Racket Customization

From talk tennis.com forum
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=295789


Well, once we reach a certain point in our games, we have pretty dang big groundstrokes. Most rackets are in the SW1 category (the lower swingweights). Moving them up to SW2 status (high swingweights) adds control to our swings, as well as giving power and spin. No matter what, adding weight will pump up the swingweight (albeit to different levels based on WHERE you put it).

So basically, everyone that plays tennis on a high level and uses custom weighted rackets is eventually going to end up playing with ridiculously high swingweights (okay, ALMOST everyone; Verdasco is one of the exceptions). The difference is HOW they want to get there. Some people want rackets that are insanely stable and plow through the ball, giving insane amounts of power and control for anybody good enough to swing it around (like Sampras, Roddick, and Courier). Others like the rackets to be very easy to whip around, allowing them to use heavy amounts of wrist action in their shots and allowing them to generate unprecedented amounts of spin (like Rafter, Nadal and Federer).

To get insane amounts of stability and plow through on the ball, you need VERY high levels of mass on your racket so that you can barely feel the ball's "weight" on contact (you can still feel the ball extremely well, but you might notice a more muted response than before thanks to the added stability). But the more mass we add, the higher the swingweight. So if we do it wrong, we won't get as much mass as we want, and we'll already reach our ideal swingweight in the SW2 section. So these people will put the weights lower on their racket (closer to the center of the racket; 3&9, as well as around the throat or top of the grip for counterbalance). That way, they can put more weight on their rackets to reach the amount of power and plow through they want without exceeding their ideal swingweight specification. This is what we call a depolarized setup. It's what most pros used. 95% of pros (if not more) prior to the year 2000 used this kind of setup. A wood racket is essentially a depolarized racket, so 100% of people prior to graphite rackets used a depolarized setup.

Others like their rackets to be less hefty, while still having that nice, high swingweight. To do that, they want every bit of mass they add to increase the swingweight as much as possible, so that they add very little mass to the racket, but get that nice spike in swingweight. They will end up putting the weight near the top of the racket (under the bumper guard) and some inside the buttcap for counterbalance. But since at this point, people don't care too much about balance, most of the added weight goes under the bumper guard (I hear Nadal adds 9 grams under the bumper and 2 in the buttcap while all of Federer's added racket weight is under the bumper, which I'm guessing is 2.5-4.5 grams). These rackets have lower static weight and become more manageable and spin friendly. Also, since the weight is mainly distributed towards the ends of the rackets, it spins on it's axis better, allowing for even better access to spin and racket head speed. This is what we call a polarized setup. Nowadays, a lot more people are using this setup thanks to the lighter rackets out there. Also, this is the reason why we will see some pros with a ridiculously low racket mass.

Now, which setup is the best? That's up to personal preference, as stated before. I love both (currently using/trying a slightly polarized setup like Federer). A depolarized racket is the more conventional type of racket customization (as it's been around longer) but it's a little more difficult to do (overall, but it depends on the racket as well). It grants extra forgiveness, stability, and pop so most people should generally look to have this kind of setup. It's the best for aggressive baseline hitting, as well as for serve and volleying. If you want to take the ball on the rise, or are an aggressive returner (like Agassi and Blake; both of whom use a depolarized setup), then you'll love the stability and power this setup gives. The other one is better for people who feel like they have all the power, forgiveness, and stability they need, but are lacking in some spin and margin for their shots. This is where a polarized setup can help, because it really adds a lot of spin to your shots and gives you extra margin over the net to safely stay in points. Nadal uses this setup to great effectiveness, employing heavy spin off the forehand and serve, constantly pulling his opponents wide and out of position. Rafter liked it because his big weapon was his kick serve and athleticism. A polarized setup added extra kick and action to his serves. He would kick a high one up to the opponent's backhand, then use his athleticism and feel for the ball to put away volleys. Though, this caused him to be less effective on grass, where serve and volleyers should dominate (as you can guess, almost all serve and volleyers use a depolarized setup). However, I must say that I found the polarized setup to be more erratic overall. It becomes difficult to control the racket sometimes (because the power and spin might not always be as consistent due to lack of stability), but most of the time you'll get good results if you like to use heavy spin.

The depolarized racket doesn't put all of the weight in the handle. It actually has most of the weight in the head at 3&9. This will add the power and overall plow through we are looking for in out groundstrokes. As counterbalance, we add some (or a lot, depending on what you feel works best) weight around the throat or the top of the handle. Someone suggested 7 inches above the buttcap, which works extremely well in my opinion. There is also an equation to find the "perfect counterbalance point" somewhere on this forum is you look up "How to depolarize your racket". I've added 20 grams at 3&9 and 14 grams at 7 inches above the buttcap on one of my K90s and it plays very well and has tremendous plow through with only maybe 10-15 more SW units compared to my polarized 12.5 ounce Yonex RDS 003.

If anything, a depolarized racket and a polarized racket can have the exact same balance and swingweight, while the depolarized racket can have far more mass.

Given two light rackets, I can easily produce two rackets with the same swingweight and balance, but the mass on the depolarized racket can be higher by about a full ounce, if not higher! One will produce noticeably more spin, while the other more power, stability, and plow through.

When making a depolarized racket, we're looking to increase swingweight as well, just in a far more conservative matter so we can add more effective mass without raising swingweight too rapidly, which will limit the amount of mass we can place on the racket. If you put all the weight in the handle, the center of mass will be so low that you might as well hit the ball with the handle instead of the strings. There really is no point to having an excessively headlight racket. Power comes from having weight in the head, and maneuverability comes from having weight in the top of the handle as counterbalance (how far up or down depends on the player).

You more or less have two basic options when adding 15 grams of lead to the head. You can put it under the bumper guard around the top of the hoop, or layer it at 3&9. Layering it at 3&9 will produce more power, while having it under the bumper gets it moving around faster (which is why I said it's more erratic overall, especially since to hit a good shot you need a loose arm). If you layered the lead at 3&9, the swingweight will be a little lower, and the racket will be more maneuverable, so you can add more weight (either at 3&9 again, or around the throat or handle as counterbalance) until the swingweights are matched. At this point, from the physics equations of F=MA and Momentum=MV^2, we can tell the new racket has far more power, stability, and plow through (it can more easily drive through the ball because it's more stable and has more power through contact). Also, since the weight is lower and closer to your hand, you can more easily control and direct the weight of the racket during the swing, allowing for better control and a more consistent contact (whereas the polarized racket can get all whippy and out of control sometimes).

When adding lead tape to the frame, you must always add lead to the head. There is no point to adding lead in the buttcap alone. It does nothing. It raises the swingweight (slightly), lowers the center of mass, raises mass in the most pointless manner, and it's biggest effects are mostly mental, where since you think your racket is more headlight, it will be more maneuverable. It will give you more heft in your hand when holding it, but it won't translate into power into the ball. To do that, you need the lead to be placed farther up and away from your hand. This is why I feel that adding weight to a head heavy frame is pointless. You can counterbalance it all you want by adding lead at the top of the handle, but you're better off finding a new racket that's headlight. You want to be able to add more weight to the head than to the buttcap/handle/throat. It's not always going to happen, but if you want the biggest power boost, that's how it's going to have to be.

When you add weight to the hoop, the mass isn't behind the ball. When you add it to 3&9, it's right on the center of the strings, allowing the weight to most effectively respond and react to the ball and push through it more effectively. This is where plow through comes from. Adding it to the top merely increases racket head speed due to a whippy feeling you get during the swing similar to a ball at the end of the string. The best description would be comparing a stick with a ball of mass at the very far end of the stick. To accurately control the stick with precision while swinging full force, more focus and strength is required. If you let it go (loosened up your arm/hand), the mass will pull the stick in the general direction your swing left it off at. Then if you swing a stick with the ball of mass in the center of the stick (or at least closer to your hand), it's easier to more precisely control the stick no matter how fast you swing, even with a loose arm and grip. This is why a depolarized racket has more plow through and stability (aside from the fact that weight at 3&9 help increase torsional stability; AKA resistance to twisting at impact), the weight is easier to precisely control and get behind the ball. This is also why (as I've said numerous times; sorry about that) a polarized racket is overall more erratic. If your swing is off by a little, the mass at the top of the frame will keep the racket going in that direction, magnifying your swing error. The spin it generates will keep it from going long most of the time, but it's still pretty inconsistent.

Headlight balance is great for intermediate players, but once you want some serious pop on your strokes, and your lightweight 11-12.5 ounce rackets don't generate enough punch anymore, you're going to have to sacrifice some of it for power. Once you reach 5.5+, balance doesn't matter, weight distribution does.

The reason people liked the K90 more than the previous Tour 90s was because of the newer weight distribution, which made it feel more maneuverable, have more pop and plow through, and go faster through the air even with the higher swingweight. And the reason people like the K88 more than the K90, is because the weight was reworked again, in such a way that power and spin are even more accessible regardless of the higher swingweight and mass! (You'll notice that even if you depolarize your racket heavily to such a degree it's meant only for flat hitters, you'll still find plenty of added spin thanks to the improved weight distribution.) The previous Tour 90s I'm guessing had most of the weight centralized near the top of the handle (right under or at where the Wilson W logo is, which could account for why the design had a longer pallet design than the PS85 and the K90). The K90 was reworked to move that weight more towards 3&9 (if not slightly higher) and maybe moving whatever's left of the mass closer to the buttcap. This explains the higher swingweight.

What really matters in making a racket the best that it can be is WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION. That and that alone is what makes a great racket what it is. Well... That and mass... But mass is useless if it's just slapped on randomly.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. Try to be as specific as possible, and I'll try to cut it down and be more concise next time I respond. >< src="http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" border="0"> But as you can guess, there's a lot more behind rackets and their performance than just their specs (unless we got far more detailed about the specs of the rackets).

Oh, and I took this out of the previous post (too long) cause it wasn't wholly relevant, but I still think it's rather interesting information (though I have no solid proof since I don't have a bunch of advanced equipment as well as Sampras' rackets and so on). It is purely theoretical (most of it), but I feel it's quite logical and it explains a lot of what is already confirmed and what I read on these boards (which isn't always true as we know when it comes to conspiracy theories of pro rackets).

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The ProStaff Tour, which the n90 design is based off of, was meant for Pete Sampras. Sampras would place a lot weight around that general area where a majority of the ProStaff Tour's weight is centered as counterbalance for the lead he puts on the head (or at least Nate Ferguson did it). With this, Ferguson would have to put less lead in his racket and could just slap it on the head and be done with it. (Yes, Wilson will occasionally make rackets specifically designed for top pros and sell them to the public, which is a mistake since those rackets were incomplete and require lead to finish it.) This is another reason why the K90 is so popular - it's a finished product. Federer has been using that EXACT racket (specs, weight distribution, EVERYTHING) for 7 years now. Recently he seems to be adding a little bit more weight to it, but it's hardly a noticeable difference aside from more comfort (it could explain the recent pile up of errors though in the past few years; yes I said it wasn't a noticeable difference, but some people can feel the performance difference and I'm sure Federer is one of them). He probably did it in his attempt to create a heavier ball and win the French Open. Everything he's done in the past several years has all been for that. If he never cared, he'd still be ripping relatively flat, penetrating winners all over the place. Now he hits with far more spin and might have changed his racket setup slightly since 2006 to help that. All I really know though, is since his switch to the K90 (or him staying with the K90 but with the K90 paintjob, whatever you prefer), is that his groundstrokes are occasionally very erratic, which has pretty much never happened during his rise to power and his stay atop the ATP ladder. Also, sometime since the switch, he's been adding weight under the bumper guard (polarizing the racket, making it less stable as I mentioned). You put two and two together and you can logically infer these points that I have mentioned. If he stayed with a stock K90 (with tight quality control), he probably would still be playing as well as he did in 2006 (and still won the French Open without sacrificing the 2008 Australian Open, 2008 Wimbledon, and the recent 2009 US Open). But either way, he'd still get crushed by Nadal. Polarizing your racket only makes it worse against him. But at least he generates a heavier ball and still dominates a majority of the tour.

For adding the 15 grams, you can go either way with that actually. 9 grams at the head or handle, it doesn't really matter. 9 at the head will produce more power, while 9 at the handle will be more manageable.

And you're right about the difference between depolarized and polarized, except that polarized doesn't necessarily straight out give more power. It gives more racket head acceleration. That can essentially equate to more power as power/force is generated from either (or both) increases in mass or velocity/acceleration. I'd prefer to keep it at polarized means more racket head speed (if you know how to use it right). Also, the control problem isn't as big of a factor as I might make it sound. Higher racket head speeds (especially at the tip) can be used to create more spin on the ball, resulting in more control. Your ability to accurately control the racket head at high speeds will surely go down, but as long as you use spin to give you margin it's going to be fine (but don't be too surprised if a few don't go your way, but with the spin it generates you'll get plenty of margin so you won't notice 99% of the times where it happens).

And 10&2 and 11&1 will give still give power/plow through and increased racket head speeds, though I prefer to stick to one side and go all out in that direction. But if you were going to do that, I suggest 10&2 since it doesn't reduce your racket head control as badly but will give you noticeable more momentum in the head. If you go to 11&1 you might as well put a strip of lead across the top of the hoop. I don't personally advocate a bunch of 3-5 inch strips at 12 to polarize a racket, I prefer a long strip that can actually be as long as 15 inches across the top of the hoop so the center of mass won't be raised as much and the racket won't become more difficult to control. Some people prefer it that way, and I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. Try it, it might work for you, but it doesn't work for me.

It all depends on what you need from adding weight. Sometimes it's not as straightforward as wanting more power. You might want more pop, but are want a hint more spin on your shots than a 3&9 setup will give, and are willing to sacrifice a little pop to get there. In that case, yes go for 10&2.

If you want more pop on your serves, I recommend lead at 3&9 unless you might want to get a little added spin and kick on you spin serves as well, then 10&2 might be more appropriate. I've never personally experimented with 10&2 but it should add more spin than a 3&9 setup although you will probably lose a little stability and power (probably not a noticeable loss though unless you add a lot of weight). Personally, a polarized setup messed with my serve the most. Granted the amount of spin and kick I got on slice and kick serves was truly amazing, but it was difficult to really control it and stay as consistent as I liked with it. Occasionally I'd get too much lift and send it long, or too much spin and send it short or into the net (but with a giant explosion off the court). Granted, I didn't stick with the racket and practice with it as much as I should have, which probably would've fixed the problem, but from an immediate racket switch standpoint, it was simply too erratic. Now, for groundstrokes, I don't think I missed a single topspin stroke long or into the net. I easily ripped the ball 2-4 feet over the net and had them all safely drop on or inside the baseline with no problem and had insane amounts of kick on them. My friend could actually consistently pull off drop shots with so much spin they landed next to the net and died on the bounce, if not going back into the net. And he ran me around all over the court using heavy spin to generate sharp angles to both sides of the court. Depolarized setups are great for people that love to use heavy spin or those who look to add more spin to their games (and want to play with heavy spin). Playing flat with this racket is meaningless (and maybe risky as well, though I wouldn't know). So for serves, you'd really have to put some more spin on them to control them. You can still hit everything very quickly through the court, but you need to use more spin to control it and gain back the accuracy you lose. In the end though, you can hit just as hard, if not harder than before, but with much more spin and safety. You just won't get nearly as much pace as a depolarized racket. I mean, you can still hit flat groundstrokes and flat serves with plenty of pace, but it's not where the racket really shines for me. If you're going to specialize in that, might as well depolarize your racket.

When using a depolarized setup on serves, I could still generate plenty of spin (same if not more than usual) to drop second serves consistently into the court deep with the same amount (sometimes more) of action and kick. The only difference was that those second serves were moving through the court at least 10 mph faster. My friend tried serving to me with one of my depolarized rackets and me using the polarized racket, and I couldn't even push the ball a foot in front of me. The ball was just so heavy, AND it came in faster than normal. A big server playing with a depolarized racket doesn't really have to worry much about holding serve. They just bomb a big first serve, then finish off whatever floater comes back. It's part of the reason Sampras had such an easy time on serve. Maybe 20% of the reason. His racket was heavier than most, and as such (with the spin and pace he generated) people had a difficulty keeping their racket stable and plowing through the ball at contact. Playing with a depolarized racket, most first serves were service winners and most second serves were essentially slightly slower first serves with more kick (compared to me using my regular racket).

Actually though, if you made contact around where 10&2 is, you'd get more plow through than with a 3&9 setup. Most people generally make contact at 3&9 though. Nate said pros generally hit higher up on the stringbed (hence the placement of Federer's string savers), but I doubt that. Pictures and slow motion videos at contact show that the pros still hit almost exactly in the center aside from a few shots where they'll hit it closer to the top (intentionally or accidentally I'm not sure).

And generally I read a lot, paid attention in physics when we learned about force, conservation of momentum, and so on (stuff that can be applied to rackets), and I actually experiment a lot with racket customization. I have 2 heavily depolarized rackets at 13.8 ounces that generate tremendous amounts of power, 1 polarized racket at 12.5 ounces (without overgrip) that generates tremendous amounts of spin, 1 lightly depolarized racket at 12.9 ounces that has a lot of power and slightly increased spin, and 3 slightly depolarized K90s (that I'm testing out to decide if I'll switch to this setup or not; 2.5 grams under the bumper) that are more comfortable during swinging and generate a little more racket head speed and spin/lift. My dad also uses a heavily depolarized racket (that he personally made through months of trial and error to slowly add and remove weight until he found the perfect setup) weighing in at around 13.3 ounces.

And one final word, if you polarize a racket, the more weight you add, the less you'll notice the inconsistencies of the racket, but you can easily fix that with practice time.

Oh, and the bit about adding weight 7 inches above the buttcap came from a John Cathen I believe. It wasn't my idea. I tried it out and it worked beautifully (solved the problems I had with depolarizing a K90 because originally I was reluctant to put weight under the grip fearing bulkiness under the leather, which wasn't even noticeable). Here's a step by step of how to depolarize your racket.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showp...64&postcount=1

His ideas differ slightly from mine, but he's probably got more experience in the subject. Then again, that might be why he's seen as such a crazy person to some people. That, or his nonstop ranting about concepts people don't understand because he doesn't explain them or their benefits too well. But he has a pretty solid grasp of what he's doing as well... Though he seems to change his racket setups far more than most people, and he goes nuts when a pro (like Federer) doesn't full on fit 100% into his beliefs of racket setups. When he found out Federer's racket wasn't as heavily polarized as he thought it was, he freaked out and went on a rampage.

Dao of My Tennis 我自求我道

It was so confused last week that my tennis was kept criticizing by others.

My way of playing my tennis, practicing my technique and improving my skill seemed all inappropriate to somebody.

I know my own weaknesses and I know what areas that I want to improve, what's wrong just if I want to improve the basics before I go into tactics? How can you talk about tactics if you even cannot play well the basics?

I know very well that tactic is important, but if you stick too much on playing with tactics but not risking to experiment and practice some new techniques, you will stay at this level without improving.

OK, I don't argue with them. However, even I understand well that I have my way of doing my tennis, it is very confusing if people keep criticizing me, pointing out my weakness (which I perfectly knew), and discouraging me, just because my way is not same as theirs, and also because they do not know what I am focusing at and what I am trying to do!

I do it my way and I know I am improving.

我自求我道, 我网球之道

Inauguration of Our Tennis Blog!

Just an idea that we may want to share our ideas (Head), feelings (Heart), Techniques (Body) or anything about our tennis game, this blog is created!

Enjoy Blogging!

The Third Match

Today we have gone through the third match against Causeway Bay team. It seems that it is more fun to most of us - because we have won most of the matches?

To me, I had a good start with Peter against Bruce and Kenneth(?) in the first men's double.

They actually performed better during the practicing time, and Peter and I thought that we would have a tough game. However, it turned out that the opponents were unfortunately more nervous than us and we won quickly.

The lesson is that a good start is important to a match, no matter you have better skill or worse skill. The pyscological effect may be enormous and vital!

Of course, I could serve well and hold serve in the first game were crucial (really? ha ha).

Well, we had a comfortable win today, but I was still not satisfied that I didn't play many winners, as most of the winning points were from the mistakes of the opponents. I did win some points by volley, but several of them were done with bad timing (shame!). Two smashes were badly handle so that it didn't win the point at once, nor put any pressure to the opposite side, bla bla bla. Anyway, I played more stable today and I lost less points than the alst matches, that's what I can say about my performance today.

Peter played excellent. As usual his volley skill won us a lot of precious points at the right time, and his serve was dangerous too, which created several easy chances for my rusty volleys. I was glad that Peter also enjoyed the match same as me. (see, that's what a good partner shall say, we praise each other likes we believe each other (hmm, actually we ignore each other) on court.

I also enjoyed the hittings after all the matches, the 3 x 3 games, in which I hit and hit with all my powers, and I had the feeling that I could (almost) hit the balls to anywhere that I wanted to, that I had total control of the ball (of course, my forehand ground strokes only), such wonderful feeling makes me can't stop loving tennis!

On the other hand, the feeling of winning the match today is just so so. It was just like a dream......something you just stood there and did nothing special and then you won, so lucky, so unreal?

I sometimes think that I was too late / old to start tennis, that I could never attain a high level but rather be only an amateur player, so winning or losing is never an important factor in my game. I won't feel particularly sad or mad if I lose, but I feel disappointed if I play badly.

Finally, sorry that I could not join the dinner today, it should be fun to have beer after a winning tournament, a lot fo chit chats? However, I promised my sons to bring them to ToysRus to pick up some legos, and I could not let them down or otherwise they would not allow me to play tennis any more, you know, the result is very serious......

Vicky, please tell me that bill of the beer tonight, I will pay for it (even though I remembered at a later stage that the City Hall charges $25 / can!).

Well done today, Tin Kwong Team!
Hope you enjoy your tennis likes me today!

(isn't it a bit lengthly come to here and I better to stop right here!)

Aftermath of the After Match

Sun Tsui Team 1 on 27 August 2006

I played man's single against Kelvin of Sun Tsui Team 1, and lost the battle by 3:6 (or 2:6?). It was a very enjoyable match even though I lost, for the following reasons (or excuses):
1) My backhands were totally ugly, but as I was struggling with my backhand form, I expected that I could not play well for my backhand, and it ended up that It was worse than what I expected before the match anyway, and Kelvin quickly discovered my weakness was also a key point to my loses.
2) My serves were bad too (especially the second serves).
3) Except the the first few games that I played badly, partly due to I was too nervous or partly my skill problem, I did play quite a lot of winners with my forehands at the later part of my games.

Overall, I was satisfactory with my forehands, as I coudl do what I wanted to do. If I could improve my backhand and serves, I think I can have a better match with Kelvin next time.


Sun Tsui Team 2 on 3 September 2006 - First Double Match

I played man's double with Duncan against Thomas and Paul of Sun Tsui Team 2, and luckily won by 6:2.

I was not so satisfactory with myself this time:
1) I am jsut too nervous and I dropped my serve game with a lot of double-faults.
2) We won mainly because of Duncan who calmed me down a lot during the match.
3) The opponents, who seems to be the stronger team, were too nervous (may be due to the unfamilair court) and gave us the chance to win.
4) Although I won some points with volley hits, I didn't feel I played well.




Sun Tsui Team 2 on 3 September 2006 - Second Double Match

I played the second man's double with Alan against Keigh and Clive of Sun Tsui Team 2, and unluckily lsot by 3:6.

I was not so satisfactory with myself this time:
1) First excuse, I was not prepared to play the second double with Alan, and playing with Alan more or less gave me some pressure.
2) I didn't fit into Alan's game, and we quickly lost 3:0 - again 1 game due to my bad services.
3) When we discovered the weakness of the other team, it became too late for us to catch up.
4) I felt I played very bad at the beginning, but improved at the later stage of my game. Our problem was I and Alan were not familiar with each other's playing style, so many times we had to chase and hit the coming balls without foreseeable thinkings and adequate preparation (like some volleys). The lop balls tactics of the opponents also confused us.

Overall, if Alan and I can prepare better and do not lose the first few games so quick, we may be able to beat the opponents or make the game points closer than 6:3.

The Body Rotation System - Spinning vs. wobbling

A common phenomenon occurs after watching a good tennis performance. One's play seems to improve. True. Similarly, it is advised, that when playing golf in a foursome with inferior players, one should not watch any of the offending strokes, for ones play may actually degrade after the 200th poor swing you have seen.

So I do believe we can play a little better after an afternoon of watching the US Open. But what to look for? Certainly the tremendous power, the leaping and jumping, and flailing contortions are not so easy to copy, if not injurious to try.

One thing, however, does come to mind and can be easily observed and can be readily employed - the body rotation system/centeredness/spinning/wobbling.


Years ago, a baseball physicist named John White presented materials at a tennis conference in Carmel. He played with a whistling spinning top (the faster the top spun the more shrill the whistle, so one could hear how fast it spun). He demonstrated how when spinning with a vertical axis, the top tended to stay in one place (gyroscopic stability) but when knocked off its vertical axis it began to wobble (precession) and then moved around the table in an arc, quickly losing it's spinning velocity.

White applied the principles of gyroscopic stability to tennis, and in the early 1990's his model accurately described the games of Andre Agassi and Monica Seles. He spoke of a dual leg drive where the batter or tennis player didn't really step in, but rather drove the hip turn with both legs evenly weighted. He discussed the inertia of the arms and racquet and showed how short a simple quick swing enables the top to spin more quickly. And then he demonstrated how a centered, spinning action kept the head and eyes relatively still, whereas the wobble moved the head and eyes enormously.

Watch Barry Bonds or Roger Federer - the swings are not long but rather compact and quick. And the head stillness and resulting eye control are truly amazing. (White's book, Batting Basics, is very hard to find, and not carried by any publisher I know of, but is outstanding if you can find a copy somewhere.)

White's goals for the batter, and by extension the tennis player, were to hit the ball hard and hit the ball squarely. And he expected one to do just that by emulating a spinning top. He believed that five fundamental actions enabled just such a hard and square hit. They include body power, balance, good vision, flexibility, and bat control. Let me translate these five fundamentals into the tennis realm.


Federer's swing is compact and the head stillness and resulting eye control are truly amazing.

Body power - the intent is to maximize rotation using both legs. Here one emphasizes the large muscle groups, and is commonly known as "loading" in our tennis jargon.

Balance - a vertical spine, perfectly vertical that is, an even distribution of weight on both legs, a deep knee bend and a short soft hitting stride enhance gyroscopic stability. That is to say, stay low, stand tall, and turn rather than step in to the ball.

Good vision - the head is balanced atop this spinning machine, so the key here is to keep the hips still and level as they turn which then quiets the skull. This is where one can clearly observe either the wobbling of a spinning top off its vertical axis, or a perfectly centered "whirling" hit.

Flexibility - bend all the joints and relax the muscles, especially as regards the arm and racquet, as tension will restrict movement.

Bat (racquet) control - hold the racquet and arms close to the body. Delay the decision to swing, Tom Stow called this the "pause", and swing with a compact and quick delivery.

So the practical elements of the spinning top as applied to tennis include the following. The player does not really step in, but rather generates their turning momentum with the legs spread, balanced and equally weighted. The racquet and arms are held relatively close to the body on racquet preparation, the elbow is generally bent not straight. The strokes appear quick rather than fast, short rather than long - and this is Barry Bonds as well as Andre Agassi in spades.

When there is a slow motion replay of any of the players, find a spot in the background, maybe a fan in the stands, use this spot as a reference and notice clearly how little the head moves during the turn. Really just like centering clay on a potter's wheel. One cannot throw the pot until the clay is centered. Similarly, one cannot truly control the swing unless the body and head are centered - perfectly centered.

Now armed with this new perspective, monitor your centeredness, or the centeredness of others. I think you will notice a lot more wobbling than you might imagine.

Singles Tactics in Tennis

By Mark Rothwell

Introduction
There are so many varying factors which have an influence on singles tactics that a player must continually concentrate, analyze, and try to keep two steps ahead of his or her opponent. Continually thinking about the game is the only way to ensure the player's tactics are correct in all stages of the match. There are six factors that may affect the player's decision on tactics:
Your own style of play, remembering your strengths and weaknesses.
Your opponents style of play, taking into account strengths and weaknesses.
Court and climatic conditions.
Your physical condition.
Your opponent's physical condition.
Differing mental capacities of players.
Because of these variables it is difficult to make hard and fast rules when designing singles tactics. The following ideas are intended as guidelines and should be analyzed and used to appropriate match situations or differing playing abilities.

General Tactics
Ball control
1. Tennis matches are lost not won! More points are won on errors than by hitting winners.
2. A player must learn when to attack or when to defend. Defensive tennis is a very important part of a player's game and must not be overlooked. A top player must have a balance between defense and offense. The slugger rarely wins, and the pusher rarely wins. The player who wins most has good ball control and plays at about 75 to 80 per cent effort, waiting for a short ball or an opening. Playing at 75 to 80 per cent gives you a margin of error.
3. Play one point at a time, concentrate intently and you will be tough to beat.
4. Players should learn to recognize important points and concentrate intently in an attempt to win each point as it occurs. The following are important points to win:
The first point of every game has a psychological advantage of "getting a head start" on your opponent.
As soon as a player reaches 40, the next point is vital, as it means a whole game.
When serving and you are down 0-30 or 15-30, the next point is vital as it could mean a service break.
After a closely fought first set, concentrate hard for the next few games of the second set, because often one player folds in the second set. Don't let it be you.
If you win the first set easily, force yourself to keep playing hard tough tennis and avoid going into a slump.
5. The object in tennis is to manoeuver your opponent so that you have an opening or a weakness to attack. Hitting deep shots is an important method of forcing your opponent on to his back foot, enabling you to capitalize on his forced weak return. Deep shots keep your opponent near the baseline, which gives him/her little chance of rushing the net.
6. Never change a winning game, but always change a losing game. There are exceptions to this rule however. If, for example, you lose a set by one service break due to your opponent hitting a net cord and a couple of good winners, it is not worth changing your game from your natural style of play. However, if you have lost the set 6-1 you should then re-evaluate your game approach to avoid losing the second set just as easily.
7. Develop a game so that you feel comfortable, both at the net and at the baseline. This flexibility is important to cater for different opponents, court surfaces and conditions. It is important to practice all tennis strokes and all match situations, including the Tie-Breaker.
8. Always aim your shots, don't be content to just get the ball into play. Hit the ball towards the open court or to your opponents weaknesses. Move your opponent around making it as tough as possible for him/her.
9. Avoid aiming for the lines when a shot half a meter inside the court will win the point. This is especially true when your opponent is off the court and all that is needed is to play the ball over the net to win the point.
10. Never give up when behind, or relax when ahead. Fortunes can change rapidly when one player becomes careless or over-confident while his/her opponent keeps trying. Expect to win and never give up.
11. A hard hitter enjoys playing against pace. Hit a variety of slow paced shots, this will force your opponent to generate his/her own speed.
12. Never under-estimate the opposition. Always play as if they have a chance to beat you, it is excellent practice for a tougher match.
13. If your timing is off, or you are not playing well, increase your level of concentration and watch the ball closer.
14. To help your concentration try the "Bounce Hit Technique". Say under your breath, "Bounce" as the ball hits the ground in front of you, and "Hit" as your racquet strikes the ball.
15. Beware of the player who sets out to irritate you and destroy your concentration. Ignore these players as much as possible and concentrate on the tennis ahead. Often a smart comment such as "Remind me to tell you something about your forehand when we finish the match" can change the course of the entire match.
16. Do not spend time in a match trying to correct a stroke, concentrate on match tactics and winning. Correct your strokes between tournaments.
17. There are two basic ways of playing a tennis match:
Concentrate on your strengths, for example, volleys, by taking control of the net at every opportunity.
Concentrate on your opponent's weakness, for example, hitting most of your shots at their backhand.
18. Drop shots are risky to play on a regular basis due to the fine touch that is required, therefore avoid hitting them on important points. Examples of when to hit drop shots are:
When playing on grass or clay, because the ball bounces low, almost never on hard court because of the height of the bounce.
When your opponent is deep behind the baseline and their return is short.
When the ball is close to the net and it is easier to angle the ball short across the net than hit deep.
19. In top tennis, drop shots are best played from the net, not from the baseline. Simply because the ball travels a shorter distance, therefore giving your opponent less time to run the distance to the ball.
20. If your opponent has discovered a weakness in your game and is attacking it continually, change your style of play. For example, if they are attacking your backhand groundstroke, attack the net on every opportunity or bring your opponent to the net. In this way the number of backhand groundstrokes you are forced to hit will be kept to a minimum.
21. If you are being beaten easily, do the following:
Avoid showing frustration or anger in your game. Realizing that you are losing control of yourself will give your opponent a big psychological lift. Act poker faced even if you are angry or frustrated inside.
Slow the pace of the match down, walk slowly around the court to pick up the balls, taking deep controlled breaths as you are doing this.
As you slow the game down, analyze what is happening. Are you making errors by hitting too hard? Are you rushing your shots and trying to hit too many difficult shots? Remember, keep cool and THINK about the situation.
22. Watch your opponent's eyes. Players often look where they are going to hit the ball. For example, a server often looks to the court area where s/he intends to hit the service.
23. Always keep on your toes while the ball is in play and keep alert. By keeping on the balls of your feet you will be able to move quickly in any direction. The only exception is while actually stroking the ball.
24. Never stand flat footed after playing a shot, move directly into the position for the next shot. Always assume that your best drive will be scrambled back by your opponent.
25. A player must be able to recognize psychologically important points or situations. For example, the score is 4-2, 40-0, your serve, and your opponent hits a weak ball close to the net which you could hit anywhere in the court for a winner, but instead you play a sloppy drop shot into the net. 40-15. Two good returns follow from your opponent, a volley error and a double fault on your part and the score is 4-3. Eventually you lose the set 7-6 after a hard fought tie breaker. The set was not lost at set point in the tie breaker, but when you played the sloppy drop shot into the net at 4-2, 40-0.
26. Remember when all else is equal, physical fitness will decide the match. Ensure your fitness level matches the standard of tennis you wish to play. A player training for the world circuit must engage in a tough physical fitness program. A Sunday afternoon social player will require nowhere near the same fitness level, but the fitter s/he is the more enjoyable the game will be.
27. Conserve energy whenever possible during a match. Examples of simple ways to conserve energy are:
Walk to collect balls between points, do not run.
Take time to towel off and compose yourself when changing ends.
Always stand in the shade when your opponent has a long chase to collect a ball, or is disputing a line call with the umpire.
28. During a tough match, if you become extremely tired, try to shorten the points by taking a few more risks, or slow the point down by hitting higher, slower shots giving yourself more time to recover between strokes.
29. Relax physically between points, games and sets, but not mentally. Walk slowly to change ends between games; loosen the grip on your racquet between points; allow your arms to hang loosely by your sides.
30. When playing a weaker player do not go all out. Relax and slow down a little but do not play over confident or give easy points away. Try to win by not losing a point, this will help tighten your game for the tougher matches ahead.

Tactics When Serving
1. Take up a stance about 90 cm (3 feet) from the center marker. This will enable you to serve a slice out wide into the fence, directly at the receiver, or straight down the center line.
A good serve is a combination of speed, placement and spin.
A well placed serve deep or wide keeps the receiver on the defensive.
2. Seventy percent of first serves must go into play. Relying on second serves has the following disadvantages:
Loss of valuable energy by hitting an additional serve due to continually missing first serves.
Extra pressure on the server, the second serve must be good or the point is lost.
The receiver moves closer to the net to return the second serve and usually attacks with the return, thus putting the server on the defensive.
3. It is vital to get the first serve in on important points, for example, when you are down break point.
4. Avoid hitting the first serve too hard. Hit at about eighty percent effort for seventy-five percent result, not one hundred percent effort for fifty percent result. If you are missing first serves try to figure out why rather than just hitting the ball harder.
5. Hard flat serves should be hit down the middle where the net is 15cm (six inches) lower than at the sidelines.
6. Second serves should be hit with spin. Aim the ball high over the net and use the spin to pull the ball down deep into the service court.
7. Vary your service to keep the receiver guessing. Remember you have three choices for direction: wide to the right, wide to the left and down the middle at the receiver. With the four types of serves, flat, side slice, top spin and reverse spin there are many possible variations.
8. The top spin serve is best hit to the sideline side of the second court (assuming that you are right-handed) since, after contacting the ground, the ball rebounds laterally off the court, forcing the receiver wide.
9. The side slice service is best hit wide to the first court since, after contacting the ground, the ball will rebound laterally off the court forcing the receiver wide.
10. Use your serve to set up points by using a well controlled and placed deep serve which drives your opponent off the court.
11. Most serves should be aimed to your opponent's weakness unless you are attempting to manoeuver him/her off the court with a slice or top spin serve. Keep the receiver guessing though, by occasionally hitting to their strength or directly at their body.
12. If a player is serving well, s/he could safely hit the serves a little harder. If a player is not serving well, the serve should be slowed down a little and hit with more spin.
13. When being severely beaten it is tactically sound to hit the serve a little harder in an attempt to 'hit' yourself back into the game.

Return of Service Tactics
1. A player must be concentrating intently when receiving serves, s/he must take up an alert ready position and be prepared to move quickly in any direction. The receiver should stand in the middle of the maximum serving angle.
2. The receiver must get the ball into play thereby giving him or herself a chance of winning the point. A failed return is similar to serving a double fault.
3. In singles the receiver should lob the service return sparingly, as there is a high probability of the lob being smashed away. However, if the server repeatedly comes too close the net, or as a surprise tactic, the receiver should use the lob every now and again.
4. It is worth taking serves on the rise and forcing the server to volley just a little before s/he likes, as s/he is expected to win the game anyhow, why not give it a try.
5. It is estimated that eighty percent of all serves are capable of being returned. Of these, ten percent will be hit for a clean winner by the receiver. Of the remainder, half can be attacked and half can be played defensively by the receiver. On short easy serves the receiver must hit a forceful return to put extra pressure on the server. Therefore if thirty-five percent of services can be attacked the receiver must make the most of them.
6. When receiving most first serves, the receiver is forced to use a shortened backswing due to the speed of the serve and the lack of time to make a full backswing. The receiver should be content to return a fast first serve safely down the middle of the court. Short easier second serves require a longer full backswing when being returned.
7. When the receiver has hit a good return it is advisable to move about 90 cm (3 feet) into the court, this will provide him/her a better court position to hit a passing shot.
8. If the server is missing first serves due to nerves, the receiver should move in a little closer and chip the second serve back quickly, placing extra pressure on the server.
9. When playing a good net rushing player, a sound tactic is to chip the return short and wide. This will force the server into playing a difficult low or half volley.
10. When hitting topspin returns, if the server is rushing the net, the return should dip quickly once it crosses the net, forcing an elevated volley. This will give the receiver an advantage in the rally.
11. If the server does not follow his/her service into the net, hit deep service returns to keep him/her on the baseline or, if s/he has a weak volley, hit short drop shots to force him/her to come to the net.
12. When returning a heavily sliced wide service, the receiver should always move diagonally forward to the ball, thus hitting the serve earlier and not being pushed to far out of court.

The Most Important Strategies for any Player to Know

By Ron Waite

A reader who has written to me on several occasions asked what would be the most important strategies to incorporate into one's game, if she/he is playing competitive situations.

Well, there is no simple answer to this question, but I do think that some basic strategies need to be in place, if one wants to compete at a higher level. At the end of this month's column, I will review them in brief. If you print out this page and put it in your tennis bag, you will have some ideas to consider when things are not going well in a match.

The real difference between quality players and recreational players in my mind is that quality players know how to win when their game is off. Believe me. Everyone has days and matches where he/she cannot play what is his/her usual game!!! This occurs at every level of the game…from pros to beginners.

The natural reaction for a tennis player facing this situation is to panic…and after the panic, frustration and anger set in. Once things get to this point, the match is for all intents and purposes over. The key is to know when and how to change a losing game!!!

That is what this month's article is all about.

Now, if you are a regular reader of my column you know that I classify players into three principle categories: Type A players, Type B players and Type C players.

Type A players are people who usually play best when they are not thinking. They usually have one of two weapons and expect to dominate the match with these weapons. They rarely analyze their opponents, nor do they adapt their play very much to accommodate different styles of play from their opponents. Frequently, a Type A player will not even know that she/he is playing a left handed opponent until the second set!!! Type A players are usually the first to panic. If their weapons fail them, even briefly, they become fearful and this begins a very negative cycle. Getting out of this cycle is not easy for the Type A player.

Type B players (which is what I am) are players who may have some weapons but usually win because they help their opponent lose. These players are thinkers on the court. They are often referred to as "heady" players. They will adapt as many times as is necessary to win a match. They realize that there are no style points in tennis. They probe their opponents for weaknesses. Once they find them, they will give the opponent lots of what he/she does not like and avoid hitting to the opponent's strengths. Type B players usually have a wide variety of shots in their arsenal of weapons. To me, John McEnroe was the best Type B player to ever play the game (some might argue that Pancho Seguro deserves this honor, but he was before my time).

Type C players are what we all want to become. A Type C player is a combination of both A and B. She/he has the weapons and begins each match simply playing her/his game. If, however, she/he gets in trouble, the Type B player inside takes over. The Type C player knows when and how to adapt on the court. Andre Agassi began his career as a Type A player. When Brad Gilbert became his coach he moved to a Type C player. I think Brad is doing the same for Andy Roddick. Mats Wilander was a Type B player who learned to add strokes and strategies to his game. He eventually became a Type C player.

Before we discuss simple strategies, the reader must remember what I call the pyramid of priorities in tennis.

First, get the ball over the net. (Hitting the net is, in my opinion, the worst error of all)

Second, the player should try to keep the ball landing deep in the opponent's court. By this, I mean that the ball should bounce between the service line and the baseline. The closer to the baseline the ball lands…the better.

Third, the player must be able to hit the ball in any direction…left, center or right.

Fourth, the player must be able to impart spin. Topspin is most important, but slice is necessary, as well.

Finally, the player should be able to hit the ball with pace. Unfortunately, too many players (especially Type A players) do not know how to hit with temperance.

The pyramid would look like this:
Power

Topspin and Slice

Hitting in Every Direction

Hitting All Balls Deep in the Opponent’s Court

Hitting Every Ball Over the Net…Even if it is Out


Type B players usually have no problem with this pyramid of priorities and seem to start each match from the warm up to the finish of the match working their way up this pyramid. Type C players usually are ready to hit with power from the outset of the match.

Having said all of this, I would like to give each of you some simple strategies to try in your matches. It should be noted that like strokes, strategies need to be practiced.

The only way that you can truly own a stroke or a strategy is to use it in real competition with effectiveness. Practice sets are great, but there is no substitute for true competition.

I often encourage my students to play tournaments with a view toward learning…not necessarily winning. By this, I mean that the student should play a match using strokes or strategies that are not her/his "natural" approach to the game. Sure, he/she may lose the match…but there is a greater victory…learning!!!

I must admit that it is often times very hard to convince parents of juniors (or the juniors themselves) that this "sacrifice" is worth the price. I remind them that Pete Sampras lost a lot of matches against his peers when he decided to abandon his two handed backhand and adopt the one handed variety. Why did he change? Well, he figured that players with one-handed backhands were more likely to be effective serve and volleyers. His performances at Wimbledon show the wisdom of his belief and sacrifices.

I use all of the strategies that I list below. I am a less than gifted player, and I need to be able to dominate my opponent by helping him self-destruct. Although I am not a pusher…these annoying players know all too well the importance of being able to frustrate your opponent into losing.

Type A players will probably have the most difficult time incorporating these tactics into their games. However, if they truly want to move their games to the level of a Type C player, they will need to be open minded, patient and persistent. I promise them that the dividends are worth the investment.

SIMPLE STRATEGIES THAT WORK

1. Run the "turtle." Don't run the "rabbit." Hit balls that make the player who wants to serve and volley or the player who is not fit in a manner that forces him/her to run side to side. You may lose the first set, but win the match in three. I call these players "turtles." The "rabbit" is the player who is fit and seems to get to every ball. He or she is used to hitting on the run. You would be amazed at how often he/she will become impatient and hit an errant shot when you hit at him/her. Try to keep the ball deep and in the center of the court. If you are going to move these "rabbits" make them come to the net…this is usually not where they want to be.


2. Never let the opponent see the same ball twice. Most players will groove on your shots no matter how well they are struck after a few games. If you are winning the points, keep up the good work. But, if you sense that the opponent is anticipating your shots or has become used to the pace, bounce and spin of your shots…you need to vary them. My opponents often will say after a match that they could get no rhythm on my shots. Well, varying the height, spin, pace and direction of my shots is the reason why. Some of the players on my team have labeled me "The Junkman." It is a title that I wear proudly because it indicates that I have taken something away from my opponent by varying my shots.


3. "Moon" till they swoon. The "moonball" (high, deep, topspin shot) is a shot every player needs. It is one of my favorite "weapons" and I can hit this shot in a manner that puts my opponent 5 or 6 feet behind the baseline. I have actually pinned opponents against the back fence when using this shot. It is well worth learning. It frustrates the player who wants and likes pace. It prevents the superior player from hitting winners. Equally important, this shot takes very little out of you. Whenever I need a "rest" in a match, I will play a point or two using the moonball. Even if I lose the point, I have regained my breath and strength. It amazes me how often these moonballs will frustrate the opponent into hitting a shot that has far too much pace or is hit at too severe an angle. In a long moonball rally, I look to do one of two things: wait for a short reply and put away a winner…or hit a drop shot when I am certain the opponent is well behind the baseline. You won’t win any awards for style using this tactic, but believe me; it will win you points and matches.


4. Hit every shot to the opponent's weaker wing. Simple and obvious as this strategy may seem, it works!!! I have used it exclusively in some matches. The opponent begins to move over to better cover my shots. Sometimes, the opponent will run around the weaker wing to hit his favorite shot. Yes, I lose some points in this approach. But, it wins more than I lose. It amazes me how many Type A players never truly know which is their opponent's weaker wing. If you lose two points in a row using this technique…just vary it slightly. Once the opponent is wide (maybe even out of court), hit something short and wide to the opponent's strong side. By making her/him move forward and sideways, you will be taking a little confidence away from the opponent when she/he finally gets to hit her/his strength.


5. Get every first serve in. Even weak first serves enhance your chances of winning a point. I practice 100 serves per day in addition to my other training. I work mostly on my kick serve. I have served entire matches where I never hit a serve over 80 mph. I have rarely had an opponent tee off on my first serve…even when it is weak with respect to pace. However, I will vary my placement. This is how I keep my opponent "honest."


6. Take a big step forward when returning every second serve.
Make your opponent pay for missing his/her first serve. The best way to do this is by moving inside the baseline when returning second serves. I make this movement forward very obvious. Why? Sometimes my opponent will attempt a big flat serve as a second serve to try and move me back. Truthfully, this tactic may win him a point of two. But, if he is doing it frequently, he is going to double fault. Once the opponent starts double faulting, he usually misses more first serves. The "heady" player will take something off the first serve to make sure it drops in the box. The Type A player, however, will usually go for more on the first serve…this usually leads to disaster.


7. Hit every return cross court and do not try to win the point off of the return. Cross-court returns of serve are the safest return possible…even when playing a serve and volleyer. Too often, players will try to win the point off of the return of serve. This is particularly true when they believe that the opponent is not serving big or if they do not respect the opponent’s skills. The truth is that very few points are won off of the return of serve. Playing it safe and getting the ball in play will probably win you more points than you imagine.


8. Control the "flow" of the game. Very simply, some players like to play quickly. Others will take all day between points. Simply by controlling the flow of the game, you may be taking something away from an opponent. Now, I am not advocating violating the rules of tennis. The play must follow the flow of the server. However, the server must allow the returner to be ready to receive serve. Within these guidelines, there is plenty of flexibility. If an opponent likes to play quickly, slow her/him down. If she/he likes to take her time, try to get things moving more quickly. Allied to this is the old axiom: Speed up a winning game…slow down a losing game.


9. Control your emotions. I know that modern sports psychologists promote positive emotions when playing tennis. Fist pumping and positive statements can be helpful…look at Lleyton Hewitt…he can fire himself up quite well. However, Dr. Allen Fox raises a very interesting point. If you allow positive emotions in your game, you are probably going to allow negative emotions to show, as well.

My approach is simple…never show emotion. I try to be Bjorn Borg-like when I play. I figure that if I can look at a winner and an error with he same expression, my opponent will never know whether I am emotionally up or down. Whenever I see an opponent show negative emotion on the court, I am like a hungry lion. I sense weakness and it makes me more of a predator. Type A players are probably best showing positive emotions…but, they need to learn to stifle the negative ones. Type B players are usually better able at maintaining a poker face. Either way, we need to control our emotions. It is well worth the practice and effort.


10. When all else fails, try to move your opponent in and out. This is a risky and difficult strategy, but one that has won me some matches that I thought were lost. Most tennis players think and move with left to right software. When I have varied spin, height, pace and placement with no success, I usually will go to the in/out strategy. Very simply, you attempt to move your opponent in with short shots, and then, back with high lobs. With quality players, this technique will probably not be effective…but you never know. With lesser players, you may find that "jerking" them around like this is just enough to get them frustrated. Once a player loses composure anything is possible.

Hopefully, my two readers in Venezuela who took the time to e-mail me and ask for such an article will find this month's column helpful. Tennis is a game where the "better" player doesn't always win.

Incorporating these simple principles and strategies to your game plan arsenal will, in time, make you the kind of player you want to be.

Re: Tennis Matters

1. Tennis Ball

l Studies have shown the fluffier a ball gets, the slower it flies which is why you often see top players such as Tim Henman check several balls to find the least fluffy before serving.

l When not in use, tennis balls should be stored in the can they came in.

l This won't prevent them from losing pressure, but can slow it down.

2. Tennis Shoes

l Unlike running shoes, proper tennis shoes allow for side-to-side sliding.

l Added side-support is crucial to keep your foot stable even when playing shots on the run.

l Some players like to have extra ankle support, so mid-cut shoes are a good option. Breathable mesh insets in the leather will also make the shoes less sweaty.

l Women tend to have higher arches in their feet than men so female players should look for extra support underneath the arch.

l Choose cushioned socks that give extra protection to the bits of your feet that take all the impact - the ball and the heel.

l This spongy cushioning also absorbs sweat, taking it away from your skin making blisters and conditions such as athlete's foot less likely.

3. Tennis Outfits

l Don't be swayed by labels when it comes to choosing your gear.

l For instance, tight-fitting tops look good for girls, but it may be more comfortable to wear a looser shirt which is more breathable.

4. Tennis Courts

a. The Australian Open

l It is the first Grand Slam event of the year - and is used as a benchmark for the rest of the season.

l The tournament is played on a specially-designed hard court surface called Rebound Ace.

l Hard court surfaces are made of asphalt or concrete and covered with coloured acrylic paint mixed with sand to give it texture.

l Unlike on grass and clay, the bounce and the speed of the ball is consistent - which makes it ideal for beginners to play on.

l Hard court surfaces are considered a great leveller.

l Many of the top seeds have been knocked out during recent years at the Australian Open.

l They complained that the surface was too sticky, leading to injuries.

l Others put the injuries down to the timing of the event with players not having had enough time to recover since the end of the previous season.

b. The French Open

l The distinctive red suface of clay is made of crushed brick packed together and covered with a loose, rough layer.

l This causes the ball to stick to the court, slowing it right down.

l It also gives the ball a big bounce - with players often having to play the ball at shoulder height or above.

l This gives players more time to reach the ball and makes it harder to put shots away.

l It's difficult to win points with one big shot.

l That's why patience is a virtue on clay courts.

l Indeed, research shows that rallies measured at the French Open are longer than at any other Grand Slam event.

l It is not unusual for a rally to last 10 to 15 strokes, compared with two or three on grass.

l Because the ball has such a big bounce on clay, it is important to play the ball deep and to put plenty of spin on it.

l The slippery surface can force players to skid into shots and points can often be won by wrong-footing your opponent.

l Like grass, clay must be watered

c. The Wimbledon

l From the slow clay courts of Roland Garros, the Grand Slam series heads straight for Wimbledon which has the fastest of all the playing surfaces - grass.

l Wimbledon is the only major tennis tournament in the world still to be played on grass.

l It gives the ball a low bounce which can also be very unpredictable.

l You can never expect the same bounce twice on grass.

l Because of the low bounce, players with short, compact strokes that do not need as much time to prepare have an advantage.

l Those who can mix up their game, using slice as well as top spin, drop shots as well as lobs, also do well.

l Fast, powerful shots are also very effective on grass.

l Big servers such as the 2001 champion Goran Ivanisevic have even more of an advantage.

l And players who can back up their serve by attacking the net ready to volley away a weak return are best suited to grass.

d. The US Open

l The US Open, played at New York's Flushing Meadows, is the final Grand Slam event of the tennis year.

l It's also the richest tennis tournament in the world with over $17m of prize money up for grabs in 2003.

l It is played on a green hard-court surface known as Decoturf.

l At the US Open though - it is often the raucous atmosphere and not the playing surface that wrong-foots the players.

l Maybe that's why it's sometimes referred to as the world's toughest tennis tournament.

l It's certainly the biggest.

l The Arthur Ashe Stadium holds 23,000 spectators - and they can sure be intimidating.

l Britain's Greg Rusedski was completely unnerved when the Flushing Meadows crowd got behind his opponent Todd Martin three years ago.

l After being in control he ended up losing the match after the crowd started hurling abuse at him.

l Added to the noise of the crowd, planes from nearby La Guardia Airport also used to take off right over Flushing Meadows.

l The US Open also features night matches played under floodlights - and that can also have an affect on some players.

l Bjorn Borg, who won 11 Grand Slam titles during the 1970s and early 1980s, never won the US Open because he could not stand playing under floodlights.