How long did it take you to reach 4.0 level
- Thread starter commiboi
- Start date
I started has a real 3.0 having never played tennis before and went 8-4. I improved a bunch in combo leagues after my first season and actually starting learning fundamentals and the kick serve. The next year I got bumped from 3.0 to 4.0 at the ESR rating playing 3.5 (10-2), 4.0 (6-2), and 4.5 (4-2). Spent the next year as a 4.0 were I went undefeated in local league play and got bumped up to 4.5 at the year end rating.
So if you go strictly by USTA rating I was a 4.0 after playing for 1 1/2 years and a 4.5 after playing for 3 years.
So if you go strictly by USTA rating I was a 4.0 after playing for 1 1/2 years and a 4.5 after playing for 3 years.
ProfoundBasic
Rookie
Yeah, enjoy the fun of the game.
Frankly, tiny things could shift your performance between 3.5/4.5.
Things such as a fresh over-wrap, the humility in the morning or at the evening, the coffee and donuts, the playmates, ….
You will be surprised how often I have seen 4.5 players played like 3.0 because they forgot their water, towels and so so....
I agree that most people have incorrect techniques due to wrong coaching or lack of coaching, but from what I see about adults who started tennis late in life, it is often a matter of not having enough time to spend on court, and not having the required physical and mental energy reserves available after a full day's work. I don't think taking lessons once a week from a great coach, and then playing only 2 more times a week for an hour each after rushing to the club from work is going to help them, and I see such people all the time. You need to combine nutrition, gym work, running, and lots of tennis in order to improve, and by the time men have the money and spare time to do this, they are old and cannot do it any more. The working men scramble to find time to play, while the retired men are happy to be out there socializing and maintaining their skills at the same level as the years pass by.
I think that is the whole idea of being a recreational player. If you did what it takes to really improve, you would not be in that category, and will become one of those Open players.
I think that is the whole idea of being a recreational player. If you did what it takes to really improve, you would not be in that category, and will become one of those Open players.
goober
Legend
Cool- at this rate you should be 7.0 by the end of the year.
Hey you described me exactly. I've always wanted to take lessons but never had the money. Now I can afford it and don't have the time. Also, getting a bit old so I can't play all the time without recuperation.
Djokovicfan4life
Legend
Haha, good one!
Let me guess, you took a look at those little self rating guidelines and rated yourself a lot higher than you actually are.
Trust me, not even Federer was a 4.5 after 4 months.
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, just keeping it real.
Throw in family issues, relocation and all that stuff. Several players I have played with stopped playing after an auto accident, or a surgery, or lost their job, or relocated, or now spend their spare time taking care of an old parent. Sports is mostly repetitive activity. A particular motion has to be repeated 1000s of times during hitting in order to occur spontaneously during a match. I have seen many, many players take their weekly obligatory lesson from a certified pro, and they play exactly the same or worse from years ago. Once in a while, they will say "I am trying out the flat forehand that I learnt" and that will last for a day. Their mind is just not in it.
basil J
Hall of Fame
At 47 , I feel like I am in the same boat. I was a life long hockey player and took to tennis very quickly in my late 30's. I quickly honed my forehand and 1HBH and played USTA 3.5 tournaments within my 2nd year of playing. Now I have a 4.0 USTA rating but because I can only play once or twice a week at best, I am starting to lose to 3.5's, mostly I feel due to weaker footwork, and thinking too much about everything going on during a match. It's frustrating because my stroke production is solid, but my match play has gotten sloppy. I was hoping to hit a 5.0 level when I first started playing within 6 years and now after 10 years of playing I feel like it is a pipe dream. I am still in great shape, but just don't have the time to spend out on the court. It sucks...Cause I love this sport.
basil J
Hall of Fame
I also have to comment on teaching pros. Up here in the Boston area, I feel like the majority of pros I have worked with are reluctant to embrace the modern game, don't promote modern grips, especially for serving and I have never had a lesson where we actually spent time on developing foot work or point patterns. It seems like they want to get you out there and hit a million balls with very little intent to teach technique or strategy. I have wasted lots of money over the years with a couple of pros that are basically good for begginners but don't have the tools or desire to get their students to high level tennis. Maybe they are afraid of losing them as students if they improve? I don't know, but if I was a teaching pro and I had the same student for years and their game had not improved, I'd feel like I had failed as a pro, and I have even asked some pros about particlar players that I witness hitting weekly, sometime twice or 3 times a week at $50.00 per hour that play exactly the same way they did 5 years ago and the pros just shrug and say that some people are happy with the level they are at and not willing to change their games. I have yet to find a pro that is willing to come watch a match and disect my game to point where they would help assemble a game plan for improvement. I would happily pay for that and yet I can't find a pro that is willing to do that?? I know how to hit forehands and backhands. I want someone to help me learn and understand winning tennis, where I can experience progress on the court and play at the level I know I am capable of playing at. I'm rambling. sorry...
I know someone does just that, in Ca though.
Hope someone the same in Boston see your post.
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0range
Hall of Fame
Basil I understand what you mean. I had private lesson with a guy before, each time I meet with him he'll just ask: "what do you want to work on today?"
If it's backhand, he'll have me hitting backhand with a machine the entire hour (after warmup of course), if it's forehand or volleys, he'll get me hitting forehand or volley with a machine... etc. u know what I mean. Of course he'll stop me every few minutes and comment but that's about it.
I was kinda disappointed; I thought he'd have some sort of "plan" for me, to progress to another level... and maybe do some advanced drill with me (or go into point construction). I guess I was expecting too much; the stuff that we did during the private lesson I can pretty much do it during any other intermediate/advanced group lessons (with much lower fee).
There are good coach out there of course; I'm just stating my experience with this particular one.
If it's backhand, he'll have me hitting backhand with a machine the entire hour (after warmup of course), if it's forehand or volleys, he'll get me hitting forehand or volley with a machine... etc. u know what I mean. Of course he'll stop me every few minutes and comment but that's about it.
I was kinda disappointed; I thought he'd have some sort of "plan" for me, to progress to another level... and maybe do some advanced drill with me (or go into point construction). I guess I was expecting too much; the stuff that we did during the private lesson I can pretty much do it during any other intermediate/advanced group lessons (with much lower fee).
There are good coach out there of course; I'm just stating my experience with this particular one.
Haha, good one!
Let me guess, you took a look at those little self rating guidelines and rated yourself a lot higher than you actually are.
Trust me, not even Federer was a 4.5 after 4 months.
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, just keeping it real.
I will try to get some vids of my next match. I know for fact you will say I have been playing longer than 4 months. But really the first time I picked up a racquet was in May 08'. I have no idea how to rate myself, Im just going on what the people Im playing say. The last guy I played, I lost, played D I college and told me I could have played at that level. I serve better and harder, and I can hit harder from the baseline. When I told him he laughed for like 5 mins and said "seriously who do you hit for" Not trying to say Im better than everyone or can beat anybody. just keeping it real.
I'd like to get rated one of these days, but I guess I'm intimidated by it. lol...-_-'
I'm 22 turning 23 now, and I've played a little in high school, but never really took the time to learn the fundamentals until this Summer. So in actuality, I've only been playing real tennis for 3-4 months. I have 3 uncles who still actively play, but only 1 who was really considered a pro during his college years until he got surgery for tennis elbow. Unfortunately, they all live in OC so I'm not able to get any formal training from them. Recently this Summer, I've been so into tennis. I play against my cousin, who's a lefty btw and also took lessons when he was a kid, but that was over 10 years ago -_-'. I've been watching a lot of videos (instructional and matches), learning about equipment, technique, terminology, gameplay and etc. So now, I guess I can say I'm fairly competent in tennis. However, my execution is kinda iffy in a real game. That's what I'm working on now. I play about 3-4 times a week and enrolled in a tennis class in college. My strength is my forehand probably, but I also have a consistent backhand and my weakest is mostly volley and serves.
Anyways, this was fun to write. One day when I'll be confident in my gameplay, I'll definitely go get rated.
=)
I'm 22 turning 23 now, and I've played a little in high school, but never really took the time to learn the fundamentals until this Summer. So in actuality, I've only been playing real tennis for 3-4 months. I have 3 uncles who still actively play, but only 1 who was really considered a pro during his college years until he got surgery for tennis elbow. Unfortunately, they all live in OC so I'm not able to get any formal training from them. Recently this Summer, I've been so into tennis. I play against my cousin, who's a lefty btw and also took lessons when he was a kid, but that was over 10 years ago -_-'. I've been watching a lot of videos (instructional and matches), learning about equipment, technique, terminology, gameplay and etc. So now, I guess I can say I'm fairly competent in tennis. However, my execution is kinda iffy in a real game. That's what I'm working on now. I play about 3-4 times a week and enrolled in a tennis class in college. My strength is my forehand probably, but I also have a consistent backhand and my weakest is mostly volley and serves.
Anyways, this was fun to write. One day when I'll be confident in my gameplay, I'll definitely go get rated.
=)
If you are already 3.0 or above, I recommend trying to find a D1 college player to coach you. There are a bunch of them on C-List trying to make money as summer jobs. The guy who is coaching me is great. He doesn't have a ball machine or a basket of balls.
I show up with 2 cans we do drills then we simulate match play with him serving. I feel a big improvement except my serve. That I have to do on my own time.
goober
Legend
I dunno- 3.0 players have serious stroke deficiencies in many cases. I am not sure how much hitting with a D1 player is going to improve that. Also good players do not equal good coaches especially if they are 18-20 years old. Sure the guy will hit back everything and put a lot of pace and spin on the ball, but I am not sure if he would be able to recognize and correct technical problems with your stroke.
I like the idea but I would think a 4.0+ player would benefit more.
.
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Let's put it this way - even when you find a good teaching pro (as in repeated USTA section awards for teaching pro of the year, etc.) - the odds of them giving you the kind of lesson you need vs. the kind of lesson you probably deserve are pretty slim.
I personally watched the difference in one of my favorite pros (awards, former ATP, etc. etc. etc.) after all us club hacks cleared out for his next lesson - a ranked, 10 or 12 year old girl. Not only was the approach different (for example, instead of hitting with her, he stood in front of her and hand fed her balls, pushing her footwork - almost no interest in where her shots were going) - but the attitude. He busted her tail.
Basically, no teaching pro is going to put an adult club player through that kind of treatment, because the simple truth is not only is the effort to payoff ratio poorer than with promising juniors, but the end result isn't that significant, either. Improving to play USTA 4.5/5.0 vs. sectional or national rankings or college, for example.
If teaching tennis was your job, there's basically ZERO incentive to really train adult club players to get better. Plus, if you do your job really well, you're purposely making your best customers move on from your services. People come, they hit, they giggle, they pay, then they leave.
It's really quite a search to find a decent coach. I think I have one now. But he is a pretty young guy and will probably quit the business. He is a former Div. II player who went to Nick's academy in HS. So probably he is about a 5.0 (as he was a top guy on his Div. II team).
What I like about this guy is he gave me some tips that help MY game - instead of trying totally reinvent everything.
What I think you have to understand is that alot of coaches treat it as kind of a money maker. And it's easier to make dollars from straight up beginners. Call me a cynic but tennis attracts alot of women who end up playing at a rather low level.. These are the profit centers for these tennis pros.
Pete
What I like about this guy is he gave me some tips that help MY game - instead of trying totally reinvent everything.
What I think you have to understand is that alot of coaches treat it as kind of a money maker. And it's easier to make dollars from straight up beginners. Call me a cynic but tennis attracts alot of women who end up playing at a rather low level.. These are the profit centers for these tennis pros.
Pete
He also has to coach you not just hit. The guy who coaches me has been coached since juniors so I believe he knows how to coach. I don't know if all the college players are like that, but so far I met 2 of them that teach tennis as a summer job. And both have been coached since juniors so I feel they can spot stroke deficiencies. One guy I met has a PTR, but the guy I'm using doesn't and he charges a little less but is a better player.
Maybe you're right about the rating I just said 3.0 because everyone on here is so strict about ratings. Like I consider my strokes 4.0 but gameplay is 3.5 due to a weak serve.
When I'm taking lessons, I get feedback on how to make small adjustments to increase consistency. I find that most beneficial than anything else.
Anyways, just an idea for those who want to learn the 'modern' game.
basil J
Hall of Fame
Guys, I stated earlier, I have a USTA rating at a 4.0. My concern is that I can't find good "coaching" .I agree that club pros don't see the incentive of training a club adult like they would a teen. I have only come across one pro that worked on areas that would improve my tennis,(footwork, breathing, strategy etc.) but he moved out of club practice and now coaches at a major university and is seldom available.
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TennisProdigy
Professional
It took me 1 year and 2 months to become a solid 4.0 form when I first picked up a racquet. Im nearing the year and a half mark and am currently a 4.0+ or whatever you want to call it. I'm not losing to 4.0s and only beating 4.5s about 20% of the time.
CoachingMastery
Professional
Unfortunately, only a small percentage of teaching pros are experienced in training high-performance players...of any age.
Nearly any pro can get a player to a 3.5 level...there are a million ways to hit balls over the net; thus, virtually anyone who hits enough balls can learn ways to hit the ball over the net, with or without instruction. Unfortunately, as millions of typical 3.5 level players can attest to, most of these methods learned (or 'practiced') will stagnate the player when it comes to hitting with more pace, spin, direction, consistency, disguise, and effect. (Not to mention being able to defend against players who can do exactly the same!)
But, I disagree that it is not in our interest in training adults to reach higher levels. I train dozens of adults who are interested in reaching higher levels within their abilities. While it is always easier to train juniors to reach such high levels with minimal need to 'retool' the player, adults are always interesting and cognitively can usually understand the concepts of advanced play better than juniors.
I've worked with 70 and 80 year olds, many who want to hit more effectively even within the handicaps of old age. One was a top 10 U.S. ranked senior in the 80 and over division! I have dozens of others who come to me because I DO believe they can succeed in reaching new levels...which, of course, makes them believe they can too! And many in fact do.
However, I have dozens of housewives, many who were stuck at the 3.0 level and within a year reached the 4.0 levels.
So, it is more a level of creating the understanding that if one applies them selves in what I call "advanced foundations" they can start moving on to higher planes of skilled tennis.
basil J
Hall of Fame
Dave, if you are the same Dave Smith that writes for Tennisone.com, I am familiar with your work and a fan. I am sure that there are many good teaching pros out there that will work with adults, I just have not had the good fortune of meeting very many of them. Most of the pros I have worked with will give you a good work out, you'll hit a million balls in your work out, but there is limited or no focus on footwork or strategy.
SquashPlayer
New User
I too agree with Dave's post.
How many of us have seen coaches working with players, feeding them balls, watching them use a bad stroke over and over, and the only comment from the coach is something barely useful like "you're too close to the ball" or "get that racquet back earlier" when you know that person needs to change the darn stroke in order to get anywhere. But they're making that 50 bucks and on to the next poor soul with similar bad technique.
Coaching comes with it's own issues and difficulties and I don't mean to trivialize it, but get that guy a SW forehand, and a windshield wiper follow through, teach him to come over the ball with it, and keep at it until he has it. Or, he can hit flat with an eastern FH and big backswing and you can tell him not to get too close to the ball and get the racquet back. I don't understand it.
How many of us have seen coaches working with players, feeding them balls, watching them use a bad stroke over and over, and the only comment from the coach is something barely useful like "you're too close to the ball" or "get that racquet back earlier" when you know that person needs to change the darn stroke in order to get anywhere. But they're making that 50 bucks and on to the next poor soul with similar bad technique.
Coaching comes with it's own issues and difficulties and I don't mean to trivialize it, but get that guy a SW forehand, and a windshield wiper follow through, teach him to come over the ball with it, and keep at it until he has it. Or, he can hit flat with an eastern FH and big backswing and you can tell him not to get too close to the ball and get the racquet back. I don't understand it.
I basically just started at the beginning of this summer and am definitely nowhere near 4.0.
I haven't taken lessons yet and so I keep worrying that my swings are incorrect. I'm a big fan of trying to be technically correct, but it's awfully hard to achieve that without coaching. I just hope that when the time comes and I do get a lesson, that I haven't dug myself a huge hole by having to rework my swing entirely.
I try to use videos and such for information, but who knows how that's going. I'm improving, but I don't want to be one of those people stagnated at 3.5.
I haven't taken lessons yet and so I keep worrying that my swings are incorrect. I'm a big fan of trying to be technically correct, but it's awfully hard to achieve that without coaching. I just hope that when the time comes and I do get a lesson, that I haven't dug myself a huge hole by having to rework my swing entirely.
I try to use videos and such for information, but who knows how that's going. I'm improving, but I don't want to be one of those people stagnated at 3.5.
Dave Smith? haha, nah, I'm not him. I'm just a nobody, but I do know what you're talking about with coaches feeding balls with no emphasis on footwork. I had to learn footwork the hard way with absolutely no coach. My cousin and I had to learn everything through logic and experience. Now I'm questioning whether to get a coach or not...haha. We could just continue to learn on our own which is more fun and satisfying, but we're training to beat our cousins since our uncle hyped us up for some apparent reason. -_-'
CoachingMastery
Professional
Basil, Yes, I'm one in the same. Great to hear you are enjoying my work and information!
You are really more right than I'm giving credit. I am often appalled at the number of pros who don't "teach" but simply are human ball machines.
My point is that adults often want to--and CAN--learn more about the game. However, I've encountered a few adults who simply want to "hit" with the pro and I usually pass them off to other pros or assistants that are less involved in the teaching of more advanced strokes.
Not all adults are willing to adjust, tweek or change their game. Some believe they are already "good enough"...amazingly, most of these players are so bad that they don't even know they are hitting slice when asked to hit topspin!
I applaud all adults who not only want to learn more, but are open to suggestions. While they may or may not improve to the level that they aspire to, a great many adults gain enjoyment from the process.
beernutz
Hall of Fame
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I reached 4.0 in about a year. I taught myself in the beginning, after that most adjustments are easy with instruction because I already figured out what I was doing wrong. Also I have 2 different coaches and I played jv for my school last year and got MVP. I got to play a lot of different people and gain rapid development. Everyone learns at their own pace so don't be disturbed. Maybe your trying too hard to up your ranking. Just play for fun and maybe when you decide to rank yourself you would go up. I have a theory that the best players are the ones that have fun. This is all just me though, it might not work for you.
Tennisman912
Semi-Pro
What coachingmastery is telling you is spot on. I think a lot of pros get a bad rap by players who expect great improvement in no time and don’t want to pay the price. Lets face it; even a mediocre pro can get a player to 4.0 if they are worth anything. Let us look at it from the pros point of view (or any advanced player of 4.5+). The biggest reason in my experience most don’t improve is they don’t actually listen to their pro or advanced player buddy. Then they bash them on a site like this or to other players, telling them they can’t teach. A big reason that 3.5 stays the same level after 5 years of lessons is because they don’t listen to their pro and will not take a step backwards to take a few steps forward in the future. How would you like to be that pro and have to watch the same students never improve because they won’t take your advice and pay the price needed to improve? As an advanced player, we would love to have more people advance from the 3-3.5 level to the 4.5+ level so we would have more people to play with competitively. Every pro wants their students to improve but they can’t make a student improve if they don’t want to.
Another reason you don’t get many point situations and reasons behind doing things is because until you advance your skills to a certain point, even if you did know where to put it, you don’t have the skills to actually put it where you want to consistently. Nothing pleases any pro or advanced player than the satisfaction of showing someone the how’s and whys they should do something and seeing the light bulb go off in the student’s eyes. But if you don’t have the skills to implement and process these thoughts in real time, in a match situation, they are wasted on you.
I am asked all the time for help or advice and I will give it to anyone who asks. But only rarely do they actually listen to what I or anyone else tells them. It is painfully obvious to pros and advanced players that their own bad habits will limit their progress until they will make changes, which is usually never. This process repeats ad infinum. For example I bet at least half of 3.5 players I see either serve with a forehand grip or volley with a forehand grip or both. After being told why they need to change this and why, they may try it for about two balls until they hit the next court or the net. After a week (month) or so they will ask you to take a look at their improving volley and invariably, they are back to the same old grip they always had. They think they have made a change but they haven’t. And thus they are doomed to stay 3.5 or so. Occasionally, I see someone who serves with a FH grip or volley at 4.0 but it is pretty rare and they can’t improve beyond 4.0 without making real changes (and they probably struggle at 4.0 hitting one great volley and then shanking a couple into the net or next court).
How many listen to their pro or any advanced player and make real changes, which will help them? I bet it is (amazing coincidence I know) the same 5% of players that make it to 4.5+. Just my point of view as an advanced player, former HS coach and ex college player.
Good tennis and sorry for the long post.
TM
Another reason you don’t get many point situations and reasons behind doing things is because until you advance your skills to a certain point, even if you did know where to put it, you don’t have the skills to actually put it where you want to consistently. Nothing pleases any pro or advanced player than the satisfaction of showing someone the how’s and whys they should do something and seeing the light bulb go off in the student’s eyes. But if you don’t have the skills to implement and process these thoughts in real time, in a match situation, they are wasted on you.
I am asked all the time for help or advice and I will give it to anyone who asks. But only rarely do they actually listen to what I or anyone else tells them. It is painfully obvious to pros and advanced players that their own bad habits will limit their progress until they will make changes, which is usually never. This process repeats ad infinum. For example I bet at least half of 3.5 players I see either serve with a forehand grip or volley with a forehand grip or both. After being told why they need to change this and why, they may try it for about two balls until they hit the next court or the net. After a week (month) or so they will ask you to take a look at their improving volley and invariably, they are back to the same old grip they always had. They think they have made a change but they haven’t. And thus they are doomed to stay 3.5 or so. Occasionally, I see someone who serves with a FH grip or volley at 4.0 but it is pretty rare and they can’t improve beyond 4.0 without making real changes (and they probably struggle at 4.0 hitting one great volley and then shanking a couple into the net or next court).
How many listen to their pro or any advanced player and make real changes, which will help them? I bet it is (amazing coincidence I know) the same 5% of players that make it to 4.5+. Just my point of view as an advanced player, former HS coach and ex college player.
Good tennis and sorry for the long post.
TM
Tennisman912
Semi-Pro
Basil j
I find it hard to believe you can’t get a pro in your area to watch you play matches. If you take a lesson from someone, they see you are serious, you tell them to come watch you play and treat it like a lesson (ie. You pay them for their time as you suggested), I can’t imagine someone not wanting to do that. Or get a local college player to come watch, take him out for dinner and beers and he will probably be a happy camper and you may save a couple bucks.
All the pros I know would happily take a break form hitting balls and just watch someone and take notes for someone who genuinely wants feedback to improve.
Good luck and good tennis
TM
I find it hard to believe you can’t get a pro in your area to watch you play matches. If you take a lesson from someone, they see you are serious, you tell them to come watch you play and treat it like a lesson (ie. You pay them for their time as you suggested), I can’t imagine someone not wanting to do that. Or get a local college player to come watch, take him out for dinner and beers and he will probably be a happy camper and you may save a couple bucks.
All the pros I know would happily take a break form hitting balls and just watch someone and take notes for someone who genuinely wants feedback to improve.
Good luck and good tennis
TM
basil J
Hall of Fame
Well I finally found what I think is a good pro. While on vacation in florida, I went to my inlaws tennis club in Sanibel and signed up for a week of lessons. The first day, he took me out on the court, took a look at my fundamentals:groundstrokes, foot work ,serves, returns and played points for about 20 minutes. With 10 minutes left in the hour he sat me down and asked me questions about the type of player I want to be and who I like in the pros and why I like them. He told me that for some who took the game up at 39, he felt that I was an above average 3.5, low 4.0 good club player with the potential to hit the 4.5 level with the right approach and training. He sat me down and reviewed what he felt I did well and what I did not do so well and told me that If I wanted to become a better all around player and eventually get to a 4.5 level, then there were some areas I need to work on. He also told me that we were going to work on point production and patterns and try to relax and automate some of my game so that I was not thinking too much on the court and get me to play more freely and more relaxed.
Days two & three was groundstrokes, cross court patterns and identifying the best times to change direction from the back of the court, and when to approach. I must have hit 200 FH's and Bh's and sure enough, by the end of the 2nd day my shot selection was becoming more automatic and consistent. He also video taped the sessions and allowed me to sit and review. If I had questions or concerns he would review them with me at the beggining of the next session.
Day 4-Approach shots, net play and overheads.
Day 5 -serving mechanics, patterns and spins.
End of week wrap up-He gave me a hit list of things to work on, primarily short balls, volleys, serving and overheads. He felt that my fundamentals were solid and that I needed to spend more practice time on the shots from the service line forward to get me better rounded as a player. He also gave me a list of things to focus on during matches that I have in my bag. Practice with purpose everytime I walk on the court!This type of approach is what is lacking in my home club. This guy only had me for a week, but he wanted to use my time to be productive and hopefully give me something to work with so I can grow as a player. How to hit the shot, when to hit the shot and why you hit the shot. He teaches in a comprehensive manner. I go back in January to work with him again. In the meantime I have my list of things to work on and he strongly suggested to use a video camera and tape matches and practice sessions whenever possible and review them. My serve has already vastly improved and I have a new found enthusiasm everytime I walk on the court. Thats what I'm talking about!
Days two & three was groundstrokes, cross court patterns and identifying the best times to change direction from the back of the court, and when to approach. I must have hit 200 FH's and Bh's and sure enough, by the end of the 2nd day my shot selection was becoming more automatic and consistent. He also video taped the sessions and allowed me to sit and review. If I had questions or concerns he would review them with me at the beggining of the next session.
Day 4-Approach shots, net play and overheads.
Day 5 -serving mechanics, patterns and spins.
End of week wrap up-He gave me a hit list of things to work on, primarily short balls, volleys, serving and overheads. He felt that my fundamentals were solid and that I needed to spend more practice time on the shots from the service line forward to get me better rounded as a player. He also gave me a list of things to focus on during matches that I have in my bag. Practice with purpose everytime I walk on the court!This type of approach is what is lacking in my home club. This guy only had me for a week, but he wanted to use my time to be productive and hopefully give me something to work with so I can grow as a player. How to hit the shot, when to hit the shot and why you hit the shot. He teaches in a comprehensive manner. I go back in January to work with him again. In the meantime I have my list of things to work on and he strongly suggested to use a video camera and tape matches and practice sessions whenever possible and review them. My serve has already vastly improved and I have a new found enthusiasm everytime I walk on the court. Thats what I'm talking about!
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yeah a good pro from Florida fixed my game when i was a teenager. i had decent footwork and serve, but my strokes were all messed up from playing with a bad racket, and he fixed them in about 2 weeks. i highly recommend a week-long or longer daily course of lessons with an experienced teaching pro, it will really help your game.
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basil J
Hall of Fame
I found a local pro at a different club this week that came out of the Bolliteri system. I watch him drill some of his highschool players-all top 25 state players and he looks like the kind of pro I have been looking for locally. He always uses a net extension to bring up the height of the net during his sessions and his players really hit the ball with good height, spin and pace. He actually took a look at my game before we sat down and talked and he said he would work with me. Only drawback-$70.00 per hour. A little rich for my blood, so I am trying to work out a bi-weekly programe with another player that I hit with to share the hour. I post on this as it progresses.
tennisfreak15347
Banned
im still working on it... :lol:.
D
Deleted member 25923
Guest
Ha, i'm not even close!
3 months to get from 3.0 to weak 5.0
These ratings were given by two independent lvl3 tennis pros, not my own wishful thinking
Before you all jump down my throat:
1) I play 1.5-4 hours per day; for the first month, I was playing avg 3-5 hours per day (singles against 2-4 opponents because they tend to get tired after a couple hours
2) I am very athletic (fast footspeed, really really high endurance)
3) I am very motivated - when I'm not playing, I'm often analyzing video (my own and of pros' strokes/movement)
I just turned 21. My goal is to eventually play in futures or maybe a few challengers if things go well and I am lucky. Go ahead and tell me it impossible
These ratings were given by two independent lvl3 tennis pros, not my own wishful thinking
Before you all jump down my throat:
1) I play 1.5-4 hours per day; for the first month, I was playing avg 3-5 hours per day (singles against 2-4 opponents because they tend to get tired after a couple hours
2) I am very athletic (fast footspeed, really really high endurance)
3) I am very motivated - when I'm not playing, I'm often analyzing video (my own and of pros' strokes/movement)
I just turned 21. My goal is to eventually play in futures or maybe a few challengers if things go well and I am lucky. Go ahead and tell me it impossible
goober
Legend
3 months to get from 3.0 to weak 5.0
These ratings were given by two independent lvl3 tennis pros, not my own wishful thinking
Before you all jump down my throat:
1) I play 1.5-4 hours per day; for the first month, I was playing avg 3-5 hours per day (singles against 2-4 opponents because they tend to get tired after a couple hours
2) I am very athletic (fast footspeed, really really high endurance)
3) I am very motivated - when I'm not playing, I'm often analyzing video (my own and of pros' strokes/movement)
I just turned 21. My goal is to eventually play in futures or maybe a few challengers if things go well and I am lucky. Go ahead and tell me it impossible
Post links to your 5.0 tournament matches or actually any results.
I don't have any. There are not many singles tournaments where I live (Vancouver BC) at this time of year. I am still working on improving (i still change things about my game and technique regularly) before I start playing tournaments, which should be in January.
Frankly, I don't think you can reach a 4.0 if you start late as an adult and don't have basic hand-eye coordination. I never played tennis till I was 39, but I had played a lot of table tennis, badminton and volleyball. If someone never played ball games growing up, I don't think they can reach a 4.0. I see this specially with women my age, who probably fall into that category (they grew up before girl's sports took off). They take lessons at least once a week and are serious about their tennis, but they never improve. Most of them cannot serve with any technique to speak of. They have elaborate serve motions (back swing, shaking of their body, unnecessary arm movements etc) but at the last moment they tap the ball into the court with their wrist. With men, it is a little more advanced, but it comes out when they go for a slightly difficult shot. They cannot put their body movements together. I would like to know if there are any men who never played any ball sport till they were 40 and then reached a 4.0.
game set match 46 TIMES!!
Hall of Fame
3 years. but that means 1.5 years just plating 1 hour aday really if once serious training is 2 years at most.
3 months to get from 3.0 to weak 5.0
These ratings were given by two independent lvl3 tennis pros, not my own wishful thinking
Before you all jump down my throat:
1) I play 1.5-4 hours per day; for the first month, I was playing avg 3-5 hours per day (singles against 2-4 opponents because they tend to get tired after a couple hours
2) I am very athletic (fast footspeed, really really high endurance)
3) I am very motivated - when I'm not playing, I'm often analyzing video (my own and of pros' strokes/movement)
I just turned 21. My goal is to eventually play in futures or maybe a few challengers if things go well and I am lucky. Go ahead and tell me it impossible
I'm going to have to call BS on this one. There is no way you can reach such a high level of play without competitive match experience. And there you are accomplishing what Federer would only dream of, and you are worried about needing luck? Congrats on being the most talented tennis player on the face of the earth.
