The next “myth” about women tennis players (often posed by men) was,
“they should go to the net more.” The men coaches would corner me and
tell me “about girls and the net.”
Once, during practice, I brought the women over to observe the men in a
drill designed for aggressive approaching and volleying. The women were
very courteous.
I then asked the men, “What would you change if this court were five feet
wider and five feet longer?”
Immediately one of the guys said, “We couldn’t go to the net as much.”
I ushered the women back to the “girls’ side” and explained, “If you are a
little smaller, not quite as quick and maybe not quite as strong, then the
court is bigger for you, or for most women. It makes sense not to want to
go in as much and that’s okay.”
Later I asked the guys if they’d still go in on a larger court? “Yes, but with
more caution.”
There is a situation where you can take a “percentage advantage,” by
going to the net and pressuring the other player. You have to design your
skills at attacking and learn to identify the proper ball to go in on.

Men are from Mars; women are from Venus. How do you identify these
differences as far as coaching goes? The best source for a “crash course”
on the subject would be to consult Anson Dorrance’s book on the subject.
Dorrance, legendary women’s soccer coach at UNC-Chapel Hill, does a
clinical job sharing his discoveries. I found one of his first suggestions to hold truth immediately. You’ve got to give the girls about 20 minutes prior
to when practices start to discuss the day. Seriously. This is actually part of
practice. And if you view this as a waste of time, you’ll probably witness a
lousy practice. Once they “air the day” they’re ready to go. Try it.

One personal idea that I tried was the theme: “Be your own choreogra-
pher.” I tried to encourage our women to design their own practices based on their needs. For some reason they have trouble with this. Once my
assistant Bob Owens had just been hitting ground strokes to one girl after
another, corner to corner. Imre Kwast, a Dutch player, came close to me
and said, “That’s what the ‘gulls like!’” And it’s true, they like to be directed.
I banged my head against the wall, trying to encourage them to design
their own practices, but “they are different” this way.

One day I asked Imre, “Do you have Easter in Holland?
“Why certainly,” she said, surprised.
“Do you have the Easter Bunny?” I asked.
“Sure,” she giggled, “We have the bunny too.”
I asked the team, “What’s the best thing that could happen to you in an
Easter egg hunt?”
Where was this going was the look on their faces.
Finally one girl answered: “If you know where the eggs were hidden it
would surely help!”
“Exactly,” I replied. “I’ve watched teams for 40 years, I know where the
points are, and I’ll tell you.”
From then on they called me the Easter Bunny. When I’d see them
execute a point I’d advised them on, I’d whisper “bunny point.” Other men
coaches contended: “They’ll practice all week on something I’ve taught
them but come to match time they forget it.” I’d smile to myself every time I
got to say “bunny point.”
This test was given to all team members. Richard Dutton always won.

Here are some “hidden points.” Fill out and return. Best papers, men and
women, will be rewarded.

The page numbers in parentheses indicate where the question is
answered.
Answer in 35 words or less, based on fall practice:

1. “Hone your return” (page 29).
2. “Churn and Burn” (page 88).
3. Seven volley spots (page 87).
4. Use your legs to volley (overhead) (page 87).
5. “Recoil” (page 88).
6. “On the rise” (pages 89, 106).
7. “Andy Moll” Drill (page 56).
8. “two and in” (pages 43, 46).
9. “Shank” target (page 85).
10. Going in (pages 46, 89).
11. Backing up (pages 46, 89).
12. Which knee is down on a low backhand volley (right-handers)?
    The left.) (page 117).
13. “Hit-turn” serve (overhead) (page 19).
14. “Doubles is a one-two game” (pages 29).
15. “Duties of all four doubles players” (pages 31, 32, 33).
16. Where is the underspin ball best used (which shots)?
    (pages 29, 36, 58).
17. “Touch and tighten” (page 88).
18. Short corner (significance) (page 36).
19. Cardinal sins in doubles (page 34).
20. “Chip and Charge” (page 58).
21. “Chip and Rip” (pages 42, 58).
22. They approach cross court. Your response: (Down the Line)
    (page 89).
23. “Spot specific” on volleys (too!) (page 56).
24. “The most important ground stroke” (Cross-court backhand if
    both players are right-handed) (pages 29, 41, 42).
25. Get the return out of “the hole” (page 59).
26. “The Cagey Cage” (page 84).
27. The values of hitting on the rise (pages 57, 58).
28. Borg’s speech (page 25).
29. Don’t change the “line of the ball” (pages 29, 43).
30. Who serves first for us in doubles? (The server who gives our team
    the best chance to win. This may not be the best server.) (page 59).

31. Double faults are: (See answer at bottom of test.

32. Know when to “pull the trigger.” (See answer at bottom of test.)

1. “The harder they hit it, the … ” (easier you swing … pages 21, 88.)
2. “Z” shaped return (pages 90, 117).
3. Compare the “hit spot” for a backhand two-hander to a one-
   handed backhand slice (pages 23, 86).
4. “Pulling the top spin backhand” (page 56).
5. “Learn the court” and team policy on dropping a questionable ball
   (page 53).
6. Two rally suggestions: (1. Hit ground strokes off the first bounce
   only. Second bounce hits are not legal, plus first bounce makes you
   hustle to the ball and hit some awkward shots. 2. There is no need
   to hit balls that are out of bounds. Just knock them down, or let
   them go, and start a new inbounds rally.)
7. Recommended technique on backhand overheads (page 87).
8. High volleys—down and at an angle. Low volleys—straight and
   deep and they get to hit it one more time (pages 41, 87, 88).

31. Double faults are double trouble in doubles

Once I became better at conveying “movement to the hit spot” my
players at all levels got better quickly. And the one-handed slice may be
the one most helped by proper “hit spots.” A lot of good college men had
forehand trouble because of a subtle flaw in “hit spot.” Whereas backhands
are tougher to learn, my guess is many young boys could hit forehands
with any number of “hit spots.” Backhands, they internalized early on,
must be hit “right there” or in the perfect backhand hit spot. Then as they
advanced a ball, they tried to hit in a faulty forehand position let them
down and caused a lot of frustration. Once I could convince them of this
error and the principle of perfect “forehand hit spot,” they’d get better too.

Peter Van Graafeiland was the nicest kid I coached. That’s saying a lot,
but Peter is a “sweetheart.” And he did struggle. It’s tough to watch the
good kids take a pounding. I finally figured out how to help Pete. He didn’t
know “how hard” to hit it when bad judgment led to over hitting, taking
unnecessary chances, and “pulling his trigger too quick.” Once we taught
PVG how to keep it in play patiently until he got “his shot” he improved
quickly. I was delighted. Pete was characteristically grateful. “Don’t pull
your trigger until you have your shot” PVG.

First the two big problems: Dress and choosing between two.
As for girls and dress? I only coached girls three years. I’m no closer to
having any clue as to how to handle their clothing preferences.
Girls will force you into lose-lose situations. This centers on making you
choose between two players.
I quickly found two solutions:
Refer these questions or demands to my noble assistant, Bob Owens.
Bob is real sweet and fatherly. I’m not.
Coach Tom Morris pointed his “Lieutenant” out to me.
The Lieutenant was a girl on the team who didn’t put up with “that
garbage.” She understands, by nature, how to handle these situations. Find
your Lieutenant. The Lieutenant should help you convince them the team
is not a “social club.” Team Rule: If anyone catches two girls standing at the
net idly talking during challenge matches, they should drop racquets and
run for a while. If this continues to be a problem, all girls are forced to join
in (running, not talking).
Girls don’t like you to single out one girl for high praise.
Girls really want to learn, and they are appreciative. They will trust you
until your suggestions are bogus, or you overcoach them.
My guess is most talented boys and girls have little trouble finding
someone to take them under their wing. Most boys’ high school teams find
coaches pretty easily. The “limited girl” has few “allies.” That’s why if you are
a good coach and try to help them, you may be the first capable person
they’ve confronted. That player drinks in everything you say. I usually liked
coaching that person.

Jack Kramer once said, “the fundamental strategy of singles is to find
out what your opponent can’t do, or doesn’t like to do, and make them do
that.” That’s a violation of the number one rule of the women’s secret code.
Number two is never asking why they can’t wear shorts (balls in the
pockets make them look wider—a no no). Number three is never saying
“waddle” in reference to women’s tennis.
But the number one rule (I suspect for many women) is, ”I won’t make
you hit awkward balls (up and back movement) if you won’t make me.
Deal, left and right only. This one puzzled me. And I tried to develop Plan
B. Simply stated, Plan A, or rallying corner to corner, is okay as long as you
can win this way. Once you realize she’s better at this than you, then we’d
better modify.
A southern veteran, Bob Cage, showed me his favorite “play.” Bob’s theory
was most people don’t have a good backhand approach shot (true of a lot
of college men). This is true mainly because it is different and not practiced
much at lower levels. Bob’s trick was to float up a semi-disguised weak
shot on his opponent’s backhand, which “sucked him up to the net” on a
weak shot. Then the “killer lob,” or passing shot. This play, a violation of the
“silent code,” was the first I attempted. Moderate success. Women are loyal.
The more you can make your opponent move up and back the more you’ll
have a Plan B escape.
Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciapara had twin girls. Bet someone’s already
recruiting them. They’ll be able to run. If I were a women’s basketball
coach, I’d recruit a skinny little girl with three older brothers. That girl can
run and is tough. I’ve noticed more and more point guards who can run in
women’s basketball. Once again, if American junior tennis is to succeed we
have to develop women who can move well and that includes movement
up and back. Many already can. Just as a junior girl has to learn to cope
with the infamous “moon ball” to her backhand, she needs to confront up
and back. No ducking; do the work.