In today’s athletic competitive tennis most balls are hit wide deep into the court or very wide with the bounce reaching far outside the side lines. During the last month tournament in Rome Italy, for many points 20 to 30 strokes were needed to win the point and most of the 20 or 30 strokes would have been winners 15 years ago. The running for the balls was fantastic and demanded great energy from legs and arms as all balls were hit with tremendous topspin power. Analyzing the players’ game, it was easy to recognize, that most of them hit with little difference, mostly with the same powerful topspin except for a sudden winner which had little top spin coming low over the net. The advantage each player was looking for, was not only through power or speed of the ball, but in moving the opponent as much as possible and waiting for the opportunity. Running , running and running again was demanded as much as hitting a fast ball. The only chance for a player to stay in the point was to be able to reach the ball which most did very well. Considering the speed and the spin of the ball to be reached, the player had not only to get there, but get there in a position to be able to execute a powerful stroke. I remember the times when power was the most successful tool to win a game. Do not understand me wrong, it is still very important to have powerful strokes, but not alone, as in today’s game two additional demanding factors must be part of the player’s ability before the player is able to hit the ball.
First: you have to get there, ( agility, foot-work, dynamic). Second: you have to be in a position to execute your best stroke ( balance, technique ). An off balance or streched out body just can not do it. A player who intends to be successful in today’s fast game must have great athletic ability before his racket technique can take over. Have we the teacher in the US recognized the needs to make real changes in our teaching structure to keep up with the athletic demand needed for the future pro tennis? We should consider, that the ability to get there in a good hitting postion is 50% of the game.
Teaching tennis students how to move is tough, as they come to the court to hit balls and do not understand the importance of perfect movements. I eliminated this problem by informing my students in detail about the importance to develop the sensation of balance and learning how to move quickly through foot patterns. I have established a very demanding routine of movements and exercises which are technical demanding and must be executed every day with the same discipline as expected when hitting balls, to develop habits in their movements. It is almost imposssible to do this warm-up exercises and routines in less than 45 minutes. The good old way of running a few laps around the court with some skips and jumps do not meet anymore the demands made by today’s and tomorrow’s tennis.
With the mentioned starting exercises only a part of the physical development of the student can be met. During the teaching of the tennis technique students must be constantly reminded of the correct footwork by having all hitting drills executed in the run all over the court to train as close as possible to reality. It may be difficult at the beginning but young students form moving habits very quickly, as long as they do not get away with their so called personal style. My studends are made aware, that the racket head has to execute a technical movement if the ball is intended to go from point A to point B and that there is no time for personal approach.
The daily fitnesss program should be a continuation of the earlier warm up. Tennis-fitness does not mean only developing strength and power, it must be executed in balance and must include movements to improve agility, develop dynamic and rhythm. Attention should be given to the ability to separate upper body movements from leg dynamics as well as arm movements from body movements. Balance will improve dramatically, through which the body will move easier and will not have to work as hard and not get tired to quickly.
As I strongly believe that tennis requires a very special athletic body and movements, I insist,that in all daily teaching programs enough time is spent on warm-up at the beginning and fitness to end the day.
