Tennis Tip

Presented by Nick Crowell, Co-Director

Tennis: 4 tips on "Being First"

Tennis is filled with "Firsts"! Whether it's the first serve, the first return, or the first to apply pressure, it is important to know what you can do "first" in all of your matches.

1. First Serve Returns: First serves are one of the most important stats in the game. If you improve this area and raise your first serve percentage you will improve your chances to win.

Return your opponents' first serve to neutralize one of their strengths, you are now at 50/50 to win the point.

2. First Strike: Be the first one to attack your opponent. The one who attacks first applies pressure and typically has the upper hand in the point. Be ready to finish early and around the net when you first strike.

3. Poach First in Doubles: Be the team that is more active at the net looking to take over and attack the other team. Don't sit back and wait.

4. The First Point:The first point is often overlooked, but winning the first point gets you on a roll towards winning the set. Winning first sets means more wins. Work hard for that first set because you now have the upper hand and can apply more pressure to your opponents.

Think about all the ways to "Be First" next time you are on the court!

For more great tennis tips from Coach Crowell and his amazing staff, get in on the action this summer at the Nike Tennis Camp at the University of Oklahoma!