TENNIS RULES, HOW to KEEP SCORE and TIEBREAKERS

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1) a) How to win Points in a tennis game.
To avoid arguments about the score, the server should CALL out
the score after each point in a game.  The server always calls his
score first and then his opponents score. 
Six more Videos on this topic:

DOUBLES TENNIS: PLAYING TO WIN

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1) Learn to Poach: Poaching is when a net player moves toward
the net to hit the ball while it is in the air. This is called volleying. 

Watch the following video and read the discussion by Chad Walner.

The PROPER RACKET GRIP and TENNIS TIPS.

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1) Tennis Grips: For the Serve, the Forehand and the Backhand.

BALL TOSS Videos for the SERVE

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1) a) Hold the ball with your fingers like a glass of water. Hold the
ball in your fingers: not in your palm and not on your finger tips.  Keep the tossing arm straight: do not bend your elbow or your wrist as you toss the ball.  How high should you toss the ball?  Hold your racket up as high as you can.  You should toss the ball to the top of your racket. 

SERVICE MOTION Videos:

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The Basics of the Serve:

1) a) The Ready Position for the Serve:   It is important to be consistent in the positioning of your feet at the baseline prior to serving. Right handers usually point their left foot toward the right net post while a left hander would point their right foot toward the left net post. 

FOREHAND STROKE Videos

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1) From the Ready Position you must always make a good Unit Turn.

i) The Ready Position:  Using the forehand grip, position your racket out in front away from your body with your elbows elevated (show your arm pits).  Your left hand is on the throat of the racket. You are up on the balls of your feet with your knees slightly bent.

ii) The Unit Turn:  As soon as you see the ball coming to your forehand immediately coil your shoulders away from the net.  Your racket and elbow are elevated in this short take back. Keep your non-racket hand on the throat of your racket and make sure the strings are facing the side fence. 

2) Six checkpoints to master the modern forehand stroke:

i) The Ready Position:  Use the Eastern or Semi-Western forehand grip and position your racket out in front away from your body with your elbows elevated (show your arm pits).  Your knees should be slightly bent and your left hand is on the throat of the racket. 

ii) The Unit Turn: As soon as you see the ball coming to your forehand immediately coil your shoulders.  Rotate your hips and shoulders while keeping your back elbow elevated and pointed toward the back fence.  Keep your non-racket hand on the throat of your racket and make sure the strings are facing the side fence. 

iii) Pre-Contact Position: Coil your shoulders until you are looking over your front shoulder at the oncoming ball.  Start with your racket above the oncoming ball as you step toward the ball.  

iv) Release and Extend: As you look over your front shoulder, extend your non-racket hand toward the oncoming ball while you relax your racket arm and extend it toward the back fence.

v) Contact Point: Bend your knees as you position the strings below the oncoming ball.  Make contact with the ball out in front.  Tuck the

non-racket hand inward as you brush the strings across the ball from low to high. 

vi) The Follow Through: After making contact with the ball catch your racket with your non racket hand and let the racket continue until the racket finishes over your back shoulder (or across your chest).  Your front elbow should finish high making your nose "appear larger".  To generate more power bring your back foot to the front as you hit the ball.  If you are right handed, you started by looking at the ball over your left shoulder and you should finish by looking over your right shoulder. 

TWO HANDED BACKHAND Videos

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1) Great drills to improve your two handed backhand. 
i) Ready Position: Racket out in front away from your body with elbows elevated (show your arm pits).  Knees slightly bent.

ii) Pre-Contact Position: As soon as you see the ball coming to your backhand immediately coil your shoulders.  For right handers, use your left hand (the top hand) to bring your racket back so the racket points toward the side fence. (Your right hand is used only to help guide the racket).  

iii) Keep the racket pointing upwards and behind your hips.  Look over your front shoulder at the ball and step across your body toward the oncoming ball.  

iv) Follow through with both arms finishing high over your back shoulder.   Check that both elbows finished high near shoulder level and that your back foot has come forward.

VOLLEY and HALF-VOLLEY Videos

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VOLLEYS at the NET: 
1) a) The ready position is knees bent with your racket held out in front and above your waist (show your arm pits).  Your racket should start in a slight backhand position.

i) Use the continental (hammer) grip for both the forehand and the backhand volley. 

ii) Forehand volley: Quickly turn your shoulders. Lay your wrist back at a slight angle so the bottom end of the racket leads the way. 

iii) Step across and step in: Step across your body with the left foot and and then step toward the ball with your right foot. 

vi) Start your racket above the oncoming ball and slice downward from high to low across your body.  

v) Keep your wrist locked and squeeze the racket as you start the downward motion.  

vi) Always watch the ball make contact with the strings. For low balls bend your knees while keeping the racket head elevated.

OVERHEAD and LOB Videos

Hitting the OVERHEAD shot: 

A) Five steps used to hit the overhead shot (he calls it the "smash").
i)Turn your body sideways with a crossover step.  

ii) Get your tossing arm up pointing at the ball (like the serve).  

iii) Track the ball over your left shoulder and get your Chin UP.

iv) Let the wrist relax and hit the ball out in front. (like a serve)
v) TUCK your tossing arm into your chest for more power.

B) Mastering the backhand overhead shot.

C) Written explanation of the overhead shot.

i) Turn your body sideways with a crossover step.  

ii) Try pointing your ELBOW rather than pointing your finger.

iii) Hit the ball OUT IN FRONT.

D) Hitting high backhand volleys near the net.

E) Interesting footwork and use of the non-racket hand.

F) The correct FOOTWORK for Overheads: Cross Over Step

G) Get the ELBOW out in front and hit UP and OUT 

H) Use the Non-Racket hand to locate the ball

I) When to let the overhead BOUNCE before you hit it.

J) Shot selection at the net: When to hit a High Volley, a Swing Volley and an Overhead Return shot.

Hitting a LOB:  
A) Use a defensive lob when you are pressured at the net.

i) Your racket is slightly open and use the continental (hammer) grip.

ii) Follow through with the racket head finishing high above your shoulder.

B) Use an offensive lob to make it more difficult for your opponent.

i) Use your regular forehand or backhand grip. 

ii) Follow through with the racket head finishing high above your shoulder.

C) Using your backhand to hit a backhand lob.

D) How to lob a ball using a backhand SLICE.

E) How to chase down a lob and lob back to your opponent.

F) How to feed lobs during the warm-up of a  tennis match.

G) Practice the lob by playing the Lob Game.

H) When to use the lob in a tennis match.

ONE HANDED BACKHAND Videos

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1) a) Five checkpoints to master the one handed backhand.
i) Ready Position:  Racket out in front away from your body with elbows elevated (show your arm pits).  Slightly bent knees.

ii) The Unit Turn: As soon as you see the ball coming to your backhand immediately coil your shoulders. Rotate your shoulders while positioning the racket into the Eastern backhand grip (motorcycle grip).  Your back elbow is elevated but your front elbow is close to your chest and extended toward the back fence (push your palm toward the back fence).  Your racket is vertical.

iii) Pre-Contact Position: Look over your front shoulder as you step toward the ball.  Bend your knees and use your left hand to close your racket face down. 

iv) Contact Point: Transfer your weight to your front foot as you brush your racket strings from low to high.

v) The Follow Through: Finish with arms oppositely directed (like an umpire's "safe" call).  Keep your body sideways with your back foot elevated, your chest puffed up and racket in a "half V" position.

SLICE BACKHAND Videos

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1) a)  Slice Backhand Technique                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

i) The Proper Grip: The hammer grip which is also called the continental grip.  Get your non-racket hand on the throat of the racket.

ii) The Backswing: As soon as you see the ball coming to your backhand immediately coil your shoulders. Set your racket above your back shoulder and higher than the oncoming ball.  Coil your shoulders until you are looking over your front shoulder. "Turn more than sideways to stay sideways".  Your back shoulder is elevated and pointed toward the back fence.

iii) Footwork: Step out and then step across your body.  Swing your back foot toward the net during contact.

iv) Extension: Your arms move in opposite directions at contact while you transfer your body weight forward toward the net.

v) Contact and Follow Through: Slice high to low and maintain the right angle between your racket and your forearm.  Stay sideways by 

letting your back foot slide behind you.

b) Some good "check points" to use as you learn the slice backhand.

i) Point your FRONT shoulder at the ball.

ii) Your backside almost faces the net.

iii) EXTEND your non-racket hand to the back fence to keep

      yourself sideways.

iv) Stay sideways throughout contact with the ball.

c) Proper contact point and foot position for the slice backhand

    Nick works with a student on his backhand slice.

d) Great progressions for learning the slice backhand. (Advance the video to 4 min mark)
Start with a continental grip and get the racket back ASAP by coiling your shoulders.  Place your index finger on the racket as you pull the racket back with your non-racket hand creating some tension in your wrist.  The racket face is slightly open (45 degrees) with the racket elbow positioned near shoulder level.  Step across your body and step in toward the ball as you look over your right shoulder at the oncoming ball. Point your elbow and fist toward the ball.  Make contact out in front while your back leg swings toward the net to keep your body sideways. For more power: get your body weight pushing forward while your arms quickly move in opposite directions like an umpire's "safe" call.

e) Common illusions (mistakes) for the slice, forehand, backhand and the volley.

RETURN of SERVE and DROP SHOT Videos

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Return of Serve Videos:

1) Important check points for your Return of Serve.

i) Body and feet position: If the server hits weak serves well inside the service line, position yourself close to the baseline or even inside the baseline.  If the serve is hit hard and fast, position yourself a foot or more away from the baseline to allow yourself time for your shoulder turn.

i) Ready Position: Face your opponent, knees slightly bent, racket in the forehand grip with elbows elevated.  Alternatively start with the racket in a lowered position but then elevate your elbows as you go into your split-step. 

iii) Shoulder Turn: A quick shoulder turn with a short take-back.  If the serve is hit wide then step in that direction.  As you make contact unbend your knees with your body momentum going forward.

2) a) Return of serve footwork and shoulder rotation.
  

Coaching DRILLS for NEW and ADVANCED Players

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DRILLS FOR LEARNING THE FOREHAND: 

1) Learning the forehand and the backhand for beginners.  
i) At the 3:30 minute mark, the players use shadow strokes: forehand grip, racket back (use the modern forehand technique), bend the knees, make contact out in front, follow through. Make a "swish" sound for racket head speed.  
ii) Start at the service line: self feed the ball but move the ball around and work on your footwork.  
iii) Practice starting a rally: from the baseline self feed the ball at a target on other side of net.  Try to hit the ball with the butt end of the racket to get a feel for racket lag.
iv) Challenge:  After hitting a good forehand or backhand (landing
in the singles court)...come to the net, split step, volley the ball.  Stay at the net until you make a good volley (or coach tosses a 
high ball for an overhead shot).

SHOULDER, ELBOW and WRIST INJURY TREATMENTS

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1) a) Warming up to PREVENT injury.

    b) What makes a good tennis player: Attitude, Conditioning and
        Desire