Submit your questions to Bill Mountford here
Q: If you have been playing squash in the winter and are now getting ready for the outdoor tennis season what would you suggest in making that transition?
Amy - Groton, MA
A few weeks ago, I went to the Squash Tournament of Champions in NYC’s Grand Central Terminal and was amazed at the quickness, agility, fitness, and explosiveness that the top professionals demonstrated. Certainly, these men and women would make excellent tennis players.
The challenge of going from Squash to Tennis is that the stroke mechanics are different. When you return to the tennis courts, do so slowly at first so that you become reacquainted with the length and weight of your tennis racquet, and the “feel” of hitting the tennis ball. Perhaps your first on-court session should just be some basic rallying, which will guide you to “find” your strokes again. The good news is that if you spent the winter playing squash, then you are likely in tremendous physical condition and this fitness will bode well for your play on the tennis courts.
- Bill
Q: I'm preparing to take up tennis and will probably start learning some time this month. I'm 5'11 178 lbs and in pretty good condition and I really want to learn the serve and volley style (inspired by Pete Sampras) and wanted to know the best way to get to develop that style while learning tennis.
Eric - Chicago, IL
Remember Pete Sampras’ old clothing contract? They had a great tagline: Just Do It! Well, if you want to become a good net-rusher, then you should serve and volley and practice getting forward to the net EVERY time that you play. There is no substitute for this experience. By rushing the net constantly, you will develop a sense for the best shots to come in behind, for how to cut off the angles on passing shots, for where- and how hard- you should play the volleys, etc. Good luck!
- Bill
Q: I attempted to hit a deep lob but it went short. I called to my partner, "It's short!" The opponent went to smash the shot lob, but her shot landed in the net. She immediately said, "You can't do that!" When I asked her "What?" she said I cannot talk when the ball is leaving my racket. I can only communicate with my partner when the ball is coming towards us as in "yours,” or “mine.” I would appreciate your advice on this matter.
Carole - Sarasota, FL
Your opponent is incorrect. In fact, if you send up a short, lame lob that puts your partner in peril, you SHOULD communicate. And quickly! However, if your hollering affects your opponent’s preparation (or concentration) for the shot, then they can reasonably ask to play a let.
In this case, frankly, it sounds like your opponent doffed an easy shot and was looking for an excuse. That’s just tough luck in my book.
- Bill
Q: When should you flip the game score card at mid court? Is there proper etiquette for this? And, if the score cards are black and red, then who is who?
Lisa - Mission Viejo, CA
Whichever player gets to the sideline first (on changeovers after odd games) ought to flip the score cards. This does not always occur, as usually the player who is losing is less inclined to switch the cards, because it announces the bad news to all spectators. Therefore, it seems like the player who is winning does all this “work.” It should be a cooperative effort though.
As for who should be red and who should be black, it is merely a matter of choice. If you are playing for a team (high school, college, USTA League, etc.) make sure that the teams use the same color on every court though.
- Bill
Q: Could you give me a few simple tips to play tennis, like how to swing and stuff?
Huixian - Corona, NY
Just get out there and try it. Let the object of the sport guide you: To hit the ball over the net and inside the lines. As long as you do this, then you are “playing.” Do not become overly concerned with mastering perfect technique. Instead, have fun and play as often as you can. Your improvement will be rapid.
- Bill
Q: I'm a competitive junior tennis player and I want to know if you are allowed to listen to your iPod during changeovers. Is this allowed or not?
Alex - Sacramento, CA
This is legal. Actually, it is not a bad idea. If you can choose some music that settles your nerves or, alternately, psyches you up, then it makes perfect sense to listen to your iPod on the brief change of ends after odd games or at the end of a set. During the changeovers, you want to take care of the following items:
- To rest and get your heart rate down.
- To drink a little (water) and, when necessary, nibble on some “energy” food.
- Dry your perspiration.
- Assess what is going on out on the court: Who is doing what to whom?
- Decide on the correct tactics that you will need to implement for the best chance of success.
- Does this leave you time to put your iPod earphones in? I think that it does. It might clear your mind momentarily and help you to get, or stay, focused. Ultimately, you will need to experiment to see if this works for you though.
- Bill