Marco Bitran: Tennis Lessons - How to Perform a Two-Handed Backhand

By Mubashir Shafi Khan



While the two-handed backhand is easy to learn at first, it requires a lot of repetition and practice in order to be perfected. Be an expert just like the aforementioned players by following these tips on how to perform a two-handed backhand:

Ready Your Grip

The continental grip is recommended for the dominant hands, while the Eastern forehand grip is best for the non-dominant hand.

Mind Your Step

While waiting for the ball to arrive, do a split step and execute your unit turn. This will make your shoulders and the racquet turn together. Step out the leg near the ball for a little as you make the turn. Pivot in such a way that you can see over your shoulder as the ball heads towards you.

Be Prepared

Prepare to hit the ball by placing the weight on your back foot; be ready to transfer said weight to your front foot.

Place the racquet above the ball level (10 or 2 o'clock, whichever you prefer). Keep your shoulders leveled and your knees slightly bent.

Relax your hand and let the racquet head go below the ball height. As you do so, transfer your weight from your back foot to your front foot, and take the shot. Uncoil your shoulders as you make contact with the ball.

Stay with the Shot

After hitting the ball, you need to maintain your forward momentum. Keep your arms extended toward the ball, making sure that your stroke has length.

As for the follow-through, your elbows should finish way up high. This will help your non-dominant hand pull your rear through the finish, so that you will end up facing the net. By this time, you will be looking over your non-dominant shoulder, in contrast to your starting point (looking over your dominant shoulder).

Finally, plant your outside foot and push off it. This will help you recover with a shuffle or crossover step, but it will depend on your court location and the trajectory of your adversary's shot.

More Tips:

• Avoid strangling your racquet as you take the shot. Keep the motion fluid so you can generate the speed that will create the ball's power and spin.


• Remember to keep the butt cap of your racquet aimed towards the incoming ball.


• Professional players have different kinds of arm positions at ball contact. If you are a club player, it is best if you keep both elbows slightly bent. This will help you derive energy from your legs, arms and shoulders - forces that can help you hit the ball accurately.


• Avoid pulling off from your shot too soon! This will waste your energy. As such, you will end up making a weaker, less-accurate shot.

With its ease, stability, readiness and power, the two-handed backhand remains a popular choice for many players. Drive the ball deep and outlast your opponents by following these tips when delivering the perfect two-handed backhand.

Mubashir Shafi is the student of tennis lessons san diego academy.

Marco Bitran: Tennis Superheroes - How to Train a Top Performer

By Karolina Sznycer, PhD

Being an excellent performer is neither natural nor easily mastered. It is an effortful project that requires a meticulous plan, mental discipline and plenty of grit. If you wish to achieve extraordinary things, you need to start thinking in a way which high-performance people do. And top performers do not think in an ordinary way. When involved in tasks they need to perform, they take on identities which are quite remarkable and have little to do with mundane lines of thinking.

The formation of an optimal performer, a complete tennis player and a strong individual is a multi-dimensional undertaking. It calls for a super powerful mix encompassing customised tennis instruction along with physical skills development, a mental skills programme centred on attention control and positive life skills coaching.

The process of creating a mentality that would foster high performance may be stimulated by emulation of top performers' patterns of thinking and behavior. More specifically, it may rely on the integration of concepts, strategies and perspectives which are most frequently employed and prioritized by elite professional tennis players. Such a selection, amongst others, comprises the growth mindset, task mastery and powerful self-presentation. The most significant benefit of such a broad and multi-faceted modelling approach is not only its emphasis on the already tested models of efficacy for sport performance. Also, what counts is its demonstration of transferability of life skills through tennis players' powerful identity construction and communication in non-sport settings.

 There is a close mesh between the cultivation of the growth mindset and performance and process orientations. The growth mindset and performance orientation consist in the continual self-development and persistent working towards the maximization of potential. Each case of planned effort exertion, however small in scale, breeds a little transformation. This improvement, in turn, can only be achieved through process goals which involve the calibration of focus on the task at hand. What unites these approaches is immersion in the here and now, complete abandon in the act of doing, total absorption in performance rather than its outcomes. Crucially, this is how these perspectives contribute to inciting the ever elusive state of flow considered optimal for the attainment of peak performance in all life pursuits including not only sport, but also academic, professional and interpersonal endeavours.

What significantly complements the combination of the mental strategies is powerful self-presentation. That you can talk yourself into thinking strong by adopting the communication style of top-notch performers is a potent idea from a psychological perspective. Power talking leads to power thinking. Tennis players' forceful communication entails adamant sticking to their principles and values, decisive rejections of unproductive thought patterns and their creative replacement with a range of psychologically fruitful solutions.

Inspired by outstanding sportspeople, this model of the top performer's identity may serve as a tool to achieve all-around greatness and act as a blueprint for an optimal mindset, which facilitates effective performance, promotes positive life skills and nourishes general psychological well-being.

Karolina Sznycer is a researcher working at Barcelona Tennis Academy in Spain where the program 'Developing strong individuals - Play2Inspire' is implemented. For more information about the program check out the website http://www.bta-tennis.com.

Marco Bitran: Essential Steps To Prevent Tennis Injuries

By Giselle Martin

Tennis is a physically and psychologically tiring sport; one who has ever played this game, can understand this very well. It is characterized as a force continuance sport, which implies it obliges your body to go through many multi directional developments. These developments can stack the body with a ton of muscle pressure and physical anxiety. It is necessary to have great adaptability and Range of Motion around the joints to keep up ideal practical development.

It is improbable that tennis players will go through their career without ever experiencing an injury. Out of total injuries within tennis players, under half players' injuries are lower limb (40%), upper limb injuries (25%), Trunk/back and abdomen (20%) and rest are thigh, hip, head, eye (13%).

Tennis players of all levels need proper information and directions about warm ups, cool downs and recovery. Following are the approaches to reduce the risk of tennis injuries. These are known as "Pre and Post tennis Phases" of warming up, chilling off and revival.

Warm Up - Essentially a successful warm up increments your heart rate and blood move through the body. It helps setting up the muscles and joints for tennis wellness works out, and empowers the sensory system. 

So hitting the court cool without a successful warm up can build the danger of damage and may likewise abandon you feeling even and drowsy.

Cool Down - Cooling down is paramount post practice or match. It permits your heart rate and breathing to return progressively to resting levels. It will help expel waste items from your muscles; this can develop throughout practice or matches. This phase should not be ignored by a tennis player to avoid muscle damage. Extending post workout will assist stretch the muscles once more to their unique length.

Recovery - Effective revival after matches or practice will help minimize muscle soreness (DOMS), help avert harm because of snugness and lessened reach of movement. Restoring hydration and vitality levels; with the goal that the body can refuel and help repair any damage to muscles. This phase is usually ignored by most players but it is equally important to give your body some relaxation and refueling and escape from any kind of injury.

They say Prevention is better than Cure. Training under the guidance of an experienced tennis fitness trainer and following above-mentioned simple steps regularly can ensure prevention of any kind of tennis injuries.

Giselle Martin is the fitness trainer of renowned Australian Tennis player Casey Dellacqua and the co-founder of Tennis Fitness. She has worked on the Professional Women's Tennis Circuit since 1999. During this time on the tennis tour, she has worked with some of the best tennis players in the world, such as Arantxa Sanchez, Jennifer Capriati, Martina Navratilova, Samantha Stosur and many more.

Marco Bitran: History of Tennis

By Christopher Douglas Donohue

Tennis is a sport enjoyed by people of all ages around the world with varying degrees of athleticism. Some people enjoy leisurely hitting the ball back and forth over the net, while some people earn their living playing professional tennis.

The exact origins of the sport of tennis aren't exactly noted, however some historians believe it dates back to Ancient Egypt, while others believe it originated in northern France in some monastic cloisters in the 12th century.

No matter what area or century the original game was founded, it appears all agree that the original game of tennis was played without rackets, but using a ball struck with the palm of a bare hand, much like modern-day handball.

In the 16th century rackets became a more popular tool for hitting the ball, and the game's name was changed from "jeu de paume" (game of the palm) to "lawn tennis," or "real tennis." Europe's aristocracies soon took notice of the sport and grew it in popularity especially in France and England. This made the sport become more regulated with rules and equipment becoming unified.

As the rulers of Europe became enthralled with the sport of tennis, they built many tennis courts and promoted the sport among a wide cross-section of their people. In the 1500s in England a famous tennis court was built at the Royal Palace of Hampton Court, and it is still used for modern competitions.

By the 1890s the rules and scoring system we use for tennis today were largely in place. The only major rule change since then was the adoption of a tie-break rule in the 1970s.

The four grand slam tournament events were all established long ago. Wimbledon began in 1877, the U.S. Open in 1881, the French Open in 1891 and the Australian Open in 1905.

Before the late 1920s all tennis players were considered amateur, but around that time star players began to make a living from their talents. In 1927 the first U.S. Professional Championship was held, however tennis players who were considered "professional" were not allowed to participate in the four grand slam tournaments until 1968, thus beginning the modern "Open" era.

Prior to pros participating in these tournaments, they would earn their money by winning establishing their talent in the grand slam tournaments, then turn pro so they could tour the world to play in professional-only tournaments and lucrative exhibition matches.

Once the professional era began, prize money, corporate sponsorship and television revenues have made many professionals quite wealthy based on their talents, number of wins and general likability (or un-likability in some cases).

The transition from amateur tennis to professional tennis was not an easy one. Both the male and female players formed their own associations.

Once tennis matches were televised on a regular basis, flamboyant players with big personalities started getting attention for more than just their tennis skills. Although they were great for the spectators to watch, some players got in big trouble with their actions and trash talking.

Although the sport of tennis has evolved quite a bit over the centuries, the same basic principles are in place that have been for quite a long time. The staying-power of this sport is a testament to the fact that anyone can enjoy the sport at whatever level they are comfortable with.

Marco Bitran: Advantages of Playing Tennis

By Francesca Mercedes Fanchin

When choosing a sport to play, tennis should be your top choice. Tennis can help you stay in shape, improve your mentality in life situations, as well as giving you a better chance at finding a good job. Knowing how to play has been known to improve the lives of families and children because it teaches them how to incorporate tennis into education and health. This sport has been recognized as being a "sport for a lifetime" because it can be picked up by anyone at any age as well as it not being to hard on your body.

The effects that tennis has on your body can range from getting fit to even fighting diseases and strengthening your immune system. It enhances your aerobic fitness by being able to burn fat and improving your cardio fitness and being able to withstand a high level of energy for a long period of time. As well as increasing your anaerobic fitness by increasing short and intense bursts of movement during a point followed by a short rest which allows the muscles to use oxygen efficiently. Tennis also helps you have a powerful first step in order to be able to anticipate have quick reactions in order to get to the ball and helps you have good speed and coordination. There is a more prominent strength in your bones which prevents osteoporosis. It also promotes healthier habits due to having more of an impact on nutritional values because it requires you to have more appropriate meals before and after playing to have proper recovery for the next time you play. Tennis burns calories, keeps your body strong, and encourages an active lifestyle.

The mental aspect of tennis has you develop discipline, work ethic, control stress, and plan as well as implementing strategies. It develops athletes to have positive personality characteristics and creates a higher self-esteem and optimism which fights against: depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension. When playing tennis, you forget the world and nothing matters; the fact that you release tension every time you strike the ball is an invigorating feeling. When fighting off your opponent there comes a time where you are nervous or scared and this is the time in which you must shut down that negative voice and embrace your confident self. The sport also teaches you how to behave towards others and have respect your opponent no mater if you won or lost the match. These psychological reasons help you become a better person and learn how to deal with pressure and anxiety. All in all one must have fun and all of these mental setbacks will seem far away.

There are many employers who more often than not hire tennis players over any other athletic players. Employers seek candidates with top qualities, in which tennis players posses. Tennis players are trained to solve problems quickly because during a point you must make a decision in a split second in order to win the point successfully. When faced against a difficult opponent, even a tough problem you must be able to think on their feet to find alternative solutions. Bosses wants to hire someone who is a hard worker, self-motivated, and passionate. These are the three most important characteristics that a tennis player has because this is one of the few sports that is not part of a team. One plays alone and faces all of these difficult challenges on their own. There is a need to be disciplined on court and off because at the end of the day it all comes down to how badly you want it and what you are willing to put on the line to make your dream a reality.

Tennis is an amazing sport which can bring many benefits to both your health and mental/emotional growth. It is never too late to learn how to play, what you learn with this sport will help you throughout your lifetime.

Marco Bitran: The Beginner's Tips for Learning Tennis Techniques

By Donald Finch

Playing tennis is quite enjoyable only when you are capable of learning the basic techniques and methodologies. If you have the willingness and if you have the proper motivation, you will be able to learn them in the best possible way. This article will highlight on a few important tips that the beginners should consider in order to learn this type of sport as quickly as possible.

Practice with definite purpose

The first step is that you have to practice this type of game with a definite purpose in your mind. When you practice it with a proper focus, it will help you to improve your energy level and it will also allow you to increase your productivity to a great extent. Plus, you will be able to create your own target in terms of your performance on the court and you will compare your performance level according to the target that you have set on your own. If you practice with a definite purpose from the first day you will be able to show your desirable result within a short span of time.

Keep a proper record of your performance

You should always maintain proper record of your performance on the court. You can keep the details of this type of record on your own dairy or you can also maintain your own logbook. It is vital that you should make entries in your logbook or even in your diary regularly. For instance, you should write what your tennis instructor tells you or you should write down what mistakes you need to improve for good performance. If your instructor asks you to focus on your forehand technique, it is advisable that you should immediately mention it in the book along with the necessary tips and suggestions. If your backhand technique is weak, then you should write it down on the book and you should also write down important suggestions of your proficient instructor in this matter.

Play slowly on the court

You should spend a lot of time to learn a new technique or methodology. You can think of it as a task that you take up in order to develop a basic foundation of your building. When you build up your foundation, then only you should think to take it further to the next level. Similarly, you should first learn the basic techniques of tennis. These techniques include mental strategies, footwork tactics and other fundamental tennis techniques.

Get ready to face adversity

You may take a lot of time to overcome your weaknesses and you may also require an ample scope of time to improve techniques of this type of sport. Your goal is to try to learn the right technique from the first day of the training session and to seek suggestion from a proficient instructor from time to time. You need to take the help of this type of proficient instructor who can help you to adopt appropriate method and who can help you to overcome your weakness by all possible means.

Euro School of Tennis is a famous training institute that is dedicated in offering effective tennis coaching in Palo Alto to children and adults at affordable rates. If you want to join private tennis lesson in Palo Alto then you should immediately get in touch with this institute without any delay.

Marco Bitran: Improve Your Mental Health to Win a Tennis Match

By Donald Finch

If you have learned the important techniques related to tennis and if you have developed physical strength, then you should have the maximum possibility to perform well in a tennis competition. However, your scope to win this type of match is beyond your ability if your own mind is not trained in the best possible way. This article will highlight on a few important tips that are followed by the proficient tennis players for their excellent performance in the competition.

Improve your visualization

Before you participate in an important tennis match, it is vital that you should perform exercises that help you to improve your visualization to a great extent. You should spend at least five or six minutes to visualize as if you have already given your best performance in the tennis competition and that you have already won it.

Plus, you should be able to imagine that you have already used effective ground strokes to make your opponent to be in real danger. Even if you have to play against a strong player it is vital that you should think that you have already won the match.


Monitor your thoughts

Whether you practice with your fellow player or you wish to face the opponent to overpower him it is vital that you should talk to yourself. You should remind yourself that you have the right skills or techniques and defeat the opponent by all possible means. You should think that you have already developed the right skills or methodologies to defeat the opponents. Even when you miss the hit, you should not feel angry or irritated.

Plus, you should determine that you should not complain even if the match referee in this match gives a bad call otherwise there is a possibility that you will get easily distracted.

Develop the strength of your mind

It is vital that you should develop mental strength in every possible way. Even if you show your stamina during this type of match, your scope to win it is limited if your mental strength seems to be too weak. Mental strength signifies your capacity to highlight on every single aspect of your match in the best possible way.

Show your confidence

Another effective strategy to win your match is to show your confidence level to your opponent player on the tennis court. You should look into the eye of the opponent as well as you should display your calm attitude to your player. This type of attitude will be able to present you as a person who is capable to show your best performance on this type of court.

Identify your mistakes

All tennis players make mistakes, but only great players have the abilities to convert errors into opportunities to improve their game plans. You should be able to evaluate your situation and you should develop your own strategies to improve your techniques.

Review your own performance

If you wish to show your best performance and if you wish to develop your mental strength, then you should watch recorded video of your performance. This technique helps you to evaluate your strong and weak points of your performance on this type of competition.

Euro School of Tennis is a famous training institute that is dedicated in offering effective tennis lessons, tennis spring camp to kids as well as adults at reasonable rates. If you want to join tennis summer camp or other tennis training lessons, then you should immediately contact this institute without any delay.

Marco Bitran: Lessons From the Tennis Pros: How to Tackle Losses, Failure and Mistakes

    By Karolina Sznyceer, PhD

The notion of failure may be totally removed from your mental framework or at least become crucially redefined if you decide to look at mistakes from refreshingly positive viewpoints regularly adopted by top tennis players. Perfectionism or excessive fear of mistakes locks you up inside, generates internal blockages and saps your energy. Its common result is inaction, opting for the emotional comfort of stagnation and avoiding emotionally risky ventures. Athletes attempt to embrace mistakes through consistent redefinitions of their standard meanings.

On the first approach, a mistake is reframed as a task to be repeated. The athlete never ceases trying until the goal is finally accomplished. How to make this slightly super-human option doable? For sportspeople, the secret most often lies in effective goal-setting. You divide your task into manageable segments and tackle them in sequence. You do it at your own pace and rhythm. No pressure - you simply carry on doing your own thing. If you fail, you rearrange your goals: add steps, reduce the sequence, fine-tune intensity. You persist not so much in dealing with the same task all over again as in a smarter goal design. The key thing here is goal-setting mentality - approaching every difficulty in terms of action plans and mental plans.

Alternatively, mistakes are viewed as by-products of an aggressive mind-set bent on constant offensive attacks. This approach necessarily involves risk-taking, the frequent consequence of which are all kinds of errors and mistakes. Yet, it is a calculated risk. The player accepts mistakes as an inevitable result of the strategy he or she adopts, as an indispensable part of the process. Their mindset operates on the gutsy principle of "no risk, no glory", which in addition serves as an efficient energization strategy psyching up the athlete before competition. The idea is that you own your failures in an equal measure as you claim your triumphs. As a consequence of this approach, you develop greater emotional bravery.

The final strategy is ruthless exploitation. You perceive mistakes as something to use and then get rid of with no further ceremonies. You extract the valuable part - the lesson behind the mistake and then erase the event from your memory. You don't dwell on errors; you don't ruminate and don't linger in the past for too long.

You are supposed to be unsentimental. The underlying principle relies on constantly adding to your repertoire and moving forward. This is how mistakes may lead to something new - a cycle of never-ending transformations.

All these perspectives aim to release you from the drag of perfection and help you get to grips with its frequently paralysing effect. In each case, mistakes trigger off something positive, be it more efficient planning, greater courage or self-improvement. In point of fact, perfection recedes into background while central emphasis rests on the constant development of your self and becoming more as a result.

Karolina Sznycer is a researcher working at Barcelona Tennis Academy in Spain where the programme 'Developing strong individuals - Play2Inspire' is implemented. For more information about the programme check out our website http://www.bta-tennis.com.

Marco Bitran: Sports Psychology And Tennis: What Is The Least Used Shot In Tennis?

 
By Jay P. Granat, Ph.D.

The US Open will start in a few months and tennis players, the tennis media, and tennis fans will be intensively focused on this annual event based in New York City.

Tennis enthusiasts can probably have a lively debate as to the least utilized shot in tennis. Some will say it is the lob. Some might mention the offensive lob or the defensive lob.

Some tennis aficionados may say that it is the drop shot.

In order to get an answer from a top expert, I recently interviewed the legendary tennis coach, Peter Burwash. The head of Peter Burwash International, this tennis management company operates in thirty two countries.

Burwash is a Master Tennis Professional and a highly respected tennis coach and has worked with many or the world's top tennis players.

During his career, Peter has both played and coached in one hundred and thirty four countries.

Mr. Burwash, who is passionate about teaching people to play tennis for their lifetime, explained that the forehand slice is a very important and effective shot which is utilized by very few players these days.

While many players use a backhand slice, few are comfortable hitting the forehand with under spin.

Mr. Burwash believes that this shot can be a powerful weapon and it can make for a very effective approach shot which players can then follow into the net with the hope getting a ball that they can volley to end the point.

When executed properly this shot can stay low and force a tennis player to have to bend down low in order to get the ball back over the net.

Interestingly, my tennis club has about one hundred and thirty members and I can not think of any player who hits this shot with consistency. Some players do hit drop shots on both the forehand and backhand side, but none of the members execute the forehand slice with consistency and skill.

For some reason, the backhand slice is more natural for many club players. Perhaps this is because players are so accustomed to driving the ball with their forehands with topspin. The forehand slice is a very different kind of shot.

Interestingly, even at the pro level, very few players seem to have this shot in their arsenal.

So, take it from the man who has coached some of the world's top tennis players. Developing your forehand slice can help you take your game to that next level.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist, author and founder of http://www.StayInTheZone.com He has appeared in many major media outlets and had developed a mental toughness program for tennis players. http://stayinthezone.com/shop/sports-psychology-and-mental-toughness-system-for-tennis-players/

Marco Bitran: Sports Psychology And Tennis: How To Improve Your Serve Right Now - Six Simple Tennis Tips

 
By Jay P. Granat, Ph.D.

Tennis players of all levels periodically struggle with their serve. If you watch a lot of tennis you can see these struggles at the high school level, the collegiate level, the weekend warrior level and the professional level.

When a player is serving well, it can elevate his or her game.

Conversely, if he or she is serving poorly, it can negatively impact their confidence, their focus and the rest of their game.

Serves can be erratic, since there is a lot involved in generating and producing an effective serve.

For starters, the toss is very important. Players need to get the ball into the right spot on a frequent and regular basis. For many players this is between eleven o'clock and one o'clock.

Rick Macci, the world famous tennis coach who I have had the pleasure to interview several times, reminds tennis players to get their toss along side and above their right ear if they are right handed and along side and above their left ear if they are left handed.

Seeing the ball hit your racket is another important key to having a good serve.

Being able to hit several different kinds of serves like a flat serve, a kick serve and a slice serve is very useful.

Maintaining one's rhythm, and balance is also very important when serving a tennis.

Keeping you head up as your strike the ball and keeping it up through the stroke is another factor for players to keep in their minds when they are about to start the tennis point.

Macci also noted the importance of utilizing the legs to generate power in one' serve.

Mr. Macci also reminded players to have their feet pointed to the sideline when they get ready to serve in tennis.

Once you learn the mechanics of hitting the serve, it is useful to have a mental routine to go along with your service routine and motion.

Here is a simple method which many players have found helpful.

1. Walk up to the line confidently.

2. Take a deep breath and inhale relaxation, confidence,focus and enjoyment. Exhale and let go of any anxiety, self doubt, distraction or worry. Take a few more breaths if necessary.

3. Pick the spot you want to serve to and zero in on getting the ball to that spot. If you like, you can color your target spot with your favorite color.

Some players like a target the size of a magazine cover. Others like a target somewhat larger. Experiment to find out what is the right kind of image for you to focus on when you serve.

4. Bounce the ball from one to four times to find your rhythm. Some players bounce once for relaxation, once for confidence, and once for focus.

5. Make sure your arm and your wrist remains loose and flexible throughout your stroke.

6. See the sky and the ball when you make contact with the ball.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a Psychotherapist, Author and The Founder of http://www.StayInTheZone.com. He has appeared in more than a dozen major media outlets. Dr. Granat has developed numerous peak performance programs as well as a mental toughness program for tennis players.

To get the tennis program, click here http://stayinthezone.com/shop/sports-psychology-and-mental-toughness-system-for-tennis-players/

Dr. Granat is available for seminars and for coaching.

Marco Bitran: How To Analyze Any Tennis Match

By Alex Tes

There are some things you have to keep in mind to make a competent analysis of all key moments leading to success.

Physical data

First comes analysis of the player's physical form. It's vital to know how tired he is. And you won't understand it watching the match online. It's necessary to know how long he has been in play before this very match. Such components as ranking position, current physical form and motivation sink in the scale if the night before an athlete played a very exhausting match, you can also see it in statistic. Most probably, he'll produce a large number of mistakes, few serve winners and bad movements.

Of course, there are some exceptions. Think about such sturdy guys as Nadal or Ferrer. They deal well with physically tough matches. But they are unique in men's tour.

Players peak form

It's not a secret that tennis season is not a short grind and it's very hard to maintain peak form all season long (next to impossible, I'd say). So many athletes peak at different portions of the season. Nadal, for example, shows his best during the clay season. Andy Murray is always at his best immediately after Roland Garros, i.e. second half of the circuit.

Head to head records

Some tennis players cause troubles to one style of opponent more than they do to others. Nadal is very uncomfortable for Federer. The Swiss can make up no answers to the Spaniard's questions. Another example is Berdych-Isner. The American is the best opponent possible for the Czech to face off in tour, both mentally and tactically: Tomas has no troubles receiving John's serves.

Match surface

Different players play differently on different surfaces. "Clayers" perform better on slow courts, "servers" - on fast ones. There are also many all-courts athletes showing good results on any type of courts. Thus, a "server's" winning chances against "clayer's" on clay courts will be very shadow. The above is also true if a "clayer" faces a "server" on a fast court. Sometimes it's more useful to consider the players' specialization with no regard to their ranking. It's also worth paying attention to head-to-head encounters: if, for instance, one opponent leads with a 4:0 advantage in h2h meetings, but all victories were achieved on a suitable surface, these victories will become irrelevant when the surface is changed. We consider it to be a very important moment.

Read more in our article.
You see that analyzing tennis matches is not an easy task. Trust it to us and subscribe to our mailing list.

Marco Bitran: Two Keys To Growing As A Tennis Player

By Andrew Stratton

While tennis is technically played against an opponent, much of the game is very self-absorbed. You stand alone on your side of the court, far away from the other player, there is a large net separating you, and the game pauses after every point, allowing you to reflect internally on what went wrong. There is no team to carry you, no group aiming towards a common goal; it's just you and how well you perform. Unless you are willing to invest hundreds of dollars into quality tennis lessons, it can be very difficult to figure out exactly how to practice. Here are the two most important things to focus on in order to keep pace with players well above your skill level.

Second Serve

A top-notch serve is about power and technique. The only way to get a truly devastating serve is to have help with the technique and to practice for countless hours on controlling the power behind it. There is a steep learning curve to a great first serve, and you will be quite terrible at it for a long time while you learn.

To compensate for this, you need to make sure that you have an extremely reliable second serve. You need to be able to play a full match as though you only get one serve per point, and you should never ever miss it.

However, your second serve cannot be so soft that it gives the opponent a chance to shut you down immediately every point. Find a balance between speed and control that allows you to land a well-aimed serve every single time, and you will be able to keep control of the game when it is your service.

Frustrating Lob

In tennis, the mark of a great player is often their net play. It takes a great deal of confidence to charge the net and put away a point. Most players that are better than you will have this tendency, and it is one that can be deliciously manipulated if you have solid control. You want to practice a lob shot that goes well over the opponent's head in a high, slow arc, landing just at the base line. A slow lob will entice the player to chase after the ball, but the height of the lob will make the bounce so wild that few players will be able to keep control even if they catch up. Do this a few times in a row, and you'll leave your opponent uncertain enough to begin making errors.

Every tennis player knows that the absolute best way to improve is to play against people who are better than you. Unfortunately, those people also want to have a challenging game. By mastering these tips, you will be able to provide enough of a challenge to give the other player a good time, and maybe even take a set or two in the process.

Looking for a way to up your game in tennis? Panama City residents can learn more by visiting http://www.baypointgolf.com/BayPoint-tennis.

Marco Bitran: An Overview of Tennis Courses for Children

 By Donald Finch

Tennis lessons for children come in different forms such as group programs, recreational courses, private courses as well as semi-private programs. Each course has its own strength, weakness as well as objectives. This article will throw a light on the salient features of these four popular tennis courses that are available for the children.

Group Tennis Programs

This type of program is considered to be one of the common formats where the children learn tennis lessons. The structure of this type of course varies from group of four under the supervision of proficient professionals to large group of eight or ten players under the control of local professionals. The instructions offered by the professionals often vary according to the total size of the group. It is advisable that the group membership should not be too large. In a small group the children have the opportunity to learn quickly and participate in fun activities in group lessons easily. This kind of program is ideal for children who love to play with several friends. Plus, the children who want to enjoy games and learn a lesson in gradual process should participate in the course. The family members who cannot afford to take the benefit of arranging expensive training for the children should take the chance of enrolling their children to this kind of program.

Recreational Tennis Courses

These courses are run by the local camp authorities or local recreational centers so that the children should get a wide exposure to the tennis sport. The main instructor of the course is a budding player who wishes to get experience in teaching the tennis sport to the kids. However, there are a few courses that also use proficient coaches or instructors in this matter. Other employees include people who have a few years of playing experience and who have acquired basic sport skills are also involved in this kind of course. Companionship, informal playing session, less commitment to sports and low cost are the few advantages of participating in the program. The children who are completely new to the sport and the kids who participate in other types of activities are eligible to participate in the tennis course.

Semi Private Tennis Programs

These programs must be taught by experienced professionals. This type of format seems to work best if two players sharing the tennis lessons must be in a position to compete with each other. The objective of this type of tennis program is to maintain an effective balance between individualized instructions and companionship. The benefits available from this type of course include individual attention, camaraderie and constant involvement of the players. A semi private tennis course is an ideal option for the children who wish to participate in the tournament and the family members who are unable to bear the expenditure of private lessons for their children.

Private Tennis Courses

These courses are usually taught by experienced professionals. The improvement of performance level, quick attention from the proficient trainers and ample opportunity for skill improvement are the multiple benefits available for the children. The children who have developed basic knowledge of the sport, the kids who wish to learn a particular stroke as well as the children who wish to participate in competition are eligible for this type of program.

Euro School of tennis is one of the popular training institutes that offer multiple private tennis lessons for kids and adults. If you wish to join tennis classes San Jose then you must contact the institute. It offers quality training at affordable price rates.

Marco Bitran: The Beginner's Tips For Learning Tennis Techniques

 

By Donald Finch

Playing tennis is quite enjoyable only when you are capable of learning the basic techniques and methodologies. If you have the willingness and if you have the proper motivation, you will be able to learn them in the best possible way. This article will highlight on a few important tips that the beginners should consider in order to learn this type of sport as quickly as possible.

Practice with definite purpose

The first step is that you have to practice this type of game with a definite purpose in your mind. When you practice it with a proper focus, it will help you to improve your energy level and it will also allow you to increase your productivity to a great extent. Plus, you will be able to create your own target in terms of your performance on the court and you will compare your performance level according to the target that you have set on your own. If you practice with a definite purpose from the first day you will be able to show your desirable result within a short span of time.

Keep a proper record of your performance

You should always maintain proper record of your performance on the court. You can keep the details of this type of record on your own dairy or you can also maintain your own logbook. It is vital that you should make entries in your logbook or even in your diary regularly. For instance, you should write what your tennis instructor tells you or you should write down what mistakes you need to improve for good performance. If your instructor asks you to focus on your forehand technique, it is advisable that you should immediately mention it in the book along with the necessary tips and suggestions. If your backhand technique is weak, then you should write it down on the book and you should also write down important suggestions of your proficient instructor in this matter.

Play slowly on the court

You should spend a lot of time to learn a new technique or methodology. You can think of it as a task that you take up in order to develop a basic foundation of your building. When you build up your foundation, then only you should think to take it further to the next level. Similarly, you should first learn the basic techniques of tennis. These techniques include mental strategies, footwork tactics and other fundamental tennis techniques.

Get ready to face adversity

You may take a lot of time to overcome your weaknesses and you may also require an ample scope of time to improve techniques of this type of sport. Your goal is to try to learn the right technique from the first day of the training session and to seek suggestion from a proficient instructor from time to time. You need to take the help of this type of proficient instructor who can help you to adopt appropriate method and who can help you to overcome your weakness by all possible means.

Euro School of Tennis is a famous training institute that is dedicated in offering effective tennis coaching in Palo Alto to children and adults at affordable rates. If you want to join private tennis lesson in Palo Alto then you should immediately get in touch with this institute without any delay.

Marco Bitran: How Do You Improve Your Performance As A Tennis Player?

By Donald Finch

Playing tennis is the best way of developing your strength, energy and fitness and it is also the great way of spending time with friends, family members and your relatives. If you wish to learn tennis and you want to show your best performance, then you must follow a few essential tips.

Learn the game rules

The first step is to know the basic rules that are related to tennis game. Normally you have to win six games in order to win one set and you should win two out of three sets in order to win a tennis match. Each tennis game starts with zero point earned by both players. The first point secured by one player is called fifteen, the second point is called thirty and the third point is known as forty. If the player secures forty points and the opponent player secures thirty points or even less than it, then the first player can earn next point and win the tennis game.

Develop knowledge about tennis strokes

You should learn to hold the racket in a right manner. The fundamental grip of the racket is called the continental grip where you would hold your racket in the similar way as you hold one hammer. The next step is to improve your serve. It is vital to remember that each point in the tennis game starts with one serve. If you wish to improve your performance you first have to improve tennis performance as soon as possible.

You should begin with basic serve and when you improve your skills you could try out advanced serve. If you wish to improve the serve, you first have to stand behind the baseline near the middle portion of court with your foot that is not dominant in the front side. You should hold the racquet in the hand that is dominant and you should point out the shoulder in the exact direction where you wish to serve. In order to create stability, you should bounce the tennis ball on the floor for a few minutes.

Once you learn how to serve the ball, you should learn how to hit a forehand volley. All you have to do is to hold your racquet in the dominant hand and hit your ball just before it bounces with a downward motion. If you wish to try out backhand volley, you should hold the same racquet in the dominant hand and keep the back side of the hand in the opposite direction of the net.

Learn the Advanced Skills

When you learn the basic skills, you should try to gather knowledge about the advanced skills. You should try to learn an overhead shot. It is a special type of shot where the opponent player throws the tennis ball over the head and you should aim to slam it down on the opponent's side so that it becomes quite impossible for that player to return your ball. The final step is to read the psychology of the opponent player. In order to become an expert player, you first have to understand that the skills and performance levels of two players are not alike. In order to win the tennis sport, you first have to exploit the weak points of the opponent and you should not allow him to show his strength by any means.

Euro School of tennis is one of the popular training institutes that offer effective private tennis lesson for children and adults. If you wish to join summer tennis camps then also you must contact the institute. You can get quality training at reasonable price rates.

Marco Bitran: The Beginner's Tips for Learning Tennis Techniques

Playing tennis is quite enjoyable only when you are capable of learning the basic techniques and methodologies. If you have the willingness and if you have the proper motivation, you will be able to learn them in the best possible way. This article will highlight on a few important tips that the beginners should consider in order to learn this type of sport as quickly as possible.

Practice with definite purpose

The first step is that you have to practice this type of game with a definite purpose in your mind. When you practice it with a proper focus, it will help you to improve your energy level and it will also allow you to increase your productivity to a great extent. Plus, you will be able to create your own target in terms of your performance on the court and you will compare your performance level according to the target that you have set on your own. If you practice with a definite purpose from the first day you will be able to show your desirable result within a short span of time.

Keep a proper record of your performance

You should always maintain proper record of your performance on the court. You can keep the details of this type of record on your own dairy or you can also maintain your own logbook. It is vital that you should make entries in your logbook or even in your diary regularly. For instance, you should write what your tennis instructor tells you or you should write down what mistakes you need to improve for good performance. If your instructor asks you to focus on your forehand technique, it is advisable that you should immediately mention it in the book along with the necessary tips and suggestions. If your backhand technique is weak, then you should write it down on the book and you should also write down important suggestions of your proficient instructor in this matter.

Play slowly on the court

You should spend a lot of time to learn a new technique or methodology. You can think of it as a task that you take up in order to develop a basic foundation of your building. When you build up your foundation, then only you should think to take it further to the next level. Similarly, you should first learn the basic techniques of tennis. These techniques include mental strategies, footwork tactics and other fundamental tennis techniques.

Get ready to face adversity

You may take a lot of time to overcome your weaknesses and you may also require an ample scope of time to improve techniques of this type of sport. Your goal is to try to learn the right technique from the first day of the training session and to seek suggestion from a proficient instructor from time to time. You need to take the help of this type of proficient instructor who can help you to adopt appropriate method and who can help you to overcome your weakness by all possible means.

Euro School of Tennis is a famous training institute that is dedicated in offering effective tennis coaching in Palo Alto to children and adults at affordable rates. If you want to join private tennis lesson in Palo Alto then you should immediately get in touch with this institute without any delay.

Marco Bitran: The Fast and Effective Defensive Tennis Techniques

By Donald Finch

There are multiple factors that compel a tennis player to improve the defense techniques during a competitive match. The footwork, speed and the ball hitting techniques are the crucial factors that are responsible for the improvement of the defense mechanism of the player by all possible means. Your objective is to understand the best way to hit it and to put the opponent player in a challenging situation. This article will highlight on a few defensive techniques that are followed by the tennis player to improve the defensive skills.

Know how to remain in the right position on the court

You may often go out of your right position in order to get the next ball that is thrown by the player on the opposite side. All you need to do is to hit the shot in order to return to the right position on the court. Hitting the ball will allow you in reducing the recovery time and allowing it to reach the opposite side of the court quickly. An effective strategy is to strike it as well as return yourself to the middle portion of your baseline.

The popular players understand the tactics to hit down a shot. It helps you to return to the defensive position and this kind of shot even helps you to return to the original point.

Hitting the tennis ball across the court allows you to get ample scope of time in recovering the time. The harder you select to hit it in a particular situation, the lesser time you can get to recover as well as to return to the middle part of the court or even in a decent position for another shot.

Defend yourself when you are overpowered

If the other player is playing on a baseline and you are being overpowered and you are compelled to move around the court, hitting it seems to be quite challenging for you.

Develop the technique to strike the baseline match

Your next step is to reduce the frequency of shot and to hit down the tennis ball on the court. It is vital to remember that your opponent player would find it difficult to hit it at a fast pace if you are unable to work hard with it. Plus, you should not try to alter its direction at any point of time. When they hit it across the court you must try to strike it across the court if you are in great trouble.

Increase the power of your backhand

It is quite easier for you to strike it in the same direction from where it is being thrown. You should not try to strike it if the player on the opposite side tries to hit it across the court. You may find it quite difficult for you to alter its exact direction at any point of time.

Euro School of tennis is one of the popular training institutes that offer effective private tennis lesson in Palo Alto for children and adults. If you wish to join tennis spring camp then also you must contact the institute. You can get quality training at reasonable price rates.

Marco Bitran: The Various Health Benefits of Playing a Tennis Match

By Donald Finch

Tennis is a popular sport that provides several benefits to the players of all age groups. If you wish to find out if this game is the ideal sport for you, then you should consider multiple benefits that you can get from this type of sport performance. This article will throw light on top advantages of playing this sport on a regular basis.

Fat Reduction and lipid profile maintenance

If you play tennis, you can decrease the huge amount of body fat and you can become fit and strong. It controls cholesterol and it helps you to maintain a low lipid profile. Plus, it decreases the risk of chronic illnesses such as cardiac attack, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Body Balance Maintenance

When you play tennis, you have to run around the court and you have to stretch your body to a great extent. It helps you to improve coordination as well as balance. Due to constant movement your body becomes flexible.

Personality Enhancement

Those who play the match on a daily basis tend to decrease their depression level and increase their self confidence. It offers control over emotion and decreases your anger and anxiety. In a nutshell, tennis performance creates an excellent impact on your personality.

Improved Body Coordination

Since you have to move back and forth during a tennis match you can improve coordination of your body. Plus, it also allows you to develop coordination of hand and eyes. It also enhances minor movements of the body and allows you to get better control over your body.

Social skill Improvement

This type of sport makes you disciplined since you have to practice every day for a fixed amount of time and you have to arrive at the venue at the scheduled time. Plus, it also allows you to socialize with other players, proficient trainers as well as the audience.

Immunity Development

If you play tennis, you can improve the physical health and you can develop your immune system. It enhances bone mass, bone density and it prevents the risk of osteoporosis.

Effective dietary habit

It allows you to improve diet plan and it helps you to conform to this plan under different circumstances. It allows you to plan every meal and it determines the interval of time between them, the type of foods you eat and so on. The proper diet plan allows you to become fit for the match and it improves your fitness.

Aerobic as well as anaerobic health improvement

It allows you to improve aerobic health since it increases the scope of better inhalation of oxygen when you play a tennis match. Better oxygen inhalation means increased heart rates and better blood circulation in the muscles. It also improves the performance of muscles and it reduces fatigue level to a great extent.

Moreover, it also allows you to maintain anaerobic health that allows circulation of oxygen in the muscles.

Euro School of Tennis is one of the popular training institutes that offer effective private tennis classes Los Altos for children and adults. If you wish to join junior tennis development San Jose sessions then also you must contact the institute. You can get quality training at reasonable price rates.

Marco Bitran: The Fundamentals of the Doubles Tennis Matches

By Donald Finch

There are a few techniques and rules that you need to follow to play doubles tennis matches. The tennis match is either held between two players or between the players in two pairs. If you wish to become an expert in a doubles tennis match, then you have to know the tactics to approach the match just like a professional. There is a huge difference in psychology when you play doubles tennis match because you need to deal with your opponent and your partner. This article will highlight on a few important aspects of doubles tennis that you need to adopt to secure good scores in a tennis match.

Choose the right tennis partner

When you wish to play this type of match, it is advisable that you should find out a suitable partner. It does not mean that you should pick up an expert player, but you should find a player who plays at your similar level and who compliments the match. For instance, if you serve well around the tennis net, but you do not return the serve in a perfect way, then you should find out a suitable partner who helps you in this matter.

It is vital that you should select a partner who is compatible with you and who also has a pleasant personality.

If you are a person who wants to dominate the other player, then you should find out a partner who is open to your valuable suggestions and who will be happy to follow you in all possible ways. Similarly, two tennis players with timid personalities also are not desirable because there is no one who can play the role of the decision maker. Selection of a suitable partner for your personality as well as your match style seems to be quite crucial.

Play your first ball in the best possible way

One of the important aspects of doubles tennis match is the way you play your first ball. In this kind of match, the serving or returning techniques seem to be crucial for your first rate tennis performance. The way you play the first few balls will determine your fate.

The attitude of the player who returns the serve is equally important. While returning the first serve, the returner may not seem to be highly aggressive or even offensive. However, the thought procedure of the same returner will effectively change when the returner receives the second serve. The opponents seem to be quite dangerous when they return the ball and they seem to become offensive.

There is a pair of people on your opposite side and there is hardly any involvement of a single player. It makes the hitting procedure quite difficult and it often leads to multiple mistakes and difficulties. The best idea is neutralizing the opponent, thereby hitting the return when they are not serving the ball. In this way, you can reduce the chance of free points that you lose when you make careless mistakes and you can enhance your opportunity to secure the point.

Euro School of tennis is one of the popular training institutes that offer effective youth tennis lessons Los Altos for children and adults. If you wish to join youth tennis programs in Cupertino then also you must contact the institute. You can get quality training at affordable price rates.

Marco Bitran: Advantages of Playing Tennis

By Francesca Mercedes Fanchin

When choosing a sport to play, tennis should be your top choice. Tennis can help you stay in shape, improve your mentality in life situations, as well as giving you a better chance at finding a good job. Knowing how to play has been known to improve the lives of families and children because it teaches them how to incorporate tennis into education and health. This sport has been recognized as being a "sport for a lifetime" because it can be picked up by anyone at any age as well as it not being to hard on your body.

The effects that tennis has on your body can range from getting fit to even fighting diseases and strengthening your immune system. It enhances your aerobic fitness by being able to burn fat and improving your cardio fitness and being able to withstand a high level of energy for a long period of time. As well as increasing your anaerobic fitness by increasing short and intense bursts of movement during a point followed by a short rest which allows the muscles to use oxygen efficiently. Tennis also helps you have a powerful first step in order to be able to anticipate have quick reactions in order to get to the ball and helps you have good speed and coordination. There is a more prominent strength in your bones which prevents osteoporosis. It also promotes healthier habits due to having more of an impact on nutritional values because it requires you to have more appropriate meals before and after playing to have proper recovery for the next time you play.

Tennis burns calories, keeps your body strong, and encourages an active lifestyle.

The mental aspect of tennis has you develop discipline, work ethic, control stress, and plan as well as implementing strategies. It develops athletes to have positive personality characteristics and creates a higher self-esteem and optimism which fights against: depression, anger, confusion, anxiety and tension. When playing tennis, you forget the world and nothing matters; the fact that you release tension every time you strike the ball is an invigorating feeling. When fighting off your opponent there comes a time where you are nervous or scared and this is the time in which you must shut down that negative voice and embrace your confident self. The sport also teaches you how to behave towards others and have respect your opponent no mater if you won or lost the match. These psychological reasons help you become a better person and learn how to deal with pressure and anxiety. All in all one must have fun and all of these mental setbacks will seem far away.

There are many employers who more often than not hire tennis players over any other athletic players.

Employers seek candidates with top qualities, in which tennis players posses. Tennis players are trained to solve problems quickly because during a point you must make a decision in a split second in order to win the point successfully. When faced against a difficult opponent, even a tough problem you must be able to think on their feet to find alternative solutions. Bosses wants to hire someone who is a hard worker, self-motivated, and passionate. These are the three most important characteristics that a tennis player has because this is one of the few sports that is not part of a team. One plays alone and faces all of these difficult challenges on their own. There is a need to be disciplined on court and off because at the end of the day it all comes down to how badly you want it and what you are willing to put on the line to make your dream a reality.

Tennis is an amazing sport which can bring many benefits to both your health and mental/emotional growth. It is never too late to learn how to play, what you learn with this sport will help you throughout your lifetime.

Marco Bitran Wins the Men's Singles Ladder in Tennis

Source: Marco Bitran Tennis

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Dec 10, 2014) - In a long string of recent accomplishments, Marco Bitran has continued his winning streak by taking the top place in the Men's Singles Ladder and second place in Men's Doubles in Bloomington's Adult Tennis Leagues. Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana himself, Bitran has stated, "It is a great honor to be recognized in my hometown for a hobby that I've poured my passion into for years now." Bitran began playing tennis at the age of 8 at the local courts near the home of his childhood.

Winning a tennis tournament is not uncommon, but not everyone selflessly invests themselves back into the sport's community. Marco Bitran has and continues to coach the Junior Tennis league players in his spare time. Considerately, he also took the entirety of his prize winnings and generously contributed them to the local Boy Scouts of America organization which he credits as being instrumental in his upbringing. Bitran graduated from the club as an Eagle Scout himself and states that it taught him independence, teamwork, compassion, patience, and a love of nature and belonging.

After graduating with his fellow scouts from Bloomington High School, South, Bitran remained in the city and attended the Indiana University, Bloomington where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Economics. His employment as a Compensation and Benefits Manager for the city keeps him close to the community he has grown to embrace.

"Winning the ATP? Sure, I'd love that, but the sacrifices might be more than I'm willing to give," says Marco Bitran. Traveling with the Association of Tennis Professionals on a world tour tournament would require time away from his family, home, career, and community, things that Bitran does not take for granted. "Taking on my favorite giants of the sport, such as Andre Agassi and Andy Murray would be incredible. But sometimes dreams taste better as dreams than reality. And I wouldn't want to have to defend my title!"

Bitran's sense of humor reveals his lighthearted and fun-loving personality. Prestige is not something he seems concerned with, and perhaps that's why it continues to follow him around. Being a recognized figure in your own town is just as rewarding as being known globally, and Bitran certainly is a hometown hero for many people.