Tips From the Tennis Pro: How to Play Your Best Outdoor Tennis This Summer
It may not be the heat or humidity that marks the start of summer tennis in the local area. For me, the French Open brings the unofficial start of summer and the beginning of several months of outdoor tennis, while the U.S. Open ushers in the fall.
Here are some simple and valuable tips for having your best summer of tennis ever.
â–ºGreat outdoor tennis starts with a little preparation for a lot of perspiration. Hydrate well before you play and drink every 10 minutes or so, especially on hot and humid days. Cold water is absorbed faster so bring some ice.
►​Sunscreen is an important part of preparation for play and is most effective when applied 30 minutes or so before exposure to the sun. Keep bug spray handy as well.
►​Practical attire to manage the sun and heat can often be the difference between comfort and misery. Light-colored clothes absorb less heat and perforated undershirts (my favorite is made by Craft) keep you cooler.
►​Many players like to bring a hat or visor and sunglasses to manage bright sunshine. My college coach, the great George Seewagen, would always remind us to try to warm up looking into the sun to help our eyes adjust.
►​The legendary Australians of the Harry Hopman era loved to wear a wet bandana around their neck to lower their body temperature. Wristbands, rosin and a towel can help with sweaty hands.
►​Finally, pay close attention to your sneakers. Many young players like to kick their sneakers off when they return home from a hard day of outdoor play. The problem is that by not airing your sneakers out, you may be putting on sopping wet sneakers the next day, which is uncomfortable and can lead to blisters.
Outdoor tennis can be technically and tactically different from indoor tennis, and the most successful players are ready to fluidly make quick adjustments to manage changeable conditions.
Practice a slightly lower service toss to handle very windy conditions. As the pace of the ball can be slower outdoors, also consider increasing the frequency of body serves to get a consistent small edge rather than relying as often on service pace. Savvy outdoor players will have the option to shorten their take back on groundstrokes to decrease the distance between the commitment of the racket path and the ball, for windy days and erratic outdoor bounces.
The greater the rotation of the ball, the less the wind will impact its flight. Conversely, a ball with little rotation will be greatly impacted by the wind. That's why a good knuckleball in baseball is so difficult to hit. Great outdoor players have the ability to modulate the amount of both topspin and slice they can generate.
Perhaps the most undervalued issue with outdoor play is sound. We react to the sound of the strike of the ball for a tremendous amount of our feedback on tracking the speed, spin and direction of opponent’s shots. Indoors, the sound of the hit is amplified, but outdoor sound is diffused. Therefore, the best outdoor players are very attentive and careful listeners to cues from the ball strike.
Great outdoor play requires planning and a willingness to be flexible in play. Be prepared, attentive to details and invest in the equipment and skillset that helps to win in the hot sun. Think of it as tennis sweat equity.
