TennisIDENTITY

Mental Toughness has NO expiration (TM)

The first day of a new year always brings with it a host of resolutions related to health and fitness. Mental toughness is on my 2011 list and these shirts for men and women are motivating. 

Whatever YOU call it, being in the zone, playing out-of-your-mind, being dialed-in...it's all mental toughness that helps a win when the going gets tough. Never too old.

Made of Cool-n-Dry performance fabric, these shirts, dreamed up by a marathon runner, offer a comfy athletic fit that you can work out and play in. Men's long sleeve, $40. Womens, $28. The short sleeve is $22. Find them only at NO EXPIRATION.

 

Rule change indicates 10 and unders find tennis success with junior sized equipment.

"Other sports don't make kids play like adults," says the USTA, why should tennis? Picture a little-leaguer in Fenway Park. Just doesn't happen. Why should it for the littlest in tennis?

Junior sized tennis equipment has been around for a while but the USTA and ITF are beginning to incorporate it into official tournaments. Going forward, 10 and under level 7 tournaments will be officially listed as playing on full (78'), 60' or 36' courts. Each size court will have a different ball; none will use the yellow ball adults play with.

If playing on a full 78' court kids in this age group will use special low-bounce (regular size) "green-dot" balls; On a 60' court they will use an "orange" ball; On a 36' court they will use a larger "red" felt ball. The court size used depends on the facility holding the tournament. Some clubs are building in the smaller courts, others will adjust with blended lines.

The new balls are designed to have a different bounce, each is slower and lower than the yellow ball adults and teens use, helping smaller players learn the techniques and movement at their speed.  "Instead of simply being a teaching methodology, as it has been, using age appropriate equipment and court size allows children under 10 to compete in an age appropriate setting just like any other sport," says Anne Davis, the USTA's National Manager of Recreational Coaches and Programs .

This official change indicates that junior equipment and low bounce balls are making a difference. Kids are finding success on court faster. Davis says that the USTA is starting to see kids who began tennis on shorter courts with low bounce balls moving up into the 12s with great success.  

But what if your kid doesn't play tournaments? Take a page and look for one of these programs at your local club or buy a right-sized racquet and balls and head down to your public park. That hit with your impatient-to-be-good 6 year old will be a whole lot more fun.

A few equipment suggestions for beginners:

Ages 4-6: Start with a 21 inch Wilson Venus and Serena 21" or Wilson Federer 21" junior racquet (both under $20 USD) with Penn Quick Start Tennis 36' Felt Balls, $4.95

Ages 7-8: Try a 23 inch racquet. HEAD makes the Radical Junior 23" Tennis Racquet ($20), same balls as above or below depending on ability and height. 

Ages 9-10: Start with a 25 inch racquet. Babolat makes the Pure Drive Junior 25"  ($70) and Head makes the Junior speed for under $20 if you want to keep costs down while you check to see if junior's interest kicks in. Penn Quick Start 60' balls, $4.95 are what you want for this age group.

Height can make a difference, so if you have a tall 8 year old you might want to bump them up a length and into the 60' balls. Don't worry about grip size. They are all the same at the starter levels.

If you want to have fun without leaving home this Junior Tennis net is fun especially with Foam Balls. Mom and Dad, you'll think it's a gas.

Find Junior tennis racquets at sports and tennis retailers worldwide and online at Tennis-Warehouse and others.

The Longest Match in Pro Tennis and a Whole Lot More. Guiness World Records Ticks Off 12 Newbies on Isner vs. Mahut.

ATP players John Isner, of the USA, and Nicolas Mahut of France, achieved twelve new records during their epic, 3 day match that started on Tuesday June 22 and finished on Thursday, June 24.

“...To set a record such as this is a rare thing, but to do so under the pressure of a major tournament and millions of viewers is awe-inspiring” said Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records’ Editor-in-Chief. Here are the officially confirmed records:

1. Longest match in professional tennis. (11 hrs. 5 mins. over three days)
2. Longest match in a Grand Slam competition
3. Longest match at Wimbledon
4. Most games played in a professional tennis match (183)
5. Most games in a Grand Slam match
6. Most games played during a Wimbledon match
7. Most aces served by an individual player in a professional tennis match (112 Isner)
8. Most aces served by an individual player in a Grand Slam match
9. Most aces by an individual player served at a Wimbledon match
10. Most games in a set in professional tennis (138 in 5th set))
11. Most games in a set in a Grand Slam competition
12. Most games in a set at Wimbledon

That'll make you think differently next time you're in one of those long ones.

Products that Fuel a Young Kid's Passion for Tennis.

So you want your kids to love the game as much as you do? Here are a few products that will get your kid cruising on court:

Just released, Bring Your Racquet: Tennis Basics for Kids, by Steven White, is an easy to understand read that illustrates the game's basics in terms the average young player can completely understand.  White is a professional tennis instructor and former satellite tour player who has a knack for explaining the game without being overly technical. The illustrations are contemporary, not unlike the "Prince of Tennis" series and add a fun, modern flair to the book. 

Certainly there is no substitute for getting on court and hitting balls but as we adults know you really can't study the game too much and having a categorized book to reference/remind is a good thing. You might even want to breeze through it yourself from time to time. Recommended for age 8 and up. Bring Your Racquet retails for $14.00.

I've talked about QuickStart tennis before, but want to mention it again as this game is growing like mad nationwide and you can get a kit to play at home, on your driveway or local town court -- really anywhere you have a hard surface. QuickStart has recently been incorporated into Tennis Skillastics, a new program offered by Skillastics that helps schools to introduce tennis in schools without the need of official sized courts. 

If your kid gets frustrated hitting regular balls on a court, watch them smile after trying Quickstart or as mine call it, "mini tennis." It will grow their confidence and big court game as well. Here are a couple of links to get the mini Net and balls you need. The racquets they are using already are fine.

For the little girl in your life, encourage tennis with Go! Go! Sports Girl Gracie who loves the game of tennis. Gracie is a soft 16" tall, quality doll with tennis accessories and a surprise tummy "tattoo" that says Dream Big Ace It. $19.99. Get Gracie for your little tennis girl.

Keep small hands busy and thinking about the game with the US Open Tennis Coloring & Activity Book by Kristin Vaughn and Peg Connery-Boyd, $10.16. This came out last year but still features some of the best - most recognizable - tennis players in the world. Find it HERE.

You can also find what I call mini-me tennis attire, junior sized versions of the looks the pros are wearing. adidas makes Ana Ivanovic's spring adilibria dress $42, or Fernando Verdasco's summer edge polo, $34 (pictured left).

Motivation: James Blake. He keeps, going and going and...watch.

First in a new Tennisidentity.com category MOTIVATION. We all need it on court and some people are truly inspirational. Check out this ATP World Tour Insider video on one of my personal favorites, fellow New Englander, James Blake.  Check it out here.