The tennia boom has more
| BNIVI9 than 40 million Americans
hitting a ball over a net with a racket.
In Praise of
Wood Rackets
Although the tennis market
has been bombarded with rack
ets made of everything from
steel to fiberglais. wood is still
considered the best material for
a racket that will allow you con
trol and “feel" for your shots.
Doubles Tactics
& Strategies
Kor the weekend player who
prefers social tennis over com
petitive or highly strenuous play,
doubles tennis can provide a
slower pace and a more relaxed
game Doubles, however, is a
team pursuit that requires team
strategy and tactics.
“Doubles is not just singles
with two players on each side of
the net," says Tony Trabert,
former tennis pro and author ol
Winning Tadics fur Weekend
Tennis According to I rabert, a
major problem for novice dou
bles players is not knowing where
to stand or where to return the
ball.
Four-lime Wimbledon champion Hod lover recommends that
beginners follow these si« steps to achieve a smooth and accurate
tennis stroke
I Keep your eves on the hall
2. Get your weight forward and keep your feet apart
J. Get your racket hack quickly by pivoting
4 Keep your wrist locked
5. Put your body weight into the shot
6 Follow through
Rod lover. TENNIS DIGEST. Fallen Publishing. IV7.5. V VS
The ball leaves a wood racket
with only the force that the
player has applied, and this con
trol is especially helpful to the
beginner who has trouble keep
ing the hall in the court
Wood rackets range in price
from S20 to $60 Ifyoubuyonc,
you should also invest in a press
to keep the wood from warping
in humidity and heat
When an opponent is serving
to your doubles partner, says
Trabcrt, you should stand with
your heels on the service line
T his puts you deep enough to
cover your side of the court if
your partner makes a weak re
turn If he or she makes a good
return, you should then move
forward into a volley position
The best place to hit the ball in
doubles play, according to I ra
bert, is up the center of your
opponents’court I hey will have
less angle on their return and
may get contused over who takes
the hall
Tony Traheri, WINNING
TACTICS FOR WIT KI ND
TENNIS. Hull. Nmrhari & Win
ston. IV72. 55.95.
When people are practicing ,,r
warming up, they often let the
hall hounte two or more limes
before returning it Hut allow mg
extra bounces real I \ defeats the
purpose of practice, w hich is to
tune you up for match play
H atting at the baseline for the
ball to arrive not only burns
fewer calories, it can also hurt
your game by fostering bad hub
its unJ making you less respon
stve
Tips from
Dick Gould,
Champion
Tennia Coach
II you have the motivation to
become a winner in tennis, hut
only average physical ability,
you can still do it I hat encour
agement iv from Dick (iould,
and he should know all about
victors in tennis Coach of Stan
lord University's varsity tennis
team (the IV7X NCAA cham
pions), (iould has seen a lot of
winners
" I here is a special drive inside
people who strive to win. and it
forces them to prepare until they
reach their goal,”(iould says "If
you have that kind of motiva
tion, you can do anything you
set your mind to whether it's to
he a tennis star or a business
executive “
Although his business is coach
ing winners, (iould (cels that the
exercise and enjoyment tennis
provides arc the best things the
game has to offer students
“It's not necessary that you he
a top performer," he says “You
will still Icel refreshed, because
tennis is such an invigorating
game You can't spend all your
time at the library and feel your
best I enms or any other phys
ical activity can get your mind
off your studies” fo that end,
(iould has one final tip to offer
the tennis player
“I njoy it When you start get
ting furious about your playing,
it's time to quit I hen the game is
controlling you. and it’s not a
game anymore "
r
"I began playing tennis
seriously when I was
8 years olJ. And while
I may get tired from
playing—especially in ^
matches against Connor.1
or Borg—I never tire
of the game."
-JOHN McENROE
20- year-old winner ot the
1979 Colgate Grand Prlx
Masters pro tournament
/