I Love Tennis!

Note : Following information is acquired from BBC sport website.    (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/default.stm)

Basic Skills

Forehand

    Starting from the ready position, drive off from the legs and look to get to the ball as soon as possible. As you push off, prepare by turning both your hands towards the ball. This will rotate the shoulders and upper body away from the ball, storing up energy that will soon be used to create power.
    The forward swing of the racquet should be from low to high. You should be looking to make contact with the ball at around waist height. As you get more confident, have a go meeting it slightly higher. This will enable you to get more power into the shot and get further into the court which will put your opponent under even more pressure.

Backhand

    As you start to move turn your shoulders towards the ball, use your wrists and arms to lay the racquet head back. Keep turning until your racquet head is pointing towards the back fence and at about waist height. The further you lay the racket head back the more power you can create. You will notice that top players turn their shoulders so far that their opponent is able to read what is on the back of their shirt.
    Your footwork is now crucial. As you get to the ball, look to load up on the left foot (right hander) and then transfer your weight forwards onto your right just before you hit. Don't step across with your right foot as this will send you off balance.
    If you get the footwork right you will feel the shot start from your legs, then rotate the left side of your body through the ball. Combine this with a low-to-high swing with your arms. Sometimes the rotation that you create will be so great that you will start to spin around on the follow through. If this happens you've cracked it, the rotation will create power but will also help you recover back quicker.

Backhand Slice

   Slice is created by the racquet head brushing down the back of the ball. The spin creates a lower, flatter trajectory over the net and makes the ball stay low off the bounce.
    For the backhand slice you need to use the continental grip. To find this put the V between your thumb and index finger on the edge of your racquet's frame. Then slide your hand down the frame to the grip - this will be the correct grip. Your spare hand should be holding the racquet lightly at the throat. From your ready position turn both hands and your trunk to the side so that the shoulder of your hitting arm is pointing to the ball.
    As you turn to your backhand, the shot starts to differ from the top spin. The moment that you see the ball heading to your backhand take the racquet back by turning your shoulders. As you turn, bring the racquet head up high with your non-hitting hand, almost bringing the racquet strings behind your head.
    As you get in position load the weight onto your back foot and then as the ball starts to arrive transfer the weight onto the front foot and lean into the shot. The racquet swing should be a knifing action down from high to low grating the racquet strings down the back of the ball - this should really make the ball fizz with all the backspin.
    Try to add to the high to low swing by extending the racquet head out through the ball towards the target. Feel your spare hand extend out behind you as a counter balance to the forwards swing.

Dropshot

   As players hit with more power and more top spin the drop shot has become increasingly effective as a surprise variation.
   Ideally the ball that is coming to you should not be too low and will also have a little bit of pace on it - it is very difficult to hit a drop shot of a very slow moving ball. Disguise is vital. You want your opponent to be on their heels expecting a deep powerful shot from you. To do this you need to move up to the ball and prepare as if you were going to hit a topspin drive. You need to set up with a big back swing and shape to hit a topspin shot.
    Then at the last second change the shot. Shorten your back swing right down and move your racquet head to the ball with a slightly open racquet face. Soften your grip on the racquet and as you hit the shot try to feel your racquet face cushion down the back and underneath the ball. This will take the pace off the shot and will also generate some backspin killing the bounce.

Volley

   The ready position is crucial. You do not have time to waste by bringing your racquet from the incorrect position. Alter the ready position slightly from the way you would prepare for groundstrokes by bringing the racquet head slightly higher. Move the elbows forward so they're just in front of the body.
    As you see the ball coming move your head and hands towards the ball. This should bring the racquet head out into position in front of you. If you do this correctly you should feel your upper body go to the ball and your feet following. In emergencies this can turn into a controlled lunge or even a dive.
    Do not swing the racquet at the ball, the shot should be short and punchy and take place almost entirely out in front of you. Use your wrist and forearm to bring the racquet head down on the ball in a short, sharp action. Make sure that the racquet face is slightly open. The downward action and the open racquet face should send the ball shooting through the court with a little bit of backspin. This will keep the ball low off the bounce making it more difficult for your opponent to pass you.
    Follow through in the direction you want to send the ball. Then get back into the centre of the court as quick as you can ready for the next shot. Don't worry if you get passed or lobbed a few times. Coming to the net is a very aggressive but slightly risky play. The players that excel at it are exceptionally athletic but also have an attacking gambler's mind set.

Serve Basics

    Slice Serve - It happens when the racquet face brushes around the side of the ball. The resulting spin takes the ball out wide which often means the receiver has to run right out of court to return the ball. It is all down to where you put the ball in your throw up.
    To hit a slice serve the ball needs to be in front of you. If you place it a little more to the right (to the left for left-handers) can also help generate more spin.
    As you accelerate to hit the ball, slide the racquet face around the outside of the ball. You should hear a different sound as the strings brush across the ball imparting the spin.
    Try to stay relaxed as you hit the ball. Try to feather the ball and glide the serve rather than bite into it. This will help you get more swing and angle.

    Kick Serve - The top-spin or 'kick' serve is created by the racket face brushing up the back of the ball. It creates a serve that loops higher over the net and then dips down into the court. It can be a very deceptive serve as the ball will swing from right to left in the air (for a right hander) but as it bounces the spin will bite into the court and it will kick high and to the right. This makes it ideal as a second serve as the looped flight path makes it safe yet the kick on the bounce forces the receiver back and usually on their weaker backhand return.
    To hit the kick serve you have to have the correct chopper grip. If you nudge it a bit further around the grip to a slight backhand grip then you can generate even more spin on the ball. Bring the ball placement back slightly and to the left (right if you are left handed), almost as if you were trying to land the ball on your head.
    As you go to hit the ball, arch your back more. Hold your sideways turn longer and accelerate the racket head up the back of the ball. Your swing path should be more in line with the baseline rather than forwards into the court.
    Do not worry where they go to begin with. Look to create the loopy trajectory and develop it from there.

    Flat Serve - The key to serving at 100mph plus is to transfer all the power you can create in your body into racquet head speed and then into the ball. The key to transferring power effectively is balance and timing. Work on establishing a smooth rhythm then build up the speed gradually.
    If you want to hit with more power you need to throw the ball further in front of you. This will help get your body weight moving forwards into the court. As your left arm starts to move up drive your left knee forwards, feel the hand and knee move together. This will start to drive your body weight forwards into the court. It also means your legs will be slightly bent too.

Rusedski's Serving Tips

    Ball Toss
The key to building my serve was making sure I had a good ball toss. When I was younger, my dad used to mark a little circle on the floor so that when I tossed the ball it would always land in the same place. Then we worked on tossing the ball to the right height. If you watch most good players, they can always throw the ball up and it usually comes straight back to the same hand. I started serving when I was about six-and-a-half and I was quite fortunate that it was quite natural for me. Then through hard work I had a pretty good serve since the age of nine.




    Consistency
It's important to make sure you have a nice, smooth action where you can do the same motion consistently. It doesn't matter what grip you have, but just make sure you can do the same thing over and over. It comes through repetition basically. What you need to do is make sure your arms move together when you're doing the toss so they work in tandem. If your toss is all over the place then your arms are going to move differently and you'll have inconsistencies. Concentrate on the toss and on getting up on the serve when you're hitting it. Most people think that you have to bring the serve down fast, it doesn't. The arm will naturally bring the ball into court. So keep on accelerating up on the ball and use your legs to generate more power.


    Target Practice
I always had a fast serve but I didn't always have the control! When I was about 10-years old I developed this by spending hours serving bucket loads of balls and placing targets down on the court for me to hit. I'd put a target on the backhand on the 'T', one out wide and one down the centre of the service box. To begin with it's usually easier to aim down the centre at your opponent's body. Then you can work out towards the corners while getting your first serve in

Game Tactics From Pros

Agassi's Tactic

    Andre Agassi does not have one of the biggest serves in the game, however he does use it to great effect. Agassi always looks to use his serve and then his first forehand of the rally as a one-two combination. His opponents know it's coming, but even after over 10 years at the top of the game they haven't found a good defence against it!

Step 1 - Serve down the center
    From the right court Agassi's favourite serve is down the centre. This serve is a great one to hit. It gets to your opponent quicker, it attacks the backhand and usually creates a return back down the centre of the court.

Step 2 - Make your opponent guess
    As soon as he sees the return coming back up the centre of the court Agassi starts to move to his left looking to bring his forehand into play. His opponent is now stuck in the middle of the court knowing he's in trouble, as Agassi could attack either forehand or backhand next. Agassi gets into position to make sure that there is no difference in his set up so he can hit down either flank. This would allow his opponent to anticipate which way to go.

Step 3 - Pick your spot
    Agassi now chooses which side to attack. He will tend to hit to his opponents backhand more often than not, although he will always vary it a little to keep them guessing. Agassi stays focused on the ball right through the shot, he hits with enormous power but maintains superb balance, this enables him to maintain his level of consistency.

Murray's Tactics

    Andy Murray is best described as a counter-puncher. Counter-punchers like to soak up pressure from their opponents before seizing the right opportunity to strike. It works well as a strategy: players will often make mistakes when they are continually forced to take the initiative in the rally. When Murray is involved in a baseline exchange, he will often appear to be quite passive to begin with. Then once his opponent becomes used to a slow rally, a sudden injection of pace is often enough to win him the point. There are two plays that he favours particularly:

    The slice cross-court is a tough shot to deal with as it often lands quite short dragging his opponent into the court and wide.
    The low bounce and lack of pace forces his opponent to increase the speed of the ball without giving him enough opportunity to hit a winner. After several slices cross-court Murray will suddenly spot the right moment to strike. The shot to look out for is the backhand down the line. Murray hits his backhand down the line harder and flatter than just about any player on the tour. And when his opponent is expecting to be pulled short and wide with no pace it is pretty much unreturnable.

    Murray likes players to attack into his forehand.
    He can hit with great pace both cross-court and down the line, so understandably players will look to hit to his backhand early in the rally. Murray gets around this by using the backhand slice down the line. The low skidding ball is tough to deal with on the forehand and his opponents are forced to try and attack cross-court. Hitting down the line would be too risky as there is less court to play with. This, however, plays into Murray's hands. He knows that the cross-court shot is coming and he races to retrieve it. Now he's in a great attacking position; the ball is on his big forehand, he can hit up the line, back across court or hit a drop shot. And his opponent is in a vulnerable position as they are up the court and chasing back from their previous shot. So again after soaking up pressure and forcing his opponent to commit to an attack he is then able to suddenly go on the offensive. The shot to watch out for? Probably the wrong-footing forehand back cross-court.

Clijsters' Defense

    Kim Clijsters has been able to take on the power of the Williams sisters because of two key skills. Not only is she able to attack her opponents with her punishing groundstrokes, but she is also able to play great defence when under pressure. She can stay in a point because she is a phenomenal athlete. She has the great combination of speed and stamina; and she is also very flexible. This enables her to play good shots even when stretched right to the limit

Step 1 - Drop back from the baseline
    Clijsters is always looking for opportunities to attack. To do this she wants to be hitting shots from on or inside the baseline. However, when she realises that she is about to be attacked, she will move back away from the baseline.

Step 2 - Neutralise your opponent's attack
    Stepping back allows her more time to see and react to the incoming shot. It also means that her opponents' hard hit shots are easier to get back when they land deep in her court. When Clijsters is under attack from her opponent her aim is to neutralise the attacking shot and get the rally back to a 50:50 situation.

Step 3 - Keep the rally alive
    To do this she will aim her shot back slightly cross-court or even down the centre. This gives her more margin for error and also gives her opponent less angle to attack with. She will also give the ball a bit more lift and height over the net. Again this gives her more margin for error, but also gets the ball deeper and pushes her opponent back over her baseline.

Step 4 - Recover and read the situation
    The moment she has hit her defensive shot Clijsters is recovering back into the centre of the court. She will also be watching her opponent to gauge how effective her shot has been. If she sees that she is about to be attacked again she will stay back behind the baseline. However, as in this example, if she sees that she has managed to put her opponent on the back foot, then she will move up the court very quickly. From her baseline she is looking to seize the initiative and launch an attack of her own.