SD Newsletter Fall 2011 final.indd - USPTA divisions - United States ...

A good stroke in tennis is of course very important
and valuable, however a good stroke with a bad
connection doesn't produce a good shot. Top players
are able to prioritize how they maneuver the
racket head to get a good connection over having
the perfect stroke. This is one of the reasons you
see strokes looking so different for a variety of shots.
Even though strokes can have such variety, one thing
top players have in common is “good hands”. I remember
watching Nalbandian and Del Potro warm-
up at Indian Wells and I wish I had recorded some
video for my students to watch. I was amazed at how
masterfully the racket head was whipped around with
such ease and how small and almost insignifi cant the
stroke was for the fi rst ten minutes of their hitting. As
the pace picked up, the strokes became more apparent,
but only as a complement to how their hands con-
24
HEAD is the
Official Racquet
of the USPTA
I
AM
TOMAS
BERDYCH.
Tennis Tip
by Jeff Dollins
trolled the racket head and how cleanly they struck the ball.
It's easy to get hung up on what a stroke looks like in a lesson,
but sometimes working with a player's hands and racket head
control will allow the player to stroke more naturally. The
rookie or even average player who has not fi gured out exactly
where the sweet spot is or how to use the weight of the racket
head should not be overly concerned with the perfect stroke
yet. In fact focusing only on the stroke can lead to mis-hits
and unnecessary grip tension. Spending some time fi nding the
sweet spot and using the racket head weight with a student may
be the best way to allow a good stroke to develop naturally.
Jeff Dollins is the San Diego Division
Vice president for North County and
the Tennis Director at Rancho Bernardo
Swim & Tennis Club
I
AM
MARIA
SHARAPOVA.
AND OUR GAME IS
INSTINCT.
On the court, a split second can decide between victory and defeat
and players like Maria Sharapova or Tomas Berdych not only rely
on their skills, but also on their instinct. HEAD has designed a
racquet that makes it easier to swing fast and hit powerful shots
for players like Sharapova or Berdych. The new HEAD YouTek IG
Instinct – Effortless Power.
WHAT’S YOUR GAME? FIND OUT AT HEAD.COM/TENNIS