WEB EXTRA
Racquets and Reading Your Opponets Next Shot
Health Minute: Q&A with Mike Lissner Jr.

Mike Lissner Jr. discusses how to choose a tennis racquet and how to anticipate your opponents next shot.

Q: I have two separate questions.  I’m new to tennis, and I was recently purchasing a racquet.  The salesman kept saying that one racquet was “more forgiving” than another.  What does this mean exactly?  Also, is there any way to anticipate your opponent’s next shot in tennis? – Ken

A: Dear Ken,

I’m glad to hear that you’ve begun playing tennis.  It’s a great game and there are a variety of opportunities to play, even those new to the game.  Contact me if you need some help with that as well. 

Regarding your questions, over the years, tennis articles, manufacturers’ ads, and others like your salesman use the term “more forgiving” to describe some racquets.  It is really an undefined description unlike other clearly measurable racquet characteristics like weight, length, head size, balance or even swing weight.  Thus, it is sometimes misunderstood.  To paraphrase well-known tennis teacher Vic Braden’s explanation of what a forgiving racquet is not: the racquet will not actually make corrections when the ball is struck incorrectly.

When a racquet is described as “more forgiving,” it is usually to explain two racquet characteristics which can be related.  The first would be “more forgiving” on off-center hits.  This would describe your ability when using a particular racquet to direct the ball to the intended target when the ball is not hit in the center of the frame.  This would be accomplished by the racquet’s ability to resist torque when not hitting the ball in the sweet spot of the racquet.  Today’s composite frames all resist such forces better than the old wooden, steel, aluminum and even early generation composite frames.

The second way this term is used is to describe a racquet that produces less shock and vibration back to the arm than other frames.  With tennis elbow being a common problem, there are many players searching for racquets that will not irritate the elbow when playing.  Thus, racquet manufacturers are constantly researching ways to develop racquet technologies that produce frames that transfer less shock to the hand, wrist and arm.  Note that it is usually not the racquet alone that causes elbow issues, but the players stroke mechanics to a large degree along with string, string tension and even the type of balls they play with.

Your second question on anticipation is a bit more complicated.  Even on tour, the players’ ability to predict where their opponent is going to hit the ball is not 100% accurate, since it involves parameters on both side of the net.  From your own side of the net, proper recovery and preparatory footwork before your opponent strikes the ball puts you in position to better anticipate your opponents next shot.  First, it is important to finish your stroke production in good balance, allowing you to quickly begin recovering to the proper location while tracking your ball.  Additionally, you need to be watching your opponent before he hits for the clues he will provide as to what shot he will hit and where he will hit it.  Finally, good anticipation on your side requires a good split step at about the time your opponent is about to hit the ball.  This will neutralize your own movement and allow you to transition efficiently from recovery to preparatory movement to hit the next ball.

Additionally, most of the time, your opponent will provide visual cues as well as play tendencies that will allow you to better anticipate where and how your opponent is going to play the next ball.  To pick up visual clues, try paying much more attention to their racquet, shoulder rotation and positioning of their legs.  This will provide many more advanced cues prior to contact than you can get solely watching the tennis ball.  For example, you will be able to judge what spin your opponent will hit by knowing if they are hitting from low to high, which produces topspin.  On the contrary, if their racquet approaches the ball from high to low, they will likely be producing under spin.   As a match continues, you should also become cognoscente of your opponent’s strengths, weaknesses and play tendencies.  This will also add to your ability to correctly anticipate your opponent’s next shot.  The bottom line is: there is not really a substitute for playing experience to help improve anticipation.

Have fun playing!  I hope to see you out on the courts.

Thanks -- Mike Lissner

Find out more about tennis at CA by e-mailing Tennis@ColumbiaAssociation.com

This column is intended to provide only general information that may be of interest to the public and is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for specific medical advice. Any questions regarding your personal health and medical issues should be directed to your physician.

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About Mike Lissner

Mike Lissner is a CA team member. He is a United States Professional Tennis Association Professional 1 and Competitive Player Development specialist. He holds High Performance Certification from United States Tennis Association. He has been teaching tennis since 1975. He holds national rankings in Men’s 40 Singles, Men’s 50 Singles and Father/Son Doubles. He is a former head professional at Wellington Racquet Club in Huntington, N.Y., and played college tennis at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich.

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