A few well chosen words from Dave Smith - Senior Tennis Editor of TennisOne.

He says it all far better than I could, but maybe for you out there who have set 2010 to be the year when you really think about improving your tennis game, or more importantly for those who "think" that their game cannot be improved - then read on and think what is written here, so true!

Like that of a person starting the New Year with well-intentioned resolutions, tennis players often set their sights on improving their games for the New Year.

The problem with many individuals is that there is a belief that true improvements in the game can be simple, "Band-Aid" solutions that can come from attending a new camp, clinic, lesson, or by reading books or watching DVD’s on tennis.

While these ideas can be the starting point to changing one’s game, people must understand that long-term improvement takes long-term commitments. Establishing the ability to execute more effective and advanced techniques requires three distinctive elements that many players fail to recognize. If a player fails to employ all three of these concepts, then the ability to establish real change, effective change, will remain elusive.

Understanding and Education

This concept refers to players having a clear understanding of what mechanics are required to execute specific strokes. Whether it is hitting crisp, consistent, deep volleys off a tough return, or, hitting a 110mph first serve, a 90mph kicker second serve, or a full overhead while moving back near the baseline, players need to understand that such stroke elements have specific grips, swing patterns, footwork patterns, and balance, that all must be understood to be fully executed.

Dedication over Time

If players make changes for a week, only to fall back to more comfortable, yet effective strokes and strategies, this will ensure only one thing–stagnation. With clear understanding of stroke elements comes the need to maintain those elements long enough to master them.

One must not establish a period of time to “see” if the new methods “work.”

Players must know that mistakes will be made, even after they have mastered a stroke. (You don’t see Roger Federer start changing his strokes every time his misses a shot!)

I am amazed that players will usually say something like, “Hey, this new stroke isn’t working,” after using it for a week! Yet, they go back to their old, ineffective strokes, and not only don’t improve, they miss many, many shots.

However, because their old strokes feel comfortable, misses are not magnified. In fact, a player can miss more with the old familiar strokes yet feel as if they are hitting better than when they were indeed using more effective techniques.

This makes teaching tennis very frustrating.

Implementation in Competition

On the other hand, many can employ new stroke mechanics in practice; however, when it comes to competition, most will revert back to their more comfortable and familiar swing elements. They just want to win to much and this has to do with “confidence.” Most players who want to win will use those patterns they are most confident with. Since new patterns and mechanics are seldom as comfortable and confident as those the player has been using for years, the natural inclination for each player is to go back to those patterns that are more comfortable – no matter how flawed or limited such methods may be. In fact, this concept is why some pros have said, “It is more comfortable to lose matches than to use new techniques.”

When these three concepts are fully understood and bought into by the student, long-term improvement can occur. No longer will a player look at others who are far superior and wish they could play like that. I’ve found very few exceptions where individuals can’t play at very higher levels.

Once players are able to identify these three things, then permanent change is possible. And, today, with the incredible resources and tools available, such as TennisOne.com’s incredible library of lessons, gallery of professional strokes, and the new stroke comparison tools, (allowing TennisOne member upload and play video clips of themselves side-by-side with any number of hundreds of professionals hitting the same stroke from the same angle), and other learning tools that were unheard of in my day, there is no reason why any student can’t understand every nuance and stroke element they need to master.