Top Coach’s Tips to Improve Your Tennis Game
Are you new to the game of tennis or have been playing for a while and want to improve your technique? Then, continue reading as we give you top tips on how to set yourself on the path to becoming a pro tennis player.
These tips are highly effective because they come from tennis coaches themselves – that is, the experts in the sport. Naturally, coaches know the game better than the players; they know the playing techniques that work and those that don’t.
The best tennis players and teams are that way because they had help – they had experienced coaches. That’s what makes these tips we’re about to share very effective. Thus, we suggest following these tips diligently if you’re really bent on improving your tennis game.
Preparing the Shot
While your goal is to make contact with the tennis ball, that’s only half the battle; your preparation before the shot matters. This pre-shot preparation covers your footwork and racquet preparation. In the footwork preparation, you need to get your feet in sync with the rest of your body. To do that, practice your split step as you balance your feet and go in the direction of the ball.
Then, time your split step before the opponent hits the ball, taking small steps as you prepare to contact the ball. Then, angle your feet, one foot planted and facing forward, and the other facing the direction you want to aim. In racquet preparation, you’re working to reposition your racquet head as you move your feet into position. This preparation helps you generate racquet head speed as you take your shot.
Recovering from the Shot
Aside from practicing early shot preparation and ball contact, you also need to practice your shot recovery. Practicing your shot recovery ensures you can quickly move from the shot back behind the baseline’s T.
You have only nanoseconds to recover right after you make contact; how you maximize them will determine your ability to recover. These nanoseconds are essential as they help you get the next ball and the next back; practice increasing shot recovery time.
Watch What You Eat
Athletes generally have to take care of their body more than the ordinary person because it is their weapon. Eating, like stretching, helps you improve your performance on and off the court – especially when you eat a lot of carbohydrates.
If you have several tennis matches ahead, ensure you eat more carbohydrates in the days leading up to then. Carbohydrates help your body store energy, which you will use up when you play.
However, it’s not just about eating carbs; the types of carbs you eat matter. The right carbs to eat are slow-release carbs like quinoa, whole wheat, or brown rice. On the day you’re to play, avoid high-fiber carbohydrates and saturated, fat-dense foods, which is ideal even if you’re not an athlete. Additionally, drink a lot of water because of the potential sweat and drink something high in sugar to replace lost electrolytes.
After the game, eat more protein, particularly fish or white meat, and avoid or reduce your red meat intake. Also, eat more greens and drink water to regain lost energy and body liquid.
Stretch for Flexibility
There are certain health-related habits that everyone should practice, but which are even more essential for athletes; stretching is one of them. Stretching isn’t fun and you don’t see results immediately, but one cannot deny or overlook its long-term effects.
When you devote thirty minutes a day to stretching, you’ll maximize your flexibility. The more flexible you are, the faster you’ll be able to move on the tennis court, and the quicker you can reach balls.
When you’re flexible, you will be able to reach more balls and also have lower risks of sustaining injuries. Furthermore, stretching helps you build endurance, adds more power to your game, and reduces overall muscle fatigue.
Take Things Slow
The fact is that you cannot improve your tennis game overnight; you can improve with the right help, but it takes time the same way it does when understanding tennis odds on Parimatch. More so, tips like practicing early shot preparation and shot recovery cannot be done on the court, during a real match.
Thus, slow the practice down, taking the drills one step at a time, starting at the simplest and working your way up. For instance, practice the shadow drills step by step, then the split-step and push-off, and then bending the knees.
Once you’re able to form the pattern, practice many times and then increase your speed a little. Practice at this new speed ten thousand times until you can run some dead ball drills.
Conclusion
The game of tennis is fun but technical; there are strategic rules guiding the game, which are essential to a player’s skill. With these pro-tennis-playing tips, you can better understand the strategies for playing the game. No matter how hard the game is, understand that the professionals you want to be like were once where you are. Then, push yourself, with the help of these tips and more from professionals around, to become a great tennis player.