Submit your questions to Bill Mountford here
Q: I enjoy playing singles more than playing doubles, but there are more opportunities for playing doubles recreationally in this area. I play both mixed and women’s doubles quite frequently but have not been able to feel as comfortable as I do in singles. How do I learn to adjust my singles mentality to a doubles court where I feel crowded and distracted by all of the players?
Michelle - Newport News, VA
That is a common challenge for players of all standards and levels of experience. So much of doubles is related to being a “good teammate.” Work on communicating positively with your partner. Tactically, you should stick to three basic tenets (first serve in; make your returns; when in doubt, hit down the middle). If this does not help you to improve, then choose to use doubles as a way to simply improve your singles. That way, even if you do not win, you can still benefit by competing- and have fun along the way.
- Bill
Q: I've been playing tennis for close to a year now. Just recently I've gotten a lot better. However I keep losing. I'm playing well against good players, but I'm playing bad against the weaker players. I believe their slow bad shots are taking me out of my element. I just can't seem to beat players who are worse than me, any tips?
John - Kentucky
This is a common refrain. Hang in there. It is sometimes harder to beat “ugly” but consistent players than those with classic strokes who demonstrate no consistency.
I would advise that you continue to play these “worse” players until you gain some sustained success. They will force you to play many shots that are always necessary to have in your arsenal (such as floating mid-court balls, lobs, routine groundstrokes, etc.). Eventually, as you improve, you will handle these players and THEN you can freely refer to them as being “weaker players.” First things first though...
- Bill
Q: My 11 year old son plays tennis daily and tournaments on the weekends. Should his training include anything in addition to matches?
Susie - Santa Clara, CA
Cross-training, by playing other sports, is always good for his overall athletic development. It will also allow his mind to become refreshed and recharged.
Make sure that you factor in an appropriate number of rest/recovery days for your son. Playing a lot has always been a fast way to improve quickly. Playing too much, however, is counter-productive. You need to be careful- and precise- in finding the optimum balance for your child.
- Bill
Q: I am a beginner and have learned the basics of tennis but was never fully taught "how to play". I have been watching matches on TV and I don't understand how and what "break point" is?
Marissa - Luray, VA
A “break point” is when the returner has a game point against the server. If the returner wins this point, he/she will have “broken” serve.
- Bill
Q: Bill, I have too tight of a grip with my forehand how do I teach myself to loosen it up?
Laura - Bethel Park, PA
Hold the racquet handle only tight enough to keep from throwing the racquet. Put very little pressure on your middle and pointer fingers on the forehand, and- basically- grip the racquet with your pinky and ring fingers. Also, between points, shake your hand and fingers to release tension. That is a trick that many touring professionals use to relax.
- Bill
Q: Bill, when serving the first ball and it tips the net but goes over without going out, you call “let” and have two serves left. How many times can you tip the net before incurring a penalty point?
Robert - Columbus, GA
You can hit an infinite number “let” serves in a row. Some would argue that this rule should be changed. In fact, World TeamTennis does NOT count lets, and neither does Division I men’s college tennis. In both cases, all serves count- even those that hit the net and snap straight up (for an easy return) or those that gently roll over and “die” (for an ace).
- Bill
Additional thoughts for this week...
- All right, tennis fans... Was I the only one who fell off his chair after reading Mats Wilander’s quotes about Roger Federer regarding the Roland Garros final? Harsh.
- I enjoyed watching the Stella Artois Championships at the Queens Club last weekend on The Tennis Channel (TTC). This is reason #981 why TTC is so great. Anyway, what the hell is going on with grass court tennis?!?! In those three matches (Hewitt-Henman and Roddick-Blake semis, and the Hewitt-Blake final) there were only a small handful of serve and volley points. That’s not right. Did they put quicksand underneath the grass courts? Are the players using low-compression transition balls? Ten years ago, this would have been unheard of. Imagine that in 2016, nearly every point at Rome, Monte Carlo, Hamburg, and Roland Garros is decided by net-rushing tactics. That is as far-fetched as the reluctance of players to move forward on the grass. It is shocking to watch frankly.
- Soccer is, arguably, the only sport more international than tennis, as the World Cup is proving. Unfortunately, the officiating system in “football” makes tennis- even without the instant replay technology- appear light years ahead of the game.
- June is Cardio Tennis Month and to enroll in a free trial program near you.