Nate's Top Five Tennis Tips

(Without changing your strokes!)

Tip #1:  Hit the ball on one bounce!

This may sound like a no-brainer, but I can't tell you how many players I see on the practice courts who routinely let the ball bounce two or three times before they see fit to take a swing.  The most common response I hear when confronting this negative habit is, "Oh, in a game I'll get it on one bounce."  Wrong!  In a game the ball will bounce twice and you will lose the point.  What you do in practice is what you will do in a game.  Hit the ball on one bounce and you will not only get a better workout, but you will better train your body to return those balls that force you to snidely remark, "nice shot..."  Remember.  Those points add up.

Tip #2:  Aim for the center of the court.

When you warm-up, when you are playing a game and you can't buy a return to save your life, when you are up in a match trying to close it out and you start to choke...  Aim your shots at the center service line.  Not that they will necessarily go there, but that is where you will find the safest margin for error.  If, instead of blasting the ball into the fence or the bottom of the net point after point after point, you can somehow manage to just get the ball back in the court, then you stand a chance.  By staying in the point longer, you may be able to get your rhythm back or calm your nerves and take control of the point.  Once you can breath because you're actually hitting a few shots in a row, you might be able to take advantage of your opportunities.  Who knows?  You might even get lucky.

Tip #3:  Use Variety--

If you cannot pound ten forehands in a row 80 mph under any circumstance--not too many players can--then don't try it in a game!  Sounds like sound advice, yet this is probably the most frequent losing tactic employed by more tennis players than I care to count.  Again, I will point to practice.  Practice is a good indicator of your game.  By all means, always be looking to improve your shots and consistency, but, if at this particular juncture you can only crush three forehands in a row before the fourth is a ghastly misfire, then use a little variety on the fourth and fifth shots.  Slice it short.  Hit an arc ball or a big loop.  The same goes for serves and backhands, etc.  Mix it up and keep it in.  Maybe go to the net, if you have a decent volley.  But don't keep bashing your head against the wall trying to prove that you can hit like the pros.  The pros know their limits.  And when it's game time, they usually cut down on the bone-head moves.

Tip #4:  When you're up and when you're down...

Tennis is a game of momentum.  When the momentum is in your court, amazing things can happen.  When it's not, the angst you may feel can sometimes be too much to endure.  A little momentum 101:  When you are up, don't second guess yourself.  Don't think about your form.  Don't slow down.  Don't think!  Just keep serving and hitting shots and try to consolidate the game, set, and win as quickly as possible.  On the other hand, when you are losing, you must quickly recognize the fact.  Denial will only speed another loss on the old belt.   Slow down!  Take your time between points.  Gather your senses.  Re-tie your shoelaces.  Walk to the back fence.  Pick up a ball, etc.  A tennis match is only a matter of time, and when you are losing, you want as much time as possible.  This will also allow the leading player time to think and hopefully start to over think you back into the match.

Tip #5:  Be a tough competitor!

Be positive.  Be positive.  Be positive.  If I could write it a million times more, I would.  Even if you are down a set and a break, you must remain positive and believe you can come back and win.  Trust me.  Negativity never works.  Good perspective will make you a better competitor.  I believe the ideal competitive outlook for tennis should be comparable to that of playing a video game.  Of course I want to win.  Of course I want to beat my friend.  Of course I want to be the online champion of the world!  I play to win.  But there is no real stress.  It is enjoyment.  When I lose, I turn off the game and go on with my life.  I believe tennis is the greatest game in the world, a game that, if played smart, can last you a lifetime.  It is the perfect balance of mental, physical, emotional, and environmental challenges.  Play tennis to win so that you can challenge yourself and get a good workout, but know that it's OK if you lose.