What can you do when your opponent makes several questionable "out" calls?
“Bad Calls” during matches is a three step process:
The coach (line judge) will stand by the net and watch the remainder of your set. You and your opponent(s) will continue to call the balls in or out but if you feel another line call is questionable, ask the line judge and they will either overrule the bad call awarding you the point or if the call was a good one, then the point stands.
What should you do when someone's tennis ball comes rolling onto your court?
If you have no chance for a ball and a ball rolling onto the court would have made no difference, do the right thing -- give the point to your opponents.
One can always make a case that a player could have made some play on the ball when this happens. Technically, players may call a let (re-do) if the point had not been completed when the hindrance of the stray ball from another court arrived. However, a good sport knows if they had a play or not, and a good sport knows the difference between a legitimate hindrance and taking advantage of a situation.
What happens if the ball hits a player outside the court without a bounce?
It doesn't matter whether the player is inside or outside of the court, as long as the player touches the ball with his body or clothing, except her racket, she loses the point.
Stay In It!
Always remember that no matter how big of a lead you and your partner may have during your set, do not get overconfident and celebrate early. Your opponents can easily gain momentum while you have your guard down, start winning one game after another, then tying the score and if you're not careful, run away with the match. Stay in it! Like the old saying goes, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings." but in this case, "It ain't over till you've played that last point and you've shaken the hand of your opponent up at the net."
“Bad Calls” during matches is a three step process:
- On the first questionable call, always give your opponent the benefit of doubt. (You, not she, could be wrong!)
- On the second questionable call, ask your opponent firmly but politely: “Are you sure?”
- If a third questionable call occurs and you feel cheated, stop the match and request for a line judge (which in this case, will be your coach or your opponent's coach)
The coach (line judge) will stand by the net and watch the remainder of your set. You and your opponent(s) will continue to call the balls in or out but if you feel another line call is questionable, ask the line judge and they will either overrule the bad call awarding you the point or if the call was a good one, then the point stands.
What should you do when someone's tennis ball comes rolling onto your court?
If you have no chance for a ball and a ball rolling onto the court would have made no difference, do the right thing -- give the point to your opponents.
One can always make a case that a player could have made some play on the ball when this happens. Technically, players may call a let (re-do) if the point had not been completed when the hindrance of the stray ball from another court arrived. However, a good sport knows if they had a play or not, and a good sport knows the difference between a legitimate hindrance and taking advantage of a situation.
What happens if the ball hits a player outside the court without a bounce?
It doesn't matter whether the player is inside or outside of the court, as long as the player touches the ball with his body or clothing, except her racket, she loses the point.
Stay In It!
Always remember that no matter how big of a lead you and your partner may have during your set, do not get overconfident and celebrate early. Your opponents can easily gain momentum while you have your guard down, start winning one game after another, then tying the score and if you're not careful, run away with the match. Stay in it! Like the old saying goes, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings." but in this case, "It ain't over till you've played that last point and you've shaken the hand of your opponent up at the net."
"A team is only as strong as its weakest link." Each part of the whole has the power to influence the others for good or bad. Forget ability and talent, because talent doesn't sweeten the tea! Look at effort and attitude. Again, do what you can do and do it well all of the time, on or off the court. When each part does this and pulls her weight for the whole without reservation or hesitation, then, and only then, is there a team.
If you are having a bad day and nothing is working, hang in there and give your partner a chance to perform. Don't give in. Make as many balls as you can to lengthen points. Without stalling or exhibiting poor sportsmanship, take your time between points and on changeovers. Keep your body language positive and let them believe you are always confident and poised.
Be the first one there and the last one to leave. Set examples with your strengths. Lead with confidence in those strengths and follow with enthusiasm in improving your weaknesses. Most importantly, do all that you can do every time out and every day, so that the other parts of the whole know that they can count on you when it gets tough. Define your role and roll with it. Pull your weight and, when you must or can, lighten the load for someone else. Make your part count and add it to the whole.
- Paul Thomson, head coach women's tennis, Drake University
If you are having a bad day and nothing is working, hang in there and give your partner a chance to perform. Don't give in. Make as many balls as you can to lengthen points. Without stalling or exhibiting poor sportsmanship, take your time between points and on changeovers. Keep your body language positive and let them believe you are always confident and poised.
Be the first one there and the last one to leave. Set examples with your strengths. Lead with confidence in those strengths and follow with enthusiasm in improving your weaknesses. Most importantly, do all that you can do every time out and every day, so that the other parts of the whole know that they can count on you when it gets tough. Define your role and roll with it. Pull your weight and, when you must or can, lighten the load for someone else. Make your part count and add it to the whole.
- Paul Thomson, head coach women's tennis, Drake University
Practice
Every ball counts in practice and in matches. Hit every ball with an assertive purpose and meaning. In practice, neither you or a partner can improve by just going through the motions, pushing and spraying balls around the court. Challenge them and yourself by pushing through the comfort boundaries.
Matches
Every ball counts in matches for no other reason than to send your opponent a message. "You are going to have to beat me if you want this one. You are in for a fight." Sometimes that fight alone is more than they want. Or for your team mates they see your fight and it bleeds into their courts.
Nerve Busters
Game plan
Stopping a match from slipping away
Every ball counts in practice and in matches. Hit every ball with an assertive purpose and meaning. In practice, neither you or a partner can improve by just going through the motions, pushing and spraying balls around the court. Challenge them and yourself by pushing through the comfort boundaries.
Matches
Every ball counts in matches for no other reason than to send your opponent a message. "You are going to have to beat me if you want this one. You are in for a fight." Sometimes that fight alone is more than they want. Or for your team mates they see your fight and it bleeds into their courts.
Nerve Busters
- Breathe - Take smooth, rhythmic deep breaths
- Get Happy Feet - be light on your feet, stay on your toes!
- Read the label - focus on reading the label on the ball. This will take your mind off your nervousness and will help you concentrate on your strokes.
- Sing a song - pick your favorite song and sing it (quietly) to relax yourself and find your groove.
Game plan
- Always come to a match with a plan. It can be as simple as attacking your opponent's backhand, keeping your opponent away from the net by hitting deep ground strokes or sending lobs their way throughout the entire set.
- Watch your opponent(s) during warm-up. Hit to their forehand and backhand. Do you see any weaknesses? Do they have a stroke that's worst than the other? Plan to attack that weakness. If they have a weak backhand, by all means, attack that backhand as much as you can during the match. Add this to your plan.
- In doubles during warm-up, find the weaker player across the net. Send everything towards the weaker player and end the point quickly. Why stand out there in the heat when you can quickly finish off your set.
- Stick to your plan!
Stopping a match from slipping away
- Am I following my game plan?
- What is my opponent doing to defeat my strategy?
- Are you rushing yourself?
- Stop for a moment, tie your shoes, take a drink, regroup, get back on the court and play YOUR game!
SINGLES
What to do against a Retriever
A retriever (or pusher) is someone that spends their entire time at the baseline, gets to all the balls and sends them right back. To beat this type of player, you will need a lot of patience cause you're in for the long haul. Here's what you'll need to do:
Player with Speed
Player that attacks your Backhand
Player with a Weak Serve
Lefty Serve
The Heater Serve
Serve and Volley Player
A retriever (or pusher) is someone that spends their entire time at the baseline, gets to all the balls and sends them right back. To beat this type of player, you will need a lot of patience cause you're in for the long haul. Here's what you'll need to do:
- Have patience
- Get to the net
- Bring your opponent to the net
- Take the pace off the ball (hit softer)
- Hit your second serve first
Player with Speed
- This type of player hits well on the run, so don't let the runner run. Hit down the middle.
Player that attacks your Backhand
- Be conservative. Avoid unforced errors.
- Run around your backhand when the time is right.
- Get to the net.
- Attack their second serve.
- Lob
Player with a Weak Serve
- Move inside the baseline and jump on that serve.
- Keep your feet moving.
- Shorten your backswing.
- Remember to hit with your racket, not your ego!
Lefty Serve
- Move closer to the ad court alley (so you'll have the forehand shot).
The Heater Serve
- Move back 3 steps to receive the serve.
- Move in 3 steps after the serve.
- Cut your swing in half - use their pace and simply block the ball.
Serve and Volley Player
- Watch the ball, not the player.
- Hit a soft return.
- Bust a return towards your opponent as they are coming up to the net.
- Return the serve crosscourt.
- Lob
- Mix and match
DOUBLES POSITIONING
Two Up
Two up means that both players are positioned at the net. This is the best of the three because you are offensive and can cover most of the court from this configuration.
The one wild card is the lob. Because there is nobody there to back you up, covering the lob can be tricky for most people. You must learn to recognize the lob earlier by watching the opponent’s court position and racket face.
For example, if you've come in behind a deep approach shot or hit a deep first volley and you see your opponent back up, odds are you will see a lob. Anticipation is the key to covering the lob effectively.
The one wild card is the lob. Because there is nobody there to back you up, covering the lob can be tricky for most people. You must learn to recognize the lob earlier by watching the opponent’s court position and racket face.
For example, if you've come in behind a deep approach shot or hit a deep first volley and you see your opponent back up, odds are you will see a lob. Anticipation is the key to covering the lob effectively.
Two Back
Two back means that both players are positioned on the baseline. Although most of the court is covered and you do not have to worry about the lob, this is not considered as effective as two up because it is difficult to be offensive from the baseline in doubles.
This configuration should be used if you are and your partner are not good volleyers, or at times when your opponents are moving a lot at the net and outplaying you from there.
Then the best bet is to step back to make it more difficult for them to hit winners and to make sure you don’t go home with a bunch of bumps and bruises courtesy of the other team drilling you with the ball.
This configuration should be used if you are and your partner are not good volleyers, or at times when your opponents are moving a lot at the net and outplaying you from there.
Then the best bet is to step back to make it more difficult for them to hit winners and to make sure you don’t go home with a bunch of bumps and bruises courtesy of the other team drilling you with the ball.
One Up - One Back
One up, one back means that one player is standing at the net while their teammate is on the baseline. This is the least desirable of the three configurations mainly because there is a big gap left open in the court right down the middle.
As long as the ball stays in front of the player at the net, it is not as big a problem. But if the pattern switches and the ball is cross-court from the net player, then you are in trouble.
It also makes poaching (the opponents net player crossing the middle of the court to intercept the ball) more effective because there is a big open target to hit to when the opponent gets the ball.
Many times you will find yourself caught in a one up, one back situation. Don't panic, it's not the end of the world. But do try to get up to the net with your partner at the earliest opportunity to be more aggressive.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this because of the level of your volleys, then work on your volleys until you do feel comfortable. You will also find that the more often you move forward to the net, the easier it will become to see the lob coming before your opponent even makes contact with the ball.
Source: Nick Bollettieri • IMGAcademies.com
As long as the ball stays in front of the player at the net, it is not as big a problem. But if the pattern switches and the ball is cross-court from the net player, then you are in trouble.
It also makes poaching (the opponents net player crossing the middle of the court to intercept the ball) more effective because there is a big open target to hit to when the opponent gets the ball.
Many times you will find yourself caught in a one up, one back situation. Don't panic, it's not the end of the world. But do try to get up to the net with your partner at the earliest opportunity to be more aggressive.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this because of the level of your volleys, then work on your volleys until you do feel comfortable. You will also find that the more often you move forward to the net, the easier it will become to see the lob coming before your opponent even makes contact with the ball.
Source: Nick Bollettieri • IMGAcademies.com
SCORING
It is extremely important for you to know how to keep score and on what side the next point should be played. Here's a helpful hint... the DEUCE side (RIGHT side of the court) is the EVEN side, the AD side (LEFT side of the court) is the ODD side. Now think of each point in this way -- Love = 0 pt, 15 = 1 pt, 30 = 2 pts, 40 = 3 pts.
To make things easier, I put together the illustration below. If you're still confused, don't worry. We'll go over it during practice.
- When you begin a game, it's 0-0 or Love-Love, the server begins serve from the DEUCE side (RIGHT side of the court). Same with 30-30 since it's your 2 points to their 2 points which equals 4...remember EVEN = RIGHT side. Also on Deuce (40-40) - your 3 points to their 3 points equalling 6...still EVEN so = RIGHT side. If the score is 40-15, since it's your 3 points to their 1 point, that equals a total of 4 points...still EVEN so = RIGHT side.
- If the game score is 15-30 (which is your one point to their two points, that equals a total of 3 points), the serve should come from the AD side (LEFT side of the court) = all ODD points are played on the LEFT. Same goes for 30-15, 30-40, 40-30.
- Deuce (40-40) = EVEN, the server serves from the RIGHT side of the court.
- Ad-In or Ad-Out = ODD, the server serves from the LEFT side of the court.
To make things easier, I put together the illustration below. If you're still confused, don't worry. We'll go over it during practice.