Hello Tennis Fans:
Having trouble with accuracy on your backhand side? Instead of trying to control the ball's direction with your hands, use your lead shoulder to control where you want the ball to go.
So, if you're right handed, and you want to hit up the line, during your takeback, be sure to align your right shoulder with the deuce side corner and for crosscourt make sure the right shoulder is pointing into the ad-side corner!
Let me know and post your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for Monday's lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at http://www.itusatennis.com and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com/ to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
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Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Elliott Pettit’s Tennis Tips – 4/15/10 Mental Tennis: Keeping Your Head!
Hello Tennis Fans:
Letting yourself show frustration to your opponent is the first step along the path of losing your head during a tennis match. Mental Meltdowns begin with a simple frustrated swipe through the air after you miss a ball, then evolves into a tirade of verbal self-flagellation, and finally comes into full bloom with a throwing of the racquet. Now, unless you're John McEnroe, which only one of us is, this type of behavior is not going to do anything positive for your game. It becomes for your oppenent the equivalent to a shark smelling blood in the water, they look across the net and see a wounded fish and begin to circle for the kill.
We spend countless hours on the practice court hitting shot after shot to make ourselves better but hardly any time working on the mental side of tennis. What good is that inside out forehand you've worked so hard at mastering going to do for you when you are too tense and angry hit it? The best advice I can give to you would be this: BREATH. It sounds silly, and also sounds like it should be second nature but you would be surprised how many players lose points, as well as their heads, partly because they are not breathing during a point. Breathing is the best way to keep you loose and relaxed when you are playing, make sure that you get yourself into a pattern of exhaling each time you make contact with the ball to develop a pattern of proper respiration during a point.
Once you have gotten used to breathing while you are playing, consider this; it's easier to win at a game of poker when you know what your opponent holds in their hand, right? Don't give your opponent on the tennis court the same luxury by letting them know what you have in your head! Learn to become nothing but a wall of positive emotion on the court and watch your results improve!
Let me know and post your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at http://www.itusatennis.com and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com/ to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
@ iTUSA Twitter:
http://twitter.com/itusatennis
@ iTUSA You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/itusatennis
@ iTUSA Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/iTUSA-Tennis/385920431216?v=app_4949752878
Letting yourself show frustration to your opponent is the first step along the path of losing your head during a tennis match. Mental Meltdowns begin with a simple frustrated swipe through the air after you miss a ball, then evolves into a tirade of verbal self-flagellation, and finally comes into full bloom with a throwing of the racquet. Now, unless you're John McEnroe, which only one of us is, this type of behavior is not going to do anything positive for your game. It becomes for your oppenent the equivalent to a shark smelling blood in the water, they look across the net and see a wounded fish and begin to circle for the kill.
We spend countless hours on the practice court hitting shot after shot to make ourselves better but hardly any time working on the mental side of tennis. What good is that inside out forehand you've worked so hard at mastering going to do for you when you are too tense and angry hit it? The best advice I can give to you would be this: BREATH. It sounds silly, and also sounds like it should be second nature but you would be surprised how many players lose points, as well as their heads, partly because they are not breathing during a point. Breathing is the best way to keep you loose and relaxed when you are playing, make sure that you get yourself into a pattern of exhaling each time you make contact with the ball to develop a pattern of proper respiration during a point.
Once you have gotten used to breathing while you are playing, consider this; it's easier to win at a game of poker when you know what your opponent holds in their hand, right? Don't give your opponent on the tennis court the same luxury by letting them know what you have in your head! Learn to become nothing but a wall of positive emotion on the court and watch your results improve!
Let me know and post your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at http://www.itusatennis.com and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com/ to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
@ iTUSA Twitter:
http://twitter.com/itusatennis
@ iTUSA You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/itusatennis
@ iTUSA Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/iTUSA-Tennis/385920431216?v=app_4949752878
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Elliott Pettit’s Tennis Tips – 4/14/10 Stuck in the Middle with You!
Hello Tennis Fans:
Whether your forehand is your best shot or not, you should always take a ball that comes up the middle on your forehand side. The reason being is that the angles you can create from a forehand up the middle are greater and can be hit with more regularity on the forehand side than on the backhand side due to your range of motion.
The next time you are out practicing, work on getting around a ball up the middle that you would normally take on the backhand side and try to open up the court by hitting your forehand. If the success isn't immediate, don't worry, this strategy will pay off in the long run!
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at http://www.itusatennis.com/ and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com/ to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
Whether your forehand is your best shot or not, you should always take a ball that comes up the middle on your forehand side. The reason being is that the angles you can create from a forehand up the middle are greater and can be hit with more regularity on the forehand side than on the backhand side due to your range of motion.
The next time you are out practicing, work on getting around a ball up the middle that you would normally take on the backhand side and try to open up the court by hitting your forehand. If the success isn't immediate, don't worry, this strategy will pay off in the long run!
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at http://www.itusatennis.com/ and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com/ to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
iTUSA Tennis Elliott Pettit’s Tennis Tips – 4/13/10 Get some spin on that serve!
Get some spin on that serve! In order to hit using side-spin, you should not be plowing straight through the ball, but instead you should be hitting it with a little bit of a glancing blow. Change your swing in such a way that your racket face is going to move slightly up and then... across the line of flight that you're intending for the ball. If you were to pretend that there is a face on your ball, in order to get maximum side-spin, you need to swing to try and slice its left ear off.
With practice, you can learn to vary what degree you swing at up and across the ball, and then you will be able to vary the amount of spin that you place on the ball as a result. This side-spin serve is very important as it allows you to open up the court from the very first shot which helps you to take advantage of angles that were previously unavailable to you.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at www.itusatennis.com and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
With practice, you can learn to vary what degree you swing at up and across the ball, and then you will be able to vary the amount of spin that you place on the ball as a result. This side-spin serve is very important as it allows you to open up the court from the very first shot which helps you to take advantage of angles that were previously unavailable to you.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks and see you for tomorrow’s lesson!
Elliott Pettit
Elliott Pettit is iTUSA's Director of Tennis at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Please visit our website at www.itusatennis.com and email me at elliott@itusatennis.com.
For anyone interested improving your tennis game please be sure to visit http://www.tennisswinganalysis.com to view our Free Tennis Swing Video Analysis Program.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Over and Out For Shahar!...February 19, 2010
Hello my dear friends from a sunny and warm Dubai.
Our run here in the Kingdom came to an end today against a very much in form Venus Williams. Shahar went down 6-2 and 6-4.
The first set was a one sided affair with Venus playing some great tennis and Shahar not being able to get going at all. The second set was a much different affair as Shahar began to play and take the initiative by becoming more aggressive and raising her intensity.
This gave her many more opportunities to impose the tactic we felt would work well against Venus and work well it did. There were two very important moments in the set when Shahar had key chances that she was unable to convert. One of these came at 3-3 with Venus serving. Shahar had a couple of break points, and in particular one where she a great chance to finish the point and get the break. This would have made a big difference I feel.
Still having said this Venus has not won 7 Grand Slams by chance. She is a great person and a great competitor. I admire her for many reasons and tennis is very fortunate to have someone like her. I would have still loved to see Shahar win but it was not to be.
I watched the match from a platform that was made behind the court as we played the match on a side court. I sat next to Shahar’s dad and Richard Williams his partner, and Venus coach Dave Witty whom I have had the chance to get to now here. He is a very nice guy and clearly a top coach. I wish him and Venus the best tomorrow in the final and truly hope that it goes their way.
After the match we returned to our private locker and stretched and met the press afterwards. I must say that even in the awkward and abnormal circumstances I have enjoyed the experience and of course leave Dubai very happy with Shahars performance.
This experience has shown what she has inside and the potential of what can still be done if we continue to work hard with determination and believe.
I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read the blog and hope we can catch up one day in person.
My very best to you all and a great huge thanks to itusatennis academy for inviting me and selecting me to write this blog for them and the rest of you.
I recommend to everyone to have a good look at their site, which is www.itusatennis.com as it is packed with great tools to help everyone from players to coaches to progress their games and teaching methods and programmes.
My very best to you all.!
Pablo
Please visit our website at www.itusatennis.com
Our run here in the Kingdom came to an end today against a very much in form Venus Williams. Shahar went down 6-2 and 6-4.
The first set was a one sided affair with Venus playing some great tennis and Shahar not being able to get going at all. The second set was a much different affair as Shahar began to play and take the initiative by becoming more aggressive and raising her intensity.
This gave her many more opportunities to impose the tactic we felt would work well against Venus and work well it did. There were two very important moments in the set when Shahar had key chances that she was unable to convert. One of these came at 3-3 with Venus serving. Shahar had a couple of break points, and in particular one where she a great chance to finish the point and get the break. This would have made a big difference I feel.
Still having said this Venus has not won 7 Grand Slams by chance. She is a great person and a great competitor. I admire her for many reasons and tennis is very fortunate to have someone like her. I would have still loved to see Shahar win but it was not to be.
I watched the match from a platform that was made behind the court as we played the match on a side court. I sat next to Shahar’s dad and Richard Williams his partner, and Venus coach Dave Witty whom I have had the chance to get to now here. He is a very nice guy and clearly a top coach. I wish him and Venus the best tomorrow in the final and truly hope that it goes their way.
After the match we returned to our private locker and stretched and met the press afterwards. I must say that even in the awkward and abnormal circumstances I have enjoyed the experience and of course leave Dubai very happy with Shahars performance.
This experience has shown what she has inside and the potential of what can still be done if we continue to work hard with determination and believe.
I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read the blog and hope we can catch up one day in person.
My very best to you all and a great huge thanks to itusatennis academy for inviting me and selecting me to write this blog for them and the rest of you.
I recommend to everyone to have a good look at their site, which is www.itusatennis.com as it is packed with great tools to help everyone from players to coaches to progress their games and teaching methods and programmes.
My very best to you all.!
Pablo
Please visit our website at www.itusatennis.com
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Up against the Great Wall of China
Once again good morning from the kingdom of Dubai!
Here we are on day 5 of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. Today we face Na Li from China. My title could not be fitter for the task that she represents for Shahar today.
She is a tough competitor, confident, and very difficult to beat like the one she beat today…both of them a true wall with the difference that the Danish never built a wall as the Chinese did, and I think that says something about their character and origin.
There is really only one way to bring a wall down and that is little by little which is exactly what Shahar will need to today in her match. The tactic I have prepared for her comes from a tactic that I put together for a another player of mine that beat Na Li a couple of years back. She has obviously improved since then, however the revised version can still be knocked down if the tactic is implemented persistently and consistently throughout the match. So will be easy? Far from it…but we have been here this week already three times and three times we have come through so lets see what God holds for us today.
I will write more after the match as I am now on my way to the warm up court where I will meet Shahar and all her “friends” for what promises to be another fun, hot, and tense day in the kingdom of Dubai…speak later.
And the wall came tumbling down! Before I speak about the match I have to tell you that for the first time I had to stop a warming up session to let the dogs on court…..they came in to smell for strange things…don’t worry I have not been going to the toilet on court. They had their sniff, though they looked more interested in playing with the tennis balls, and then left.
After the warm-up we headed to our locker were we spent the next hour and fifteen minutes talking about the match and the tactic we thought would work best.
Shahar came out of the blocks again very quickly and imposed herself breaking the first game and holding serve. The match then moved along until 4-3 when Na Li broke Shahar back. The key to the set came at 5-5 when Shahar returned very well and took her chance 40-30 up and hit a clean backhand winner from Na Li’s second serve. This set her up very well to serve it out, and serve it out she did. She closed the set with two great sets including an ace on set point.
Shahar asked me to come into the court to talk a few things over and in the mean time Na Li called the trainer on court. The match was stopped for about 8 minutes. The player then returned on court but by then Shahar was on her way. She raced to a 3-0 lead and began to serve the fourth game but by then Na Li claimed that her back was hurting her too much to continue.
Obviously I hope that her injury is nothing serious and that she recovers in time for the next tournament. She is a very nice girl and so is her husband. For us of course would have been nice to finish the match, however I am confident that they in which Shahar was playing would have been good enough to beat the number 10 player in the world today.
After the match Shahar cooled down and then I stretched her. As I was leaving her locker, that sounds pretty good hey “Her Locker”, the press was arriving for a conference. Mmm… actually just one journalist so it was more like a chat.
Tomorrow we have either Venus or Pavlyuchenkova. I will be coming along tonight to watch their match to see what we can do tomorrow to hopefully beat the winner and continue this dream run we are having.
Have a profitable day!
Pablo
Please visit us at http://www.itusatennis.com/
Here we are on day 5 of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. Today we face Na Li from China. My title could not be fitter for the task that she represents for Shahar today.
She is a tough competitor, confident, and very difficult to beat like the one she beat today…both of them a true wall with the difference that the Danish never built a wall as the Chinese did, and I think that says something about their character and origin.
There is really only one way to bring a wall down and that is little by little which is exactly what Shahar will need to today in her match. The tactic I have prepared for her comes from a tactic that I put together for a another player of mine that beat Na Li a couple of years back. She has obviously improved since then, however the revised version can still be knocked down if the tactic is implemented persistently and consistently throughout the match. So will be easy? Far from it…but we have been here this week already three times and three times we have come through so lets see what God holds for us today.
I will write more after the match as I am now on my way to the warm up court where I will meet Shahar and all her “friends” for what promises to be another fun, hot, and tense day in the kingdom of Dubai…speak later.
And the wall came tumbling down! Before I speak about the match I have to tell you that for the first time I had to stop a warming up session to let the dogs on court…..they came in to smell for strange things…don’t worry I have not been going to the toilet on court. They had their sniff, though they looked more interested in playing with the tennis balls, and then left.
After the warm-up we headed to our locker were we spent the next hour and fifteen minutes talking about the match and the tactic we thought would work best.
Shahar came out of the blocks again very quickly and imposed herself breaking the first game and holding serve. The match then moved along until 4-3 when Na Li broke Shahar back. The key to the set came at 5-5 when Shahar returned very well and took her chance 40-30 up and hit a clean backhand winner from Na Li’s second serve. This set her up very well to serve it out, and serve it out she did. She closed the set with two great sets including an ace on set point.
Shahar asked me to come into the court to talk a few things over and in the mean time Na Li called the trainer on court. The match was stopped for about 8 minutes. The player then returned on court but by then Shahar was on her way. She raced to a 3-0 lead and began to serve the fourth game but by then Na Li claimed that her back was hurting her too much to continue.
Obviously I hope that her injury is nothing serious and that she recovers in time for the next tournament. She is a very nice girl and so is her husband. For us of course would have been nice to finish the match, however I am confident that they in which Shahar was playing would have been good enough to beat the number 10 player in the world today.
After the match Shahar cooled down and then I stretched her. As I was leaving her locker, that sounds pretty good hey “Her Locker”, the press was arriving for a conference. Mmm… actually just one journalist so it was more like a chat.
Tomorrow we have either Venus or Pavlyuchenkova. I will be coming along tonight to watch their match to see what we can do tomorrow to hopefully beat the winner and continue this dream run we are having.
Have a profitable day!
Pablo
Please visit us at http://www.itusatennis.com/
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Peer Ousts Top Seeded Wozniacki
As the sun rises!Hello to all my cyber friends!
I begin writing the blog today from the secluded locker room Shahar has to stay in. Shahar has gone to have a shower after this morning warm up.
As I sit here on my own I realize how blessed I am and how wonderful my life is has been so far. Don’t get me wrong I have had many trials and extremely difficult times, however as I sit here I realize that the most important things in life I have which are to have faith, be healthy, and have people to love and be loved.
Today we have another tough match. This time is against Carolina Wozniacki from Denmark. She is the tournaments number 1 seed and the number 3 player in the world according to this weeks ranking. We have played her before so we know her well and know what needs to be done in order to beat her. Shahar has had two very good matches so far and so we go into today’s match in 45 minutes confident though knowing that it will anything but easy as Carolina is a formidable competitor and will not give anything away.
The locker room is relaxed and we wait to see what God has for us today. I will continue writing after the match and tell you all about it.
Hello again here I am a very happy and proud coach. Shahar has just beaten Carolina 6-2 and 7-5. It was a great match and Shahar played impeccable tennis. I could have never asked for more from here especially in the circumstances we find ourselves at the moment.
The match started at noon and it was very hot today. Shahar came out of the blocks very fast and this made a big difference straight away to the match as she raced to a 6-2 lead.
The second set was much more tense as both girls traded breaks with each other. Shahar had 4-3 and 40-15 serving but was unable to win this game. Then she was up 5-4 and serving but Carolina played a great game and broke back. Shahar broke again and managed after 4 match points to win the set and the match.
There was much tension in the air as you can imagine and of course the reaction was one of joy and relief at the same time as I could see that both girls were struggling with the heat and a third set could have gone either way if I am honest due to the tiredness both girls had. In Shahars case justified as she has been made to play the first match each day on her court starting as early as 11 am one day. And this was after having played two matches the day before….
We play Na Li from China tomorrow. She is a very tough player and of course is not going to be easy. Then again it has not been easy so far so the further you go the tougher it gets.
I hope you are enjoying the blog as much as I am. Thank you for reading it and thank you to itusatennis.com for having the foresight and allowing me to be able to share this with so many of you.
See you tomorrow.
Pablo
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