Essential Tennis


Book Description

The essential book from online tennis coaching sensation Ian Westermann, founder of EssentialTennis.com What’s the number one thing stopping you from playing your best tennis? Ian Westermann, founder of the world’s #1 online tennis instruction portal, Essentialtennis.com, will confidently say it’s an obstacle you probably never thought of: The ball. You might think this sounds ridiculous. The whole point of tennis is to hit the ball over the net and in, so how can the ball be the thing that’s standing in the way? In fact, this is why the ball is such an impediment: your desire to hit a good shot, with the right mix of power and spin, to a specific spot on the court, prevents you from striking the ball the way you should. In Essential Tennis, readers – players and coaches, alike – will learn how improving at tennis actually happens and how to easily implement these lessons and integrate them into better play on the court. Players will hit stronger shots, make fewer errors, and beat players who are currently beating them. Coaches will look differently at what it means to provide a student with a holistic learning experience. Essential Tennis contains technique-based instruction for executing groundstrokes, volleys, and serves, as well as progressions, drills, and mindsets players should incorporate. Westermann illuminates strokes, movement, strategy, and mental toughness – all proven to be successful over 20 years with clients of all ages and skill levels.







The Inner Game of Tennis


Book Description

The timeless guide to achieving the state of “relaxed concentration” that’s not only the key to peak performance in tennis but the secret to success in life itself—now in a 50th anniversary edition with an updated epilogue, a foreword by Bill Gates, and an updated preface from NFL coach Pete Carroll “Groundbreaking . . . the best guide to getting out of your own way . . . Its profound advice applies to many other parts of life.”—Bill Gates, GatesNotes (“Five of My All-Time Favorite Books”) This phenomenally successful guide to mastering the game from the inside out has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Billie Jean King has called the book her tennis bible; Al Gore has used it to focus his campaign staff; and Itzhak Perlman has recommended it to young violinists. Based on W. Timothy Gallwey’s profound realization that the key to success doesn’t lie in holding the racket just right, or positioning the feet perfectly, but rather in keeping the mind uncluttered, this transformative book gives you the tools to unlock the potential that you’ve possessed all along. “The Inner Game” is the one played within the mind of the player, against the hurdles of self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses in concentration. Gallwey shows us how to overcome these obstacles by trusting the intuitive wisdom of our bodies and achieving a state of “relaxed concentration.” With chapters devoted to trusting the self and changing habits, it is no surprise then, that Gallwey’s method has had an impact far beyond the confines of the tennis court. Whether you want to play music, write a novel, get ahead at work, or simply unwind after a stressful day, Gallwey shows you how to tap into your utmost potential. In this fiftieth-anniversary edition, the principles of the Inner Game shine through as more relevant today than ever before. No matter your goals, The Inner Game of Tennis gives you the definitive framework for long-term success.




Winning Ugly


Book Description

The tennis classic from Olympic gold medalist and ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, now featuring a new introduction with tips drawn from the strategies of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Andy Murray, and more, to help you outthink and outplay your toughest opponents. A former Olympic medalist and now one of ESPN’s most respected analysts, Brad Gilbert shares his timeless tricks and tips, including “some real gems” (Tennis magazine) to help both recreational and professional players improve their game. In the new introduction to this third edition, Gilbert uses his inside access to analyze current stars such as Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, showing readers how to beat better players without playing better tennis. Written with clarity and wit, this classic combat manual for the tennis court has become the bible of tennis instruction books for countless players worldwide.




International Book of Tennis Drills


Book Description

Filled with time-tested drills designed to improve every aspect of one's game, this updated edition is the ideal resource for any tennis player who wants to gain an edge on their competition. With more than 100 practice drills for both group and independent practice, readers will learn how to improve their serving, returning, groundstrokes, lobs, drop shots, approach shots, overheads, volleys, and much more. The singular, authoritative source for skill-enhancing drills, this guide is equally useful for beginning or advanced players of all ages.







Serious Tennis


Book Description

Serious Tennis is the most comprehensive tennis resource, containing expert instruction on each facet of the game. Learn with the world's top instructors as they provide insights into modern tennis technique, training methods, and match strategy. Combining the sport's latest physical conditioning methods with its most advanced mental training techniques, this book enables you to reach your full potential, regardless of skill level. Top international tennis instructor Scott Williams presents his SMARTS system for perfecting stroke technique. The system includes the following: - Seeing - Movement - Adjusting - Rotation - Transfer - Swing In Serious Tennis, Williams breaks down the four main skill groups in the SMARTS system: stroking skills, playing skills, mental skills, and preparatory skills. He then identifies three phases of development-the core phase, the mileage phase, and the fine-tuning phase-that all players should follow to improve their game. During the first phase, stroking and playing skills are sharpened on the practice court. Once in the mileage phase, techniques such as consistency, placement, and court positioning are tested during game situations. The fine-tuning phase focuses on preparatory skills such as conditioning, nutrition, sleep, and the mental skills you need to consistently win. This approach allows intermediate and advanced players to be in a continual mode of physical and mental progression to truly enhance their skills and tactical understanding of the game. From improving shot selections to performing under pressure, this book covers every aspect of the game. Become the player you've always wanted to be with Serious Tennis.




Getting a Grip


Book Description

This New York Times hardcover bestseller is a remarkable journey through fame, tragedy, self-discovery, and triumph Getting a Grip chronicles Monica Seles's early success on the tennis circuit where, at age sixteen, she became the youngest winner in French Open history. For three years she dominated the tour, seemingly unstoppable, until a deranged Steffi Graf fan plunged a knife into her back during a match in Hamburg and turned her life upside down. Her injuries healed but the emotional trauma was deep. She spent more than two years in seclusion from the media and the tennis world, trying to fight off the fog of despair until she continued the battle against herself-grueling six-hour workouts were sabotaged by secretive late- night binges-and she was assaulted with criticism about her weight from her trainers and, most brutally, the press. After an excruciating injury forced her to take time off from tennis in 2003, Seles embarked on her own journey. As she uncovered the painful emotional reasons that had been the trigger for her binge-eating, she finally found the peace and balance she had been searching for. Seles's determination, amazing talent, and touching vulnerability make her story truly inspiring.




A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again


Book Description

These widely acclaimed essays from the author of Infinite Jest -- on television, tennis, cruise ships, and more -- established David Foster Wallace as one of the preeminent essayists of his generation. In this exuberantly praised book -- a collection of seven pieces on subjects ranging from television to tennis, from the Illinois State Fair to the films of David Lynch, from postmodern literary theory to the supposed fun of traveling aboard a Caribbean luxury cruiseliner -- David Foster Wallace brings to nonfiction the same curiosity, hilarity, and exhilarating verbal facility that has delighted readers of his fiction, including the bestselling Infinite Jest.