Winning Tennis for Girls

by Porter, David; Greenwood, Julie

• ISBN13: 9780816048144
• ISBN10: 0816048142
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-06-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

More than 1 million girls between the ages of 12 and 17 in the United States play tennis, and thousands go on to play competitively at colleges and universities. Elite women tennis players are some of the most visible athletes in the world, from Venus and Serena Williams to comeback queen Jennifer Capriati and many others. Winning Tennis for Girls is the complete guide to the game for players and coaches alike, teaching essential techniques, skills, and strategies for winning. Each chapter covers a different element of the game, explaining the hows and whys of skills such as serving, receiving, volleying, basic strokes, specialty shots, and much more. Drills and games specially geared toward each skill illustrate ways to improve technique, complete with more than 100 action photos and easy-to-follow diagrams. Other features include a foreword by Julie Greenwood, coach to the 2001 and 2002 NCAA Division III champion women's tennis team at Williams College, a glossary of tennis terms, and lists of tennis organizations and sources for further reading. Winning Tennis for Girls is an exciting introduction to tennis for young players and a thorough guide for their coaches. Book jacket.

Author Biography

David Porter is an accomplished sportswriter and columnist with more than 14 years' experience in the print and on-line news business in Philadelphia and New York City. He has written for The Sporting News and the Associated Press, and he has written about tennis for Reuters, the U.S. Tennis Association, FoxSports.com, and the Times of Trenton. He lives in Trenton, New Jersey, and is an avid tennis player

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi
Acknowledgments and Credits	xiii
Introduction	xv
1 HISTORY AND ORIGINS	1	(3)
2 RULES	4	(6)
The Court	4	(1)
The Racket	4	(1)
Play	5	(1)
Scoring	6	(1)
Serving	7	(1)
The Ball in Play	8	(1)
Coaching	9	(1)
Jennifer Capriati	9	(1)
3 EQUIPMENT	10	(3)
Choosing A Racket	10	(3)
Composition	11	(1)
Grip size	11	(1)
Length	11	(1)
Racket Width	11	(1)
Head size	12	(1)
Strings	12	(1)
String Tension	12	(1)
4 GRIPS	13	(3)
Types of Grips	13	(3)
Continental Grip	13	(1)
Eastern Grip	14	(1)
Semi-Western Grip	14	(1)
Western Grip	15	(1)
5 FOOTWORK	16	(5)
Basic Stance	16	(4)
The Ready Position	16	(1)
The Split Step	17	(1)
Drill	18	(2)
Monica Seles	20	(1)
6 GROUNDSTROKES	21	(4)
Setting Up/Preparation	21	(4)
Positioning	22	(1)
Turn, Turn, Turn	23	(1)
Getting the Racket Back	23	(1)
The Follow-Through	23	(2)
7 THE FOREHAND	25	(8)
The Basics	25	(2)
Getting Ready	25	(1)
The Coil	25	(2)
Making Contact	27	(1)
Topspin Forehand	27	(2)
Grip	28	(1)
Forehand Slice	29	(2)
Grip	30	(1)
Reverse Forehand	31	(2)
8 THE BACKHAND	33	(10)
The Basics	33	(4)
Getting Ready	33	(1)
The Coil	34	(1)
Making Contact	34	(1)
Hitting From an Open Stance	35	(2)
Backhand Slice	37	(1)
Topspin Backhand-Two-Hander	38	(2)
One-Handed Backhand	40	(3)
9 THE SERVE	43	(7)
The Basics	43	(3)
Types of serves	43	(1)
Grip	43	(1)
Stance/Preparation	44	(1)
Ball Toss	44	(1)
Swing Motion	45	(1)
Making Contact	45	(1)
Follow-Through/Recovery	46	(1)
Tips	46	(1)
Second, then First	46	(1)
The Wider, the Better	46	(1)
Fall Forward	47	(1)
Drills	47	(1)
Martina Hingis	48	(2)
10 VOLLEYING	50	(10)
Mental Approach	50	(1)
The Basics	51	(3)
Grip	51	(1)
Net Approach and Positioning	51	(2)
Ready Position for Volleying	53	(1)
Split Step	53	(1)
Drill	54	(1)
Footwork	54	(1)
Getting Down and Dirty	54	(1)
Reach for It	55	(1)
Drill	55	(1)
Types of Volleys	55	(4)
Forehand	55	(1)
One-Handed Backhand	56	(1)
Two-Handed Backhand	57	(1)
Half Volley	58	(1)
Drop Volley	58	(1)
Swinging Volley	59	(1)
Volleying Tips	59	(1)
Take a Picture	59	(1)
Grip It and Rip It	59	(1)
Bottom First	59	(1)
"Catch" the Ball	59	(1)
11 SPECIALTY SHOTS	60	(7)
Drop shot	60	(1)
When to Hit It	60	(1)
How to Hit It	60	(1)
Where to Hit It	61	(1)
Overhead	61	(2)
When to Hit It	61	(1)
How to Hit It	61	(1)
Where to Hit It	62	(1)
Drill	63	(1)
Lob	63	(2)
When to Hit It	63	(1)
How to Hit It	63	(2)
Where to Hit It	65	(1)
Drill	65	(1)
Venus and Serena Williams	65	(2)
12 STRATEGIES FOR PLAYING WINNING SINGLES	67	(10)
The Basics	67	(4)
Keep Between the Lines	68	(1)
Keep It Deep	68	(1)
Have a Plan, But Don't Be Afraid to Make Adjustments	69	(1)
Control the Net	69	(1)
First Serve In	70	(1)
Seize the Moment	70	(1)
Drill	70	(1)
From the Baseline: When In Doubt, Go Crosscourt	71	(1)
Drill 1	72	(1)
Drill 2	72	(1)
At the Net: First, Go Down the Line	72	(2)
Exploit Her Weaknesses; Maximize Your Strengths, and Vice Versa	73	(1)
Drill	74	(1)
Take Some Chances	74	(1)
Adjust to Your Opponent	74	(1)
Baseliner	75	(1)
Serve-Volleyer	75	(1)
Power Player	75	(1)
The Pusher	75	(1)
Know Your surface	75	(1)
Clay	76	(1)
Grass, Indoor Carpet, Outdoor Hardcourt	76	(1)
Adjust to the Conditions	76	(1)
13 STRATEGIES FOR PLAYING WINNING DOUBLES	77	(13)
Positioning	78	(3)
Both-Up Formation	78	(1)
Both-Back Formation	78	(1)
One-Up, One-Back Formation	79	(1)
One-Up, One-Back: Offensive and Defensive Positioning	80	(1)
Switching	80	(1)
Tips on Playing Winning Doubles	81	(7)
Remember-It's "Doubles"	81	(1)
Poaching: If At First You Don't Succeed...	82	(1)
The Serve	83	(1)
Returning Serve	83	(1)
Controlling the Net	84	(1)
Drill 1	85	(1)
Drill 2	85	(1)
"Yours" or "Mine"?	85	(1)
Defending Against Lobs	86	(1)
Anticipation	86	(2)
More Tips	88	(1)
Doubles Rules	88	(2)
The Court	88	(1)
Serving and Receiving	88	(1)
The Ball in Play	89	(1)
14 TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY-THE INNER GAME	90	(12)
Visualization	91	(1)
How Do I Do It?	92	(1)
Staying Motivated	92	(3)
Defining Success and Setting Goals	93	(1)
Short-term	94	(1)
Midterm	95	(1)
Long-Term (Outcome Goals)	95	(1)
Keeping Focused	95	(2)
Breaking a slump	97	(2)
Causes	97	(1)
Solutions	98	(1)
Match Preparation	99	(1)
Drill	100	(1)
Jana Novotna	100	(2)
15 INJURY PREVENTION	102	(9)
Warmup	102	(1)
Stretching	103	(1)
Cooling Down	103	(1)
Avoiding Heat Illness	104	(1)
How to Protect Yourself	104	(1)
Treating Heat Illness	105	(1)
Tennis Elbow	105	(6)
Preventing Tennis Elbow	106	(1)
Conditioning	107	(1)
Stretching	107	(2)
Strengthening	109	(2)
16 CONDITIONING	111	(17)
Overtraining or Overplaying	112	(1)
Stretching and strengthening Exercises	113	(6)
Stretching: Head and Neck	113	(2)
Stretching: Arms, Shoulders, and Wrists	115	(2)
Stretching: Back and Chest	117	(1)
Stretching: Legs	117	(1)
Stretching: Knee, Ankle, and Foot	118	(1)
Strengthening	119	(7)
Strengthening: Back and Abdominal	120	(1)
Strengthening: Arms, Elbows, Wrists, and Hands	120	(2)
Strengthening: Leg and Knee	122	(2)
Strengthening: Hip and Groin	124	(1)
Strengthening: Ankle and Foot	124	(2)
Lindsay Davenport	126	(2)
17 NUTRITION	128	(6)
The Basics	128	(1)
Nutrition for Athletes	129	(1)
Calories	129	(1)
Fats and Protein	129	(1)
Fluids	130	(1)
Putting It Into Practice	130	(2)
Carbohydrate Intake, Before and After Playing or Practicing	131	(1)
Sports Drinks	132	(1)
Developing a Prematch or Prepractice Routine	132	(2)
What to Eat	132	(1)
When to Eat	133	(1)
A Last-Second Boost	133	(1)
Postmatch Meal	133	(1)
18 GAMES	134	(7)
Twenty-one	134	(1)
Top of the Hí11	134	(1)
Top of the Hill-Doubles	135	(1)
Short Court	135	(1)
One on You	135	(1)
Alley Rally	136	(1)
Horse	136	(1)
Vic-O-Rama	136	(1)
Handball Tennis	137	(1)
Goalie	137	(1)
15-30-40-Game	137	(1)
Tennis Hockey	138	(1)
Tennis Volleyball	138	(1)
Rotation Tennis	139	(1)
Target	139	(1)
Canadian Doubles	139	(2)
Glossary	141	(7)
Tennis Organizations	148	(6)
Further Reading	154	(1)
Index	155

Excerpts

According to the Tennis Industry Association, more than 1 million girls aged 12 to 17 play tennis. At the highest levels of women's tennis, stars such as Venus and Serena Williams, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis serve as role models for young players. The sport of tennis can provide lifelong satisfaction for players at all levels, and learning the fundamentals is as important for enjoying the game as it is for winning.
The only book of its kind written specifically for junior and senior high school girls, Winning Tennis for Girls is a one-stop resource that provides all the information players need to learn and hone their skills, develop strategy, avoid injuries, and handle the mental aspects of tennis. Chapter-by-chapter coverage of all aspects of the game and featured tips from members of the U.S. national team and scholastic and collegiate coaches provide guidance on how to play the best game possible. Approximately 135 photographs and 10 diagrams allow coaches and athletes to see the structure of important plays, positions, and drills.