AboutJim Leupold Expertise I feel very confident answering any questions regarding technical aspects of the game -
from stroke production to strategy. My strengths, because of my extensive training, is
keeping the game very simple, energy-efficient and effective, eliminating injuries and
mistakes at the same time.
Experience I've been the director of tennis and teaching tennis fulltime for 21 years, 19 at one of the top tennis resorts in the US and the world, the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. I've traveled to 20 countries around the world, playing and teaching tennis and performing comedic and entertaining tennis shows. I work with Peter Burwash International (PBI), a company which trains professionals for 400 hours before the first lesson can be taught. That's compounded by continuing education, including a mandatory 60-hour annual meeting and 360 educational newsletters from PBI professionals received every year.
Organizations Peter Burwas International (PBI), the world's foremost tennis management company with 90 professionals in 20 countries worldwide
Education/Credentials I received a B.A. in Journalism in 1985.
Awards and Honors * Tennis Magazine's Ten Greatest Tennis Resorts - twice
* Tennis Magazine's 50 Greatest Tennis Resorts - every year since 1990
* TennisResortsonline.com - Always in the Top 75 Resorts in the world - always in top 25 and as high as #3.
* PBI Rookie of the Year runnerup
* PBI Most Improved Professional of the Year
* PBI Professional of the Year
* Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa's Customer Service Manager of the Year
Expert: Jim Leupold Date: 6/8/2008 Subject: tennis backhand
Question hi sir!!
m begginer enjoyng the game but having difficulties in followings::
1.backhand :: m hitting back hand with 1 hand (right) but my swings are ending resulting in spin of the ball and not a perfect swing as a result of this my shots end in awkward ball landing .
2.Serve :: my service is not hitting the right target it is going out of court or timing is not getting correct can it be my hieght 6 ft doing damage to my timings in throw during serve??.
help me sir i want to improve my game as soon as possible
i would also like u to guide my serve to get good results .
thank you!!
Answer Dear Satya,
I would have to know more about where your ball is landing and what kind of spin you're hitting in order to give you much advice about what you could do. However, if you will begin to focus on what is happening during the MIDDLE part of your swing, you'll understand the game a lot better and begin to hit better shots.
The backswing is for power, and the follow-through is to keep you from getting injured. If you hit THROUGH the ball well for as long as you can in whatever direction you want the ball to go, you'll begin to hit the ball better and more solidly without as much spin.
Spin is great to use to help slow the ball down and keep it in the court. If you're hitting too much spin on a topspin shot, you're most likely just lifting too quickly and too violently. If you're hitting too much spin on underspin shots, you're probably chopping, cutting or "cupping" the ball too much. For topspin, think "through and then up." For underspin, think "through and then under."
2. The serve is simply a toss and a throw. Your hitting hand is a throwing hand. It should be kept really loose. You do this by loosening your bottom three fingers - from the baby finger to the middle finger. You can even try hitting some serves by taking your bottom finger completely off the racquet.
This looseness allows you to hit serves more accurately, faster, with better spin - all with minimal effort. When you can describe your serve as "effortless," you know you've arrived.
Your timing can also be addressed just by thinking of the serve as a toss and a throw. If you keep it that simple, there will be fewer things that can go wrong with your timing. If you're thinking of the serve as having 8 - 10 different parts, it will break down very easily. Keep it just as simple as you can.
Best of luck.
Best Tennis Regards,
Jim Leupold
PBI Director of Tennis
Desert Springs, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa
