LAWN TENNIS
ANCIENT CIVILIZATION
- Greeks and Romans played a form of tennis.
- In Greece there were games in which a ball was hit against the wall and later back and forth between
two in 1200 AD tennis like game was played in France.
- The game of tennis later spread to England where it became popular in France and England.
- The game was popular with the kings and monarchs, this made the game to be referred as the sport
of kin. It was played indoors.
- In 1873 British army major called major Walter c. Winfield introduced a new outdoor game
incorporation of the older aspects of the indoor game, he called the games pairistike: a Greek word
meaning play.
- The game became a success in England but the word was difficult to pronounce due to this and the
place it used to be played; lawn: English people called; tennis on the lawn: later it became: lawn
tennis;
- Mary Outerbridge, an American visiting Bermuda was introduced to the game. Became interested
and or return to New York in 1874-1875 brought necessary equipment and enthusiasm to initiate the
game in xxxx Tennis was introduced in the Olympics in 1984 as a demonstration game and it
became an official Olympic in 1988.
Major Tennis Competition
Ovand Slam – the four major championships
- Winbledon – all England champion
- U.S Open
- French open
- Australian open
DEVELOPMENT OF TENNIS IN KENYA
- Tennis was introduced in African continent by former colonial powers (British and French)
- Tennis was first introduced in kenya by British.
- In kenya tennis is run by Kenya Lawn Tennis Association (K.L.T.A) that was formed in 1922.
- In the world its run by International Tennis Federation (L.T.F)
- Kenya female players participate in Davies cup.
1
The Court
- The surface is made of clay, grass, carpet and hard wood or synthetic material
- Divided in half by a net over which players must hit the ball.
- At the end we have the baseline for service and denote when the ball is out an the hitter loses te
point.
- On each side we have the white lines to indicate the width of the court and mark the dimensions for
singles, doubles.
Racket
- No uniform design of tennis rackets and their sizes and shape vary
- Length of the racket is 29 inches (73.7 cm)
- Width 31.8
- Strength with resilient gut or nylon or other synthetic material.
- Made of wood, aluminium, graphite which are stronger ligher than wood
- Racket grip covered with rubber or leather grip.
Ball
- Vary in colour
- Official matches the ball must be yellow or white in colour.
- 2 inches in diameter.
- Weighs 2 ounces each (56-59.4 grames)
- Hollow and composed of inflated rubber covered with fabric made of wool and artificial fibres.
Net
- Net is 1.07 m high at the posts. Grip
- 3 feet higher in the centre. Buit Tip
Players Clothing
Handle Head
- Wear light weight clothing – white in colour
- Shoes with non skid rubber soles
- White shorts
Start of the Game
- The server is chosen by a coin toss or by spinning the racket.
- The one winning the toss can give a choice to other persons or choose which end to play.
- The game is started with a service.
2
Rules for Service
- Serve while standing behind baseline
- Toss the ball in the air and hit it with a racket before it touches the ground
- Place the ball across the net in a diagonal direction so that it lands in the receivers deuce court or
server.
- The ball must bounce into the service court diagonally opposite side.
- The server must stand behind the baseline.
- The player who initiates the service is called server and the one who receives is called the receiver.
- One can use either under hand or overhand to serve the ball.
The feet o f the server should not touch the court until the ball is struck
On the first serve, the server stands on the right side of the court and attempts to hit the ball
diagonally the side of the court.
- One is entitled for two tries for each service.
- Ball that hits the line is considered in.
A fault is called during service
- Ball is served into the net
- If it strikes the net before hitting the opponents court
- Serving outside the service box.
3
- If the servers foot touches the baseline
- Entering the court before the service is completed.
- After one fault the server may serve again but if both tires results in faults, a double fault is called
and axxxxxxx a point.
A let
- A service on either try that touches the net and then falls diagonally opposite the service box and
server to serve again.
Ace
- A valid serve that is not touched at all by the opponent.
- Service-after the first point the service is made from the left hand side of the court into the
opponents d opposite service court on each point, thereafter the side from which service is made
alternates until an e has been played.
- The opponent serves the next game and the pattern of alternation of serve continues.
In doubles serves alternate between teams and also between players, so that an individual player will
set fourth game.
Rally
- After a successive serve the ball is hit back and fourth until one player or team fails to return the ball
sxxxxxx.
Point is lost
- When a player lets the ball to bounce twice in his court.
- Hits the ball beyond the boundaries of the opposite side of the court.
- Touching the opponents ground.
- Carrying the ball or catching it in the racket
- Hitting the ball two times or before it has crossed the net
- Throwing the racket or other kinds of racket abuse.
Scoring
- A tennis game when not prolonged by tie is played to 4 points, the score do not increase by single
digits to begin at 15 and go to 30 (2) then 40 i.e. 15-30-40 and game.
With zero being referred as ;love;
- A tie at 40 is called deuce.
4
A game must be won by two points, play continues from deuce until one player leads by a margin of
two (advantage in) and advantage out.
- The serving player calls his scores first e.g. 15-love.
- Players must win 6 games to win the set. But they must win by a margin of at least two games.
- If a set is tied at 5-5 at least 7 game victories are required to win a set.
- A tie breaker is often employed if a set becomes lied at 6-6 ; a tie breaker is generally played to 7
points.
- The winner of a tie breaker is recorded as having won the set 7-6 regardless of the point.
- Tennis matches are usually the best two out of three sets or best three out of five sets.
- A set consist of six games
OFFICIALS
Referee Chair Umpire
- Sits on referee stand
- Determines whether shots are good
- Interpret the rules
- Call the scores
- Has power to overrule other judges
Line Judges
- Sit around the court
- Determine whether serves and shots are good or out
- May check the foot fault.
SKILLS
1. Forehand drive
- Used for ground stroke or drive
- Grip-eastern forehand (shake hands0
Ready position (stance)
- Racket held in front of the body using dominant hand (right hand for right handed players)
- Knees are slightly bent
- The feet are shoulder with apart
- Weight evenly distributed on both feet
- Body weight forward on balls of the feet
- Players are focused on the oncoming ball while relaxed
5
Forehand swing
- Player steps forward towards the ball
- Ball contact point should be at the waist height and in front of then body.
- Swing racket from low to high
Follow through
- Racket follow the ball after contact iin a long continuous motion
- Elbow finished at shoulder height position
Backhand drive
- Used to return ball coming from the left side for right handed players, it can be single or double
hand.
Grip
- Racket is changed to eastern backhand grip during the back swing.
Ready position
- Ready position holding the racket in eastern back hand grip
Xxxxx and back swing
Shou;ders and hips turn sideways.
Body weight transfer to the left foot for right handed player
Racket is pulled back using the left hand which holds the racket at the throat.
Knees bent
Bxxxxxxxx of the racket points towards the oncoming back.
Swing and contact
- Step towards the oncoming ball
- Ball is contacted at the waist level in front of the right leg for right handed players
- Racket is swung from low to high
Row through
- Racket follows the ball in a long continuous motion.
- Low to high sweeping motion
- Hand finished above shoulder height.
6
Lob
It’s a high, lofted stroke used as a defensive shot it helps to move the opponents away from the net.
Teaching points
- Grip as the ground strokes, ensuring a firm wrist at impact
- Open the racket face
- Shorten the back swing
- Flex both knees bringing the racket downwards
- Rackets swung with more lifting motion to an upward plane
- Body weight properly maintained.
- Follow through is completed when the rackets make a high movements that follows the ball
trajectory.
Drop shot
- Is a stroke that is intentionally hit very short to land in the opponents court near the net.
- Is used to force an opponent to the net.
Teaching points
- Use eastern or continental grip
- Players stance is similar to ground stroke
- Back swing similar to ground stroke but with shortened back swing.
- Speed o f racket is reduced
- Racket face is opened at contact
- Players should pace off the ball using a delicate ball contact
Smash
- Used to hit the balls that are above the height of the head
- Can be executed when the ball is above ones head
Teaching points
- Use eastern or continental grip
- Player turn sideways and gets in good body position using short steps.
- Body weight is transferred to the rear leg.
- Make a shot back swing preparation to the racket with the elbow bent at shoulder level.
- Racket face should be placed behind but above the players head.
7
- Non playing arm stretches upward with fingers pointing to the oncoming ball.
- Front shoulder faces the net as the rear shoulder is moved higher the front.
- Body weight is transferred to the front leg as the heel of the rear foot is raised.
- Racket contact the ball in front of the players head
Other types of smash-bounce smash, jump smash and back hand smash.
Slice in Ground Strokes
- Its sometimes called under spin or back spin.
Teaching Points
- Racket head and face is tilted back.
- Should be swung from high to low.
- Racket is brought into the ball from above the point of contact
- Racket should be moving downward at impact
- Player should have a sense of sliding through the ball
- Ensure a good acceleration at impact.
Top Spin Serve
- Top spin serve enables the ball to pass over the net in a high curved path and it bounces higher xxxx
ground.
Teaching points
- Ball tossed from above or slightly behind the head over the left shoulder.
- Upper body turned slightly sideways and arched to lean backwards.
- The body then rotates upwards and to the front in the direction of the shot.
- Ball is struck from behind and to the left of the servers head.
- The right foot moves in the direction of the shot
- In the follow through the racket continues outwards and to the right.
Back hand Slice
- Racket raised above the level of the ball on the back swing.
- Let the racket face open
- Turn the shoulders on the back swing.
- Brush downward to enable the ball have the under spin.
- Follow through should be an extension of the swing.
8
Principles of Tennis
- Phase of plan
- Zone plan
- Game plan situation
- Play surface
- Game states
- %tennis
What safety precautions would you require while teaching lawn tennis.
