Phone: 602-826-9048 Josh Bates Email: bates10s@aol.com
Tips

Here are some useful tips to help improve your game:

Service Toss

A lot of players have a rough time with the toss. If the toss is off… So is your serve. There is an easy way to remember what to do on the toss, let the serve tell you what is wrong:

  • Serve is long = toss is late/ behind you/ or too close
  • Serve is in the net = toss is too low or you let it drop

Follow those simple fixes and at least you will know what you are doing wrong. This is how to fix them from a right handed 1st serve perspective:

  • Keep the left(tossing) arm inside the left leg
  • Raise and extend the arm up AS the body goes forward (synchronized)
  • Extend the hand and arm above your head
  • Toss – DO NOT THROW – about 2-3 feet above your hand

The toss should go about a foot or 2 in front of you and slightly to the left. This will allow you to hit the ball with a slight spin and strong. Remember this is for a first serve.

Second Serve:

  • Toss above your head and slightly back
  • If you have a hat on… let the ball come back above the rim of the hat
  • Lift up and out with loose hands and explosive body

The loose hand will ensure the ball to go over and in. If you hold on too tight you will miss long or in the net.

There are many variations on the toss positions for the type of serve:

  • Slice - to the right and in front
  • Kick – above the head and back to the racquet
  • Flat – straight in front
  • Slider – Back and to the right

Good luck and always remember… The pro’s are having a HUGE day when they serve at 75%

Cutting off the Middle in Doubles Play

In Doubles the first thing you must understand is the Middle is your Friend. As a colleague calls it "Hills and Valleys". The players are the hills and the valleys are the areas between them and on the outside of them. Picture it.

Now that you can visualize the middle, let's close it off and make the valley very small. This happens with great communication with your partner. I need the server to hit the serve to either the body (sliding from the middle in) or to the "T". These two serves line up the return for the middle. Now it is up to our Fearless net player to "Cut off the Middle". The key to a good poach is to know you are going before the point starts. You almost have to get into the mental state before you can get into the physical. If the net player tells the server to go up the "T", this should allow the net player to take the middle and volley it back down the middle (NOT to the other net player).

When the serve goes more into the body, there is less movement towards the middle as the ball should go up and towards the net player (be aware of the lob). Look for the ball to be attempted towards cross court, but very likely it will come to the net player.

Now when this "Fearless Net player makes this move, the server must stay with the path of the ball UNTIL the net player makes contact, then He/She moves to the other side of the court. Please don't end up in "I Formation".

Have fun "Cutting off the Middle". The better you get at it, the more you will see shots down the line. That is called "Risk vs. Reward". If you get passed, you are doing your job. Follow my rule of 3 strikes:

  1. 1st pass is Lucky;
  2. 2nd pass they are having a good day;
  3. and 3rd pass they know how to do it, cover the line.

Summer Tips

Hydration

Some of you may remember a few years back I spent the night in the hospital for dehydration/over-hydration. How is this possible? First things first, don’t play a national grass court tournament at 3PM on the 10th of June in Arizona.

If you are a player that sweats a lot, you are more likely to over hydrate. The electrolytes are leaving your system with each droplet of sweat. In this case you must replace the electrolytes with at least a 2 to 1 ratio of sports drink to water. My suggestion is Cytomax. You can find it at any Hi Health or GNC. Cytomax is the easiest way to stop/prevent cramping and replace your electrolytes. I have not cramped in the last 3 years since using Cytomax. My personal usage for a 2 hour workout is 48 ounces of Cytomax and 24-32 ounces of water. I start drinking the Cytomax 15 minutes prior to the workout.

If you don’t sweat as profusely as the rest of us, the 2 to 1 ratio is with water to a sports drink. Hydrate prior to your tennis as well as after the match.

Stretching

Click here to see examples of proper stretching before playing.

Forehand Volley

The trick to the forehand volley is the index finger (1st one next to thumb). Spread the fingers out as far as they can go with the index finger spread away from the others in a upward formation. Your grip is in the continental position. Keep the racquet head with your head... Don't let the racquet head drop. Keep the knees bent at least 4 inches, on the toes with your shoulders leaning forward, and go to the ball. As you are using your toes to push you forward, turn your wrist to adjust the racquet face towards the ball, then close the face slightly with that index finger pushing down and through the ball. The best spot to hit the ball is anywhere past the service line, unless you have the easy angle.

A good reminder for the volley is... wherever you are standing on the court, try to hit at least to the same area on the opposite side. Example: If I am on the service line, I don't want to try to hit inside the service line on the opposite side, I want to hit to at least the service line, if not deeper.

Return of Serve

  1. Pick your spot: Tell the server where you want them to serve. If you have a better forehand… Leave 60% more space in that side of the box. Give the server a box that looks open to the side you want to return from. Be aware of the wide serves. If your opponent can hit it there, close it off by moving in.
  2. Stance: You must get low, what you think is low… go another 2 inches down. Slightly turned, angle yourself to the server. Be on the toes with the shoulders leaning forward.
  3. Scout the serve: If you watch the left shoulder (right handed player) at the point where they let go of the toss. Wherever the shoulder is pointing to when the ball is tossed, is where the ball will be served. This allows you to cheat a bit and set up for either a backhand or a fore hand. Also watch the patterns. Most players only have two spots that they can serve to.
  4. Grip: The ideal grip is neutral and loose. If you have it in a backhand grip, it will take you that much longer to get it to the fore hand.
  5. Backswing: Shorten the backswing when the serve is powerful. If the serve is weak, swing away. Power – short backswing, turn the body, and push through the ball using the pace of the serve. Weak – Move in, racquet back, lift the legs up and through the ball as if it were an approach shot.
  6. Follow Through: It’s not just the arms, make sure the opposite leg follows forward. Stay on the toes, and either go in to the net or retreat to the center hash mark.

Remember, the server is supposed to win their serve. If you can be aggressive on the return they will break down mentally. It also gives you the cushion you want to have to serve away when you are up a “break”.

Inside Out Forehand

When hitting the inside out forehand you must take in to consideration 3 major components:

  1. Make sure the ball is above the hip to ensure time to get around the ball.
  2. Hit it with the same kind of intensity you would have on an approach shot.
  3. Follow the ball to the middle of the court... Creep in towards the service line "T".
The whole reason you are running around the backhand to hit the forehand, is to open the court with authority. Footwork is the a key element to this shot. You want to take the right foot back behind the left, turning the shoulders and hips, then step in to the ball with a huge swing using those hips and shoulders you just brought back, and follow through towards that "T". Good luck and let me know how it helps your game.

Drop shot

Catch and Release. This means you must learn how to catch a tennis ball on your strings prior to hitting the drop shot. Soft hands are a must. The trick to the drop shot is to catch the ball with the racquet while pushing the body forward towards the net to cover the next shot. Always approach the net after your drop shot!