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Jeff's Tennis Blog July 2008 Archive

By Jeff Cooper, About.com Guide to Tennis since 1998

Rules Quiz

Tuesday July 29, 2008
Test your knowledge of the rules of tennis. Questions range from easy and common to challenging and rare.

Animated Tour of Tennis Footwork Exercises

Friday July 25, 2008
Animations illustrate a sequence of footwork exercises you can use to warm up and as agility training. Each animation is accompanied by an explanation of the benefits of the exercise.

Winning Singles Strategies at the Beginner Plus Level

Friday July 25, 2008
Learn how to win more tennis matches with better strategies and tactics at the beginner through early intermediate levels. You'll find most of these ideas easy to put into use.

Photo Lesson: The Forehand Topspin Lob

Wednesday July 23, 2008
Topspin lobs are much more difficult to execute than flat lobs, but they're virtually impossible for an opponent to chase from the net and retrieve after the bounce, and they ... Read More

Photo Tour of the Forehand Grips

Saturday July 19, 2008
Learn the full range of forehand grips from close-up photos of the Eastern, Semi-Western, Western, Continental, and Hawaiian grips. Comments on their strengths and weaknesses, spin potentials, and points ... Read More

Spin Serves FAQ

Saturday July 19, 2008
Find answers about ten different spin serves, including topspin, twist, and slice. Learn which spins are best for first and second serves and which work best against tall or ... Read More

Tennis Quiz for Intermediates

Saturday July 12, 2008
This fun tennis quiz will help intermediates measure and improve their knowledge of strokes and tactics. Topics include serves, forehands, backhands, spins, positioning, rules, singles, and doubles.

Five Great Shot Combinations

Saturday July 12, 2008
It's much easier to hit a winner if you use the previous shot to set it up. Here are five fun and effective ways to use positioning and specific ... Read More

Forehand and Backhand Half Volleys

Thursday July 10, 2008
A half volley is one of the most fun shots to hit, and it can get you out of lots of difficult situations. Here are videos of the forehand ... Read More

Nadal Surpasses Federer in Fantastic Final

Sunday July 6, 2008
Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7 Sunday in one of the best Wimbledon finals ever played. Roger had owned the title since 2003 and was ... Read More

The Strokes That Put Venus and Serena in the Singles and Doubles Finals

Friday July 4, 2008
Venus and Serena Williams will be opponents in Wimbledon's women's singles final and partners against Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur in the women's doubles final, all in one day, Saturday. ... Read More

Reality Check on Nadal's "Light" Racquet

Friday July 4, 2008
If you've been listening to the Wimbledon commentators on American TV, you've almost certainly heard multiple discussions of how "light" Rafael Nadal's racquet is. Nadal uses the Babolat AeroPro ... Read More

Photo Lesson: The Backhand Drop Volley

Friday July 4, 2008
The softer the court, the better any shot with the word "drop" in it will work. On the Wimbledon grass, the drop volley is especially prevalent, because unlike the ... Read More

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