The Sun

[SlAyR]

Hi guys,

I have started playing tennis since the weather is getting way better here now, however, having not played for a while, I am very rusty, I was doing some serving, and the Sun constantly gets into my line of sight on my toss, what do you guys do to cope with the sun in your eyesight on your serves?


Thanks,
SlAyR

 

[SeekHeart]

sunglasses

 

[WildVolley]

I find I have to change my serve to go around the sun. If it is in the way for a flat serve, I toss more over my head and kick it in.

If the sun is in my eyes for a topspin serve, I'll toss lower and in front and put more slice on the ball for a second serve.

Usually I can deal with it, but some days it is just brutal.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

There are various things you can do.

1. Play at a different time of day.

2. Play in the evening.

3. Adjust your toss so the ball does not "eclipse" the sun.

4. Wear sunglasses.

5. wear a hat/cap, a wide, floppy- brimmed hat that can be bent is a good choice.

6. Play doubles and request to sreve on the non-sunny side.

7. Some combination of the above.

8. Get used to it and accept that it affects everyone the same.

 

[AHSEagles2012]

yeah you just got to deal with it sometimes.where i live the wind and the sun play a huge factor and after a period of time youll eventually get used to the sun/wind in your game

 

[ncode tour90]

do kick serves

 

[coyfish]

Yep if the sun is really bad I just change my serve. If its right in my face on flat serve than Ill switch to slice / kick serves.

 

[jmjmkim]

I usually resort to slice serves. It is quite annoying.

 

[Toxicmilk]

if you have a consistent toss and practice serving a lot...it shouldnt be too big a problem. Just maybe take some pace off and go for a tiny bit more consistency.

 

[Josherer]

I actually just change my ball toss if the sun is really bad.

 

[larry10s]

sometimes by moving your starting position either alittle more to the alley or to the center can get the toss so it doesnt "eclipse the sun" .i lilke that way of describing it. i where a big floppy hat and it doesnt help because if you can see the ball and it is indirect loine with the sun it doesnt shade anything. same with sunglasses. ps i live in fl. playing around 2 pm is the worst

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

...

6. Play doubles and request to serve on the non-sunny side.
...

This works best if you are a righty playing with a lefty partner (or vice versa).

...

8. Get used to it and accept that it affects everyone the same.

This is not true. Some people, like myself, are particularly hypersensitive to glare -- much moreso than others. I even have problems with court lighting at night. Sometimes these sensitivities or limitation are congenital and sometimes they are a result of eye damage later in life. I may have looked at too many partial solar eclipses with inadequate protection when I was young. I also suffered some nasty damage skiing without sunglasses on a bright "overcast" day.

Some 20 yrs ago, I had a battery of test performed by a behavioral optometrist as a prelude to sports vision training. Among other limitations, I discovered that I was particularly sensitive to yellow/orange part of the light spectrum. I have known others that are sensitive to the blue part of the spectrum. Th bottom line is that it does not "affect everyone the same".

 

[Bagumbawalla]

SA,

Good point.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

^ other than that 1 point, your post #4 was a good summary of "solutions" for the OP.

 

[charliefedererer]

Hi guys,
I have started playing tennis since the weather is getting way better here now, however, having not played for a while, I am very rusty, I was doing some serving, and the Sun constantly gets into my line of sight on my toss, what do you guys do to cope with the sun in your eyesight on your serves?
SlAyR

As has been mentioned here, it really helps to have in your serving arsenal the ability to hit a topsin/kick serve with the toss over your head, and a slice serve with the toss to the side.
The combination of wraparound polarized sunglasses plus a hat will decrease the amount of sun and glare reaching your eyes. I personally like dark amber sunglasses, as the color seems to provide more contrast than dark grey lenses.

 

[autumn_leaf]

happened today and almost everyone was kicking it or slicing it on one side of the court if they were not wearing sunglasses.

 

[AlphaCDjkr]

It happened this Friday for me, it was a match against another school. I play doubles so I fortunately got to serve on the non-sunny side, but before that, for practice serves, I was on the sunny side. I'm not TOO sensitive to sunlight, so I just served just the same and endured the glare. After a while it didn't seem so bright anymore.

But yeah, I think the switching of ball toss to kick/slice serves makes sense, I know that I would want to do kick serves in the sun, prevent the eclipse effect that someone else was talking about. Seriously, isn't it annoying when the ball completely vanishes into the sun, only to drop on your face or get shot off the frame of your racquet?

 

[Tennis Dunce]

what do you guys do to cope with the sun in your eyesight on your serves?

I think about the cold, damp, rainy, soggy, cloudy crapholes I've lived throughout my life. Then, somewhat miracuously, it doesn't get to me anymore.

 

[Geezer Guy]

Hi guys,

I have started playing tennis since the weather is getting way better here now, however, having not played for a while, I am very rusty, I was doing some serving, and the Sun constantly gets into my line of sight on my toss, what do you guys do to cope with the sun in your eyesight on your serves?


Thanks,
SlAyR

At the beginning of every outdoor season, I go out in the early afternoon and practice serving into the sun. As others have said, you can vary your toss slightly - and that helps. The other thing is to focus intently on the ball. I've tried sunglasses and hats, and they don't work for me. The thing is, this is a match condition that you just have to practice for.

One other thing I do - and I hate to mention it, but not many of my opponents post here as far as I know - is that when my opponent and I walk onto the courts I always head for the side facing the sun. This lets me hit my warm-up serves into the sun.

 

[charliefedererer]

You can avoid looking exactly into the sun by varying your toss. But let's face it. If you play a lot of tennis you are staring practically into the sun much more than in most activities.
The ultraviolet rays have been shown to increase the chance for cataracts and macular degeneration.
You can even get inflamation of the cornea, a "sunburn" of the eye.
Ocular damage from a ball striking the orbit can occur.
You can prevent eye problems with a good pair of wraparound sunglasses held in place with Croakies.
http://vision.about.com/od/eyeexaminations/a/sun_protection.htm
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20040510/sun-eyes