Category: TENNIS

Q&A WITH TENNIS SPONSORSHIP WINNER SCOTT LYONS

Sportsmart and Wilson’s tennis sponsorship winner, Scott Lyons, gives an insight into his love of tennis…

Why do you love tennis?

I love playing tennis as it is a great test both physically and mentally. Not only do you get to run around and exercise without it being too strenuous, it is a great challenge to try and outthink your opponent in a one-on-one situation. Tennis is also great fun to just play socially and it is one of the few sports that can be played by all ages.

Do other members of your family play tennis?

All of my family have played tennis at some stage of their life, but these days they only play on the odd occasion. However, my Dad plays social tennis about once a week and is always keen to improve!

What do you like about playing with Highmoor Uniting Tennis Club?

Highmoor Tennis Club is a fantastic club with a great community feel to it. Nearly all of the members know each other and it is one of the few clubs that values the social aspect of tennis as highly as, if not higher than, the competitive side of it. When not playing competition, there is never a shortage of players who are willing to go down and have a hit. At Highmoor there is something for all members, whether they are actively playing or not.

What do you think your club will buy with the $200 Club Advantage voucher you have earned for them?

The $200 voucher will be put to great use, and may be put towards new nets or tennis balls.

What will you do with your old tennis gear now that you’ve won the Sportsmart and Wilson sponsorship package?

To be honest I’m not too sure. Now with two brand new pairs of shoes thanks to Sportsmart, my old shoes will hardly be worn! I could possibly keep them for emergency situations or perhaps find a friend of similar shoe size to give them to..? I will keep my old racquet as a spare for all those nasty times where you break a string two minutes into a match.

Which tennis racquet do you have your eye on?

I often get into bad habits of spending hours on end reading about all the new tennis racquets coming out and the various new technologies. Yet after having had Chris from Sportsmart show me the range of Wilson BLX racquets, I am very excited about trying out the Wilson BLX Pro Open!

What racquet are you using at the moment?

Before receiving Sportsmart and Wilson’s sponsorship package, I had been using the Babolat AeroPro Drive GT.

What advice do you have for other tennis players who want to improve their game?

Yep, it’s the same old boring advice that we hear from everyone – practice, practice and more practice. However, the key is that the quality of training is far more important than the amount of time trained. You will get far more out of twenty minutes of solid training while highly concentrated, rather than three hours of slogging the ball as hard as possible. Also, always try to master the basics before attempting subtler variations. Watch the ball onto the racquet, have a straight and high ball toss and don’t neglect your backhand.

What other sports do you enjoy playing?

While tennis is the only sport I play competitively, I enjoy almost any sport. I enjoy playing basketball, squash and even the very occasional run. However, I am also a huge AFL fan and a big fan of the cricket. I can watch practically any sport on TV and enjoy it, much to my family’s dismay…

What is your ultimate tennis ambition?

For me, I cannot see myself winning Wimbledon anytime soon and I am very realistic about my expectations. My ultimate tennis ambition would be to continue to improve so that I have an all-round solid game, and one which would enable me to play tennis for my entire life. Yet in the meantime, I would love to be able to serve properly!

Sportsmart and Wilson’s tennis sponsorship program winner Scott Lyons with Sportsmart Director Gerrard Woods

WIN THE CHANCE TO BE A SPONSORED TENNIS PLAYER

TENNIS SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPORTSMART AND WILSON

For your chance to be a sponsored tennis player, go to the Tennis Sponsorship tab on Sportsmart’s Facebook page for details and to enter.

ONE LUCKY TENNIS PLAYER WILL WIN THIS SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE FROM SPORTSMART AND WILSON, TO HELP THEM PLAY AT THEIR BEST THIS SEASON:

  • 2 x FOOTWEAR OF CHOICE
  • CHOICE OF WILSON BLX RACQUET
  • CHOICE OF WILSON BLX BAG
  • WILSON AND LUXILON STRING
  • 2 x CANS OF TENNIS BALLS
  • SPORTSMART TENNIS SHIRT

The top six entrants, as judged by Sportsmart’s management team, will be published online where the general public will be able to vote for their favourite to determine the winner.

Entries close on Wednesday 10th November, then voting starts. Voting closes and the winner of Sportsmart’s tennis sponsorship package will be notified on Friday 19th November.

The winner of this tennis sponsorship package will be required to contribute articles and product reviews to the Sportsmart blog, to help advise and entertain other tennis players and blog readers.

TENNIS TRAINING TIP: UPPER BODY STRENGTH

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler

Tennis players must have a strong upper body (biceps, triceps, shoulders and upper back) in order to produce a strong and powerful serve, make a successful return, and produce winning shots.

During a rally, tennis players are constantly on the run, and have continuous sharp changes of movements and direction. If the upper body is strong and capable, players will have a better chance of making that difficult shot with accuracy and precision.

One of the main forms of strength is muscular endurance, which affects the player’s ability to exert strength over and over again. Without this, tennis players will be slower at reacting to a certain situation, and have reduced power for their shots and serves.

Workout: upper body circuit

Warm up

Run or use a cardio machine for 5-10 minutes.

Circuit

(The main aim is to use lower weights with higher repetitions – about 15-20 – depending on your strength)

  • Tricep dips
  • Push-ups
  • Dumbbell fly
  • Dumbbell bicep curl
  • Dumbbell upright row
  • Dumbbell front raise
  • Boxing is a great form of cardio while also toning and working arms, shoulders and upper back. Incorporating this with the above circuit is a great workout.
  • Kettle bells are fantastic as they can be used for the entire body, work multiple muscles at once and concentrate on the core in every exercise (check out www.kettlebells.com.au/samexc.php for exercises).

Cool down

Finish with a cool down and stretch.

TIPS ON VOLLEYING

If played well, the volley can be one of the most attacking shots in the game.

* The footwork required for the volley is most important. For a forehand volley you must try to step forward with your left foot. This will enable you to turn side on, with your left shoulder facing the net.

* The racquet head must be higher than the level of your hand, assisting you to lock your wrist in place.

* Stepping forward will enable you to make contact with the ball out in front of your body and help direct the volley into the targeted area of the court.

* There should be no follow through with the racquet; the pace of your opponent’s return will enable you to generate the speed on the ball.

Remember: most winning volleys are gained from achieving good angles and placement, rather than trying to hit the ball too hard.

Enjoy the 2010 summer of tennis. 

Sportsmart Tennis Manager and TCAV level 2 coach, Ray James

SPORTSMART’S SUMMER OF TENNIS SALE – ON NOW!

Inspired by the on-court action at the Australian Open? Our Summer Of Tennis sale has everything you need to hit the court!

New release tennis racquets from Wilson and Head. 

New BLX range from Wilson as used by Roger Federer and the new Head Youtek range as used by Novak Djokovic.

Prices slashed on tennis Head, Wilson and Prince racquets.

HEAD MICROGEL PRESTIGE PRO
Sale price $229 (was $329)

HEAD MICROGEL PRESTIGE MP
Sale price $229 (was $329)

HEAD MICROGEL EXTREME 
Sale price $199 (was $349)

HEAD MICROGEL RADICAL MP
Sale price $199 (was $299)

HEAD MICROGEL RAPTOR OS
Sale price $149 (was $249)

HEAD SONIC Ti
Sale price $99 (was $199)

WILSON SIX ONE TOUR
Sale price $199 (was $349)

WILSON K TOUR
Sale price $149 (was $329)

WILSON K ZEN TEAM (PINK)
Sale price $119 (was $279)

WILSON N TOUR TWO
Sale price $99 (was $169)

PRINCE 03 SPEEDPORT BLUE
Sale price $199 (was $329)

10% off all full price tennis footwear.

Great specials on new release tennis clothing from Nike and Adidas featuring the on-court wear of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (Moorabbin only).

Sale runs until 28th February, while stocks last.

MASTERING YOUR BACKHAND

Most beginners now are taught a two-handed backhand. This stroke is more widely used as it is easier to impart top-spin on the ball.

Like in all shots, the preparation for the shot ­– in this case, the backswing – needs to be completed as early as possible. As soon as the player is aware that the opponent has returned the ball to the backhand side of the court, the backswing should be completed.

Due to the restricted reach of the two-handed backhand stroke, footwork is very important in making good ground towards the ball.

For a right-handed player, the right foot and right shoulder should be pointing directly down the court or side on to the net. Contact with the ball should be in front of the body, with weight transference onto the right foot.

Grip on the racquet should be as follows:
Place the right hand on the grip with a semi-western grip; the left hand or more dominant hand should grip the racquet as if for a left-handed forehand. Ideally the two hands should be close together, as this gives greater co-ordination.

After contact is made with the ball, the follow-through should continue on, up over your left shoulder with the left hand on top of the grip. This will help to ensure the desired top-spin with the stroke.

Yours in tennis

Sportsmart Tennis Manager and TCAV tennis coach, Ray James

TENNIS TRAINING TIP: SERVING DRILL

In the game of tennis it is incredibly important to have a strong and powerful serve. If you look at the top ranking players you will note that they all have a dominant serve. It is a great way to achieve easy points and help conserve energy, rather than playing out a long rally.

There are several elements to achieving a powerful serve, but the most important is technique. It is important to have a coach who can help evaluate your serve and give you some helpful pointers to correct that technique while also using what you have naturally developed. Make sure that you are able to use the repetitive motion of your serve without it causing any discomfort or potential injuries.

Along with the help of a coach or parent (someone who has an understanding of the game) the best way to develop and improve your serve, especially once your technique has been mastered, is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Below is a great drill for serving.

Serving to cones drill

Set up six tennis ball cans as targets. Place three cans in each service box. One should be placed at the corner of the service line and the middle line on the deuce side. Another should be placed in the middle of the box, and the other should be placed where the sideline meets the service line. The targets should be located in the same spots on the ad court as well.

Now take a basket of balls and practice serving at these targets. Serve approximately 15 balls at each target. If you want to work on your wide serve, you can move the cans to where the service line meets the sideline. Move the cans about 18 inches towards the net. Serving at these targets will help to then give you something to aim at when you are playing a match.

Repetition is outstanding practice for serving, as it helps develop muscle memory and therefore improves stroke accuracy and pace.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(www.taviastraining.com.au)

RACQUET RE-STRINGING SERVICE

Sportsmart provides customers with a high-quality racquet re-stringing service that is excellent value for money.

For a service fee of just $20, Sportsmart’s experienced tennis experts guide customers on the best string and tension for their tennis, squash or badminton racquets, and then string them on our electric machines that ensure exact tension.

Sportsmart offers a timely service, with two stringing professionals operating most days – so, the majority of customers can have their racquets ready for play within 24 hours.

Tennis strings

Sportsmart offers a full range, starting at nylon for $4.95 up to Babolat, Pacific, Head and Wilson natural gut strings ranging from $89 to $109. Customers will also find synthetic gut, polyester and multifilament strings from all the major brands such as Luxilon (official string of the WTA Tour), Pacific (official string of the ATP Tour), Head, Wilson, Prince and Volkl.

Squash strings

Available in nylon at $4.95, synthetic gut at $14.95 and Ashaway multifilament at $24.95.

Badminton strings

Available in Carlton and Yonex, ranging in price from $9.95 to $16.95.

Shop smart at Sportsmart for all your tennis, squash and badminton re-stringing needs.