Posts Tagged ‘tennis’

The French Open

August 25th, 2010

It is highly unimaginable that people will not know of the French Open tennis championship, because it is a competition which is an annual topic of conversation. In French the name of the competition is ‘Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros’ or ‘Tournoi de Roland Garros’. This tournament, which lasts for about two weeks is held in Paris at the Roland Garros Stadium, from which it got its name.

The French Open is one of the most advertised and broadcast sports events in the entire world of sport and lots of VIPs attend it. The attendees are fanatics who wait with baited breath on every stroke, especially when there is a close struggle between the two sides, trying their best to win. Even TV viewers actually get a feeling of being there live.

The French Open tennis championship comes in second on the annual schedule of the Grand Slam tournaments and its history goes back to the year of 1891 when it became an international competition. At that time it was named the ‘International Championship of Tennis of France’ or ‘Championat de France International de Tennis’ in French.

First of all, only players that were registered or licensed in France were permitted to participate in this competition, but things took a different turn in 1925, when the French open tennis tournament finally was accessible to foreign players. In 1912, the ground the participants used was made of red brick dust. Actually the crushed brick was formed into red clay that covered the ground, which until then would have been a green lawn.

The public popularity of the French Open tennis tournament held at the Roland Garros stadium, dates back to a competition between the Philadelphia Four (Rene Lacoste, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and Jacques Brugnon) who won the Davis Cup in 1927. It was the trigger of the desire in the French to defend their cup in future competitions. This new tournament was designed to bring back home the cup and was held at a stadium named after the World War I pilot Roland Garros. Since then the name has stuck.

The term ‘open’ was has been used from 1968, when the tournament allowed both amateurs and professionals alike who wanted to test their skills at tennis. Since then the French Open tennis tournament has also brought some novelties in terms of prizes.

Apart from the usual winners’ prizes, they also give prizes called ‘Prix Orange’ for the most correct and press-friendly player, ‘Prix Citron’ for the player with the strongest personality and ‘Prix Burgeon’ for the one the best new-comer of the tennis year.

If you are a beginner tennis player or are interested in the general psychology of tennis, just visit our website entitled Tennis Tips for Beginners This article, The French Open has free reprint rights.

The General Psychology Of Tennis (Part 2)

May 18th, 2010

The hard-hitting, unpredictable, net-rushing tennis-player is a creature of impulse. There is no real strategy to his/her game, no understanding of your game. He will make brilliant coups at the drop of a hat, mostly by instinct; but there is no, mental power of consistent thinking. It is an interesting type of character.

The really unnerving player is the one who mixes his/her strategy from back to fore court under the direction of an ever-active mind. This/her is the player to study and learn from. He is a player with a definite intention. A player who has an answer to every problem you present him in your game. He is the most subtle opponent in the world of tennis. He is of the school of Brookes. Second only to him is the player of dogged determination that sets his/her mind on one plan and sticks to it, bitterly, fiercely battling to the end, with never a thought of change.

This is the player whose psychology is rather simple to understand, but whose mental viewpoint is hard to upset, because he never allows himself to think about anything but the business at hand. This/her player is your Johnston or your Wilding. I respect the mental capacity of Brookes more, but I admire the determination of Johnston.

Pick out your type from your own mental processes, and then plan your game along the lines most suited to you. When two men are on the same level concerning stroke, strength and equipment, the determining factor in any match is the mental standpoint. Luck, as it is called, is usually no more than grasping the psychological value of a change of flow in the game, and turning it to your own account. People talk a lot about the “shots we have made.” But few people realize the importance of the “shots we have missed.”

The psychology of missing shots is just as vital as that of making them, and at times a miss by an inch is of more value than a return that is killed by your opponent. Let me explain. A player drives you far out of court with an angle-shot. You run hard for it, and having reached it, you drive it hard and fast down the side-line, missing it by an inch. Your opponent is shocked and put off his stride, realizing that your shot could just as well have gone in as out. He will expect you to attempt it again and he will not risk it next time. He will strive to play the ball, and may make an error. You have thus stolen some of your opponent’s confidence, and increased his/her chance of error, just because of a miss.

If you had merely tapped back that ball, and it had been killed, your opponent would have felt increasingly confident of your inability to get the ball out of his/her reach, while you would merely have been winded for no reason.

Let’s suppose that you made the shot down the sideline. It was a seemingly impossible get. First it amounts to TWO points in that it took one away from your opponent that should have been his/her and gave you one you ought never to have had. Second it also upsets your opponent, as he feels that he has thrown away a big chance.

The psychology involved in a game of tennis is very interesting, but readily understood. Both player start with equal opportunities. However, once one player has gained a real lead, his/her confidence rises, while his/her opponent worries, and his/her mental standpoint becomes poor. The sole objective of the first player is to hold his/her lead, thus holding his/her confidence.

If the second player pulls even or draws ahead, the inevitable reaction occurs with an even greater contrast in psychology. There is the natural confidence of the leader, but coupled with the great stimulus of having turned a seemingly inevitable defeat into a probable victory. The reverse is the case of the other player, who is apt to lose confidence and play worse. The collapse of his game plan soon follows.

If you are fascinated by the psychology of tennis, you ought to visit our website called Tennis Tips for Beginners You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

Tennis Fundamentals

April 20th, 2010

I expect that this, my first dissertation on the fundamentals of tennis, will be found useful by both novices and experts alike in the tennis world. I am striving to arouse interest in the student of the game of tennis by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the game of tennis.

I will address the novice in my opening article and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of use for the beginner even if he really is trying to improve. Nevertheless, one has to purchase good quality; it is a saving eventually, as good quality material far outlasts poor quality equipment.

It is important to always dress in tennis attire when playing tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain make of racquet upon any player, since all the standard makes are excellent. However, it is on the weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is essential to obtain optimum results.

After you have selected your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only good tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is no use at all. If you really want to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and try to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great help.

More tennis can be picked up off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be learned in actual play. I do not advise miss opportunities to play tennis. Far from it. Play whenever possible, but strive when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have watched.

Never become discouraged by slow progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked on for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. Good tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you interest all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town.

The brotherhood of tennis is universal, for none but an athletic sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is tied fast to his business until late afternoon.

The order of development that produces the quickest and most lasting results is: a. Concentration on the game. b. Keep the eye on the ball. c. Foot-work and weight-control. d. Strokes. e. Court position. f. Court generalship or match play. g. Tennis psychology.

Concentration. Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not be enough if the directing mind is wandering. There are many reasons for a distracted mind in a tennis match. The main one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares enough about the game to be willing to do the spadework necessary to learn the game properly.

Pack it in immediately unless you are willing to work very hard. The weather, conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse even experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Total concentration on the game is the only cure for an erring mind, and the sooner that lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.

The best way to keep a match in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, every shot in the point. A set is merely a collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate victor.

If you are a beginner tennis player or are interested in tennis psychology, just visit our site entitled Tennis Tips for Beginners Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

Basic Tennis Psychology (Part 1)

April 14th, 2010

Tennis psychology is only understanding the workings of your opponent’s mind and assessing the effect of your own game on his/her head and also understanding the psychological effects resulting from the various external causes on your own head.

However, it is also true that you no one can be a successful psychologist of others without first understanding his own mental processes. Therefore, you must study the effect on yourself of the same thing happening under different circumstances. This is because people react differently in different moods and under different circumstances.

You must realize the effect on your game of the resulting irritation, pleasure, confusion, or whatever other form your reaction is. Does it increase your prowess? If so, strive for it, but never give it to your opponent. Does it deprive you of concentration? If so, either remove the reason, or if that is not possible, try to ignore it.

After you have properly assessed your own reaction to circumstances, observe your opponents to decide their temperaments. Similar characters react in a like manner, and you can judge people of your own type by yourself. Different temperaments you must try to compare with those people, whose reactions you are already familiar with.

A person who can regulate his/her own mental processes has an excellent chance of reading those of another for the mind works along definite lines of thought and can be examined. One can only control one’s own mental processes after carefully studying them.

The regular, unemotional baseline player is rarely a quick thinker. If he were, he would not adhere to the baseline. The physical appearance of a player is usually a fairly clear indicator of his/her kind of mind. The stolid, easy-going player, who normally advocates the baseline game, does it because he does not want to activate up his/her torpid mind to think out a reliably safe method of reaching the net.

However, then there is the other type of baseline player, who would rather stay at the rear of the court while supervising an attack intending to disrupt up your game. He is a much more dangerous player and a deep, quick thinking antagonist. He obtains his/her results by mixing up his/her length and direction and worrying you with the variety of his/her game. This player is a very good psychologist.

The first kind of tennis player mentioned above merely strikes the ball without much thought about what he is actually up to, while the latter always has a solid, thought-out strategy and sticks to it.

If you are into the psychology of tennis, you ought to visit our website entitled Tennis Tips for Beginners Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Tennis Clothes

December 4th, 2009

If you already take part in tennis, then I imagine that you already appreciate what tennis players wear, so this article is aimed at those individuals who wish for to procure tennis clothes for a dear one for a special occasion. After all, it is not as straightforward as it seems to buy sports garments for the participant of a sport you understand nothing about.

There is a certain picture we tend to relate with a tennis player: white Polo top with shorts or skirt and similar shoes. They are trendy and stylish, comfortable and characteristic at the same time. Items of tennis kit often signify a great deal to people who are not just sports fans. If the person you shop for is a tennis follower, tennis kit becomes a great gift that could also prove pretty affordable despite the rumors that it costs a great deal.

In case tennis clothing is something foreign to you, Google it over the Internet and you will be astounded to see how much information there is on hand. Very many forums will tactfully let you know you about prices and discounts going on at various retail stores and online dealers.

They will also supply you with information as to which brands are thought the best, which are considered the least hard-wearing and reliable, which are reasonably priced and which exaggeratedly over-priced .

What many tennis clothes wearers recommend is that you obtain the kind of top or shirt that would make you feel most comfortable and that will allow the very wide angled movements that are peculiar to the performance of this sport. For instance, the shorter the sleeves of your tennis clothing, the freer the swing during the game. Some obtain tennis attire also according to the season in which they expect to play. Still others go for the materials that can be worn in both warm and cold seasons.

They firmly believe that the tennis kit ought to keep them both warm and cool at the same time. As far as the t-shirts for men are concerned, you must know that most players speak of Polo shirts in very high terms, as the collar offers you some neck protection from the sun’s rays.

Advice about tennis attire like that above are to be had on very many web sites. If you are not quite sure what to go for when purchasing your friend a gift, then you can always inveigle him or her to have a discussion about his or her favourite sport. Using a little guile, you will surely be able to direct the discussion to a related topic that interests you, that is tennis clothes. Making it all look like casual chit-chat would not make him or her guess what you have in mind for the special occasion.

If you are a novice tennis player or are interested in the general psychology of tennis, just go to our site called Tennis Tips for Beginners

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The French Open Championship

October 14th, 2009

It is highly unlikely that you will not have heard of the French Open tennis championship, because it is a competition which is an annual topic of conversation. In French the name of the competition is ‘Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros’ or ‘Tournoi de Roland Garros’. This tournament, which lasts for about two weeks is held in Paris at the Roland Garros Stadium, from which it got its name.

The French Open is one of the most publicised and broadcast sports events in the whole world of sport and lots of VIP’s attend it. The attendees of the game are fanatics who await with baited breath every stroke, especially when there is a close battle between the two players, doing their best to win. TV viewers actually get a feeling of being there live too.

The French Open tennis championship comes in second on the annual round of the Grand Slam tournaments and its history stretches back to the year of 1891 when it became an international competition. In those days, it was named the ‘International Championship of Tennis of France’ or ‘Championat de France International de Tennis’ in French.

First of all, only players that were registered or licensed in France were permitted to participate in this competition, but things took a different turn in 1925, when the French open tennis tournament finally became accessible to foreign players. Until 1912, the ground the players used was made of crushed red brick dust. Actually the crushed brick was formed into a sort of red clay that was spread over the ground, which, until then, would have been a green lawn.

The popularity of the French Open tennis tournament held at Roland Garros dates back to a competition between the Philadelphia Four (Rene Lacoste, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and Jacques Brugnon) who won the Davis Cup in 1927. It triggered the desire in the French to defend their cup in future competitions. This new tournament designed to bring back home the cup was held on a stadium named after the World War I pilot Roland Garros and since then the name has stuck.

The word ‘open’ was has been used from 1968, when the tournament was open to both amateurs and professionals alike who wanted to test their skills at tennis. Since then the French Open tennis tournament has also brought in some novel prizes.

Apart from the usual winners’ prizes, they also give prizes called ‘Prix Orange’ for the most correct and press-friendly player, ‘Prix Citron’ for the player with the strongest personality and ‘Prix Burgeon’ for the one the best new-comer of the tennis year.

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