over the right shoulder.
using a flat surface.
Connors is one of the players who has a powerful two-handed backhand.
When the ball lands in the region of the service line, | run as quickly as | can to the ball and hit it as.it is bouncing, or while it is still rising. If not, then | play it when the ball has reached the top of its bounce. The success of these shots lies in watching the ball carefully and coordinating your timing skilfully.
In doubles, if you do not hit these high backhand shots, your return of service will gain no advantage at all. In particular, for the player receiving on the lefthand side, when he or she returns the second service,
| think that it would be correct to say that this shot is necessary on practically every occasion. To return the ball quickly at the feet of the server who is coming forward, you have to use a high backhand shot.
Laver is physically very stong and hits a strong backhand and has the ability to move quickly to the ball before it rises too high. He is frequently able to hit fine shots when receiving because of his fast, rhythmical movement and balanced rising swing.
The points to be careful of in backhand shots where the ball bounces low are the same as for forehand shots of this kind. The majority of people try to hit these without bending down, and what occurs is that the racket is facing straight down. For every single shot, it is extremely important that the head of the racket should not be lower than your wrist, and that is why you must keep your wrist firm.
Some people try to put top spin in the bail with a low shot. | am not one of the players who does this. For youngsters and beginners, | think it is better to concentrate first on the slice, or on a backhand that has a flat feel, before they try the top spin shots.
With the stroke | use in my low backhands, | take the head of the racket back a little low, bring it forward horizontally, and then, after making contact with the ball, swing it up a little higher. But | use this very cautiously. The basic error for most players in a backhand stroke is that they hold their racket too high and end up chopping the ball when they bring the racket down. This is a defensive shot, completely lacking in power, and without the ability to threaten your opponent.
As a teenager, | used to hit my backhands with less slice. | hit not only slices, but many more flat hard shots. Later in my tennis career, | put more emphasis on control and placement. That is the reason why my swing became like it is today. Nevertheless, when | get something like a pass, or when a suitable ball comes, there are times when | hit it flat.
The backhand stroke (Front view) A typical backhand stroke where the ball comes across you. You move quickly to the side and make a strong diagonal return.
(1-4) Start to step sideways from your position of readiness. As you put your weight on your left foot and step with your right, change over to your backhand grip. (5-8) While you are taking a wide step with your left foot, move into the action of the backswing. At the beginning of the backswing, support the racket and lead it back with your left hand.
(9-13) For a cross court shot, move yourself into the correct hitting position. (14-17) Step firmly with your right foot, steady your balance, and bring your racket to the highest position for your backswing. Now, with your back almost towards the net and your chin over your right shoulder, you should be looking at the ball over your shoulder. Here, at the full extent of the backswing, the surface of the racket is horizontal and facing upwards. Rosewall does not feel he can highly recommend this style. Generally speaking, the most natural top swing is that where the racket is raised only) slightly from the flat plane. / (18-20) This is the forward swing where you ; move towards impact with your feet fairly wide < apart and the bottom half of your body braced, you are balanced and are fully capable of with- | standing a strong impact. In contrast to the, movement of the arm in the forehand stroke, the return of the wrist comes later, and the ;
swing of the racket head is still not fully appar- } ent.
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O ana to tace e directo O 2 eC ano O = Oulde and vou are apie to receive e Da A a = ome O Da e Da Fa ong Dalad sie a e ese /p = eC DO ere e Da 0 A e forenand O e TOO forward in a wide swing. Until this moment, you should keep your body turned at right angles to the net.
(27-30) As you are turning your shoulder to end your swing strongly, move your left foot and finish with your racket high. Your face should be turning in the direction of the ball and you should be straightening up. (31-34) This is your stance for the finish, with your waist turned and your body facing completely front, your right leg coming back into position, and the movements for the stroke coming completely to an end. Keep your knees flexible and lower your center of gravity, moveing quickly and smoothly to the next position. NB As can be seen from Frames 15-22, the balance of the body in this phase is what greatly influences the execution of a correct shot.
racket with your left hand.
You should keep the angle between your wrist and your racket as is shown in (2). You must never let this become a sharp angle as shown in
(3).
The backhand stroke (Side view) This is a shot where the ball comes to where you are waiting for it, and you make a fairly gentle return.
(1-8) Backswing. Stepping with your right foot, turn your body sideways and pull your racket back. Support it a little nearer to the grip than you were doing at first, and lead it into the backswing. Your stance is still with your weight on both feet.
(9-12) Forward swing. In this side view you can clearly see that the face of the racket is facing upwards. However, as it is impossible to bring it into a flat position on impact with the ball from this position, it is better to tilt it up just a little more (the tilt at the top of the swing shown in
Frame 12 is about right). With a backhand, it is particularly necessary to make your swing while keeping your elbow and wrist steady.
(13-15) Impact. In the positions from Frame 12 to 13, with a strong straightening of the wrist bring the racket into contact with the ball. You should hit the ball with your weight well forward and your arm stretched straight out. Without changing the angle of your grip, follow the ball as if you are pushing forward.
(16-19) Follow-through. With your arm stretched straight out, try and follow the ball for as long as possible. Once again, the surface of your racket should be facing upwards. (20-24) Turn your whole body towards the front, move back to your original position with your right foot, which was the foot you originally stepped with, and finish your swing.
Rosewall about to hit a high bouncing ball with his beautiful backhand. The amount of strength in his right hand and the balanced footwork emphasize his unique form.
Recently, many people have started to use strokes that put top spin on the ball. Personally, | do not consider it always to your advantage in a match to put top spin on every ball. When | am battling with an opponent who hits this type of ball, because it bounces high, | am able to hit a powerful ball from fairly high up. Even when my opponent has come up to the net, | have actually experienced the fact that it is easy to hit the ball past them on any number of occasions. Though the balls that | hit from high up pass low over the net, | aim them at my opponent's baseline. They are sharp, deep shots. Again, because | can repeatedly hit a low, short ball that just grazes the net, it often creates problems for a lot of players who use top spin. When | hit this type of ball and rush the net, on the majority of occasions, | find | have spoiled my opponent's stance. | can then stand in the most advantageous position at the net. It goes without saying that, even using top spin, there is a strong possibility of returning many hard hit balls correctly into the court. There is also the advantage that you can place your shot where it is more difficult for your opponent to return a sharply angled pass. For those who have mastered the main shots, it is probably necessary for them to try some suitable spin shots also.
Keeping the surface of the racket correct insures a steady shot.
Rosewall’s strong beautiful backhand finishes.
(1) That most striking moment of all, the high finish.
(2) His finish after hitting a straight pass.
(3) His strong finish after hitting a deep cross shot.
It is a great advantage to the receiver to be able to hit a high bouncing ball with the flat of the racket.
Sakai’s backhand shot, as he is about to hit a shoulder high ball.
The secret of being able to play a good shot is to always be able to handle the ball smoothly—early pre-the angle of your wrist, even for a low ball. Adjust your body to it by bending your knees and _ lowering your body to the level of the ball.
With weight balanced, the moment of hitting a backhand volley with the ideal surface of the racket.
The volley is more of a blocking stroke, and the basic rule is a short backswing and a short follow-through. Among beginners, there are some people who pull their rackets back in a long backward swing, as they would do for a ground stroke, and swing them all the way forward when they hit the ball, but this is fundamentally incorrect.
Your grip and wrist should be firm, and you should keep the same angle when you hit the ball. From a short backward swing, meet the ball sharply and send it in the direction you want to hit it, making your follow-through short. When | play a volley, the feeling when | hit the ball is Slightly flat. It is not a drive, but it has the sensation of making a slightly heavy contact. At that moment, | often slide the surface of my racket under the ball and make a sort of platform for it. This is never exaggerated, and it can hardly be detected by the naked eye; it is a fine touch movement.
The volley is an extremely important shot in modern tennis. When you are playing doubles, the skill with which you play your volleys has a significant influence on the outcome of the match. | was delighted to find the young players at my tennis academy in Japan and at the junior
Giving instruction to children on the important points of the volley at the Rosewall Tennis; Academy. You should lower your body to a low.
ball, and not let the top of your racket sag down lower than your wrist.
volleys than | could have imagined. When playing on slow courts, they are not so aware of the importance of the volley, and in many cases neglect practicing correct volleys.
What beginners often do not do with their first volleys is make their grip firm enough. They often move their arm and racket too much and hit the ball so that it goes sailing into.the air. It is wrong to bend your wrist and move the head of your racket, or alternatively bring the racket back from a long swing, so that it is over the ball when you hit it. The volley is not a shot where you return the ball with a wide swing of your racket; it is one where you keep your racket firm and hit the ball very sharply right in the center of your strings.
When you are going to play a volley, you cannot wait for the ball. You must always have the feeling of moving a step forward and, even if the ball is a little high, or a little to near the net, you are going to hit it.
Then you will be able to hit more powerful volleys, and there will be fewer times that you miss.
When youngsters are trying to volley but are unable to handle their rackets skilfully or freely, have them hold the rackets about 2 inches (5 cm) up on the grip, and their actions will soon become proficient. | should like to see everyone devoting the same amount of time to practicing volleys as to practicing strokes.
Rosewall volleys a high ball, meeting it with the full face of the racket.
In volleying, it is not the swing that is important; it is firmness of grip and thrusting forward in the direction you want to hit the ball.
When volleying, you should not wait for the ball to come to you; you should take the initiative by moving or stepping towards the ball.
The basic stance is the same as for the other strokes—facing sideways to the net. Facing your opponent with your feet aligned, when the ball comes to your forehand, put your left foot forward and try to hit the volley. In order to always be able to move quickly, it is necessary for you to have a naturally balanced stance. When the ball is returned to you quickly, and you do not have time to turn sideways properly, you should twist your hips and turn the top half of your body to the net. If you can do this, you will be able to hit a well-aimed forehand volley, even though your feet have not moved into correct position. In comparison with your ground strokes, the volley is a shot where it is far easier to hit at an angle. If you can hit a volley at a slight angle, then it will be easy to get the point.
The secret of hitting a volley at an angle is not to let the tip of your racket sag down, but to hold it with a firm grip and steady wrist.
Even with volleying, it has recently become acceptable to hit when the point where you contact the ball is slightly forward of your body. For those who seem unable to get the right feeling of where to hit the ball and the sensation of the impact, try stretching out your right hand in front of, and diagonally away from your body when receiving the ball. If you make this movement with your feet as well as your hands, you will be able to get the feeling of the forehand volley.
Whether it is a high volley above your head, or a low volley below your waist, the way you use your racket never changes. When you are playing a high ball and you are fairly well back from the net, take your racket to the point where you are going to hit the ball, face the ball, and hit it.
When you are playing a high ball from close to the net, you hit it slightly downwards, and when you are a little way back from the net, you should judge the height of the net, consider how far you are from the baseline and handle the shot accordingly.
Low balls are difficult shots where errors are often made in actual matches.
Being careful not to let the head of your racket sag, pull it back slightly to a low position, and, in order to hit the ball, move the racket so you align it with the height of the point where you are going to hit the ball. It is important to crouch down and get your eyes close to the height of the ball. When you are playing extremely close to the net, or even when you are not playing that close, but the ball is low, to make sure your ball gets over the net, use your wrist and turn the surface of your racket up as much as is necessary. After you have gotten the ball on the surface of your racket, send it deep into your opponent’s court. You must judge the type and speed of the ball coming to you, and consider the best power to impart to the ball you hit back.
Generally, if your opponent’s ball has a drive spin on it, you should try to cut this down a little; on the other hand, if the ball is the product of a Slice, aim just a little higher than the net, and volley as if you just want to get the ball over the net. With a dynamic ball, whichever type of surface you hit it with is going to cause a strong rise, while conversely, with a Slice, the ball is going to take a low path.
In the forehand volley, you step forward with your left foot and position yourself sideways to the ball.
in making an attack without Coming forward quickly and volleying is effective giving your opponent any time to relax.
your racket back high, and hit with a slight
For a high ball, you should pull downward movement.
This volley is slightly higher than the net, and is the easiest to hit. You should, therefore examine it closely, as the basic kind of volley.
(1) Get ready with your racket in front of you and facing forward, and wait so that you can swing it quickly in whichever direction the ball comes from. It is important to keep your knees flexed at all times.
(2-5) When the ball comes to your forehand, put your left foot in front of your right, and while
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doing so, turn your body sideways and pull your racket slightly back. At this moment, your wrist is at the same angle as when you were getting ready, and you arm is just a little way into in your backward swing.
(6-8) Bring your racket forward, aligning it with the point where you are going to hit the ball. At this time, you never swing your racket forward.
Make sure your grip is firm and move to meet the ball.
(9) For impact, as you can see from this frame, you use your judgement to try to “catch” the ball. Be careful, because if the surface of your racket is facing upwards too much, you will cut the ball more than is necessary, and your volley will not have any strength.
(10-12) In volleying, you should not swing your racket. Instead, you need to have a very delicate touch. However, to give the ball the correct direction and distance, after impact you should follow through and thrust your racket forward.
(13-16) Make the follow-through immediately after impact, and remember to turn the surface of the racket slightly upwards to give a sharp edge to the ball. This is a very fine touch, and can hardly be seen with the naked eye, but it is possible to see it well with high speed photography. What is important is to fix the points shown in Frames 8-10 firmly in your mind. Your grip and the movement of your racket are the same for both high balls and low balls, but you hit a high ball by stretching up high with your arm, and a low ball by dropping down low to meet it.
For a ball that is lower than the net, you should get as far forward as you can to hit it. After you have hit it, the surface of your racket should be turned so that it is thrusting slightly upwards.
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In volleying, making a small angle with the surface of your racket makes a big difference, so it is important to get this correct.
, remember to take your time Even for a simple volley at the net and watch the ball carefully.
also grip your racket firmly and hit the ball with the correct surface angle of your racket.
The knack of hitting a ball with a backhand volley is not different from the forehand volley. However, | have noticed Some people have trouble because of their grip. If a forehand Eastern Grip or even something closer to a Western Grip is used, | do not approve of this for a backhand volley.
In general, most top players use the same grip for their volley, their service and their smash. In my case, apart from-my forehand stroke, all my other grips are the same for all shots.
As a suggestion for youngsters, and those who are beginners, first try using the grip you use for the forehand stroke for the forehand volley, and the grip you use for your backhand for the backhand volley. Alternatively, like most of the top players, find the grip that you feel is the easiest and most natural to use for both forehand and backhand volleys.
| would recommend either method.
When you have the knack of the volley, then decide on a grip that you think is most suitable for you, and use it for both your forehand and backhand volleys. In your ground strokes, you have plenty of time to switch from your forehand to your backhand. When you are responding to a volley, and you are trapped close to the net, there is no time to switch your grip. Generally speaking, this is why it seems to me that playing your service, volley, and backhand stroke all with one grip is the easiest way.
The points to be careful of in the backhand volley are almost exactly the same as those for the backhand stroke. Keep your grip and your wrist firm, and pull your racket back to the same height as the point where you are going to hit the ball. At the moment, pull your racket back, supporting it lightly with your left hand, so that the surface does not wobble. When hitting the ball, do not bend your wrist. Thrust your racket and your arm forward together. At the moment of impact you should be balanced with your arms stretched straight out to hit the ball firmly. If you move your wrist, the head of the racket will move unnecessarily, and you will not have sufficient control over the ball.
Your footwork and the direction in which you face are the reverse of those for the forehand volley, but the points covering twisting your body from the waist and stepping forward are the same.
The shot shown in this series of photographs is the easiest and most basic backhand volley.
(1-3) Step forward with your right foot and start to move your racket to the side of your body.
(4-7) Supporting your racket with your left hand, turn your hand over the top of the racket and wait for the ball.
(8-11) Gradually bring your arm back, and then bring your racket forward, aligning it with the height of the ball.
(12-14) For impact, grip your racket firmly and hit the ball carefully, as though you were catching it on your racket and holding it. Immediately after impact, the movement of the surface of your racket should be short and sharp in the direction which you wish to hit the ball.
(15-16) Give the ball a small push to impart the correct direction and speed. As in the forehand vollwy, be careful that the movement of the surface of the racket is one that slides under the ball. After impact, there should be a significant shift of your weight.
After hitting the ball, keep your racket as it is and follow the ball, thrusting forward.
The secret of hitting the ball skilfully is keeping your elbow straight and your wrist steady.
When returning a lob using a backhand volley, use your wrist to make the top of your racket work effectively.
For a ball that is higher than your eyes, reach up with your racket to hit it. You must keep your grip firm when you do this.
The high backhand volley is one of the most difficult of all shots, because, as you bend backwards and swing up high with your racket, you are in a position where it is very easy for you to lose your balance. When you are hitting a high backhand volley, keep calm, and try hitting it just a bit more carefully than other shots. Furthermore, if you return an extremely high ball, and are using your wrist, the thing to be careful of is not to hurt your wrist by putting too much strength into it.
The secret of returning a high backhand volley correctly is to let the ball come down, and then hit it when it is at the point where you find it easiest to hit and can use your strength most effectively. This may not always be possible.
When you are hitting a low ball with a backhand volley, you have to pay attention to the same points as you do in the backhand stroke. You must not be lazy; but try to hit it while you are pressing forward. As far as your footwork is concerned, step into it as much as you can with your right foot, turn sideways to the net, but be careful not to lose your balance as you crouch.
The most important thing in both your forehand and backhand volley is to take a firm grip of your racket and thrust forward with it. The power you use at this time varies depending on the height and the speed of your opponent's ball, its spin, and where you are trying to hit it. You must never swing your racket down, forcibly cut the ball, or turn the surface of your racket by using your wrist.
Rosewall showing how to hit a ball that comes to his side.
For a short, low ball, step forward to meet it as much as you can and volley. Bend your knees and drop down to it, but always keep the movement of your racket horizontal.
As you can see from the series of photographs showing top players volleying, from the moment you hit the ball to the end of your follow-through, your arm should be straight. This is what gives the ball its punch.
Apart from being a return, the volley is an attacking shot so that no matter whenever, or from whereever you make it, you must not give your opponent any spare time. | often come forward after | return and try to catch the server, who may be dashing forward after completing his serve, by surprise.
In one of those so-called ‘marathon matches’ where neither player can break the other's service, it is frequently possible to break through by using this strategy. | should like everyone to try making effective and frequent use of the volley.
Get used to playing your volleys without strain, and with natural form.
With a hard, fast ball, you have to keep your entire body firm.
Make sure that your opponent's ball does not overwhelm you.
Of all the shots, this is the one that requires the most delicate touch and timing, and is probably the most difficult of all.
The half-volley tends to be a defensive shot. It is only played when there is nothing else to be done. You should try and avoid it if you can; step one or two paces forward and play a volley, or two to three paces back and play a stroke. If you can do either of these, you will be in a better position to defend yourself.
However, there are players who use the half-volley often. One of them is Tom Okker, who even returns a half-volley (short bounce) from the area of the base line, attacking without giving his opponent any time to spare.
The half-volley is used more in doubles matches than it is in singles.
In doubles, it is common sense for your opponent to receive, knowing the server will come rushing forward. There are many times when you have to treat his service return as a half-volley. In the confined area between the service line and the net, returning a ball with a half-volley naturally becomes difficult, and particularly in a doubles match. At times like this, it is important that you play your half-volley well, as this affects whether or not you hold your service, or win the point.
Be careful of playing a half-volley when crouched down all the time, from when you are making your backward swing right to the end of the follow-through.
After impact, do not straighten up suddenly, turn your racket face up, or swing your racket too high. This will result in your losing control of the ball. As in the full volley, try not to let your racket sag down lower than your wrist. It is necessary to make a short, smooth swing, as parallel to the ground as possible. In the half-volley, it is extremely difficult to keep your eyes on the ball all the time, but try to do so when feasible. Then, while you are looking at the ball, you will get the rhythm of the bounce and the timing, and swing your racket to match them. When this goes well, you are able to return an effective ball that just grazes the net, and with one stroke you can turn a defensive game into an attacking one.
| believe that the majority of people just do not practice half-volleys, but as can be imagined, this shot becomes very important to top players.
In a match between two players of similar technique, it becomes vital to somehow concentrate on hitting balls low to your opponent's court by beating down his high shots. The half-volley is a real fighting shot and should be perfected.
The half—-volley is an important shot in actual matches. Practice every day to get your timing and power right.
For the half-volley you have to correctly judge the rhythm of the bounce. Lower your body to it as you would for a low ball, and make a short, horizontal swing with your racket.
(1-3) When you have decided to return the ball with a half-volley, lower your body to it, and at the same time, swing your racket back.
(4-6) Align your racket with the point where you are going to hit the ball as accurately as possible, and bring your racket forward. From this moment, make sure that the surface of your racket is at right angles to the ground, and that you are swinging the racket horizontally.
(7-9) The location of the impact is the same as for a volley. Keep your eye on the ball as much as possible and hit it exactly in the center of your racket. Even after you have hit the ball, you should not straighten up right away.
(10-12) You should not make a full swing, but should rather purposely stop your racket. This is what results in your being able to hit the ball sharply.
(13-16) Then straighten up with a _ relaxed movement.
The service is the only shot in tennis that you are completely free to hit in any way you want. You toss the ball to where it is easiest for you to hit, and you are then free to choose between a full force blow, a spin, a slow serve to your opponent's court. To help win the game you should, of course, try to deliver a powerful, effective service.
The service consists of tossing the ball up with the left hand and swinging at it with the right shoulder action while it is in the air. This is called the service swing. Ideally, you should hit the ball from the highest point possible with your body and arm fully stretched. The service can be executed without the slightest interference from your opponent. Unlike other shots, it is very difficult to achieve proper form, since you have to co-ordinate the use of both hands. The service is a shot in which rhythm and balance are essential. The whole body must move very smoothly and, if you are a beginner, this is very difficult to execute properly.
Combining an accurate toss with a rhythmical swing is most important in your service.
The right shoulder action used in the service is very much like throwing a ball. Think of the racket as an extension of your arm. The swinging action depends on your body type and physical characteristics, | so that everyone’s service is somewhat different. It is obvious, however, | that unless you use your whole body to produce a good, smooth swing, you cannot attain proper speed and control of the service shot.
If you have been delivering an unnatural service with an improper swing for a long time, you will find it very difficult to get rid of your bad serving habits. It is much better to try and perfect a good serve when you first begin to learn the game. Judging from past experience, beginners who learn how to serve properly when they first begin to play the game soon develop a smooth, natural swing. This is because they can activate their muscles freely and learn the game with receptiveness and without preconceived ideas.
Despite the fact that the service is a weapon of attack, the number of people who are able to make use of it is surprisingly small. Much practice is needed.
In your service, it is important to stretch your body as far as it will go to hit the ball.
When children are first learning the service swing, it is easiest to begin with a forehand grip. If you have an Eastern Grip, or near to it, then there is no problem. If you have a Western Grip, you will have to change it. At first, | recommend that you learn the service procedure using a forehand grip, and then gradually switch over to a backhand grip.
Nearly all top players serve with a backhand grip. The backhand grip lets you put more variety into the service—you get greater speed, can change the toss position and body orientation, and get greater freedom of wrist action.
When it comes _ to youngsters, they should toss the ball up to the height easiest for them to hit.
Look carefully at your opponent, keep calm, and take your time in getting ready; then serve.
This is a brief description of the three basic types of service.
THE FLAT SERVICE The racket head hits the ball straight, without wrist action. The flat service achieves maximum speed. It is easiest to execute by tossing the ball with your left shoulder leaning forward.
fide SLICE SERVICE The racket “brushes” the upper right section of the ball and imparts sidespin. It is hard to return the slice service, because the ball spins and bounces sidewards in the opponent’s court.
thE SEIN SERVICE The ball is tossed above the head and the racket imparts top-spin by delivering a glancing blow to the top of the ball. After passing over the net, the ball drops suddenly, then bounces high.
Practice your service enough when you are young, or beginning so that you will become a player with a strong serve.
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Blessed by a tall frame, Smith opens the match to his advantage with a strong service.
First-rank players have their own serving style. Stan Smith and John
Newcombe get aces with a powerful flat serve. My serving principle is to make a flat first service and for the second service, use a little slice, but this varies depending on the game’s circumstances, my opponent's tennis and the court surface.
When you serve the ball, you must first set your stance. As a rule, when you serve a flat or slice service the extension line of the tips of your left and right toes should be lined up in the direction in which you want to hit the ball. In other words, your left hip should face the receiver.
Beginners tend to stand face on too much. When | coach young players, this tendency was seen frequently. | have seen this more among those who serve with a Eastern Grip, which is used in the forehand stroke.
Players who reach top class generally serve with the backhand grip;
then the correct body position will be acquired naturally.
Tossing is very important because whether you make a good or bad serve depends on how accurately you toss the ball. There are a number of people who have trouble with the swing when serving, and often the reason is their poor toss.
The style of tossing varies according to the player. Some players raise their left arm and toss as soon as the racket starts the backswing. Others bring both hands down together, the left arm up for tossing as the right arm moves the racket around in a throwing action—or continuous movement to stroke the ball at its highest point.
The ball should always be tossed to the same spot. Your movement should always follow a constant and smooth path, and should not be either too fast or too slow. | have given the reasons why the tossing position is so important. You should find your own stance, using an area
12 inches (30 cm) in front of the tips of your left toes, where you can hit the ball most comfortably, and at which you toss the ball consistently.
There are many players who toss the ball more towards the net. This allows the player to take a net position faster and also allows the player to put more speed on the ball by using body weight. Because | am not tall—this is an advantage on serve and overhead—|! do not toss forward as much as other players do. With the need for consistency in tossing, it is alsq important that the height of the tossed ball allows a complete swing. If the toss is too low, the swing will be incomplete because there is not enough time. If the toss is too high, you will cause a loss of rhythm in the motion, stop the motion, or even add extra motion.
A fast service hit to the front.
*" Keep your eyes on the ball at the moment of impact.
(2-4) Start your swing slowly, but maintain a natural rhythm. (5-7) While pulling your racket back, toss the ball up. Raise your hand to the side of your body and then release the ball. (8-10) In Frame 9, both hands are reaching up in the same way. But, in the case of the right hand, the upward reach is from the elbow. (11-13) Using your wrist, move your racket from behind your head to behind your back.
Frame 13 shows where you conserve your strength for a moment. From here on , the movement is an overhand stroke, and resembles the action of throwing a spear. (14-16) You are preparing for the impact. Swing your racket strongly in a wide arc. Your toss needs to be sufficiently high to give just enough time for you to bring your swing to this point. To explain it so that it is easier to under- Stand, the top of the throw should be (8 inches-12
Inches) higher than the point where you will make contact with the ball. You should consider that you have to complete your swing in that space of time. (17) Impact should be made.at the point where your body is stretched as far as it will go. The point where Rosewall hits the ball is slightly to his side. Keep your eyes on the ball, but do not move your head. (18-20) With your arm stretched out as far as possible bring it down in a wide swing. The foot initially placed to the rear should follow the movement of your body. Step forward with it, lifting yourself up on the toes of your left foot. Take care to continue to look at the area of the point of impact.
(21-24) For your finish, you should swing your racket completely around to the lower left side of your body. When you are going to move forward, you should follow your right leg, with which you have stepped into the court, by bringing your left leg forward naturally, and move yourself forward quickly. For youngsters and female players, it is a good idea to practice throwing overarm, as you would for baseball, before you start to practice the swing for your service, in order to get used to the movement of your shoulder.
Furthermore, it will be difficult to meet the ball at the proper point of impact, since the ball gains more speed as it drops a longer distance. On a windy day you may have to toss over and over, because the ball gets carried away by the strong wind. The racket, arm and shoulder should be extended to the highest point. This is the most desirable height in tossing, where you can swing smoothly. This height should be the point where the ball is highest in the air, or just after the ball starts to fall.
As you can see from these .points, the serve is very closely connected to the toss and swing, and if either one fails, or when you lose your rhythm, you cannot make a good serve. When you look at first-rank players who have good serves, their toss and swing are well synchronized and natural.
The motion up to impact depends upon how powerfully you serve, and on the power that is concentrated at the moment of impact. This is the main point in the service, although the style of the serve may vary according to the individual.
| raise my racket smoothly to behind the top of my right shoulder, rotating the racket naturally from my stance position. You do not have to tighten your wrist at this moment. During this time the body should be facing perpendicular to the direction in which you are going to hit. Bring down your racket-head close to your back by dropping the elbow into a throwing position. Then, in the next movement, your wrist and elbow are fully stretched as they move upward toward impact. This is when your body is completely stretched from your toes to the top of the racket, as you can see from the picture. In other words, you should hit the ball at the highest possible point. After hitting the ball, your body should gradually move to face the net, and complete your follow-through by bringing your racket down in a big, circular swing. When you deliver a slice or flat serve, your finish will end at the left side of your body. You can rush the net smoothly since your weight is leaning forward. An important point to remember is to keep your eyes on the ball at impact. Try not to move your head until impact is completed, and try not to take your eyes off the ball.
When a player becomes a top-level player, he is able to change his play according to the game situation. In cases such as a ground stroke, you can change the spin on the ball and deliver a powerful or a slower ball. In the serve, you can impart changes to the ball in addition to just
Stretch your left arm out absolutely straight and toss the ball smoothly in the air. For slicing your service, you should toss the ball up slightly away from you, as shown in this picture.
aiming—attack with speed or upset your opponent's timing by using a spinning ball.
Most of the top players nowadays use a powerful, high speed shot for their service. They try to win the point with their service. In my case, my serve does not have consistent force. | use control and different spins to create a varied service.
When | serve, | think first of where to aim and then usually try to serve the ball to the weakest point of my opponent. | do not try to score points with the serve, and often do not think | can. In other words, | have to think how | will win the point by anticipating the return. Therefore, the things | pay most attention to in the serve are hitting the ball at its highest point, while maintaining the correct rhythm and a smooth swing.
Sometimes | serve faster, or serve with slice or spin according to the situation, but | always aim at different places on the court—| try to hit the ball where the receiver does not expect it.
Serving is not my speciality. My forehand shot is also not my ideal shot, my swing is not natural. | can throw the ball better with my left hand because | am naturally left-handed. It may be because of this that | am unable to achieve full coordination when | serve with the right hand, while | might possibly attain it with my left hand.
The serve starts the game, and has a great influence upon the point sequence during the game. Since the serving action is very much like that used for overhead, whether or not you have a good action can influence you greatly. Try to learn a rhythmic and smooth form, learning by mistake, and practice.
it of his fast service.
Before you serve, think of your opponent's weak points. Always try to hit the ball after taking positive aim. This is helped by taking your time in starting your swing.
This series of pictures shows the footwork used in the service. (1) Taking care not to foot-fault, choose a position for your left foot that is slightly behind the base line.
(2) When you are tossing the ball upward and swinging your arm up, bend your knees slightly, and put your weight on your front foot. (3) From the moment when you are making a wide swing with your racket behind your body, you are starting to get ready for the impact.
(4) Your body is stretched out, and you have hit the ball. Rosewall does not jump upwards when he serves, but keeps the toes of his left foot fixed firmly on the ground.
(5) You have hit the ball and are swinging your racket down in front of you. Your right foot crosses the line and you step into the court.
In your service, make your swing using the full natural spring of your body and, at the moment of impact, concentrate your strength on the ball.
In the smash, the swing is almost exactly the same as in the service. You are hitting a tossed ball from your opponent. You have to move around to get into position, as the ball has gone high. Your strong hitting point is where it is coming down. It synchronizes the timing of your arm and racket with ball contact at the highest point and can be extremely difficult.
Really mastering the smash depends on whether you can move as quickly as possible to the place where the ball will land—in other words, to the position where you are going to play your smash—and be ready for it when it does land. The people who are able to move that little bit faster, and position themselves where they will be able to hit the ball with their own style, are, for these very reasons, the ones who will be able to play a steady smash. To play a smash that sends the ball accurately into your opponent’s court, you must have both feet on the ground when you hit it, you must maintain your balance, and the conditions should be exactly the same as for your service. If you don’t take your eyes off the ball, and if you can receive the ball well as it drops to the point where you want to hit it, the results will be good. At all times you should be facing sideways to the net. For that reason, if you have to
The smash is an absolutely necessary weapon for winning games. Everybody should try and make themselves into a player with a strong smash.
move to the back of the court, move by a skipping acion (left foot in front of right toe), maintaining your balance, and moving back to your right.
You should never step backwards while standing square to the net.
Like the service, the smash is a method where you succeed by striking the ball hard, but with control. Of course, while stating that speed is of the essence, it goes without saying that you also have to consider the area your opponent is defending, and naturally aim at what you judge to be the easiest place for you to win the point. Since, unlike the service, you are free to place the ball wherever you wish on your opponent’s court by determining how to move and where to make contact with the ball. It becomes complicated for just that very reason. You must practice the smash daily, giving consideration to all forms of overhead.
The secret of making a good smash is to move yourself quickly and accurately to where the ball that has been lobbed is coming down.
In the smash, the swing itself can be said to be the same as for the service, but because you have to return a variety of different shots hit by your opponent, it is difficult.
(1-3) One thing that is necessary in order to master the smash is to remember to always first turn yourself sideways to the net when you find yourself faced with a lob.
(4-8: To do this, pull your left foot back, and while holding your racket in front of you and supporting it with your left hand, correctly judge the height of the lob. Move yourself quickly to the spot below where it is coming down.
(9-15) Unlike when serving, where, at one point, you lower your racket and then move it over your shoulder, for the smash moment, it is better to take your racket as it is from in front of your chest to behind your shoulder. The overall feeling is the same as for the performance of the service.
(16) This smash is not one for which you have to jump. The sensation when you hit it is that the ball is a little behind you, and it seems that your weight is still a little to the rear. However, this is probably because you are hitting the smash with a slight reverse cross action. (17-19) After impact, swing your racket down in front of your body with the same power as at impact, without changing at all from the moment when you hit the ball. Since you hit the ball with a flat racket, the surface should stay facing the same way. (20-24) For the finish, swing your racket down naturally to the left side of your body, in the same way as for the service. It goes without saying that at this moment, your weight is completely on your left foot. The fact that your head is practically in the same position, and has hardly moved, shows a balanced execution. NB When you have to jump to hit a smash, you must jump immediately before impact and use the full natural spring of your body to hit the ball. It is important to have good timing, to align your racket with the ball, and to maintain your balance after hitting it.
At times when you find yourself too near the net, it becomes impossible with a sudden lob to play a smash while -\ th feet are on the ground. In such cases you will have to use the jump smash. This is considerably more difficult than the regular smash. The reason for this is that you have to judge when you are going to jump while moving backwards quickly, and then, at the point where you can just manage to hit the ball, you have to use the natural spring of your entire body to hit it.
Recently, this gruelling shot has become an indispensible one among top players. When playing it though, always bear in mind that if you are unable to regain your balance immediately after finishing hitting the ball, and if yours was not a decisive winning shot, you could be coming under attack.
— The smash in which you have to jump is a very difficult shot. You hit the ball using the full natural spring of your body, but at the moment of impact, you must keep your wrist firm and force the ball downwards.
Jumping up to a smash, you are making an arc with your right arm and right leg. Notice how the wrist is making the top of the racket do its work.
Even with a difficult stance like this, the es sential point in performing your smash cor rectly is keeping your eyes on the ball.
Kamiwazumi, at the moment of hitting a decisive smash. The movements that are noticeable are the high kick with his right leg and the strong action of his wrist.
Making a ground smash from the base line. Since the ball is not bouncing very high because it is a lawn court, his knees are bent and he is lowering his body to the ball.
The most reliable way to deal with a lob where the ball has been sent very high, is to hit it after letting it bounce in your own court, particularly if you are near the net, and you should always use the ground smash. Again, even against a deep lob, to retain your advantage, the best thing is to hit a ground smash deep into your oppoent’s court. With these ground smashes, the position of the ball is exactly the same as in the service toss, so take your time and hit it essentially in the same way as you would for your service. If a ball bounces lower than you expected, bend both knees, and get down to it to play your smash.
The smash is strictly an attacking shot, one where you should take aim and try and play as a decisive shot. However, if this is not possible, you should aim where your opponent will be weak, or for an open part of the court, and hit a deep ‘stop gap’ shot. The majority of top class players get themselves right under the ball quickly, and thus are able to play the smash to anywhere. Then again, everyone has an area of the court that they play best to. Usually, even when | lob a ball, | do my best to lob it to my opponent's backhand. Naturally, the times that | hit a reverse cross smash are the most numerous, but as a player, you cannot be said to be skillful at playing smashes until you can direct them to any point on the court.
When hitting a ground smash, remember to keep your weight well to the front.
The ground smash is primarily used to return a very high, or comparatively short lob. Gener- | ally, you have plenty of time. However, it is necessary to judge the spot where the ball is going to land accurately and to move yourself quickly to the spot from where you can hit the ball best.
(1-6) Having judged where the ball is going to come down, and moving into position, get your racket ready. This shows the stage after the ball has already bounced high and when it is coming down again.
(7-13) The movements during this period are practically the same as for the smash. Remember to make your swing smooth.
(17-24) Throw your weight forward, and while making a big arc in your follow-through, swing your racket carefully right to the very end of the stroke.
(14-16) From this position, it is necessary to decide definitely on your ground smash. Take positive aim and hit the ball correctly.
At first glance, the lob does not look like a powerful shot. Depending on the time and the situation, there are occasions when there is no other shot which is as effective. | use the lob frequently. Its success is determined by my judgement in how to play the shot. The fact is that beginners use the lob only as a defensive shot, but experienced players use it both for attack and defense. A top spin lob is what most people use as an attacking shot.
| have two kinds of lob, but | do not distinguish between those that | put spin on and those that | do not. One is the low lob that | play suddenly when my opponent does not appear to be expecting it. The ball is at about the height where my opponent might, or might not, be able to reach it. But, in the majority of cases, my opponent will not have good balance, and be unable to return my ball, even if he runs after it. When | make this shot, in order that my opponent will not realize | am going to defensive shot and an attacking shot. This picture shows an attacking lob which has made Newcombe withdraw from the net.
When you are pressed with a deep ball, one strategy is to hit a long lob and recover your stance without excessive effort.
hit a lob, my style is exactly the same as for an ordinary stroke. At the moment | am about to hit the ball, | turn the face of my racket up and play a lob. This, therefore, is my attacking lob.
| play my other lob when | have been forced to run deep into the court. This is a high, deep lob. It gives me sufficient time to regain my balance and court position, if my lob goes to my opponent's baseline. My opponent is forced to retreat and return it with a stroke or slower overhead. | would say this lob had been completely successful as a defensive shot.
Despite the fact that both the half-volley and the lob are important shots in matches, it would appear that they are not practiced very much.
Regular practice is necessary in order to always have the confidence to hit a lob correctly, and half-volley safely.
At the beginning, hit ordinary lobs to get the feel of the degree of power and touch needed. With the lob, just as with other strokes, the direction is important. However, it is no good just hitting the ball upwards; you have to aim at a point and be able to hit it correctly. In order to aim correctly in the direction you want, you must not forget your follow-through after hitting the ball.
When you want to hit a low lob, complete your follow-through. If you want to play a high lob, you should always get the surface of the racket under the ball and stroke it, but complete your follow-through swing high. Never try to play a lob with a jerky style.
As the result of practice, many players have the ability to change their swing and the angle of their racket face at the last moment. Particularly on a slow court, he has enough time to vary his shots. Taking the lob as an example, he may get ready so that he looks as if he is going to hit an ordinary stroke. Suddenly he plays a lob which has top spin on it. This kind of lob, with a top spin, which mostly occurs in doubles matches, can be extremely effective when your opponent is crowding the net.
The Forehand Lob This is a long lob where you have to run to one side.
(1-3) Move quickly to where the ball is, but do not take your racket too high up on the backswing. (4-6) For a long lob, swing your racket forward from a position lower than the point where you are going to hit the ball. Up to this point, the surface of the racket should be at right angles to the ground.
(7-9) Pick the ball up on the exact center of your racket. In that way hit it with the feeling that you are throwing it up in ‘the air. At the point of impact, your arm should be stretched out and the top of your racket not sagging towards the ground, just as with ordinary strokes.
(10-12) Sufficient follow-through is necessary to make a deep lob.
The Backhand Lob This is the classical defensive lob, where you stretch your body to the fullest and manage to make a lob return of an attacking shot that has come right to the edge of the sideline.
(1-4) With a stretched stance, go after the ball and get into position to hit the lob.
(5-8) Stretch out your arm completely, and hit the ball. As in normal strokes, keep your wrist firm, but because you are aiming at returning long and deep to your opponent's backhand corner, you also must exert a slight influence with the top of your racket, as | appear to be doing in this picture.
(9-12) Follow the ball, and while making your follow through upwards, begin to recover your basic stance.
Control is also necessary when lobbing. For example, hitting a long lob aimed at your opponent’s corner to his side and behind him is one of the most effective shots in tennis.
A difficult lob return of a ball that has been hit deep to the base line.
To be able to return a good lob under these conditions requires daily practice.
more effective when you can hit it from your normal receiving position.
Nastase, running to the side, confuses his opponent by lobbing and putting top spin on the ball.
shot and the drop volley.
The drop shot requires a delicate touch. Not only is the drop shot one where you can easily gain points, but in most cases, it is also effective in making your opponents run, tiring them out. On the other hand, if you make a mistake in your timing of the use of this shot, or if it does not go right where you aim, it is easy for your opponent to pick up points.
| never hit a drop shot unless | think that it is going to decide a point. However, | get myself ready with the expectation that my opponent will chase after the ball and return it. That means that | am waiting to see where my opponent is going to hit his next ball. Of course, if my drop shot is not to fail, | have to make sure | get it over the net. However, even if | do lose a point, at least | will have increased the variety of the tactics being used, and, as far as my opponent is concerned, he will be on guard against my playing another drop shot, and will always have to be conscious of that possibility.
In the majority of cases, the drop shot is performed immediately after making a split-second decision. Therefore, for this shot, which requires an extremely fine touch, you have to acquire the secret of how to grasp its subtle feeling.
(1-3) Step forward to meet a short ball. Since you are going to make a drop shot, you should not swing your racket too far back. (4-6) Prepare the surface of your racket for hitting the ball. Meet and hit the ball with a light touch. Keep your wrist firm but your grip natural. The action of your arm should be an extremely gentle one.
(7-9) The surface of your racket, which is turned slightly up at impact. Try and take the
light touch.
(10-12) There is hardly any follow-through with this shot. Even the movement of your body is
| play my drop shots mainly with my backhand. The ones | hit that are about waist high are the most accurate, and | categorize them as cross and reverse cross shots. While | am hitting the ball lightly with my racket, | am also sliding the surface of my racket under the ball. A ball with backspin on it goes over the net and bounces low, making it difficult for my opponent to return. The movement of the racket is very slight, and there is hardly any follow-through. There is no difference in the way | hit my forehand or my backhand, but, depending on where | hit a drop shot, there can be a great deal of difference in the result.
After judging the force of a ball coming to me from about the middle of the court, and seeing where my opponent is, | will play a drop shot.
The drop shot is an effective one against opponents who are strong when near the baseline but weaker when moving forward.
| would suggest you add this shot with the delicate touch to your technique, but take care not to make mistakes with its timing.
Tennis is a sport which requires highly complicated techniques and a lot of time is required until you master all the shots. As well as acquiring the techniques, it is necessary to have experience in tactics, and in the emotional aspects of the struggle in a match.
When you practice the different shots that | have talked about, your actions should never be those of just hitting a ball. If you can think—if possible with every single shot—that you are playing a match, then you will make progress quickly.
At the Rosewall Tennis Academy in Japan, | have had games against many youngsters and players who have represented Japan in the Davis Cup, and what | particularly noticed at that time was that they hurried too much in hitting the ball. Naturally, it is necessary to hit the ball powerfully, but because they were all hitting every ball with the same power, their percentage of misses was high, and the play was never to their advantage.
Rather than powerful hitting, the most important thing is first to perfect your style, and then to reduce the number of times you make an error. In tennis, placement—that is, aiming for a spot and hitting the ball accurately to it—is what you must concentrate on first. You must do this consistently, with any type of return. If you are always making the same mistake, even in practice, you will never master those shots.
The basic considerations in my tennis are to acquire as natural a swing as possible, not to use my body excessively, use rhythm, and always to concentrate on the ball. Even with practice every day, it is not just hitting the ball. You adjust the rhythm of your body, and if you do your training with the idea of strengthening your legs and thighs, you will cultivate the body movements and the strength necessary for tennis.
When practicing your. service, try and think carefully about each shot.
Practice time at the Rosewall Tennis Academy.
When | was about sixteen, | used to go to a training gym. | worked to build up my body in a general way. Now, as a player, | have built up the necessary muscles for tennis, and sufficient body strength, and | do not do much special training. | can discipline my body enough by going all out, and running after many wide shots, and by jumping up to reach high shots, returning balls that come over the net soft, and, making myself capable of covering all shots. The result is that not only have | stopped myself from falling below the standards | had acquired through training, | have endeavored to extend those standards even further.
It is necessary for all of you, while you are young—which is the time when you are developing the fastest—to cultivate your physical strength, or for older beginners to condition their body properly.
At a gym, a club, or a school that is convenient, try to build up the muscles necessary for tennis under the guidance of a coach, or someone else who can advise you. Cultivate the strength that will make it possible for you to endure long matches. In addition to that, considering the time you are practicing, start acquiring the habits necessary for a tennis player. For example, when you are training in the really fierce heat of summer, even though your throat is parched, you should avoid drinking lots of cold water; instead make do with rinsing your mouth.
Again, after getting really hot and sticky, it is important to change your clothes quickly, or to put a sweater on so that you do not allow yourself to become chilled. You have seen people with cramps; these are sometimes caused by lack of care during training sessions.
It goes without saying that when you are playing the game of tennis you should abide by the rules, but just as important acquire good manners. When | speak of ‘manners,’ this may just be taken as outer actions, not only is the outward manifestation of them necessary, but
When it comes to training, you can do it anywhere.
Disciplining your body while you are young is absolutely essential if you want to make progress.
Practicing against a wall is an effective form of training for beginners, especially for strengthening the arms. Here Rosewall is watching his younger son,
Glen.
you have to understand them and make them your natural way of behaving.
The demands of good manners cover an extremely wide range and there is no point at which you can say you have reached the limit of good manners. But then, it only takes a little carelessness, or emotional upset, for those good manners you have always maintained to disappear.
Children must learn manners first from the care of their rackets. Do not leave a racket you are not using anywhere on the court, not flat on the ground, or where it will be exposed to direct sunlight or dampness; you should not neglect it in this way. Take a little care and get into the habit of putting it in the correct place. These individual considerations are, in fact, linked to good manners.
Tennis is a sport where the highest skill is necessary, but, at the same time, there is no other sport where so much mental competition is also required. The motivation which keeps you going calmly to the end of-a long and gruelling’match depends on the mental discipline acquired through your ordinary, everyday practice.
It would be true to say that good manners are a major part of this.
For a tennis player, his racket is so important you can almost say it is an extension of his body. Handle it with particular care.
In the past, rackets were almost always made of wood. This was great, because it was possible to choose them to fit a variety of tastes, such as someone not very flexible in his movements, or heavy in his movements, and to suit balance and grip. Recently, with the greater variety of rackets that are being manufactured, such as metal (steel and aluminum), glass fibre, and combinations of a number of different materials, the situation has become such that it is difficult to decide just which type of racket is right for you. Your racket is the piece of equipment which has the most important and direct influence on your game, and is not something that should be chosen lightly because of fashion, or on the spur of the moment. Make your choice after thinking carefully about your style of tennis.
Generally speaking, | would say that the traditional wood racket is better to play with. The better wood rackets have stability and offer a wide variety of flexibility and stiffness.
When it comes to metal rackets, although | have lumped them all together by calling them metal, they are structurally different. You cannot judge until you have actually hit a ball with them, but it is possible to distinguish between the very unusual ones. For rackets where the structure of the frame is extremely inflexible—that is, there is no flexibility in the racket itself when you hit the ball—you need to have a powerful arm. | occasionally have seen people who have hurt the muscles of their arm using a metal racket. This was because their muscles were weak in contrast to the frame, and they therefore experienced the entire shock of hitting the ball. This had a bad effect on them.
However, metal rackets have little resistance to the wind. The aluminum frame racket which | use is one of the stiffer metal rackets. | have always used stiff rackets, either wood or metal.
It also has a great sweet point, and, you could probably say that it is a racket | like using; and, more importantly, suits my style of play.
When you are starting tennis for the first time, get the advice of your club coach, or someone else who is experienced, so that you can choose the racket that is best for you. .
Next comes the part which has the most important connection with the function of the racket, and that is the stringing. Recently, not only natural gut, but also a variety of new strings made of nylon were being used. Since these are both inexpensive and highly functional, they have recently become popular among the majority of players in the middle class group. In particular, Japanese-made strings of this type are being exported all over the world. | have seen them being used by a large number of people.
Nevertheless, when all is said and done, the sensation you get when you hit the ball with natural strings made from natural gut is rather wonderful.
Even if you hit the ball in the same way with both types, gut will give you more spring, and will give the ball more touch and spin than nylon.
When you see that almost all top players use this kind of gut, you can probably understand the value of the combination of a good racket and good gut.
Nowadays, rackets are generally strung by machine. If the strings are pulled too tightly, this is hard on the frame and often hard on your arm. On the other hand, if they are not tight enough, you could find more difficulty in controlling some shots. For these reasons, you will have to orien gt Sie ta se ee othe.” eae, MR se on == al i investigate for yourself what tension in pounds or kilograms is most suitable for you.
Both rackets and strings are extremely sensitive to heat and dampness and are easily affected by them. Treat your racket extremely carefully, and always endeavor to maintain it in top condition.
Even tennis wear, which in the past had to be totally white, has recently become quite colorful. It has now become difficult to find a player in professional tournaments who js wearing all white. However, the practical value of the clothes you wear for tennis (that is, whether they are actually suitable for playing in or not) is far more important than their
stiff, no matter how many times you wash them and ones that do not stick to your skin when you perspire while playing.
It is necessary to match your sweaters, your vests, and your warm-up wear to the season. Generally, | prefer ones that are slightly roomy, because they give me complete ease of movement.
Your tennis socks are another important item. In order that your feet do not get tired when playing for long periods, it is best to wear socks that are thick. | put on a pair of cotton socks and then a pair of thick woolen socks over them. If you do this, your feet will not get sticky, you will have a good cushion for them and they will not get as tired.
Whatever you are wearing, the most important thing to remember is that it should always be spotlessly clean, and you should wear it neatly, so that you will never appear to anyone to be dressed slovenly.
As far as tennis shoes are concerned, there are a great variety made today, including canvas, leather, and synthetic leather shoes. In addition, they come in all kinds of designs. Even colored shoes have made their appearance. From the point of view of making your game relaxed, shoes you find lightweight and easy to move around quickly in, are the best, but for playing in tournaments, it is also important to choose those with soles that are suitable for the surface of the tennis court on which you are playing. If you wear shoes with flat soles which are normaily used for a hard court, you will find when playing on a slippery clay court, that you are unable to stop effectively, and playing will become difficult. Alternatively, if you wear shoes with flexible soles and deep slits used for a chemical court, where it is easy to stop, you will quickly find yourself in a situation where you will lunge forward without realizing it.
If you decide on shoes that fit your feet, and are easy to wear, there will be no fear of them being too loose, or hurting your feet. Shoes are more than just part of your tennis wear, they have a direct influence on your body, and, for this reason, they are connected with your game. You should take care of your footwear.
| would like to see everyone clean off their dirty shoes, put shoe trees in them to give them good shape, and generally take care of them.
Roscoe Tanner is known as a wellmannered player. Rosewall and Tanner entering the center court at Wimbledon.
Both are dressed smartly in clean, neat tennis apparel.
For 25 years, Ken Rosewall has been one of the greatest tennis players in the world. Wherever he plays, tennis fans have a great affection for him.
In tennis today, it is power that wins games, but among the players, Rosewall has a small build, standing just 5’6” (169 cm) tall and weighing
143 Ibs (65 kg). The secret of why he has reigned as one of the ‘Top Ten’ players for the last twenty years is his accuracy—‘computer tennis,’ but it also comes from what can be called a magnificent style which he creates with the completely natural movement of his body.
In addition, he has better than average eyesight, and this, combined with brilliant reflexes and anticipation cultivated through many long years are the basis for his fine play close to the net, and the excellent way in which he covers the court. With fine arm and leg muscles developed through training since he was a child, he has the power necessary for tennis. It is easy to see why he has been given the nickname of “Muscles.”
Even today, at the age of 43, he still retains that marvelous form. One should not lose sight of the fact that it is moderation in his private life, which is centered around tennis, that is the reason for him retaining the rank of the world’s Number Two Player in 1974. There are no other obvious examples of players who make every effort to get sufficient sleep, avoid stimulating foods, and most important of all, to avoid extremes of psychological fatigue.
At one time there was a rumour that he was going to retire from professional tennis, but still he plays on, beating the world’s best. We certainly hope that he will continue to show the ‘Rosewall Touch’ to tennis fans the world over for some time to come.
Born in Sydney, Australia, on November 2, 1934, he started learning tennis from his father at the age of about seven or eight, and, by the time he was twelve, had already grown into a player that stood out from the crowd.
In 1952, when he was 17, he was taken, together with his colleague, Lew .Hoad, on his first overseas tour by the world famous Australian coach, Harry Hopman. During this tour, he put up a good struggle at Wimbledon, and was immediately covered in glory. In the following year, 1953, he captured both the Australian and French singles titles, and both in name and in fact, was accepted into the league of champions.
During the 25 years in which he has .been active on top courts all over the world, his magnificent tennis has thrilled tennis fans everywhere.
With his wife Wilma, who is also closely associated with tennis, they have two sons, Brett and Glenn. As a foursome, they enjoy playing doubles, so that in every sense of the word, they are a real ‘tennis family.’
* 1950 Singles—Australian Junior Title
* 1952 Singles—Australian Junior, French Junior Titles
* 1953 Singles—Australian, French Titles, Member of the Davis Cup
Doubles—Wimbledon, Australian, French Titles
* 1954 Wimbledon Runner-Up, Member of the Davis Cup Team
* 1955 Singles—Australian Title, Member of the Davis Cup Team
* 1956 Singles—USA Champion, Wimbledon Runner-Up, Member of
Doubles—Wimbledon, USA, Australian Titles