Tennis Without Tears
By Oscar Wegner
McGraw-Hills, Camden
222 pages/2005
$18.95 USA
Do you ever feel exasperated when things aren’t going your way on the court and you’re wondering what’s wrong with you and how you may change that? I did. That’s why I brought this book for it promises to simplify the game for you and play like the pros in 2 hours! Of course, that is to be taken with a pinch of salt.
The number of tennis players in the States has been in the decline since the last 20 years. The guru coach attirbutes this to incorrect and complicated teaching methods of the past. You see, all this while you have been taught to play one way whereas the pros play a different way. On this basic, the sole tenor running through the book is to point out how the pros play and what better way than to watch closely how they play, and, bravo, emulate them!
Playing tennis had been widely taught as a hand-eye-feet co-ordination. However, says the authur, if you were to break down the dynamics of the best stroke productions, tennis was a game of hand-eye correlation only, the rest, presumably, is doing the what-comes-naturally with your innate motor skills. Tracking the ball with your eyes is the first crucial factor in playing well. Just eyeball the ball like you goggle at girls and thereafter let your basic instinct take charge with your athletic flair and showmanship. In other words, don't analyze too much.
A sample of what the author diagnosed as Myths and Facts that:
(A) I am in complete agreement because it is in-line with my playing style:
Myth: Learn every move – tennis is a game of positions, specific steps, and preparations that you must learn in detail.
Fact: Go to the ball in a nature, instinctive way, focusing only on what to do with the ball and racquet. (With a little bit of ball sense, there is nothing like relying on your reflexes or instinctive reaction to get the ball back)
Myth: Prepare as fast as you can.
Fact: Restrain yourself from reacting too quickly. (Trust me, when age has caught up with you, you are naturallly restrained. If you prepare yourself as fast as you can, you’ll tire out in no time)
Myth: take your racquet back as soon as the ball leaves your opponent’s racquet.
Fact: Keep your racquet to the front until the ball is close. (Trust me again, because my racquet is extremely head-heavy, I need the aid of my non-playing hand to hold it up in front of me for as long as is necessary)
Myth: Hit the ball early.
Fact: Wait for the ball. (I certainly wait for the ball in order not to mistime or mishit, sometimes, unfortnately, I waited too long!)
Myth: Keep your arm straight on your forehand.
Fact: Bend your arm on your forehand. (This is stating the obvious because nobody can keep his or her arm straight on the forehand!)
(B) I am in agreement even it is not my playing style:
Myth: Topspin is more stressful on you arm.
Fact: Flat shots are harder on your arm. (Meeting a shot head-on (flat for flat) does generate shock on the foreman even when the racquet is held firmly. However, playing topspin requires more skill than hitting flat.)
(C) Finally, what I disagree because it does suit my playing style:
Myth: Keep your distance from the ball – usually at arm’s length.
Fact: Move closer to the ball for greater power and control. (Keeping my distance from the ball enables me to take a swipe at the ball. It is in sweeping or swooping at the ball that power is generated. Getting too close to the ball cramps the movement)
Myth: stay down through the stroke.
Fact: lift up through the stroke. (Your body needs to stay down to reach a low ball. Rising up too quickly inadvertently sends the ball long. Staying low is a better option)
Myth: you have to hit deep all the time.
Fact: the deeper you try to drive the ball during rallies, the more mistakes you’ll make. (Who ever said that you have to hit deep all the time? That’s just not possible! However, you should hit deep whenever conducive. Not hitting deep does not guarantee you freedom from mistakes. Instead, it invites your opponent to come forward and gain control of the net. It it challenging to hit baseline shots)
Even before starting out, many people think that playing tennis to the level of enjoying the game is beyond them. Oscar’s book, for beginners and clubbers, should dispel the myth that only pros can play like pros. And the moral of it all? Better get it right from day one. The longer and harder you train with incorrect techniques, the harder it is to change to quality tennis. You cannot bend a tree already blowing and bowing in one direction for too long.
The book has a section on Troubleshooting. This is particularly useful for identifying your problems and remedies are offered.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars. That doesn’t mean it will turn you into a star with the exception of Gustavo Kuerten, the most celebrated of the coach’s protégé.
My gripe with this publication - white prints on grey is not a very good idea.
posted by Victor Lai @ 12:44 PM
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