Tips to Improve Your Tennis Game

Roger Federer is widely known as one of the most accomplished tennis players of his, or really any generation. In fact, the Tennis Channel recently compiled a list of the 100 greatest tennis players of all-time; Mr. Federer was named number one. During the course of his 14 year old professional career, Federer has won a whopping 16 Grand Slam tournaments, including five consecutive US Open titles. He is one of only seven players to have won all four of the tournaments, and he has appeared in the final match for each of these tournaments at least five times, the only player to ever do so. But if you felt he amassed this impeccable record without any practice or without any help, obviously you’re wrong. Even though Federer is one of the most faultless players of his time, he still remains a student of the game; he’s always learning new ways that he can improve. Even the professionals, indeed the very best professionals, are in training mode, looking for new ways to better their game. One of the worst things you can do as a novice tennis player is just to assume that you know everything, and therefore reject any useful tips that may be coming your way. When you are starting up, and you are serious about becoming an above average tennis player, seek for tips. Here are some things you can do to improve your tennis game without even stepping on a tennis court.

What many people don’t understand about tennis is that it is indeed intensely physically demanding. It’s not like football, no one is being tackled dozens of times over the course of a 60 minute game. But a tennis match is three to five sets, each comprised of a minimum of six games, but usually closer to ten. That’s a lot of running and a lot of wear on the arm. Before you can even think about becoming an excellent player, you have to get in the proper shape. Tennis is a game of endurance. No doubt about it. So a majority of the exercises you should focus on should be intended to increase your endurance. These exercises could be as simple as running three to five miles a day three times a day. Pyramid sprints are very popular in the world of professional tennis. You should also do exercises that will improve your arm strength. No one wins tennis tournaments with a 60 mph serve. Again, there’s nothing complicated here. Even doing ten pull-ups and ten push-ups a day will start to have a noticeable effect on your arm strength.

Apart from getting in shape, it is important to hone your technique. Just like with any other sport, there is a proper form to maintain while playing tennis. One of the best ways to improve your technique is to simply improve your posture. To improve your posture, fitness experts recommend a regular routine of demanding stretches. Such a regiment will do wonders for loosening your muscles. When picking up anything, whether it be a tennis ball or a pencil make sure to use your knees and arms, not your back and waist. This is not only a good tip for improving your tennis posture, but for reducing injury in all walks of life. The best posture to have when playing tennis involves standing on the balls of your feet, and limiting your stance to no more than shoulder width apart. Practice this posture at home so that it comes naturally to you on the court.

One thing many young tennis players overlook when it comes to improving their tennis game is the power of positivity. Winning a tennis game becomes much harder if you place yourself in the mental doldrums. Many young players get severely frustrated, and take to fits of swearing after a series of bad plays. While this may be the natural instinct, it serves no useful purpose. All it does is reinforce your own thought process that you are incapable. Sure, John McEnroe was able to win games despite his penchant for profanity laced tirades and brutal emotional outbursts, but he is most definitely the exception, not the rule. There’s nothing wrong with being competitive; you should be competitive. But don’t be too hard on yourself. Focus on the next rally, not the bad ones you just had.

Obviously, different methods are going to work for different players. Some of the great tennis players rely on exceptional speed, others rely on forceful serves and backhands. Despite that, these tips will help any beginning tennis player learn the ropes, or the net in this case as it were.

Author bio: Jerome Manson is a sports enthusiast who enjoys both watching games and writing about them. When he is not cheering on his team from the stands, Jerome is blogging about 2012 US Open tennis for selectaticket.com.

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