Ready – feet spread, knees softly bent, weight on the balls of the feet
Read – as quickly as possible read the ball, see clearly is this ball coming to the forehand or backhand side
React – turn your shoulders and hips to the ball as quickly as possible.
The split step is your transition to ready from shot to shot during a rally. But consider, baseball infielders wait in a ready position without a split step – would it work in tennis if we were ready but “hopped” less?
I hope you find this latest lesson useful. Make sure you leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
This video was created to compliment the free video series that Will Hamilton has put together on his new Pat Rafter series. Will has just released his fourth free video in the series and you should check it out now.
And yes, I have an affiliate relationship with Will, so I may be compensated for my promotional efforts. But I encourage you to check out the free series, even if you do not plan to make a purchase.
We have positioned the camera at eye level, on the baseline, as though returning serve in the ad court.
I nearly hit Antony on one of these serves, but no worries Mate, he is an Aussie.
That said I think this camera angle gives you the feel for how this serve jumps up and away from you, and unless the opponent has an extremely solid backhand return of serve, this particular delivery creates all kinds of problems.
I hope you find this lesson useful. Make sure you leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
As many of you know we are working with Will Hamilton over at Fuzzy Yellow Balls on his new Pat Rafter series. Will has just released his third free video in the series and you should check it out now.
And yes, I have an affiliate relationship with Will, so I may be compensated for my promotional efforts. But I encourage you to check out the free series, even if you do not plan to make a purchase.
Many years ago (50 to be exact) I sat in the shade and watched Blackie Jones give lessons at Acalanes High School. The lessons were punctuated with difficult questions.
At times, when the student was stumped, he tossed the question to me (as I stole his lessons from off court) and as I progressed to understand more of his questions and more of his system, I became first a player and then a teacher.
So to paraphrase, Blackie would ask, “There are two parts to the tennis serve, they are the toss and the swing. And if that is so, do you recommend swinging at the toss or tossing at the swing?” Actually a good question, and though perhaps either answer might suffice, Blackie followed with a compelling demonstration.
The general answer was, “Swing at the toss.” At which point, Blackie would serve with his eyes closed. And then explain, “If you know the contact location, and the rhythm without a toss, then go and duplicate that swing with a toss, but without looking.” If you toss the ball into the swing, this actually works. If on the other hand your toss is way above the contact zone, it becomes impossible to serve without looking, and in that instance one certainly swings at the toss. When tossing into the swing, the motion and rhythm feel similar. When swinging at the toss the two versions feel like night and day. Blackie was the greatest.
Up and down down and up
The following six shot sequence identifies key elements within the serve (as demonstrated by the redoubtable Roger) but importantly – these elements are part and parcel of a fluid and effortless delivery
And a definition – I am calling UP and Down the moment when the racquet head is UP and the body is DOWN
And I am calling DOWN and UP the moment when the racquet head is down the the body has moved (powerfully) UP
Take special notice of the last two photos in the sequence below - they highlight the role of elastic energy – where the racquet head drops (lazily) as the legs thrust the body up
You key is to be as loose and relaxed as possible during the transition from Up and Down to Down and UP
(I am hoping these words, though on the surface confusing, may actually simplify this action)
Tell me if it worked
In Federer sequence above, note the following elements (clockwise)
Toss released at eye level, tossing arm turned to the side
Toss rising, Fed keeps his weight back
Knee bend starts to increase, Fed now evenly balanced on both legs
Nearing the explosive move – but not yet
UP and Down – the racquet head is UP, and he is fully DOWN
Snap – everything reverses – the racquet drops DOWN as Fed explodes UP – elastic energy flows to the shoulder and rotator cuff
Release Toss at Eye Level
An accurate toss will be every bit as important as a rhythmic and balanced swing. That said many players release the ball much too early and too low, so the toss travels further and often errantly. Jon releases the ball at eye level. Note the impeccable balance.
Sinking
As the toss “peaks” the knees bend and are equally weighted. The tossing arm remains up and well extended. Further, the red line highlights the alignment of the shoulders, so that Jon can easily swing up and into the ball.
I hope you find this lesson useful. Make sure you leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
As many of you know we are working with Will Hamilton over at Fuzzy Yellow Balls on his new Pat Rafter series. Will has just released his second free video in the series and you should check it out now.
And yes, I have an affiliate relationship with Will, so I may be compensated for my promotional efforts. But I encourage you to check out the free series, even if you do not plan to make a purchase.
I hope you find this lesson useful. Make sure you leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
We will be working with Will Hamilton at Fuzzy Yellow Balls as he rolls out his free video series with Pat Rafter over the next few days, and from the first look this appears to be a particularly good course. Specifically because Rafter at 40 is demonstrating and describing a game that I believe many club and tournament players can copy and ultimately play.
If you haven’t already, make sure you check out Will and Pat now.
And yes, I have an affiliate relationship with Will, so I may be compensated for my promotional efforts. But I encourage you to check out the free series, even if you do not plan to make a purchase.
Tennis ju-jitsu. Blocking, borrowing, deflecting the ball, playing with angles and change of pace.
The game is not always about power and winners. Just as easily the game can become one of rebounding the ball, using the opponent’s force and incoming shot to create our own.
This style, ju-jitsu if you will, comes from shorter strokes, firmer grips at contact, and a willingness to look for angles, dinks, drops and more.
McEnroe was the unquestioned master of this – try it out for yourself.
ETI Podcast 23 Borrowing Pace - Tennis Ju-jitsuDownload
Relishing the contest. Appreciating the opponent. Understanding (really) the rules of a contest.
To my mind, some matches are determined before ever hitting the first ball. We have all been in situations where we knew immediately that the opponent had no chance – and equally we have all been in situations where we knew immediately that we had no chance. None at all.
The fun occurs, when we play an evenly matched opponent. And in these contest, both players have an even chance to win.
Look for these opportunities. Keep your cool. You can be ahead and blow this lead, you can play from behind and catch up – but in any event there is chance, there is luck, there are a few balls close to the line.
Contests are fun – if you see them that way!
P.S. – I will be at the BNP Paribas in Indian Wells March 10 – 12. Drop me a note if you will be there as well – we can hook up on the tournament grounds the afternoon of the 11th.
P.P.S. As regards respect for the opponent and respect for the game – this photo from Jim Fawcette tells it all!
Imagine a packed house, electrifying tennis, raucous cheering for most every point played, and the potential for an entire weekend of tennis culminating in a Sunday afternoon singles match, with both players scrapping for every point, and the score two sets all, and 5 games all in the fifth and deciding set of a Davis Cup tie.
Davis Cup brings an entirely different level of energy to professional tennis. Personally I have been to Wimbledon, the BNP Paribas, McEnroe exhibitions in New Orleans, as well as two Davis Cup ties one in Portland where we won the Cup, and one in Birmingham Alabama – but truly nothing matches the look feel and excitement of Davis Cup. In Portland, I met many many people who said this was their fifth, eighth or even the tenth tie they have attended. Why? Because of the potential for searing drama.
The United States hosts Serbia, featuring world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, in a Davis Cup quarterfinal April 5-7 at Taco Bell Arena in Boise Idaho. “Obviously for tennis, this is the biggest thing that’s ever happened to Boise and the state of Idaho. … The community is just going to love it,’’ said Patton, part of the organizing group that worked to bring the international match to Boise. And a note, Greg Patton and the Boise community will work to pack the Taco Bell Arena on the campus of Boise State University.
The Americans earned the quarterfinal meeting with Serbia with a dramatic 3-2 first-round victory over Brazil Feb. 2 at Jacksonville, Fla. that was capped by a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) men’s singles victory by Sam Querrey over Thiago Alves.
The other three match-ups for the April 5-7 quarterfinals are France vs. Argentina, Canada vs. Italy and Czech Republic vs. Kazakhstan. This year’s semi-finals are set for Sept. 13-15, and the finals Nov. 15-17. Last year, the Czech Republic defeated Spain 3-2
The American squad is led by 16th ranked John Isner, 21st ranked Sam Querrey, and the world number one doubles tandem of Bob and Mike Bryant. And before you think Serbia may pose too daunting a threat, note that both John and Sam have posted wins over Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. This Davis Cup tie is anything but a sure thing.
I welcome your comments. Share your Davis Cup memories with others – this is team tennis competition of the highest sort. I hope to see you in Boise!!
For more information, and to order your Davis Cup package from Grand Slam Tennis Tours click here
Novak Djokovic captured his third consecutive Australian Open title. Crushing David Ferrer 62 62 61 in the semifinals, and wearing down and then beating back the challenge of Andy Murray 67 76 63 62. The end the fourth set of the men’s final showcased a dominant and domineering Novak Djokovic and a dispirited but soon to be number 2 in the world Andy Murray.
So what does this have to do with Pancho Segura and Jimmy Connors?
Pancho tinkered with Jimmy’s game, and the end result – just like Novak today – was a balanced player that understood court positioning (holding ground along the baseline) – opportunities on the short ball (moving forward to apply pressure) – the ability and willingness to make something happen on the return of the second serve – and the importance of the defensive lob.
Certainly most of us can remember the incredible sequence from the 1991 US Open against Paul Haarhuis, where Jimmy 4 towering defensive lobs – none of which were put away – followed by an amazing running backhand passing shot with Jimbo exulting from the sidelines.
Same thing in Australia but only slightly different. On a number of occasions Murray bounced Novak’s defensive lobs, and on one particular telling occasion hit a safe sidespin overhead to stay in the rally, ultimately losing the point, and more importantly revealing strangely passive tactics to a more confident opponent.
The keys to the Pancho Segura tactical playbook (so to speak) are as follows (and as you read them reflect whether you see this in Novak’s game and more importantly whether you see these within your own game -
Before you learn tactics you need ball control
Hitting hard, deep, short and high at will with ball control you can exploit weaknesses
Knowing all the shots enables you to force the opponent to play a game he is not used to
On key points the low short return is a great play
Get your first serve in on big points
The nature of the game is to draw a short ball from your opponent
Lob early and often
Pressure the opponent’s second serve
I believe the tactics above match entirely the game played by Novak Djokovic, who won an astounding 27 of 31 points when he came forward to play at the net.
As regards Pancho Segura ….
“He became so much better as a pro,” Jack Kramer said. “His mind and understanding of the game was tremendous.”
No one captured the nature of court positioning, geometry and how it affected shot selection, and most importantly how to play the points based on the flow of the match geography of the court and the flow of the match. “You are trying to draw a short ball so you can attack,” Segura said. “You need to understand things like your opponent’s grips, his movement, which shots he can hit and which shots he can’t.”
And more: 30-love is when you can afford to take the chance; 15-30 is when you can’t. At 30-30 get your first serve in play. On big points against an opponent at the net, play the ball up the middle, to force an error or to pass with the next shot.
Punish second-serve returns so opponent feels pressure when serving, leading to double faults (note I believe Connors received more double faults that anyone who played in his era). And finally, lob early and often to keep your opponent guessing.
Segura was one of the best players in the world, playing against Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, and Pancho Gonzalez. Said Trabert, “Every town we’d go to, there’d be the headliners, but so many times, ‘Segu’ would be the one who’d win the crowd over.”
And be sure to check out ETI Network – where this month we focus on an actionable lesson plans on Segura’s tactics.
In 1962, Segura became tennis director at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club. A few years later, he would commence a relationship with his most famous pupil, a driven youngster from Illinois named Jimmy Connors. Having been taught exemplary fundamentals by his mother, Gloria, Connors was, in his words, “ready to take my game to the next level.” As Caroline Seebohm writes in “Little Pancho,” her elegant new biography, “All Pancho’s love for the game would now be passed on to his eager pupil, who could hardly wait to follow in the steps of the master.”
The court was Segura’s classroom, a cocktail napkin his chalkboard, the wise old man showing the youngster every trick possible with drills and practice matches against the likes of himself and Gonzalez on the court, and drawings and discourse off it. By 1974, under the tutelage of his mother and Segura, Connors had become the world’s best player. “I could get him in a hypnotic stage,” Segura said.
Ours is a wonderful, but equally ours is a very difficult game.
We have all had days when we played great, sometimes unexpectedly great.
And we have all had days when we played far far below our best level, said another way far below our expectations.
When some say the game is 95% mental, I am now coming to understand that this “mental thing” is about a mind that is quiet, free from expectation or worry, a mind that is open and totally present centered.
But from personal experience, I confess I am not always accessing that special state – but I am working on it.
That said many months ago (January of 2011 to be precise) I published an article on Ivan Lendl, and the chance that Andy Murray would then hook up with the sports psychologist who had made such a difference in Lendl’s career.
Sure enough, in October of this year (2012) Andy Murray has gone on record that he has been working with Alexis Castorri.
The following from the Independent in England is well worth reading.
Andy Murray tells BBC Scotland that he has been working with sports psychologist Alexis Castorri since the start of the season. Murray’s coach, Ivan Lendl, recommended Castorri, whom he also worked with.
“I spoke about things away from the court that may affect you and stop you from being fully focused on tennis,” Murray said. “A lot of athletes use sports psychologists. I had in the past and it hadn’t worked particularly well for me. It’s something when I spoke to Ivan [about] at the beginning of the year, he’d travelled with a sports psychologist throughout his career. He asked if I was open to trying it and I said ‘yes.”
Andy Murray had doubted the value of psychologists in the past but the 25-year-old Scot revealed here last night that he has been consulting one for most of this year. Ivan Lendl, Murray’s coach, suggested that the world No 3 could benefit from seeing Alexis Castorri, a psychologist based in Fort Lauderdale who helped him during his own career.
Murray believes the sessions with Castorri have helped him on the court as well and played a significant part in his victory at the US Open last month, when he became the first British man to win a Grand Slam singles title for 76 years.
“When my mind isn’t free of everything, when things might be frustrating me away from the court, I can’t focus as well as I need to,” Murray said. “When my mind’s clear, I can go on the court and play, not worry about anything else. I can play much better and think a lot better on the court.”
The basis of Castorri’s work comes from logotherapy – the idea that truly the only choice you have in life is attitude – the mental and emotional reactions you choose to the events in your day to day life.
And when it comes to playing your best tennis, to quieting your mind, and becoming present centered – it is possible for you to truly learn to “choose” this emotional state.
I published the following article January 16th – and truly I believe as regards attitude, logotherapy and Andy Murray – you read it here first!
And now if you have made a decision to work on your attitude – consider the ETI Network – we have over 30 online lesson articles devoted entirely to the “mental game.” And further, throughout the coming year I am going to work personally, as well as instructionally through this site and our online product stream, on training methods and states associated with that elusive yet oh so powerful feeling when in the “zone.”
What are your thoughts, or better yet, when have you been “in the zone?” Share your comments, this is an interesting topic.
PS. Djokovic and Wawrinka just finished a marathon 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 12-10 match, with Novak yet again on top. Consider his 5 hour 5 set match over Murray in last years Australian Open semifinal, followed by his nearly 6 hour victory over Nadal in the finals. Couple this with his 5 set two match points down victory over Federer in the 2012 US Open semifinals, and his subsequent 5 set 5 hour victory over Nadal to capture the US Open title – and what we have here is an attitude – a commitment – a steely resolve of a player who “refuses to lose.” Amazing. Can you imagine the pressure felt by opponents as a match with Novak enters either the 5th set and or the 5th hour. Attitude – plain and simple.
