Top 10 tennis tips  

Tennis is not just a physical game. It’s also mental. My first coach, Tony Fisher, knew I had physical limitations but no mental limitations. Not only did he help me develop strokes and serves but he made sure my head was always in the game. Many of his great suggestions still echo in my head today as I hit each ball – 30 years later. Here are some of my favorites. 

1. Tennis is easy! As my coach would say, “Just return the ball back over the net and into the court just one more time than your opponent. That’s all you have to do to win!” Of course, consistency is the key.

2. No matter what, I was coached to be humble about my tennis ability before, during and after a game. My coach would say “Let your racquet do the talking and keep your mouth shut.” As a kid this was hard, but as my confidence grew, I became mentally tough and eager to compete. Tony always emphasized that tennis was a “gentlemen’s game” and he expected all his players to behave accordingly. 

3. “Air your arm pits!” That was my coach’s way of telling me to follow-through on ground strokes. It works! This was great adage from Tony and has application in life. From the game of tennis, I learned that failure follows those who fail to follow through. 

4. Always keep your feet moving. Don’t stand still on a tennis court, even after a point has been played. My coach would call this “happy feet”. “Roger, your feet are dead – I want to see happy feet!” 

5. During competition, I was taught to keep the same expression on my face. The goal was to develop my concentration and to keep my opponent guessing about my emotional state. Tony did not want my opponent to know if I was frustrated or over-confident during the game. However, if I eventually won match point, I could let out a big smile and celebrate. 

6. Before I served the ball, if my head wasn’t ready, I was taught to take a walk-about. I would take a couple steps to gather my thoughts and then begin my serve. Tony often said, “Roger, don’t be in a hurry to lose. Slow down and gather your thoughts.”

7. I learned that you don’t have to hit hard or get flashy! Use the speed and power off your opponent’s strokes. In fact, the harder my opponent hit the ball, the better shot I could make. I just had to remember not to try and out-hit or over-hit my competitor. 

8. Through trial and error, I learned that percentage shots work. Tennis is about placement and moving your opponent around. I earned my position on an NCAA Division One tennis team by hitting basic shots that I rehearsed over a million times. During match point, I just pulled my opponent wide and hit down the line. Nothing flashing, nothing hard. Percentage shots work! 

9. Chris Evert wasn’t very fast on her feet but she had the greatest and fastest racquet preparation of any player on the tour. Tony constantly used her as an example. He taught me to keep my eye intently on the ball and instantly get my racquet into a back swing position- the moment it left my opponent’s strings. Yes, I was instructed to watch all the Chris Evert matches on television and concentrate on her racquet preparation. 

10. Don’t panic if your leg flies off when you run for a shot. Just follow through and get the ball into the court. I guarantee your opponent will be stunned and miss the return shot. It works every time! Tony always had a nod for me with a slight smile whenever this happened. He knew I was okay and could hop like a jack-rabbit.

As a coach, Tony treated me like all his other tennis players. He was tough, consistent and always there with a sharp eye. He never treated me differently, except to tie my shoe now and then. In the process, he convinced me that I was an athlete with the mental tools and physical skills to take on any able-bodied tennis player. And to go one step further, I am grateful that so many of the mental and physical aspects of tennis have crossed over into my personal and professional life. 

If you are ever in the area, let’s hit!