Quantcast
nodot nodot
Tennis Anyone
September 2014 Article

Contact John Mills

Latest Tennis Anyone Article

Tennis Anyone Archives:
2003 - Present
1994 - 2002

Tennis Server
HOME PAGE

Do You Want To Be A Better Tennis Player?

Then Sign Up For A Free Subscription to the Tennis Server INTERACTIVE
E-mail Newsletter!

Tom Veneziano You will join 13,000 other subscribers in receiving news of updates to the Tennis Server along with monthly tennis tips from tennis pro Tom Veneziano.
 
Best of all, it is free!

Tennis Features Icon TENNIS FEATURES:

TENNIS ANYONE? - USPTA Pro John Mills' quick player tip.
 
TENNIS WARRIOR - Tom Veneziano's Tennis Warrior archive.
 
TURBO TENNIS - Ron Waite turbocharges your tennis game with tennis tips, strategic considerations, training and practice regimens, and mental mindsets and exercises.
 
WILD CARDS - Each month a guest column by a new writer.
 
BETWEEN THE LINES - Ray Bowers takes an analytical and sometimes controversial look at the ATP/WTA professional tour.
 
PRO TENNIS SHOWCASE - Tennis match reports and photography from around the world.
 
TENNIS SET - Jani Macari Pallis, Ph.D. looks at tennis science, engineering and technology.
 
MORTAL TENNIS - Greg Moran's tennis archive on how regular humans can play better tennis.
 
HARDSCRABBLE SCRAMBLE - USPTA pro Mike Whittington's player tip archive.
 
TENNIS EQUIPMENT TIPS.

Tennis Community Icon TENNIS COMMUNITY:


Tennis Book, DVD, and Video Index
 
Tennis Server Match Reports
 
Editor's Letter
 
Become a Tennis Server Sponsor

Explore The Tennis Net Icon EXPLORE THE TENNIS NET:

Tennis News and Live Tennis Scores
 
Tennis Links on the Web
 
nodot
Tennis Anyone


 

Green Dot
 
Tennis Warehouse Logo
 
Green Dot

 
nodot

 
Things To Do and Not To Do

John Mills Photo
John Mills, USPTA

  • Do not feed "down" on the ball, feed from below your waist.
  • Always "feed" the ball in the warm up with an "open stance." When is the last time you have seen a pro feed a ball in the "closed stance"?
  • Never warm up hitting your best shots, never use your full pace and never put the ball away in the warm up.
  • Learn how to properly feed a "lob" in the warm up. It is harder than it looks.
  • In the warm up, never try to return your opponent's practice overheads, catch it, and then feed it. This saves time and a lot of lets on the adjacent courts.
  • Do not "play the point" in the warm up - wait for the match to start.
  • Do not let the warm up go to long, do not ask for too many over-heads (2-3) or do not hit more than 3-4 serves. It will make you seem nervous and not confident in yourself. The warm up is not for practicing.
  • If you have any great or specialty shots, do not hit them in the warm up.
  • Do not think that a "bad warm up" will relate to a "bad match."
  • Remember, most players play completely different in the warm up than in the match.
  • Refrain from making "negative" gestures in doubles when your partner makes a mistake. Other potential partners will not like this and you may one day ask, "why will no one play with me?"
  • Do not show frustration or emotions regarding your mistakes or bad shots. Showing negative posture will give power to the opponents. If you make a mistake because of bad form, just take a second and do an air practice the way it should be hit. Think positively about the next shot and performing it correctly.
  • Do not talk about tennis with your partner in the changeovers. There will be plenty of time for that in the match.
  • In doubles, keep your conversation to a minimum with your partner.
  • In doubles, use the phrase "Let's". It connotes teamwork and not placing the blame on anyone. Remember: "Let's go!" or "Let's get the point started!"
  • Do not get into lengthy conversations with your opponents on the changeovers. If necessary, move your water, etc. away from theirs. Many players do this to distract you. (Over complementing you on your game, etc.)
  • Never pick a tennis ball up with your hand. Always ball to strings, then strings to hand. This promotes racket head control,
  • You will play good and bad during any match. You just have to win 51% of the points.
  • 80% of the game is footwork. Next time you are playing poorly, concentrate on being more aggressive with your footwork.
  • Always in doubles, ask yourself "what can I do to make my partner look better.
  • Tennis is about camaraderie and making connections with people for life.

Good luck on the courts!
 

Green DotGreen DotGreen Dot

Tennis Anyone Archives:
1994 - 2002 | 2003 - Present


If you have not already signed up to receive our free e-mail newsletter Tennis Server INTERACTIVE, you can sign up here. You will receive notification each month of changes at the Tennis Server and news of new columns posted on our site.

This column is copyrighted by John Mills, all rights reserved.

John Mills' experience includes four years as head pro at the Windemere Racquet & Swim Club, where he was responsible for organization of all tennis activities at the club. John also played college tennis at the University of Houston and has spent 20 years teaching tennis at the Memorial Park Tennis Center, the Pasadena Racquet Club, and as the head pro at the Bay Area Racquet Club.


 

nodot
nodot
Google
Web tennisserver.com
nodot nodot
The Tennis Server
Ticket Exchange

Your Source for tickets to professional tennis & golf events.
 
SAI Team Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
Dallas Open Tickets
 
Delray Beach Open Tickets
 
ATX Open Tickets
 
BNP Paribas Open Tickets
 
Miami Open Tickets
 
Credit One Charleston Open Tickets
 
US Men's Clay Court Championships Tickets
 
Wimbledon Tickets
 
Infosys Hall of Fame Open Tickets
 
Atlanta Open Tickets
 
Mubadala Citi Open Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
National Bank Open Women's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
National Bank Open Men's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
Western & Southern Open Tickets
 
Winston-Salem Open Tickets
 
US Open Tennis Championship Tickets
 

 

Popular Tennis books:
 
Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis-Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert, Steve Jamison
 
The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance by Jeff Greenwald
 
The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
 
Most Recent Articles:
 
October 2022 Tennis Anyone: Patterns in Doubles by John Mills.
 
September 2022 Tennis Anyone: Short Court by John Mills.
 

 

 

 

"Tennis Server" is a registered trademark and "Tennis Server INTERACTIVE" is a trademark of Tennis Server. All original material and graphics on the Tennis Server are copyrighted 1994 - by Tennis Server and its sponsors and contributors. Please do not reproduce without permission.

The Tennis Server receives a commission on all items sold through links to Amazon.com.

 

Tennis Server
Cliff Kurtzman
Editor-in-chief
791 Price Street #144
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Phone: (281) 480-6300
Online Contact Form
How to support Tennis Server as a Sponsor/Advertiser
Tennis Server Privacy Policy