Game/Set/Match: A Tennis Guide » (7th Edition)

James E. Bryant has taught activity courses for over 20 years. He is also the author of two other Wadsworth activity books-BEGINNING RACQUETBALL, Sixth Edition (2004) with co-author Cheryl Norton; and SOCIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF SPORT AND EXERCISE, First Edition (1997), with co-author Mary McElroy.

GAME/SET/MATCH: A TENNIS GUIDE covers all the basic fundamentals of playing tennis and is suitable for players at all levels. It combines basic instruction and visual cues to help you learn the proper way to execute tennis techniques and skills and improve your game. The strategy chapters provide a base for development of thinking on the court, and the tennis court behavior and interpretation of rules section provide you with a solid foundation of the sport. Learn to master the game of tennis!

Preface     v
Acknowledgments     vi
Preliminaries to the Strokes in Tennis     1
Basic Tennis Grips     1
Types of Strokes     4
Developing a Feel for Hitting the Ball     6
Racket Control and Ball Spin     9
Groundstrokes     13
Groundstrokes-Basic Forehand     13
Groundstrokes-Basic Backhand     17
Groundstrokes-Two-Hand Backhand     21
Synopsis of the Groundstroke     23
Increasing Beginner Skills: Forehand Groundstroke-Slice and Topspin     26
Increasing Beginner Skills: Backhand Groundstroke-Slice and Topspin     27
Increasing Beginner Skills: Using the Groundstroke to Hit an Approach Shot     31
Service and Service Return     35
Basic Flat Service     35
Return of Service     40
Increasing Beginner Skills: Slice Service     43
Net Play     49
Forehand Volley     50
Backhand Volley     51
Increasing Beginner Skills: Insight When Hitting a Volley Shot     53
Increasing Beginner Skills: Half-Volley     56
Aerial Game     59
Overheads     59
The Lob     63
Mental Aspects of Tennis Competition     73
Understanding What Competition Really Means     74
Eliminating Negative Attitudes     74
Concentration     76
Anxiety and Slumps     77
Relaxation     77
Mental Toughness     78
Putting It All Together     79
Singles Strategy     81
Percentage Tennis     81
Service Strategy     83
Return-of-Service Strategy     83
Increasing Beginner Skills: Placement and Service Strategy     83
Increasing Beginner Skills: Second-Service Strategy     84
Increasing Beginner Skills: Return-of-Service Strategy     85
Increasing Beginner Skills: Attacking the Net and Beating the Net Player     86
Increasing Beginner Skills: Lob and Overhead Strategy     89
Increasing Beginner Skills: Baseline-Play Strategy     90
Doubles Strategy     95
Basic Alignments and Formations     95
Special Formations     98
Service and Return-of-Service Strategy     100
Doubles Game Plan and Strategy     101
Tennis Practice     105
Wall Drills by Yourself     105
Cooperative Practice Drills      107
Physical Aspects of Playing Tennis     117
The Structured Warm-Up     117
The Cool-Down     120
Developing Overall Fitness     123
Preventing and Caring for Tennis Injuries     125
Dealing with Heat, Sun, and Insect Bites When Playing Tennis     129
Tennis Behavior and Interpretation of Rules     133
Behavior on a Tennis Court     133
Interpreting Tennis Rules     136
Tennis Courts, Equipment Design, Tournament Competition, Tennis Perspective, and Resources     143
The Tennis Court     143
Tennis Equipment     144
Tennis Clothing     148
How to Get Started in Tennis Competition     149
Tennis Perspective     150
Tennis Resources     154
USTA's The Code: The Player's Guide for Unofficiated Matches     157
NTRP Rating Categories     161
Answer Key to Checkpoints     163
Photo Credits     165
Glossary of Terms     169
Index     173