TennisIDENTITY

Absolute Improvement: Decisions, decisions. Your mental tennis game.

By Matt Cuccaro Ed. M., Director of Mental Training at Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy (IJTA).  

The lines of a tennis court are clearly defined. The athletes within them, however, must have mental flexibility to maximize training time as well as match day execution. Two prevailing methodologies to explore include “or” and “and” mindsets. There are advantages to both; the time and place in which they are used is the key to high performance.

The “or” technique is a simple one. This mindset is based upon making quick judgments when little or no time is available. This reactive approach allows the athlete to make decisions efficiently on the court without expending too much mental effort.

Examples include “attack the net or hang behind the baseline,” “go cross-court or down-the-line,” and “hit with slice or topspin.” This method is highly effective for match-time when the stress of the situation naturally places a limit on thought, attention, and introspection. Competition is the time to simply embrace the challenge of the match and react with an “or” approach on the court. Commitment to executing a game plan with as little deviation as possible benefits even the best players during the heat of match play.  

The second approach -- the “and” mentality – takes into account the countless options and “shades of gray” offered when developing skills and making decisions. This mindset opens the door to tremendous improvements over the course of a career. Increased awareness of both the advantages and disadvantages of various grips, strokes, and tactics allows a player to see the game from multiple perspectives. In addition, it encourages players to create their own style, which enhances confidence and ownership of their game.

The “and” approach requires time, energy, and abundant resources of attention as it’s filled with creativity, exploration, and experimentation. A high percentage of practice time can be spent effectively exploring this “and” methodology as the non-judgmental flow of thought allows for the true learning and player development to unfold away from the stress of competition.   

The “or” mindset and “and” methodology are both required to create an elite tennis player. Where and when they are applied tends to be the key for an individual to truly reach their potential.

As noted, long-term, high priority areas of development will greatly benefit from an “and” methodology when competitive emotion is low and introspection naturally runs a little deeper. Lower priority, short-term, match-time decisions are best approached in an “or” context, as stress leads to dwindling resources of attention and little effectiveness of deep thought.

Those who perform at a high level consistently train in cycles and remain aware of decision-making tendencies as they flow through cycles of both training and competition. Be thoughtful about your approach to the game and enjoy the challenge of finding balance in your decisions on and around the court.

Ivan Lendl IJTA exemplifies Lendl’s desire to give back to tennis and develop future champions through a new-era curriculum and holistic training approach. The Academy focuses on classic fundamentals, leading-edge biomechanics, strength training / fitness and mental preparation. Lendl, a former world No.1 and winner of eight Grand Slams, subscribes to a hands-on approach with students instilling dedication, focus, hard work, motivation and overall preparation.

Follow Cuccaro @MentalCoachMatt on Twitter

 

Your serve as weapon. The Total Serve can help.

The serve is the only shot in tennis where you are completely in charge. Make yours the best it can be with the help of this clever tennis training tool, The Total Serve.

Total Serve is designed to help you to experience what proper serve technique FEELS like, smooth with no breaks in motion, and groove a swing that incorporates your hips, legs and shoulders.

Click the link above to see the tool in use.

The Total Serve is offered in the three sizes above, 3 ball for adults and bigger teens, 2 ball for juniors or petite adults and 1 ball for 10 and under.

Prices range from $39-59 USD.

Find a retailer or buy at TheTotalServe.

 

A NYC Secret. Vanderbilt Tennis Club in Grand Central Station.

Watching great tennis always instills a hankering to play. As you zip in and out of NYC for the US Open make a tennis date at Vanderbilt Tennis Club inside Grand Central Terminal. The view through that window? Ribbons of yellow cabs headed into the hub.

Above the one full court is another great training spot. The facility has taken a half-court, divided it, and runs Playmate chameleon series controllers and feeding machines with automatic ball collectors on each court.  The result is a very intense workout since your opponent never needs to take a break. 

Sensors gather data on your hitting which can then be viewed on a tablet nearby.

 

That's Dadi Zvulun, Manager and Head Pro at Vanderbilt, who kindly showed me around and demo'd the practice court with a few volleys.

Cool place and you don't need to be a member or find a partner to play there. More info at Vanderbilt Tennis Club.

Absolute Improvement: Mastering the backhand volley.

Second in a series of tennis tips from David Lewis, Director of Instruction at Ivan Lendl Junior Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina: 

If we look back at past Wimbledon tennis Champions in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, most had a phenomenal backhand slice and backhand volley. These players included Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Stefan Edberg, to name a few. Grass courts at Wimbledon were quicker then, allowing the slice to be even more effective especially for those looking to take control of the net.

Many great Australian players had very strong forearms developed from playing hours against a wall which taught them to have quick hands and compact swings. The backhand volley is an abbreviated backhand slice with the same fundamentals but does not include a full backswing or follow through.

The backhand volley is a simple stroke yet it can be challenging to teach younger players. A lack of strength makes it difficult for juniors to control the racquet when attempting to hit a backhand volley. As a result, they can develop poor habits especially if their racquets are too heavy. Many players at this age prefer to have an eastern grip, allowing them short-term success. As they get older, this grip has limitations and they should be urged to move to the continental grip. 

With less time to react at the net as opposed to the baseline, the backhand volley needs to be compact and struck out in front of the body with a very firm wrist (see above photo).

Tony Roche, a former Australian player, always emphasized ‘knifing’ the backhand volley. Roche had one of the best backhand volleys in the game and, with a huge forearm and strong wrist, he could ‘knife’ backhand volleys at a fast pace that would land near the shoe laces of his opponents.

For the past twenty years, David Lewis, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, has coached top juniors and professionals around the world. The Ivan Lendl IJTA focuses on classic fundamentals, leading-edge biomechanics, strength training / fitness and mental preparation. 

Your tennis match captured. The QM-1 offers an easy way to video your game.

Videotaping your tennis game can be eye opening (even a little disheartening) but it IS really helpful. The QM-1 Portable Camera support is a tool that mounts on a tennis court fence (inside or out) and allows you to film an entire match or a portion of it, including both sides of the court.

Parents traveling with junior players can use the QM-1 to bring a match back to a coach for analysis without incurring travelling fees. Teams can see how they move together and coaches can use it to talk with students about their strokes and footwork.

Mike Lamens, designer/owner, suggests a few different cameras that work well with the QM-1. The Kodak Playsport ZX5, Creative Labs VADO and The Wingman HD are all recommended as they have a wide enough lens to capture the whole court.

Pay attention to battery life especially if you want to film an entire match. Download your video to your computer and you've got it to review and edit. Below is a video example of an edited filmed match.

 

The QM-1 will run you $69 USD. It collapses to fit in your tennis bag, is lightweight and super easy to use (no photographic or technical talent needed whatsoever). Learn more or buy at MyTennisTools.

Absolute Improvement: Strategy for your second serve.

First in a series of tennis tips from David Lewis, Director of Instruction at Ivan Lendl Junior Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina: 

The topspin or  “American twist” is a stroke many players struggle to master. With limited options, a weak second-serve leaves players vulnerable to hitting double-faults or being attacked by the returner. The American Twist is the most reliable to use as a second serve. It allows the server to apply topspin with the confidence to land the ball in the service box, similar to a topspin forehand or backhand.

Here’s how to master this weapon: 

• Use the Continental or Eastern Backhand* grip. Make sure to aim high over the net, allowing spin on the ball to drop it into the service box.
• Toss the ball above and slightly behind your head so you can hit up on the ball (use your legs to move up towards it) to generate spin.
• For a right-handed player, impact should occur at 7 o’clock on the ball and aiming out towards 1 o’clock, which generates the combination of topspin and a reverse slice spin. When the ball hits the ground, it bounces high and kicks to the right.
• After impact, the racquet should finish towards the right-hand side of the body.

Stefan Edberg often used the American twist to establish good net position. Topspin travels slower through the air, compared to a flat serve. With ample topspin on the ball, the serve will bounce high for the returner, allowing the server more time to get to the net. This gives the serve-and-volley player the opportunity to hit a high volley (pic below) to finish the point early or set up for an easy smash on the next shot. 

The American twist serve allows the server to control the point by hitting either a volley or big forehand with the second shot, if they stay back after the serve, The combination of mixing serve-and-volley tennis with staying back will keep the returner guessing whether to hit at the feet as their opponent approaches the net or strike it deep if they stay back looking for the big forehand. Either way, it will force the returner out of their comfort zone with the server continually applying pressure.

When playing doubles, the topspin serve also allows the server to establish good net position by aiming at the backhand of their opponent. The server’s partner can get into good position and poach the return since the serve will produce a high bounce from the topspin.

For the past twenty years, David Lewis, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, has coached top juniors and professionals around the world including Marina Erakovic, ranked as high as No.49 on the WTA world tour. The Ivan Lendl IJTA focuses on classic fundamentals, leading-edge biomechanics, strength training / fitness and mental preparation. 

 *The Continental grip is obtained by placing the base knuckle of the index finger right on the second bevel. The Eastern Backhand grip places the base knuckle of the index finger and heel of the hand on the first bevel.