Into the Final for the First Time

Into the Final for the First Time

by | Tennis Coaching | 2 comments

When my older daughter turned 10, I knew it was going to be tough to split between the green and orange level tournaments – my younger one was still determined to win an orange tournament before joining her sister in the full-court / green level competitions.

During the indoor season, we unsuccessfully tried to participate in several tournaments – the distance impeded the fact that my two daughters had to play on different days due to their separate levels.

When spring came and the outdoor season kicked in, we finally managed to book our spot in a tournament that would host both levels (green and orange) on the same day and just a few hours apart. Which meant less wait between matches and less travel for all.

My older daughter, Cezara, was first to play beginning at 12:30pm. Even though a day before she caught a bad cold she decided to take part in her first green-level competition anyway.
I could see in her movement and body language that Cezara was far from being fit enough to concentrate and compete… Nonetheless, she played all 6 matches (round-robin, first to 7-point tie-break) winning two and losing four. A good performance considering the health issues she had to deal with and her first time competing on a full court and against tougher opponents.

At 3pm, the time came for orange-level matches. My younger daughter, Bianca (8 years and a half), blended among the players during the warm-up. She was the last in line and visibly the shyest one.
Nothing could tell that she would end up within a couple of hours getting everybody’s attention and admiration…

They were divided into two groups of 6 players who were going to play in a round-robin format (every player against each other in a game with a 7-point tie-break). The top 4 players from each group would go on to the quarter-finals: first player vs. the fourth from the opposite group, second vs. third player, and so forth.

Bianca had won 4 out of her 5 group matches and went on to be the top player in her group.

Before the quarter-final began, I went to the fence and told her that she would be playing elimination matches from now on meaning she should erase from her memory whatever happened before and focus only on how to win the next matches. I suggested to Bianca to not be satisfied with the past performance (a big mental trap) and to keep her mind busy in the “now-and-next” mode.

(Some of the pieces of advice I gave my daughters before the tournament were the following:
– during the warmup, they should keep their feet moving to get the blood flowing and resist hitting the ball hard;
– make mental notes of their opponents’ possible weak shots – e.g. backhand, serve spin, etc.
– use more slice serves because some kids are not familiar with handling spin serves;
– mentally they should keep their focus by always knowing the score and visualizing winning the next point.)

To my satisfaction, I saw that Bianca followed most of the advice I gave her in regard to the warm-up and strategies.

She won the quarter-final in a heavily contested line calls and long rallies match. The umpire made some mistakes on both sides. Eventually, Bianca prevailed 7-3.

Again, I went to the fence (while she was resting and waiting for the next match) to help her stay focused on the present and what was coming ahead. She told me that this is how far she had gotten in previous tournaments – 4th place was the highest achievement.
After giving her a few tips on staying loose and focused, I left her on the bench, alone.

To our surprise, her semi-final match was going to be against, what we considered, the best player in the tournament. This girl, who traveled from out of the country to participate in this tournament, had a beautiful technique (great backhand, nice slice serve) and looked very confident.
We still don’t know how this happened, but Bianca marched to victory and sent her opponent to play for the 3rd and 4th places…
All I could say is that Bianca kept her focus from the beginning to the end, played steady shots, and ran for every single ball. That, in the end, paid off.

Our delight was immense: not only for her victory against one of the best players she’d ever played but also for the fact that for the first time she’d be in the final and so close to winning a tournament.

The final match put her against a player who lacked the technical elements but who was very persistent and smart in hitting a lot of balls in.
After a good start when Bianca was leading 3-0, she found herself contemplating the win and very certain of first place in the tournament. This is the mental trap that is hard to get out of the head afterward…

Bianca found herself slowly beaten and denied the first place.

Even so, by playing with confidence, focus, and persistence, my daughter made us all proud to see her getting a medal and recognition for her achievement.

We, after all, celebrated with a pizza and some of our close relatives waiting for us at home to congratulate both sisters. 🙂

Conclusion:
Even though every tournament that we go to means a lot of pressure for both parents and kids, in the end, the fact that we dare to get out of our comfort zone is what matters.
Experiences, bad or good, are what make life worth living and sharing.
It is not the winning or losing in tournaments that matters; it is the fact that we meet new people, get good exercise, and make a difference in the world by giving a good example of hard work and respect for others.

Spend quality time with your child while teaching them a valuable sport. Enroll today in My Daddy / My Coach program!

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Teaching Professional

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

This Inspired a Team of Excellent Players / Personal Tennis Story

This Inspired a Team of Excellent Players / Personal Tennis Story

by | Tennis Coaching, Tennis Training | 0 comments

I was a junior (about 13-14 years old) when the tennis team I was part of was about to play against one of the toughest tennis teams in our county.

We all knew we were going to get “killed” on the tennis court, therefore we decided to take it as a learning experience and see what made them so good.

Well, certainly their coach was the biggest reason for that particular team’s success, but one of the things that fascinated me was the following:

All their tennis courts were full of inspirational quotes posted on the fences, such as (the one that stuck in my mind still 26 years later) “If you win… continue; if you lose… continue!” 

I thought the coach’s idea was excellent to have his players read and eventually pick one of the quotes that connected with each of them.

I’ve lived a lot of my life’s experiences guided by motivational quotes. And they work to inspire and keep me going even when circumstances become harsh.

Do you have a quote that inspires you? Share it with us in the comment box below.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

[Some Of The] Best TENNIS DRILLS From WebTennis24

[Some Of The] Best TENNIS DRILLS From WebTennis24

by | Tennis Coaching, Tennis Training | 2 comments

In a recent email, I was asked what kind of tennis drills or games I prefer to apply in my classes…

Even though over the years I’ve posted over 1,000 tennis drills and games at WebTennis24.com, just a handful are my favorites which I use consistently in my lessons. That does not mean the other ones are not that good; they are all good drills, but it just happens that I connect and enjoy doing some of them (or I can’t remember them all 🙂

So here are the coaching tennis drills and games that I have noticed players enjoy the most during my lessons:

Popular drills and games for KIDS:
1. Jail Breaker – friendly competition for groups (practice ground strokes, ball catching, hand-eye coordination). In this game, the players line up behind the service line or baseline and they must hit their groundstrokes (forehand or backhand) in, otherwise, they go to ‘jail’ which is the court from where the balls are fed by the coach. The only way for them to get back in line is if they catch a ball that someone in the line hits over the net. This game is fun and has the kids cheering for each other.
2. Clean the Court – speed; conditioning. Another exciting game that can be a good workout because players must throw balls over the net as many as they can within a time frame.
3. Potato Race (click for video) – team race; speed; dynamic balance; racquet and ball control.
4. High Five – fun way to introduce kids to playing at the net. This is a drill that is best done with very young children because they feel like they can rally with the coach and develop the confidence to, later on, move up to the net.
5. Dodge Ball – kids love this game: teaches them quick feet, reaction, and dynamic balance. For this game, the kids move only inside one of the service boxes (with no rackets) while the coach feeds balls toward them from the other side. The young players must dodge the balls, otherwise, they are out of the game, until one remains.
6. Royal Court (click for video) – I use it mostly as a warm-up: hand-eye coordination, ball tracking, and movement.
7. Caterpillar – loved by kids; lateral movement, ball tracking. This is a game played mostly at the end of the class because it produces a lot of giggles and excitement. For this, the players line up single file line (no rackets) behind the baseline; the coach will roll balls, one at a time, while the players, maintaining the line, will have to shuffle sideways so that the rolling balls pass between their feet.
8. Popcorn – hand-eye coordination; fun. This is another favorite game but you, as a coach, must be careful and watch players to not run while the balls are rolling on the ground. For this game, the players must catch balls inside a cone (held upside-down) which the coach throws in the air many at a time (20-30). The kids will try to catch the balls in the cone while they still bounce.
9. Bounce It – racquet and ball control; competitive game for beginning players. This is one of my favorite tennis games, as a coach, because it teaches players ball tracking and eventually leads to rally the ball over the net. Here’s how it works: the coach will feed a ball to any of the players (one vs one, or two teams), each on opposite sides of the net. They must use only their racket to bounce the ball (up or down) and send it over the net as soon as they can. If the ball rolls on their side of the court, the other player receives a point. 
10. O-U-T – teaches the kids consistent serving under pressure; fun competitive game. For this, the players line up behind the baseline and take turns serving following a certain order. If one of them hits the serve in, the next one in line must also get it in, otherwise, the particular player receives the letter O. Next time it happens, he or she will get the letter U, and so on until they spell OUT. The last player who does not spell OUT wins the game.
11. My Invisible Opponent – great game to teach beginning players how to keep score while practicing their serve. The beginner player practices the serve from behind the baseline. They get 2 tries to hit the ball over the net and inside the proper service box. If they do it, they receive 15-0; if they miss, it is 0-15. Player(s) continue serving and alternating sides (left and right) until they either win or lose a tennis game. It can continue until they win or lose a set.
12. Cat and Mouse – loved game by kids: speed, quick change of direction, dynamic balance. This is a “chase” game that is done only inside the singles court and can be a good way to end a tennis lesson with.

Popular drills and games for SINGLES players:
1. Three for Air – aggressive play; moving up to the net to win more points. This is a singles game in which there is one player on each side of the court, the coach feeds balls alternating to the players to start the point. They are encouraged to move up to the net where every point they win with a ball taken in the air (volley, overhead) is worth three points.
2. 100 (click the link for drill) – great game for ground-strokes consistency.
3. In and Out – competitive game for 3+ players. This game can be played with at least three players: two competing and one waiting for their turn. The coach puts the ball in play for the two players. Whoever wins, stays; the one who loses gets replaced by the player waiting. Accumulate every point won and as soon as a player gets to a certain score (7, 10, etc.) wins the game.
4. 90 Seconds – rally competition; good conditioning play. For this game, the coach feeds only to one of the players who will try to win as many points during an allotted time (90 seconds). Then the other player will try to beat that number while receiving the coach’s feeds.
5. Ping-Pong Tennis – teamwork; ground-strokes consistency. Even though this is a team game, the play is done on a singles court, with players taking turns hitting one shot and then moving out to make room for another teammate.
6. Around the World – I usually do it at the end of a large group class – conditioning, groundstrokes consistency, fun. For this game, the players each start with 3 points (or ‘lives’). They hit the ball and then run to the other side to play the next shot while players that follow do the same. If a player misses a shot, he or she loses a ‘life’, until they are out of the game. It is an excellent drill to get players to run a lot and have lots of fun.
7. Court Defender – one of the best games for large groups. The coach needs at least two tennis courts for this particular game, to separate players into two teams. Each team designates a ‘court defender’ which they send to the other court to stop the opposing team from winning a certain number of points. 
8. Cross Fire (click the link for drill) – competitive game for large groups.
9. Wipe Out – fun game for large groups; one vs. many. This is another team game that starts as a singles play but it evolves into one vs many, played on the singles court only. It is lots of fun because teammates cheer for each other and bond.
10. Kings/Queens vs. Challengers – kids love this game; individual competitiveness. There is one group lined up on one side, and one single player on the other side. The coach begins every point by feeding to the first player in the group line. The two players play the point out and, as long as the single player (king/queen) wins, he/she stays put and accumulates points. But as soon as the king/queen loses they get replaced by the player who beat them. The first player to accumulate a certain number of points playing in the ‘royal’ position, wins the game.

Popular drills and games for DOUBLES players:
1. Three for Three (click the link for drill) – transition to the net; net play; defending from baseline – a players’ favorite.
2. Reflex Volleys – great net play game; quick reaction and volley control. For this drill, all players are up at the net, inside the service court. The coach feeds the ball to start the point to the opposite team. Play it at a fast pace while the two teams develop quick reflexes and volley control. Excellent for competitive doubles teams.
3. Three for Air – aggressive play; transition to the net; competitive game. Both teams begin the point from the baseline but they are encouraged to move up to the net where, if they win the point and their last shot was taken in the air (volley, overhead), they get three points instead.
4. Win at the Net – loved by the players: playing/winning at the net; teamwork. There is one team at the net, one team at the baseline, on opposite sides. The coach feeds only to the baseline team. The two teams play the point out. If the net team wins, they stay put for another play and get a point. If the baseline team wins, they move up to the net while the opposite team backs up to the baseline. Teams count the points only when they win while playing at the net.
5. Two Minutes – pressure play; net vs. baseline; conditioning for doubles. For this game, there is one team at the net, while the other team is at the baseline, on opposite sides. The coach feeds only to the baseline team. The team at the baseline has two minutes to win as many points as they can against the net team. Then they switch sides and roles with the new team at the baseline trying to beat the opposing team’s score.
6. One-Up-One-Back – classic doubles formation competitive game. This drill is good practice for the teams that prefer the classic one-up-one-back formation. The coach feeds the ball and the teams play it out. After a certain score, players move one spot clockwise so that everyone practices and plays on every doubles position (net, baseline).
7. Battle of Rackets – teamwork; court coverage for doubles. This game teaches the net team to work together and take quick decisions while playing against a team at the baseline.
8. Olympics – net vs. baseline game for large groups. Best played with large groups (6+ players), there is a team at the baseline (defending), while the rest of the players form teams behind the opposite baseline. The coach feeds only to the first team of the group – short balls, volleys, overheads – to bring them up and play at the net. Whichever team wins three points first becomes the baseline team (defending). 
9. Lob Over Net Player – tactical and court positioning drill/game. There is a team at the net which will receive a lob from the coach. They have to retrieve the lob (must let the ball bounce first) and play the point out against the opposite team which starts at the baseline and can come up if they want.
10. Moving Up and Down – the role of players in doubles; court coverage and competitive play. This is a very dynamic tennis game in which the teams start in the one-up-one-back formation and one of the net players receives a lob from the coach; that particular team will have to re-position with the baseline player retrieving the lob and the net player backing up ready to play the point from a new position. This is an excellent drill to teach players how to communicate in doubles.

The above drills and games are just some of my students’ favorites but there are so many more that you might love. Check them all out at WebTennis24.com.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

My Daughter Taught Me A Lesson… Again

My Daughter Taught Me A Lesson… Again

by | Tennis Coaching | 4 comments

Usually, Sundays are when we (my two daughters and I) play practice matches. No more drills or technique instructions… just games and fun.

So I told my two daughters (Cezara and Bianca) that I would require them to play against their mother in a game with a 10-point tie-break and the winner would play against me for the “final” (playing against mother would be the semi-final :).

Bianca (my little one, who is 8 and a half) beat her mother easily. She played aggressively and gave my wife no chance.

But it came down to my older daughter, Cezara (who is now 10 years old)… she is very competitive but her nerves and her desire to over-achieve can be her greatest enemies.

Seeing that her younger sister beat her mother easily, she wanted to prove she could do it too. But those thoughts tightened her up and nerves took over.
Therefore, she played slowly (I’d say less than 50% of her power capabilities) and made most of the mistakes.

I could not believe when my wife beat her 10-2… easily. Most of the points were actually lost by Cezara.

When they shook hands at the end of the game, I went to her and this was the first thing I said: “Cezara, you played too slowly!”
She looked at me like I just hit her with a stick.
I could see that that was the last thing she needed to hear: a negative comment when she was already feeling miserable about her loss…

Even though I knew I should not have said it, considering it was a friendly family match, I thought that realistic feedback would help Cezara know why she lost.

But her reaction made me understand, again, that the last thing a player (student) needs to hear when they are upset is a negative comment.

It re-enforced my knowledge in the following regard:

– we should never say negative comments when teaching tennis or any kind of lesson to our children;

– feedback should be given only if asked or permission is granted (especially if it is about a negative action).

As a person who grew up being criticized a lot, I find it hard to keep things always positive. But I know that it can be learned with practice.

We just have to remind ourselves that positive words make a much better difference in someone’s performance and bring us closer to those who need them.
After all, we want our children to feel understood and loved. That can be done with words of love and an honest attitude.

What should I have said to my daughter after she lost a match that she should have easily won?
Maybe nothing… just a hug to show her that she is loved. And a smile.

Should she have asked me why she lost… I could have told her. But usually, players do not want to talk about losses. If they do, we should postpone the discussion until they cool off and some time has passed (maybe the next day).

Be careful when teaching children… What we say and how we react in front of them is always a lesson that can shape our relationships with them. Even their future…

Spend quality time with your child while teaching them a valuable sport. Enroll today in My Daddy / My Coach program!

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

If I Could Write About 1 Thing to Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (3)

If I Could Write About 1 Thing to Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (3)

by | Tennis Coaching, Tennis Training | 0 comments

This is part three of “If I could write about 1 thing to make your tennis better, what would it be?” (see part 1and part 2)

76. “Best backhand return from the deuce court to avoid the net man poaching.” (in doubles)
– Hitting inside-out backhands from the deuce side to avoid the net player is a tough task indeed. Have you tried to hit the backhands hard at the net player? If you do that, they might not want to poach, knowing that the ball will come in their direction next time. Just make sure you let your net partner know that you’ll hit the backhand return at the net player so that they get ready to react to the opposing net player’s reply.
If you have a weak backhand, you could consider lobbing your return of serve.
Overall, communicating with your partner in regard to your return intention is key in doubles so that they also know what to expect.

77. “If I had to ‘make a wish’ it would be for court geometry and the building of points.”
– We have a great section at WebTennis24 where the court geometry in singles and doubles is covered.

78. “How to play the net position in doubles.”
– According to your level of performance, there are certain positioning tactics and roles you should assume when playing at the net. See the Tennis Tactics for Singles and Doubles for in-depth lessons and tips for playing at the net in doubles.

79. “I would like to see what the pros “see and think” during an exchange. Example: I hit a hard ball to the forehand corner of my opponent and I start to come in. Often I would at where my ball is landing and then see my opponents coming in my field of vision just in time to hit the ball on the run.
Last summer I was passed down the line like that and I realized that had no clue about what was coming. If I had watched my opponent earlier, I would have seen that he was running parallel to the line and not coming in slightly in a diagonal. Running at full speed like that the probability of hitting a good crosscourt was low (at my level at least, 3.5-4.0).
I am sure that there is a lot of time when I’m not watching what and where I should be watching. I try to watch the racquet of my opponent too, to see pass or lob, hard shot or drop shot but there must be more to that. What do the pros see?”
– I think that you are on your way to achieving a good read for your opponents’ body language and anticipation. The fact that you are asking and paying attention to that, in time you will get better. The pros all started as you are right now – paying attention and analyzing their opponents’ movement and racquet path just before contact, got better the more they played.
Pay attention to your court position too; it can cut the angles and put you closer to the next ball.

80. “How to control the distance from the ball and the timing.”
– Check the answer no. 66, here.

81. “Doubles strategy”
– I would say, everything you need about doubles strategy and tactics can be found in the Doubles Tennis Tactics section where you’ll learn how to play different types of teams, players, how to serve, when to poach, and so much more.

82. “Hitting mid-court volleys (I play a lot of doubles) with pace and depth. Should I hit a swinging volley?”
– The swinging volleys are great and I personally like to use them a lot in my doubles matches (and singles too). The key is to time your swing and make contact with the ball chest- or shoulder-high. If the ball drops below net level don’t think about hitting a drive volley…

83. “I play doubles mostly and I believe I have every aspect of the game except being able to volley from mid-court. Hence, my serve and volleys are not that effective unless I get closer to the net such as midway into the service box. This is not always possible given that sometimes the ball comes back at my feet right after I land on the court. What should I do?”
– You can do the following:
1) stay back after the serve and advance to the net on the next shot
2) develop a better half-volley (bend the knees and work on your balance)

84. “psychology and strategy”
– For strategy, see the answer at no. 81. Some interesting (I hope) articles in regard to how to “see” every tennis stroke were written in the Mental Tennis section at WebTennis24.com. You might find it very interesting.

85. “I would write about drills to improve preparation and reaction time.”
– My suggestion is for you to consciously practice (not during a match) the following: as soon as you recognize the ball coming to a certain side (e.g. forehand), turn the shoulders and get the racquet set behind the ball before it bounces on your side of the court. Stay low during the rally so you can have a good balance.
In regard to reaction, you can find lots of drills in the Speed & Conditioning section at WebTennis24 Training.
Consistent practice creates habits. Do it often in practice and it will become automatic in the match.

86. “My biggest help would be in constructing points. Knowing what shots to hit and when.”
– This is a plan I have for the future; stay in touch! (:

87. “In a word, ANTICIPATION.”
– Anticipation in tennis has a lot to do with your knowledge of court positioning and body language (based on which you can tell your opponent’s shot selection). With conscious analysis of the two aspects, you’ll be able to anticipate more and more of your opponent’s intentions.

88. “How to be more aggressive. I find myself not taking a chance, especially poaching at the net or hitting the ball as hard as I know I can. I always lay off for the safe shot or just stand at the net, afraid to take a chance for fear of missing the point or upsetting my partner.”
– These two aspects (missing a shot and upsetting our partner) are what hold us from playing tennis at full potential.
I can tell you that at the end of the match, you’ll feel worse if you hold back than upsetting your partner. After all, if your partner does not understand your effort then you should look out for a different one.
It is also important that you can communicate with your partner letting them know that you want to play aggressively and therefore sometimes you might make a mistake.
Find a partner that understands and is willing to work with you. It is no use to continue playing for fear of missing or upsetting someone. Tennis is meant to be enjoyed and progress to be made. There is no progress playing in the comfort zone!

89. “Return of serve from backhand side to include returning kick serves.”
– It depends on how much kick the server can deliver: how high the ball bounces and how fast. Also, you should specify whether you hit a one-handed or two-handed backhand.
You can control the kick serve better with two hands while the one-handed backhand is more difficult.
Position yourself further back to gain more time, and wait for the ball to lower and lose some of its speed.
Mostly, as with any kind of extra-spin serve, make sure you avoid blocking the ball; instead, try hitting hard through the ball to counteract the force of the spin.

90. “Serve”
– See the answer to no. 20, here.

91. “Is there one part of a swing motion (forehand for instance) that all players do the same if the result is the same?”
– Most of the top players have some common elements that allow them to hit the ball with more power and control. One of them is the short back-swing. Prepare the racquet behind the incoming ball and avoid any unnecessary movements.
Find the most effective way for you to hit the ball early and relax.

92. “Backhand (two-hand) down the line.”
– For sending the ball down the line (regardless of forehand and backhand), wait for the ball to get closer to you (hit it a bit late) and you’ll find yourself directing it down the line with ease. The opposite is true: hitting the ball early allows you to send the ball cross-court.

93. “I would be glad to fasten my backhand stroke (two hands).”
– Work on hitting the ball early, keep your hands relaxed on the grip, loosen the tension of your strings… and mostly understand the difference between pulling the racquet versus pushing it through the ball. Pulling it gives you more power than pushing the racquet through.

94. “Maybe a checklist of skills and tactics. Sometimes people don’t work on things simply because they aren’t thinking of them. For example, slicing from the baseline – high, medium, low. And when/why to choose this shot.”
– Excellent ideas; great material for the future. Thank you!

95. “I would be grateful if you would address the use of the front leg in creating proper North-South and East-West distance from the ball (if not hitting from an open stance).”
– To be honest, I am not that detailed in regard to footwork. I think it should be as natural as possible and not have to think too much while striking the ball. In my opinion, short steps and good balance, are more important than the angle and distance the feet are from the ball.
There are many coordination, speed and balance exercises at WebTennis24.com – apply them at least 3 times per week and you’ll see the improvement in this area.

96. “How to stop choking! My son (17 years old) often is up a set and a break, then finds a way to lose the match. He also can be up 40-0 or 40-15 and end up going to deuce or worse. Helping him learn to close out games, sets and matches is something I’d love to hear more about. Thanks!”
– I’ve talked about this subject; please check no. 13, on this page.

97. “Regarding your question: as for my daughter it definitely would be footwork. My daughter started training more intensively approx 1.5 years ago when she was already almost 13 y.o. She improves quickly since we started training 5-6h weekly instead 1-2h previously but footwork is the biggest pain point for now. You have many drills in this area but we would use even more. In particular:
– drills for tennis movement patterns – to transition from just running on the court to typical tennis movements
– drills to start moving towards the ball earlier (anticipate better)
– separation of legs movement and swing (or I would say performing them in parallel with the right timing and rhythm). She often starts swinging, then moving and then it is too late
– drills to improve the habit to return to the court center.”
– Some of the drills you mention are at WebTennis24.com already but I’ll make some notes for future videos also.

98. “How do I handle the high balls? How do I practice to hit on the rise?”
– Timing is key in hitting high balls on the rise. You can easily practice them by asking a tennis partner or a local coach to feed you some high balls.
Technically, prepare early and try making contact with them chest- or shoulder-level, swinging up and across the body (some call it windshield wiper motion). Imagine you’re rolling the strings over and across the ball. Hit them with confidence.
In regard to footwork, try shortening your steps as you get close to the ball. It will help you with timing and balance.

99. “WHETHER YOU ARE A BEGINNER, AN AVERAGE OR AN ADVANCED PLAYER YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO TENSE YOURSELF IN CRITICAL MATCH SITUATIONS.
WHAT WOULD IT BE YOUR BEST ADVICE TO MAINTAIN OURSELVES LOOSE AND PERFORM ACCORDINGLY ( SPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR GRIP AND ARM TENSION) IN THESE BIG POINTS…?”
– This too I’ve answered in the previous posts; check the answers here and here.

100. “Cosmin, rec players like myself sometimes go through an entire 3-set match repeating the same mistakes….like not finishing the forehand swing….or forgetting to hit up & out on my serve…. or trying to use my legs more, etc. After years of frustration, I now have a short ” movie script” ( a screenplay) of things I need to do and I watch this movie a minimum of 3 times before I step on the court. This is a specific “visualization” tip, but will only work if the student takes the time to make the script and then be disciplined enough to review it before picking up a racquet!”
– I have the feeling that you are focusing too much on the technical part, during a match, when you should be focusing instead on tactics.
All the things you have mentioned should be worked on in practice – have a coach or sparring partner feed balls or rally with you while focusing on the technical aspects. After you go through a lot of repetition (in practice), you’ll find them just happening, out of the habits you created, during the match.
Do not work on your technical aspects while playing a match.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

If I Could Write About 1 Thing to Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (3)

If I Could Write About 1 Thing to Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (Part 2)

by | Tennis Coaching, Tennis Training | 0 comments

At the beginning of the year, I sent a simple question to over 10,000 tennis players, coaches, and tennis parents:

“If I could write about 1 thing to make your tennis better, what would it be?”

There are many players and coaches who strive for good and straight-to-the-point information.
Now that I’ve been playing tennis for over 28 years and taught this wonderful sport, full-time, for almost 13 years, it would be a great pleasure of mine to share my knowledge.

Below, you’ll find the answers that people wrote in response to the question that was presented (above).
I’ve tried my best to give my honest answers, hoping to clarify the issues and give solutions to improving their tennis.

I’d have to mention that some of the answers that I provided below are already presented in great detail on my website. Some issues are going to be the material for future articles/videos, and the ones I could give my straight opinion on are there to be read and debated (which I strongly advise you to do whether you agree with me or not).

So here are the next 25 requests (click here for the first 50 Q&A) that tennis players and coaches would like to find out more about:

51. “When I am playing I still find the toughest thing to do consistently is to keep my focus. I think I’m focusing, but after a shot I realize that I wasn’t ready or I didn’t watch the ball. There is another issue that seems to be related. When I get into a rally I sometimes freeze up and miss a shot which I have hit thousands of with no problem in practice. It seems to be a lack of confidence or an incidence of panic. I don’t seem to relax and trust my strokes.”
– Some of the tips to answer your concern can be found here (check no. 13).
In regard to missing shots that you’ve practiced a lot outside of competition… it will happen. And that’s because playing under pressure is obviously different: we tend to get impatient trying to finish the point, our movements are more tense and our eyes tend to stay on too many targets under pressure (ball, where the opponent is, court openings, net, etc.).
One tip I could give you in playing more relaxed and with confidence is to stop worrying too much about the outcome of the match. For many years, I played tournaments where after I won matches I went home disappointed for the poor performance despite the win. I found the solution to that when I stopped caring about losing and focused on enjoying playing, going for my shots (regardless of getting them in or out), and overall building good relationships through tennis.
One of the interesting things you will notice a top pro player doing is playing their best when they’re under pressure. It shows us that one should not let panic take over the game. If we go out losing, we should go out fighting.

52. “footwork, good drills to improve footwork”
– We have provided a lot of great drills for speed, coordination, and conditioning at WebTennis24 Training. Enjoy getting fit!

53. “Drills to help make early preparation a habit.”
– My suggestion is for you to consciously practice (not during a match) the following: as soon as you recognize the ball coming to a certain side (e.g. forehand) turn the shoulders and get the racquet set behind the ball before it bounces on your side of the court.
Consistent practice creates habits. Do it often in practice and it will become automatic in the match.

54. “develop proper tennis serve swing cycle and rhythm”
– We have recently posted (what we consider) an excellent serve tennis lesson showing the main technical steps of this important stroke (check out Tennis Lesson: Flat Serve) at WebTennis24.com.
In regard to swing cycle and rhythm, I would also recommend Flat Serve: Progression Drills particularly the “4 Steps (Shadow Drills)” and “Landing and Split Step” where you’ll find two drills to improve the Serve rhythm through shadow swings.

55. “the most difficult thing to move sideways in time.”
– Use a combination of cross-over (first) and side shuffle steps. Best would be to learn by watching videos and then putting it into practice through drills.
A good video in this regard to use as a reference is Recovery Steps after a Wide Ball where you’ll see how to combine the cross-over with the side shuffle to move laterally to the ball and back to cover the court.

56. “One-handed backhand (positioning, grip, etc.)”
– This can be shown through videos which I strongly recommend you take a look at our recent Tennis Lesson: One-Handed Backhand Ground-Stroke and One-Handed Backhand: Progression Drills. You’ll find all the main elements to hit a technically sound and consistent one-handed backhand.

57. “That would be anticipation.”
– Anticipation in tennis comes with experience and a conscientious effort to pay attention to your opponent’s body language before they strike the ball, as well as with good court coverage knowledge. Study those and you’ll find yourself being in the right spot (most of the time), saving energy and winning points easier.

58. “how to develop a focus on the ball (Federer being a perfect example) and NOT lift the head up too early?”
– Let me share one of my tricks that has allowed me for many years to focus on the ball:
Before I have a tough tennis match, I do this exercise (you can call it meditation if you want)… I sit in a chair, comfortably, and look for a spot (no bigger than a button) that is at least 3 feet away. It can be any spot on the wall or… anything. Then I keep my eyes on it without straining my eyes. I stay still and focus on that spot for at least 1 minute.
That has helped me clear my mind and learn to avoid shifting my eyes away from the object (in this case, the ball) which interests me.
Also, in practice, saying to yourself “bounce (when the ball is about to land on your side) – hit (just before contact)” could help you stay focused on the ball too.

59. “as I get older (79) on my next birthday what is the best way to maintain my court movement?”
– I once had a student who was 81. I loved the way he committed to improving his tennis.
I would say you should get better with the choice of shots and understand and use the court geometry to your advantage. Depending on whether you enjoy singles or doubles, there are certain tactics and shot selections you could use in order to run less and cover the court more efficiently.
I’ve spent a great amount of time presenting all the advantages that involve good knowledge of court coverage and how to use them to save energy by positioning in the right spot when playing certain shots.
Get an in-depth analysis of court coverage by clicking here.

60. “how to keep my eye on the ball!”
– Please see no. 58 (above).

61. “I teach my daughter, who is 23 years old; she plays very well, but in a match plays her nerves often a prank. Can you give me some tips on how to train these?”
– The pieces of advice I gave to no. 51 (above) might help in teaching your daughter how to play tennis in a more relaxed state of mind. Best of luck!

62. “I need to improve a lot of aspects of tennis but my number one thing is footwork especially going towards backhand.”
– This spring I’ll demonstrate (through videos) the footwork that applies to different strokes. But until then, check out the advice I gave to no. 55 (above).

63. “How to focus on one shot at a time.”
– I find that keeping track of the score and visualizing myself winning the next point really helps to stay focused in the present and be positive during the match. Try it and see if it helps.

64. “My tennis is in my head. There is nothing too much wrong with my game but I have days when I lose my confidence and play appallingly. Sadly, today was one of them! I definitely need mental strength and self-belief!”
– Please see the advice I gave at no. 51 (above).

65. “Little has been done on the warm-up before matches.”
– This is a great idea for future videos. Thank you for suggesting it! (:

66. “The area I most struggle with is my footwork, often on my forehand in particular getting too close to the contact point.”
– There is a great drill to work on hitting the ball more in front (and avoid making contact too close to your body) – have somebody feed the ball to you (from a basket) while you practice setting up to hit the ball, but instead of hitting it stretch your non-dominant hand out to catch the ball. This will accomplish two things:
1) track the ball (keep your eyes on it)
2) give you a visual cue of where you should make contact with the ball (out and in front)
In regard to footwork, do at least two times per week drills specific to increasing speed and conditioning which you can find plenty at Footwork and Fitness Tennis Drills at WebTennis24 Training.

67. “I’m always told that my spacing to the ball is too close but no one tells me what to do to correct it. I’m right-handed, so is there something I could be doing with my left hand to help me?”
– Funny that you asked! (: I just answered a similar question (see above – no. 66).

68. “How do I ensure that I get a good and proper racquet drop on my serve motion?”
– The racquet drop on the Serve is the result of uncoiling your body and pushing up from the legs in order to meet the ball. Keep your arm and wrist relaxed for a fluent motion.

69. “could you please give me your kind opinion on how to avoid unforced errors.”
– You can obviously cut down on unforced errors by doing the followings:
1) keep your mind distracted from the pressure of the match and your opponent;
2) stick with what you feel comfortable and use the strokes you don’t trust only when you have a clear advantage;
3) keep your knees bent – by doing that you increase your balance by having a low center of gravity;
4) aim higher over the net and at least 3 feet inside the lines; don’t fall for the hype to hit all the balls close to the baseline – making them land just beyond the service line would be sufficient enough to enjoy long rallies and keep your opponent from attacking you;
5) use spin – it is one of the best ways to allow yourself to put more pace on your shots while maintaining the balls in the court;
6) visualize your shots going in; keep a positive attitude and find a way to snap out of negative thoughts;
7) practice the strokes you don’t feel consistent with; use drills that put you under pressure situations as the ones highlighted in the Mental Strength Tennis Drills section.

70. “I need a decent kick serve – giving me both security and aggressiveness on my second serve – most.”
– This is a good idea for future videos. Thank you for suggesting it!

71. “My game is fine but I’d like to know how to teach young children in a group ages 5 to 10 in a more effective way without them getting bored and waiting to hit balls. Sometimes I have to work with 8-10 kids on one court and I find myself stressed out trying to make the lesson fun and educational. It’s hard because most of them are beginners and since there is so many kids on the court it’s difficult to really teach the proper technique to each and spend the proper amount of time with them without neglecting the other kids.
I just started teaching about 6 months ago and I work for an organization that places 8 to 10 kids on the court for each lesson. Sometimes 12 kids.
What tip could you give me?”
– I feel your “pain”… At the beginning of my career, I found myself working for a private school in Southern California where they would bring us (me and another fellow tennis coach) 15 kids with no court – we literally had to stretch a tennis net on a synthetic grass space and teach them tennis. We did the best we could but I recall that period of time being a stressful one.
I congratulate you for your commitment to giving value to those kids even though it is not an easy task.
So here are my pieces of advice which I do hope to help you. By the way, feel free to get in touch with me via email or contact forms on the WebTennis24.com site to let me know how much more I could assist you.
1) try to get kids involved in helping each other with the proper technique: pair them up and ask the players on the right to check the technique of the players on the left;
2) make sure you frequently ask them questions; that keeps them focused and paying attention to your instruction (reward them with an enthusiastic cheer if they give you good answers)
3) use drills and games that kids love (find plenty at WebTennis24 – check out Tennis Drills and Games for Kids)
4) don’t spend too much time on one drill or game; have at least 10 different drills or games ready for one-hour lesson.
5) to teach them proper technique when they are in large groups use games like “Jail Breaker” (which you can find at WebTennis24.com) – that keep kids having fun while you enforce the correct technique.
6) overall, keep it fun!

72. “What is the single most important thing to do to win in a tennis match?”
– This is a simple one: just hit more balls in than your opponent. (;

73. “Return of Serve”
– The key elements in a good return of serve are reading your opponent’s body language (predicting the type of spin and placement), footwork, and preparation.
For details on how to hit a successful return of serve, check out the following articles/videos:
1) Do THIS For a Better Return of Serve
2) Return of Serve Tactics – an excellent resource presenting how, where, and why you should hit your return of serve according to certain tactical situations.

74. “How to handle pace/fast shots from my opponent.”
– First thing I would like to tell you is to improve your technique by shortening the backswing (not taking the racquet too far back when setting up for the shot). This will allow you to prepare earlier and make contact further out in front for more ball control.
Second… stay low. This will allow for better balance and body control.
And last, do not try to match your opponent’s power. Play at the pace you feel comfortable and be consistent with your shots.

75. “Keeping focused and my eye on the ball. I tend to look up at the last moment to look at placement.”
– Besides the advice on keeping the eyes focused on the ball and letting your peripheral vision take care of the ball placement see the answer to no. 58 (above).

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

If I Could Write About 1 Thing to Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (3)

If I Could Write About 1 Thing To Make Your Tennis Better, What Would It Be? (Part 1)

by | Tennis Coaching, Tennis Training | 2 comments

I sent a simple question to over 10,000 tennis players, coaches, and tennis parents:
“If I could write about 1 thing to make your tennis better, what would it be?”

There are many players and coaches who strive for good and straight-to-the-point information.
Now that I’ve been playing tennis for over 28 years and taught this wonderful sport full-time for almost 13 years, it would be a great pleasure of mine to share my knowledge.

Below, I’ve written my answers to the requests you sent in response to my email.
I’ve tried my best to give my honest answers, hoping to clarify the issues and give solutions to improving your tennis.

I’d have to mention that some of the answers I provided below are already presented in great detail on my website. Some issues are going to be the material for future articles/videos, and the ones I could give my straight opinion on are there to be read and debated (which I strongly advise you to do, whether you agree with me or not).

So here are the first 50 requests that tennis players and coaches would like to find out more about:

1. “to share your experience and what you learned out of it”
– Most of the tennis experiences that I’ve been sharing are on My Blog, where you can find lots of articles describing my honest opinion about how to learn and teach tennis, as well as my “adventure” in teaching my own two daughters.

2. “how to handle topspin volley without hitting them in the net or out?”
– You just asked a question about my favorite stroke in tennis, the drive volley.
As I described in a recent video lesson I posted at WebTennis24, when you hit a drive volley you must understand the following:
1) the ball comes down onto your racquet faster than during a groundstroke, therefore you should aim higher (at least 2 feet over the net) – otherwise, you’ll send many drive volleys into the net;
2) if you swing up and across the back of the ball (some call it “windshield wiper” motion) you’ll impart enough spin to keep the ball inside the baseline.

3. “return of serve (both bh and fh)”
– The key elements to a good return of serve are: reading your opponent’s body language (predicting the type of spin and placement), footwork, and preparation.
For details on how to hit a successful return of serve, check out the following articles/videos:
1) Do THIS for a Better Return of Serve
2) Return of Serve Tactics – an excellent resource presenting how, where, and why you should hit your return of serve according to certain tactical situations.

4. “injury prevention”
– This is an area that I, unfortunately, don’t have too much material to write about. Therefore, I’d warmly recommend you check out Suzanna McGee’s website: http://www.tennisfitnesslove.com/. She is a true professional in regard to tennis nutrition and injury prevention.

5. “how to hit a good forehand and backhand accompanied by some good videos to download”
– In my Tennis Technique Lessons video section, I have tried my best to break down both strokes (forehand and backhand: two-handed and one-handed) into small elements so that the player can understand the basic mechanics for a correct, consistent, and comfortable technique. You can also check out drills to improve your strokes once you feel comfortable with the proper technique.

6. “being (not) so hard on myself”
– I feel your pain and I can share many times when I’ve gone through frustrations.
Here are some of my tips:
1) make sure that your equipment feels “right”; that means getting a good string (it matters a lot), a racquet appropriate to the level and kind of game you play;
2) get in shape – most of our frustration comes from not moving well on the court and not being fit enough to execute certain strokes that we want;
3) mentally – understand that tennis is a game and you should play to have fun and get a good workout.
Ultimately, don’t do what I recently did: break a new racquet out of frustration. I still regret that I did not control my temper. It was so not worth it… I miss my racquet!!! :'(

7. “my second serve”
– I did write quite a few articles about the Second Serve (where have you been??? :)). Check them out here:
1) Why Should You Slice Your Second Serve
2) Second Serve Priorities in Tennis
3) How to Attack the Second Serve
4) Second Serve – Spin, Tactics, and Mental Tips

8. “I’m 75 years old; how can I play tennis and have good fitness considering I have knee pains and am not strong?”
– I once had a student who was 81. I loved the way he committed to improving his tennis.
I would say to get better with the choice of shots and understand and use the court geometry to your advantage. Depending on whether you enjoy singles or doubles, there are certain tactics and shot selections you could use in order to run less and cover the court more efficiently.
I’ve spent a great amount of time presenting all the advantages that involve good knowledge of court coverage and how to use them to save energy by positioning in the right spot when playing certain shots.
Get an in-depth analysis of court coverage by clicking here.

9. “kick serve that goes in all the time with speed and depth”
– This is something I have on the list of things to do. It will come up sometime in May 2016: progression drills for hitting a solid kick serve.

10. “consistency with a penetrating topspin forehand”
– I’ll put this on my to-do list as well. Thank you for suggesting it! (:

11. “mental aspects of tennis”
– This is another area that you can find at WebTennis24.com under the section Mental Tennis. Here you’ll find some unique content in the sense that each stroke is presented from a mental aspect: what you should visualize yourself achieving, how you should control your body and other mental elements that I personally studied for many years because I was one of those less talented individuals who had to figure out how tennis works on my own. Enjoy! (:

12. “how to make the necessary mental adjustments when your match may be slipping away”
– From my point of view, when you see the match slipping away, you should realize that you’ve got nothing to lose. Therefore, as I tell my students… if my opponent is going to take this match, at least I’ll make them work hard for it.

13. “how to stay focused/poised when you’re in control of the match, staying confident but not cocky”
– It is so easy to lose your concentration during the match, especially when you are ahead.
One trick that has worked for me to remain focused throughout the match was to always keep track of the score and visualize that I am winning the next point.
That keeps your mind from wandering away and getting distracted. This helps you stay positive and connected with what happens on the court.
I often tell my students that if they lose track of the score during a match, that means they are not focused on what is happening on the court. And that is one of the causes of many players losing matches.

14. “how to make training more match realistic, with stress factor, etc.”
– There are many drills and games that you can apply in your training. We have posted lots of them in the “Mental Strength Tennis Drills” section at WebTennis24. Enjoy becoming mentally tough!

15. “how to teach kids to improve their tracking skills”
– There are quite a few drills and even games that kids would love (always make it fun for them). A lot has been posted in the Tennis Games and Drills for Kids section at WebTennis24.com. Kids love them!

16. “lesson plans for senior players”
– We have posted many lesson plans at WebTennis24.com that can be applied to seniors also. Most of the drills and games presented here can be adapted to senior players with respect to applying the proper recovery time and adjusting the intensity of the effort.

17. “I have some problems right now with the correct contact to hit the ball, the toss and the correct way to hit with topspin.”
– There is a section called Quick Tennis Fixes at WebTennis24.com. You’ll find many videos presenting common issues that tennis players encounter, the reasons they happen, and how to fix them. You’ll love these videos – they are short and demonstrate the fix in the simplest ways.

18. “anticipation”
– Anticipation in tennis comes with experience and a conscientious effort to pay attention to your opponent’s body language before they strike the ball, as well as with good court coverage knowledge. Study those and you’ll find yourself being in the right spot (most of the time), saving energy and winning points easier.

19. “look at the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
– I know what you mean! (: Let me just share one of my tricks that has allowed me for many years to focus on the ball:
Before I have a tough tennis match, I do this exercise (you can call it meditation, if you want)… I sit in a chair, comfortably, and look for a spot (no bigger than a button) that is at least 3 feet away. It can be any spot on the wall or… anything. Then I keep my eyes on it without staring or straining my eyes. I stay still and focus on that spot for at least 1 minute.
That has helped me clear my mind and learn to avoid shifting my eyes away from the object (in this case, the ball) which interests me. Try it! You might find it useful in keeping your eyes on the ball.

20. “serve”
– Oh, the mighty Serve. What is there to say about it? It is a stroke that anybody can improve as far as technique, power, placement, spin, etc.
I’ve written quite a few articles in regard to the Serve. Please check some of them here:
1) My Best Tip for a Good Serve Toss
2) It’s the Only Serve I Trust 
3) I’ve Found This to Be the Best Serve Toss Tip 
4) How to Get a Better Serve Toss in Tennis 
5) Facts You Should Know About Slice and Kick Serves 
6) Second Serve Priorities in Tennis 
7) Why You Should Slice Your Second Serve
8) How to Avoid Choking When Serving in Tennis 
9) Why Should You Practice the Wide Serve More Often 
10) Practice Ad Court Serves More Often – Here’s Why… 
11) The Body Serve is The Best – Here’s Why

21. “first volley!”
– Your first volleys depend a lot on the previous stroke: the approach shot.
The quality of your approach shot can place you in a situation of an easier first volley or a more difficult one. I said “easier” because, in general, the first volley is not an easy shot.
If you are approaching the net, most of the time you’ll be hitting the first volley from around the service line area and it will be a low one (contact below net level).
Think about the first volley being more of a placement shot. The emphasis will be to give yourself time to get in balance and a better position closer to the net for the next volley while making it possible for your opponent to hit it on the run or as a weak reply.
So think of your first volley more in terms of placement and set yourself up for the second volley where you’ll afford a more comfortable and aggressive shot.

22. “how to avoid unforced errors”
– If one finds the solution to avoid unforced errors, they are my idol. 🙂
Aside from that, you can obviously cut down on unforced errors by doing the following:
1) keep your mind distracted from the pressure of the match and your opponent;
2) stick with what makes you comfortable and use the strokes you don’t trust only when you have a clear advantage;
3) keep your knees bent – by doing that you increase your balance by having a low center of gravity;
4) aim higher over the net and at least 3 feet inside the lines; don’t fall for the hype to hit all the balls close to the baseline – making them land just beyond the service line would be sufficient enough to enjoy long rallies and keep your opponent from attacking you;
5) use spin – it is one of the best ways to allow yourself to put more pace on your shots while maintaining the balls in the court;
6) visualize your shots going in; keep a positive attitude and find a way to snap out of negative thoughts (see tip above: number 13)
7) practice the strokes you don’t feel consistent with; use drills that put you under pressure situations like the ones highlighted in the Mental Strength Tennis Drills section.

23. “speed”
– One of my favorite tennis drills for footwork and speed is the so-called Spider Web. This incorporates most of the movements you’ll need in tennis and it is great for conditioning too.
Do it at least 3 times per week and you’ll see an improvement in your on-court speed.

24. “doubles strategy”
– Everything (well, at least that’s what I consider) about how to play and win in doubles (positioning, formations, communication, court geometry, etc.) is here in the Doubles Tennis Tactics section at WebTennis24.com. Have fun learning the doubles tactics and strategies!

25. “pronation on the serve”
– That’s a tough one to teach because it can lead to injuries if not done correctly.
In my opinion, the pronation should be the result of you keeping the grip and wrist loose, allowing your forearm to rotate inward during the contact.
Also, try to visualize how you’d like the strings to brush on the back of the ball; then let it happen.

26. “consistent focus during the matches”
– See answer to no. 13 (above).

27. “more lesson plans and remedial drills to correct mistakes in techniques”
– I’ll continue to provide that. Until then, make sure you check out the Tennis Lesson Plans section at WebTennisDrills.com and Tennis Technique Lessons at WebTennis24.com.

28. “fitness”
– Lots of video fitness and conditioning drills can be found in the Conditioning/Speed section at WebTennis24.com.

29. “what is the best strategy to use to return hard, fast-paced balls when a very large hard-hitting man is hitting at me in mixed doubles (especially when I’m at the net)?”
– When you are a player at the net defending against a hard hitter I would suggest the following:
1) don’t play at the net (you didn’t see this one coming, huh? :)). Instead, play more from the baseline and come up when you find a better opportunity; but if you dare to come up to the net, then…
2) technically: stay low, keep the racquet up and get ready to use your backhand side of your racquet (it is easier to move the dominant elbow away and block the ball with the backhand);
3) if you really want to stay at the net against a fast returner, make a couple of steps further back (closer to the service line) and try blocking the balls from there until you find a better chance to come closer to the net;
4) if nothing else works, then I guess the best way is to warn the big macho man that hitting hard toward a lady is not polite (you can tell him I said that :))!

30. “how to hit a topspin second serve using a pinpoint serve stance”
– The same way you’d hit a topspin second serve using a platform stance: toss the ball a bit over towards the non-dominant shoulder and brush the ball up as it comes down.
Oh, and one more thing: visualize it going in.

31. “how long should kids practice on one drill and how many hours a day?”
– How long should a kid practice a drill depends on the kid’s age, desire and focus.
In general, try to not dwell on a single drill for too long. I remember one of my mentors telling me (when I was at the beginning of my career) – “Cosmin, within 20 minutes you should do at least 3 drills; more than that as the kids are younger”.
How many hours a DAY? It depends on the kids’ age, level of performance, and obviously, desire to play.
With older kids (over 10 years old) you can do it up to 2 hours, but the younger they are, the harder it is to keep them focused and enjoying it.
For example, with my two daughters (8.5 and 10 years old) I do 1.5-hour long lessons 3 times per week. Besides tennis, they do swimming (once a week) and soon they’ll start guitar (the younger one) and piano (the older one) lessons.
If the kid wants more, then do more than three times a week; as long as they enjoy and ask for it.

32. “how to play slice backhand well; where does the ball hit the racket?”
– I recently added a new Slice Backhand Lesson and Adding more Power to Your Slice Backhand videos where the following elements are highlighted:
1) grip should be continental;
2) prepare with the racquet higher than the eventual point of contact;
3) keep the body sideways and in balance by “spreading the wings” and sliding the back foot behind you during contact;
4) learn to pull the racquet through the ball instead of pushing it – you’ll get more power!
5) at contact, visualize that the lower part of your strings will make contact first with the ball which will then slide over the center of the racquet as the strings brush the ball in a high-to-low trajectory;
6) keep the head down and still.

33. “any tips for tennis elbow”
– I had “golfer’s elbow” at some point when I was playing and tried to add more power to my one-handed backhand by over-supinating the forearm; but, fortunately, I’ve never had tennis elbow.
And I owe this to one single exercise I do every day: I grab the racquet’s handle with both hands so that the racquet is parallel to the ground, shoulders level, palms down; I twist the racquet handle in my hands forward until I count to 30, then backward.
When you do this exercise for the first time you’ll feel a little burning in your forearms. That’s a good sign. (:
Do it every day. It only takes a minute but you’ll feel more control on your forehand groundstrokes, one-handed backhand, volleys, serves, etc.
How to cure tennis elbow? Rest and do specific forearm exercises that you can find on the internet.

34. “the volley: to gain more confidence when I raise the net”
– Practice, practice, and practice. Use volley drills as you can find in the Volley Tennis Drills section at WebTennis24.com.

35. “to be more orthodox hitting the forehand”
– I assume that the video lessons we’ve posted at WebTennis24.com in regard to forehand technique would help you a lot:
1) Tennis Lesson: Forehand Ground-Stroke (Topspin)
2) Forehand Ground-Stroke: Progression Drills

36. “how to play with a more relaxed body so that the techniques they are learning can work effectively (especially after taking a long break)”
– Warm up well. I can’t stress this enough as I oftentimes see tennis players stepping on the court, asking each other only two minutes later who wants to serve first…!!!
Take time to jog, do some “shadow” strokes, and stretch before beginning to actually hit the balls.

37. “when to approach the net and how to do it effectively”
– You should approach the net in the following situations:
1) serve and volley: if you have a powerful serve and notice your opponent tends to block it back slowly, you should move up to the net;
2) if you play against a “pusher” (somebody who just hits the ball back with little pace);
3) if you get a short ball that forces you to step closer to the service line;
4) if you pulled your opponent wide and see a lot of court opening for you to go for a put-away; don’t hesitate – move up and take the next ball early.

– To effectively approach the net, consider the following:
1) hit the ball with slice (under-spin) – that keeps it low, impeding your opponent to hit the ball back down to your feet;
2) attack the opponent’s weak side or send it down the line (you’ll be in a better position to cover the angles);
3) expect to hit at least two volleys before you have the opportunity to put the ball away;
4) stay low and keep the racquet out in front of your body for early ball contact.

38. “I want to know how to place my serves, i.e. out wide, into the body, at the T”
– The best way, which I now apply with my two daughters, is to practice your Serve using targets (cones, piles of balls, etc.) in certain areas inside the service line. Then do not leave the court until you hit every target at least one time.
Don’t fall for tips such as: positioning your feet, tossing the ball or holding the racquet in a certain way… Aiming and hitting a target in tennis when serving has a lot to do with visualization and feel. Tell your body (consciously) what you want to achieve and then let your muscles execute it (subconsciously). With lots of this practice, in time, you’ll be able to hit any target you place inside the service court.
These days I am having my two little daughters (8.5 and 10 years old) practice serves to targets. Sometimes it takes them a full basket to hit one of the targets (even though they are big cones)… at some point, they tend to give up and comment that the task is impossible. That’s why I challenged them that I would hit those targets within 3 tries. They did not believe me; frankly, I did not believe myself in being able to do it also. But I just looked at the targets, threw the ball up in the air, and hit it, visualizing where I wanted it to go.
I hit those targets each in no more than three tries (to my girls’ astonishment).
So practice serving to targets using visualization and… lots of repetition.

39. “Strategies to set up the net player in doubles. Mixed doubles strategies given the physical differences in partners.”
– This is a good one! I’ll put it on my to-do list (coming soon!).

40. “What’s the right mechanics and mentality in doing a running volley? (I frequently hit it long.)”
– Body balance and racquet control… Most of the volleys on the run you miss because you can’t control your body balance due to poor footwork.
Hitting the volleys long is because your racquet is too open and/or you transfer the energy you put into reaching the ball to your shot.
Try slowing down as you reach the ball or tighten the grip a little bit before the contact. That might help control the volley while on the run.

41. “Strategy”
– Strategy is a plan that you apply according to your opponents’ skills and most importantly your ability to put that into practice using the right tactics.
A lot is discussed in the Singles and Doubles Tennis Tactics sections at WebTennis24.

42. “mastering kick and slice service”
– Learning the kick and slice serve is one thing, mastering them is a long process based on lots of technical and tactical processes.
In my 45-minute video lesson – Ultimate Tennis Serve – Slice, Kick and Flat – I highlighted some important aspects that go into hitting effective serves beginning with the warm-up and continuing with the role of each serve as far as spin, placement, and how can they be used tactically in a match.

43. “I am especially interested in child tennis, 10S, Red, Orange, Green tennis up to twelve years old.”
– In this case, I would recommend that you visit the My Daddy / My Coach video section at WebTennis24.com where you’ll see lots of videos on how to teach tennis to kids from the early age of 5 through 10.
Through the MD/MC video lessons, I wanted to show how I taught tennis to my own two daughters from their very first beginning (picking up the racquet and learning the basic strokes) all the way to playing orange and green level tournaments.
These are live (and uncut) lessons showing exactly how I teach: tips, progressions, drills… I could say they are the ONLY live and full tennis lessons that you could find on the internet.

44. “I’m a senior player of 73 years, rating of 2.5-3.0. Play only doubles. I have trouble moving after hitting the ball, being in the right place for the next shot.”
– Please read the answer to no. 8 (above).

45. “Some way to better track the ball all the way to the racket. I find that my eyes leave the ball at about the net and no matter how hard I try it’s hard to keep my eyes on it much longer.”
– Please read the answer to no. 19 (above).

46. “Details of proper cross-over step.”
– The cross-over step is the one where the outside foot pushes off the ground and moves in front of the inside foot to initiate a faster recovery, especially after hitting a wide ball. In a recent video, I was showing how to effectively combine the cross-over with shuffle steps to get back in position and cover the open court after being pulled wide by an opponent’s wide ball.
Since it is easier to demonstrate (through video) than put it into words, I’d suggest you check out the Recovery Steps for a Quick Court Coverage video lesson.

47. “One of the challenges I face is hitting waist and above level forehand. I tend to hit them long most of the time. So basically it is the technique that I lack. I use semi-western grip.”
– Using a semi-western grip is a good choice to handle balls that are above waist level therefore the fact that you hit them long could be caused by many reasons. The ones I could point out without seeing you actually hitting those forehand groundstrokes are as follows:
1) not enough spin – fix: try brushing more on the back of the ball (low to high)
2) opening your racquet face at contact – fix: visualize rolling your racquet strings up and over the top of the ball.
Try these two solutions (especially the second one) and see if they help.

48. “Happy New Year! In answer to your question, I would like to be able to read (in singles and doubles) the likely returns from my opponents.”
– This is an excellent question and the answer to it can be based on a good understanding of court coverage and conscious attention to your opponent’s body language which can be practiced.
I’d recommend studying the Singles and Doubles Tennis Tactics and “Court Coverage in Tennis” sections at WebTennis24.com where you’ll find important articles based on the level of play that debate the proper positioning, reading the opponent’s possible options, and the choices of strokes you can use according to your specific tactics.

49. “What do you tell your students as well as their parents about sportsmanship? It seems that for the junior tournament players, sportsmanship and respect for the opponent has slipped a great deal. This slippage leading to many players not returning to tournament tennis after numerous bad experiences on the court.”
– This is one of the reasons I am nervous to go into tournaments with my own children and students – the fact that occasionally we must run into players or parents who are overly competitive.
With my own two daughters, I talk about these players’ behaviors and we laugh thinking how bad behavior on the court on the opponents’ part leads to a lack of concentration for them which is to our advantage.
Therefore, if they see their opponents misbehaving on the court, they should perceive it as a sign that the tactics applied are working and continue to stay focused.
It is obviously something we learn from and no matter what, we should not show our emotions until only after the match is over. Whatever we feel during the match should be kept secret so that we do not boost our opponent’s confidence or give away what we feel about certain shots.
To parents who are overly competitive, I try to explain that it is more important for their children to have a good experience and see them encourage and support their efforts.

50. “I am 69 and play 3.5 tennis (mostly doubles). At my age, can I continue to improve or is maintaining the status quo about all I can hope for?”
– I think you can still improve a lot regardless of age.
Technically, you can experiment with different spins and stances, or add variety to your strokes.
The area in which one can always improve even more (regardless of age) is the tactics and court coverage. Through a good knowledge of court coverage, you’ll know where to hit the ball and how to position yourself to minimize effort and make your opponents do most of the work. By understanding the tactics which you should apply according to your opponents’ skills you’ll find yourself enjoying tennis even more.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.