Submit your questions to Bill Mountford here
Q: Watching Maria Sharapova rally, I observe that if she hits multiple forehands, that most times her follow through places her right hand over her left shoulder (normal) but one or two of the follow throughs will place her right hand over her RIGHT shoulder. It looks like the balls she is receiving and hitting are very similar. Why the two different finishes?
Tom - Mesa, AZ
On deep, hard balls or when she is rushed and feels that an immediate recovery is essential, Maria Sharapova employs the “reverse forehand.” At least that is what her former coach, Robert Lansdorp, calls this particular forehand when she finishes on the same side of her body (or, as you described well, when her right hand finishes above her right shoulder).
What does this mean? It indicates that in the fast-paced style of the Modern Game, non-traditional approaches are necessary. Certainly, Maria is not the first player to play this type of forehand, as Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport- who were also both Lansdorp protégés- and a host of great “clay court” players have used this technique for years.
- Bill
Q: I'm a Junior Varsity tennis coach. This year most of my players have never played before. I'm having a real problem teaching some the serve. What can I do to stop the problem of the serve going extremely high (like a lob) over the net? Their service motion and toss seem to be OK.
Tom - Hornell, NY
Have them try the “spike” drill, where they hit the ball straight downward. Judge them by how high they are able to get the ball to bounce. What will they learn from this exercise? They will learn the “pronation” that occurs during the service swing, a sound rhythm of toss-and-hit, a controlled toss, to develop significant racquet head speed, and a fluid motion. In the end, the fear of missing will be eliminated so your junior varsity players will be free to develop a relaxed, fast swing on their serves that will, eventually, translate to an excellent delivery.
- Bill
Q: Hey Bill. What sort of exercises and weight-lifting can I do to boost my tennis game?
Jimbo - Westport, MA
Stretch every single day. Go through a range of dynamic stretches prior to playing or exercising and some static stretches after you have completed your match or workout. Once you have developed a sound cardiovascular base, maintain it by taking a brisk distance run each week and jumping on the stationery bike for some interval training another day of the week. As for weight lifting, concentrate on developing your core muscles (especially your abs, lower back, and your hips), strong shoulders and upper back, and sturdy, well-balanced legs.
To become a top tennis player, you certainly need to undertake plenty of off-court training. Be sure to devote more time to your on-court development though. The best athlete in the world would be ineffective on the tennis court if he/she does not know how/where to hit the ball.
- Bill
Q: I saw my partner hit the ball after two bounces but she claims she got to it before the second bounce. Opponents questioned the double hit and I said it bounced twice and gave them the point. My partner said it was her call. What should I have done?
Hedy - Ellicott City, MD
If you and your doubles partner have a disagreement over a judgment or a specific line call, then you ought to always give the benefit of doubt to your opponents.
- Bill
Q: I just played a match this past week with a player I was expected to beat. I won the first set 6-1 convincingly, but in the second and third sets he made a full comeback. He played exactly the same through all three sets, but I changed my aggressive game to a more passive "pusher" type game. I was wondering what mental drills I could use to keep my aggressive style of play?
Kunal - Camillus, NY
I do not view this as being a “mental drill,” but I would advise you to heed the old adage: Never change a wining game. It seems that you went from your strength (being aggressive and forcing the issue) to his strength (patiently retrieving balls and waiting for errors). This was a losing proposition and, evidently, will not work as well for you. Understand your strengths and then trust yourself.
- Bill
Q: I play a lot of outdoor tennis (high school), and therefore it is often very windy. On one side the wind is pushing everything long, and on the other everything lands short. Could you give me some advice on how to deal with this?
Dan - Loveland, OH
When you are hitting against the wind, feel relaxed to hit out more freely- and aim higher- on your shots. The wind will usually knock the down into the court. When the wind is at your back, hit lower across the net and add topspin to your shots to assure greater margin for error. With the wind at your back, it is effective to rush the net more frequently. Passing shots will be held up in the wind and you should feel confident about closing in tightly to the net, as lobs will also be blown down.
Becoming an effective player when it is windy requires that you play frequently in windy conditions. There is no substitute for experience. Be sure to maintain a positive attitude, as your “normal” shots will be affected by the conditions.
- Bill
Additional thoughts of the week...
Congratulations to Mardy Fish for his surprising victory at the US Clay Court Championships in Houston, TX. While higher ranking American players Andy Roddick, James Blake, Robby Ginepri, Vince Spadea, and Paul Goldstein all fell, Fish managed to battle through the draw to take his second career title- and his first since 2003 (Stockholm). New Yorkers will get to enjoy watching Fish at the intimate setting of the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, NY (the former home of the US Open from 1915-1977) the week of May 15th. Incidentally, Mardy’s best pal James Blake won the Forest Hills Clay Court Classic ($50K) tournament last year during his comeback. Go to www.ForestHillsTennis.com for more information.