Steven White's Articles Tagged 'instruction' (30)

It seems that every young kid wants to hit a two-handed backhand with topspin like Raphael Nadal or Andy Roddick. That’s not so unusual, I suppose, since many kids tried to serve and volley like Pete Sampras when he was the world’s leading player. But let’s face it, most youngsters don’t possess the extraordinary skills of a Nadal or Roddick. Nadal’s…

Everywhere people are playing tennis, from the public parks to professional stadiums and arenas, you’ll see people of all ages using two hands on the backhand side. The two-handed backhand boom is here to stay. Back in the 1940’s, players like Pancho Segura came onto the scene using two hands in a professional atmosphere…

Most players that use a one-handed backhand usually have some variety in their shots off that side. Usually, the variety would include a slice backhand. The slice backhand is probably one of the most natural strokes in tennis. Bringing your racquet back to about shoulder height position on the backswing is as natural as…

The “hitting…

Just before your opponent hits the ball, take a little hop, then come down with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet, ready to move in any direction with the correct foot. Taking this hop, called a split-step, enables you to stop and read his shot. Don’t just take a hop, land on your heels and turn off your engine. You have to be ready to…

Make contact with the ball just in front of your forward foot and keep the ball on the strings as long as possible. The racquet face should travel on a straight upward line through the hitting zone in the direction you want the ball to go. If you’re trying to hit the ball crosscourt, make contact a little farther out in front. But if you’re trying to send the ball down the line, make contact a…

You are only as fast on the court as you are on your first step. To move to the ball, your first step should be a thrust out with the foot closest to the ball. That also turns your hips and shoulders slightly and starts your racquet back. You drive off your far foot and move the center of your body toward the ball. If you lean with your head and shoulders first, your legs are always trying to catch up with your…

Author, Steven White brings twenty-five years of tennis teaching experience to focus on the fundamentals of the game for the young, the beginning, and the improving player. The book allows young readers to learn the basic strokes of tennis from easy-to-follow text, written with a combination of simple and more complex sentences and carefully introducing new vocabulary. And it's Manga illustrated! The Manga characters not only provide an interesting…