How to finish strong and win in tennis

Dallas Aleman & Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Contributors

Many a times you find yourself ahead in a match only to see it squandered away after thinking you had it in the bag. If this is a pattern or an entirely new challenge you're facing, you're not alone! Even the best pros on tour find themselves in total control of a match only to be bewildered moments later when they realize it's slipping from their grasp. Finishing strong means playing smart, and these following lessons will show you how to do just that! 

Lesson #1 - Never make assumptions. We hear it all the time, "He's under-rated," "I've beat her before," or "They have a bad match record." Statistics and past matches say very little on what's happening in the moment.  

Losing a match you thought you'd win can be 
incredibly discouraging.

"After losing to players I've beaten in the past or when struggling against an opponent others write off as beatable, I used to get angry and upset at myself at how 'crappy' I played. The lesson I eventually learned is to pay attention to what your opponent is doing different, instead of what you're NOT doing."

Lesson #2 - Stay focused! It can be incredibly discouraging when you're big lead becomes a neck and neck battle, but the most important part of being a good competitor is to stay focused in the moment. Even if you're up a set and 5 games, play each point as a new point and one that has to be contested. You must win that one, because taking a breather and relaxing just a bit could be the nail in the coffin.   

"I had a saying when playing a tough match and having problems. I would call out, “climb the mountain,” and remind myself to take one step, or in this case point at a time." 

Lesson #3 - Be a good sport and be prepared for the next match. We often take matches for granted, especially when we're not taking our opponents seriously. If you don't finish strong the first time around, make sure you're prepared to give it your all the next time out. Also, whether you win or lose give your opponent some credit. After all, they were able to finish strong against a tough player like you!

“Commenting on the opposite end of the stick, I once played a match where my team was in last place and my partner was under-rated (a 'sure win' for any opponent), but that day we were on fire and battled to a victorious win! Unfortunately, our opponents didn't see us as comparable competitors (and made sure to make note of it), and stormed off the court embarrassed and unjustified. That kind of unsportsmanlike behavior had taken a hit on my self-esteem, but I keep reminding myself that we played great tennis and finished incredibly strong whereas for our opponents--sore losers!"

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How to create a winning tennis team

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee

It's been a few weeks since our last post, but all for good reason. With a busy fall USTA season winding down as well as one of our own, Natalie Aleman, recently getting married, we want to take a moment to congratulate our 6.0 Mixed 40 & Over tennis team, who just returned from a valiant effort at this past weekend's USTA National Championships in Surprise, AZ! We applaud each and every member on this team because we know it's not easy to get to the National stage given all the blood, sweat and tears involved in the road to victory (even if those tears were from laughter), it's still a huge feat. This isn't the first time a Towpath team has made it to Nationals and hopefully not the last, so we were inspired to share with you our recipe to creating a winning tennis team.

The Towpath 40+ Mixed 6.0 team with (back row) Tom and Amy Haught, Angie Remen, 
Bill Fox, Kip Kuebler, Susan O'Connell, Adam and Cathy Stopka, (front row) Tracy 
Campbell, Ron Novak and captain Michelle Fox. 

1.  Be committed - The first step to victory is simply committing to your team. You might not realize it but a winning team is formed at the start of each season. When you have reliable teammates who show up whenever the lineup dictates, then you're already ahead of the game. What's also great about readily available teammates is you don't need a lot of them, which means you can strengthen partnerships and experiment with winning lineups. Lastly, commit to believing you will make it to post-season. Don't waste your efforts during the season only to be short players when the team is truly put to the test.
2. Have a common goal - What do you want to accomplish with this team? Was this team created with playoffs in mind? Are you just getting some quality playtime in? Or do you just want to have fun with your buddies? Get your team on the same page from the beginning and communicate with them along the way. Who knows a team that you created just for fun may find themselves on the path to playoffs, so goals may change. But just because your goals change doesn't mean your strategy should change. If 'playing for fun' is working for you, then by all means stick with it!
3. Play fair - It's tempting to always play your favorite lineup, but to avoid disgruntled teammates it's best to share playtime among the entire team. This is the time when you need to trust your teammates to do their best and not get disgruntled with them. It's a lot more fun to win as a team than to win thanks to a few token players.
4. Build camaraderie - Team practices, post-match get-togethers, carpooling to matches, team dinners-these are all perfect opportunities to bond with your teammates. You don't all have to be the best of friends, but the support and confidence some teammates have for one another is uncanny. Plus, there's nothing better than winning with people you care about! 
5. Have fun, have fun, have fun! - Is that sinking in yet? The pressure to win can take its toll on team morale, which could easily dismantle all your hard-playing work. Getting to playoffs and beyond is a thrill when teammates aren't bickering about losses or bad-mouthing the captain's lineup choice. Stay positive (even if you have to fake it) and celebrate each success, however big or small. If you've made it this far we know you're competitive and here to win, but it's most important to enjoy yourselves along the way!

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Top 5 stretches for tennis

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

How many times do you get off the court only to realize you forgot to stretch? Stretching is absolutely key to preventing an injury, encouraging elasticity and flexibility and most important, helping you become a better tennis player. We know it's unrealistic to ask you to stretch every little muscle we use while hitting, so here are the top 5 stretches you can't play without. 

For every stretch, hold for at least 30 seconds.

Forearm - This stretch doesn't prevent tennis elbow, but it certainly helps minimize any pain associated with it by loosening up the surrounding tendons and ligaments. Simply stand up straight and keep your arm perpendicular to your body while pushing your hand towards your chest. You should feel stretching along the top of your forearm. You can reverse the stretch, with your fingers toward the sky and your palm facing out. 

Shoulder - We exert tremendous pressure on our shoulders when playing tennis, so this is a very important stretch that will help prevent a strained muscle or tear. Stand straight and cross your arm over while maintaining a straight line. Push your arm toward your chest. You should feel stretching on the topside of your shoulder. Next grab your racquet and with the same grip you swing with, pull the head with your other hand. This will stretch along the underside of your shoulder as well as your bicep. After you finish with one arm, make sure you stretch the other in the same fashion.

Back - I know when I get off the court, the next day my back is reeling if I forget to stretch. Your back is the glue that holds everything together, so stretching is a must! Cross your right leg over your left and slowly reach for your toes while looking at your knees--not the floor. You will feel stretching from your lower back all the way to your neck muscles. Reverse by crossing your left leg over your right. If you have time, stand with both feet side by side and reach down. 

Ankle - Did you know the ankle is one of the most common tennis injuries? This is because it can occur in just one mis-step. You can have the right shoes and a brace, but you shouldn't ignore the fact that a good stretch is the best preventative to an ankle roll. Stretch along a fence or court post to help loosen your achilles tendon, as well as stretch your calf muscle. Also, try slowly rolling your ankle onto its side.

Quad - Our knees take a lot of pressure when sprinting side to side on the court, not to mention constantly stopping short and changing direction. But how exactly do you stretch a knee? Focus on the quad! This stretch targets the thigh muscles, knee and hip joints. Hold your foot behind you and use opposite arm out in front to keep your balance or use the net for support. You'll feel stretching mainly along your quadriceps but by leaning slightly forward/backward, it'll extend to your hip and knee.

Stretching is ideal when your muscles are warm so try moving around a little by doing a short jog, run in place, or wave your arms in circles. If you're really pressed for time and running in late for a match (you know who you are), then the least you can do is stretch these muscles in between games or after the match. The next time you walk off the court without stretching remind yourself, 'This will make me a better tennis player', and drop your bag and stretch! 

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Why do tennis players grunt?

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

One of the most common complaints about tennis, especially during featured tournaments like this past US Open is, “What’s with all the grunting?", "Why must they grunt so loud?”, and for non-tennis players (like my husband) who say the real reason they don’t like tennis is because, “the grunting is so incredibly distracting.”

Maria Sharapova is one of the game's most notorious
grunters. 

We get it, many a times we're complaining right alongside you. But believe it or not, tennis players don’t grunt to be annoying to their opponents or to us spectators, they grunt because they were most likely taught to. I know what you’re thinking, you mean people were taught to grunt that obnoxiously? Obviously, tennis pros like Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka take it to another level, but the primary reason why players grunt is to force them to breathe and exhale through their shot.

Imagine it’s post-season, the playoffs, the finals, whatever—this is the big match. Everyone’s eyes are on your court while you’re serving for a critical match-deciding point. Feeling a little tense? When nerves get the best of us, we instinctively hold our breath. It’s an annoying little habit that causes this chain reaction where all the sudden we’re afraid to move our feet in the fear that we might actually run into the ball, and instead of rallying with our opponent like the experienced player we all claim to be, we begin ‘patty-caking’ the ball over the net. So what does this have to do with grunting? Grunting can kick those nerves from the start! 

Instead of pleading you don’t make an error, grunting will force you to breathe (when you’re not remembering too), which calms those nerves that are inhibiting you from moving. It's just that simple! Okay it's not that simple, but it can be if it comes naturally to you. And on top of being a breathing aid, grunting can also exert maximum force in your swing. Yes it's true, look at Serena Williams! You can actually increase your core stability and strength. That should give you some confidence.

So while we recommend you give grunting a try to see if it comes naturally, the focus should be on breathing, not screaming. Grunting takes energy, so you don't want to wear yourself out by wildly shrieking during every point. And while it may be annoying to others, we commend those that do grunt because it's not easy to draw attention to yourself, and unbeknownst to everyone else you are giving yourself a big advantage.

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Towpath review of Jimmy Connors' "The Outsider: A Memoir"

Barbara Youel | Towpath Member | Contributor

The Outsider: A Memoir 

by Jimmy Connors (HarperCollins, 2013)

Book rating: 

A reader may wonder if behind Connors’ bad-boy outsider persona is the underpinning for the tiresome and sometimes gratuitous expletives that frequent these pages. Having said that however, how can you not like a guy who loves his family, fierce competition and yes, loves, really loves dogs? It is no secret that Jimmy Connors came to tennis on the public courts of East St. Louis, IL in the early sixties, a place and time which apparently shaped his dogged (pun intended) determination to beat the odds of breaking into the professional tennis world as an “outsider.”

Connors at the 1978 ABN Tennis Tournament holding his
Wilson T2000 steel racket.

The Outsider Image is Not New

Ancient Greek myths and other world literature give us numerous examples of the plight of an outsider, one who is excluded or detached from a particular group or community. This sense of exclusion (whether real or perceived) can have mixed effects on not only the outsider, but on those around him (yes, males tend to dominate this archetype). Think of Ponyboy in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders (1967) or Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby (1925) to name just two. This outsider attitude seems to be a life-long impetus for Connors, as he endures tragedies and disappointments, yet prevails in the end.

Mom and Two-Mom

Much of his ability to prevail both on and off the court he credits to his mother Gloria, arguably the driving force behind Jimmy’s game, and his grandmother, called Two-Mom.  

“All my life she taught me - made me a world champion,” Connors said upon his mother’s death at age 82 in 2007. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/sports/tennis/13connors.html?_r=0)

Gloria, a tennis pro in her own right, not only played the game, but coached Hollywood celebrities Mickey Rooney and Errol Flynn. She also taught regular youngsters from the East St. Louis neighborhoods. Pictures of Mom, Two-Mom, other family members, coaches, competitors, and yes, those dogs Connors’ calls his “shrinks,” considerably enhance this read.

Gambling, OCD, and other Dark Days

Connors spares no details and relates (amazingly so) conversations held years ago surrounding his compulsive gambling, his obsessive compulsive disorder (such as checking multiple times if the house is locked for the night) and his admitted womanizing while married to former Playboy Playmate Patti McGuire and the near-loss of his family. To mixed reviews, Connors seems to be forthright about both the happy and sad times with Chrissie Evert “America’s Sweetheart.” Their brief engagement in 1974 was called off, and details too personal and private should simply stay that way and are therefore my choice not to fuel a painful matter.

“The Bad Boys of Tennis” et al.

What this memoir does fuel are his memories of battles with the likes of John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, Ivan Lendl, and Rod Laver, tennis giants all, plus some entertaining experiences with “irrepressible co-conspirators” Ilie Nastase and Vitas Gerulaitis. Connors relives many of these classic encounters with characteristic passion and humor. Readers who enjoy the details of these famous matches will not be disappointed. The reader feels the young Connors’ utter drive to entertain and excel on court, yet sympathizes with his current longings to be part of the game in some way. What’s a man in his sixties to do?

Words to Play By

Who would argue with Connors, a former Number One in the world, winner of 10 Grand Slams and 109 men’s singles titles? These are words we have heard before, but reinforced by one of tennis’ best. Sound familiar?

1. The two key ingredients to tennis are preparation and footwork.

2. “Confidence, aggression, strategy.” (from Mom and Pancho Segura)

3. “Always expect the ball to come back, Jimmy,” said his mom.

4. Practice like you play, play like you practice.

5. Keep your eyes on the ball.

Another early influence, Pop (Jimmy’s grandfather) conveyed an important lesson: 

“…no matter how prepared you are, there will always be something going on, either on or off the court, that will take your mind off your game. How I deal with that is down to me.” 

These were surely words to live by as Connors intersperses the drama of his matches with the drama of his off-court life.

Inside/Outside

My sense is that most of us have been on the “outside” of something from time to time. We may have experienced real or perceived feelings of not quite belonging to a group whose recognition and approval we dearly craved. This may be an unintended consequence of Connors’ memoir, to look inside ourselves for our own “outsider” and how we manage those shifting boundaries. I’m not sure how much of an outsider Connors really is, but for this memoir, the metaphor works.

The Outsider: A Memoir is available at local bookstores, public libraries, and online.

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5 Best ways to reuse a can of tennis balls

Kristianne Bontempo & Lily McMillan | Towpath Tennis Employees  | Contributors

Are you overwhelmed with cans of tennis balls stashed in the back of your closet, the trunk of your car, or milling around the floor of your garage? We understand you're not a tennis ball hoarder, you just don't want to toss it yet when it's still in decent condition. If you're wondering what to do with those old tennis cans and balls, here are 5 fun and practical ways to reuse them for the whole family.

Pic from joybeadworks.blogspot.com

1. Storage - Store snacks for the kitchen, crafts for the kids, or organize nuts and bolts in the garage. 
2. Plant container - Grow veggies, flowers or use as centerpieces for a tennis themed party!
3. Make a pencil/marker holder - Great for the office and school. Decorate with colorful labels and funny faces.  
4. Donate - Give old tennis balls to animal shelters for dogs, to local schools (teachers love to put them on the bottom of students' chairs) or retirement homes for walkers and canes. 
5. Bird feeder - Try sticking wooden spoons through the can so the food spills onto the flatter end. 

You're not just recycling a can of tennis balls, you're creating a fun project for the kids and getting yourself organized with your favorite themed sport!

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Summer tennis and signs of heat exhaustion

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee  | Online Store Manager

'Tis the season of the Akron Open Championships, the largest adult USTA-sanctioned tournament in Northeast Ohio! This year we celebrate 10 years of competitive tennis with over 180 players competing this weekend at Towpath Tennis Center and Hyre Park in Ellet. We applaud those that brave the unpredictable summer conditions that affect us every year indoors and out. We may have flood water up to our knees, tornados ripping through our backyards, or pulling out our fall gear a couple months too soon, so it's not a surprise that we jump for the chance to play during those 80+ degree days. And though there's nothing wrong with playing tennis in hot weather, we want you to do it smartly because the threat of heat exhaustion is dangerously real.  

Checking the temperature is one thing, but you need to also take into account the humidity. In the following chart by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we need to be aware of the heat index and how unsafe conditions can be on certain days. A relative 60% humidity or more can hinder the body's ability to cool itself, and just because you head indoors to get out of the sun doesn't mean you're necessarily safe. Even the best ventilated facilities can get a little stuffy so you'll want to look out for signs of heat exhaustion and how best to treat it. 

Most common signs of heat exhaustion:




Confusion
Dizziness
Feeling faint
Fatigue 
Headache
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Pale/clammy skin
Profuse sweating
Rapid heartbeat

Treatment options:

Drink plenty of water (avoid soda drinks)
Cool yourself with a fan, ice towel, or a cool shower
Remove any layers or tight clothing
Avoid any hot weather activity for at least a week to fully recover

If you don't feel any improvement within 30 minutes or if symptoms get worse, seek immediate help or call 911 because you may be suffering from heat stroke, a severe heat-related injury that can cause major organ damage. 

 The best treatment for heat exhaustion is always prevention. We encourage everyone to get out and play as much tennis as humanly possible on those beautiful summer days (because we know how rare they can be), but next time you head out for a game of tennis, be smart, check the heat index and plan accordingly.

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