June 2010 Articles (83)

Have you ever been nervous enough to worry about an upcoming match? Have you ever been so nervous that the game seemed more difficult than it does when you practice? One way to improve your performance when your mind seems to be full of worry is simply to “relax”. You don’t want to relax your mind, just the muscles in your body. You will find that most of your worries will stop once your body…

Leading tennis website TennisEarth.com has now launched an interesting round the clock Wimbledon Quiz to keep tennis lovers entertained (and puzzled..., in an intriguing way ofcourse) during the swashbuckling Grand Slam fortnight.

The Quiz, that started on Saturday, Jun 20th, talks about all trivial and major happenings related to Wimbledon's rich history, tradition, and record books. There is a total of three questions that are scheduled to be asked every 8…

Don’t tell me it includes Motrin®, Tylenol® or any number of other pain relievers. If so, we have got to talk.

For years I have been watching many of my USTA league teammates and other tennis players routinely pop a few of these seemingly harmless little pills just before a match. I can understand the need to cover up those aches and pains from tennis elbow, aching knees and the like, but the whole “ignorance is bliss” mantra can be really short lived…

Welcome to the debut of our daily preview series on all of the Wimbledon action, which will briefly discuss an intriguing topic from the previous day’s action before examining several key matches in detail. They will conclude with a “briefly noted” section on matches of lesser interest that might be worth more casual attention when the central action ebbs. Since there’s little to discuss from today’s action beyond the arrangement of Federer’s trophy room (read his interview if you haven’t…

Wimbledon has always been the place for memorable matches. From big serves combined with gliding volleys to grinding rallies mixed with massive ground strokes, the Gladiators of tennis have always been fighting wars of great proportions to prove their metal over the other on the grass courts of Wimbledon. Every match is a blend of efforts and great determination put in by the players involved. However, a few matches at Wimbledon just stand out to be the most memorable matches ever…

Glancing through the Wimbledon draws, we found them more balanced and intriguing than their Roland Garros counterparts. Rather than reaching a premature climax early in the second week, the narratives should build compellingly throughout the fortnight. Yet perhaps this impression merely stems from the fact that grass suits more elite players than does clay; there are many fewer “grass specialists” than “clay specialists,” especially as the former surface slows over the years. At any rate,…

One of the most common phrases yelled out on a tennis court is “Watch the ball!” This is often the result of a player attempting to focus his mind and concentrate on the match, not necessarily because he is mad for not keeping his eye on the ball. However, it is true that controlling your eyes on a tennis court can help you control your mind. Allowing your eyes to drift can cause your mind to…

The slick lawns at the All England Lawn Tennis Club have been a witness to Williams' domination over the past decade. With eight out of ten trophies going to the Williams family, this year is unlikely to prove an aberration.

The greenery of the SW19 turns greener for those who fail to clinch title glory during the European claycourt season. All those unfulfilled dreams of Grand success during the first half of the season enter the second innings with the onset of the most prestigious…

The Kennedy Funding Invitational is a charity tennis tournament to fight breast cancer. The fifth annual event will be held July 7-11 at Dellwood Country Club in New City, NY and will benefit the breast care centers at Englewood Hospital and Nyack Hospital. Admission is free to the exciting matches, which will feature top players such as past men’s tournament winners Dudi Sela…

As players and fans anxiously await the Wimbledon draws, we turn our lens towards the snakes in the grass: dangerous lurkers who won’t hoist the trophy but from whom the top competitors hope to keep their distance. Often quirky and typically opportunistic, this group spans a spectrum from grizzled veterans (only figuratively grizzled, in one case) to surging newcomers eager to brand their imprint onto the pristine lawns of the All England Club. Ladies, gentlemen, and Jelena Jankovic, meet…

Having discussed the five tournament favorites, one of whom won’t even enjoy his own quarter, we turn our lens towards the group of players who might produce a slightly unexpected champion or champions. Once again, this article breaks down each challenger into causes for confidence and causes for concern. You might find one or two surprises in the list!

Click here to continue reading the second article in the series of…

Reaching your best playing level is your main objective, but if you can’t do it consistently, you still have work to do. To aim for consistent results with your game, begin by establishing consistent habits. Players who play the game within themselves, that is, the game they know they know they are capable of, develop strokes they can count on in practice. You…

It seems like only a week or so ago that Schiavone was ingesting particles of crushed brick and Nadal was crying softly into his towel. Well, it was only a week or so ago. Nevertheless, another Slam looms on the history-laden lawns of Wimbledon, which means that another preview is straight ahead. We start at the top with the tournament favorites, profiling causes for confidence and concern in each of their individual circumstances.

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Like many other teaching pros, when I look for a youngster’s potential talent in tennis, I look for three things – the desire to win, a good attitude, and most important, good footwork.…

Loose some extra poundage and see what happens. Whether a pro or a twice-a-week enthusiast, every player needs a proper exercise program to play his or her best tennis. It will strengthen your muscles, build up your stamina and, combined with a few warm-up routines before matches, greatly reduce the chance of muscular injury. And of…

Coaching and teaching juniors can be a very rewarding experience. However, one thing I did not expect when I began my teaching career was how much time and…

What is percentage tennis? It means that, in any given situation, you would use the shot that has the greatest chance of success. Especially at the junior levels, playing the percentages is one of the fundamentals of successful tennis. Another way to look at percentage tennis is to play in a way that will make the most of your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. All to often, I see…