The first step to getting better at tennis

Dallas Aleman | Towpath Tennis Owner | Tennis Guru

I had recently gotten a call from my son Alex, who is playing at Duquesne University, and he wanted to alert me about a Davis Cup match being played against Serbia vs Canada. This summer Alex had a chance to rub shoulders with quite a few ATP ranked players after competing in the $30,000 Cleveland Racquet Club Invitational. He and his partner played four matches and finished 1^st in the 2^nd back draw consolation (which as a collegiate player, he didn't claim the prize money).  But what was interesting to him is that he was one round away from playing one of the men from Serbia's Davis Cup team, Ilija Bozoljac, who lost in the semifinals of the final round in the Davis Cup. I could sense my son thinking, 'Wow I'm not that far off from this level.'

Alex Aleman (left) with doubles partner Pete

Carpentar (right) at the $30,000 Cleveland

Racquet Club Invitational. 

This is one of the most pivotal points in any young person’s tennis career--the thought and belief that you can get that good. What seemed so far away is not impossible. That mindset is what makes the difference between champions and mediocre players. It's what elevates a player to the next level.

However, the thought does not come from just being on the court. Playing against really great players can be intimating until you realize that they too make their share of errors (maybe not as many as you at the moment), but nevertheless it proves their human. That 'what if' becomes a reality when you work hard, play competitive matches, and see not only can you improve but that you can earn a couple of points (baby steps) even against the best. The thing is, you won't know how good you can be until you put yourself in the arena with champions and venture into their territory. Swim in their water and see that there is a way to climb that mountain. The challenger will believe; the meek will give up.

So the question is, do you want to get better? Are you willing to believe? Even though he didn't express it, I could tell my son is fired up thinking I can climb to the next level. What is it going to take for you?

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When to replace old grommets

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Shop Manager

You might have strung your racquet to have it returned with a note indicating you need new grommets. Let's be honest, you may be a diligent student of the game and follow suit but most likely you're probably thinking why bother or saying, "I need what?"
 
Grommet strips are what line the top of your racquet for additional protection. Think of it like a helmet, they're there to keep your frame in tip top shape from the abuse it gets on the court. When your grommets get worn, your frame gets a lot of wear and tear which can be very abrasive against your strings. This eventually leads to destructive cracks causing issues with future stringing and playability. It would be like driving around with your tires down to the rims--no way you'd let that happen!
 
If you are in need of new grommets, make sure to have your stringer find out if they can even order grommets for your racquet. If not, it might be time to turn your racquet in for a new model. 



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How to fend off a big server

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Shop Manager

John Isner made quite a run at last week's Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati before falling to Rafael Nadal in the finals. But in earlier rounds he had to overcome the top seeds in the world, such as Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro by fending them off with his biggest weapon—the serve. In a pre-match interview, Djokovic was asked how he was going to tackle the big server when he jokingly responded, "I don't know, do you have any tips?" So when he lost to Isner in a close match, the question still lingered in the air—how do you fend off a big server? You may not be able to return a serve by John Isner, but try the following tips and learn how to return like the pros. 

flickr pic

• Stand back - Give yourself time to react and get to the ball.
• Read the serve - One of the best ways to prepare for a big serve is to gauge its placement. You can do this by gauging the server’s toss, stance and swing.
• Split step - Split step as their hitting the serve and move towards it's placement.
• Rotate those hips - When you rotate your hips as you swing, your racquet is automatically prepped to return.
• Shorten your swing - If it's coming at you fast, you're not going to have time for a loopy swing, so close it in with your elbow close to your body.
• Block - If all else fails, this is an easy way to get the ball back in play. Keep a firm grip and aim deep or angle it off.

It's all about early preparation. If you're anticipating the serve, you'll be able to return almost anything that comes at you. But if you still find yourself struggling, know this—big servers have lower percentage serves, eventually they'll tire themselves out (we hope!).

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The secret to staying consistent

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Shop Manager 

Towpath's Alex Aleman demonstrating
how to warm up with consistency. 

There's always going to be those times when a short hiatus is unavoidable whether you're going on vacation, have an injury, or just haven't had the time to play. It's not uncommon to return to the court a little rusty, but with the right strategy in place you'll feel like you never left.
Play it slowww. Many times we return to the court with enough energy to smack that fuzzy yellow ball through the back fence, but hitting as hard as you can will not only keep you off balance, it also becomes a struggle to gauge any sort of rhythm. The key here is to play at a slow enough pace that will allow you to get back into ready position in time to anticipate the next shot.

Over-exaggerate your strokes. Maintaining optimum technique is a challenge after a break on the court, especially when the goal is to hit deep with good net clearance. To achieve this, try over-exaggerating the motion of your strokes as a pro would when demonstrating a shot. You'll settle back into your comfort zone in no time.

Stay on your toes. It's easy to tell any returning player to keep their feet moving at all times, but when you've been on a long enough hiatus-it ain't happening. The important thing to remember when your feet are dragging is to rock slightly onto your toes (or the balls of your feet) and keep them grounded as you swing. This will kick those feet into gear while still remaining balanced so you can focus on hitting at your strike zone. 

Have realistic expectations. Did you really expect to make a perfect cross-court approach shot right from the gate? Your game needs some fine tuning so be patient, keep practicing and give yourself some slack! 

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How to play with a tournament official

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Shop Manager 

We've had another successful year at the Akron Open thanks to all the players and volunteers who participated. We had quite a few exciting matches filled with fist pumps, dives, and un-returnable winners. However, despite having the majority of our matches running with not so much of a hiccup, there were some courts that had a little different outcome. There were questions on scores, tiebreakers, and rulings from double bounces, foot faults, to nicking a ball in the air.  Luckily there's always a tournament official on hand to settle any disputes but we'd like to review how to utilize an official and what to do when there isn't one around.

 
All USTA sanctioned tournaments will have a roaming official, meaning they will move from court to court and assist when needed. However, what many players don't realize is that when you have an official on your court and you're hoping for an overrule on a call or a clarification on a rule, you have to request for one. So if you're wondering about a line call that your opponent called out, ask the official what they saw.
 
On the other hand, if you're in the middle of a match and you have a discrepancy or question when the official is nowhere nearby, what do you do? Two things, stop play and signal for a spectator to get an official or wait on the court until one comes around. If you decide to play on after openly questioning the call, warn your opponent that you will be requesting an official to overlook the match.
 
Remember, playing a match with an official on your court is actually a good thing--unless of course if you're knowingly cheating. An indication in the quality of any tournament is if there is an official around keeping order on the courts. Imagine them as a supportive teammate and if they make an overrule or call against you, you may question it but listen to what they have to say and most important--DO NOT argue. We can all appreciate the benefit of having a tournament official so at the end of your match, don't forget to thank them for their time.

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Tournament bag checklist

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Legit Tennis Fanatic

With the Akron Open days away, we wanted to help our competitors prepare for their matches by creating a checklist of necessary equipment/accessories you should have during a tournament weekend.

1. At least 2 racquets - If one string were to break, you'll have a backup ready to go.
2. Water and lots of it - You should be drinking water on EVERY changeover. Make sure you provide yourself with enough water to get through a possible 3hr match, especially on a hot day. Never assume the facility has water on the courts.
3. Hat, visor, sunglasses, sunblock if outside - Having to serve in the sun is just as painful as having burnt shoulders that are hot to the touch. Make sure to protect your eyes and your skin.
4. Spare clothing - For those ultra sweaty moments whether it's a change in shirt, sweatbands, socks, or shoes.
5. Wallet - In case you need money for vending, nearby restaurants, or a last minute stop at the pro shop for stringing.
6. Small first aid kit - Be prepared with some basic essentials; band-aids, medical tape, ibuprofen, and braces if needed.
7. Extra hair ties (ladies) - We can't tell you how many times we've heard on the court, 'Does anyone have a hair tie?"
8. Towel - Expect to sweat!
9. Snacks - You never know if the tournament will be offering food, so bring along little baggies of some energy boosting foods that will keep you going throughout the match (ex. bananas, nuts, energy bars, etc.)
10. Check the tournament site for time, location, and directions - If you've already checked, check again! You never know when there might be a last minute change due to weather or other match conflicts.

Not necessary but helpful to have:

1. Extra pair of shoelaces, dampeners
2. Nail filer
3. Cooler for drinks with ice
4. Icy hot for a quick muscle fix
5. Blanket or lawn chair for spectating

Top 5 misconceptions about tournament play

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Legit Tennis Fanatic

With the close of Wimbledon and our very own Akron Open around the corner, we can't help but admire what it takes for these players to play in such large scale tournaments--in respect to both levels of play of course. But for many players, they tend to be intimidated by the tournament atmosphere or think only the top players around qualify to participate. There might be a list of other excuses in why they shouldn't participate but today we have a rebuttal on why you should not only play tournaments, but why you might actually LIKE them!

Common misconceptions

1) Single elimination - Unless there's an Open division, there rarely is a single elimination format outside of the ATP Tour, meaning you will always get a second chance. Granted you're 2nd chance may be in the consolation round but hey, a 2nd go at it is better than nothing.

2) Intense mentality - The pressure is on but it's all in your head! If you play more relaxed in leagues then imagine its just another day on the court with your teammates because many of times it is!

3) Individual play - We're used to thinking of tournaments as only singles play because that's what we mainly see on TV. But if singles is not your game or you prefer the team atmosphere, then doubles is an excellent option. Many tournaments offer men's/women's doubles & mixed.

4) It's expensive - On average, apart from the USTA/club fees each player is guaranteed at least 2 rounds of play, receives some sort of appreciative participatory gift (t-shirt, towel, water bottle, etc.), complimentary snacks/beverages is sometimes offered, and trophies are awarded to the winners and runner-ups of each draw (consolation winners may be awarded a trophy as well). Depending on the tournament, winners might win bigger prizes such as tennis bags, rackets, or cash. If you ask us, the money is well worth it!

5) Serious atmosphere - Sure the match may be taken seriously, but the general atmosphere where friends and new court-mates gather around is enjoyable for many involved. If anything it's just a thrill to kick back and enjoy a day of excellent tennis.

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