tennis stuffs <techniques,shots etc>

[alsl]

can anyone explain what a kick,flat,slice and any other types of serves there are and explain how u execute it?im confused

[lau]

Explaining that in English could be a nightmare for me, hahaha. But there`s a basic tennis dictionary in Justine Henin-Hardenne`s home page. I hope this helps. You can find here what you were asking about
And about how executing it..... It´s a little difficult to explain. Maybe someone here can. I`m not an specialist. I took lessons and play doubles with friends, but.... It´s not easy for me explaining without actually showing you how it´s executed... (and I`m not good AT ALL, haha)
I`m sure you`ll find some sites about it searching with google.. I know I saw some

from: www.henin-hardenne.be/bin/glossary_en.asp?lang=en

Tennis dictionary
* 1st Serve Percentage: The ratio of the number of valid first serves landing in play divided by the number of 1st serve attempts, all multiplied by 100

* Ace: Describes a legal serve that goes into play in such a way that the returner cannot even make contact with the ball

* Advantage: Immediately following deuce, the score is said to be advantage to the winner of the point

* Approach Shot: Usually hit from midcourt by a player that is approaching the net from the baseline

* Backcourt: The part of the court between the service line and the baseline (sometimes referred to as no man's land)

* Backhand: Ground stroke hit on the left side for a right handed player and on the right side for a left handed player

* Baseline: The line that is the farthest away from the net and parallel to the net. There is one on each side of the net

* Baseline Rally: The act of repeatedly exchanging strokes with your partner/opponent, while you are both standing near the baseline

* Break (of service): Happens when the server loses a game

* Breakback: Happens when a person loses his / her service game and then wins their opponents service game

* Bye: A player is given a bye when he/she is allowed to skip a match and automatically move to the next round of a tournament

* Chop: A ground stroke in which the racquet travels from high to low as it contacts the ball, creating backspin. Mostly a defensive shot

* Cross Court Shot: When a player hits the ball diagonally from one corner of the court to another

* Deuce: A game score when both players have at least 40 points and they are tied

* Double Fault: When the server commits two consecutive faults in attempting to serve the ball and looses the point

* Down the Line Shot: A shot hit from one side of the court and aimed so that it travels along the line and into the same side of the opponent’s court

* Drive: A hard, almost flat stroke with little topspin. Usually meant to win the point instantly

* Drop Shot: A soft, short shot with backspin. Meant to drop over the net and die so that your opponent cannot get to it

* Drop Volley: A volley in which the ball is intentionally hit very short into the opponent’s court making it difficult to return

* Flat serve: A serve in which the racquet travels strait through the ball without creating spin

* Foot fault: A service fault that occurs when the server steps onto or beyond the baseline, sideline, or center mark before hitting the ball

* Footwork: Refers to how a player moves his / her feet to get into position for the next stroke

* Forecourt: The section of the court from the service line to the net. There is a forecourt on each side of the net

* Forehand: Ground stroke hit on the right side of a right handed player or on the left side of a left handed player

* Game: A small portion of a set in which one player serves the entire time

* Game Point: A point that, by winning, one player can win the game

* Grand Slam: One of the four major pro tournaments (Australian Open, US Open, Wimbledon, French Open)

* Groundstroke: Any stroke used after the ball has bounced

* Half Court: The section of the court around the service line

* Half Volley: When the ball is hit immediately after the bounce

* Kick Serve: Serve in which the racquet brushes the ball from about 8'oclock to 1'oclock (midway between a topspin and slice serve)

* Let: A point the does not count and must be replayed. Usually occurs when a serve hit the net, but drops in play

* Lob: A stroke in which the ball is hit with a lot of arc, high over the net. Usually used to hit the ball over someone at the net

* Love: A players game score when he / she has no yet won a point during the game

* Match: Analogous to the word "game" in most other sports. The winner of a match is usually the first person to win 2 or 3 sets

* Match Point: Point in which, by winning, one played can win the match

* Mini-break: When a server loses the point during a tie break

* Passing Shot: A shot placed to the side of and out of reach of a player at the net

* Point: When a player commits a foul or hits the ball out of play a point ends and the opposition is awarded the point

* Second Serve: When serving a player has two chances
to put the ball into the service box. This refers to the second of these serves

* Seeding: A graded list of the best players entering a tournament

* Serve and Volley: A strategy in which a player serves and immediately comes to the net in hopes of putting away the next shot

* Server: The player who is currently serving

* Service Line: On each side of the net there is one of these lines a little more than halfway to the baseline and parallel to the baseline

* Set: A portion of a match won when a player wins 6 or 7 games and two more than their opponent

* Set Point: A point in which one player, by winning, will be awarded the set

* Sidespin:Any spin put on the tennis ball that causes it to rotate parallel to the ground

* Slice: For a ground stroke, see chop. For a serve, see slice serve

* Slice Serve: A serve in which the racquet scrapes across the ball from left to right (for a right handed) and creates sidespin

* Spin: Any rotation of the ball while it travels through the air. Spin can alter the trajectory and bounce of the ball

* Stop Volley: A volley in which very little power is placed on the ball to allow it to drop over the net and die

* Tie break: Decides the winner of a set if the score reaches 6-6. Click to the right for more information

* Topspin: A spin in which the front of the ball (in the direction it is travelling) rotates down while the back of the ball rotates up

* Twist Server: see Kick Serve

* Unforced error: An error made by a player on a shot that is not considered difficult (i.e. the opponent did not "force" the error)

* Volley: Stroke in which a player hits the ball before it bounces

* Warm-up: A period in which players hit practice strokes and loosen up before starting a more rigorous practice or competition

* Wildcard Players: Players that are allowed into a tournament without the normal registration or qualifications

* Winner: A successful stroke that is too difficult to be returned (in play) by the opponent, effectively ending the point







Other terms and abbreviations

* Continental Grip: Holding the racquet as if you were going to use it to hammer a nail into the ground (racquet face perpendicular to the ground)

* Claycourt: A court with a surface made of crushed shale, stone, or brick

* Eastern Grip: Holding the racquet as if you were going to shake hands with it. The palm is parallel to the racket face

* Grip: Wrapped around the handle of a racquet, this is what the player holds when hitting strokes

* Hammer Grip: Same as continental grip

* Hardcourt: A tennis court with a surface made out of concrete or a similar material

* ITF: International Tennis Federation

* Overgrip: Thin grip that is wrapped over the original grip or a replacement grip. Should NOT be installed on a bare handle.

* Replacement Grip: Grip that is installed on the bare handle of a racquet after removing the old grip(s). Not to be confused with an overgrip

* USTA: United States Tennis Association

* Western Grip: You can find this grip by placing the racquet flat on the ground and picking it up as if it were a pan

* WTA: Women’s Tennis Association

[Karen]

It's easier to show someone then to write but I'll give it a try.

Flat Serve is used mostly for 1st serves and there's no spin on the ball. To hit a flat serve just toss the ball a little more in front of you and to the right (right-handers) and aim down the center or corner.

Kick Serves are to send your opponent out wide. They spin off the court wide and bounce high up to your shoulder. To hit this serve you need a flexible back. You would toss the ball to your left and closer to your body and arch the back, bend the knees and hit the ball brushing it left to right, or if the ball was a clock hit it from 7 O' clock to 2 O' clock.

Topspin is similar it has spin and bounces high. Good for 2nd serve because the spin will keep it in the box, same as kick serve. To hit it is almost the same but the toss goes in front and you hit the ball from bottom to top. 6 O'clock to 12 O'Clock. watch the follow-through if just learning it or your shins will look a mess. ;D

Slice serves, same thing try to draw your opponent out wide, not as wide as the kick serve and doesn't bounce as high. to hit it toss the ball farther to the right and hit the right side of the ball in duece court. Opposite for Ad court. I don't hit many slices so better double check this one.

All hit with continental grips except the kick serve where the grip is more eastern.

[lau]

Thanks for that Karen. I could never, not even in my best dreams (haha ;D ;D ) writte all that explanation in English ;D ;D ;D >Thanks again

[alsl]

thanks heaps,karen and lau

which brings me to my second question:what are all the grips?

[lau]

Please correct me Karen if something`s wrong

alsl said:

thanks heaps,karen and lau

which brings me to my second question:what are all the grips?

Forehand grips tennis.about.com/od/forehandbackhand/ss/fhgripclosewt.htm

As far as I know (I mean the grips that we know here) the main grips are (every player uses, modifies a little, or not the grip) eastern, western, continental, australian (we know it like that here, I don´t know if they call it different in other countries), and...the grip used for the two handed backhand. I don´t knwo if I`m right... this is what I learned

This is called grip too But I think that the correct name in English is "overgrip"... They are the tapes you can find where you handle the racquet.

[Karen]

What grips do use use lau?

I'm continental on serve and volleys. Except kickserves use more eastern grip.

Semi-western on FH.

Eastern on BH (one-hander)
My back foot sometimes comes off the ground on my BH so my coach makes me hold a ball hopper in my left hand while swinging, back foot comes up I get whacked in the ankle by the hopper. My foot stays down now. ;D

we have a coach here from Argentina for the summer, I hit with him once and I like his style. He also has me moving around the court like Federer, running around my BH to hit a FH. He's fun to work with but why he and my other coach are turning me into a femme Federer with my shots and footwork.

The Argentine coach is Daniel, I'll have to get the correct spelling for his last name, but I wish he would stay all year.

[lau]

karen said:

What grips do use use lau?

*LOL* Karen.... It can´t be said that I actually play tennis (or know about tennis...) It´s more accurate saying that I like the red dirt on my socks ;D ;D I took lessons when I was little and then I started playing tennis again (and took a few lessons) something like 3 or 4 years ago... and I only play once or twice a week... My technique SUCKS!! *lol* And most of the times I play doubles with friends.... But we`re having problems to find courts these days ..... There`s something that can be called a "tennis boom" in Argentina right now ...
Anyway..., I use eastern on FH (and volley too) and the classic two handed backhand grip... For serve continental, I find it sooo comfortable to serve...... , but don´t think I have a large variety of serves.... I`m lucky if it`s not out *lol* My serve really, really sucks.... I use the grips that I find more comfortable... But I don´t train..., I just play tennis to have fun with friends that suck like me, haha ;D

About Argentine coaches, there are excellent Argentine coaches!! In my opinion, that´s one of the reasons of the actual success of arg. tennis.... But that`s one of my theories

[alsl]

[glow=red,2,300]thanks heaps u guys[/glow]

[SAFINNO1]

karen said:

What grips do use use lau?

I'm continental on serve and volleys. Except kickserves use more eastern grip.

Semi-western on FH.

Eastern on BH (one-hander)
quote]

Hey karen i am very similar to you except on the back hand and funnily enough that is were i am losing my matches as i have trouble placing my backhand down the line. Any pointers for me karen to improve my back hand, btw i have a 2 handed backhand

[Karen]

Where's yor BH going in the net, out, or just can't place it where you want it?

Are you using an open stance on the two-hander?

[SAFINNO1]

Yeah i have an open stance on mw two hander, but my BH is inconsistent some times i feel it hit the sweet spot and is perfect but most of the times it goes into the net

[Karen]

Don't use the open stance you lose some control. It's almost like just pushing the ball back instead of placing it where you want. I think in open stance your hips come through first, so no control.

So I'd work on closing it and your contact points wil be near your front hip to go down the line and a little more in front to go cross court. I know you are bending those knees instead of at your waist, right? If you say no, don't make me fly over there.

Check out Marat's BH see that left leg always bent and very near the court. Power's coming from upper body rotation. Open stance on FH is different if it works and you have control, use it.

[SAFINNO1]

karen said:

Don't use the open stance you lose some control. It's almost like just pushing the ball back instead of placing it where you want. I think in open stance your hips come through first, so no control.

.

That is exactly how i feel!!!
Yeah it is true i do bend my knee's but minimally. I personally would so my BH is similar to Roddick.
So my homework is to watch marat BH. Piece of cake!

Thanks for the advise i'll let you know if it works. As i will be starting again late August.

[Karen]

Do you have quick time player or media player?

I have videos clips of most pro's strokes, even has slow motion for you. It's from TennisOne $50 a year subscription my coach said i had to have TennisOne so I said he had to pay for it, he did.

You can even send in a video of your strokes and they analyze them. Little put a yellow circle where you going wrong. Like they would circle a person's knees if they were not bent enough during a serve. It's pretty cool.

Let me know I'll send you the clips of Roddick's BH, front view, side view, and back view. Or any other player * cough * Marat BH. I watch the back view on that one. ;D