Whitney Kraft, Director of Tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, is here to answer your questions on the game of tennis in his column on USTA.com called
“Whit’s Tennis Tips". Whether you're looking for that perfect racquet, having a dispute over scoring a match, or just looking to improve your game, all you have to do is ask Whit.
To: AskWhit
Subject: deep hitters
Dear Whit,
I am having a problem with inexperienced tennis players. It seems like when i am up against players with little to no experience they always find ways to make beating them extremely difficult. For example, if i hit a ball and even if they can get a racquet on it, they will return it high and just inside the baseline. It is too high to take out with an overhead too. What can i do to prevent this or to turn it into a point I can win.
Thanks
Ian S.
To: Ian
Subject: RE: deep hitters
Hi Ian,
Deep, high balls can be a challenge for players up to very advanced levels. Replying with another high deep ball is the safe tactic unless you are skilled enough to step into the court and hit a mid-court volley or effective overheads out of the air or off the bounce.
Moonball, as it is called, is an effective strategy, but not much fun for anyone except those who use it comfortably.
Best of luck,
Whitney
To: AskWhit
Subject: Relaxing
I love the game of tennis, but I am having the hardest time with relaxing on the court. I grip my racquet too tight thus making me tight all over. I am all too aware of this. I tried to make some changes in my game and they just did not seem to come easily. I’ve tried to go back to the “old way” and it has not happened like I hoped it would. I just want to play and have fun and NOT let the frustration get the best of me. I watch other folks play and it seems to come so easy to most of them. Any suggestions?
Julia
To: Julia
Subject: RE: Relaxing
Hi Julia and as they say in the Bahamas “relax yourself”.
There are great books on sports psychology which offer relaxation techniques, or more accurately, “optimal arousal”. Check www.humankinetics.com and don’t limit your search to tennis publications, although you should start there with tennis guru authors such as Jim Loehr and Allen Fox.
By the way, if you watch pros between points, they take their hand off the grip as soon as the point is over.
Regards,
Whitney
To: AskWhit
Subject: Serve
I am only 15 years old, with a serve that can sometimes break 100, usually consistently in the 80's-90's range. I use the continental grip, and I am lucky that pronation came easily for me. I am just curious if I should keep using it. My accuracy with it when I get super involved in a match increases, and I can keep it up all game. But the best accuracy is probably 2/4, or 50%-70% the entire match. I like it and people my age can't return it without working, but how can I increase accuracy, and should i just switch to my spin serve until I learn to do my first serve better?
To: David
Subject: RE: Serve
Hi David,
Absolutely keep using the continental grip to serve. This grip provides maximum wrist mobility and allows for spin to be imparted on all your deliveries. Remember spin is your "steering wheel" and has a direct correlation to percentages of serves inside the court. The flat serve is riskier and as you mentioned flat service percentages are typically in the 50% range at best.
For continuing development throw a football with a friend with an emphasis on tight spirals.
Best of luck,
Whitney